numberless temples and before countless altars, prostrating themselves before the seat of divine glory, and making the air, from the coast of the Atlantic to the coast of the Pacific, re-echo with the recognition of His goodness and mercy. Such unanimity in the prayers of peace, such concord in the devotions of good will, is unparalleled in the countries of serfdom, and only possible where freedom has redeemed the majesty of human nature. Devotions of such force and extent, I might say, cannot fail to be heard, to be graciously accepted. I do not mean this in the vulgar sense of heaven-storming bigotry-nay, I would rather, in this sense, individualize and seclude the homage of the worshiper. But still, in the co-action and concurrence of large bodies and communities, there underlies a certain spirit of brotherhood and reciprocity, of human dignity and organizing strength, which guarantees success, and is upheld as a promoter of godliness by the more enlightened religious spirit.

When our rabbis maintained that the petitions of a community are sure to be heard and fulfilled,* they in their peculiar and symbolical language gave vent to an important truth portrayed all through the history of mankind. To the earnest majority belongs the power and the success, and whatever an enlightened multitude wills and pursues, that is sure to come forth and to be effected. Now, to will what is good, and righteous, and honest, means to urge God on His side-that God of truth who necessarily sides with objects of truth and sincerity.

A community immersed in grateful feelings for the profuse gifts of providential mercy seems to pronounce its own justification, and to bear testimony to its own moral worth, for whatever Supreme goodness dispenses to the mortal tends to enhance and carry upward his better nature; as it is said, "He shall receive a blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation."+

Such blessing to the happy receiver means wealth and real substance, unmarred by the drosses of bitter remorse; for, as the royal Sage has it, "The blessing of the Lord enriches, and conveys no sorrow with it.":

Once more, let us insist on it, whatever constitutes a religious mode of gratitude will at all times dignify and adorn the gracious acknowledgment of the patriot and the citizen.

CAUSES FOR THANKFULNESS ON THE PART OF THE ISRAELITES.

But to thank God in public, it is further maintained, links man more closely to human society, and serves to reconcile him with the bond of general broth

*Berachot, 6 a., 8 a.

Psalms, xxiv: 5.

+ Proverbs, x: 22.

erhood. This is forcibly shown in the words of our text: "When thou hast eaten and art satisfied, then thou shalt praise the Lord thy God for the good land which He hath given thee." Whereto shall we look for this promised land of noble and costly produces? Surely it is not merely a country of earthly abundance, flowing with milk and honey; it is not a province of merely historical significance; it is not an Eldorado of the past, immensely distanced from the channel of our present exertions and loving desires. By "the good land" I can only denote a Godly land of blessed immunity, of noble freedom, of encouraging activity—a land wherein the citizen may move his hands at liberty-"a domain of vast circumference."*

Suppose it could be satisfactorily proved to us that the promises of divine goodness were limited to the land of Palestine: why, it would perhaps be much better to blot out these words from our ritual than to repeat them daily with a meaningless devotion, in the fertile plains of a western hemisphere. But far from blotting them out, we mean to apply them most forcibly to all the advantages which America holds out to our longing spirit. What earthly domain, in blessings, both physical and mental, can equal the United Statesthat beloved harbor of freedom for so many millions of the oppressed and persecuted! In these vast territories which Washington redeemed for human dignity and rights, let us recognize a goodly land which God has given to our manly labor. What America, in its milder and more benignant rule, has done for the homeless Israelite and his outlawed creed, from the first day when its stripes and stars were unfurled, until this date, it would be impossible to compress in a few passing oratorical remarks. It was the United States that has wiped away the word "exile" (galuth) from the pages of Judaism-that has erased it out of the vocabulary of Jewish feelings. O, that gloomy phrase of the exile (galuth), which, like a shadowy cloud, had so long enwrapped the Jewish horizon, how many of you heard it sung at your cradle! how many hopes of infancy it has stifled, how many joys of manhood it has blighted! Now, I do not believe that even our orthodox brethren of the most benighted and most stringent ritual ever speak of an exile in connection with America.

And permit me, at this juncture, to join my personal gratitude with the thanksgiving of the myriads. Little did I dream, at this time of last year, that so soon I might become the humble medium of your devotions, and be deemed worthy to carry your inspired thanks up to the throne of the Almighty. And now I, too, have become a dweller and a sojourner in the blessed land of

* Genesis, xxxiv: 21.

freedom, and my whole nature is elated by the proud hope of remaining its active citizen.

Therefore let us all jointly thank the Lord for the goodly land of labor and of freedom, labor's crowning reward. And pray do not mix the gloomy anticipations of political warfare, the predictions of endless party spirit and injurious dissension, with the solemn sensation of this happy hour. Pray do not believe in the evil auguries of so many political soothsayers that forebode strife and calamity to this land and to this nation.

Be sure the sound spirit of freedom can and will discard all the disastrous clouds which overhang our present hopes. Depend upon it, the moral resources of this free homestead will give the final denial to all the false prophets conspiring against its world-wide fame. A free and mighty commonwealth like this can bear a great deal of dissension and strife, and yet uphold its glorious part in the council of the nations. And, last of all, take it at its worst, I, at least, and no doubt all of you with me, would rather suffer by the deficiencies and shadows of liberty than thrive and fatten by the advantages of servitude. Yes, let us thank the Lord, as patriots ought to do, and by such gratitude be linked more closely to the goodly land of independence. Amen.

MODERN SPIRITUALISM-A CENTENNIAL LESSON.*

The rise and growth of modern Spiritualism is one of the signs of the times noteworthy in our Centennial. In less than thirty years it has reached the four quarters of the globe, and counts illustrious names of noble and true men and women among its advocates. In our country its believers are variously estimated from a million to four millions. In our State fifty thousand would be a moderate estimate, and to this might be added ten-fold that number whose hearts have been touched by the subtle sweep of this influx from the supernal world.

THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING.

This spiritual awakening is vital and significant. Immortality is an intuition, a truth of the soul. The future life is not merely a dream, it is a fact patent to the senses as well as to the soul. In an old hymn, in the Hindoo Vedas, it is said, "Come, O Great Father! along with the spirits of our fathers." Paul speaks with triumphant faith of the mortal putting on immortality. Here come the facts of Spiritualism, old as history, for there was ever the same divine

*From an address by Giles B. Stebbins, at Detroit, March 31, 1876.

law, but richer and finer in these last days. The loved ones, The loved ones, "not lost, but gone before," can and do come to us. The mother's love is undying, and she makes her guardian presence known to her child. The golden link is lasting and unbroken. Through the outward senses we get glimpses of the hereafter, as in the apostolic days, and the voice within, which says, "Thou shalt never die," speaks all the more clearly. Frauds are detected, but only as the dust in the sunbeam, making the light more palpable, keeping the judgment and reason awake. The spirit world is impartial, and pays small heed to earthly rank or wealth; the poor in purse are rich in spirit, and the favored of earth are favored of Heaven as well, if fit for such high privilege.

In fit time, amidst our absorbing business activities, comes this awakening to the soul's wealth and worth; this revival of intuitive ethics and morals; this recognition of the beauty and supremacy of spiritual law; this ideal of man as microcosmic in body and spirit, related to all the world of matter and mind, of time and eternity. The spiritual idea of the future meets and fills our sympathy and affection, feeds the heart-hunger that yearns for our loved ones, and finds them near and living in a higher life. Teaching no bibliolatry, it will make the transfiguration scene and the apocalyptic visions glow with new beauty as significant and wondrous yet natural facts. It will spiritualize science, and recognize intuition and deduction as pioneers in discovery, with induction and experiment to verify and confirm, and so complete the now fragmentary and imperfect process.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

We have especial occasion to connect Spiritualism with the Centennial, in view of its broad scope and generous spirit, which accords with the American idea of liberty of conscience and separation of church and state. It asks for equality of rights, that mutual charity may increase. It would tax the church as we do the poor man's cottage, and by this simple justice check ecclesiastical pride and costly display. It would give no favor to any class or sect in our free schools, and would remand Bible reading and all religious exercises to the home and the church, where each can use his own methods, with no injustice to the conscience of others. It asks the state to avoid all interference or favor touching religious opinions and practices.

To study the events of the century, seeking any lessons therefrom, and leave out Spiritualism, would be strangely unwise. As yet we cannot see its full significance; the modern movement is too near, too large and too new, but surely it deserves candid and fair attention.

PART IV.

THE INTERNATIONAL CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION.

I. PRELIMINARY HISTORY AND ORGANIZATION.

*

HE inception of the great Centennial Exhibition rests with Professor J. L. Campbell, of Wabash College, Indiana, and secretary of the United States Centennial Commission since its organization, who, in December, 1866, wrote to Hon. Morton McMichael, mayor of Philadelphia, suggesting the holding of an international exhibition in 1876, as the most suitable method of observing the completion of the first century of American national existence, and presented many reasons why such Centennial celebration should be held in Philadelphia. Mayor McMichael, in reply, cordially endorsed the proposition in his own behalf, as well as on the part of many prominent citizens of the city, and promised to take measures, at the proper time, to secure its accomplishment. In November, 1868, Professor Campbell wrote a second letter to Mayor McMichael, urging immediate action, and to this received a reply concurring in the opinion that the time had arrived when an active effort should be made to carry out the suggestions previously submitted and considered.

The agitation of the subject was continued in various ways, and on the twentieth of January, 1870, John L. Shoemaker, Esq., a member of the Select Council of Philadelphia, introduced resolutions, which were unanimously adopted in that and in the Common Branch, endorsing the proposition to hold an international exhibition at Philadelphia, in 1876. These resolutions were the first official act relating to a Centennial celebration. The Legislature of Pennsylvania, and the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia, promptly endorsed the

* Many of the facts here given relating to the early history of the Exhibition, are stated in condensed form in pamphlet publications by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The chapter, however, is largely compiled from the proceedings of the United States Centennial Commission, for which, and for many other favors, the editor is indebted to the secretary, Professor Campbell.