The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-11-27
A DAY FOR GIVING THANKS
Appropriate Services Held Yesterday at
the Various Houses of Worship.
The Rev. J. II. Rangers DiseOurse-Prcf. John
Ridpsth's Able Address-Details of the
Services at the Different Churches.

The congregations of the various
churches of the city engaged in some kind
of religious services yesterday. and as
often as is was practicable union services
were held.
At Christ Church yesterday morning
Thanksgiving services were held. aud a
sermon was preached by the pastor, Rev.
j. II. Ranger. His text was Philippians
fiji. %.
For ourlcitIzenship Is in heaven" Re-
vIsed Version. Thanksgiving day.. the pas
tor said. was both a religious and q civil
observance. The people gathered together
in tho many churches as loyal subjects,
both of the Republic and of the heavenly
wealth. The one was not incon-
sisteut with the other. Paul, who wrote
line of demarcatisn between the
church and state was almost IN
visible; the church and state
are divided, and vet they are not divided.
As being two distict societies. with diff
ferent purposes, they are divided; and as
being both of God and both for the better
ment of men, they are united. The pow
ers that be are ordained of God" On this
foundation the church Is a strength and a
stay to the country. Good citizenship was
q service the Christian owes to God; the
moro faithful his heavenly allegiance the
better citizen he will be.
linus the heavenly clTlZeDSQlD OF the
country is It's chief bulwarks. This has
essa true in the past. From Lexington
aid Bunker Hill to Yorktown the battles.
.ne prlvations, the marches, the ex-
penditure of life and limb were
sustained by those who were citizens
of the great King. From that time TO this
our victories and our achievements. both of
war and peace. have been chiefly wrought
out by the moral force of the church.
As il has been in the past so is il to-day.
In tha Sanafa IN fha HQnaa of Ranraaanta-
tives, in the executive mansion, on the
bench. among those practising at the bar,
In the army and the navy, at the heart of
all our industry and commerce, tar and
wide. all along the lowly ranks of useful
industry and among the mothers and
daughters of our homes, there is
the ever-abiding influence of the Kingdom
of Heaven. There are menacing evils.
s~crupulous avarice. corrupt politics, over
flowing immigration, ecclesiastical ag-
gression' and the drink evil are unques-
tionably perilous. Where is our strength
TO withstand these evilsf 1t Is in our
heavenly citizenship. There are to-day
twenty-five million protesting Christians.
There are ss many more who are at one
with them for public good. There is a re-
serve force of forty million of people to
stand for good government and the inter
ssts of ali the people. From whence
came these movements for reform
that are on the march today
They come from the church. from the heav-
emily common wealth. There are evils and
perlls. Great conflicts are tn come. But
they will be not wars of force; they will he
silently fought moral battles. There is yet
an irresistible reserve power in the nation,
and that reserve power is at heart the
Christian conviction of the masses of the
people.
We have great cause for thankfulness
to-day. IL has been a plentiful year. On
valley and hillside, along great unfenced
plains, every where abundance prevails. 1t
Is as If the country were q great overflow
ing wagon rafting homo to some colossal
barn. But there is another harvest still.
There has been also a harvest of heavenly
citizenship. There rave been on an average
q daily increase of twenty-three churches,
thirteen ministers. and 1885 communi-
cants; a total of {. 494 churches. 4.s67 minis
tors and 1.069.S5 communicates. Our
thanksgivings arise for this harvest OF re-
deemed men.
Other nations have their achievements,
but we have our own greatness. Let us as
Christians be ever more true to our heaven
ly allegiance.