The herald., 1897-11-26
Appropriate Services at the
City Churches
SERMON AT THE TEMPLE
UNION MEETING OF ALL
DENOMINATIONS
Solemn High Mass at the Cathedral.
Thanksgiving Observed in the
Good, Old Fashioned Way

most Of the churches yesterday. Many
of them were decorated with flowers
suitable to the occasion; in most spec
ial musical program was given, and all
were crowded to the doors.
CHRIST CHURCH
Yesterday morning in Christ church
the Rev. Alfred S. Clark chose for his
theme "Civic Virtue" taking his text
from Proverbs xiv, "a: righteousness
exalteth O nation, but sin is a reproach
to any people," 1t was a powerful and
logical discourse. and was in brief:
'Thanksgiving day is q churchly GUS
tom and a national holiday. 1t is in
tended principally for the recognition of
temporal blessings, but it Is scriptural
and churchly as well. 1t is meant that
we should be thankful for material
blessings, and yet, if they are made
too predominant, 1t Is likely to lead to
an unworthy view of this blessed day.
Bountiful harvests, rich mines, large
cities and aggregations of wealth have
their uses; still, the civic virtue OF the
people is the strength Of the nation.
1.-THE righteousness Of a nation is rep
resented by the aggregate morality OF
its people. God deals on national lines;
with the mass and not with the indi-
vfdual There Is no other way in Whlch
he could manifest his power or his dis
cretion. This makes the innocent sur
fer with the guilty; and it is right that
1t should be so, for no one is at liberty
to segregate himself.
Eve are our brothers keeper, and as
component parts of an entity we must
bear our share of the burden and re-
sponsibility. If for no other reason, the
mere fact that harm may come to us
might impel us to some degree OF civic
virtue, But selfishness Is not grand
impelling motive. Rather that we are
privileged to exert influence and to
mould public thought makes our nation
all the grander and nobler.
"On this high plane should men act in
public affairs. We pray that the king
dom of Righteousness may come. What
are we doing to make it come? One law
for the church and the home, and an
other law for politics and for business
lead to the disintegration of character
and the ruin of all interests involved
Sunday school politics must have Its
place, for the morality of the Sunday
school Is the law given in Sinai Like
wise the Sermon on the Mount must
be part of everyday life, for that sermon
has never been excelled.
Somehow or other, though we ac-
knowledge that sin is a reproach to any
people, there is a tendency to act as
If evil was possessed of strength, and
was bound to have the upper hand. Yet
revelation, history and human observa-
tion teach the contrary. In evil there
is always q weak spot, a canker worm at
the root which proves it's ruin.
"There is only one thing which can
be triumphant at the last, and that is
righteousness. Though prescribed and
prosecuted it will survive, and though
trampled under foot and crushed it will
rise again. Never was struggle great
er, on moral lines, than the wiping out
of that blot on the fair escutcheon OF
Louisiana-its legaliZed lottery.
"Good men, virtuous men, at first
Stunned the conflict and despaired be-
fore the campaign was opened. Yet
some, who declared that it's political
power and it's financial strength would
sweep the field, ranged themselves or
the side Of civic virtue, and saw victory
perch upon it's banner. 1t is always
true that If a few can be found to stand
on the mountain height of public virtue
and hold aloft before the assembled
people the banner Of reform, eventually
It must come to pass that they shall tri-
umph.
"Thank God for ripened harvests
for bud and blossom, FOR public tran
guilty and domestic concord, for re-
ligious faith and personal integrity
for the blessings of redemption and tht
civilization of the age. Forget not t.
add, however, in your Thanksgiving
prayer that by Gods blessing the hear
of the American people is still SOUND
and strong and true and pure
B'NAI BIRTH TEMPLE
Rabbi Solomons subject for the
Thanksgiving day service at B'nai Britt
temple yesterday was "Our Republic
and It's Foundation" He said in part
"As the name Marathon to the Greeks
so the name of this day to Americans
awakens pure sentiment Of patriotism
No country has made such progress il
so short time. America is yet in its
infancy and yet it leads in wealth
manufactures and agriculture, and viii
soon do so in commerce. 1t has given tC
the world the steam engine, telegraph
sewing machine, electric light, tele.
phone and other inventions.
1.-THE people are willing to suffer ant
fight for their liberty if 1t is assaied
They demand that all shall be free anC
equal, and as q consequence men of al
nationalities meet here and sing, no
their national hymn, but "'God Saw,
America" Still, though this countr,
may be as loftily patriotic as was Athen
when prepared to meet the powers o
the Orient. it may finally sink to tn
subsequent cowardice of Athens
Athens, though SMALL was at one tim
powerful, because her watchword wa
See that the republic receives no harm
Rome was the Romans idol, therefore
she was strong.
There are evils which threaten tn
life of our republic There are peril
ahead which must be avoided. Impurit
In politics must not be allowed to con
tinue, or it will feed upon our free in
stitutions, until nothing remains of tn
republic but the skeleton. ITO the vic
tors belong the duties in truth bu
many are ready to accept the sayin
that TO the victors belong the spoils