The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-25
"GIVE THANKS UNTO GOD. )
REV DR. CH1DWICK'S SERMON
 YESTERDAY MORNING.

Union Thanksgiving Service of all the City Methodist Congregations at Trim ity Church-Ressons for Giving Thanks as Individuals, Families and nsa Nation.
 At c union meeting of the Methodist churches of the city in Trinity M. F, church yesterday morning Rev. Dr. Chadwick of Grace M. D. church preached an able sermon, taking his text from Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
 He said in part:
 Yes, give thanks to God; not to vague force prevailing the world-but give thanks to God, the infinite, obso- lete eternal personality. We are not nation of Atheists. We are worshippers of the true and ever blessed God. The absorbing thought in truly thankful heart is God. We worship the creator or all worlds and of man. Benevolence IS the spring and stamina of the divine character. His greatest blessing is in what He is to us.
 As individuals give thanks to God. He created and keeps you on this planet Thank Him for life as it is; for it's wrapped-up possibilities.
 As families let us thank God. We have been the recipients of mercies and blessings, greater, more varied and numerous than can be registered by hu- man pen. Christianity has give us hap py homes and peaceful neighborhoods
 As citizens of a great country let us give thanks to God to-day. We belong to a commonwealth of historic merit and of grand achievement in the past We live in goodly city, beautiful for situation and like all large cities, pre- senting both the bright and shady side of human life. Our social life is good but not perfect. Our political life is capable of improvement Our standard of clti- zenship must not be lowered. From the highest to the lowest and humblest place we must demand uprightness and purity of character.
 As people we have providential blessings, many, for which we should be truly thankful this morning. But up- permost in your mind and mine is grat- itude to God for the quick ending and statutory results of a five months war with Spain. We did not desire war. Our calm, self-posed patriotic, statesman like Christian president did everything in his power to avert war. Cuba was taxed, plundered, misruled and finally it revolted. The wrath of this country asserted itself and bore down upon the administration like an avalanche. Then congress declared war and war came. And in four months it begins to muster out it's troops and returns we trust to ways of peace.
 Our president in the proclamation calling the American people together for Thanksgiving has well said that few years in the nations history have been more eventful or have afforded greater cause for gratitude than the one now closing The conflict was brief, complete, far reaching and we trust conclusive Suddenly the stars and stripes have taken on new beauty for friendly eyes and new terror for tn 2 foes of liberty. One of the happy re- suits is the reunion of the north and south The tension between the veal thy and the poor is materially lessened since men answered this country's call from all positions in life The power of patriotism has once more asserted it. self. The war has demonstrated to the world that America is the champion of liberty, equality and justice.
 Let us thank God for united and aug- mented national life! Thank God that we may almost see the opening gates of that new Gospel era when nations shall have charity for all and malice to- ward none.
 Once more, we observe, that it is cause for gratitude to God that out of this war our nation emerges to enter upon her march of progress. Whether we are pleased or not we must accept. as one of the results of this recent con- flict, new and enlarged responsibility. Hawaii has been peaceably admitted. Here our domain has been enlarged and new form of rule will have to be es- tablished. But more especially will the wisdom and power of our government be put to the test in Cuba, Porto Rico and possibly the Philippines History has changed the whole geographical map. Our obligations are inconceiva- bly, greater than they have ever been. Problems that were not anticipated have been forced upon us. More than human wisdom will be needed by this government in safely handling the diff ficult and perpleXing questions sudden ly thrust upon it. Are we to have a new national policy? Is this nation to stand as one of the arbiters of the des- tiny of the world? It certainly looks as though we were entering upon new era of national progress and greatness, and also of international significance and power. Is there to be a closer all- ance and cooperation with other Eng lish-speaking peoples? The signs of the times and the movements of for eign rulers would lead to such a con- clusion. Something greater and wider, ill sweep of responsibility and influence, is inevitably intended by Providence for the American people. new era has dawned in our history. America, as never before, is conscious of her power; and the nations of the earth, as never before, understand her power.
 It looks as though there must be a reversal now of the Monroe doctrine, and America be taken into the councils of the nations. Backward we cannot, dare not, go. Forward we must go, but