Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-01
THANKSGIVING SERMON.
BY REV. W. GRAHAM.

Righteousness Exalteth Nation. "
PROV. XIV. "a.
To-day we welcome the periodic return Of
our great anaual national festival There
is something peculiarly beautiful and grand
in the spectacle of whole nation to kindle
on the altar Of common gratitude the ming
led incense of their praise, and pausing in
its busy career Of commerce to join in the
song CT rapture thankful devotion to the
Giver Of all good. The daily thaDksevings
We ofTsr in our closets and at the family
altar are generally 10 view Of the daily
minor duties Of life; but the periodical
Thanksgiving in which all the people, from
Lake 10 Gulf, from the Atlantic 10 the Pa
cifc, are this day expected 10 unite, Datur-
ally enough lead TO the contemplation Of
public, national, and universal benefits.
As ration we have much for which to be
thankful. During the year past we have
been blessed with the manifold and precious
fruits oftha earth in their season; we have
been favored with health in our borders,
and pegce in our dwellings; and we have
been crowned with the light and joy OF
pure religious faith. Not il the spirit of
vain glorious exutation; not with the idle
desire Of triumphing over other nations; not
TO foster the Subtle passion of civic pride,
NOuiG NC C1u 10 lllLl0 OtI uAOlOli1i p W.
leges; bIt 10 q licken our ssnim 3nt Of unity
as a people, aud to kinile deeper glow of
devotion % Him who is the author of every
blessing and the bestower of every mercy.
Among the varied reflections which this
nineteenth century is in the habit Of max
ing on is condition aud is prospects, there
is oIe common cpiniJn in which all parties
c0inciQe-th&t We live In En era Of progress.
In every department of life-in its bust
less and its pleasures, in its beliefs and ia
lis theories, in Us material developments
and in its spiritual convictions-we thank
God that, in these respects, our progress has
been marked and rapid.
Changes analogous to these which have
tasen place in the pzst, and which we con-
Iemp.sse to-day with SO much satsfscaon,
f-Pe teen witnessed already in The history
&C OLher uatio3s. The Romans in the time
g. tie AntOnne4 might have looked hack
vsish he same feelings on the last years OF
fh. II Republic. The civil wars were al an
Cud, Peace prevailed. Order and law
rrigred throughout the civilized world.
Science WAS making rapid rides. The
philosophers OF Alexandra had tabula ed
the movement OF tue stars, ascertaiueo tn
periods Of the plsneis, aud were anlicipaJ
ing ~ cor i5cture the great discoveries of
Cnp raicus. he mud cities of the oil
world were changed to marble. Greek art,
Gree literature, Greek enlightenment fol
lowed Ia the track. Cato thought it ''5et-
ter to be a good husband than a great SEN
atOr" But the Romans thought it better
L. be rich. And go bad men got power,
that lhay might get money, and got money
that ,hey might get brural pleasures. BY
and by the old Roman Republic began to
decline. Its principles and convictions, It's
virtues and habits gave way before luxury
and seihshness. IL was the assassination
OF the Republic that saved the Sac.
Oar own growth as q nation has been
even more rapid than that Of Rome.
Within the LIST hundred years we have
more than trebied our territory, partly by
conquest, but chiefly by purchase. In pop
ulsiion, we have increased from three 10
nearly forty millions. In resources, We
have rushed with railway velocity from
poverty to wealth. Greece grew rich very
fast after her Asiatic conQuests of Alexan-
der. Rome also grew ricn very fast after
her c2Gquests in The Orient. But we have
outslTipped them both. Our national
wealth is immense; and there are many
urivats fortunes in TIE country which are
gigantic. Industry aud economy every
Vhars prevail And still the tide Of our
commercial prosperity goes rising and roll
ing on. The English nstion is no doubt
ricner than cur cwo; richer In its concen-
trsted capital, richer in lis resources; but
not 50 rich, by great deal, in the numeri-
ral proportion OF IFS mOneyed men, nor Ia
s its average of popular thrift and compe-
tency.
BESIDE the material cath, the kn0Wl-
edge f outward things aud the command
Of nsinral forces are progressing really with
stems rapid, steady, and indeed gigantic.
.Knogled e comes if "wisdOn fingers"
The number of those who Cain 10 think
and Judge for themselves IL immensely
multiplieG; wonderful discoveries are being
made. and most ingenious Inventions, both
baau,iful and useful, Sre being coDtrIged.
IL is interesting TO observe tue cheerful
slsc-ity with which men Of science are ever
proo sing grand schemes To bri'ge over
The distances on our globe. Mat. Steph-
ausor- and Wheatsione, already, and while
their discoveries are in their infancy, b We
altered the relations of every country 10 the
world wi h its peiehbors. Whether 1t be
to coanect the ocean barriers between con-
tineu,s, which nature seemed TO nave laiS-
ed for eternal separation, into easily trayel-
led hlguWa,s. or to tunnel through the
Alps, " unGer Ire Straits of Dover, or cuS
canals through the Isthmuses when
conuec. the Northern and Southern
halves Of the Ola and New world, or lay
telegra "a cables under the Atlantic and Pa
Cfc. there Is apparently no limit 10 the fer
Lin q tie inventive MUD. Distance,
once . most Troublesome OF realities, has
ceased . exist. Elscu ic threads uni e III
nations, and from city TO city, from COUNTRY
IL uouDSry, FROM continent to coptinent,the