New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-12-01
BENEFITS OF PAST TROUBLES.
The Rec DR.. John Han az me FIN AteRue Presbyterian
hn Hall AID die Fifth Avenue

ChNIch.
The Rev. DR.. John Hall at the Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church, at FIh-ave. and Fifty -Gftst,
yesterday took his text from Samuel vil -; nith-
erto hath the Lord helped US" The sermon sub
stantially follows:
The word which describes this day an Illustration Oh
the extent 10 which orr language is nodded by the Bible
u Is found no less than 80 times in the Scriptures
need remind you that thanksgiving Is made essenai
to our acceptance with God If there is spirit Of
gratitude IN our hearts the great and good gifts of Goa
lose their significance Among the many general bles-
sings for which we should rejoice is the fact that all the
elements Of which this great Commonwealth is COM
posed led upon this day to iou IN Offering universal
thanks. THIS is common day OF thanksgiving with
us. These the days when decades end, when golden
weddings are celebrated, and when centennals occupy
our time and attention Those who look back over the
histor, Of country must certainly exelan " Hith-
eTtO hath tine Lord helped u.s. In IVA LOUIS XVI ss,
Ccnded the throne Of France The people were disturbed
with the ideas and sentiments which afterwaId broke
out into revolution Inc Government was ieSDe, Law
were intOerabe. Had the Constitution OF tie United
States been still unmade az the tlme tue fIeuon leFc
ton was raging, II never WOud Haye iih ~ 1
Of moderation ana wisdom wlch II now
contains. The correspondence between washington ana
peril which meuaced the future of the country ana the
great anxiety they iet for it, AT amy moment All nlghs
have been lost Tor there We're lnose adeIuy VIZ n
frmed that monarchy was necessary, ana ohy noh-
season OF doubt came our Constitution, which rat
by the states, and two months later the storm OF
thank God that our ship Of state was mOored IN
safe harbUr when this tempest OF human passion
was let loose. Since that time, how the
Lord has blessed us and extended the bounds
OF this Unon Our Western States are me ganarles Oh
Europe and the great Western rivers roll through ter
ritorv which is our own but Of which Washington and
Africa During the year that waning great strain
has been put upon our institutions. But not only nave
bad passions brought into play good men nd great
minds have been brought forward and God has permitted
lust enough OF cloud To OYcrhang our country TO make
s appreciate our institutions; through the cloud tne
sun shines clear and bright In the past troubles OF the
country We can still find reasons for thanktnness that
they had not caused It's destruction. The same Cod viii
rreseryc rs n the future who has watched over us IN
the past fears and apprehensions some nave should
ncite all renewed exeFtOn5 ana prayers. one great
cause OF thankfuness lies in the fact that athOugh
financial Losses have occurred in this city OF millions Oh
dollars no propOrOnate decrease has been made IN con-
trbutOns 10 church work Ghe decrease has Uccn very
small IN urOuOTOn TO the losses Retrencuneui IA living
has grown ont OF these financial difficulties, which Is an
other great benefit.