The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1883-12-08
THANKSGIVING SERMON
BY Rev. CHARLES IRISH, I'M SUPERIOR,
NOVEMBER 10Th, 1883.

As this is national day, it seem
right that we should consider what
the Lord has done for us as a people
That in enumerating His merciful
providences and blessings, we may
from the new impulses of devout gra-
litude thus inspired, offer acceptable
thanks to Almighty God.
1t does not require the keen unerr-
ing sight of divine inspiration, to read
in the signal providences of God in all
our history, that He intended and
planned an exalted destiny, for this,
our beloved country. Nothing less,
than to make it vast asylum for the
oppressed of all lands; to which they
may fly from the hatred of despotism
and intolerance, and build up Almighty
fabric, where God shall be recognized,
and worshipped by free and enlight-
ened people, We read this in the
period when this world was discover
ed; and in the character of the men
who constituted the germ Of the ma
ton; and stamped upon it their own
image and likeness, and infused into it
their own spirit.
God seems to have hid this country
for ages, from the cupidity, and am
bition of all the nations Of the world;
Its forests and fields traversed only by
barberous tribes, who were ready to
flee before the pale face of the Anglo
Saxon. TO haze hid it and the NIGH
ty waters, which were the veto of God
to its occupancy by any of the king
doms of the world, till He should
have raised up special people that
needed it, and that would do Him
honor by establishing His name in all
the land; till the principles of free
dom, religion, and edacation, should
have such a combined developement
in the old world; and the spirit of in
tolerence should have waxed so fierce,
as to create a necessity for new
abode. And then the finger of God
guided the star of eastern empire to
the western world. And rs the wise
men were led TO Bethlehem; Our Fa-
theirs were led to these shores; aud
planted in this vast country; That He
might make Of them great people,
and difiure their spirit through all the
nations God has thus planned, and
directed this great and successful at
tempt at self-goyernment, that this eX-
pertinent; the working out of this pro-
found problem which nations had at
tempted to solve; should be on this
soil, which he appears to have held in
reserve for this purpose, and by this
people.
When the fulIness oftime had come,
and our Fathers were under intoller-
able pressure of persecution for their
adherence to freedom OF thought and
freedom of worship; God provided re-
left. He had mission for them to
accomplish; and a place for them to
accomplish it in. The yastest, the
best, richest, and the most suitable
bic spot on His footstool, for Just such
men, and for just such Il purpose.
That they might dwell here in peace
full habitation; and in quiet resting
places; and transmit to their posteri-
ty, the rich legacy Of their mighty
prayers, and noble Sacrifices. And thus
establish one government, where edu-
cation might act in harmony, making
it the model government of the world.
Again:-We can see another indi-
cation of excited greatness in our
boundary lines. Not amid the ever
lasting SHOWS of the north, or the
burning sands of the south, but in the
lovely regions of the temperent zone,
Too far south to be bound in perpetual
chains of frost, and too far north 70
sink under the influences Of Il tropical
sun. \ richer inheritance was never
portioned out to any people. And no
one can look on the intrinsic resources
of this country, without feeling that
God had reserved it a. a vast field for
the mighty achievements of a great
and powerful people. The variety and
salubriousness of its climate; the
depths and fertility of its soil; its vast
extent Of sea coast; its inland seas
and majestic rivers; its dense extend
ed forests; its store houses Of coal; It's
deep fountains of petroleum; its rich
mines of zinc, and lead, and copper,
and silver, and gold, all furnishing
facilities for food and clothing, and
building and warming and all the
purposes of commerce. Such inter
nal resources of wealth and inter
course, and independence Of all other
nations, indicate that God has some
vast design to be accomplished in this
new world, and has held it as theatre
Of tremendous events.
Passing over our early history,
crowded with events of thrilling char
acter because Of the marvellous inter
position of divine providence, we re-
mark, that the nature Of our govern
ment, is the manifest exponent Of the