The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-08-21
Hill and other distinguished officers and

America" italian Hymn, - Dundee"
Martin, Hamburg" Nuremburg."
Coronation and the "DoXology." A
double quartette opened the service APP
propriately by singing ITO Thee, Q
Country" r.. ....- r..
The Invocation was made by Rev. c..
H. Peck of the Congregational church
at North Bennington. Rev. Mr. Gilbert
of the Baptist church at the same place
read that Tsalm beginning with 20
come. let us sing unto the Lord. PRAYER
was offered by Rev. q. Marten OF the
Bennington Baptist church. ...
The memorial sermon was delivered
by Rev. NJ. L. Severance, pastor OF the
Old First church, and was based on the
text BLESSED is the nation whose God
is the Lord, and the people whom he
hath chosen for his inheritance"
The closing prayer was made by Rev.
G.. r. Seymour of the Second Congrega-
tioual church. ... .......
The sermon was closely listened TO
and was interesting throughout, Be-
low we give it in full. .E
A MEMORIAL SERMON,
preached in the tOld First Church, Ben
nington Centre, August 10Th, 1891, the
Hath anniversary of the Battle of Ben.
ningtOn, by the pastor, Rev. NJ. l.. Sew
erance. .. .'. ~ ..ru.. ..
Psalm xxXuI, II: ''Blessed is the ma
ton whose God is the Lord, and the peo-
pie whom he hath chosen for his own
inheritance" u..a. H|.. ..'- ... r.r
We have truly goodly heritage. For
some wise and consistent reason God has
blessed this great nation, and given her
a name and prestige among the other
nations of the earth. All this concentra-
ton of wealth and power was begun UNI
Christian light, and has been carried for
ward by Divine guidance. -.r.l !.
z The hand of God was over the little
band that in 1920 sailed from the hMbor
of Delft Haven, under the leadership of
such men as Robinson, and Brewster,
and John Carver, to plant colony on
the barren shores of q far-eff land, that
was destined, under God to change the
civilization, and government of the
world. ~
There was no chance IN the whole
movement The Divine plan is seen III
its inception, as we'll as in its progression
and final execution. What sitting God
gave the few, who first promised to go,
| before he sent them forth ON their peril
Gus undertaking. The cowardly and
false-hearted were sent back to theil
starting place, and only those who. had
nerve and toughened sinews wrought
into their character dared a voyage oven
the trackless sea. There was providence
| in the stern necessity that drove them
| out of their father-land, providence in
the bribery and treachery that led them
| to the most inhospitable of the New
England shores. 1t was through just
| this oppression and hardship that they
were trained and imbued with those
great and divine principles, which pre-
eminently fitted them to be the founders
of Government, and the pioneers of en-
| pire. ''ir rs.E ...H.H.[ fH -.~'
| But it takes more than oppression to
make men,. Thousands upon thousands
were under the yoke of oppression, when
the MaytlOwer and the Speedwell sailed
out of port, who never rose to the dignity
! of men. Europe and Asia are teeming
| to-day with servile minds only made
more servile by the Jokes put upon
| them. ..a'H.t .. '@f E.. n' aGI -ru-H
The highest type of character is at,
| tanned only by men who have just views
of God. Those who rule God out OF
1 their thoughts and out of their lives, eau
never be imbued with the highest sense
| of Justice, can never rise to the highest
! conceptions of human freedom. ian 3 .G-
| The Puritahs were men, who made q
| place for God in their thoughts, in THEN
| creeds, and in their lives, and God made
place for them in his universe. They
! trusted in God and went forward, and
the Divine LogOs led them with an out
stretched hand out of bondage, and ovei
| the sea- Those we're no ordinary mel
that heightened their cords, and drove
their stakes on this Continent, and laid
the foundations for American civiliza
ton, and greatness. 1luuJ 3ai la r9i1u y
They made history, when they acted
and wrote it down with pens, dipped in
blood. CREDIT bro" 5I5 Liza loiI1r Toll
To-day Is the Hath anniversary of the
battle of Bennington. do not need to
I refresh your memories with the incidents
of this bloody conflict. They are already
fresh in all our minds. We have been
1 enjoying the victory for over a century
which our fathers achieved for us, and
the record Of their valiant deeds is
| familiar to every household. l.3r. h3g.E
/ The whole country was Under a cloud
| Theireverses of our arms bad dispirited
the soldiery, and the outlook was de
pressing to our stout-h hearted command
eis. Bdrgoyne with a large force. had
come in upon iis from the north, and had
easily triumphed over all opposition, and
was pressing his way on successfully to
form a junction With Gen. Howe, at New
York, The evacuation Of Fort Ticonder-
ora, was soon followed by the disaster
at HubbardtOn. and Bennington seemed
an easy, prize TO the victor, nov haltiBg
for supplies at Saratoga "A strong he-
tachnieflt was sent under Col. Baum 10
| take the provisions and other military
stores, which We're held at Bennington.
Confident of success, the British general
quietly awaited with his matt army al
Saratoga, the bringing in of the expected
Supplies. But the distinguished Britain
had feckoned for once without his host
He did not Know the temper OF
the steel that he was to encounter. The
battle fought was one OF tile most per
sistent in the Revolution, as well as one
Of the most important. 1t takes rank al
one of the seventeen great battles OF The
world. Not because of the numbers en-
gagged, but because of its influence in de
terming the issues of the war.
When the smoke of this battlefield
cleared away, the sun rose with al
assured healing in his beams. From tn,
dav of the battle of Bennington, on
American Freedom was a fore-gone con
clusion. The battle of Saratoga, and tn
capture of Burgoyne were made certain
when our sires conquered Col. Baum