The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-12-03
THANKSGIVING.


fore our readers the substance OF his re
marks on the occasion.
TExT-PsAI.M 100.
]. Make joyful noise unto the Lord
all We lauds ). -.
2. Serve the Lord with gladness; come
before His presence with singing,
8. Know ye that the Lord he IS zoo =
| il He that hath made us, and not We our.
selves we are His people and the sheeP o
His pasture. ,
and into His courts with praise De 1nanA'
| full unto Him, and bless His name
5. For the Lord is good; It's mercy
is everlasting, and His truth endureth &c
to all generations.
This is a Psalm of praise, or rather
thanksgiving, and is the only Psalm
hearing this Inscription. 1t has been a
| fayorite in all ages with all deyoutly
disposed ito recognize what God is IN
his power and mercy and goodness to
the children of men. If any man has
any gratitude to God in his heart here
| is a suitable vehicle by which to express
it. for it is an expression OF thanks
Giving so universal that it is adapted to
men of all ages, of all grades OF clvlllza-
tion and culture, and under all clrcum-
stances. 1t is an expression not gwen
to a class. but to all classes. 1t is gwen
to the race-t'Make a joyful noise unto
the Lord all We lands" 1t therefore in
cludes us. and is as much meant to be
the heartfelt expression of gratitude OF
each OF us as if each was called by
name. And so the world over. 1t con
templates the whole race, standing In
such relation towards God. that every
soul on earth could with heartfelt earn
estness appropriate this utterance OF
thanks as its own.
Brethren, have you never longed to
see the day when mankind would occupy
this relation towards our blessed Creator
and Father in Heaven? Suppose the
people in the United States occupied
such position, when each man, woman
and child in our country would give to
God the honor due to his name" and
when each would do so without selfish
ness or hypocrisy, and when each would
live in consistency with such relation.
| confess, for one, would like to see
such state of society tried, aud then
we would see what would be the issue
and what effect it would have upon the
happiness and well-being of the people
Of this nation. If after this experiment
was really and honestly made, and then
it was found that people were not hap
pier and human society was GSt III a
better condition than at present; if it
were found that after giving to God the
honor due unto His name that men were
no better off, then they could return to
their old habits of vice and irreligion.
We live in an age of experiments, and
we have prOfited by many of them, and
experiments with a view of securing
desirable ends are a mark of wisdom
and of human advancement, and now,
if all the people in this land would but
agree TO honor God by suitable recOgni.
ton that Ne approves, and would make
fair and honest test of it, it is not UNI
reasonable 20 hope that it would result
in the greatest amount of present and
material gooC, not to speak of what is
future and eternal. OF this very thing
the Psalmist speaks in another place,
when he says: Happy is that people
that is in such case; yea, happy is
that people whose God is the Lord"
Ps. 144:15.
In the providence of God we are called
together to-day to offer grateful praise
and thanksgiving to the God of all
nations. The meaning of this recon-
mendation is simply this, that the in
finite and eternal God is the God of this
nation known as the United States, and
that he claims all the people thereof as
his Whether we recognize his claim is
another matter; or whether we in a
general way put other beings or things
in his place and practically recognize
them as our gods, is still another THU e;
but whether we do or not, we do not
thereby inyalidate his just claims. God
rules the world, is the doctrine of the
scriptures, and also the doctrine of the
wisest men that ever lived, and what is
more, he will continue to rule it TO the
end; and while he may not rule il &C
cording to our wisdom, or as we would |
rule it if we were in his place, still he
rules it, and it is to be presumed that he |
rules it in wisdom. We are told that
g He doeth his will in the armies of |
heaven and among the inhabitants of |
the earth, and there are none who can
stay his hand or say unto him what
doest thou?" None can Justly question
his right, or power, or wisdom in this
matter. Hezekiah calls him the God of
all nations. This is a subject that ought
to be studied, and we ought not to allow
our prejudices TO lead US to the foolish
conclusion that many arrive at, when,
any logical, scriptural and con-
siderative thought they exclude Him
from having any control in human af-
fairs. Many are wont to say when things
20 favOrably with them, that God rules,
but that when they go contrary to them.
Dr. apparently so, he has gone outside of
The universe in such cases and lets mat
.ers go haphazzard. 1t is upon this
alse notion that millions in this land dc, !
deny that God has anything
o do with government, or statesmen or
'fhee -bolders, or citizens as such, until
Tou would suppose that God and the
,ullng powers in this land were utterly {
divorced. 1t was for this criminal mis- !
AXE that the King of Babylon was
lriven from his throne to herd with the .
'easts of the field, "until," said God,
thou shalt know that the Most High
uleth in the kingdom of men and giveth !
to whOmsoever he will" Dan. 4:25.
% much is il the case that Gods gov y
rnment over us is a reality, that Paul =
ellis as that the powers that be, or =
uman governments, are ordained of
Tod. It is of Him they are set up, and 3
T Him they age put down, and in CON =
ucting their affairs and in obedience to !.
hem, we are not merely responsible to Y
len, but also to God. u
Gods hand is imminent in all our af. :.
airs, whether as individuals or in the
ggregate. Aud now, if you ask me ;,
pom what grounds God is our ever Il
resent and sovereign Ruler, answer in q
ne language Of the text, that it Is be j
ause He is our Creator. lie sent us =
ere and He sustains us, and we are re- -
oonsible to Him.
" Know We that the Lord he is God II
Is he that hath made US and not we a.
we are His people and the rc
leep of His pasture" Brethren, He
ade us and we are His, and upon tLis N
ltursl ground we belong to him, and sp
Iere is no ownership among men SO hi
,mplete as His ownership in us. It is to
is right to direct and command us. an
ID it il wisdom in Us to obey Him. 1t ID
supreme folly in us to refuse his ser hi
ce. be made Us and we are His. To-
This infinite God who rules over us u,
ID to whom We are all responsible. Is
ows himself to US in his providence br
t only our Ruler, but our divine we
Ither and bountiful Benefactor. He on
the giyer of all the good we eniov. no
d the author Of all our mercies. Of CO.
urse there is not universal recogni- to
n Of this, but there is a general con- ca,
stioh, and it Is In Accordance with.tbe les
'iptures, and all the christian traIbinS II,
r.people have received, !. is in this direes siI
h to
We have had yer Of general good ear
alth, We have been free from cpl VII
nfpG nP anur conu.o.o - Al: 49,