The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-30


d lion. And yet what has been the out
: come OF the adoption OF tha. declaration
G | answer. the thirty eight imperial State:
d OF q Republic, bounded by two oceans
!. aud with an influence as boundess as the
u waters which encircles the globe Vast as
e Is the dominion which Providence has
given to our people OF waa.ch 10 work
= out the problem Of national life, II Is yet
e separated and segregated from the rest
: of the world by one ocean three thousand
J niles wide and another which stretches
! three thousand leagufs from shore
d TO shore. This isolation exempts
] our people from the terrible
Necessity imposed on European states
. Of maintaining what 10 called the bal
! ance Of power. No matter how peaceful
the spirit Of q continental kingdom may
be, no matter how intent on the devel-
opmeni Of It's own resources. and on Sc
curing the Interests aud the happiness OF
it's own people, II is compelled in self
defence to maintain military equip
nent which weighs II down with the bur.
den of an iniolerable public debt, and by
the exig, nces of It's own position Is often
compelled TO take sides In a war which
the public conscience repudiates and con
demns.
France has public debt amounting 10
nearly 5000 000, coo, making the sum of
nearly 5000 for every inbsbliant of the
lsnd. Other European states are bur
dened in proportion. Compelled TO
choose between the alternatives of ulti.
mate national bankruptcy or Of being
swallowed up by some aggressive neigh
bor.
Turn now for moment TO another
consideration. What Is the religious
character and condition of this people
repudiating State assistance for the sup
port Of the church, In no country be-
meath the sun Is religion so free and
prospectus
There are more than $4,000 Proestant
churches In these United States with a.
membership Of between 100000
and 100000. equipped with col
leges, schools and theological in
stitutions, With agencies for the
maintenance OF the Gospel at home and |
its diffusion abroad, supported by the
voluntary contributions Of the people
In presenting these statements Illus
trativo OF The civil and religious status of
our people, DR.. Hoge said be had but
touched the margin Of this great theme.
These broken and imperfect hints fur
n:sh most inadequate state
ment of the preciousness of that
legacy bequeathed TO US by The
tolls and sacrifices ofthe founders of this
Republic. To secure US these inesiima-
bic advantages our fathers pledged their
all by these services and sufferings
they have laid US under incalcuable 0bli
CATIONS. We can repay the debt only
by maintaining The institutions be-
queathed TO Us and by transmitting them
to those who shall come after us. We
honor the memories Of the noble dead
only as we serve and bless the living.
We cannot repay them by our empty
praises The eulogies which we pro
nounce on their memories. however, /
heartfelt and fervd, cannot penetrate the
dull, cold ear Of death nor stir
one sweet emotion in the hearts which
lie still ia the coffin. Our 0ifenses
do not go down into the graves where {
these bodies have found repose, nor do
they go up into the realms where their
spirits walk erect among the glorifed.
BE il ou: task to place ia the hands Of \
survivors the torch which we kindle at I
he ancient altars tina, they, in turn, may [
transmit the celestial light TO coming c
generations.
truths upon which the future prosperity I
and happiness of this great people de- g
pends, would answer In two brief SEN .
ences taken from the holy oracles l.
exalteth nation" and
Happy is that people whose god is the il
Lord" {
THE METHODIST CELEBRATION. |
The Methodss OF the city had joint C
Meeting at the Broad street Methodist h
Church, corner Broad and Tenth streets &
After the usual preliminary services Rev. s.
". l.. Jrdkins preached from the text, v
'salms, 62nd, W.. 7-S, "ln God Is my sal n
'stion and my glory the rock Of my b
trength and my refuge IL in God"
Trust In Him at all times ye people Il
,our out your hear. before Him. God Is Il
refuge for u.s." s
The speaker began his discourse with Il
'ortraying the human ideal OF God. e'
Ibis idea, he said, embodied abs1- &
lieness, omnipotence and perfection. tc
here could be no God without the sc
hree characteristics, and God was not il
My the Maker. but the Governor Of all S;
hings He welded his sceDtre by right di
ecause He made ali things. aud there m
an be no limitation TO His isdOm aud x
over. The moment He is limited in
he miHuiesl particular He ceases to be (
iOd al
Perfection is also one OF Gods most di
rominent attributes. lie il perfect in vi
oiiness, justice, wisdom, love aud mer NJ
Y. Perfection marks all lie does from
ne growth OF a blade Of grass to tie
OF the most imposing noun va
lin. The absolute perfection Of God 2
aggers thought, and the intellect reels to
nd falls in endesvoring to comprehend In
. Not sparrow which chirps, not gi
'e hnmbest Of insects escapes His no. &c
&C. He notes the cattle on thousand hr
Ills and even the very hairs on our ba
sads are numbered. ha
The fathers OF the Republic started out III
ith this conception of God as a being
,solute, infinite and perfect. So long 10
this God was recognized tyranny was to
apostolic, and government was estab- ba
shed which enjoyed such freedom as pl'
le world never before knew. All the I'M
d world ideas were exploded, and man EN-
gan fO assert himself and show that l,p