Smyrna times., 1884-07-09
Fourth Of July Sermon.

On Sunday morning last, as per an
nouncement of the Sunday before, at
the NJ. E. Church, the Pastor, Rev. J.
b. Quigg, stepped aside from the usual
order and preached a sermon in har-
mOny with the Nations natal dav.
In the absence of any celebration on
the 4th, it seemed manifestly proper
that the occasion, which, to Americans.
ought to mean so much, should re-
ceiVe some recognition, and it was in
no sense out of order that the recogni-
tiOn should come from the pulpit. In
deed if the pulpit were to give more at
tentiOn and consideration to subjects
which the dainty, kid-glOve christians
are pleased to term secular questions
society would be better, the Church
stronger, and the community benefit
ted. Mr.. Quigg chose for his text on
this occasion the following words from
the First Epistle of Peter, second
chapter and tenth verse: (Which in
time past were not people, but are
now the people of Cod"
He said, in speaking of our country,
that it seemed as if this continent had
been held in reserve by God for its
present use, and in setting forth in
strong and laudatOry terms the in
Vulnerable advantages that we as a
Nation possessed, said that the North
American continent embraced about
one-siXth Of the land surface Of the
globe and that the United States Occu-
pied about One-half of this continent,
that during the century lust
passed we had multiplied our popula-
ton II times, and that at this rate of in
crease at the end of the present CEN
tury we would have population near
ly equal to that now on the earth. and
II distributed equally over the country
would make population only as dense
as that of the State of Massachusetts at
the present time Should we ONLY
multiply 8 times we would then at the
close Of the present century number
4OO,OOO0OO souls. Turning to the do
lngs Of the people he said: that the
tendency of society in its normal condi-
ton was TO that of warfare, that Christ
sad, " come not to bring peace but a
sword that this propensity on the part
OF society to fight wrongs would existtill
the Millennium. Paying a fine tribute
to our fathers who inaugurated and
/ successfully carried through the Revo-
/ luton by which we became a Nation.
/ he briefly traced our history to the
! Civil War, and in speaking of the
I downfall of slavery said that if the evil
could not have been crushed otherwise
/ than by the millions of dollars expend-
! ed and the tens Of thousands of lives
sacrificed, it was well at even this fear
/ full cost for the Nation to rid itself of
this foul blight, and he added that a
large majority of the Southern peODle
were to-day glad that the institution OF
slavery was destroyed. Coming i'm
medlately to the ISSUES Of the present
he said that grave questions confront
ca the American people, questions that
were to be met and fought and that to
the death, that we, like our forefathers.
who gave US the Declaration of Inde-
/ pendence with all it signilied and en-
bodied, should be willing and ready to
give our fortunes and lives for the de-
tense of justice and right. In strong
ana eloquent terms he denounced
/ poIySamy, saying it was a cancer that
the Government should at once cut
out, that if it would not die without
the Spllling of blood die it must. that
but for the support and encouragement
It has received il high circles all over
TINS land, IN the loose maunerin which
the marital relation is held and the
loathsomc length to which the divorce
business has run, it would have been
Olotted out years ago. If the enact
ment of the present Congress thall not
cure the evil, then extreme measures
must be rcsOrted to, for. if the Ameri.
can Republic shall live and prosper
Polygamy must die. He was strong in
ms denunciation of the spirit of com
munism which is abroad in the land
and of the constant and untiring effort
OF ROmdnism to tear down the buIwark
OF the NatiOn-Our public school svs-
tenn. He touched upon the subject OF
labor and capital, and his voice gave
no uncertain sound on the diversified
evil and potent influence of the liuuor
traffic. He said that if this were some
new evil the nation would rise M a.
one man against it and to its immediate
eXtirpatiOn, but. because we were 81
familiar with it, we supported it, aye en-.
couraged it by licensing it. These he
regarded as questions of paramount
interest and questions which tn,
American people will have to confront
and battle with. If the goodly herit.
age which we have in this-our beloved
country, shall live and endure, then the
sanctlty of the Sabbath and our public
schools must be preserved, polvgamv
blotted out and the liquor traffic
strangled to death The sermon in
thought was strong and was couched
IN chaste and vigorous language and
the impression made upon the congre.
CATION could not be otherwise than