The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-07-04
-FOUR GLORIOUS COUNTRY J
PATRIOTIC DISCOURSE BYREV. DIR.
 CHADWICK

SrhphAouA IOsllOh1 ouN AhVsPSAAsy
 and the Spread and Power of the
 Christian Religion in Our Land.
 At Grace M. E. church last evening the pastor, Rev. Dr. Chadwick, preach ed stirring and patriotic sermon on the topic Our Glorious Country" His text was from the 16th psalm and the 9th verse, which reads: 'The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage" He said in part:
 It is the uniform doctrine of the Bi- ble that God governs this world-both individuals and communities of 1ndivid- uals. All nations that have claimed or attained any degree of civilization have substantially held this truth. Hu- man history contains no chapter of ac- cident. God is in all, originating all that is good, and permitting and con- trolling the evil. Standing as we do to- day upon the eve of another anniver- sary of our independence as nation, it Is fitting that we pause and consider
 
 ities. As Gods ancient people cherish ed the remembrance of great national events, so should his people to-day greatly remember the deliverances which as Americans they have exper- fenced. The memories of the fathers are to be held in honor. The glory of our country is worthy of rehearsal. God deserves our constant praise.
 We have a glorious history. We should be most ungrateful people to overlook the beginning of an existence as an independent people. It belittles the American character to say our lib- critics were secured in day. Our na- tion grew from independent, self gov erning communities. These New Eng land communities formed political un- ions, and established all the great feat | ures of the federal union, which after wards extended to nearly all the colo nial states.
 Geographically considered we occu- py a glorious position. We have the heart of the continent, the north tenn | perate zone. We have a highly favor able climatic situation with a territory l of the most varied and exhaustless re- sources, reaching from ocean to ocean, and sweeping from well night the snowy | poles to the burning tropics. Our ma terfal prosperity has been phenomenal 1 Our soil is inexhaustibly fertile, with mountains full of gold, silver, iron and | coal. The manufacturing industry of our nation has progressed in a re- markable manner, keeping pace with | the natural resources of the country. | We have a providential form of gov ernment. God taught our fathers that 1 freedom of conscience was the only basis of a free government. Yes, our nation was born of necessity, pregnant with desire. government and liberty
 Under the influence of these principles | the colonists arose in their manhood and sought release from governmental ] abuse. They laid the foundation of our l government in the will of the people. l Our nation has been severely tested, and has had itsperiods of peril. From 1 the momentous epoch of 1776, during the struggle of 1912, and in the great was from 1861 to 1865, even until our army and navy began to battle for suf- 1 fering humanity in Cuba our form of l government has encountered the stud- jed bravado and contempt of some of l the people of the old world But God has been with us; He has given to the Anglo Saxon race the occupancy and rule of this territory" and the wisdom of the choice has approved itself in the manifest adaptation to the work of set ting, organizing, enlightening and
 Christianizing a fresh continent equal to that of any people, and beyond that of most peoples. We have glorious educational status. The paramount 1 importance of education has always been recognized. The common school system must be our earnest care The Bible has had place in our educa- l tional system. It should remain there.
 We must not part with this chart and company of our liberty. No retreat
 here. Let no breach be made in this
 wall.
 Thank God for the spread and pow CT of the Christian religion, in our land.
 Our fathers were Christian patrlotis. Our own denomination sustains a pe- culiar historical and intimate relation
 to American history. Through Bishop Cooke and Bishop Asbury the congratu- lations of the Methodist Episcopal church were rendered to General Wash ington as the first president of the l United States. He returned beautiful
 expression of his official appreciation
 of their communication. Until this day
 our church has been true to the Amer iCan republic. In common with all patriotis we hail this Fourth of July,
 and devoutly do we pray that the flag that means so much to the liberty lov- ing people of this land, may soon wave in triumph over Cuba and the isles of
 the sea. A new civilization is to be given them, and a pure gospel is to be preached unto them. Mindful of our
 own history, knowing full well the
 sublime event which has made us what we are, and believing that even sub- Timer events are being now foreshad-
 owed, let us pledge ourselves anew to
 that great work of educating, evangel-
 izing and Christianizing our ever in-
 creasing, babbling population Let us
 anew, on this blessed Sabbath, pledge
 our sympathy, humanity good laws.
 true religion and universal brother hood. 
 PIONEER COUNCIL.
 Pioneer council, No. 1, o. U. A. NJ, has elected officers for the next term