The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-30
ON THE WEST SIDE.
The Services Held in the Simpson NJ. f.
Church.


=. large representation of all the Eng
lish speaking churches of the West Side,
assembled in the Simpson Methodist
Episcopal church at 1880 o'clock yester-
day morning, where union service was
held. On the platform were Seated
Revs. A. w. Cooper, D. C. Hughes, DR..
Peck, l.. c. Floyd, Hugh Davies. The
services opened with singing, after
which Rev. A. w. Cooper, pastor of the
Hampton Street Methodist Episcopal
church, led in prayer. Rev. d. C.
Hughes read the ninety-frst psalm, af-
ter which Professor William w. Jones
rendered a tenor solo. The presidents
proclamation was read by Rev. A, w.
Cooper. This was followed with sing
ing, Grown Him" Rev. L. c. Floyd
made a few remarks introducing DR..
Hughes as speaker of the day. The lat
ter chose his text from Nehemiah, viii,
10, and said:
Rev. DR.. Hughes Sermon.
The custom of appointing an annual
Thanksgiving Day was of slow growth.
For long time II was known solely to the
During the war of the revolution. congress
recommended that day of national
Thanksgiving be held. After the adop-
ton Of the constitution Washington rec
commended the sacred observance of such
day, and his example was followed, oc-
casionaliy, by successive presidents.
President Lincoln, during the war of the
rebellion frequently recommended a day
of national Thanksgiving after some sig
nal victory. Today 1t has become ma
tional institution and as such has come
TO stay. -
But with such history as ours, with
such evident tokens of guidance by the
unseen hand Of Him who guides the stars
in their courses, IL we prove recreant to
our trust we would deserve the con-
demnation of all future generation. For
no nation ever had such an origin, nor so
marked history! And ii Is befltting
that we ask ourselves the question:
What Is it that has differentiated US In
this northern republic from the central
and southern republics on this continent"
The colonists of Canada of Louisiana, Of
Mexico, of Brazil, of Central and South
ern America. had far better facilities for
building up splendid civilizations than lid
our forefathers, so far as climate, agri-
wealth and power are concerned. The
difference Is to be found In the character
of the men and in the nature of the funda-
mental principles held by them As we
have seen, the early colonization of that
part of this continent which has devel-
oped into the United States was effected
by men and women whose minds were,
for the most part, imbued with the knoWl-
edge of a Biblical Christianity and who
had the eXaltfl / aim of establishing the
kingdom of Christ in this new world.
Those Puritans who landed on Plymouth
Rock did not cross the ocean for spoil or
for ear, -ly gain
Factors in Our Evolution.
We have seen two great factors in the
evolution of this western civilization
the Anglo-Saxon race and the Protestant
form of Christian religion. Mr.. Kidd in
his epochal making work, Social Evolu-
tion,' says that the progress or retrogres-
sion OF mankind has been along the line
of its religious tendencies. Christianity
contains the best elements for the cul-
ture and elevation of the race. Three
great forms of Christianity are found to-
day--the Greek. the Latin and the Prot
estant. The Greek form has lately been
emphasized by the death of its great
head-the cZar of Russia, and the cursing
of hr former faith by the Princess
AliX as a condition of her marriage of the
new czar. The political, social and re-
lgious condition Of the 8O,0OO,O 900 OF the
Russian empire, reveals clearly enough
the legitimate influence of the Greek form
of Christianity. The moral and religious
condition of Italy, Spain and Portugal,
Mexico, Central and Southern America,
Is 1,n ind nr ,t,,tl ttA,, tLnt 81,
Latin form of Christianity has produced
England and the United States reveal the
kind of civilization which the Protestant
form of religion legitlmately creates. And
we find that wherever the Protestant
form of Christianity prevails there lib
erty civil and religious, social and poit-
ical prevails without let or hindrance
IT, then, the human race Is ever TO have
the boon of civil and religious liberty it
must be obtained through the Protestant
form of Christianity.
The Supreme Race of Todfy
The other factor is the race in whose
hands lie this mighty power for the uplift-
ing of the nations OF the earth-the Anglo
Saxon. This is the supreme race today.
Its stride Is that Of a giant. In 100 1t
numbered less than G,0O0000, in 1890 1t mum.
DtItu lll,OUV,uVV. bltul lDIllhlH ls lIe TlCn-
est nation of Europe; the United States is
richer than Great Britain. In, all that
marks the civilization of today COM
merce, railroads, telegraphs, inventions,
moret than one-half of these factors are
in the hands of the Anglo-Saxon race
Take Protestant Christianity out Of the
Anglo-Saxon race and 1t would become
weak like the nations and begin to de-
cay as they.
Let us, then, giving heed to the solemn
counsel of our Divine book, hold fast
that which thou hast, lest another take
thy crown" let us so forth with happy
and grateful hearts to ''eat the food and
drink the sweet and give a portion to
them for whom nothing is prepared, for
this day is holy unto the Lord; neither be
ye sorry, for the JOY of the Lord is your
strengthN