Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-11-28

If it be true. indeed, as someone has
said that America is Gods last and
greatest effort for the redemption of
the race, then it may not be thought
strange that from the standpoint of to-
day we can see how the purposes Of
God reach back through the centuries
and His plans are ripenirg with the
process of the suns 1t is a pleasant
task for me upon this great festival
day to see God in the philosophy of
history as clearly as in the world-build-
ing.
OF Heavenly Birth.
"The American republic is of heav-
emily birth. In this new world He de-
signs to work out the great problems
of human liberty. See how He moves
to determine the quality of our early
history. In the early seventeenth Gen..
fury the Puritan fathers were driven
by precaution from their native heath
and later from their refuge in the
Netherlands, to the new world where
they might worship God according to
their own conscfences.
Landing of Pilgrim Fathers.
'sAnd in 1920 on Plymouth Rock
landed the company which God used
to determine the quality of American
manhood and womanhood in morals.
Unfortunate were it for the man or ma
ton with no memories of great provi-
dences: that has never known the ca
ress or the discipline of heaven. If
there be such, they must drag out their
meagre existence without the life
thrills of those glorious inspirations
which come to a people in touch with
world forces. 1t is profitable for us
with sympathetic hearts to follow the
heroic colonists from Bunker Hill to
Yorktown throueh Valley Forge and to
behold the white winged ships OF
France entering the harbor at the cru
cial time To see how God has crowd
ed out the influence of effete monarch
les and given liberty this broad do
main. But time fails me! What
nast we have! What heritage has
been left us in the heroisms OF the
past and achievements which remain.
Bounteous Results,
'eIn the past we have the foundation
of the present. These populous cities
multiplied industries and broad pral-
ries which have yielded to our gran
aries the fruitage of another year are
possible because of the pioneer, who
amid the hardships, toll and danger
blazed the way for civilization. Like
the giant oak from the acorn, as the
splendid palace, raising tier upon tier
SO our country has emerged from out
Gods past She Is today what her
illustrous past of faith, devotion, pa
triotism and love of liberty under God
have made her.
Biographical Study.
again I know of no more profitable
study than that of biography. Some
one has said The history of the past
is but the lives of great men True it
is at least that God has always a man
ready for a cruical time Columbus
was Gods man of the hour A man
of faith, energy. and indomitable per-
severance. Nobly has oJaquin Mil
qualities in verse:
"'Behind him lay the gray Azores,
Behind the gates of Hercules.
Before him only shoreless seas.
The good mate said: Now must we
pray,
For 10, the very stars are gone,
Brave admiral, speak, what shall /
say?'
| Why say, sail on, sail on, sail on.
/ "'Then pale and worn he kept his
deck,
And peered through darkness. All!
that night
OF all dark nights! And then a
speck-
A light. a light, light, a light!
! 1t grew, star light flag unfurled;
1t grew to be times bursting dawn,
| He gained a world He gave that
world,
Its greatest watchward, on and on
The Name of Washington.
"As inseparable as the name of Mos.
es from the wilderness life of Israel is
the name of Washington from the ear
ly history Of our country. What a gal
axy of names throng the memory as
we dwell upon the heroes of the past
4 in church and state. In church, did !
/ say? Listen to this tribute from one
of Americas greatest statesmen:
Through forests primeval, over plains
and mountains these modern pilgrims
have gone forth upbearing the Bible
in their hands and on the fourfold
foundation of the Christian church, the
Christian school, the Christian home,
and the Christian Sababth they have
helped to build the huge fabric of our
national life. And though the names
of but few will find place even on
the margin of the page of history their
work far surpasses in Importance that
of all the statesmen put together
"And so beside the names of illustri-
GUS statesmen and warriors. I would
place the names of Penn, Williams, AS.
bury. Cooke. Edwards and many 9th
ers whose life stories incite to noblest
endeavor.
| Need Directing Hand.
Remember for the same directing
hand and wise sheltering love we've
need for today and tomorrow. The
old city GLASGOW once had upon it's es.
cutcheon these words Let Glasgow
flourish through the preaching of the
word After awhile the latter part OF
the sentence was cut off and today we
only read the meaningless wish Let
Glasgow flourish Our fathers build.
ed the commonwealth on the word Of
God. Let us not today be intoxicated
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