The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1881-12-01
TRANSPORTING ssny,oss.
The Usisn Services Held Yesterday TIL
First Presbyterian Chsreb,

As per previous notice, there we're union
Thanksgiving services held ut tho First
Presbyterian church on Thursday. Bishop
Kavanaugh, who was expected to conduct
the service failed 20 reach the city, and
Rev. III. A.. Bourland, Of the Lamar street
N. II. Church, OBLIGATED. Besides large
and intelligent audience, there were present
the. following named ministers: DR.. J. NJ
Binkley, Presiding Elder, w. .C. McCunc,
of the Congregational Church, j.. P..Smith,
of the Floyd street. NJ. Il. Church, Rev, j.
8. Smith, Rev John Allen, DR.. Broughton,
of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
and DIR. Irwin, of Ennis.
The music was led by the choir of the First
Presbyterian church with Mr.. G. H. Ed
wards presiding at the organ. After sing
ing the hymn,
Thanks and praise Jehovsh's name,
For His mercies firm and sure"
Mr.. Bourland read as his text Psalms 10th
and 9th verse, also Luke 10th chapter, 23d
and oath verses.
The sermon was one of his most happy
efforts, and we regret that our space will
not allow us to give it entire as delivered.
The following are extracts
THE SERMON.
The revolving year has brought to us
another National Thanksgiving occasion,
awakening generous sentiments in every
Christian heart. Thanksgiving Day What
hallowed associations cluster aboutit; what
tender memories of the past are aroused, as
we enter the sanctuary of God and look
back upon the nfercies of the past year.
There is no stronger evidence of O healthful
moral nature than that readiness which re-
spends to the favors received from a bene-
factor, whether human or divine; there is q
spontaneity about it which resembles the
loud anthems of celestial choirs. We stand
bewildered ii the multitude of Heavens
mercies toward us; truly God has daily
loaded us with benefits and crowned all
the year with radiant diadem of goodness.
We are called upon to give thank to God
for the blessings of free government; for
civil and religious liberty for sufficiency
of agricultural products. prosperity; for
the maintainence of order at home and
peace abroad. Our country, while COM
pared with others, is young; with yet the
dew of youth upon. her brow, she is, never
theless, strong in all the resources that go
to make people potential for good or evil.
Our future prosperity depends upon our
virtue and fidelity to the high and holy
trusts committed to us. We, therefore,
hail this recognition of Divine Providence
by our Chief Magistrates The proclama-
confession of faith. When we give thanks
for bountiful harvest, we confess tire i'm
potency of mechanical skill, and manual
toll, independent ofthe early and latter rain.
For religious freedom we give thanks, not
to wise legislators, but to an in
hnitelv wise God, the inspiration.
Another most cheering indication of the
dot tpl, to1- Oh
ence, is the real unity of Christians, not a
forced constrained unity, or rather uni
formity, endeavoring to compel men to con-
form to certain confessions of faith; not the
marshaling of great numbers under one
name, but that better unity of the spirit,
oneness in Christ. The Evangelical Alliance,
fair and beautiful child of this country is
bringing Christians in closes relations, and
inspiring them with delightful harmony ina
common cause. 1t is accomplishing this by
new process, we may say, nevertheless, as
old rs the gospels, it wars upon no mans
opinions, but brings us nearer to each other
because nearer to Christ. Like the spokes
ola wheel, the nearer, they come to the center
the nearer. they are together and on the con
trary the further removed from that center,
the wider apart they become, so the nearer
they come to Christ the nearer they are to
each other. Certainly, then, there is wide
difference between unity and uniformity
The former is of the Spirit, the latter of the
sect. One is constrained and unnatural
the other is free and joyous. The effort of
to-day is not to bring all men to pronounce
the same Shiboleth, not to formulate
creeds, and demand subscription upon pain
of bitter anethemas, but it is the more
Christlike endeavor to reach mems hearts,
and purify the very fountains of thought
and emotion. The motto of Christendom
is more than ever that of reformation sin
nonessentials liberty, in essentials unity,
and in all things charity" But while we
are thankful for liberty, alas that we should
confound liberty with license, and suppose
because we are free, we are above law, and
can set at defiance all the wise regulations
which look to the general good. Liberty is
freedom within the bounds of law, license
is the very spirit of the French Commune.
In our country this is our greatest danger,
the rock on which we are in danger of
stranding.
The same isapplicable to men who hold to
no religious faith. Six days they may pur-
sue with impunity their traffic, but it is an
outrage to Christian decency and propriety
that our wives and sisters and children
should be insulted on their way to the
house of God by the clink of saloon glasses
and the exposure of the merchants wares.
Was II ever heard Of since the world began,
that day was only seven hours long?
This subject of religious liberty in our own
commonwealth, Is Of growing Importance,
because of the rapid increase of population. |
The busy tribes Of flesh and blood are flow
ing In upon us from every corner apd |
granny OF the globe.
After the sermon prayer was again offered |
by DR.. Broughton
The choir then sang the doxology. "Praise |
God from Whom all Blessings Flow" DIR. |
w C.McCune pronounced the benedic-
ton, after which the audience was dis
missed