The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-01

mercies. We have asylums and hospi-
tails, schools and colleges, the means OF
grace and the hope of glory. "Bless the
Lord, Oh, my soul, and forget not all
his benefits"
Third Presby terian Church - Rev.
Jonathan Cross.
Offer unto God Thanksgiving-Psalm 50, IA.
This psalm is psalm of instruction,
rather than of prayer or praise. 1t con-
tains both reproOf and admonition. The
intention of it was a reproof to the
carnal Jews, for resting in the external
performance of their religion.
This psalm teaches MS that He will not
be mocked by mere formal services, that
sacrifices the most costly and splendid
offerings, the most munificent and POM
pous presents, without the heart are an
abominati0n in his sight.
Gods providential mcrcies demand
Thanksgiving. Prayer consists in three
parts, petition, compassion and thanks
giving. Thanksgiving is an important
part of divine worship, and consists in
acknowledging God as the source of all
good, and rendering homage to the
power, wisdom and goodness of God on
that account.
1st. We should thank God for our OK
istence as intelligent creatures. We
are fearfnlly and wonderfully made,
for noble purpose.
Cd. For our preservation. 1t is i'll God
we live, move and have our being. We
are indebted to God to-day for our lives.
Thirty-five millions have died during
the past year, embracing all ages, and
more than one million of this number
who have died, have died almost in
stantly, and if unprepared when the
message came, they passed into eternity
Iunprepared. Here is unbounded cause
for gratitude and thanksgiving ON the
part of all present who are not prepared
to die. ..-,,.,
Why have we not had the scourge OF
1893 repeated and our streets desolated,
No~.-E Er-Iras -Irou Uccu because we are
any better than the people were in 1888,
but it has been pure, undeserved mercy
Oh Gods part. Maybe the death bells
have been rung all around us, to warn
us that if we do not repent, our time
may be next year.
Sevcnty-five thousand at least have
sunk into dishonored grave by intem-
perance. Over fifty thousand have been
punished for crime, have lost their lib
erty and ruined their characters. 1t has
only been by the restraining grace of
God that gave you and | have not been
added to the number.
Sd. We should thank God to-day for
the use of reason. Multitudes the past
year have been sent to lunatic asylums,
the reasoning faculties of their souls
have been suspended.
Hear the clanking of the chains, the
madman's laugh, the unhuman cry, or
the uuearthly groan, and then exclaim,
o my soul, what shall ! render to tho
Lord for all His goodness. '
4th. Some of you may have been sick
nigh unto death, but God has raised You
up. He has heard your cry in the day
of your trouble. Maybe he has spared
YOU on account of the interceSsion of
Jesus, the divine husbandman, to give
you time and space for repentance.
9Th. Let us thank God for religious
privileges; these are our greatest bless
inGs. How different our condition in
this regard from that of many of the
nations of the earth. We have no dcs-
pot to compel us to worship God con-
trary to the dictates of reason. We are
not required to go to any erring, SHINING
Priest to have our sins forgiven. No
man can command us to put peas or
pebbles in our shoes to atone for our
sins, or compel us to pay toll to get our
friends out of purgatory.
Let us return sincere thanks to God
tor this, the greatest of all civil bless
ings, that we have no despot over us to
crush our opinions, or say we shall wor-
ship God as they direct.
There is one thing which l think
calls for spiritual thanks to-day, and
that is the return of peace. Not two
years ago O million and n half of men
were engaged in deadly conflict. This
mighty nation with all its wholesome
laws and benevolent institutions was
shaken from the centre to the circrIm-
ference.
The noises of drums and war trumpets
have ceased, the clashing of swords, and
the booming of cannon is heard no more
in the land. Is not this enough ~ draw
from the most stupid and obduratc
heart songs of thanksgiving and praise.
9th. Let MS thank God for our family
blessings. Where is the family whose
portion of domestic happiness has been
so small for the last year as not to call
for thankgivingi
While the destroying angel has slain
thirty-five million in the world, has he
not passed over many of your houses,
and even where the blood of the Lamb
of God has never been sprinkled on the
doorway of your hearts.
Let us thank God for the scheme of
salvation through Jesus Christ the bles-
sed Son of God, as the source from
which all the blessings we have enumer-
ated come. If he had not interpose d
when man sinned, the race must have
perished. He is the source OF all our
happiness, the only remedy for all our
wars.
Let us thank God that we were born
in this gospel land. Millions in heathen
lands have never heard of Jesus. They
are bowling down to worship before
sticks and stones, reptiles and de, lis.
o, think of their loathsome rites, their
dreadful sufferings, their awful destiny,
perishing without vision.
Offer thanksgiving to God that you,
as Church, have gospel ordinances.
Two months ago you had o committee
appointed to decide whether you should
abandon this Church and disband your
congregation. You were reduced to
twenty-seyen members, and few came to
hear when you had service. Fifteen
have been added since that time to your
congregation, and others are waiting to
Join you. Your house is well filed with
anxious listeners, and not q few sincere
Thank God for your personal interest