Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1879-12-04

things men cannot mOnOpoliZe, that he
still holds for the use of the masses of
the people.
1t is not uniting that we commem-
crate the commonest blessings by earnest
thanksgiving. 1t is no small thing that
most of us have been born and reared as
citizens of free Republic such as this.
It is true America is not Paradise; but d
wide reading has shown us no land
like this in the boundlessness OF its plen-
ty, and in the perfect freedom of its in
stitutions. That this is not partisan
opinion, l refer you to the widely pub
lished opinions of three representative
Englishmen: Geo. J. HolyOke, the emil
nent English Advocate of cooperation
Findley Dun, the commissioner of the
London Times, and T. B. Potter, NJ. p.
for Rochdale. Mr.. Dun says the Red
river valley is 800 miles long, seventy
wide, a vast stoneless tract Of deep,
loamy soil-capable of being one vast
wheat field. He reports even more IA
yorably of Minnesota. In conclusion he
said ''he was utterly unable to describe
in short a time the amazing develop
ment and results which he had seen,
much less the possibilities of develop
ment that await the enterprises of the
future Messrs. Potter and HolyOke
speak in the same hopeful and confident
way of our present and future. Every
reading and travelling American must
agree with these observant strangers,
and feel that our resources are practical
ly unlimited.
Take tie basis of our national wealth
lf11r r.ll n
and the products of that line alone, and
twhat astounding figures confront u.s.
Our wheat crop for 1879 shows the enor-
nous aggregate of 400,000,000 bushels,
giving us for foreign nations at least
l1T5,OOO,OOO bushels, all of which can
be readily sold in foreign markets,
making our farmers richer by S20O,0OO,-
900. Ohio alone sells 2O.OO0,000 bush
els, bringing her more than as many
Idollars. Our corn crop is estimated at
400, ,O0O, 900 bushels-figures that simply
loverwhelm us by their magnitude,
Then our wool crop is abundant, COM
n,ands remunerative prices, and puts
wealth by the hundred millions into our
pockets. Our cotton crop is equal to
the large yield of former years. Our
western plains, called in the old geogra-
phies the Great American Desert, are
swarming with herds of cattle-the
spring drive from Texas alone often
numbering 100000 head. At no former
period of our National history did our
mines of precious metals yield such
rich returns us to-day. Our mines OF
baser metals, and of coal, are yielding
up to the limit of our needs and are
practically inexhaustible. So that never
/ has there been more reasons for thanks
giving to the great Creator and GiveI
for the substantial material prosperity
of the Nation than to-day; these are
monuments of the Divine bounty, anC
we may well ask the bountiful Father
"That meanest thou by these stones Of
unlimited good?" The answer comes
1bacK, ''let an the people praise thee
These things calls upon all that is with
in us to praise the bounty of the Giver
and the man must be practically goddess
who seeing these things has no hear
full of praise.
THE CHURCH.
In reciting our reason for thankful
ness, our service would be without TIN
golden link did we forget the Church
And | am sure every Christians frs
thought is of Jesus, and what he ha
done for us. We think of him first
We praise him chiefly. OF the tangible
material benefits we think, and are glad
but that word glad" does not measur
our thanks to the Father of Mercies TO
,, the gift of his precious, his only begOt
ten Son. And we say with the Psalm
list: Let everything that hath breatl
praise the Lord"
OF the Church redeemed by his pre-
cious blood, while it is not withou
spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, it
still a glorious and aggressive Churcl
Locally and generally, at home an
abroad, this is true.
When we lift our eyes to review tn
: general Church, we confidently ask:
ssWatchmaD, tell US of the night,
For the morning seems to dawn"
We readily, thankfully answer back
) sTraveer. darkness takes its fight,
Doubt and terror are Withdrawn"
am sure will be heard with intel
est if l introduce the thought of gres
thinker who writes from the session of
missionary board recently in conference
SEATED there" says he, nothing seem
to be exaggerated, nothing surpassed
you seem to have your ear to the world
4 telephone, and voices are coming to yo
now from the frontiers, now frOl
: Alaska, now from Mexico, now frol
3 China, now from Japan, now from Ii
dia, from Bulgaria, from Italy, frOl
= Germany, from Scandinavia, from SOut
: America, from the Islands of tn
Sea,-.all speaking in their Ow
tongues the wonderful works {
God,' and all uttering the sam
4 Macedonian cry for help-mOre he'll
: The day has come, long promised, Ion
S prayed for, in which the Gospel of jest
Christ fears exile from no land, is shu
\ out from no people, but may have til
}. earth in its length and breadth in whic
e to erect its temples and plant its eros
L With all that Modern Atheism hf
:: done, is now doing, it really seems as
: the world was getting ready to- crow
II Jesus Lord of all.
i "One of the curious things to be o.
u served in the history of the past fe
e years is the advancement, constant an
= steady, the Church has been maxim
" amid all the financial embarrassment
| WHlCIl udfO dbbClltiCu GilC OOCNllcl
IS of the Nations. For six years pa
; what reverses have overtaken the e.
% terprises of menl Houses of business
= long standing, corporations who
e wealth was fabulous, men whose posse
q sions were princeiy, have gone down
le though smitten by some invisible hand,
y rise no more. Christian men have n
u by any lneans been exempt from the
7t disasters; but has any one seen the p
m lars of Gods Church shaking in Il
IS storm? Has any one observed her han
70 ing out signals of distress? Has any Of
Il. observed flag Of truceI In her tremblil
re hand? Has any ear heard her bug
le calling retreat? Amid all the conf
N sion of contending armies, of polite
10 revolutions, of business convulsiOns,
70 financial distress, the Church, as thOuI
e, guided by an unseen hand. has kept
30 her way as though conscious of a missi,