The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-12-12

= consecrated men and cody women and child
: rem in Christian homes and Sabbath schools
d that free constitutional government Is possibl
y and stable, that law is respected and upheld
0 that crime is IN q measure suppressed, tina
I people are generally unmolested in their home
Q that invention and enterprise find favorabl,
y conditions for development, and that the vas
resources OF the land are 30 rapidly transformed
into wealth and made to add to the comfor
and welfare OF tho people. The country owes
its unparalleled growth and its present thrift
J ana prosperity to the fact that it contains SC
much OF the power OF che Christian Church
and so many as there ale OF genuine, devoted
Chrstan people. The patton is blessed be-
cause it has people waoso God Is the Lord.
; We should never be forgetful OF our great
blessings, but on this day OF National Thanks
giving it is especially fitting that We recall, so
far as We may, the many aud peculiar blessings
that we enjoy and render devout tbanksgiv-
ing to God for them.
Our experiences in successive years do not
commonly differ much. Comfort Is character
istc of most American homes year after year.
Prosperity, sometimes modified and sometimes
increased, is the uniform condition OF the
country. For some years past there has been
much complaint Of hard times, but there has
been real prosperity and thrift throughout
the country, notwithstanding the seeming de-
preston. II the condition Of our people dur
ing those years were compared with that OF
people OF other countries, we should find that
we have been steadily favored more than any
other people in the world. Never have peo-
pie lived upoa the earth who have as nation
been 80 blessed with comfort and 30 free from
the oppressive miseries of life as the people of
this country haves been for the last fifteen
exampled prosperity. Business Of all kinds
has been wonderfully stimulated. The revival
OF confidence and activity in every kind OF bus
mess enterprise has been beyond ali expecta-
ton; and the confidence and activity are un-
questionably well founded The financial con-
dltion OF the country could scarcely be better
than it is. Every dollar OF the currency is
sound and cannot be depre' ited. Nobody
fears to hold bank bill lest the bank may fail.
for If banks do fail their circulation is still as
good as the gold Meanwhile the amount OF
the precious metals in the country has increas-
ed to an enormous extent. The coinage of the
mlnts is annually about 20 millions of dollars.
This has been in former years largely export
ed, but this year 1t remains at home and not
only is the gold and silver coin OF the country
increased by that amount, but within three
months sixty millions OF dollars OF gold and
silver have been imported from other countries
to pay for the vast surplus exports of wheat.
ucts that we have been sending abroad. For
two years past we have been exporting about
270 million dollars year more than we have
imported,-tnat is to say, the country has in
creased IN wealth in two years about $40 mil
lions OF dollars, besides the natural increase
when imports and exports balance each other.
1t is as if farmer should sell produce to the
amount Of $500 year more than enough TO
pay FOR everything he buys. He may gam in
property and wealth, even though he BUYS az
much as he sells but if he buys what he needs
aud still sells large surplus besides, he gains
rapidly in wealth. THIS s the actual prosperity OF
the country at this time. The largest wheat
harvest ever gathered by any nation has been
reaped and has been largely called for py the
less favored populations OF Europe. Produc-
ton OF every kind has been ample; mauuisct-
airing has been everywhere resumed; goods of
sll kinds are in demand; merchants are busy
md mechanics find plenty Of work. Only those
ire idle OF late who prefer idleness with DOW
'rty to industry and comfort. Meanwhile
thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of
people are finding new homes in sections OF
he west and northwest hitherto almost uuoc-
upied. Large areas in the Territories that
lave been supposed to bs almost worthless
re found to be mavelously fertile. The pro-
luctiveness of the country is greater than we
AVE ever dreamed. God has never given re-
ources 80 varied and 30 vast to any other ma
ion in the history OF men. Aud with all OF
his thrift and Advancement in material pros
enty we are at peace with the world and we
ave had but sight mortality from desolating
hsease. Have we not reason for OVERLOOKING
thanksgiving aud PRAISE to our God who Is the
liver of every good gift?
From the contemplation OF these blessings
70 should return to the truth that thew are
iven to us as people whose God is the Lord.
he religion OF our forefathers and of those
who succeed them, brings us these
iessings. And then we may remember the
npiety that still abounds in the land. How
zach OF avowed infdelity is there still (? How
lany are there who disregard oil of the re-
uired observances of religion? How much
lshonesty and corruption and vice there is
1roughout the land. What crimes are COM
lifted by the desperately depraved What IN
,stics there is still between man and man.
that barbansms are still prachced in aso,na