Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser

EXTRACT,
From Dr. Green's Thanksgiving Sermon.
[Just published.]

"It deserves our grateful remembrance that the blessing of peace has been preserved to us, while so many of the nations of the earth have been involved in war. Who can turn his thoughts on Europe—travel in imagination over her bloody plains, behold myriads of men lying dead on the fields of battle, see these battles succeed each other in quick and awful succession, recollect into how many living bosoms each of them must convey the keenest distress,—murdering "all the charities of husband, father, son and brother," view cities wrapt in flames, survey large regions of country depopulated or filled with all the miseries, with which war, like an enraged demon let loose from hell, forever marks his footsteps Who, I say, can think of these things and not burn with gratitude to Heaven that we have been preserved from sharing in such horrors! Who, in contrast with what you have just contemplated, can look through this happy land, and see its busy inhabitants pursuing, without interruption, alarm or apprehension, all the beneficial employments of human life; lying down and rising up in quietness and safety; urging forward their various business with alacrity and success; tasting all the sweets of domestic enjoyment, "each under his vine and his fig-tree while there is nothing to hurt or to destroy." Who can view this pleasing contrast and not wonder that any should wish to destroy it—wish to involve us in the broils and bloodshed of the old world. Yet such a wish appears to have been formed: and imminent was the danger, at a certain period, that we should become a party in these shocking contentions. But the good providence of God has warded off the danger. To the good providence of God we owe it, that circumstances favorable to the continuance of our peace and safety have taken place. To him we owe our thanks, that he inspired the President of the union with wisdom to discern, and with firmness, calmness and resolution, to pursue, at the most trying moment, the true interests of our country. To heaven therefore let our warmest aspirations of praise arise for this fortunate escape, this happy and important deliverance."