Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1880-12-09
THANKSGIVING SERMON
BY Rev 9. w. Ration, at the Congregational
Church, Lancaster, November rs, 1850.

-&"hSostCfs ttoNombcf 80, I6SU.
'He calleth me out of SER, Watchmal
what of the night Waterman, what of til
eight The Waterman said, The mornin
cometh, and also the night: if va will inquir,
inquire ye: return, come."-Is 2. IL, IL.
This prophecy is very brief, cover
ing only two verses, and in conse
qnence of its brevity, the meaning
obscure. Students OF the Bible hav
entertained variety OF views in re
gard 10 what was the occasion Of tn
prediction, and respecting its appli
cation.
The picture itself is, however
clear and striking, and seems to f
the time, as il it had been written b
Isaiah for this Thanksgiving day
The prophet represents himself a
a sentinel standing on a watch-tow
where he il looking long and anx
iously to see what will be the issue
of the troubles in which the nation i
involved Some one calls to him
and asks what the prospect is in re
spect to the present night of calami
ty to which he replies that the da,
is breaking and yet there are sign
OF lingo ring and returning night. HI,
adds, "You have made your inquir,
too soon, before a full aud def
mite answer can be gwen; if you
would learn more, come again"
will repeat this prophecy one,
more. Its graphic and beautiful Ian
guage surpasses any paraphrase tina
can be given. Gle calleth to me GU
of SER, Watchman, what of th,
night? What of the night? TIL,
watchman said, The morning cometl
and also the night: If ye will inquire
inquire ye; return, come"
This Thanksgiving day may wei
be day of the giving of thanks
There is indeed always something t
be grateful for. No season passe,
over us without large fruitage o
blessings. But God, who has never
forgotten to feed the world, has load
ed the year which we review TO-DAY
with His manifold gifts-some O
them common mercies shared by al
his children, and some OF them spe
cial favors adapted to individual de
sires and needs. The way OF loving
parents, which is to provide food
clothing and shelter for all their chill,
dren, and after that to study individ
ual tasks, preferences and require
ments, is the method of God with us
And while to-day you join devoutly
in the general thanksgivings which
are offered in this sanctuary you can
not enjoy the sweetest and best o.
this service of praise if you do not
have something to say to God in re-
gard to what has been peculiar and
personal to yourself +; that the Lord
hath thought Of me many times and
hath given me just what 1 needed
even when | did not know what to
ask for. The history OF His provi.
dence and grace with me has been
different from what it has been in
the case of any other one of His mil
lions of children.
/ need not speak this morning Of
the fields of corn, nor of the animals
fattened upon it, of the grass which
was never more luxuriant, of the
fruit trees which were never so load.
ed, of long paralyzed industries al
fully revived and fourisbing, of the
tribute of gold and various commodi
ties which commerce is bringing US
from other parts of the world. 1t Is
not extravagant to say that our pros
perity, present and prospective, i,
such as we have never experienced
The elder nations begin to recognize
the rapid rise of a material greatness
in the west which is destined to over
top their own, though the growth Of
a thousand years. In view of the
changed attitude and demeanor o.
other nations towards ourselves i!
would not be an exaggeration to
quote the words of the old prophe,
as fully describing it "The sons oil
them that afflicted thee shall come
bending unto thee" The morning Of
large harvests, of renewed and re
wardiug industries, of infowing
wealth has truly come. But we
grossly err if we fail to comprehend
that all this does not assure us of tie
attainment of true national grandeur
if we forget that this prosperity is
indeed attended with its peculiar
perils. After such a morning night
may come to nation that very ma
terial prosperity may be 80 pervert,
ed and misused as to bring night and
darknt IS,
Truths and principles are the ma
terials out Of which States are con
structed, and by which they stand
and rise to greatness. And in this
respect may we not venture to say
that we now see the dawn of the
morning? For a long period We
were in the dark bewilderment O.
falsehood and wrong with respect tc
the rights of the colored race; some
of the facts live in the minds of the
present generation, while others have
gone upon the records of history. II
was night when, in 1887, John Quin
oy Adams, by simply saying on the
floor of Congress,"I hold in my hanG
a petition supporting to be from the
slaves in Virginia" raised storm O
passion which ragged, like the biz
yards on the plains, three full days
rendering it impossible during tina
time for him to finish bis explanation
1t was night when the highest judi
cial officer of the United States an.
nounced in the Dred Scott decision
what principles for the future would
obtain in this country respecting tn,
rights of the ueero-principles wheel
would make slavery dominant in al
parts of the land. The crisis cam
twenty years ago with the election o
Lincoln to the Presidency from
that time our history took a new di
rection. There has since been a con
tinuous conflict of true ideas agains
the false, sustained and urged for
ward by direction of Divine Provi
deuce, on the field OF battle, iu th,
halls of legislation, and before thu
people, which came to its consumma
ton on the second day of the presen
month. The great final debate which
closed at that time. took place in tn,
rrnSanea af oil tho raapla frar, ~.