The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-11-27

of the Most En1ight-
ened Thanksgiving Ser
mon Ever Preached
in Jersey City.
FOOD FOR THANKSGIVING
Praise for Catholics and Foreign
V0ters-Bigotry Condemned
The Recent Election.

A union Thanksgiving service was held
in the Bergen Baptist Church yesterday.
The churches represented were the Ber-
gen Baptist, Summit Avenue Baptist, First
Presbyterian and Westminster Presby-
terian. The Rev. I. w. Hathaway, D. D.,
preached the sermon. His text was open
We the gates that the righteous nation
which keepeth the truth may enter in"
He said
The true principles of human society
and human government were laid in the
law and t%heocracy Of the Hebrew nation,
which made possible the magnificent
reigns of David and Solomon. This king
dom thus presented was at once typical
of the yet-to-be more perfect kingdoms
Of this world. Read with the prophecy
the word America instead of sJeru-
SALEM and you have the promise and
potency of a fulfilled prophecy. Without
subjecting ourselves to the charge that
we are causing the American eagle to
scream, or that we are INDUCING In
ancient Fourth-of-July oratory, we may
justly claim as a ground for devout
thanksgiving that his land, which God
hid ava from the eyes Of men until, in
the fullness of time, Columbus was COM
missioned of heaven and the King and
Queen of CASTLE to discover 1t, is the
fairest and best. This is the land re-
served of God for the theatre where the
eternal principles of democracy shah find
scope and opportunity to work out the
ideals of human life, where man shall
discover all that is potential in his being,
and where the acme of human posi-
blity, according to the divine plan, may
be realized"
DR.. Hathaway reviewed the events In
the history of this Republic that have
tested its strength, and then said-
But none of these had more severely
tested the of our strength or
more truly threatened the stability of our
institutions and the perpetnity of our
union and life than the issues of the late
general election, and in its result we have
no less cause for Thanksgiving than we
had when Lee handed his sword to
Grant Old Glory never synbolized so
much as now and never hoated more
proudly over a more united, happy and
campaign has been one Of education IN
the largest and best sense. 1t has re-
vealed truth and swung wide open gates
which have checked the advance of the
nations toward the ideal foreshadowed in
our text-questions In which Europe and
Asia are alike interested with ourselves.
The world has become too small, and
the brotherhood of nations too close, n
lily w - - y tAlt1I ~ aIlY OAAG ~
act or be affected by any question alone.
The nations of the world have become as
50 many States Of one universal kingdom
of federated parts. SO that the hope of
America holds within ITS circling embrace
the hope of the world"
In citing the lessons tonight by the re-
suit of the election, DR.. Hathaway said
ave learned that Righteousness
Is stronger than regularity, principle
than party, patriotism than craftsmanship
and the love Of country than the love Of
for the nation that loves righteousness
and keeps the truth shall enter in. Our
victory was won by allied forces, among
which honors are divided. 1t was our
young men casting their maiden vote. in
to whose hands we must soon pass this
great trust. 1t was the farmer, who
stood true under a most calling fire and
9 most searching and potent temptation.
1t was the army of wage earnars. IN
mill and shop, and railway employed, who
could not be seduced into antagonism of
ship of State because they a not taken
passage In the first cabin. 1t was the
sound money, sound headed, sound heart
ed Democrats who are worthy of double
tistics show that every State that has a
foreign vote above the average of 81 per
cent, went for Mckinley. Again, it was
the Roman Catholic vote.
w hear much said in some quarters
concerning the dangers to our American
institutions by reason of the United Rom
an Catholic vote swung by the assumed
power at Rome in the interests Of the
Church, rather than for the country. This
danger. IL 1t ever existed. Is now the fad
ing shadow of a dream. 1t Is an insult 10
the intelligence and patriotism of the laity
of the Roman Catholic Church of America
to suggest that they would sell their POI
lstical rights to the power Of Rome. While
they bow In submission to ecclesiastical
authority. they resent with Indignation
any attempt to control their political
affiliations. We have nothing politically
to fear from Rome. Our faith is in the
Americanized laity of that church which
will never in this land surrender their
rights Of citizenship to any ecclesiastical
power.
"As we shall learn wisdom by expert
eEce and more fully recognize the sources
of our power in obedience to the one law
of a renewed and perfected life, we shall
emerge from every contest upon. higher
planes of material and spiritual life until,
in the Providence and aid of Almighty
God, we shall have pointed the : of life
to all nations of the earth, and in the
consnmmatson shall have planted the
Stars and Stripes on the celestial heights,
but just beneath the blood stained ban
per of the Cross"