Dodge City times., 1888-12-06
Thanksgiving Sermon.
"THE HOPE OF OUR COUNTRY"
Delivered in the Baptist Church, DOdg'
City, Kansas, Nov. Goth, 1858,
By REV. J. II. WRIGHT.

TExT:-Eeci. 0: Is: "Wisdom is better
| than weapons of war;.
The Wise man uttered many won
ierful sayings His antecedents were
warlike men. The nations around
him gloried in war. Yet he could
plainly see that "Wisdom is better
than weapons of war" The first au
theutic records of Thanksgiving ser
vices seems to be found among the
Jews.
In 1915 the Hollanders, at Leyden
| held such services because Of the de
liyerance Of their city from siege by
the Spaniards.
In e.rly Plymouth Colony days
such meetings were held frequently,
and later, in President Lincoln's al
minisjfation, the day became Nation
al. 1t is meet that we should
give thanks as people. And while
we do this, ii is proper for us to look
toward to see how we may still merit
the Divine favor. And in a 'goyern
ment of the people, by the people, and
for the people it is pertinent to ask
"What is the hope of our country"
l. \ Bible ministry is one Of the
frat requisites Of self governing
pc pie. II is generally acceded that
50 long us a peoples ministers teach
the Bible in its purity and simplicity
50 long the standard Of morality will
be high.
Our ableat lawyers and iurists free
ly admit that there is no higher ap
peal on the question OF ethics than
the Bible. Ii is not only the standard
Of morals in general, but it is the
teacher of the individual conscience,
and the instructor i'll spiritual
things. 1t gives practical instruction
relative to the duties between man
and man, and exhibits the relations
existing between man and God.
The Bible also guards against ex
cesses- It is to the reproach of pro
fessed Christians in ages past, that
they have committed excesses in the
name of Christianity. The spirit of
Christ never prompted to excess. The
whole spirit Of the teachings Of the
Bible is, Glove to God," and "Do
unto others rs we would that they
should do unto us.
If men have gone contrary to this
in their actions, it is because their
own evil minds and hearts prompted
them to this course, and not because
the Bible lead them III this way.
Ii we would be righteous, and a
happy people. we must let the Bible
be orr rule Of conduct in life
H. An active church is a second
requisite in the hope Of our country.
And l do not mean that the church
must be narrow, and sectarian in its
views In order to be active. While
Ihere is 80 much evil in the world to
contend against, churches and Chris
tians have no time to fight one anoth-
er. Ii they feel exceedingly combat
i've, let them spend their supertiuous
energies against sin, and wait for the
millennium before they begin looking
for time in which to demolish sister
denomination.
The church must be aggressive
against the sins Of our times. The
evils Of intemperance, that blood
hound Of Satan's frey zeal, must be
shown i'll every reasonable way, and
then It's horrors may be portrayed in
the finest touches Of pencil, pen, OF
or.,tyIy.
Licentiousness is to be dealt with
plainly, honestly, severely. 1t is one
of the eating cancers on the social
body politics.
Polygamy should be grasped by
the strong arm of the law, and made
Instantly to feel its power, and yield
to its authority, or go behind the
prison bars OF stand upon the gibbet.
Gambling in all its forms, from the
cheap prize package" on the street
to the great state lotteries and
''Stock exchange margins" should be
uutitl tiS Oau VI tuc law tuu puDltC
opinion.
Profanity, that common, senseless,
yet vulgar anJ sinful habit SO freely
indulged IN by many, should be
pr mptly corrected, and if not, should
be everywhere spoken against.
The oppression of the poor in their
wages and rents viii more and more
demand the attention of the Ameri
can people, aud demand Of the church
that she defend the poor against their
by advocating righteous
laws regulating the relations Of labor
ana capital. The church must be
aggressive against these sins.
But IN order that the church know
fully her duty it must be Bible read
ing church. The Bible must be the
CHEF book in the services and study
Of the Sabbath day. And then it /
iiust be carried into the home, and
read and taught, and become part
Of the life ana character of the peo-
pie.
But even this will not suffice unless
the church consecrate the study of |
Bible with prayer. No church orga-
nlzation has ever been formed, grown,
and been useful without PRAYER. PRAY