The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1892-11-04
Gods Hand in our Country's History.
A SERMON PREACHED BY REV MR. LINSLEY
AT TRIM ITY (EPIscoPAL) CHURCH
ON OCTOBER %.

Text-Deut. 80, 20 "Happy art thou, o Isra-
ell; who is like unto thee, o people saved by
the Lord"
The closing words wherewith Moses
blessed the children of Israel just before
his death, appropriately selected as one
of the opening sentences in our annual
thanksgiving day service, applicable also
now, believe, when our whole country
is celebrating the 400th anniversary of
the discovery of the New World.
1t is appropriate that there should be
Worlds fair at such time as this. 1t is
fitting that cities should be given over to
unusual FESTIVITIES. For all this is instruct
i've to us that we may see and appreciate
our great material growth and temporal
prosperity and our high position among
the nations of the earth.
Good judgment is it, too, that room
should be provided where our leading
schools, colleges and other educational
and scientific institutions may place on
exhibition some evidences of their own
development and Improvement over for
mer times. And significant is it also to
witness the part taken by our school
children in this great celebration, show
ing the glory of
OUR ADVANCING CIVILIZATION
and the foundation of sounder patriot
ism-our free public school system.
But is this all, my brethren? Is this
great anniversary the time to glory in
the material and the intellectual growth
of the nation alone? Has not religion a
right to be heard? And has not every be-
lieving Christian deeper interest than
this in the life of the United States of
of America?
The general convention of our church
now in session in the city of Baltimore
has thought it fitting to appoint this Sun
day October 23) as time for special
service in commemoration of the discov-
cry of the New World.
| believe we may find this suitable
occasion to look at the religious signifi-
canoe of our history over and above its
material and intellectual aspect. There
are two different views that may be held
in regard to all human history. 1t may
be looked at as mere record of events,
narrative of facts, accounts of battles,
stories of wars, industrial development,
progress of civilization, this is one view
Of history. And all this is material.
earthly and human.
But there is a very different way oil
looking at the history of mankind. In
successive facts of wide significance is
seen logical connection, and in leading
events and so-called turning points are
noticed certain great results tending tow.
ard some greater end. And these are but
| the tokens of the continuous action of
THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD.
| All this world of ours, to this view,ex-
| lists in close relation to Divine power and
uuder the preservation of Divine car
and protection. Even through human in.
| trinity, ignorance and sin, the wonderful
purposes of God can be revealed and the
working of His hand clearly discerned.
This is the view of the life of nation
held all through the recorded history OF
the Old Testament. 1t is the idea in the
mind of Moses when, looking back at
their wonderful experience of 40 years in
the wilderness, and with confidence in
the future that was before them in their
more settled national life, said ''Happy
art thou, o Israel; who is like unto thee,
o people saved by the Lord"
p,,% ~ y,,a " ba III that no olocopac q
of the relations of God to the Israelites
was so extraordinary and so different
from His relations to any nation now that
the parallel will not hold. 1t is, my
brethren, by no logical proof that this
truth of God presiding over the destinies
of nations can be established in your
minds, but / submit it simply as a truth
appealing to your Christian faith. The
evidence of a similar belief in the Old
| Testament history is the assurance to us
of che general truth Of like relation
now.
The late Dean Stanley, in writing of a
certain event in Old Testament history
refers to it according as it is apprehend
ed from it's human or it's Divine side. ssIn
every crisis of history he says, these
two elements in their measure may BIZ
perceived, the one secular, the other re
ligious. The one belonging merely to
| the past, the other reaching forward in
to the remotest future, We may de
well to glance hastily at the LEADING
events in the history Of this country ane
4
in the light Of these two views to which
| / have referred.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS,
native Of Genoa, Italy, with fondnesi
| for the sea from early childhood, becamt
an experienced navigator. He believed
THAT the earth was round and thought
that the unexplored ocean would furnish