Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1894-11-30
THANKSGIVING SERAON.
PREACHED BY REV. J. +. WHITE
AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH
LAST NIGHT.
TbePreSidenp Proclamation
And What it Means

Lord.-Psalms CXLIv, IS.
Whether Hon. Stephen Grover Cleve-
land wrote with his own hand and out
of his brain, it doesn't matter.
Whittier it expresses the sincere scnti-
ment of his own heart, doesn't matter.
This Proclamation is something
larger than single man or one mans
personal opinion. 1t is something be
yond any individual expression how
ever digni(cd his position Oh great his
power.
It is the Proclamation ofForty-Thrce
Sovereign Statcs-Bchiud it rides a
Navy, and marches an Army and be
hind it stand Seventy million Frccmcn.
Oliver Wendell Holmes has told in
one OF his books the story of certain
Norwegian King who issued an order
commanding every one of his subjects
on 4 certain morning at stated hour
and minute, to Shout boo" as loud as
possible. The appointed day and min
ute came, aud 10! only one little women
i'll the mountains of Norway cried
Boo"
All the rest had strained their ears
to hear the great sound which was cX-
cxpcc. ed to thunder forth. What the
AutoCrat mcnt to teach by this rcdiC-
ulous story let those who have itching
ears discovcr-but I have imagined
that l have heard i'll this Thanksgiving
Proclamation very nearly what the
Norwegian King desired to hcar-thc
united voice of the American people,
shouting the DoxolOgy of a whole pco-
pies gratitude till the woods and plains,
mountains and valleys from Atlantic
billOw to Pacific surge rcvcrberatcd
with the mighty sound.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below
And why should not this annual Proc
Iamation of Thanksgiving be Nation
al American custom.
Has any people under any sun or i'll
any age been 50 signally blessed by
God? Upon the head of what other
country has the sunshine of his favor
fallen so richly? Do the fires of liberty
burn with brighter glow than upon the
affairs of the temple of Rcpublicanism
buildcd here on this Continent? And
was ever noblcr temple conceived by
tie mind of man, or dedicated by the
wisdom of God to nObler purposes III
grandeur it surpasses any political
fabric of the Old world.
Times mol lest offering is the last"
It's floor is rich mosaic of gold and
silver, iron, copper, tin, lead and coal.
1t has forty-threc separate rooms, COM
prising an area of 100000 square
miles of surface; and is capable of &C
commodating more than Five hundred
millions of people.
The Eng1ishman is everywhere proud
of his native land Though Ben Frank
once called it "that pretty island which
compared to America is but stepping
stone i'll a brook, scarce enough of it
above water to keep our shoes dry"
He cheers her flag and sings her praise
OIL every occasion.
But Great Britain is the product of
conquest and colonization. Its great
ness has been secured by British sol
dicrs, British ships and British states
menship.
France is the object of every cnthus-
iastic FrehChmanS devotion.
But France compared to America is
but fly spcck on the map-and hem
med i'll by stronger powers and resting
on the volcano Of tickle and danger
Gus population, her destiny may yet be
that of dismcnbercd and partitioncd
Poland or blasted POmpeii.
Germany to the German is the ador-
ed Fathcrland. But the German En-
pire was built by Bismarck,
America is the clear gift of God to
the Anglo-Saxon race. The genius of
man has beautifed and developed it
but this magnificent continent is an
inheritance from Providence.
Fitting then indeed is it that the
President should i'll the peoples name
declare this day time dedicated to
Gratitude to God. And the custom
which is distinCtivcly American should
be preserved as long as there is an
American Republic.
But it is my purpose not to interest
you by culogizing America, but to
point out some points of significance
which the Presidents annual procla-
nation cup0eStS
IT KEEPS BEFORE THE PUBLIC MIND THE
IDEA OF GOD, AND HIS SOVEREIGN
RULE OVER NATIONS.
1t not only suggests the existence of
God but recognizes his direct interven-
ton i'll the affairs of men and COnfeSses
our dependence on Him not only for
personal but national blessings.
So long as this truth is kept before
the people, the country is safe. But
whenever we forget or deny it our
national glory will fade like q wreath
Of mist at eve and our National great
ness crumble into dust. Our Fore |
fathers taught the truth to us. The |
first stones laid i'll the rearing of this |
proud monument TO civilization were
stones of faith quarried out of perse
cution and religious martyrdom. The
first lessons taught Oh this continent
were lessons of religion. The first
statesmen of the Embryo Republic
were Puritan preachers. And the
sturdy men of that heroic period had