The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-29

MAIN III AThiis NIS1SSs AOA eE3S-''~
advice; it is entirely free.
respect for authority, and in this sense
is absolutely necessary for the very exist
ence and safety OF society, not TO sneak
of its progress or perpetulty. inc stout
faith Of the Pilgrim fathers has moro to
do with the stability of our republic than
perhaps we are willing to confess.
Thanksgiving-Day in its noblest prac-
tice is a day Of national reverence, day
of recognition OF the Supreme Author OF
universal life and His all-comnassins au-
thority, letting each one call that ST.
prenle Author by what name he will. or
approach Him in whatsoever manner he
! Will. And perhaps al no time In our gene
ration has there been greater cause for
the reverential gratitude of the American
| people refer not to our national pros
! perty, for. like the blessing Of sunshine
| and air. we have now become so used to
| it that we do not appreciate 1T fully TIL
| it is taken from Us. But an incident has
| occurred within the last four months that
might well bid us pause and contemplate
| The assassination of our late lamented
I PresiGen. was a shock from which we are
/ not yet fairly recovered. Not that this
was the first time that the chief ENecu-
/ tive of our nation was LAID low by the
! cowardly bullet of ar assassin. but be-
/ cause OF the Inherent conditions that at
4 tended this danlnable deed. The other
I assassinations. of Lincoln and Garfield.
were as has been pointed out, the fruits
| of partisan madness and individual pas
! sion. but this last blow was aimed not
at the individual. but at the State. 1t
I was an attack not upon the occupant of
/ the chair. but upon the chair itself. The
consciousness Of this fact staggered the
| nation for q moment. But. thank God,
our people and our institutions stood the
strain and came forth from the trial. if
anything, strengthened thereby.
It is a sac, and solemn thought l bring
to you for reflection. but we cannot re-
frain. on this day. from the contenlpla-
ton of the earnest and solemn duties of
our citizenship. The conclusion of that
gic and heart-rendering incident was
as credtable as its beginning was awful.
The trial and lawful execution Of the
ASSASSIN was the triumph of the Amerl-
can republic. Shocked in expressibly by
a deed that was as reasoniess as it was
diaboical, the American people did not
relapse into violence or outrage or law
iessness. That would have been worse
than the assassination itself.
If this thought yelled though it be in
the cypress of our sadness, that we bring
forth to-day, and are grateful for the
strength that was given to us in the hour
U
ance of the ship of state in the fearful
storm of that national calamity. Herein
lies our hope for the survival of the re-
public, in that respect for authority, IN
that reverence for law that was there
mace manifest Would all not have. been
compelled to hang oour heads in shame
had that murderer been lynched by the.
fury OF an outraged people? 1t is a cause
for Thanksgiving that he was not,
though ii seemed then. it does even
vet. that death was too light Z punish
ment for his heinous crime.
| would like to bring this thought
little more closely home. There would be
still greater cause for Thanksgiving if it
could be said that there is no white
gloved violence at all in this country, no
outrage OF the law by law-abiding citi-
zens no lynchings by reputable bodies of
Representative men OF any State or coun-
ty II is not the incidental lynching that
is deplorcd so much as the spirit of ire
verence that makes 4 lynchings possible.
And I tell you, my friends, that this spir-
il of disrespect for law is q. greater men,
ace 10 the survival of the republic than
vas the death of President Mckinley.
We must bear ever in mind that ours is
a high and lofty purpose in the congress
of the nations. The American republic is
the civic hope Of humanity. We are on
trial at the bar Of history. and we shall
be condemned at that sublime tribunal,
not by the accusations that may be
brought from the outside, but by rhe tes-
tiIcony Of our internal weakness, il We
continue to transsrcss the fundamental
principles of law and justice and social
oreder. l care not how utterly horrible Z
crime q man may commit. he has the
right TO the protection of the law. and
to punishment by the law and the law
only. Every violation Of the law that is
countenaacc9 by the citizens at large
tends to make worse the evil it seeks TO
So let this fhcnkssiving-Day tend to
restore our reverence anu or legal re-
spect. Let it be a holy day first. q day
sanctified by earnest and reVcrential grati-
tude by humble homage to the Nest
High and then let it. be 4 holiday, joy
Gus. happy. Scxhiliratng, free and glad.
and all the deeper the joy and sladness
by reason Of the fact that the day will
thereby tend to insure the stability OF oEr
institutions ana make for the survival, OF
the republic. as it shall be thus made the
lttcst OF the civic powers of the earth.
Or. Mhilsitt's Sermon.
Professor Whitsitt, of Richmond Col
lege, preached at the union Baptist SER
vice at Grace-Street Church. from Psalm
lt7, %: And let them sacrifice the sacri-
fees OF Thanksgiving. and declare his
works with rejoicing. He said in part:
He referred 10 the days OF humiliation
and fasting that We're SO often celebrated
curing the var between the States, and
congratula ,cd hisshearers that this was a
more happy season. We have celebrated
dave oF "a G.