The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1894-12-20

all were exiles for conscience sake,
seeking in the wilderness free sanctu-
arv for their God. No sooner had
their feet touched the shores, than
thew fell on their. faces before God, {
with thanksgiving, consecrating their
new homes to Him. This was not the
first time nations had sent out colonies
to people new lands. England, France,
Spain and Holland, all had their colo
MES. So long before, the Greeks and
Phpnecians had done. But what led
all these colonies forth? Commerce,
trade and the hope of wealth. During
all the history Of mans life on this
earth, there are on record only two
instances of a people seeking a new
home for the one single purpose OF
serving God. Thesone was Israel seek
ing the land of Canaan. The other
was our fathers seeking America. just
think of it. A people fleeing to a
wilderness, across three thousand miles
of stormy ocean, for no other purpose
than this-that here they could worship
God in freedom One can't help
thinking of St. Johns vision Of the
woman and her child, borne Oh the
wings of great eagle, into the wilder
ness out of the reach Of the deVourlng
dragon. And see too, how this seed
{ was nourished. How they were FED
, with mama from heaven. How God
: proved them. How He carried them
in his arms. The Revolu; Ionary war
! came. BY ways and means rs miracu-
( lous as those of Israel in the desert,
Y they were led to victory. The curse OF
y slavery grew, men predicted the ma
-? tion's death. The civil war comes. AID
to the nations cry for help God sent
f them another Moses. Taking him, not
q from the place where men were look
S ing. but from the dung hill" Ano
e clothing him with his own spirit ano
"a wisdom. sent him to lead us to victory
" And when the battle was over. Wha
e had been won? For the first time IL
d human history, there stood up grea
a. nation. where all were free and equa
II before the law. The first note Of uni
st versal freedom rang out over the Worlo
ID WHY as | read and mediate upol
s. the history of this nation, from the Ga
of our first fathers turned their face
~ toward the setting sun, down to tn
ur last emigrant that landed at Castl
he Garden. can see everywhere the han
w. of God, Carlisle said to the Englls
tn people, "Your history is your bible:
RS YOU will only read it aright.' GU
ST history is our bible. Revealing to
th God as truly as does Israels history.
ss- But you say, how about the present
an The past is all right. but the present
od Are we still craven on Gods hands
of Well let us look at the present.
he The first thing we meet is, 'hal
times" Were times ever so bad
his Yes. More than once within tn
nat century. They were as bad in 70, al
vas 81, and 81. True, times are hard, b
To not half so hard as we think they al
an Take our city. We have felt the pre-
ails sure, but have we suffered much? '
,en have had bread to eat, clothes to we
the and fire to keep us warm. we
av- called on. some of us more often,
ore help the poor, but that is blessing, Il
,ow curse. 1 doubt if the actual suffer-
,th- in this city has been greater tn
ng- ordinary. doubt if it has been mu
was greater the country over, except IL
and very few peculiarly situated localltl
But more than this. These hard tin
was are in truth, Gods richest blessing
peo- us. One of the surest signs, that
,ese are craven on his hands. Our pr
ers? perity was running us. We were gre
No. ing proud, extravagant, wasteful,
the above all, were forgetting God.
ults saw our danger and laid His hs
yer upon our industries. We are be
has chastened. And our chastening
not saving us. Another says, see
here corrupt we are becoming. We sc
lom. everywhere. Yes, but when were
uak- not corrupt? Go back fifty years
Jams you hear the same cry. Go back
in years further and you hear Washing
lima. called traitor, corrupt, a rogue al