Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-26

be seen to be as fully permeated witt
divine interpretations. No country has
ever held monopoly of Gods pres
ence and power. He discloses himself
in and through all history. His purpose
in the elevation Of the race-the whole
race He was at Jericho and All, ana
he was at Waterloo and Gettysburg.
Columbus Man Of Faith.
Columbus was a man of faith. and
following this faith he discovered a
continent which was to be the stage OF
human liberty. Almighty God turned
his faith and zeal into worldwide
and time-embracing blessing. His
faith resisted and defied the con
servatism that turns life into death
lest life should involve labor and sell
sacrifice The faith Of this man dared
the seas and made known new
world.
The coming Of the Pilgrim fathers
to these shores was prOvidential
event. The motive force which ex.
PEELED them from England and drove
them into voluntary exile in the new
world was religious. All they had to
fight their magnificent battles with
was liberty to think as they pleased
and place to act upon this belief One
historian has said that we cannot
escape from their greatness or from
the debt we owe them because "they
were inspired of God to make the
earth Free
"Aye call it holy ground,
The sell where first they trod!
They have left unstained what there
they found,
Freedom to worship God.
War Was Sequel.
The providential sequel Of the COM
ing of the Puritans was the struggle
for liberty in 1776 and the REINFORCE
ment of the purpose of the new world
in the conflict of 1872 The sacred
principle which set them ashore on an
inhospitable continent met with bap-
tism of blood and afterwards became
a world principle. The god of battles
defended their position.
Upon almost every page of our his
tory are visible the manifestations Of
Gods power and protection. He has
led from victory to victory in peace
and in war. We have acknowledged
him. From the beginning we have
been a religious nation and we have
never been more truly SO than today.
For nearly three centuries we have
feared God and there is no danger
thatSwe shall now break with our
traditions.
Then let lis thank God today for our
history and for our heroes. for orr
faith and for our flag. for our indus
tries and for our independence, for
our peace and for our protection, for
our greatness and for our grandeur.
If there was ever a time when
Americans had right to feel a thrill
Of Just pride over work accomplished
and over the national prestige, that oc-
casion is now Not unmindful of our
failures, not unmindful of our vain
boastings, not unmindful of our ma
tional sins, we give praises for what
we are and what we hope to be. This Is
no day of lamentation, but it is a day
If Thanksgiving. Gone is the tumult
and the strife; gone are the far-fung
battle lines: gone are the armies and
the aversions: gone are the imaginary
lines Of sectional hatred; gone is Spain
from the western hemisphere. Cuba is
'ree. The flag is upon all the seas and
our hearts arc with the flag.
Our country's Prestige.
Our country never before enjoyed
he prestige that is now enjoyed. More
md more do the eyes of the world
urn this way to witness the tremen-
1ous march OF progress. More and
more do we claim the attention Of the
race with the resources Of our coun-
try and Of our men: with the products
If mill and mine, Of farm and factory:
with the researches of school and
church. It was the president of the re-
public who struck the mighty blow for
peace in the orient and made his voice
heard above the din of battle. He was
The only man in the world who could
have brought about such magnificent
results. Back of our president was the
integrity of our nation which has
never broken faith with any people.
great or small. Upon the ruins of the
failure and intrigue of France we
build the canal which, connects the two
most monumental under
taking of modern man. Our barns are
tull. We know neither pestilence nor
famine. We are at peace with the
world. AS we think Of the year and
The years let us devoutly and humbly
thank Almighty God.
Great as are our national blessings.
and such source of thanksgiving,
they are not by any means the great
est. Attention has been called to them
that the spirit of the day might not be
ignored, and that we might not be, un-
mindful Of the divine guidance and in
duence in our national affairs, as well
as to show the relation of God to our
whole life as people. But our think
ing ought to go beyond this, grand as