Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1875-11-24

We have read two of the proclamations
for thanksgiving by Governors Of New Eng.
land states, in neither Of which was there
any allusion to Christianity, direct or indi-
rect, as a cause of gratitude among Chris
tian people. II Governors will appoint fes-
rivals Of this sort aud annually recount the
reasons Of gratitude which we have, it seems
as if they should not forget to mention the
one reason which above all others distin.
guishes modern from ancient civilization.
Every student Of history knows the absolute
impotence Of mere theism as means Of
morality and of civilization. The Roman
period was the most splendid specimen Of an
age and generation that were formed upon
the theistic idea. But it never could breathe
life into the conscience and heart Of the poo
pie. 1t was never able to make its voice
heard and respected about righteousness
and temperance and Judgment to come
The Roman civilization was the greatest Of
the world. 1t seemed the finish and perfeo-
ton of all things. The early Christians
hated it as the rival of the kingdom Of
Christ. The middle ages looked on it as the
counterpart and bulwark Of that kingdom
Augustine contrasted it with the city Of God
The Roman church has looked on it as some.
thing so conSummate that it has transferred
all its religious service and ritual into its
own ceremonies. But that civilization went
to pieces, rotten within and battered bv
storms without. II fell because it had not
knowledge Of God, and no power Of recovery.
There came in its place new form of
civilization built upon Christianity. The the
istic idea and religion gave way to the Chris
tian idea and religion With Christian
ity, whose peculiar and fundamental idea is
the advent Of God into this world as Man.
whose earthly life was perpetual service
and sacrifice, there came a new moral force
and spring into human life and society.
The old civilization had no fixed morality.
Christianity is the religion Of morality, Of
love to God and man, the highest combna-
tion of morality and religion. lie gave a
new principle and meaning to human life,
invested it with new value, and stimulated
and informed it with the highest conceivable
motives. And great as have been the disas-
tiers and failures Of Christian society--feeble
and poor as often have been its moralities-
yet, on the whole, it has lifted and blessed
the world as nothing else has done. 1t has
purified the home, thrown a sanotty around
the relations of wife and mother, protected
the honor of woman, and the virtue and in
tegrity of man, and won thousand social
and civil triumphs that are unknown where
its power is not felt. There has been much
OF civilization outside of Christianity even
while the presence of Christian forces has
acted upon il by indirect and remote meth
DDS. 1t has nowhere had its perfect work
1t has had its dark days and degenerate days,
and days Of monstrous and fragrant incon-
sistencies. But with all the dismal tracks of
darkness and blood along which Christianity
has passed, it has yet given security to So
ciety in Christian times which it never be-
fore possessed. II has furnished guard
against utter ruin, which society never had
before. lthas borne men and nations through
desperate crises. 1t has contended with all
evil, and often overthrow much evil. There
is in it continual, unknown spring of hui
man reform and revival and recovery. IL is
the one chief force of good, and source IF
hope in our modern civilization. And in the
days when some men are debating whether
society shall remain Christian or not, there
would seem to be propriety in making a
Thanksgiving festival somewhat commemor-
alive of our Indebtedness to the Son of God
and the religion Of Jesus Christ.
Gratitude for material benefits is beau
tiful and worthy thing. The recognition of
Gods mercics Of every day, the oatspokon
praise for them, none but IA fool or an atheist
would refuse. If large part of the fruits
OF the earth are of mans production, the
larger part are Gods gift. The seed, the
soil, the light, the air, the rain, belong TO His
department of culture. The mere husbandry
is mans. Thanksgiving for daily mercies,
for the bounties of earth. air aud sea, is the
tribute which a right heart will gladly
render But it would be strange, if, in
such festival, occurring once only in the
year, and commended to a Christian people
by their rulers, the grandest, supremest
favors that heaven has vouchsafed 10 earth,
the very Giyer and gift and hope of eternal
life, should be ignored or forgotten And
the appropriate gratitude TO God for the
gift of His Son requires that We should 70 |