The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-12-09
AN ABLE SERMON.
Delivered before the Elkton Council Jr. d
U. a. NJ, by the Rev. John McElmoyle
In, tho Hilton IDreshyt nrIan Church.

] Delivered before the ElRtoh SouhSii' or "
U. a. NJ, by the Rev. John McElmoyIe
in the EIkton Presbyterian Church.
The members of the Elkton Council,
No. %, Jr q. L. A. NJ, attended services
in the Elkton Presbyterian Church Oh
Sunday morning, the day being observed
by the Order as day of thanksgiving
throughout the country. An able sermon
eminently appropriate TO the occasion
was delivered by the pastor, Rev. John
McElmoyle, which is reported in full:
This THY DAY. Luke 10: AZ.
Members of the Elkton Council of the
Junior Order of United American Me-
chanics:-Is gives me pleasure to well
come you to our church home this
morning. l have looked into your
principles and confess that l greatly
admire them. You have my best wishes
and heartiest prayers for your continued
and enlarged prosperity
4 body of young men representing an
order with membership of 100000 in
the United States, and 5000 in the State
of Mary land, bound together by the
principles and for the aims and purposes
of your organization, cannot fail to com
nand the attention and compel the
interest of every thoughtful man, whether
he be patriot, moralist or pietist. am
deeply impressed this morning, as | stand
before you, by what you represent. You
stand for Patriotism love of country-so
closely allied to love of home and love of
God. For who that loves his home, can
fail to love the home of that home, the
setting of the precious jewel. You stand
for the Public School-its defense and
preservation as against the interference
and depredations of sectary aud intidel.
Enlightened and intelligent citizenship
is our national distinction and the cOpdi
ton of our Importance aud prosperity.
We bid you God speed as the sworn
defenders of our American heritage-the
free public school. But not only do you
insist upon the STARS aud Stripes fl Dat
lug III hmollCdu oCuCiiCliou OfOI 0NCIy
schoolhouse, with equal zeal you demand
that the Bible shall be a text book in
every school-the Bible, not as the
teacher of secJarian dogma, not as repre-
seusng any creed or eatechism or confess
ion, but the Bible as Gods book, speak
ing now in poetry and now in drama,
loEt ,,I ,al;
instruction and principles in the highest
types of literary excellence. Wherever
this book has gone it has transformed
and blessed. Mercy, peace and truth
have followed in its train. 1t has stilled
the tempest of the heart, emancipated
the will and winged for eagle flight the
intellect. The charm of childhood, this
Bible has been shield for safety in middle
aged perils, it has been lamp light il the
valley of death, and staff of strength to
departing and totteripg age. Our civil
freedom and mental liberty and wealth
we owe to it. Our Bethesdas and asylums
are homes here and our Fathers house
in Heaven-alI are ours through the
Bible. This book you rightly would
enthrone in the public school. Loyal,
patriotic, American, Jealous for the pub
lie school and the Bible in it, you are
fraternal and beneficial organization.
You represent the grand law of Mutual
Help, which God has every where in
wrought into the economy of the uni
verse. After study of the principles of
your order, the more gladly accede to
your desire that l should address you on
this Thanksgiving day. 1u casting about
for some text or thought upon which l
might fix your attention and my own, l
have selected phrase from the AID verse
of the XIX chapter of the Gospel OF Luke:
"THIs THY DAY."
Christ was on the brow of Olivet.
Beneath Him lay Jerusalem, with the
temple IN full view, the towers and walls
of the city flashing back the brilliancy of
the Oriental sky. The Redeemer knew
that she was doomed, and, therefore,
with tears declared her fate. and these
words which rang the funeral knell of
the Holy City, tell out in our ears this
day solemn lesson, upon which we can
not better employ this service hour than
to concentrate our heedful attention.
The expression, 'this thy day. meant
the day of grace, the time OF precious
opportunity. For Jerusalem. it was the
time of the Masters ministry, the time
in which they had chance to emancipate
themselves forever from the evils and
gaint perils fostering in tdeir midst, or
unfaith and rejection of Himself they
might, as they did, bind on the chains
and irons more securely, and preciptate
the Niagara of doom to which they were
SO fast hasting. L. was grand day, a
gracious day, day of splendid opportu
nifty, but day, too, OF solemn response
hiJ,tv a dax-sL~S-~~so m in if
1913 NAV hold wIaPTEiul1uII
glorious possibilities but also bouudIesss.
perls. 1t was day of matchless priv
lege and so day for duties and also of
woe dealing deadly dangers. l need not
stay to reherse the story of the misused
day - the spurned opportunity - the
neglected dutles-aud the terrible irrevo
cable doom. You know it we'll. | would
ask you this morning in the light of that
history to fix your thoughts on This
our Day"
The goodness, the grandeur of the day
in which our lot lies, in point of heritage,
privilege, glorious chance aud oppor
tunity needs no emphasis.
We are living we are dwelling
In grand and awful time.
In an age are ages telling
Tc be living is sublime,
is sober fact as well as fair poetry.
Such in dignity and Importance is this
age in the history of the American Re
public, that as goes America, SO goes the
world, in all that is vital to its moral
welfare. Here in our great centres are
the moral battlefelds OF the world. We
| sometimes hear of the eager life of for
mer days, and we half wish we had been
born a generation sooner. But better
reflection tell us, that our fathers longed
to see this day. A better age has been
| given US. In material prosperity, noble
institutions, in the arts and appliances
for material comfort, in practically
| infinite resources, inintellectual culture,
IN point of moral and spiritual privilege
and possibility, our age stands easy at
the head OF the ages. What shall we do
with ii? What is to be the outcome:
Our position of advantage is glorious,