The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-27
REV. DR.. M'LEOD'S SERMON,
Heard by n Large Congregation in
First Prpsbytpriau Church..

In the First Presbyterian church Rev.
Dr. James Mcleod, the pastor, preached
to Il large congregation. There was an
attractive music programme rendered
under the direction of Reeve Jones, the
Chorister.
The Church and the Nation" was
DR.. McLeod's topic. He preached from
the text: I'VE are the salt of the earth"
"Ye are the light of the
world" Matthew. V, Is. IA. He said:
What salt and light are to the material
world. that Christians are to the moral
and spiritual world. The Church of Christ
has not been altogether unmindful OF Inc
great trust committed unto her. Her salt
has been good and her light has shone
from time to time with great brightness.
1t must be confined, indeed. that there
have beecn periods in the history of the
church. where the salt had almost lost
its SAVIOR and where her light was SO fee
darkness visible.
But Notwithstanding all her faults, the
church has been. and still is, the great
purifier of public morals and the great
promoter of public virtue and Christianity
will yet be the universal religion. This
nation owes much to the church of Christ.
1T was rocked in the church's cradle. The
church gave to il nerve and vigor She
taught it to walk in the path of purity and
honor and manliness, ana it would be the
darkest day this nation ever saw IL it
should forget its nursing mother and its
early training.
THEY ACTED WISELY.
The Pilgrim Fathers regarded church
and state as almost Identical. The Rrvo-
lu:ionary fathers acted more wisely when
they declared that church and state must
be Kept separate. Thomas Payne de-
clarcd that by this act the Revolutionary
fathers intended to ignore the Christian
religion. Eut Daniel Webster is a better
lpritN than PAYNE and lp G1i1 I'm his
Bunker Hill Grafton, that the American
revolution would not have lived "A single
day II its principles had been regarded as
in the least degree antagonistic to the
Christian religion.
Indeed, the words of Christ might be
applied. by way of accommodation, to
this nation, for 1t has been regarded by
| multitudes in all lands. as the salt of the
earth and the light of the world But
Will our nation maintain this character?
Yes. If the church continues to be faithful
and to use the salt and the light of which
she Is the custodian. Yes, if the nation
culfivates that purity ana follows that
light which the church presses upon her
attention. But, no. If the church neglsts
her duty and If the nation relaxes into
| religious Indifference.
The home and the church are both d.
win" institutions, but the home was or
ganiZed long before the church was or
ganizrd " religious training is to be ex-
cluded from orr schools. it must be al,
the more diligently observed in our
homes. The youth of this land ought 10
feel towards the home and the church
| as Desds mona did when she said to her
father, Rrabantio. To you | am bound for
life and education. II the fathers am,
mothers of this nation would only train
up their children as the fathers and moth
ers of tho olden time. in New England.
trained up their children. the question
of the religious training of an American
youth would be settled. Ii was such home
training as the mother of John Quincy
Adams gave to her boy that made the Pi-
grims and P::ritans.
WELL TO REMEMBER.
1t is well, on this day of national thanks
giving, to remember what we owe as a
| nation to Christianity. The Spaniards and
the Frenchman came to these shores be :
fore the Puritan. but where are they
| now? Where is Spanish America? Wher,,
are the French Americans? The French
were settled in a territory that is nov
| comprised in eight of our states. The
Spanards and the Frenchman who were
here before our fathers are gone and their
possessions have been all absorbed By the
United States. Why? How The Mon
roe doctrine did II you say. 'es. but what
lay behind the Monroe doctrine? 1. for
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