The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-01
NEW YORK CORRESPONDENCE
NEW Yong Non Ok IS


To the Editor of the National Era.
Did you ever pass Thanksgiving day in
Gotham If not, have theme in the doings
OF yesterday which will interest you. The oc-
caslon passed off far more quiety and pleas
antly | may say, than ! anticipated, for you
must know that however much have expe-
renced OF New York lfa in its other multifari-
Gus phases, it has never been my lot to spend
this HOLIDAY in this city before. | anticipated
more excitement and less pacific state of the
social elements than characterized the day
There were some parades of the fremen. and
even of the military, but no riots grew out of
them, rs is so apt to be the case in Philadel-
phia, Baltimore, and other places in your drec
ton. The Sabbath could not have presented
more quiescence, and a Sabbath in Gotham
is much more quietly passed than a distant
stranger would imagine, with the statistics of
our population in view. It is possible that the
effect of the contrast of yesterday with other
days was to make our city seem more quiet
than it really was, and that the same OBJ
tains rs to Sunday but yet New York has re-.
markably quiet holydays One reason of this
is, doubtless, the facilities afforded here. for
getting to suburban and rural retreats, by
stages and cars which are very great.
There was II great deal of formal show of
thanksgiving yesterday. A single fact will be
sufficient to convince you of this, and it is the
appearance of no less than nine Thanksgiving
sermons among the reports Of the Tribune
alone. And yet there were probably ten times
as many places Of worship open have call
cd this formal show Perhaps the express
SION may not do justice to all the religious Oh
sSvances Of the day but, if one might Judge
ha nd Inn Of, 81
sermons, two of which J happened to hear my
self it is strictly desc iptve Of most of them
They give evidence Of very little practically
or heartiness and are filed with the everyday
commonplace of the scrmonizers la scarce
ly any of them have the associations and sIg-
gestions of the occasion called forth progress
sive thought. la giving thanks to God for the
personal prosperity and happiness of their sew
cral fiocks, the preachers one would have sup
posed, would have naturally thought Of their
less blessed fellow mortals, and particularly of
the slaves. But not they They never seem.
ed to think of national sins Hence. ntemper
ance is made topic by only one of them
Rev DR.. Osgood.
This gentlcman's effort afforded quite a
pleasing exception to the general rule, with
the drawback referred to- He did not forget
the " landless poor" but, to the contrary ho
dwelt iorclby upon their claims upon the re.
lief Of the National Government Some of the
other sermonizers seemed to have forgotten
even the poor at their doors, thinking, AZ it
were, of only the prosperity of the focks from
which they severally get their pay, and urging
them to thankiulncss for their own prosperity
The exception to this last statement came from
Il source which made it sound more like bur:
lesque than anything else | alndo to the dis
course of Rev. Dr.. Higbee preached in Trinity
church, which was surcharged with exhorta
tons TO charity. By HIM, Gods poor were
certainly remembered in words
II deeds follow from the notoriou.y over
grown Trinity Corporation, it, poor tenantry
will certainly have cause to remember yester.
day--unless, indeed their alleged sauallid
wre,chedness has been greatly exaggerated
and the responsibility of the church member
ship has been greatly over.e,tmated
You will infer from the foregoing remarks
that the evidences Of religious vitality, which
IL but another word for practically, given by
the churches Of this city did not satisfy nv
ideal Of Christianity. You will infer rightly.
They did not. They have given one of those
instances Of condemnation from witnesses own
mouths TO which the blessed founder of Chris
III.
When mil Thanksgiving DAYS and Fast days
mean something instead Of becoming the SOL
emn mockerics that they become under the OBJ
sefvance of 30 large portion of the religious
world!
But there were some doings outside the
steepe houses" which partially redeemed
Thanksgiving day. These propose to briefly
notice: The Home for the Frendlcss was open.
al E,y H., e.. -.
charitable institution was inspected by several
highly delighted with the practical benefits it
is bestowing upon the juw nile recipients Of its
care. Or these, there are at present about
sixty or seventy. About six hundred dollars
was realized in donations This a noble in
stitution
The Ladies' Home Missionary Society gave
its fourth annual festival yesterday. This in
stitution is located at the Five Pontf, opposite
to the House OF Industry, superintendent by
Rev Mr.. Peaso, already noticed by me I
mention this because the two institutions are
not unfrequen,ly confDunded The festival took
place at the new Mission House which stands
upon the site Of the famed sold Brewery
The scene was beart-cheorng one. The
children Of the Mission we've truly happy M
happy could be- Their smiling faces threw
halo OF heatltudes around the day, such it is
rarely the lot of mortals to enjoy Where all
were 80 joyful yesterday, vice aud misery ruled
supreme bat five years ago. How blessed the
change! Early in the day, the work Of prepara-
ton commenced. Three long tables were erected
in The large schoolroom, in the basement of
the building They were covered with neat,
white tableeloths, and spread with bouuti-
ful supply of food Upon tho wall were ap-