The Press.
London, England, 1854-09-30 00:00:00

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SEPTEMBER 30, 1854.

THE GENERAL THANKSGIVING.

THE following " Prayer of Thanksgiving to Almighty
God for the present abundant Harvest" is ordered to
be read to-morrow (Sunday, Oct. 1) at morning and
evening service in all churches and chapels in Eng-
land and Wales :

" Almighty God anti Father, of whose only gift it cometh
that the earth is made to yield its increase for the suste•
nancu of man, vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to accept this
our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, that Thou hest
crowned the year with Thy goodness, and caused the earth
to bring forth abundantly, that it might give seed to the
sower and bread to the eater. We acknowledge, 0 Lord,
that it is of Thy great mercy that the evils of want and
scarceness are not added to the dangers of warfare abroad
and the terrors of pestilence at home. We might have
sown much anti brought in little ; the heaven might have
been stayed from dew, and the earth stayed from her fruit.
But Thou has dealt graciously with Thine unworthy ser-
vants, and hest blessed the labours of the husbandman, and
filled our garners with all manner of store. And now,
Lord, entreat Thee, together with these temporal mer-
cies, to bestow the inestimable gift of Thy Holy Spirit, that
a due sense of Thy goodness towards this land may awaken
in us a more sincere repentance toward Thee, and a more
earnest faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that
the dangers by which we are still threatened—the pesti-
lence which walketh in darkness, and the sword which de-
atroyeth at noon-day—may lead us to a more active obe-
dience to 'fhy laws, a more earnest endeavour to conform
to Thy will, and to advance Thy glory. Dispose the hearts
of those to whom abundance has been giver. to use that
abnndance in relieving the necessities of the poor and des
titute ; that, whilst many have gathered plenty, none may
pine in want and penury. Thus may Thy judgments and
fhy mercies alike work together for the spiritual benefit of
all the people of this land, and tend to graft in their hearts
an increasing lore and fear of Thee, our only refuge in the
time of trouble.* Hear, we beseech Thee, 0 Lord, these
our humble petitions, and receive these our thanksgivings,
for His sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen."

• To be added where the cholera prevails :—" And may the
frequent instances of mortality which we have mien remind us
all of the nearness of death, and of the lodgment that is to fol-
low; that, whether living or dying, we may he found faithful dis-
ciples of Him who has taken away the sting of death, and opened
the gate of everlasting life to all believers."

THE REV. DR. ADLER, the Jewish chief rabbi, has
issued a form of thanksgiving and prayer to he used
in all the synagogues thronghout the united congre-
gations in the British empire, on the first day of the
Feast of Tabernacles, the 7th of October, 5815 (1854 ).

THE CITY OF LONDON GENERAL. PENSION SOCIETY
held their annual meeting at the London Tavern on
Monday. The report presented and read by the
secretary stated that during the thirty-six years the
society had been in existence 58,963/. ss. had been
distributed in monthly pensions to decayed artisans,
mechanics, manufacturers, tradesmen, and the widows
of such persons above 60 years of age, and that at the
present time there are forty-four pensioners on the
funds—viz., twenty men and twenty-four women, who
receive—the men 275. a month and the women 18s.
per month. Since the last annual meeting, seven
pensioners had died • five men and two women. In
April last four new pensioners were elected out of a
list of twenty-eight candidates, and the directors pro-
posed to elect three additional pensioners—two men
and one woman—in October next. The accounts
showed receipts for the year, including balance, and
2491. 19s. 10(1. dividends on stock, to the amount of
1,097/. 17s. tki., of which 5971. 3s. had been paid in
pensions, 2641. 19s. Hd. in salaries and expenses ;
leaving a balance in hand of 2351. 14s. 10(1. The
amount of capital belonging to the charity invested
in the public funds was reported to be 7,8551. 168.6 d.
The report and accounts baying been adopted, Earl
Stanhope was re-elected president of the institution ;
the officers for the ensuing year were also elected ;
and the meeting separated.
Os Saturday last a fine paddle-wheel steamer,
named the Pacific, was launched from the yard of Mr.
Scott Russell, at Millwall. She, is the property of a
company formed in Australia, and intended for the
coasting trade in that country. She is of a singularly
beautiful build, her run and lines being so fine as to
cause it to be expected that, she will be one of the
fastest steamers afloat. It is confidently anticipated
that her average speed will be sixteen miles an hour,
while more than that will be got out of her on favour-
able occasions. Her dimensions are—length over
all, 270 feet; ditto between perpendiculars, 250;
hteadth, 32 ; d, pat, 24; tonnage, 1,200 tons. The
engines are oscillating, of 450 nominal lierse-power,
working up to more than 1,000 effective horse-power.
She has two large decks for passengers, of whom she
will carry between three and four hundred, and her
saloon is more elegantly decorated and furnished than
any similar vessel in this country
Tug Board of Guardians of the parish of St. Ann,
Soho, where the late visitation of cholera has made
such terrible havoc, have formed themselves into a
committee to collect and receive the contributions of
the benevolent for the purpose of relieving the desli-
tute families who have been bereaved of their
natural protectors by the epidemic. Other parishes
are about to follow the example.

THE PRESSi

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