The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-11-27
THANKSGIVING SERMONS.
PIrst Presbyterian church.
REv. D. W. F1sHER. rAsroR.

One OF the many things for which We
are called upon to-day to give thanks
is the prevalence of peace. This Is tht
subject TO which also our attention IL
turned in the text.
In this passage two things are stated
concerning peace. The first is that God
is the author Of 1t. The seconds thai
| II Is very great blessing. It is one
ofthose favors wherewIth the Almighty
delights to comfort, not only the world
at large, but even his own people. In
order that we may be able to appreci-
ate II let us contemplate its nature.
There are several kinds OF peace. /
| There Is freedom from i0dr. That war
is terrible evil no one doubts. II
originates in wrong. Always, at least,
one ofthe parties concerned has been
a tHansgTesSOT. In its progress also,
II is attended by the most dreadful
evils. Its horrors are SO great that our
minds cannot grasp them in a single
thought. Besides, every possible means
seem to be employed in order to con-
ceaI these evils from our eyes. History,
for example, records on Its pages main.
ly the feats OF daring which occur, and
the victories which are wop. Poetry
seeks to throw its witehery around the
bloody scenes of the battle field
what a CHASTITY spectacle do We
behold To take all in, you must
include, with the tens of thousands
who are slain or manned for life,
the path of desoiation which 1t leaves
behind II, the hearts crushed with griaf,
and the reign of licentiousnesS which
1t is almost sure to Introduce. You
must add poverty, bankruptcy. tyrau-
ny, famine, pestilence, and God him
self only knows what more. It's con-
sequences are also fearful. Sometimes
its victories are on the side of right
But sometimes wrong tri2mphs for q
season. The rule in this tribunal is
that might makes right. Unless God
specially interposes by his providence.
the weak, no matter though justice is
with him, must submit to the strong.
Even If victory inclines TO the stand
ards of those who are fighting with the
principles of Righteousness usually IL
takes years to recover from the evils
which are produced. Conqueror and
conquered are both left poor and em-
barrassed. Wicked passions have been
excited which are not soon calmed.
Life is cheap. Men make haste by
worse than doubtful speculAtions to get
rich. Corruption seizes upon the
places OF authority. Religion for the
time is shorn of something of its force.
L do NOT mean even to intimate that
a warrior cannot be. a christian, Some
of the noblest men WOO ever served the
and have spent their days in the fort
and the camp. Neither is It always
wrong for Il nation to engage in war.
As a matter OF self-defenCe a people
may be compelled TO pour volleys OF
death from the mouths OF cannon into
the ranks of their foes. tits one ofthe
sad evidences of human depravity that
war is sometimes an actual necessity.
The encroachments of adversaries may
be such as to demand resistance even
10 the sword,
Nevertheless all which has been said
Is so true as to have been recognized by
the old heather like Seneca, and in
modern times by men like Franklin
and Jefferson, who boasted more In the
name of philosopher than OF Christian.
Even Byron acknowledged these things.
AS for christianity it clearly sets the
mark of its disappnobation upon this
cause of humanity provides remedy
for its eradication, aud points to time
when under its own bsnignantinhnence
nations shall not "learn war any more" 7"
or all the numberless Christian writers
who have borne their testimony against
this evil, will only quote two: John
Howe in a Thanksgiving sermon in
1897. and Chalmers in 1916, after Napo-
leon was banished to 81. Helena.
We ought to thank God for the preva-
lence of peace during the past year,
DOlu lul6 hhh NNGA AAG hAAc7h "a
the civilized globe.
2. There is quite and order tpithiJ ule
limits of The nation, as guaranteed by the
LatV. II we remember that we have on
ly recently. come ont of fRatremendOus q
civil conflict which more than foreign
campaign tends to produce elawlessness,
that society in our part of the country
has been revolutioned in one OF its most
radical elemenLs-andF that the whole
nation has been subjected to the excite
ment of a Presidential election,-we
need scarcely wonder that there have
been occasional disturbances OF the
public tranquility. Let US condemn all
that is evil IN these things and devouuy
thank God for the measure OF peace en-
joyed.
gelical denominations are not disput.
ing with one another but are uniting
In an offensive movement against error
and sin. 5-aa = a.,z
ofthe remaining forms of peace
will mention ouly that Of The soul i1ith
God. II Is obtained by the blood OF
Christ. 7-t-
This is mainly national thanksgiv-
ing. Let our hearts then swell with
gratitude to God for his blessings to us
as people. And may he PerpetnAte
us as a home for the oppressed OF all
lands.
Thou. too. sail on, oship Of state!
fail on, o Union, strong and greatt
Humanity with all its feals,
Win all the hopes OF future years, ...
Is hanging bre4lhless on Thy late
We know what Master laid thy keel,
What workmen Wrought thy ribs OF steel,
| VINO made each mast, and sail ana rope,
| What anviIs rang, what hammers beat
/ In what forge and what neat,
| Were shaped the anehUn Of thy hope
Tear not each sudden sound and shock
/ 'ris OF the wave and not the rock;
| lis Of the Tapping Of toe sail,
And mo- a rent made by the Ealei aF
\ In spite OF rock and tempest5s roar,
i In spite OF false lights on the shore,
\ Sail on, nor fear ~ breast the sea;
I Our heaEts, our hopes are all with thee,
our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears
! Our faith Iiumphan Ger our fears,
| Are 4 with thee:-are'all with thee
Fourta street n. Z Church.