Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-11-24
NATIONS VOCATION
Impressive Sermon by Rev. DR.. T. j.
Morgan of New York.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF GODS CREATION
Union Services Held at the Calvary
Baptist Church.
INTERESTING EXERCISE S

1.-The Nations Vocation was the theme
OF a particularly impressive ard powerful
sermon preached this morning at the Cal
vary Baptist Church before congregation
representing all the Baptist churches in the
District of Columbia by Rev. Or. Thomas
J. Morgan. DID. of New York, correspond
ing secretary of the Baptist Home Mission
Society.
1t was at once instructive and reassuring
and the reception OF his words by the
semblage showed the effectiveness Of them.
The order of services which were directed
by Rev Samuel II. Greene. DID. pastor of
the church. WAS opened at IL O'Clock by
mastery rendition of the grand march
from Verdi's Aida by Orsanist y. Frank
Gebest-
The Doxology was given with the con-
gresation standing and singing. and then
Rev r. r. West, pastor of Brookland
Church. delivered brief but impressive in
vocation The harvest anthem by Maker,
Praise the Lord, o My Soul effect
lively sung. the tenor solo being given by
Mr. w d Mcfarland and the alto by Miss
Florence McNelly. The chorus was
peCially impressive and displayed marked
intelligence. The sopranos were Misses
Sttckney and Carter; the altos, Misses Ia
bier. Walker. McKeever and Hatch: the
tenors. Messrs. Smith. GOodall and DR..
Swartwout. and the bassOs, Messrs> Deane,
Evans and MOtherShead.
President Mckinley's Thanksgiving proc
amation was read by Rev. DIR. c. A. Stake
y. followed by scripture reading by Rev. E.
Hez Swen- The Marvellous Work
from Haydn's Creation was rendered By
Mrs Kittie Thompson Berry, and Rev Dr.
]. j. Muir offered fervent prayer.
A Feeling Petition
While the congregation leaned forward
with bowed heads DR.. Muir feelingly Of
fered up thanks for the prosperity that had
crowned the Industries of the country and
the victories that had crowned its arms
He pleaded for divine direction of the ma
ton in meeting it's new and strange re-
probabilities, and gave thanks for the in
huence Of Providence that had been ex-
tended over President Mckinley in the
midst of his perpleXities and strengthened
and guided him He closed with a touching
appeal for the future of those who had
given up their lives in behalf of the ma
tional honor and for the softening of the
blows that had fallen their near and
dear ones
An impressive musical number followed
Wagner's All Praise to God in Light Ar
rayed. and % Be Joyful in the Lord, All
fe Lands were sung. with baritone 50
prano and tenor solos, by Mr.. Jasper Dean
McFall. Mrs Thompson Berry and Mr.. Nc
rarlaHd. respectively. while the finely bal
anced quartet, composed of these and Miss
McNelly. was heard TO great advantage in
connection with the chorus.
Rev A f. Anderson made a strong and
touching appeal in behalf of the annual
offering for the Baptist Home. which was
sken up and after hymn 69l The God Of
Harvest, Praise had been conducted by
Rev n. {. N1ylor, the congregation stand
Ing and joining in the singing. Rev. DIR.
Thomas J. Morgan of New York preached
the annual Thanksgiving sermon of the
day. He took for his subject The Ma
items Vocation.
Significant Sermon
He took his text from the 9th and 2Gth
verses OF the 18th chapter of Acts, and he
gan by expressing his pleasure at being
with his hearers this morning. In paying
attention TO what should be the vocation
OF the nation. he said he would recall some
things that Apostle Paul had said about
~ Cuties of nations, and endeavor 20 al
pN them. II was necessary to endeavor to
Understand Gods purpose in the creation
and its development by study Of the his
tory of the whole world; of its nations, of
human nature and character. and their va
rtous phases. DR.. Morgan recited the rela-
lions of the Individual to his home. his
city or neighborhoOd and his nation. and de-
clared the latter were divine in their ma
ture those of a domestic character. The
nation a divine institution God had
intended that il should be. There de-
velopment in the divine plan that could
find no expression in the individual in the
domestic community circles, but only
by means of Lations
Nations Are Gods Agents.
God is unfolding His mighty purposes
by the means Of nations But it must not
be regarded that a nation Is greater than
the race Of man. No nation progress
unless the race is benefited: TO nation can
detsriorate unless the race suffers. We have
learned in the age OF steam and electricity
that no nation exist for itself alone.
The ordinary functions of each nation arr
preservation Of life and property, but God
has made II nee eSsary for each nation to
have its specific vocation. The great call
for the Jewish nation. for instance, was to
give to the world true religion. The Jews
stand today : the revaalers Of Gods re-
hgion. II for nothing else The Romans
gave the world the law; the system of or
ganizati0n and its expression. To the
Greeks was given the development of tn
beautiful and the true but kin beyond the
sea, the island of empire, has wond srfully
Obeyed the divine call to become nation
of colonizing. carrying into the darkest ends
Of the world the light of reason and free
dem. Each nation has. it will be seen, its
own vocation We must recognize that
Gods comprehensive intelligence can use
any nation TO do His will. and all have Il
place in His divine plan. great goal has
been set before the American nation.
In looking over our history are i'm
pressed with the thought that our nation
has Developed along lines ditte- eut from any
other We are unfolding a civilization pc
culiarly own, and its chief and peculiar
characteristic is that our nation has been
apparently selected to be the apostle Of lib
erty in ats most complete and perfect ideal
izatiou. The basis of our government is hui
man equality. In that We have enunciatei
to the rest of the world that every man
stands in the presence of his Creator as the
equal Of every other man on God fOotstOol
Our political philosophy is crystallized in
the words "A government for the people.
OF the people and by the people" The fact
remains that are the freest people on
earth All questions national in character
settled by the people
Some severe Tests.
To put this marvellous principle into prac-
tice has been severely tested by our ma
tion in the past 100 years. First there was
the test OF the revolution. Then came the
test OF slavery. which was discussed so
long-the question of 4.ono.tO0 men without
any rights in nation whose fundamental
principle freedom and equality for all.
This test. too, was met. but il bitter
Then came the sore test to the national
philosophy Of immigrant IN. when thousa IDS
with false ideas Of liberty came from for
eign lands We are solving this now hut
II is great strain upon us, 5 great, IL
will prove. as the civil var There were
other tests political .ni-.,,-ut}prrf g,