St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-12-06


lessly trample upon divine law. We
are becoming convinced that the ouly
way to retain the protection of hea ven
over this government is to maintain a
government which shall be worth pro-
tecting. Again, the organization and
growth of the White Cross movement,
the Divorce Reform League, and kim
dred movements, indicate that Ameri-
cans realize somewhat of the perils
which beset family and home. We
are also awaking to a sense of the
perils of immigration. Some of the
truest and best elements of our citizen
ship have come to us in that way. We
appreciate that fact, and are thankful
for it, But we are aware that by far
the greater part of the most dangerous
elements of our population has come to
us in the same way. Until recently
we have welcomed the one kind as
freely as the other. 1t has been the
theory of the nation to stand with open
mouth, suffering all countries of earth
to toss in wholesome ingredients or
garbage at will, trusting robust vi
tally to digest the mass and transform
it into patriotic national fibre. This is
too great a strain on our digestion.
gin to suspect that the safest way for
this nation to evangelize the world is
not to swallow it. We are willing to
make our land city of refuge for the
oppressed but not a cesspool for the
offal of oppressors. We begin to sus-
pect that shutting out the products of
cheap foreign labor from our shores
will afford us small protection so long
us we freely admit cheap and degraded
laborers to compete with our working
people and imperil our institutions,
According to present indications fur
Their restrictions will soon be placed
upon immigration from the East. And
when the true American sentiment
shall make itself respected, us it will
ere long, these restrictions instead of
keeping to race lines will somehow be
made to follow lines of character. The
day is coming when decent China
man will enter our gates as freely as a
decent Irishman, and when an indecent
Irishman, or Englishman for that mat
ter, if there be one in that superb en-
pire, will be as rigidly excluded us an
indecent Chinaman.
Turn to another cause of thanksgiv-
ing. The campaign against the saloon,
begun long ago, is waxing hotter every
year. The finger of God has written up
on the walls of the nineteenth century
the decree that the saloon must die.
1t will die hard, and be q long time
about it, but die it must. Temperance
workers suffer from divided cOunsels,
they meet temporary checks, but their
cause is marching on. The conflict
has now reached the stage where the
saloon is regarded by an overwhelming
majOrity of Christians as antichrist.
You are so denOuncing it in your con
ventiOns, assemblies and conferences.
What does that mean? Why, it means
that cOnsecrated host has enlisted for
| the war. 1t means that an aroused
church will cast eff her unholy entan-
clements, grid herself for the struggle,
and fight to death or nobler life. 1t
means that when the end of the battle
shall come, be it in the twentieth CEN
fury or the thrtieth, the victorious
Son of God shall hold the field.
And this leads us to give thanks for
better comprehension of the spirit of
the gospel in the church of Christ. The
old fences of prejudice and animOsity
between religious denominations are
being broken down. Regardless of
scowling Sauls the hearts of young
princes of God are being knit together
like the hearts of David and Jonathan.
From all churches arises prayer for
essential unity and cooperation in
Christian work. Some conception of
the communism of the gospel is
finding place in the Christian family.
We are preaching that self denial in
giving is as much the duty of the rich
Of hn of
Boston has so well said, ''that the
church, according to it's primitive ideal,
is the one institution in which every
mans wealth is under mortgage to
every mans want, every mans sue
cess, to every mans service" True,
there is much worldliness in the church.
The spectacle is enough to move every
loyal child of the gospel to humilia
ton and tears. But, on the other
hand, time would fail us to note all
the grateful tokens that in increasing
numbers, the people called Christians
are entering into the the true spirit of
the Christ life. Perhaps none of these
tokens are brighter than the growing
fidelity of the pulpit to a gospel of ho
Illness unto the Lord. The last fifty
years have witnessed a grand advance
all along this line. The doctrine of
completeness in Christ has been much
misunderstood it has not always been
preached so clearly, sweetly, and wise
y as we might wish but for all that it
has been advancing, and fortifying its
positions in the thought and convic-
tions of the church. Never before
were there so many prophets in this
land warning the people that divided
heart is outside Christ's kingdom
never so many preachers insisting upon
the necessity of entire conservation to
God and abiding in Christ never so
many heralds bearing to weary souls
the invitation to cast all burdens on
their Lord and enter into a perfect
peace and doubtless, never were so
many Christians loving the Lord their
God with all the heart.
Now in view of all these things we
venture to look on still further from
this summit of outlook. Away yonder,
beyond the drOss and tin, the strife
and turmoil, we see the end. 1t is the
triumph of the kingdom of God. All
strategy of redemption point to the
certainty of unparalleled victories for
the kingdom of G cd in this land. From
the beginning it seems to have been
the divine plan to work through chO-
sen race. About two thousand years
after the first promise of Messiah was
made in Eden, God brought man out
of Chaldea into Canaan, Il land flowing
with milk and honey, promised to
make of his nOSteritV a great nation |