The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1898-12-01
THANKSGIVING SERMON.
Preached by Rev. J. D. Smith, Pastor OF the
Baptist Church, Of Bloomsbury, Pa, at a
Union Thanksgiving Service, in the Luth-
eran Church, Nov. "a, 1898.
Published by Request.l

Il
people,"
We have met in response to the
call of the chief executive of the ma
tion, and the Governor of this Com
monwealtn, to recognize our obliga-
tions to the great Almoner of nations;
"to lift up our eyes unto the hills
from whence cometh our help;" "to
teach our souls not to forget his ben
ehts;" and to come before the Lord
with thanksgiving and praise.
1t is good for us to pause on these
National Thanksgiving Days and take
an inventory of our mercles to look
over the blessings that crown our in.
dividual lives; to consider the bene-
fits accruing to us through our national
existence; TO note with gratitude the
nunberless mercies that flow to us as
a nation and a people through the
channels OF our homes, our govern
ment and our religion. That in these
services we come to know better the
meaning of the text that Righteous
ness exalteth nation: but sin is a
reproach to our people,"
With this text before us this morn.
ing let us consider as our theme
The influence of Gods truth in the
development of the individual and
the nation.
BY Gods truth we mean that system
of doctrine which is revealed to us in
the Bible, and which is embodied in
the person and teaching of Jesus OF
Nazareth.
The doctrine of the existence of
God, who cares for and loves the hu.
man race. The doctrine of sin: of
atonement for sin, of life; of faith !:
of life here and Immortality hereafter.
The doctrine, that truth to be of
use to men must be embodied, must
have its expression in human life, and
its manifestation in human conduct.
Christ was the embodiment of all
truth, what He thought is Gods
truth, as distinguished from the truths
of natural philosophy, or the conclu-
slons of worldly schools of science, as
distinguished from the truths Of math-
ematics or the conclusions ofmetaphy-
siclans.
In a word, that system of teach
ings, known as the Gospel of Christ,
is what we mean when we speak of
Cod's truth and its influence in de-
veloping the individual and the nation.
/. The Individual.
From the first Christianity has been
potent factor in the individual. 1t
taught him, first of all, that there was
world within himself; that the hu-
man heart was the domain of God !;
that it is the purpose of Deity to en-
shrine himself in the human soul, and
to rule from it as centre. If we
stop to analize this great truth, we
find that man is Gods highest and
best creation; that Gods best thoughts
are to find expression through mans
brain; that he comes to energize hu.
man minds and vitalize human
thoughts that the weakest and most
deiled soul is majestic thing when
the Creators sp rit chooses it for a tenn
pie; that the dwelling of divine forces
in Him is the strongest assertion of
his greatness.
Hear me. No man is mean who
carries such a nature no effort wants
dignity which would transfuse such a
nature with the life of God. Go,
work is the Masters commission.
And he vltalizes common nature till
they become historic and wonderful
Peter had scarcely been known, save
about the shores of Gennesaret, till
Jesus commissioned him after that
he filled jerusalem and Judea with
wonder and alarm by his bold, mag
netic speech.
Paul, stung into frenzy in his op-
position to Christ, sees light and
hears a voice, and turns with his Jew-
ish soul to Christ. What change,
Whdt TRANSPORTATION. llC pCISSSu
tor becomes the minister of Christ
and makes all Asia Minor ring with
his name and become reverent before
the message which falls from his lips.
You and | have seen the degraded and
ruined transformed and lifted up.
There is no power on earth that can
enable man like the truth of God.
III. Leaving the individual let us
speak of the influence of Gods
truth in the development of the ma
tions.
Righteousness exalteth a nation ;
Gods ancient Israel furnishes us with
the first Illustration of the truthfulness
of this text He calls them from
among an obscure people, He places
them in an isolated country, but in the
centre of the eastern hemisphere, and
m tho uary haort of thraa