Year: 1868

as to furnish a statementof their prog


ress, further than to say that they


have always been active competitors


In the race to win souls for Christ, and


have done their work nObly in diff


fusing and establishing the religion


that constitutes the strength and bull


wark Of our Republic.


The Methodist Episcopal Church


north, has built an average OF five


houses of worship per week for the


last fifty years, and dnumber to-day one
million of commandments, most OF


whom are as loyal to the government


as they are to the church, and permit


me to say, mot bosstingly) that dur
ing our centenary year just closed, we


raised for colleges, for building Of


churches, and church property, near
| ly five millions of dollars.


The yearly contributions Of the ma


ton for benevolent and religious pur-


poses is estimated to be from fifty to
sixty millions of dollars, all weaving


into the very wOof and web Of our na-
tionaI existence the great principles
Of our common Christianity.


But our history in another aspect


presents some truths more melancholy.


We have just recently passed through
terrible civil war. Our national su-


perstructure has been severely tried by


the nefarIous rebellion. By it an hun


dred thousand new graves have been
made. The vail of bereavement has


been heard all over the land: finances
tderanged, and the nation in debt.
But God in his government does not
entirely control the malice of man


against their own will. When men
arm themselves against truth and
righteousness they are frequently per-
mitted to go ON for time at least, but
Ae always controls the issue in the
contest, thus causing the wrath Of


men to praise him.


To many there was nothing seen in


the struggle, but bloody strife be-
tween eontesting parties, and hostile


armies. They thought Of nothing but


large military forces, able generals,


sineWs of war. But amid the clash


Of arms and sanguinary struggle is a


Divine hand that controls human af-


fairs in their destiny as much in war,


asin other things under Divine govern


ment, and that to fill up the career Of


a nations history. The carnal weap-


ons that men attempt te use against


God and his cause, are turned against
themselves. The Medianitish army


was armed every man against his fel-


low, while Haman was hanged on the
gallows which he had erected for
Mordecai. Pestilence or minemight
have been a Christening for the sin Of
our country; but the sequel of the war


proved to be the destruction OF the ac-
cursed slavery, kindles anew the pat
riotic zeal of seventy-six, and serves
as q chastening rod to the whole ma
ton. Our country is now somewhat
distracted, because great events have
legitimate consequences and results.


The whole system Of q man suffers
a severe shock when a dangerous tu-
NOR is being severed from his body
every muscle, vein and nerve will
sympathize. So the cancer Of slavery
has been cut from our body polite,
and the whole nation is shocked from
the stroke of the knife. Many blame
the war for every high crime that is
being committed, and for a lawless
banditti, that is prowling around in
many places within our borders; but |
it can be shown that on the average, |
crimes such as are generally commit !
ted, no more numerous now than |
they were ten years ago, making al
lowance for increase Of population. |
Feelings on political questions run |
higher now than then, because differ
ent issues are upon US; not only in
yolving secular advantage, but inter
ests dear as life itself The war is no
more to blame for what we have suf- |
fered, and are suffering in many ways !
than the surgeon and the scalpel are |
to blame for the pain experienced in |
a case Of amputation, but the cause is
to blame and the inevitable pressure /
that brought on the conflict, impeI-
ling its necessity. With all the blood |
shed and intensity Of feeling that we /
have witnessed, there is still much |
moral sentiment left to the nation. |


Even in our most stormy hours, !
thousands of both public and private |
men thought seriously, and acted eau
tiOusly and no one more so than Abra-
ham Lincoln. In the midst Of the
most gigantic civil war recorded in
we elected a president with
almost as little disturbance at the bal
lot-bOx as in times of peace. Divided
in sentiment as we were here in the
north, men voted more in fear than in
anger.


And when the President was assassin
ated, while a similar incident, land |
under such circumstances would
have thrown France into Anarchy in
less than twenty-four hours, our ma
ton paused in silence, giving vent to
its feelings in tears but the wheels
Of government rolled on. Our form
Of government and moral stamina
has been fully tested, not only by
four years Of civil war, but also in
passing through the most peculiar
that ever perplexed the
statesmen Of any country, so that our
dag il worthy Of more honor now
than ever before. Instead of the
moral energies Of the best portion of
our citizens being palsisd by our late
difficulties, they are quickened into a
renewed zeal and every species of
moral reform accelerated.


The temperance question Is again
being agitated all over the land.
hamlet or village that has
not within a short time established a
organization with its
facilities, for the promotion
1f this great cause.


The Sunday School enterprise is
a new impulse, exciting an
interest scarcely less than that felt on
The advancement of the branches Of
taught in academies and
common schools. The Methodist
Episcopal Church has made more ad-
gancement in this particular during
he last four years than it has done In
fifty years before. Sunday School
Institutes are being held, normal
classes organized, abandoned and
gnorant children gathered from the
streets and brought into the schools
IN the sabbath, spirit being exhibit
ID in this direction without a parellel
n our history or the history of the
world.


Christian Churches in this country
ire coming nearer together, rather
han being separated or embroiled.
The Calvanistic denomination for the
ast three years, have been discussing
he question Of an entire union Of
heir several branches, thereby in
their power for good. The
Wesleyan Church Of America is
up housekeeping and coming
pack to the Old Homestead, the
,Ruse of our separation being removed
~ the Abolition of Slavery. The
African colored church from the
sent her fraternal delegates
o our last general Conference, say
ng, give us an organization under
your banner give US our colOred con-
erences and Bishops, but let US be !
.alled by your name, We will operate