New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-05-14

NEW ORLEANS, SUNDAY, MAY II, 1876.
Bishop simpsons Prayer.

Bishop simpsons Prayer.
The following is the prayer offered by
Bishop Simpson at the opening of the
Centennial Exhibition at Philadelphia last
Wednesday:
Almighty and Everlasting God, our
Heavenly Father. Heaven is Thy throne,
and the earth is Thy footsrOol. Before Thy
majesty and holiness the angels veil their
faces, and the spirits of the just made per-
feet bow in humble alteration. Thou art
the creator of all things, the preeerver of
all that exists. whether they be thrones, or
dominions, or principalities, or powers; the
minute and the vast, atoms and worlds
alike test the ubiquity Of Thy presence and
the omripotence OF Thy sway. Thou
alone art the sovereign ruler of nations.
Thou raiseth up one and casteth down an
other, and Thou givest the kingdom OF the
world to Whomsoever Thou wilt. The
past, with all it's records, is the unfolding
Of Thy designs. We hail Thee ruler, the
king eternal, immortal and invincible, the
Only true God, blessed foreverm0re.
We come on this glad day, o Thou God
of our fathers, unto these courts with
thanksgiving, and into theee gates with
praise. We bless Thee for Thy wonderful
goodness in the past, for the land which
from the ages, from the ancient world, but
revealed in tho fullness of tims to Thy
chosen people, whom Thou didst lead by
Thy own right hand through the biilows of
the deep, to q land of vast extent, of tower
ing mountains and broad plains. Of unnum-
hered products and Of untold treasures.
We thank Thee for the fathers of our cOun-
try, men OF mind and Of might, who en-
dured privation and sacrifice. who braved
multiplied dangers rather than defile their
consciences or be untrue to their God; men
who laid on the broad foundation of truth
and justice the grand structure OF civil
freedom.
We praise Thee for the closing century,
for the founders Of the republic, for the
immortal Washington and his grand asso-
ciates, for the wisdom with which they
planned and the frmness and herOism
which, under Thy blessing, led them to tri-
| umphant success. Thou vast their shield
| in hours of danger, their pillar Of cloud by
| day and their pillar of fire by night. May
| we, their sons, walk in their footsteps and
| initiate their virtues. We thank thee for
the social and national prosperity and
progress; for the valuable discoveries and
| multiplied inventions in labor saving ma
| chinery. relieving the tOiliDg masses; for
| schools, free as the morning light. for the
millions of the rising generation; tor books
! and periodicals, scattered like the leaves of
| autumn over the land; for art and science;
| for freedom to worship God according to
the dictates Of conscience; for church un-
| fettered by the trammels of State.
| Bless, we pray Thee, the President of the
| United States and bis constitutional ad.
! the Senators and Representatives in Con-
| gress, the Governors of our commonwealth,
| the officers of the army and navy, and all
| who are in official position throughout our
| land; guide them, we pray Thee, with coun-
! sells of wisdom, and may they ever rule in
righteousness. We ask Thy blessing to
rest upon tho president and members of the
centennial commission. and upon those as
| sociated with them in various departments.
| who have labOred lorg and earnestly, amid
| anxieties and difficulties, for the success OF
| this enterprise.
| May Thy special blessing, o thou God Of
| all the nations of the earth, rest upon our
guests, our visitors from distant lands.
| We welcome them to our shores, and We
| rejoice in their presence among us, whether
they come to exhibit the triumphs of
genius and art. in the development Of in
dustry, in the progress of civilizstion-pre-
serve Thou them, We beseech Thee, in
health and safety. and in due time they
may be welcomed by loved ones again to
! their own, their native lands. Let Thy
blessing rest richly on this centennial cele-
bration. May the lives and health of all
interested be precious in Thy sight. Pre-
side in it's semblies; grant that this asso-
citation in effect may bind more closely to-
gether every part of our great republic, SO
that our union be perpetual and indissolu-
BILE. Let it's influence draw the nations of the
earth into happier unity. Hereafter, we
pray Thee, may all disputed questions be
settled by arbitration, and not by the
| sword, and may wars forever cease among
the sons of men. May the new century be
better than the past, more radiant with the
light of true philosophy, warmer with the
emanations of worldwide sympathy. May
capital, geuius and labor be freed from
ali antagonism by the application of such
principles of justico and equity as shall
reconcile diversified interests, and bind in
inperishable bonds all parts of society.
We pray Thy benediction especially on
the women Of America, who, for the first
time in the history OF our race, take SO con
spicu0us place in national celebration
May the light Of their intelligence, purity
and enterprise shed its beams afar, until, in
distant lands. their sisters may realize the
beauty and glory Of Christian freedom and
elevation.
We beseech Thee, Almighty Father, tina,
our beloved republic may be strength ened
in every element of true greatness, until
her mission is accomplished by presenting
to the world an illustration of the happi
ness of free people, with free church, in
free State, under laws Of their own en-
actment and under rulers of their own
selection, acknowledging supreme al
legiance only to the King of kings aud
the Lord Of lords; and as Thou didst give
to one of its illustricus sons first to draw
experimentally the electric spark from
heaven which has since girdlsd the globe
in it's celestial whisper of "Glory to God in
the highest, peace on earth and good will
to men," so, to the latest time, may the
mission of America, under divine inspira
ton. be one Of affection, brotherhood and
love for all our race, and NAV the coming
centuries be filed with the glory of ouI
Christian civilization, and unto Thee, Oul
Father, through Him whose life 10 the light
of men, will we ascrbe glory and praise
now and forever. Amen!