Year: 1864

preached by Elder A. | HOBBS, at the


NJ f. Church on Thanksgiving Day, to


one Of the finest audiences that ever as


sembled in this place. The text was


from Psalms XXVI-6-I:


al will wash mine hands in innooency; viii l
| compass thine altar, D Lord That publish


with the voice Of Thanksgiving and tell Of all thy
drous works.


! BY the Presidents Proclamation, just


read, and also by the Proclamation of


the Governor of our own State, we are


convened for Thanksgiving and Prayer


to God and humiliation before Him.
| He is to us the source of all good To


the wicked and abominable He is a con


suuling fire. Hence, we should stand in


awe before Him, and '.cali upon all that
I is within US to bless His holy name, nor
/ forget His benefits


| This is day of national thanks giving.


1t should be devoted to the national re-
| cognition of Gods being and benefi-
cence. l am aware that III the crude
ideas Of some po!itico reiigionists, no
obligation to observe the solemnitcs of
such day is admitted, because it is the
| command or request of the secular pow
er. The true reason, perhaps, Is that
| the President is not of their party. Let
us not be mistaken at this point. For o
mistake here will lead to countless er-
rors.


The civil Magistrate is regarded, in
Revelation, as God 5 Minister. See Rom.
l3. Throughout the scriptures it is
taught that God exercises a special
providence in the affairs Of nations.
See Dan. 4, These things being true.
what would more beft the character of
Nl.1 F~-s- ii
christian nation. than to set apart, at
least one day in the year, for the nation
al recognition of the Lord as our God,
and gracious Benefactor What matters
it to the obedient christian, whether the
President should be saint or a sinner
a protestant catholic, a republican
or q democrat? With his private opin-
ions we have nothing to do In this as
in all his official acts we have to do with
him as Gods Minister in the civil Mages-
tracy.


The true christian is always more than
happy, when he sees the civil ruler will
ing to acknowledge that there is One
above him, in whose hands are the hearts
Of kings and presidents. His greatest
grief would be when he fails to find pub
lie sentiment demanding such holy
day. For, before him would be visions
of a nation imbruted, and az Sebuchad-
nessar Of Old fit only to wander among
the beasts of the field, until reason
should return, and we should know that
1.-The Most High ruleth in the kingdom
of men, and giveth it to whomsoever
He will,


The text and the occasion make OPP
perfume an investigation of our national
status before Heaven.


In the light of the text, to come prop
erly to the altar of God, we should
wash our hands in innocency. That is.
to separate ourselves from sin. This
separation of ourselves from sin. seems
directly related to our publishing with
the voice Of thanksgiving, and telling of
God 5 wondrous works. This is neces-
sarily so from the fact that sin blinds the
mind and hardens the heart. The sin
calloused soul neither sees nor sppreci-
ates the wondTous works Of God, nor is
thankful for His benefactions. 1t may
be said that the text refers to a person
not nation. This is granted, but /
suppose the principle of it, applies equal
ly well to a nation, for nations before
God are treated as personalities, besides
nations are made up of individuals of
persons.


What is national sin In order TO





consider what Is the state or nation. 1t
is defined TO be the people of any par
ticular district or country acting to-
gether, by themselves or their constl
tuted agents, for the purpose of govern
ment. 1t matters not what may be the
form of government Wea are interested
now particularly in our own Government.
and shall hold its genius and form in
view during the present discourse.


Our constitution made by our repre-
sentatives and ratified by the people, is to
Us the measure of power for govern
mental purposes. Any organic law, as
such measure of power, ought TO be suf-
fciently capacious to admit legislation
securing the highest interest. duty and
happiness of the whole people. If, on
trial in should be found otherwise, then
it is the unquestionahle duty OF. e people
to enlarge its boundaries For | take it
as 4 duty beyond the pale of controversy
and Heaven bound. upon all governments
TO command and enforce that which Is
morally right, and TO forbid and prohibit
that which is morally wrong as far as
may be. See Jer. Is. In this way aud
only in this way, is the highest in
terest, duty and happiness of the people
suhserred. and the Great Jehovah's
will obeyed


1nasmuch as it is not in the nature Of
an organic law. TO be specific in its pro
visions. it becomes necessary TO consti-
tute under it, and subject TO its general
principles, in letter and spirit, legislative
judicial and executive agents. All this
is done in our government All these
agents are responsible directiyor Indirect
" 70 the citizen for their official acts.
And for these acts under delegated pow
er the citizen or the people are responsi-
BILE to other nations and to God. / know
il is said that we are not responsible for
the acts of governmental officers. five
Vote against them But how can this be
if those officers. whether elected by us
or others, it makes no difference. act
within the hounderie of authority de,egs
ted them by our viii or consent This
kind OF talk may be At piece OF rant IN
the mouth OF demagogue. 1t may do
As very poor excuse for those who have
In in their hearts TO rebel against legally