The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-12-04
SERMON THAT DID NOT
PLEASE ALIEN WORSHIpFRS

should We. at this time. forget that he |
mas not only provided US with q good :
land and with opportunities for bein5
happy and prosperous, but that, fur
thermore, He has enabled us to make |
use or and enjoy the gifts already men
uOned With which He has entrusted us
ne past year, for the United States.
mas been one Of great development. The {
manufacturing aud mercantile interests
OF our country have been strengthened
wonderfully. and never before has the
financial supremacy of the United
states been made so plainly evident.
W wages. also, have been advanced. and
better prices have been obtained for 4.
the products Of the soil. Labor no lon
Her has gone vainly seeking for en-
pl"yment. for there has been work
enough to keen the Iaborer busy, and.
as n result, tn disastrous conflicts Of
labor and OF capital have for the most
part, become things of the past.
Material gifts. while perhaps appre-
lated by the largest number, are not,
however the things to which there
should be attached value greater than .
tnat which belongs to those not mate /
rial, nor should our gratitude Le meas ,
ured by the abundance of what we have I
10 eat, or wear, or look upon, but should /
extend TO and embrace what minister's
To the development and expansion of
the intellect. And, in such a connec-
ton, this annually recurring Gay pre-
sents, ~ seems TO me, a most dpproprl-
ate and fitting opportunity on which
render thanks to an intelligent and all
wise God for the knowledge and the
means OF increasing IL that are com
mon 20 us ALL We live in a wonderful
age an age OF progress. an age Of dis
coNery, an age of great Inventions; an
age when the depths of the earth, no
less than the heights OF heaven, are
Welding n hafr g.. -
temptation and the use of man, and as
nation We stand at the front of this
advance that Is being made from the
Ignorance and incapaclty of the past to
the wider knowledge and control of the
future. AS n nation. IL not the first. We
are nevertheless among the first that
! are pressing on with uplifted standards
in the conquest of truth over error, of
knowledge over ignorance of light over
darkness, Of intellect and intelligence
over force. And for this, our exalted
. station and wide, far-reaching Views,
, shall we not give thanks unto God? Is
. not the ability to understand a gift
which He bestows2 Are not perception,
, penetration and. above all. wisdom, rays
! OF light which fall on US as individuals
. or as a nation from the Infinite Source
of all created light? Some are inclin-
. ed. because they search for truth and
, AT times discover 1t. to ignore or lose
, sight of God. ar-ribing to themselves
the ability that properly belongs TO
, Him. but this Is not the course that
, true wisdom would adopt. That Is al
) ways reverent. teachable, humble and,
: as consequence. thankful. That.
while placing a proper value upon gifts
> OF Intellect, regards them as gifts, look
ing up with a sense of gratitude to ,ne
Intelligent Source of all power TO
know. But while valuing knowledge,
as We all Of US do. and while thanking
. God for IL. as we all of US should, may
we not include In our list of benefits.
worthy OF mention at such a time, not
: only knowledge but a widespread agen-
/. Cy for the proper Instruction and euu-
I. cation OF the young? While thankful
: | say. for that measure of intelligence
: for which the nation of which We form
part has been, and Is now, remarkable
i, shall We not appreciate and prize tns
!, system which has aided so much in en-
: lightenment? Among the many and
varied helps to progress and TO a bet
ter understanding Of the important
= work which We as "a nation have to DO
: there IL not one, except the Church
. which Is able to accomp. ish more in in
: structing and In elevating than are oul
I. public schools. These break up the fal
:. low ground and SOW the seeds Of fu
: ture Increase. These form a barrier {.
= shut out the flood Of Old World preju
dice and lack of understanding whicI
IS ever dashing against our shores
2 These go far To transform the uniate.
i ligent and the unappreciative, In sin
y gle generation, into the wide awake ant
~ patriotic citizen who is soon at the heaC
- of affairs. My friends. let us not toler
't ate. for n single instant. any interior
:, ence with our public schools. Tina
- money is well spent which is devoted
y. to their maintenance. In them thef
ie should be employed. as instructors. tn
J. very best-best in morals. best in alb II
". best In all that pertains to manhoo
e and womanhoCd in their highest form
y that can possibly be obtained. That
- narrow minded bigotry has. in some re
ia speCts, gone far to weaken the impol
AZ tant work that therein Is being done
- and that an intolerance. offensive an
AZ harmful, has succeeded in depriving tn
?. young OF the benign influence OF III
~ Word OF God. Is a sad blot and "A foI
nv disgrace upon our intelligence and ou
10 civil ization. But, while I'm some re
he spects not all they should be. our pub
- lie schools, / repeat, are well fitted I
r do work which can be done in no 9th
So or way. and what remains for us is {
w improve and add to what we have tina
~ Is Of value In this system, at the sam
w time giving thanks that God has S
90 highly favored US In providing US wit
IN such an agency for the education {
ts the young.
1g At the commencement OF this addres
10 reference was made to three kinds
N gifts with which, as a nation. the Ane'
or lean people. in the providence OF Go,
u have been entrusted: gifts materia
',c gifts intellectual: gifts political: and
d. but remains for US to consider the Ia!
or OF these. In 1776 when the founders
this Republic declared the united COLI
n MES To be free and independent. the
IN set out to form a government whic
70. should secure to every man the III
Y trammeled use and enjoyment Of h
en- possessions. no less than of his facu
rs ties. and the result has been so succ 81
no full that other countries have. IN man
u instances. selected as a model that Co
cd stitution which II Is our privilege ar
H. our pride to possess. As co1traste
d. with the cruel despotisms which Il
he ages have held sway. our republican Il
e. situations are indeed most highly to
ut priced. and he Is no true citizen who r.
m joices rot In the liberty. civil ana rein
re ious. which has caused our land to
-. admired by all the earth. Whether q
ct future will see n change In the scien'
er Of government. and a new and bett
on order viii take the place Of and exp
~ g. a..