Morning journal and courier., 1889-05-01
CENTENNIAL SERVICE.

At Trinity Church Yesterday Morn
 1ng--Am Eloquent Address by Rev.
 pr. Rarvood-Our COunIryss Vast
 Growth-Our Natural Character To-
 Day.
 As on the morning of April 30th, 17S9, at the close of the public exercises of the inaug- uration, President Washington, attended by the members of both houses of Congress and
 the whole assemblage of spectators, proceed
 ed on foot to St. Paul's chapel, on Broadway,
 New York, where the TE DEUM was sung,
 and the prayers of the church were said by
 the Right Rev. Dr. Samuel Provost, the
 first Bishop of New York, and one of the
 chsplains of Congress, so yesterday on the Tooth anniversary of that inauguration, the members of the Episcopal church throughout the diocese met in their several houses of worship to participate in service specially set aside for the occasion by the bishop The service was portion Of the morning prayer with two special collects of praise and thanksgiving appropriate to the occasion. The special psalms were the 46th, 99th, and l25th. The 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy and the 18th of Romans divided the lessons At Trinity the service was quite elaborate A special musical programme was rendered including the anthem, "Open me the gates of righteousness" Hymn 3O7, s'Before the Lord we bow," and Hymn 309, "God bless our native land," The Rev. Dr. Harwood delivered an address in which he reviewed the extraordinary growth of the country during the past hundred years. Among other things the doctor said in substance To-day we celebrating the completed work of our fathers in reference to the con- I stitution. Immediately after the colonies
 secured independence, nothing went well. | There was no strong centralized force, the people knew not what to do. To remedy | this the constitution was framed. But the \ people were so slow in ratifying it, so indif I ferent to it that Rhode Island did not ratifJ \ it until after Washington's inauguration When Congress assembled March 4, 1889 there was not quorum, and one was not ob tained until April 1. This shows how apa thetic men were. After Washington's inau guration the men of great influence looked \ with doubt upon the value of the new gov. \ ernment. It is we'll known that Jefferson \ disliked the constitution, and that the great Hamilton was filled with doubt as to its worth. When consider what the constitu tion has done I am forced to believe tha those men builded better than they knew. don't suppose there was 8 man living 10( years ago who, had he been told that the ' great rebellion would be inaugurated agains \ it, would have believed that it would have \ stood the shock. The constitution appeart
 to have great strength and wonderful elas N ticit-.
 \ inc speaker pointed out the dangers whicl ! threaten the country through the low politic ' now employed. People sometimes confus bigness with greatness They sometime
 think the material prosperity of .he countr, is an indication of it's intellectual prosperity
 but it is not. There is need of higher idea ' in public life instead of traders in politics We want the best citizens in the best places \ deeds to-day as there ever was, but somehow the heroic element is wanting in our politics
 Dr. Harwood spoke of the elevated tone O | Washington's farewell address and of hi prophetic insight when he stated that tn \ strength of the country would lie in tn moral quality of it's citizens. In conclusion he said: GAS we thank God for his mercie
 towards us in the years gone by,so we should
 invoke the blessings and protection for ths ' years to come"