The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-12-01

CITY can teSH1y tnar the neaItn OF our
respective congregations has been I'M
precedented, there having been almost
no fatal or even serious sickness
among us, and, with glad and CRATE
full hearts, we mite with our dear peO-
pie, to-day, in acknowledging the low
ing Kindness of the Lord. The sani-
tary measures which. have been going
forward so energetically during the
summer--the paving and draining
lefsaour sstreets--have. no. doubt,
greatly promoted the, public health;
and, of theseW improvements, our
city is Justly proud, But, if we
would Il make a. worthy return
for the health we have enjoyed, we
must look beyond all mere instru
mental agencies to that (" God in whose
hands our breath is, and whose are
all our ways. 7" Yes, we must not
" sacrifice to our own net, nor burn
incense to our own drag, by. giving
to second causes the glory due to the
great First Cause the Father of
Light, from whom cometh down every
good and perfect gift. " Stripped of
all the sophistries of a vain phfloso-s
ply, the plain truth is this: Our,
city. has, been exempt from epidemic
disease because that glorious God,
whose laws are so simple, and yet SO
sublime, has breathed into our atmos-.
phere, neutraiizihg its poisops, and
imparting those properties which sus-
tain the life of every living thing. In
word, we have'Sbeen blessed with
health because Gods loving kindness
has stopped to JUS IN benediction.
Before. passing away from these
thoughts about the health of our
city, ]letshA ask what of the moral at
mosphere? Is there any healthful
influence there2f Truth cornpels us
to say that we have sins enough to
makeaus lblush-sihs enough to make
us wonder at the patience of
God-sins enough to make us tremble
lest, that Holy God who. sees and
hears all, should send down upon us
the judgments of His wrath Yes,
we have. sins enough to make us cry
out in admiring gratitude, 1t is of
the Lords mercies we are not con-
sumed, because His compositions fail
not e "a NAsses-SAsesA 80 p
But while Jesus wept over a wicked
city, and while there are many things
to make us weep over this city, there
is still much il which to rejoice, and
for which we ought to bless our God
to-day. Fearful as is the struggle,
evil is not in the ascendant. Deeds
of violence and blood are extremely
rare. Drunkenness, though its burn
ing streams are visible along our
streets, is not here as in many cities of
our land, rising to a fiery, all-engulph-
ing deluge. Those "crimes and
shames," which, like "shapes hot
from Tartarus, would, if unrestrain
ed, soon make any city a pandemoni-
-um,7 are here held in check BY the
wholesome influences which pervade
society. Lookyfat the machinery at
work for the social, intellectual, moral
and religious good Of our people,.
Think of our libraries, our schools,
our city missions, our orphans home,
our churches with all their applian-
ces, and the thought will inspire hope,
and deepen gratitude as you sing,
I" surely the lines are fallen to us in
pleasant places; yea, we have
goodly heritage. 'sbTkgg T0Hg
". But [ will mention !" the low
lingkindnesses of the Lord in the
national mercies we have received.
And here the field, that opens before
us, is so vast, that it is impossible to
explore it. A glance or two is all we
can now take. - .f,F D.
God has greatly blessed our agri-
cultural interests & He left not him-l
self without witness in that He did
good, and gave us rain from Heaven,
and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts
with food and gladness." Spring came
singing on her way, and, at the echo
of her voice, ,allinatures wakened into
gladness. The flowers strewed path
way of triumph foro their queen.
The playful steams, loosened from
their icy letters, ran laughing
alongithe yslleys+-|Sthe trees of the
wood clapped their hands, and the
little hills. rejoiced on every side.
And Summer came in her robes of
green, and under her sunny smile the
fields waved with golden grain. and
sitting among hersheaves like amoth-
er among her children, she kept her
glad :" harvest home. oH And Autumn
came clothed in scarlet and gold, and
from her " Horn of Plenty" poured
at the feetof the husbandman her am
pie store. Thus each crcling season
brought a blessing as it passed, and
we may well sing to-day as we cele-
sbrates the, loving kinelness'of theSLord
=" Thou crownest the year with Thy
goodness, and Thy paths drop fat
ness"
The mineral resources of. our coun-i
try have been largely developed.
From veins of gold and mountains of
iron, from beds of coalandl fountains
Of oil, streams of wealth have been
flowing upon our nation. Thus, for
the precious things brought forth by
the sun and for the precious things
Al l. 4 ~