The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-11
ADAY OF THANKS.
All Washington Heeds the Presi-
dents Proclamation.


Washington, July 11.-Yesterday was
a day of thanksgiving and prayer in
the nations capital The presidents re-
cent proclamation had the result of
concert of the patriotic utterances from
many pulpits. Thanks were offered for
an early contamination of peace. In
nearly every church where the procla-
nation had suggested the topic of the
sermon, special music of patriotic pray
ers were rendered, many of the services
closing with the hymn America
President Mckinley, as usual, attend
ed the morning services at the Metro
pOlitan NJ z. church. He went alone
to the church and was deeply impressed
by the fine discourse delivered by the
pastor, Rev. DR.. Frank Bristol. The
church was crowded long before the
services began. Scores of persons re-
manned standing throughout, and many
more went away, unable to gain admis-
sion.
DR.. BristoPs sermon held the atten-
ton Of his auditors from the first SEN
tence to the last. At times his hearers
were so thoroughly aroused by his pat
riotic utterances that ripples of spOn-
taneouS applase swept over the cOngre-
cation 1t part, his sermon follows:
The poets and heroes whose songs
and deeds made the old time splendid
We're pure enough of heart and large
enough of brain to be able to find the
divine pathos of human events. There
is no chance, no accident, no fate. Law
is universal. The more scientific a peO-
pie he ONE, the stronger viii be their
belief and trust in providence and the
less confidence will they have in luck,
accidental chance and the other absurd
tiles. In the days of mans ignorance,
the prOvidential was looked upon as the
miraculous and the miraculous as the
providentiaL But with the growth of
science the miraculous becomes ObsO-
lete and unnecessary, while providence
becomes more evident and prominent in
human affairs.
1T is science or knowledge that
brings US in touch and alliance with
providence. The more science, the more
providence. Yes, the more science, the
moe God in the worlds history. The
prOVidential does not always mean, or
ever imply, TIE miraculous, for God
may work his will by the agency of ma
ture and the thoughts of men. We
should not quarrel with the elegant old
proposition: The winds and waves are
always on the side of the abIest navi-
gators for the abIest navigatOrs know
how to use the winds and waves, and
are in league with the mighty laws that
govern things. God is on the side of
good, favOring good financfering. good
politics, good battleships, good disci-
pline, good generalship and good caus-
es. In the Olden time, men and nations
allied themselves with prOVi7 ence by
faith; today men and nations ally them
selves with providence by knowledge.
There was a time when the people
found nature in sympathy with their
struggles for freedom.
IQQ6D2QQenCe
less prOvidential than the decaI ogue of
Sinai? Were the guns of Dewey and
Sampson less prOViGential than the
rams horns of Joshua, the lamps and
pitchers of Gideon or the rod Of Moses d?
Were Manila and Santiago less provi-
Dental. in the history of human free
dom, than Jericho and All? Is Christian
civilization less prOvidential than was
Jewish barbarism?
IF God ever had a peculiar people
He has them now. They are the pro-
duct of all the struggles and aspira-
tons of the past. The men who stand
before Santiago are not the product of
day, or of q century; they are the rich
consummate flower of the ages, the
highest evolution of history They rep
resent a manhood that has climbed CEN
fury by century up the steps Of light
and liberty, and now stand in sight of
the glOrified submits of the universal
freedom and the universal brotherhood
of man.
There is your providence in history
Do you look toward Manila and Santi-
ago and say superior guns did the busi-
ness? I say superior men stood behind
the schools, and God, the Supreme,
stood behind the religion. There is our
lesson of providence. The miracle work.
erS today are our educators, the men
and women who are giving US an in
tellectual mastery of nature and armor-
ed mastery of ourselves; the teachers
who are placing in our hands the in
vincible, all-cOnquering weapon of
truth: who are beStOWing upon this
generation the power, the omnipOtence
of knowledge. When we compare our
American u per cent of ilIiteracy with
Spain'S IS per cent of illiteracy, we
boldly say the schOOlmasters won the
battle of Manila and the battle of San
tiago no less than the battle of Sadowa.
Yea, I shall know the truth said the
Christ, and the truth shall make you
free -