Year: 1876

son in Egypt so lie nourishcd this continent until in
the ulncss OF time He could manifest 1t TO the world
The morning planet had opened the gates Tor the
rising sun, so long over the eastern extr.mites OF
Asia, aud the evening planet had closed them long
the western exiremtes of Europe, that the old
divisions OF the globe came to think themselves the
whole world. This dcluson not dispellcd til, on
Friday morning, August 5, 1872 half an hour before
sunrise. the morning planet left his rost to convoy
three slight caravais almost frai three arks OF
terious regions OF the setting SUM- Before the sun
arose from his chamber that day, in imitation OF
another star lamp which once hung over David's
town,


Westward the star of Empire takes its way;


The hrss tour acts already past:


Tines noblest offspring is the last.


The religious element, such as wss kept pace with
the scieutho The discoverers of America Roman
Catholics and Roman Catholic governments claimed
the results of their discoveries Yet just at that iime
Luther had shaken the foundations OF the religion OF
Europe aud had brought forth the principle Of free
and ennoblcd religion to combat it, There was not
room enough on the old continent for these great
gladators to fight out this contest and, singuariy
enough. there an emigration OF these separate
hglons TO this land at onccboth Protestant and Catho-
lie. Bancroft tells us that outside OF Mexico, the very
first colony IN North America was a Protestant colony
planted by Caspar De Cogni refuge Tor Protes-
% n. al" New World wb the beoa 'nS su
eolonists, purely as pro,cstanis Had all
North America been settled before tho time OF
Cromwell the fccbcness of tho early reformed rcl,-
gion oond never have withslood the old faith Rut
reserved Tor hardy and uncx'blc people, who
by the most complex combinations OF political social
and religious life, had been tested and established
the capacity for self govern and brotherhood TO
find their way to these shores and give birth TO new
nation here God, in HIS far-rcaching Thoughts put
Christianity upon new trial IN America, in company
with prosecuted liberty for in the generation Of North
the race OF the founding of Christian republic
grand scale. Surely, He hath not dealt so with any
nation. y


The truth forcbly dspays itself in the rcvou-
tion OF l7'6 We call this the regeneration OF our land,
only because 1t had at at time reached us rightul
majority and independence. No other epoch bad oc-
Cured since its discovery which approached this in
magnitude. Its importance was SO immense.
that is impossible overlook the hand oi
God in the whole OF that great movement.
The long oil training for independence
was most rkable event in The history OF that
fact. Tho visIapt guardianship OF inacnablc rights
which marked tho coonists everywhere, their main
tenancc OF justice, their endurance of wrong. and,
above all their unbcnding religious integrity pcrvaded
the body as whole, like icaVcn lcavcnng the
mass And in the method of securing rndcpen-
dcnce the hand Of God was also pre- -,minenty appa
rent 1t Is especially seen In the sturdy and sterling
character of the men who settled the colonies; the
OF the Revolution, as affecting the Fundamental al
rights OF humanity, ana not as springing out oil some
question of current prudential government and there
FORE temper iry in its nhuences and in the govern
ment which chosen by The colonies Tor the
conduct OF the struggle. The prudence, moderation
and lar slghtcdncss OF the Continental Congress- as
well as its profound righteousness gave peculiar tone
both to the principles which the conducted
and the measures which pushed it To completion.


The preacher then took up the prominent names OF





considerable length Alter tracing the historical
OF the Revolution, the words OF Adams aud Franklia
asking at different times for prayers in Congress the
debate and adoption OF the Declaration OF Indepen-
dcnce; tho times when the nation had been
severely tried the OF 1Sl2; the
troubles in relation to the boundary questions
and the late civil war; he then referred "A
call Tor a meeting, TO be held at Philadelphia within
ow days Tor the purpose Of showing that the leaders
Of the Republic through the Revolution were intdcs
After ciIectuay disprovng that charge against them
the eloquent preacher, excusng himself to his congrc-
CATION for talking TO them OF political affairs, the
ground that he had the thoughts on his mind and
would not live TO preach another centennial sermon
then reviewed the history OF the Cincinnati and ST.
LOUIS conventions on the questions OF religion
suffrage and Chinese immigration, closing with prayer
that through all the future years of the Republic, the
hand of God he made manifest aud at the of
the second century Of lfc may be said again, ale
hath not dealt with any nation"