The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-12-08

hearts of the people; day in which
we should think of those things that
are true, that are honest, that are
good /; things that underie the wei.
fare of nation and that enter into
the character of every true christian
citizen.
Lc. us then, to-day, study the -ea-
sons for that strong love which every
christian citizen in America should
bear for his country. AID those rea-
sons we shall find not alone in the
material blessings which make our
homes comfortable and happy; nor
in the abundant harvests that crown
the retiring year ; nor in the return
of thrift TO our land, filling again the
channels of commerce and trade :
nor in the general healthfulness of
the pehple nor in the preservation of
our borders from the ravages Of war I;
but also and more in our firm belief
that all these and innumerable other
bless ings come from the hand OF
Him who is "high above all nations
and His glory above the heavens"
Faith in the christians God is the
first and greatest blessing of the
American people; faith that holds
the hearts of the people to eternal
principles, that accepts law higher
than that Of men or nations that
recognizes its solemn sanctions and
reveres its holy mandates faith that
quickens the conscience and pre-
serves sense of justice that elevatcs
the character Of the individual and
thus conserves the government of the
nation; faith that enters the open
doors of benevolence and scatters far
and wide the benedictions of the
christian religion that rises above
the artificial barres of society and
unites the scattered families Of man.
kind in higher and truer brother
hood
Thankful are we to. day that for an
other twelve month the nation has
held to this faith and has gone for.
ward in the work Of bIilding upon
the true foundation stone, the corner
stone in the Almighty's universe.
Thankful are we that so many millions
of our people of all ages, have in
church and school and home and
closet, been learning of God in Jesus
Christ. Thankful are we for all the
moral and religious instruction given
during the year; for all the preaching
and the writing and the praying and
the singing, and the weeping and the
giving and the working and the wait
ing that have helped to lift the nation
to higher, and purer life.
But the love of the American
christian citizen for his country is
increased by the belief that this
country is the gift of God to a
christian people. During the cen
turies Of darkness that rested on the
eastern world, God kept this vast
continent hid as it were, under the
hollow of his hand, while its vast
treasure mines were increasing in
wealth, preparatory to the coming of
its future possesors. If he kept Pal
estine 500 years that he might give it
to whom he had promised it, so did
he keep this Palestine longer reriod,
that he might give it to his own, and
TO his own he gave it.
1t was not ambition nor love of
conquest, nor love of gold nor bold
adventure that led the Pilgrims to
forsake their old homes and seek
habitations in this trackless wilder.
ness. 1t was their love Of God and
their high valuation Of the freedom
and sanctity of conscience which was
dearer to them than life itself. With
an unfaltering faith in God as their
guide, they fitted up the little May
flower, no larger than the vessels that
float on our streams, and committed
themselves TO the wind and waves.
They were unacquainted with the
vast ocean, unaquainted with the
vast world for which they steered.
No lighthouse along the coast of
1000 miles, cast its rays TO guide