Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-30

torfous leRions dominating the WoIiu-
unconquerable save by her own corrup-
tons.
Not only have these nations persisted.
but they passed away without making
any contribution to the religious Thought
OF the world. without transmitting any
influence which has quickened the spirit
ual life OF mankind.
PALESTINE THE EXCEPTION
To all this there was one memorable
exception. There was one Oriental ma
ton, territorlally insignificant. without
seaports. WITHOUT navigable rivers WIN
out colonies, yet which was the very
fountain OF the great truths which nave
filled the world with its profoundest WIS
dom and its divinest hopes There was
one nation whose government was
theocracy-the noblest government any
nation ever knew. | refer. OF course, 10
Palestine. There the knowledge and Wor-
ship OF the true God was maintained
while surrounding nations abandoned
themselves TO the most debaslng poly
thcism. There lived the men who were
the worlds greatest benefactors Tor all
time, and whose influence has been so
perpetuated that their names are mousse
hold words with us TO this day. lf MS
tory gives us glimpses OF Assyrian kings'
or Persian priests. or Egyptian sases'
their forms are az inanimate as portraits
fastened to a wall, but the forms OF
Jewish patriarchs. prophets. and psalm
lists stlll seem instinct with life: In grand
professions they march before us: their
voices thrill US with tones. whether OF
tenderness or triumph, such as moved
the hearts Of men three thousand years
ago. The names OF the Caesars nave
been committed to the custody OF scholars
but the names OF Abraham, Jacob. Moses.
David. Solomon, and Isaiah are the most
familiar names on human lips.
Air. Gladstone. In hts Juventus Mundi'
would fix on the era OF Homer as the
heroic age of the world. There were In
deed heroes in the days Of Agamemnon
and Achilles. but "A more heroic age was
the patriarchal.
REAL BENEFACTORS.
The real bcnefactors OF the world are
not only those who have given to the
nations their forms OF government and
thus shaped their outward structure.
whether monarChical or republican. for
this is only the external mould. but those
who have filled that mould with men
whose inward beliefs. principles. and aspi-
rations have been touched with a divine
element
Well did he understand human nature
who said. LIT me make songs for the
people, and ] care not who make their
laws. What Psalm has Plato bequeathed
TO us? What shall ] say Of the Psalms Of
David and Aeaph? ! Will say this: They
gave clearer conceptions of the perfec-
tions and attributes OF Jehovah than the
world had hitherto known: they gave eX-
preston to the hopes and fears, TO the
sorrows and rejoicinFs, TO the devout az
fections and holy desires Of the people OF
= - l.. 10 Inn a. N
spired psalmody and manual OF devotion
through which the pious of all centuries,
clirnes, and countries might breathe out
their aspirations of their souls 10 God.
These psalms have given TO the world
the minstrel ever singing to its sad heart
and interpreting its deepest emotions;
ever soaring to Heavens gate. with
loftiest songs Of alteration and love. Well
has a modern writer described their In
liuences in later ages when he says:
These psalms have reverheratsd through
the din Of every European battlefield.
brakes sailors sang them when they
Glove the virgin waves of the racine
Frobisher's shipmate.s chanted them when
they dashed against the barriers Of the
Arctic Ice: they fioated over the waters
when the English won the supremacy OF
the seas at the destruction Of the Spanish
Armada: they were sung around Crom-
wells camp-fres and his lronsices
charged to their music, and, best OF ALL
they have filed all Christendom with the
voice of supplcatiOn and the anthems OF
:rase.
WHY WE ARE THANKFUL.
To-day We give God thanks that the
great historic eTas Of conflict between
liberty and despotism in the old world
brought to America the men who had
been trained in the school Of conflict Tor
the right and that here they were the
chief instruments IN founding our free
institutions. civil and religious.
We are grateful and give thanks for the
manifestation Of growing amity between
our great religious denominations.
We are thankful that our educational
systems bring the advantages Of educa-
ton within the reach OF all classes of our
citizens.
We are thankful that the great poll
teal revolutions which bring us new adj
rninistrations are not effected by con-
aicts AT blrricade,s or by infuriated mobs
singing the carmagnole, but by ballots
falling from the hands Of millions OF
freemen silently as srowiiakes, yet re-
s.stless as grayitation.
We praise God that we live in a land sep
arated from the Old World by an ocean
OH tllifT SLUG, anu ludl ny Jul HNpe
phical position we are exempted from en-
tanglins alliances with other nations, and
from fruitless efforts to maintain the
balance of power. We thank God for our
numerous charitable Institutions and for
- many phlanthropic agencies for the
alienation OF human want and sorrow
Finally. we are grateful that We our
selves are spared not only TO give thanks
for blessings received. but that We have
been endowed with the faculties which
may make us blessings TO Others and in
struments in making the world better
and happier because OF our influence
consecrated TO the service Of God and
man.
Dr. Hoge closed his address by re-
peatng the 9th Psalm.
Address of DIR. Caiisch.
DIR. HOge was followed by an exquisite
ly-rendered solo, 80. Sing With JOY" by
Mrs. ID. b. Kahnweilei
Rabbi Calisch began by expressing his
appreciation of DR.. HOge's presence in
the synagogue. saying ii was a double
source of Thanksgiving for him and the
congregation. 1t was not alone the plea
sure afforded by listening to him. nor the
lessons to be learned while sitting at his
feet but the very fact OF his presence
was telling testimony of the sure and
steady progress the world was making.
Time was when men were impatient or
everything that they did not hold as
their own. The Greeks called every one
who was not a Greek barbarian. But
we have outgrown this narrowness.
Wider knowledge has destroyed preju-
dice as the rising sun d.spels the mists
of morning.
The speaker then traced briefly the
history OF Thanksgiving Day showing
how it originated from the Old Tesla
ment, from the injunction given by Moses
10 the people of Israel to rejoice before
God at 1.-THE feast of in-gathering. He
then compared the situation OF the
United States with the rest OF the ma
tons of the world.
HOW WE HAVE GROWN.
Steadily, certainly, surely we have
grown" Or. Calisch continued, grown In
numbers and in wealth. grown in power.
prestige, and prosperity. From the hour
of our national birth has our territory
increased: not by conquest or rapine but
by accession and peaceful acquisition.
The stars IN our flag have doubled. tre-
bled. and almost quadrupled since hrst
the thirteen sturdy pioneers shook OF
the yoke of foreign tyranny.
On tl,e other Inland. what mighty
perturbations have shaken the other ma
tons! Through what throes OF interna-