The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-30
DIR HOGE Ar BkiH AHdBA.
The Distingu'shed Presbvterian DIVINE ana
Rabbi Csllsch wake Addrehsns.

One of the most interesting Ihanks-
giving services in Richmond was that
held at Beth Ahaba synagogue YESTERDAY
DIR. Hoge and Rabbi Calisch both made
eloquent addresses. ,o
Or. Hoge addressed the large congreSa-
ton. and in part said:
Dr. HCge said: $50
The blue heavens filed With the calm
splendor of an unClOuded sun Sd ute tIe
people OF this great land as they tnIonb
their houses or worship WIZ -l ,,,l, anu ana
grateful hearts to Offer thanksgiving ana
prsise to the Father of AarcleS. goa
over all blessed foreVermore. Such Is
the employment OF happy mllllOhS az
this hour as they review the ,ledila t,o, vi
Providence with them in the Destow-
ment OF personal blessings, family Joys
and national dement's.
IL would he impossible for one pos
sessed OF intelligence ana ordinary sei iisa
bllity in the review of his own Ire
TO recall to remembrance the countless
blessings ne has enjoyed, beginning
WITH the tender fidelity OF mother
love and continued through an Sup ~
ouent years crowned with goodness and
mercy, without a glow OF deVout graft
tude tC the great SiVer OF all, ana II
such a restrospect is profitable TO lhdlVld-
Uals, it is no less so LOT coiillllul i .S
and rations which have experienced the
fostering care of Heaven and been eleNa-
tel by the divine hand TO an exalted
height OF prosperity and happiness.
Such is the employment on eiateIui
millions this day. The proclamation OF
the President. echoed and encouraged
by the governors OF so many States, is
RESPONDED to by the spontaneous con-
sent and approval Of the people VINO are
celebrating the day in Just such ways as
they prefer, whether by religious ser
vices or family reunions or III other
modes congenal to them We md our
selves citizens of country Where potn
civil and religious liberty are enjoyed
with a fullness and universally unknown
in any other part Of the world. If we
were required 10 trace back the strean
to ITS original fountain IT could be
found far back in the past. The treasures
we possess were bequeathed 10 us by
patriots. saints and sages OF a remote
antiquity.
II history teaches us any lesson more
impressive than another II is that no
nation ever attained permanent prOsperi-
ty and power which did not recognize
as a fundamental article OF belief the
existence of one Coda spirit, INFINITE,
unchangeabe and eternal, living God,
possessed of intelligence and supreme
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT a power that works Tor
righteousness but person VINO Is essen
italy righteous, with the disposition
TO make his creatures happy; a God
whose Providence marches unseen
through the magnificent procession Of
events which make up the history of the
world, giving order, movement and
continuance to ali things.
The great oriental nations OF antiquity
seemed IN their earliest history To recoS-
niZe the unity Cf God-derlVlng Their
ideas from the traditions of Eden-but
when they became pOlytheiSts, dividing
earth and sea and all the departments Of
nature between presiding deitieS, often
hostile to each other and engaged in
savage conflicts with each other then
even TO the ignorant and degraded
populace such gods became objects Of
contempt and scOrn Men are never bet
ter than the gods they worship. and
when their deit!eS themselves violate
justice, truth and v!rture and become
the patrons OF all the vices. all Tever-
ence for the supernatural being lost and
all RELIGIOUS Restraints beng annihilated
the people left without any unifying and
conservative principle, become profit
cate. lawless and discordant. These
ancient nations possessed literature art,
and many Of the elements o. splendid
civilization but it was a civilization
'without any moral element in II. and 90
was doomed TO disintegration and ruin.
Thus foil ancient Assyria with her sculp-
tured capitol and mulutudinous arm IS
una dropped the scepire which her
enervatCd hand could no longer sway.
So perished queenly Persia with her
diadem OF fire and countless riches
swept away by little Macedon as chaff is
scattered by the storm. Thus fell the
fairest land Of the muse the land where
Plato reasoned and Homer sung and
DeInosthenes thundered-unsaved by her
$1,000 gods-the true God unknown.
Thus fell majestic Rome, with her mural
crown and victorious legionS dominating
the wOrld-unconquerable save by her
own corruptiOns.
Not only have these nations persisted
but they passed away without making
any contribution TO the religious
thought of the world, without transmit
ting any influence which has quickened
the spiritual life Of mankind.
TO all tins there was one memorable
exception. There was ore oriental ma
ton, terrltorially insignificant, without
sea ports, without navgable rivers, with
cut colonies. yet which was the very
fountain OF the great truths, which have
niled the world with its profoundest
wisdom and It's divlnest hopes. There
was one nation whose Government was a
tho ocracy-the noblest Government any
nation ever knew. / refer, of course 10
Palestine. There the knowledge and
Worship of the true God was maintained
while surrounding nations abandoned
themselves TO the most debasing polv-
theism There lived the men who were
the worlds greatest benefactors for an
time, end whose influence has been so
perpetuated that theiy names are house
hold words with US TO this day. III
history gives MS glimpses OF Assyrlan
kings or Persian priests or Egyptian
sages, their forms are as inanimate
as portraits fastened to. a wall, but the
form Of Jewish patriarchs, prophets and
psalmists still seem instinct with life;
In grand professions they march before
": their voices thrill Us with tones.