The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1898-08-06

The regular choir Of the church rendered
a musical programme, arranged for the
service. Rev. Thomas A. Printon, the
pastor, read the mass. I,
Rev. J. j. LaWler, of the Cathedral,
preached the sermon. taking as his sub
ject "TheS Work Of the Church In the
Cause. of Human Freedom" He said in
substances: sa
Emancipation Sunday commentaries
an important event in our national life
and renders thanks to Heaven for a
great blessing. AS slavery was one OF the
lized nation, its abolition is one Of the
gl0ries Of the republic. The future his
torian looking backward will praise the
spirit that led to the emancipation of
slaves in America, but he will also marvel
how It was possible that slavery existed
In the enlightenment of the nineteenth
century, and above all In the land of
liberty by excellence. Even to US who
are removed but a few years from those
scenes of darkness, tears and despair. It
seems almost incredible that our fellow
countrymen were doomed to groan under
the lash Of slavery. Shame that; it was
SO, but 1t was so. There was q sad con.
tradiction between our country's profess
sion and our courtry's practice. Though
the Declaration Of Independence declared
ill men free and equal yet beneath Our
own DeaLl4lul banner OF freedom men
and women were bought and sold like
animals-au the sacred ties of family life
Were broken all the nobler sentiments
of the heart were stified and their. lot
was hopeless gloom. What a. satire on
civilization! Long had our country pro-
claimed itself the home of the free, long
had 1T been the refuge for the oppressed
of other lands, the mecca OF better
things. the land of promise to the exile;
and yet within its own borders four mill
lions OF Its own children were In cha ms
four millions of men and women with
Immortal souls to save, with the same
loving Father In Heaven to serve 1t was
a terrible inconsistency Columbia, thou
vast not noble then, for, thou didst ex-
tend one hand in welcome to the stranger,
whilst with the othersthou dtdst@ scourge
thine own children even unto death.
AT last the day dawned when every
child of America could truly sing Of the
flag without STAIN of this sweet land
of liberty. We are glad to-day because
that stain was wiped away. We are glad
that ours is at last land OF liberty, OF
political equality for all. We are glad
that there are no serfs and slaves of
other days to grace in captive bonds the
chariot wheels of tyrants. We are glad
that our country forbids bigots to put
shackles on the consciences Of their fell
low beings. Let the cruelties visited upon
our weaker brother before the emancipa-
ton have the charity Of, silence. :, Let
them be bygones Let theresbe Joy from
the fact that the civil institutions Of the
Christian world harmonic with Its faith
and that to-day there is not slave in
all Christendom. &C. ,~.E
III the blessing of freedom IS the In
teritance OF the Christian world to-day,
it Is the humanizing power of the Chris
ten religion that. must be thanked for
1t. If civil governments abolished slavery,
it was because Christian principles pre-
vailed-because Christian teaching has
borne fruit. The church's crusade against
this SOCIAL evil is one Of her most glorious
triumphs. When the church came into
the world slavery existed in every land
might was the law-the poor, the weak.
the aged. had no rights-mercy had
spread it's wings and departed from hu-
manity--the bulk of mankind were
crouclstng at the feet Of the few. Gradu-
ally, and without danger to the social
fabric the scene was charged. As soon
as the influence Of the church began to
affect legislation measures were taken