The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1898-11-30


colder sections of the world nessitates ac-
tivity, demands economy and more
temperate mode Of living.
The position OF Europe as related to
America must also be kept In mind.
The influence of the gulf stream makes
the climate Of Northern Europe much
warmer than the same latitude In
| America.
Have you ever asked yourself the
question what would have been the
condition of this country II the Span
iards instead of the English had gotten
possession OF this new lands? But Col
umbus sailed from Spain when he dis
covered America. n he had sailed
straight West from Lisbon he would
have struck the coast about on the lati-
tude Of Philadelphia. but, evidently, God
did not mean that the Spaniards should
gain possession OF North America and as
Columbus was nearing the new land
very simple occurrence, we would call
| it. changed his course further South.
He noticed flock of birds holding their
course in a South-westerly direction
and these birds decided whether North
America should or should not be colo
nized by the treacherous Spaniard.
Here God interposed In the very begin
ming Of our history. Are men chosen
for great work by God because Of their
national character? Undoubtedly they
are. The Spaniards were cruel. selfish,
murderous and they were not the men
that God intended TO place as the guar
dians Of this great continent and nation.
The truth is that the men who should
come here we're not yet prepared for
colOni2ing this country. God Himself
selected people for this great work.
But trials and persecution were neces-
sary to fit them for His purposes. So we
see the oppressor's hand laid hard upon
them until they cried out in anguish
for some land where they could worship
God according to the dictates Of their
consciences. When character brought
forth fruit in settled conviction and de-
termination to serve God though all the
world were against them, then God
allowed these brightest gems OF all the
nation OF England to depart and form
home and community where nothing
should impede the natural outgoings OF
the heart to God. Surely then God had
a purpose In planting here the North
man, the energetic, brave Englishman,
instead OF the cruel, lustful Spaniard.
God not only selected the people, but
he selected the time also in which they
should come here. AS we look back
upon 1t now we can see that no other
years could have produced such colo
nists rs those that came during the
twenty years following 1920. Then per
secution was at its height; then relig-
ious enthusiasm and dauntless religious
courage more pronounced than at any
other time. The religion that could hold
its own In such time as that was worth
a CREST deal in the eyes Of God. "Among
those 10000 Englishmen who took up
their abode on the rocky coast of New
England were men Of the highest char
acter and education. or their eighty
ministers one-half we're graduates Of
Cambridge or Oxford and no wonder
these men were moved to establish the
New Cambridge College on this side Of
the sea when Boston was only six years
DID,"
Such was the race chosen OF God to
cOlonize this great North American
continent; such were the men chosen
out OF this race In order that there
might be established nobler element
of manhood, firm foundation on which
the future of this nation should be
built. Well might William Staughton
in 1858 say: God sifted whole nation
that he might send choice grain into
the wilderness"
III. God has dealt marvelously with
this nation In the peoples preparation
for their form OF government. 1t was
not from hatred of the form OF govern
ment in England that a republic was
formed here, because many Of the ele-
ments Of English rule were transported
to this country. But the Pilgrims did
not come direct from England to the
coast Of Massachusetts. Across the En-
glish Channel there was small country
in contact with which 1t was very
necessary that these pioneers Of the
forest prim@val should come. This was
the Dutch Republic. The reformation
which began in Switzerland and the
interior OF Germany naturally flowed
downward with the commerce of these
nations to the seaboard. Holland itself
was thus prepared by the influence Of
the reformation for the reception and
education OF this people. Here they
imbibed those ideas of representation
and government that bore fruit when
they landed on the American coast.
| % H.