Year: 1859

The means of maintaining and perpetuating this
wdespreading Confederacy of Independent States was
the subject of the Rev. Mr. Chambers discourse on
Thanksgiving Day. which was listened to with deep in
terest by assembly filling every part of his large
church. We find report of his sermon in the Penn
sYlvanan of last Saturday, from which subjon a
few paragraphs


After reading part of the eighth chapter of Deu-
terOnomy, and the second chapter OF st Timothy the
theme of his discourse he remarked" have announced
to you my purpose to relieve my heart of burden that
has oppressed me for long time. | am an American
ctzen-an American Minister of the Gospel. love
this Bible / love the God of this Bible. / love my
country its Constitution and its laws am man of
peace | have heart for the nation. love it from
its extreme Northern verge to the utmost limits of its
Southern boundary love it from the spot upon which
falls the first ray of the morning sun, to that far off
West where nger the last beams of the suns evening
retirement. love it as unit am ready to live by
it unit l ready to put the blood of my heart


fresh upon its altar rather than it anything else than
unit.


"The worth of this Union to ourselves and to the
world of mankind, is infinitely beyond price No pow
of arithmetic no mathematical genius however cu
tivaed can figure out the intrinsic value of this Union
to ourselves and to the The eyes of the civilized
world upon us to-day Fixed and steady is that
gaze that comes from every quarter of the globe it
just to hover, in its burning look upon this gal
aXy of States. The nations OF mankind are watching
with special interest because engaged in work.
ing out the great the momentous problem of setgOv
ernment. The finger of scorn has been pointed the
pen of the opponent of republics has been dipped long
and deep, and has dashed rapidly the page de-
caring the impossibilty of our success.


1t has long been my fixed opinion that the monarchs
of Europe and especially England jealous of u.s."


After citing some OF the apparent developments of
this jealousy in the history of our country and the efforts
made to divide US both at home and abroad, MIR. @.
spoke of the solemn obligation resting upon all in
thority and also every citizen to yield obedience to
the Laws and Constitution of the United States. To
this duty bound by all the sanctions of OATH
lie presented the soemnity of the cath in clear light
of which many seem to think lightly, and then remarked


You may possibly say to me, But 1 am native
born. never took this oath of fidelity to the Cons
tuition and the laws But my brother your birth>ight
holds you to that Constitution as solemny as the oath
which binds the adopted citizen. You are born under


IFS obligations. Being born here you bound to obey
the Constitution and the laws n man has right to
set them aside


Now, for example, the Constitution most positively
and absolutely provides that fugitive from labor, es
Gaping from State to another shall be delivered up
This is the Constitution am not to-day touching slave
ry, right or wrong am looking at things they
This the provision of the Constitution If hen the
magistrate, the citizen does not comply with that pro-
vison when it is within his jurisdiction to do sof he
connives at its evasion, if he aids abes the fugitive
in his flight he is before heaven perured man, and the
waters of the ocean could not wash out the stain.


With regard to the law, it is not my purpose to say
whether that is a right law a wrong law but it is
tne law vi lhe lanu EVery puDlc Olcer Is Dy oatn,
bound to obey it. No individual man has right to
ignore that law while it is the law, you and and all
the citizens of this country bound by it. If there
ore we, President Judge or lawyer, or magistrate
or naturazed citizen, aid or abet, countenance
courage the violation of that law or wink at its evasion
perjured. l defy mortal man to contradict this.
If it be not so law is worthless, and an oath is baga
telle.


After these general predatory remarks, take up
that question of questions Can this Union be perpe
| Il IL
taking the Bible for our rule. This as | have intima-
ted is the sheet anchor Of hope If this be faith
fully watched and guarded the ship of State need fear
no peril. The winds may blow, the political sea may
rage, the wrathful waves may mount, the political
heavens may gather blackncss the ighnng8 may flash,
and the thunderbolts may be dashed down but tell
you, if this Bible be followed strictly, prayeruly,
silly, storm that earth hell may raise tempest
that crowned heads or depoc sceptres invoke will
throw our ship upon the shore, put out the
light of the American Union"