The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-12-01


both young and old, away from
homes thought with many longing
sigh of the happy group there as.
sembled.
The largest church gathering of the
day was at the Cumberland Presby-
terrain church, where union meeting
was held, the following being the
program prepared for the OCCASION:
Anthem-By the choir
Sopg-"Jesus, Lover of my Soul"
Invocation.
Song-"All Hail the Power of jesus
NameW
Scripture Reading-By Rev. Mr..
Willis.
Prayer-By Rev. r. B. Garrett.
Anthem-By the choir.
Sermon-By Rev. DR.. Wright.
Prayer-By Rev. Mr.. Rector.
Collection Tor the poor.
Song-'Nearer, my God to Thee"
DOxology-"Praise God from Whom
all Blessings Flow"
Benediction.
DR.. Wright's sermon was an able
and effective one and was in sub
stance as follows:
Psalm II, 11:12: III will remember
the works of the Lord. Surely, 1
will remember thy wonders of old. L
will mediate also oil all thy work and
talk of thy doings."
The speaker began by reading the
Thanksgiving proclamation of George
Washington made in 1905, in which
he set forth as q matter of gratitude
to God: "The possession of constitu-
tions of government, which unite and
by their union establish liberty with
order" The speaker also attended to
the present presidents recent procla-
nation in which he names among the
gifts of God: "He has given us more
love for the free, civil institutions, in
the creation of which His directing
providence was SO conspicuous.
Good government Is something 30
difficult to secure and maintain that
we should never cease to be thankful
to Him, who has given us 80 nearly
that form of government which He
provided for the Israelites before they
wickedly asked for king. Nor must
we fail to acknowledge and be CRATE.
full for the historic forces which, UNI
der God, have given US our blessed
Christian civilization. Our theme Is
"The Providence of God In the Dis
covery, Settlement and History of
Our Country"
The discovery of America was due
to the awakening of mind from the
long sleep of the dark ages, brought
about largely by the discovery of
printing in l440.
In the providence of God the refor-
nations and revolutions and upheav-
ais of the Old World had much to do
with the settlement of North Ameri-
ca. Columbus sailed westward when
Martin Luther was boy nine years
old. The leading powers of the world
were purified and made strong by the
reformation: Germany, Great Britain,
Holland, Sweden, Norway and Switz-
erland. This continent was shut out
from the knowledge of the world until
the stamp of men needed to form q
great and glorious nationality were
ready to enter 1t. A good land, with
magnificent material resources (agri-
cultural, pastoral, mineral, maritime),
was kept in reserve for the noble men
who entered 1t.
1t is said fight of birds changed
the course of Columbus ships, which
in Gods providence saved this part OF
the continent from the weak Spanish
civilization which has cursed Mexico
and South America. Hither came the
strong men of the world, English,
Welsh, Scotch, Irish, Germans, Dutch
and French Hugenots. You can
search the world over and you
cannot imagine a grander combina-
ton of soul and brain and muscle
than laid the foundations of our Amer.
lean civilization. Their motive Of oc-
cupation was not search for gold nor
power, but was civil and religious
liberty. They were brave, intelligent,
God -fearing,men. They brought hith'
or love of liberty, love OF justice, love
of God and love of humanity. They
were true Democrats, believing in a
government or the people, by the peo-
pie, for the people. They laid deep
and strong In toll, and suffering, and
blood, and tears, and prayer. the
foundations of our grand American
Christian civilization. There fiocked
to their standard men that feared God
and hated lie, and believed in the
law of God as the appropriate govern
ment of heaven and earth. Thus
they established institutions for self
government, self-protection and self
culture.
They believed in the Bible, in the
home, in the schools, in the heart.
They planted the schoolhouse along
side the church, and prepared the
way for our grand system of free Dub
lie education, and out of 1T all grew
the constitution of these United
States; our great and blessed nation
atty. Our patriotism should be to us
precious heritage In which there
should be some intelligent compre.
hension of our country as related to
the development of Gods historic
plan, that Is as related to the redemp
| ton of the whole world through Christ
and tho coming of His imInOveablf