The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-11-28
AMERICAN PROGRESS.
Pastor ~Thompson's Stirring
Sermon in Westmin-
ster Church.
LESSONS FROM HISTORY
Our Recent Victories Impose
Obligations From Which
None Should Shrink.
FROM HISTORY

The Rev. Arthur Newton Thompson, OF
the Westminster Presbyterian Church,
last evening delivered a sermon on the
theme Hand In the Develop
ment Of Our Country The minister said
in part:
In all the bright galaxy Of nations
none has made a more superb history
than oars. III none cam be read richer
lessons of past or present. In none Is
their future portent of such magnificent
greatness and blessing. The century, near
the summit of which we stand, has been
a mighty century, and our country has
been the theatre of mighty progresses;
vet we are only one of the infants among
the nations of the earth. The trail OF our
fathers through four hundred years of
New World life has been often tortuous
and sad. The march of the Republic
through one hundred and twenty-five
years has been a weary journey, alteTnat-
ing with bright days and dark nights,
often full of suffering and struggling and
grief. The road has at times been rough
and thorny and sometimes for shoeless
feet. 1t is ours today, in glad thanks
giving, to view our Inheritance rather
than the conflicts through which our
fathers wrought it for US. The outlook
about US and the prospect is certainly
pleasing. We are filled with wonder how
a ~hard-handed stranger with no Inherit
ance save the alchemy of brain and
Drawn has gotten on in this wild, untitled
land. He has turned its forests into gar
dens, its soil into gold. He has swayed
his sceptre from ocean to ocean, and now
far out over the Stands of the sea His
docks border two vast oceans. his navies
command tho respect of the earthss
mightiest nations. His railroads cover a
continent with networks of iron. He has
conquered all things.
g Hath not dealt so with any aation,
and hath rowne him with glory and
honor, and hath putkall things under Els
feet is the involuntary homage that rises
unbidden to our lips. Little did oar
fathers know that the Republic which
they were rocking in the cradle of IT'S n
fanti1e weakness, had in it such future
greatness and the germs OF such mighty
power.
we thank God for the fair name of our
nation. We rejoice today in her greatness
and her power. She has breasted heavy
tides of opposition, kings have sEeered at
her and parliaments have ridictiied. but
still sometimes in prosperity and sOTfie-
times midst storms and excavations size
pursued her benignant way unsuo-
dued and unbroken, even by the fiery or
deal OF internecine war. Instead Of ind
ing a grave we nave increased in strength
ard power, and today the sword as
sbeathed after our fifth victorious eotl-
fiict, and the olive branch of peace
wreafhes its folds and the angel of LniEy
and brotherhood spreads its wings over
all the and.
"A past and present. so gracious and SO
great-what shall we say of the ~futuEe2
Tie question astGuEds with its p9Ssibili-
ties. The record of our last victory viii
read on history5s page more like tictlon
than sober fact. But the Odyssey of
our adventures and the Had of cur con-
hiets is neither of them yet finished For
myself, l thank Ged that the past, fall CT
blessing, as It is moi all our Apocalypse.
When the unexpected occurs then the
hand Of God has interviewed.
"One hundred years ago the widest
dreamer would not have ~prophesied the
present results of the then impending var
with Spain. Gods hand was shaping
cur futur power and influence when He
placed in the Assistant Secretaryship of
courage TO order Commodore Dewey to
destroy a Spanish fleet. Gods hand was
on the helm when he placed in command
Of our Pacific squadron a man VINO lad
the courage and the ability to obey. The
victories in Manila bay have imposed up-
on us larger powers and undreaE9ed of
responsibilities. Our duties toward a be-
nighted population which God had 1nus in
His own way thrown under our national
sceptre are duties from which no true
American heart shoul shrink.