The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1875-11-26
TMRN,KSGIJTNG DISCOURSE.
By ELDER VIM. NJ. ROE.

tup obbou Win INC lOIty eentlments OF CHRIS
tianity and properly attuned to the praise of
God, and in accordance with the published re-
commendation OF the chief executive of our
nation, do We assemble to-day under the kind
1yauspces Of gracious providence to give
lifting expression OF gratitude for blessings
conferred upon our own and other nations OF
the earth. The disposition to render thanks
for benefits received is one OF the characters
tics marking the boundary between man and
tlHtrute, between the civilized and savage
y, aud between the christian and the infidel.
Re swine cracks the acorn and grunts only for
another the savage plucks and eats the lus-
cious fruits OF the earth unmiDdful OF the
giver, while the infidel eats his meal and sips
his wine In silence, breathing no prayer OF
gratitude to the great giver OF every good and
perfect gift The ancient Hebrews on many
OCCASIONS rendered thanks for blessings enjoy
ed and deliverance wrought by The hand OF
God When Noah, that faithful man OF God
was safely delivered from the surging waters
that deuged the world and was again permit
Ted 20 press the SOL OF earth with bis feet, he
at once erected an altar unto the Lord, and
Will ShONiOu7 VI bAoehuAC ahA thdhhpENiiiS
filing his soul, be offered thereon of every
clean beast and fowl. And when the children
OF Israel with Moses as their leader under
God had safely reached the eastern banks of
the Red sea, and realized that they were safe
beyond the reach Of their nveterate and blood
thirsty Egyptian foes, they burst forth in
GLORIOUS song of gratitude and deyerance,
will eing unto the Lord, for he hath tri-
umphed gloriously tue horse and his rider
hath BE thrown into the sea. The Lord is nay
strength and song, and He Is become nay saliva
ton he is my God, and Will prepare Him
hab,tation; my fathers God and / will exalt
Hm"
AT the returning festivals of the Passover,
pentecost, Tabernacles. etc., the great heart
OF the Jewish nation heaved with emotions of
gratitude to God, and on numerous occasions
with united voice the people of Israel exclaim-
ed. 20 praise the Lord all We nations praise
Him all We people for His merciful kindness
Is;great toward us, and the truth of the Lord
endureth forever. Praise ye the Lord"
And now near the close of year OF almost
unexampled fruitfulness and OF blessings un-
deserved by mana year characterized BY ed
ucational progress and the triumph in many
places OF the glorious and heaven-born princi-
pies OF morality and religion, as exhibited in
the word Of life, it is peculiarly fitting that the
people Of this nation should meet together and
lift their hearts to God in acclamatious and
songs Of praise and thanksgiving
We now direct attention to the voice of God
IN the sacred volume of Heavens own mspira-
ton Happy Is that people whose God is the
Lord" The truthfuness of this declaration
ofitho sweet Psalmist Of Israel, is fully and
completely indicated by the faithful records
of the worlds history Those nations OF the
earth that have worshipped false gods have
been almost invariably characterized by profit
gacy corruption, and crime, and in the absence
OF the ennobllng sentiments nculcated in the
word OF God. they nave lacked many Of the
essential elements OF true national prosperity
and happiness. such nations almost without
exception have been bgotel, licentious pollu-
ted, and immoral. Their Gods have been like
unto themselves in character, and even the
most pous among them have tolerated all sorts
OF vile and degrading practices, and even when
they have cultivated knowledge OF the arts,
they have done nothing to elevate poor fallen
humanity IL general, nor TO ameliorate their
Own social condition. Take as an example,
Ancient Rome. which could boast OF her Tacl-
tus and Pliny. her Fabius and Cato her Seneca
and Cicero, her Virgil and Justinian, and which
clalmod her capital ar the mistress city of the
world. From the battle of Romulus and Re-
mus, Rome was founded in blood, aud the art
OF war was that BY which she gained her con-
quests and attained her greatness Thus che
extended her dominion with the wings OF the
compost and ruled with rod Of iron. Oppres-
sion, injustice. cruelty, tyranny, debauchery.
drunkenness infamy and suicide, stain almost
every page OF her history. Her councils were
councils OF war and not OF peace. Hatred,
strife and commotion, we're 80 common that
Josephus says, The effusion OF blood was
tho only circumstance which distinguished a
field OF battle from field Of exercise" Her
Senators and Generals, Orators, Poets, and
Philosophers, delighted in scenes Of blood and
carnage, but sadly failed In the cultivation of
the finer feelings of the human soul. A fail
ure in morals is impressed upon every page OF
the history OF Paganism. 1t is plainly evident
chat those nations which are without the light
OF divine revelation, and which worship false
gods, are abandoned to the control OF mans
lower nature, to become the sport of their own
passions. Even the thoughts of those without
acknowledge OF the true God are wont to reve
4. inthe baunts Of wee, where every touch ID
pollution, where every scene is immoral and
every energy is the depletion of virtue ; unit
affection proves false, the conscience is scared
tho reason rs biased, the judgment is criminal
and the will is dethroned and put under bonds
20 flesh aud blood. This is true, not in oul
philosophy alone. but in individual and nationa
life. And hence we are irreslstbly led to the
conclusion that no nation can be truly happy
nation whose God is not the Lord. Some Their,
arc egeh IN our own heaven-favored land, who
rejecting the only true God, and casting odiuu
upon the Bible (the only volume in which il
revealed the divine will concerning NAM would
exait and even defy.
SCIENCE.
Science can never meet the demands OF thu
religious instinct in man, nor satisfy the want
n Lee 20 ansnx ~