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


DELIVERED IN THE BAPTIST CHURCH,
owosso, NOVEMBER BOTH, BY REV.
SETH REED, OF TIE ME-. CHURCH.
Psalms 1920 He hath not Dealt 50
soiM any Nation"
If the history Of the Jewish nation
were all we had from which to study
Theocracy, it were sufficient to con.
vince us that the Lord of Heaven
should be acknowledged the Giver OF
all national prosperity. Their histo.
ry reveals experimenting power
that ever moved along the line of His
revealed law. The clearness with
which that history reveals the charac-
ter and will of the Almighty, depends
upon the fidelity with which it is
written, "for holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost" Could the histories of other
nations be as correctly written, they
too would reveal the presence of the
unseen one whose hand is ever laid
upon their affairs to guide them to
high destiny and to his glory ; for
God reveals himself in human history
which is his method of demonstra.
ton. A grateful and lively recog.
milton of his preserving care and
sovereignty was kept up in the Jew
ish mind by the annual return of
their festival called the Passover,
which was appointed expressly to
commemorate their birth as a a.nation.
Such festival must have been very
beneficial in its influence upon them,
reminding them of the source of all
goodness and blessing, and it was
also 4 national bond uniting their
hearts in the dear remembrances Of
the past.
Our nation too, has! its paschal
anniversary and l believe it is now
the only nation on the globe that
celebrates annually the day of it's
birth. 1t is easy to see how our
Fourth of July has served to perpetu-
ate in the minds Of the American
people high regard for the institu-
tions of their country and to cherish
that love of their nation which every
citizen should possess.
We too have now another ami
versary, a Feast of Tabernacles,
which at the first was held in differ
ent states on different days, but
which of late has become q national
day by the proclamation of the Presi-
Of the United States
AS the observance of the first an
niversary will perpetuate high patri-
otism among our people, so will the
observance of the second make that a
christian patriotism. And this is
well, for since the book Of inspiration
was written to its close, there has
been no nation on the globe whose
history reveals SO clearly the hand of
the Almighty as does that of our own,
short though that history be. Its
every chapter glows in the light of
an all-wise design and may we not
exclaim "Thou art great, o Lord,
and what one people is so great as
that people whom. God went to re-
deem to himself?''
We enter the Sanctuary Of the
Most High to-day as christian citi-
zens. We unite our voices in paans
of praise and thanksgiving to our
Merciful Heavenly Father. We
come not to-day with individual
notions to advertise with pet
schemes or doctrines or dogmas to
defend. 1t is not the day nor the
place for the discussion of party plat
forms or political issues. 1t is not the
day nor the place for arraigning our
public officers and rehearsing their
obliquities, for uncovering the sick
nesses and sores of the body polite
in order that we may charge their
causes upon somebody who has not
thought or spoken or voted as we
have done. 1t is not the day nor
the time for throwing sharp spears
into the hearts Of those who from
force Of civility must sit silent in their
pews and refrain from answering
back" but who would 90 from Gods