The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-30

,,.,o,,or NJ tenderness or triumph, such
as moyed the hearts of men three thou.
sand wears ago The names oil the
Gaasara have been committed 10 the GUS
todv Of scholars but the names OF Aprd,
ham. Jacob, Moses, David solomon, anu
isaiah are the most familiar names ~
human lips ,,,,,,. Nurd,
,.ot,l1 fix on the era of Homer as IN"
heroic age of the world. There were III
Decd heroes in the days OF AgarneraIloi
and Achilles, but "A more hefoiS "SS wac
The real benefactors OF the world are
not only those who have given 10 the
nations their forms OF government anu
thus shaped their outward structure.
whether monarchial or republican, Tor
this Is only the external moui1' DuL
those who have filed that mould WIN
men whose inward beliefs, principles
and aspira tons have been touched with
a divine element.
Well did he understand human hature
who said Let me make songs TOT the
people and | care not who make ther
laws what Psalm has Plato bequeatn-
ed TO us? What shall I say OF the PsalInS
OF David and AsapnG ! win say inns:
They gave clearer conceptions OF tne
perfections ard attributes OF Jehovah
than the world had hitherto known
they gave expressions TO the hopes anu
fears. 10 the sorrows and reJOlcinSs. 10
the deyout affections and holy desires OF
the people of God in all ages, thus con-
stituting an inspired psalmody anu
manuel of devotion through which the
plous Of all centuries, climes ana couh-
tries might breathe out the aspirations
Of their souls to God. These psalms nave
given TO the world the Minstrel ever
singing to it's sad heart and Interpreting
it's deepest emotions; ever soaring 10
alteration and love. Well has modern
writer described their influences IN latcf
ages when he says: These psalms nave
reverberated through the din. of every
"a In Hn1 g
sang them when they Glove the virgin
waves Of the Pacific. FrOblshers snip,
mates chanted them when they dashed
against the barriers OF the Artic Zee
they hoated over the waters when the
English won the supremacy OF the seas
at the destruction of the spanish Anna
da; they were sung around CromWeh
camp fires and his irOnclddS charged 70
their m,sic, and, best Of all, they nave
filled ali christendom with the voice
of suppllcation and the anthems OF praise.
To-day we give God thanks that the
great historic eras of conflict between
liberty and despotism in the OLD WQrld
brought to America the men VINO mao
been trained in the school OF coniiict
for the right and that here they were
the chief instruments in iounding our
free institutions, civil and religious.
we are grateful and give thanks FOR
the manifestation of growing alulty pc
tween our great religious denominations.
We are thankful that our educational
systems bring the advantages OF educa-
ticn within the reach Of all classes or
our citizens. ~
We are thankful that the great politi-
cal revolutions which bring us new adj
miristrations are not effected by con-
fiicts at Larricades or by Infatuated
mobs singing the carmagnole but by
ballots falling from the hands of mil
lions Of freemen silently as snow-fakes,
yet resistless as graVitation.
We praise God that we live in land
separated from the old world by an
ocean on either side, and that by our
geographical position we are exempted
from entangling alliances with other
nations and from fruitless EFFORTS TO
maintain the balance Of power. We
thank God for our numerous charitable
institutions, and for so many philan.
thropic agencies for .-e allegation OF
human want and sorrJT. Finally, we
are grateful that we ourselves 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 instruments In
making the world better and happier
because of our influence conSecrated TO
the service of God and man.
Or Hoge closed his address by repeat
inc the 9th Psalm.