The Portland daily press., 1873-11-29
THANKSGIVING SERVICES.
THE LORD REIGNETH.

tist-both congregations joining taking for
his text Psalms XCVII., l. ''The Lord
Reigneth."
If Iwere unhappily addressing certain
class of professed scientists, it might not
be inexpedient to advert, with some
minuteness of argument and illustration,
to various elementary truths very clearly
involved in the language of the text. This
obviously implies that God exists-a propo-
sition, however, which, even in this enlight-
ened age, some professed students of ply
sical phenomena seem unwilling to admit.
They acknowledge the existence of mate
rial things. of animated and organized be-
ings. OF laws impressed-they know not
how-on the integral parts and on the
whole of natures dark domain; but they
deny the existence of a lawgiver. revive
the ancient pagan dogma of the eternity of
matter, and maintain that all this wondrOus
mechanism of the earth and of the uni
verse is uncreated and seff-governed.
They would be prodigiously surprised if
some fortuitOus concourse of atoms-fOrm
ing themselves into the various materials of
pen. paper and ink. and then into close
concatenation of syllables and sentences
should produce lecture such as these
savans are accustomed to deliver. But
they see nothing strange or incredible or
absurd or in any way incongruous with the
nature of things, in the preposterous as
sumption that. by process of self-produc-
ton and self-adustment, minerals, plants,
animals and all the varied furniture of this
and other worlds should assume their
forms, and fulfil their functions, and mate
rally maintain definite order of action
and of influence. They are somewhat in
advance of certain persons of whom the
psalmist in his distant day spoke in no very
complimentary terms-"The fool hath said
in his heart there is no God," 4
The preacher then referred to various
phases of contemporary deism-e.g. the no.
tion that though God exists and gives eX-
istence to all things else, yet these his
creatures require no superintendent, in
terpOsitiOn or management of any kind,
The whole machinery of. universal nature
moves on in the direction given it by the
first impulse of the Creators hand-and
He, having finished his work, retires into
his own unfathOmable essence. and sshas
no share in all that's done. beneath or
above or around 1.-THE ''circuit of the SUM-"
He's very consistently forgotten that crea-
ton is continuous art, going on now as
really as at first. and that this deistic theory
invests all substances with the power Of
self-subsistence, selfregulation, and self
ICltlCHCC W l1C Dldl1 dIlU DuT-
pose of the great Creator. Few things are
more confirmatory of scripture truth-more
conclusively demonstrative of mans intel
lectual degeneracy and moral turpitude-
than the part that men, otherwise intelli-
gent, betray such an Overweaning desire
and disposition to ignore the direct agency
of the Creator, and to represent any inter-
position of His power as a grand imperti-
nence.
The preacher then proceeded to state
some of the principles involved in the fact
of Gods government and applications of
these principles to the duties and purposes
of individual and social life.
A tar-reaching and infinite Intelligence is
essential to Gods universal government.
All finite causes and effects are present to
his view. Every object existing. every
event occurring, at any moment. in any
place, under any circumstances, from the
creation of the universe to the cOnsumma-
ton OF all things, has been, is, and ever
will be clearly seen by Him and fully COM
pretended.
Infallible arisdom enters as another ele-
ment into the government of God. There
can be no error in his administration. The
ends at which he arrives, the means which
he employs and the motives from which he
acts are ever worthy of Himself as '.the
only wise God.''
''Poocer belongeth unto God" Matter in
all its forms and combinations is always
and everywhere subject to his sway. If
mind We're material, it could not act other
wise than in perfect and perpetual accord
ance with his will. But freedom eff voli-
ton and Of action is essential to mind as
such, and therefore man having mind is
accountable to God. He chooses his own
objects of attachment, his own course of
action and the control exercised over
him by the Almighty Ruler never interferes
with his spontaneity of will or deed If
we had patience enough to wait the issues
of events we should Inevitably see that all
events and all Issues are tending towards
results foreseen from the beginning and
determined beyond allpossibility of failure.
Benerolencc, pure, perfect, and pervad-
ing. marks the Divine administration. He
hates iniquity but this hatred is itself be-
nevolence. 1t is good will to men that links
misery with sin and punishment with crime.
From these principles the preacher educed
the following conclnsions:
l. The government of God attaches lln-
speakable value to the Holy Scriptures,
from which we learn how he reigns and
why.
2. The subject suggests the high duty
and privileges of reconciliation to our
Maker. This is secured only through faith
in the sacrifice of Christ, and, when Sc
cured, induces the desire to do nothing that
is forbidden. and all that is enjoined by
divine authority.
3. The theme furnishes powerful anti
dote to an unbelieving fear on the part of
such as are submissive to the will Of God.
Your personal interests are interviewer
with his government.
4. The government of God furnishes a
strong incentive to benevolent activity.
Your benevolent design may be but the
smallest part of his moral mechanism. vet
acting in harmony with all the other parts.
it will work out, in conjunction with them,
the mighty purpose Of Gods love to men.
THANKSGIVING THE UNION OF RELIGION
AND GOVERNMENT.
The Methodist churches united in SER
vice at the Chestnut street church. The
sermon was preached by Rev. S. F. Jones,
from Psalms cxlv. Z, They shall abun-
dainty utter the memory of thy great good
ness and shall sing of thy righteousness"
The appointment ofthis day is the recog-
milton of union. not of church and State,
but of religion and government. As such
we welcome it, and in the service of the
sanctuary would give it due observance.
To one loving righteousness the first cause
of thankfulness to-day is this, that the
Lord still ruleth in righteousness among
the inhabitants and nations of the earth.
This is an ultimate, immutable and uni
versal ground of thanksgiving to good
men. Whatever the government may be.
however the people may vote, whether the
issues of executive planning, of Legislative
council, and of political controversy have
been in harmony with our wishing and
voting OF not, if that which is dearest to us
be righteousness then may we thank God
that the dearest interest of our lives is safe
in the keeping of His infinite hand.
Again just in proportion to our love of
righteousness is our fitness for offering ac-
ceptable thanksgiving to God. David says
''They shall sing of His righteousness"
All true song is consecrated to the celebra-
ton of righteOusness-of the right, not of
the wrong. The best music of the world
has been the creation of men whose souls
were alive and aflame with moral ideas.
Music must ever have the inspiration and
elevation of pure moral sentiment, or it
becomes gross and sensual. If therefore
we love not righteousness our offering of
praise to-day is neither true song nor ac-
ceptable thanksgiving.
Again we should thank God for so much
of nj IiubtpOucupcc iS amnnfr nc - H..