Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1897-04-17

sides blowing the high seas, and, if
touched by all tho events of past Amer
lea, certainly by all the events of the
present day. Every prayer you make for
our rulers, if the prayer be of the,right
stamp and worth anything, has re-
bound of benediction for your own body,
mind and soul.
Another reason for obedience to my
text is that the prosperity of this coun-
try is coming, and we want hand in
helping on its coming. Atany rate l do.
1t is matter of honest satisfaction to
soldier, after some great battle has been
fought and some great victory won, to
be able to say: Eyes, was there. I
was in the brigade that stormed those
heights. / was in that bayonet charge
that put the enemy to flight. " Well,
Che day will come when all the finan-
cial, political and moral foes of this re-
public will be driven back and driven
down by the properties that are now
on their way, but which come with
slow tread and in fatigue dress"
when we want them to take "the dou-
BILE quick" BY our prayers we may
stand on the mountain top and beckon
! them Oh and show them a shorter cut.
Yea, in answer to our prayers the Lord
| God of Hosts may from the high heav-
ems command them forward swifter
than mounted troops ever took the field
at Eylau or AusterlitZ.
In 1912 Holland was assailed. Her
people prayed nightly. The ships OF
her enemies waited for the high tides
OH which to come in. In answer to the
prayers offered the tide, as never before,
was detained ~ hours, and before that
~ hours had passed a hurricane swoop-
ed upon the enemies ships and destroy
ed them, and Holland was saved. If
God detained the high tide i'll answer
to prayer, will he not hasten it i'll an
swer to prayer? Surely it has been low
tide long enough. May the Lord hasten
the high tide Of national welfare.
American citizens, our best hold is Oh
God. We have all seen families in pray
cr and churches i'll prayer. What we
want vet to see is this whole nation on
its knees.
Daniel Webster's Words.
The most of thea .,are dead-those
who in 1851 moved in that procession
that marched from the city hall of
| Washington down Louisiana avenue to
Seventh street and then through Penn
sylvania avenue to the north gate OF
yondcr capitol to lay the cornerstone
of the extension Of that capitol. The
president who that day presided and
solemnly struck that stone three times
in dedication long ago quit earthly
scenes, ard the lips Of the great orator
of that hour are dust, and the grand
master of that occasion long ago put
down the square and the level and the
plumb with which for the last time he
pronounced cornerstone we'll laid.
But what most interests me now IS
that inside that cornerstone, IN glass
lar, Theoretically scaled, is a document
of national import, though in poor pen
manship. 1t is the penmanship of Dan
iel Webster, which almost ruined the
penmanship Of this country for many
years, because many thought II they
had Daniel Webster's poor penmanshlp
it might indicate they had Wcbster's
genius. The document reads as follows:
eff it shall hereafter be the will OF
God that this structure shall fall from
its base, that it's foundation be upturn-
ed and this deposit be brought to the
| eyes of men, be it then known that on
this day the nation of the United States
of America stands firm; that their con-
stitution still exists unimpaired and
with all its original usefulness and
glory, growing every day stronger and
stronger in the affection of the great
body of the American people and at
tracing more and more tie admiration
of the world, and all here assembled,
whether belonging to public life or to
private life, with hearts deyoutly thank
full to Almighty God for the preserya-
ton of the liberty and the happiness of
the country, unite in sincere and fer
vent prayers that this deposit and the
walls and arches, the domes and tow
ers the columns and entablatures now
to be erected over it may endure forev-
er. God save the United States of Amer
lea! Daniel Webster, secretary of state
of the United States. -
Laying TIE Cornerstone.
That was beautiful and appropriate
OF the laying of the cornerstone of the
extension of the capitol IS years after
the cornerstone of the old capitol had
been laid. Yet the cornerstone of our
republic was first laid in 1776 and at
the establishment of our national
government was laid again in 1865.
But are we not ready for the laying OF
the cornerstone Of broader and higher
national life? We have as nation re-
Geived so much from God. Do we noS