Year: 1866

Sermon by the Rev. Phillips Brooks at


the Church of the Holy Trinity.


The the Rev. Phillips Brooks commenced the
service by the reading Of the .ldent's pro.
clamation tor the observance of day of thanks
giving, The sermon was based upon the text:--
Thou hast infkeased the nation; Thou hast in
ii, Is.


This should be a day of praise and thanks.
giving. Yet we are, as people, SO absorbed in
the duties of the hour that we seem to have no
time to reLder praise unto Him TO whom all
praise is due, As nation we should render il
to the kind Providence that has blessed us in
all things-ln our schools, the increase Of our
people and our land, our manufactures and our
commerce, and all other material tavors and mer-
cies accorded to us. AS a nation we have in
creased in national greatness in most wonder
full manner. When the actual strife OF our late
terrible war had ceased, by the laying down of
their arms by the Rebels some there we're who
said that the war was not ended-that it was not
yet over.


But although there are many and great diff
culties before us, the war has ended. We can
say that the storm is over when the ship can
set her sails and can can go where sne will.
So the war Is over when the nation has no
longer to struggle for its lie, but tor way to
rules the States that were striking at its exist
ence. We hear it said that the objects of the
war have not been achieved. The rights of man
have not been as triumphantly vindicated as
we ought by right to expect, and there are still
breakers ahead. Yet, in the main, the most of
the difficulties that surround our position we
l
great Northern nerve had to be relaxed, and
with that relaxation the arrogance of the late
Rebels increased. The President has proved
treacberous, and has given power to our
enemies But IN spite of all obstacles and delays,
we should not be discouraged.


| Americans, in speaking OF America, have now
sef-consciousness OF nationality. We have
! grouped our several communities INTO an
! aggregate nation. We have swept away
slavery that hindrance to the harmony of the
whole people, and IL now remains but to effect
the establishment OF equal rights, and insure
tull political equality between the white and
! the black man.


Our nation has been increased in her national
character. Irresponsibility and irresolution
have been left to the history of our earlier DAYS.
and che nation has attained its manhood. The
amendments to the Constitution to be voted for
by the coming Congress, are but indications OF
our new nationality. When taken into Congress,
and from thence laid before the people, we will
show the power and greatness that have been
born OF the war. The Thirty ninth, or outgoing
Congress, by its great and glorious work OF the
past session, is worthy itself OF q thanksgiving
! Foreign countries had not a true sense of our
greatness, even from our vast successes in the
field; but they did have glimpse of our real
greatness in their appreciation of our great
representative, the late glorious and lamented
Abraham Lincoln. His successor has proved
false to his upholders and degrades his position,
and the same voice that called him to the Presi-
Dental chair has hurled forth its scathing rebuke
at the ballotbox. The national justice upbraids
him with injustice. 1t is good sign of the
Righteousness of the people and their good sense
that he is condemned.


The time has come for the establishment of
the great principle of equal rights to all men.
The minister in the pulpit and the politician
and statesman, should all proclaim it right, and
religion should maintain that standard. The
Church can but influence her members, and
utter its incessant reiterated remonstrances
against the denial OF any right to any of the
narons. There have never beenany good fruits
brought out of the distinction of color and the
axe should be laid at the root of that pernicious
theory by the Church.


We must keep its finger pointing constantly
at the moral enormity OF the distinction, until
il has been swept away. We want to be a
nation that is not afraid to acknowledge and
may be. What a disgrace it is, that q man
whose skin is darker than our own is not even
allowed TO ride in the cars with us, or to come
into contact with us in society


To those who have been blessed with pros
perity and wealth, we appeal in the name OF sut
ieTing humanity not to lavish their substance
in gewgaws and tawdry adornments of fashion
and costly disslpations, but to serve the Lord
| by appropriating part of that which has been
bestowed upon them to the furtherance of His
ends the relief and education of the poor.


We are now the noblest and grandest nation
of the earth. We have our faults, and other
nations have their splendors, but our faults are
but the follies of our youth; their sDlendOrs are
but the phosphorescent glare of their rotten
ness and wickedness. In our progress In free
ideas, in wealth. in size and extent, and in
strength, we have gone forward with gigantic
strides. Thou hast increased the nation; Thou
hast increased the nation; Thou art gloriHed,"