Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-10-05

meet together, brethren. for nm, r..,
c.leoration of the Lords day under nnuss ua'
umstances-circumstan at once soIa.,.-
and significant. a. once solemn
1a.d'y one week ago, the extrem;,v =.
sanering was reached by him, at who.e bsd
ue, ios THESE four score days, the tender
,...at: VI 'nis nation has been affectionatelv
h."a ns' ana 70 which even those whom the
alIties, have been looking with bardiw "'i Ion.
sympathy and solicitude. With Tho, a.s s'
Ch, this pain!' the long-endurino franz
quiVers and bends as some noble oak v;eIds
al last to the winters blast. the strong nerxs
l""ers its tension, the brave heart sinks he.
neath the heavy stroke, and is stilled and
the spirit SO beautiful in life, so noble in
death, returns to the God who gave II. r,
was night then, how dark. to the dear few
VINO there by that bedside would fam have
withheld the destroyers hand-night to the
people Tar and wide upon whose ear throuob
the midnight stiffness, broke the knell that
aoiu tnem that their President was dead
Ihen but one cry was heard, of distress and
sorrow throughout the land and As the tale
heavy though it was with grief, bounded on to
other chimes, there comes back as quickly
the soft refrain of grief and sympathy. ain.
cere and overlooking; of thrones and conn.
CHS, statesmen and philosophers, poets and
scholars. men Of commerce and toiling arti
sans-all join and of our heavy grief, with us
! but one communion make
SO to-day, we find ourselves, linked
hand in hand with each sister state in
the line of nations, and as one common fami
~, they OF US, we of them, we stand with bowed
mead aid unfeigned grief around the open grave
OF our chief magistrate and leader Surely
the heart Of the world is moved as the heart
of one man. In the midst of such experi
ences, and surrounded on every side by such
cloud of witnesses, the nation finds and
manifests every, noble aspiration of its soul.
For with eyes fixed on things above. with
hands outstretched to heaven, she instinct.
lively seeks assurance and consolation from
Him whose presence is in His Church, and
who is ever ready to extend His succor and
comfort through every Office and ministration
of His most holy religion. At such time it
cannot be but that the Church is in full sym
pathy with the State. and that the parallel lines
in which they ordinarily move, keeping ever
near yet always apart through jealous fear of
| confusion or interference, now for the time
converge and become one. Such is the blend
ing force, which as by some subtle alchemy,
suffering and sorrow have, to unite mems
wonted diverse interests and feelings, all Sec
tional prejudice, all party strife. All questions
of mooted policy and diverse administrations
sink out of sight and are forgotten. In this
sad but sweet oblivion we realize, what we
at other times are so apt to forget, that the
nation is one Union. the world itself House
hold sacredly as one, which hastens now to
gather around the altar of our common God
and Father, to give Christian expressions to
its most sincere prayer for wisdom, strength
and comfort.
The circumstances which mark our COM
ing together on this occasion, are indeed en-
phatically exceptional. 1t is we'll for us as
citizens of the State, and as members of the
Redeemer's Kingdom, to recognize them in all
their sad and deep significance. As Ameri-
cans, we zealously abstain from any al
lance between our national institutions and
any organized form of religion. As Chris
tians, as Churchmen especially, we are
scrupulous to a nicely IN refraining from
taking sides, and from discussing from
the pulpit questions of state policy, which
though often involving grave moral ques-
tons, may have yet become the subjects of
party divisions, and universal discussion
both in the secular press, and in the halls
of legislation. The attitude which we take
in this mater is a wise one. for, men who
gather in the House of God. come thither to
realize and deepen within them, the sense of
their heavenly citizenship, and of their du-
! ties as Christians here on earth, and they can
better do 30 by neither bringing with them.
nor meeting here tho yexed questions of
state policy, about which they have probably
! made up their minds from Independent
sources. and according to their own party
affiliations The things which belong to
! Caesar are best rendered to Caesar in his own
domain. and the things which belong to
, God are best learned and appreciated
apart from any admixture with
the temporal estates and policies
of the nation. Doubtless as individual Chris
tians we can ordinarily best subserve our
country's good, by carrying our Christian
principles, our high motives and vigorous in
tegrty, taught us by the institutions Of relig-
ion, out with us into the wide and busy arena
of public affairs. And, on the other hand, as
indiv dual citizens we can best uphold and set
forth religion for the honor and confidence of
seeking souls, by keeping her separate and
unbiased in counsels and ministrations. from
those disputed points which are wont at GER
tain times to so deeply interest and absorb
mems minds While then, all this is true,
and as experience, think, goes to prove, the
wiser wav; while it is thus that Church and
State should walk on side by side, in uncon-
hicting lines, there are, however. times and
occasions in the life of every nation, when
under the stroke and pressure of extraordi-
nary events, or OF some neavy Calamity. All
lesser questions and all sectional interests be-
come merged and are lost in one common
thought and one universal feeling. Such oc-
casions, by their very nature, unveil to the
nations eyes those secret and sacred springs
which live and move IS the common basis OF
its being and welfare. Such crises, more
than all political triumphs, or diplomatic wis
dom, or commercial successes. make men
realize their unity. the bond of brotherhood
that exists between and beneath every vary
ing section and every diverse opinion, the
common love that they have for one another.
and for their country, and not least, but most
of all their reliance upon that saving, sancti-
fying truth which the God of nations has given
them. in His Son Jesus Christ.
Then and thus it is that men feel patriotism,
feel it. not as an empty boast, or forced
ebullitjon of sentiment. but as power and
inspiration. which moves each man towards
his felIow-countrymen and every countryman
towards his country. Then and thus 1t Is
that our religion becomes patriotic and our
natrio,ism becomes religious, both more real
both more dear. then their respective symbols
stand appropriately side by side, in sacred
un;on ,h. cross the emblem Of our unity IN
Chr;s, the flag the token of our unity in the