Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-07-09
OUR COUNTRY.
The Nations Danger. and Prospects.
SERMON DELIVERED AT CHRIST CHURcB
July Sd, By Rev P. S. TEACHER.

According to the best Biblical critics. the
DOCK OF Daniel was written about le3 wears
| b. u An unknown. but scrupulous. rioidlv
| orthodox and firmly believing Jew had heen
pondering prayerfully over the sufferinos NJ
MS age The nation needed consolation and
ne desired to impart it by showing that God
delivers his servants and brings tyrants 10
their fall. Looking over the history Of the
world, we find that the wav in which Cod
'i"es inns Is by different nations acting and
reaching upon earlI other Very early. uroba
bly, earlier than 700 years az. men living 70.
gether "a social beings began to feel the need
Of some kind of government Almost any
/ KIND was better than none drsno.ic
government was better than absolute law
iessness. Hence, despotic governments and
dvnasiies have been able to rise and live
The frequent revolutions against despotism
nave been and are attempts to reach a right
and just government. What has been the
result Failure. The failure of the old king
doIns was complete and entire. Some one
mas SAID THAT every good institution dug
its own grave; that is, il succeeded so well
that there was no longer any use for it, vet
those ancient nations tried and tried TO es-
| tabllsh permanent government. but did not
succeed. They felt the need of something
| better than they had but could not find il
| II they stoud still they sank deeper in the
mire. If they moved they heard the horrid
clanking OF their chains. They could wade
| through seas of blood but eonld not reach
that pinnacle of power which would save
them from disintegation. While thev stood
they proved that despots could tyranize, that
| men of force could make way among their
fellows, that the fairest portions of the earth
could be desolated bv battles but that they
could do little for the real advancement of
! Thns..
each in succession giving up its effects to
others. Failure, always failure, met their
eft"rts to establish a permanent kingdom.
| with some the failure was more gradual than
| with others. The Roman government was
| the best, being based more upon Justice than
the others, and therefore it lasted the longest
| What was the reason of these failures
Lack of patriotism: Nations might stretch the
nerve of purpose to breaking, but succeed
they could not without patriotism. and so
they saw their splendid empires rise and fall
| like castles in the air. When patriotism dies
| write ''IchabOd" on the national ensign for
the glory will then have departed. Patriotism
| is the inspiration of every great people. 1t
is the heart through which pulses the life
blood from the veins of every prosperous
nation.
81 gives vigor to life and puts passions in chains
! 4 an electTlcal erect In SOftenlng,
subduing, and tranquelizing adverse elements
and transcends all party distinctions. Religion
borrows from it, Poetry hangs garlands in
its temples. Men are its happy slaves, bound
| by its entertainments, free, because its labor
| is delight. 1t gives social impulse. makes
towards courageous, msers benevolent, the
selfish of yesterday ready to meet death to-
day martyrs to principle. 1t changes the
tempestuous sea into a tranquil lake, the
requiem INFO pean. Long may it lend its
lu,tre to oar nation, and heautify our lives,
hover round our hearths, and glow in all our
| actions
| Lacking this inspiration mems attempts to
| raise n universal empire have all failed, and
| it is time that 1.-THE God of heaven set up a
kingdom which shall never be DESTROYED If
we believed in prophecy. we should look up
| on our own country the fulillment of the
| text. and the Reformed Jews" do look upon
| this country the Land of Promise and
as their Messiah. Figuratively speaking. the
| stone of this kingdom was cut out without
hands 1t was small and despised at its be-
ginning. Its growth was slow and gradual.
rhe stone eventually became a great
mountain. But its growth is not yet complete.
1t still adds to its strength and beauty. and is
empurpled with diviner glory than ever
cleaned on the sacred top of Parnassus. and
brightest days of Rome were strangers. 1t
is not too much to say. that beyond the most
sanguine hopes of the Fathers of our country
the resources have been developed, and
We now have more and better cultivated
farms more prosperous workshops. with arts,
factories, and mines far more productive
than ever before. with more prudent business
habits and lessening of the pernicious in
tlaiion ot credit.
Still. considering our diversitics of region.
population. social life, and religion, consider
ing the breadth of our territory, and the
deficiency in the education of many of our
citizens which renders them an easy prey
to the Influence of political demagogues.-
considering the immense floods OF foreign
blood which is annually poured upon
our shores, 1t Is not easy to
imagine more difficult problem
than the government of these di
verse elements of which the nation is COM
posed so IA to conduce TO the satisfaction and
we'll being of every citizen. To tell how that
work has been attempted, would be to tell the
story of the revolution, and to repeat the
heroic devotion, fervent enthusiasm and
never wearied patience of our predecessors.
1t would be to tell of the passionate and rev.
erent loyalty to our flag. that splendid sym
boil of the nations life and faith. 1t would
he to sing of battlefield and hospital. of
Camp and home. 1t would be to tell of the
PRAYERS that mingled in the struggle for lib
ertv. of that astonishing fortitude under pain,
that resignation under the keenest loss, that
large-hearted lberalitv which flowed so con-
tinuousv from every city. town. village and
hamlet in the land. 1t would be to tell of
the many noble deeds of philanthropy, the
>elf-denials and the bravery which are treas
ured in the gratitude of the nation, and
which have created the most powerful and
complete outfit of moral force that any ma
ton has ever had to support itself
Yet amid all our past achievements and
| brilliant prospects there are dangers that
menace US. II is the habit of many
to make light of these dangers, and
they may have been exaggerated. But
there are some things which ought to be kept
constantly and clearly he fore the public mind.
! IL is not wise to forget the spirit which
prompted the assassination of the President
or the spirit which leads cities and States TO
repudiate their honest debts. 1t is not wise
to forget the hints and threats TO prevent a
thorough investigation into the alleged fraud
ulent mail routes. 1t is not wise to forget
the frequent cases of bribery in order to elect
to Office men who are not the choice of the