Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-24
CHRISTIANITY AND PROGRESS.
Rev. MI. Bispharn's Thanksgiving Sermon
at st. Johns Today.


Rev. Clarence Wyatt Bispham delivered the
Thanksgiving day sermon at ST. Johns today
His text was, "Oh, give thanks unto the Lord.
for He is gracious and His mercy endureth for
ever. Psalm cxxxvi:1.
There is one day in the Christian year. said
the minister. when church and state separated
by the jealousies of civil and ecclesiastical au-
thoritles, join hands and together proclaim
gratitude and Thanksgiving to the Lord God
OF Hosts. And there is just reason. for. while
the scales of evil have been heavily loaded with
the fruits of mans passion, yet the golden
scale OF mercy weighs down vet deeper IN the
balance and a mere sense of the eternal fitness
of things, if nothing else, would suggest a
thanksgiving.
Since Gods mercy toward US will endure for
ever, 1t follows that the history of civilization
will show forth the increasing striving after
that which is more Christian and holy, so that
we can better approach the eternal glories
which His Son. Jesus Christ, has in store
Tor those whose lives are progressing toward
Gods great goal-heaven. And SO. while it is
meet and fiji to rejoice i'll this our day of thanks
for the temporal and spiritual mercies which
church and state have together received, yet
let this day take on a deeper meaning-let us
thank God for His everlasting mercy in that il
means everlasting progress. In these few mo-
ments let it be our task to examine this law:
Our Psalm then, heard first from the sanctuary
of King David's temple Mt Jerusalem. is the dav
sprung from on highs the echo of one of the
powerful watchwords Of society. which are
the rallying points of the thoughts and
the activities Of mankind. such an idea
Of Gods mercy has had its effect upon every
decade of American citizens. And not only is
America an heir of this mercy. All the civilized
world are co-heirs and equal. Now. behind this
law of progress is an incentive which acts as
mans goad. The realization Of our wish is the
father to our further desire.
THE DANGER OF THE AGE.
But in the midst of our prosperity there is
one terrible danger. Men are in danger of for
getting the glorious meaning of the words Of
our text, for they sing beautiful song to other
words, and 1t is something like this-"O give
thanks unto man, for he is glorious and his acts
will last forever" Man then becomes the Christ
of a new theology, who, crowned with the roses
spread at his feet by popular opinion sits on
his throne like some pagan god smiling his ap-
proval at the homage and thanks given him
LIE; many more songs like this be sung and the
great law, which is God given. will surely react
upon ITSELF There is ne such thing as stopping
these two runners who press eagerly toward the
mark for the prize of the high calling of God
in Christ Jesus. They cannot stop. II is
against human law and it is against divine law.
Either they must go forward or else hand in
hand they will begin to go back. Either the
song Of the world must ring more loud in this
case for the glory of God or it must sound
fainte and yet more faint and the song OF man
must reign triumphant. To make man re-
sponsibie to his brother man for gifts which are
from heaven is to make reaction against the
progressive zeal OF Christ our Lord In human
society. That will carry us back to the de-
spair Of a psganized philosophy, and then in
due time, with the decline OF Christianity will
civilization be swept away to the lusts of
society without control of reason. Does the
song in Gods praise or that in praise Of man
for what he has done ring in our hearts to-
day? Can we not see that America filled with
Christs presence is imitable for doing all posi-
bic good? And this feverish unrest which is
the characteristic of progress, what il it. tell
me, but to grow in knowledge and love Of God
and His Son, Jesus Christ. That unrest is the
keynote OF our character for good or for evil
That unrest can push forward, strong in its
ability to do for the world. when thanks can be
given to God, who has made it what it is That
same unrest is able to turn and push along in
the opposite dh ection, glorying in giving thanks
70 itself for what II has achieved: And
then, my brother, that man becomes his own
God! o that such could now hear the mighty
army OF priests chanting heir song as they did
Of old, 20 give thanks unto the worldr' Would
that Athanasius might again be heard shouting
to his people to sing the cxxxvi Psalm. Would
away mans love from their hearts. Then, in
deed, would we all be Of one mind on this our
day Of thanksgiving. AL the world speaks OF
Godsmercy-allt the natural forces under Him
snail not man? IAN We works OF the Lord,
praise ye the Lord, bless Him and magnify Him
forever" In all our affection He was afflicted.
in all our happiness.He wa. rejoiced. He is the
Lord Of Lords and makes His good and faithful
servants to be Lords Hereunder with Himself
always and evermore, for His mercy endureth
forever. Wherefor glory be to the Father OF
Mercies. glory be to the Son, who Obtained
everlasting mercy for rs, glory be to the Hol,
Ghost, Who y that very eternal mercy whereby
We are saved. Amen. Amen.