The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1875-12-07


(a) There IL no one here who cannot,
and who trust does not run back over
his own personal history, and even
from the midst OF many mysteries, in
spite Of many things he cannot under
stand, feel TO say, BLESS the Lord o
my soul, and forget not all his bsne-
Ats" Sometimes during the year we
have gone onward only kno wing that
we were safe because led by His hand,
and sometimes when We have taken our
hand out from the hand OF our Heaven
ly Father, have we had reason 10 COM
plain because We stumbled and fell
when our stumbling and falling has
brought us back to God? i think not.
Nay, nay, in the honesty Of our hearts,
as We, out OF the treasure house of Q
faithful memory take up one after an
other OF the blessings We have received
and look at them, and find side by side
with them the record Of our own un-
faithfulness we have reason indeed to
thank God. And il there have come into
living influence upon any resolutions
that shall bring US nearer to God, give
us greater faith in Him, enable us to
do better work for him, then, indeed,
can we feel to bless his holy name for
the way in which he hath led US. Our
personal record of the past year is our
ewn, but to-day we come to consider
moro especially these blessings that
concern us as a people. We turn to
them.
(b) In the we'll written language OF
the proclamation we are called upon to
recognize the fact that, "By His con-
tinuing mercy, civil and religious lib
erty have been maintained, peace has
reigned within our borders, labor and
enterprise have produced their merite d
rewards, and to His watchful provi-
dsnce we are indebted for security
from pestilence aud other national cal
amity." We may specify few points
as worthy OF especial notice here.
(c) In the South there have.been some
severe conflicts between the lawless
and the governments, also between the
races, and while there has been much
to deplore and regret, yet we have rea-
son for thankfulness that the pros
poets for the future are continually
Frightening. To this end every chris
tian should labor aud pray. seeking to
avoid as far as possible all engendering
OF strife and bitterness. We cannot
afford to loose the South, in hoart and
sympathy any moro than in fact. We
need each other. We are brethren.
and let us thank God for the spirit that
seems to be lowering over the trouble
waters and let US pray. that:the solid
earth may soon appear, when VIC shall
indeed be one. Ten years of peace have
helped to advance our interests in our
reunion. The prospects are that ten
years more will only serve to more firm
ly bind the land. While then we re-
gret much ia the past year, we can thank
God that out Of it good is coming to
all.
Cd Last year found the West large
ly desolated by the ravages Of the 10
Gust armies. This year, with few ex-
ceptions, prosperity has again attended
the labors OF those OF our brethren in
the west who till the soil. At first the
desolation seemed to threaten great
waste and want, but the wind and the
rain weresent forth from the treasures
Of the ever watchful Lord, aud the
west was saved from continued suffer
ing. IL is true, some other portions
suffered largely by the storms; but the
injuries in this respect were dispersed
over a much wider region; and, while
we regret that any suffered, yet We
have reason for thankfulness that the
west was not permanently or seriously
injured, and even the distrewes through
which some have passed have not been
without their attendant blessings, in
tnntIaatsn. fa~kzrs.. .-I "a
ing true benevolent regard among the
people for each other. And this man
Hesitation OF true, ,philanthropic spirit
that has grown cut OF these disasters
has been largely helpful in advancing
the Kingdom OF Christ in the hearts OF
the people. The people have been
brought into active sympathy with the
spirit Of the gospel through these very
means. And the hearts that have been
taught to visit the widow and the faith
erless in their affection with the means
of daily subsistence have been helped
to go beyond physical necessities, and
seek to bring also in the spirit OF love
to all, spiritual food to nourish them
to eternal life. And for this, we ought
to thank God.
And just in this connection, desire
to call attention to one Of the events
for which We have not been wont to
render thanks, but where too largely
We have felt to repine. refer to the
financial embarrasaments in our coun-
try in the last two or three years. /
believe it has been estim ated that there
have been 5000 failures in the last year
in our nation. / do not believe that
there is only reason for regret that this
has been so. OF course i do not think
that the suffering aud want occasioned
thereby have been reasons for thanks
giving. We would gladly Danish these
as we would sin from every home and
from every heart; but the result has
not been only misfortune and suffering.
During tho few years preceding and
following our war, hundreds, yea thous-
ands Of our young men were intoxicat.
ed by the visions Of wealth easily and
rapidly acquired. Examples were com.
mon before them Of those who had gone
up heights in an hour where their
fathers would have toiled years. These
very facts were rapidly dissipating from
their minds oil true and honest views
OF life in its sterner realities, OF labor
as the Law Of life, and industry rs the
only guarantee of true success, of the
little value OF money as compared with
true christian and moral character. -
Rapidly our young men were losing
sight Of the old moorings, and sailing
, toward the fantastic fields Of promis
ed elysium, but which would reall,
prove q maelstrom OF ruin.
As nation we could as little affort
this as any other disaster. Yea, Z
thousand times had We better pas
through what we have, Of suffering
during the past two or three years, thar
have the young men Of our land jus
entering business circles, ruined b,
such false ideas aud delusive hopes. :
With eur stringent times, some Of th'
most noted, and because noted mos
dangerous examples, have gone dowI
from their giddy heights TO loves
depths. some two or three years sine
Fisk sunk 10 an eternal night, but il
his sinking raised Thousands OF his fsl
low countrymen to q true and Just con
ception OF business life. A Cooke, in n
hour lost all, and in that loss save,
hundreds OF our best business men
Who were fast rushing TO greater ruin
This year Ralston went down beneatl
the dark waves of San Francisco Ba
in the western gold land, and his sink
ing will raise thousands who woul'
otherwise have been lost in as deplsrs
BILE q ruin. To-day Gould stands tot
tering on q structure that is sure :
fall because not real aud substantial
Speculation is ruin--honesty is safety
Out of this disaster, has been born
desire 10 know the old paths and
4 v.ik An than Whila we rcoret this