America for Americans!

for Americans!', by John Philip
Newman

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Title: 'America for Americans!' The Typical American, Thanksgiving
Sermon
Author: John Philip Newman
Release Date: January 25, 2007 [EBook #20446]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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"AMERICA FOR AMERICANS!"

THE TYPICAL AMERICAN.
Thanksgiving Sermon
OF
Rev. John P. Newman, D.D., LL.D.,
AT
METROPOLITAN M. E. CHURCH,
WASHINGTON, D. C.,
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25TH, 1886.
Subject: "OUR PLACE AMONG THE NATIONS."
PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF THE CONGREGATION.
WASHINGTON: RUFUS H. DARBY, PRINTER. 1886.
FOR SALE BY C. C. PURSELL.
Ten Cents per Copy. Fifteen Copies for One Dollar.
* * * * *
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 26th, 1886.
REV. J. P. NEWMAN, D.D.:
DEAR SIR: The universal approval by every loyal, liberty-loving
American citizen who listened to your Thanksgiving sermon yesterday,
together with the philosophic and fearless manner with which the great
themes therein discussed were treated, prompts a desire to extend its
influence by a wider circulation than even that large congregation can
give. We would, therefore, to meet the wishes of the congregation as
expressed by their unanimous vote at the close of the discourse, request

that you furnish us with a copy for publication.
Very respectfully,
J. C. TASKER, J. D. CROISSANT, A. P. LACEY, GEO. H. LA
FETRA, B. CHARLETON.
* * * * *
WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov. 30th, 1886.
DEAR FRIENDS: The sermon has excited a public interest beyond any
thought of mine. I herewith send you the stenographic report of the
discourse, made by Messrs. Dawson and Tasker. The wisdom of your
request is confirmed by many letters from eminent citizens here and
abroad, commending the sentiment and demanding the publication. I
would like to print some of these letters, indicative of the deep feeling
on this great subject. As stated in the sermon, intelligent foreigners
approve my course. The Germans of Wisconsin have sent me a copy of
their memorial to Congress, asking for such a modification of our
naturalization laws as will protect our free institutions from selfish and
ignorant immigrants. The intelligent foreigners have taken the initiative.
Your Pastor,
JOHN P. NEWMAN.

AMERICA FOR AMERICANS.
"I have set thee on high above all the nations of the earth."--Deut.
xxviii., 1.
By the voice of magisterial authority this secular day has been hushed
into the sacred quiet of a national Sabbath. From savannahs and prairies,
from valleys and mountains, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, more than
fifty millions of freemen have been invited to gather around the altars
of the God of our fathers, and pour forth the libation of their gratitude
to Him who is the giver of every good and perfect gift. If in all the past,

nations have made public recognition of the divinities which have
presided over their destiny, according to their faith and practice, it is
but reasonable and highly appropriate that we, as a Christian people,
enlightened as no other people, favored as no other nation, should once
in the twelve months consecrate a day to the recognition of Him whose
throne is on the circle of the heavens, who is the benefactor of the
husbandman, the genius of the artisan, the inspiration of the merchant,
and from whom comes all those personal, domestic, social, and
national benedictions which render us a happy people and this day
memorable in the annals of time.
If the year that ends to-day has been marked with severity it has also
been distinguished by goodness. If chastisements have come to us as
individuals, families, communities, and as a nation; if the earthquake,
and the tornado, and the conflagration, have combined to teach us our
dependence on the Supreme Being--all these should be esteemed as
ministers of the Highest to teach us that we are pensioners upon the
infinite bounty of the Almighty; that in our prosperity we should
remember His mercies; in our adversity we should deplore our
transgressions.
It is evident to the most casual observer that the past year has been
significant in the manifestations of divine guidance and goodness.
To-day peace reigns throughout our vast domain. No foreign foe
invades our shores. How superior our condition by way of contrast with
our neighbors on this side of the globe. In contrast with Central and