The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-27
NATION MAY Bic GRATEFUL,
Says Rev. j. f. Stout, Speculation
Having stopped.

The st. Anthony hill churches united
in service at the First NJ. E. church.
Rev. j. T. Stout preaching the ser
mon, from the text. Habal1kuk Ill,
17-1S:
Although the fig tree shall not blossom,
neither shall fruit be in the vine: the labor of
the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield
no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the
fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls;
yet ! will rejoice in the Lord, l will joy in
the God of my salvation"
He said in part: God rules and over
rules rules with tempered authority the
obedient, and works His will through them;
overrules by the might of His power the dis
obedient, and causes their very wrath to
praise Him; rules the elements of nature by
methods He has chosen for Himself. which
we call natural laws, and so brings recognized
blessings in the shape of abundant haryests
on His people.
be given for the recognized blessings of hu-
man life. The blOssoming fig tree, the fruit
laden vine, store of olives, plenteous har
vests and multiplied hocks and herds are
without question cause for praise.
COntrasted with any other nation. with
our own in earlier times, we have great rea-
son to give thanks for physical benefits.
Our nations strength and prestige, resting
not on fOrtresses or standing army but its
isolated location and character of its inhabit-
ants, making it a Quaker among the ma
lions, adds to the burden of song of
praise.
The evangelistic character Of our era, is as
outstanding the phenomenal growth of the
nation, doubling its population every twenty
five years since the Declaration Of Independ-
ence, have not only kept pace but have
advanced in a faster ratio from one church
communicate in fourteen Inhabitants in the
Revolutionary times, now have one in FIVE
and the ratio increasing year by year.
Our text declares as its second great teach
ing that we are to rejoice in the Lord in
times of humiliation well exaltation.
This truth is appropriate to our present
condition. We have hPPn having the hardest
and longest period of financial depression the
nation has known for hundred years. which
e has shut down factories, closed up Mines
thrown thousands out Of work, aggravated So
cial discomfort destroyed confidence and
slowed up the commerce of the whole world
and robbed of wealth our citizens by the
multitude.
We have had an era of depressed prices in
agricultural products, and drouths that have
brought states to the verge OF want and
caused political unrest that has threatened
to overthrow supposedly established political
principles, all of which have helped to destroy
confidence and prolong the period of trouble.
We have had political canvass which has
tried mems souls and tempers on questions
which seemed most vital, and the end is not
yet and in the midst of all we constantly
hear the mutterings Of social discomfort,
which is caused by the awful inequalities of
wealth growing out of a new order in
economic life of which the trainers of the
constitution never even dreamed. In face
of these facts we must remember that God is
in all, not in the sense that whatever is
IiSAt, Dut III d WluSI duSbulllS according. 10
the plan by which He allows the freedom, of
the individual. Even Affections coming from
Fathers hand may cover blessings too-aiid
some of the blessings may almost see--.
A halt has been called in the mad rush of
speculation which more than any other one
thing brought on the financial depression that
has ruined many, and better even than
this, is the new and intense interest which is
being taken in the cause of the poor, not to
pauperize them, but to open to them oppor-
tunities that shall make poverty the fault
and not the misfortune of the poor. Out OF
even French revolutions, and Armenian
massacres, and business depressions can God
bring good for His own
The nation gives a call to thanksgiving
Whether the figtree blossoms or is blasted
whether the fields laugh their harvests OF
bake under an unclouded sun, whether pros
perity smiles or adversely frowns, whether
golden sunsets betoken fair tomorrow or lead
en- mornings foretell days of storm, whether
Joy sings her songs with gladness in each
note sorrow chants her dirge and shuts
herself in her chamber of mourning God is
under all circumstances, father, lover, com
forter and abiding friend. With the prophet
let US rejoice in the Lord, and joy in the God
OF our salvation