Smyrna times., 1855-11-28
Thanksgiving Day.

IA
ay of thanksgiving and prayer in this State, :
BUSINESS was very generally suspended in our T
own, aud Divine Service was had in all our
,hurches, and eloquent and appropriate dis
courses given in the Episcopal Church by Rev.
). I. Carpenter, in the Presbyterian by Rev.
T. B. Bradford. and in the Methodist Episcopal :
by Rev. VIM. c. Robinson. A synopsis of the !,
sermon by the last named gentleman we ap-
pend, as follows:
Mr. r. announced for his text, Only fear
the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your
heart; for consider how great things he hath
done for you."-l Sam. IL, "a. The subject
of the text was introduced by an allusion to
the historical connection, when was proposed
for Discussion the duty enjoined and the metive
presented. A short time was occupied in ex-
planning the nature of the duty, " fear the
Lord" adhering closely to the phraseology of
the text: that the fear of God is to be in truth |
and with the whole heart; insisting, that the |
duty enjoined is obligatory upon every genera
ton; when an appeal was made to the congre-
cation, relative to the observance of the duty.
Delinquency was presumed, and argued, could
not be the result of the inadequacy of the
means employed to inform; therefore, in view
of the prevailing neglect, the motive in the
text was urged as incentive to the performance
of SO reasonable duty" for consider how great
things He hath done for you."
Mr.. R. contendcd: The great sin ofathe
world is, and always has been, inadequate con-
sideraton of religious duty, in proof of which
was cited Deut. 81, 29-Isaiah /, 3-John 5,
80, and Sam. u, "a. 1t was furthermore OBJ
served, that, to the Jews, the appeal of the
the Prophet Samuel must have been powerful,
for the stirring incidents of their history, from
the period of their captivity in Egypt to the
present, were familiar, and regarded as so many
grand displays of the miraculous Power of the
Almighty.
When the question was started, Should the
appeal in the text be any less cogent when ad-
dressed to US of the present generation? Has
not the Providence of God been as strongly
marked with the feature of goodness! "Con-
slider " the great things the Lord has done for us
as country-only about two hundred and fifty
, years since the settlement of jamestown, Vir-
ginia, and two hundred and thirty since the
/ landing of the Pilgrims on PlymoAth Rock: at
that time the country was an unbroken wilder
ness, inhabited by wild beasts, and more saw
age men; but the wild beasts have been sub
e dued, the forest has yielded TO the axe of the
|, pioneer, and the arts of civilization are every
q where to be seen.
s What great things the Lord has done for Vi
= as Nation We are now in the eightietl
d year of our National lndependence-in thu
" beginning of our existence as a nation, we hat
s but about three millions of people--now, &C
l. cording to the acknowledged ratio of increase
Y we can boast about twenty-nine millions; ono
e we were respected by few, and feared by non
= of the old dynasties of Europe--now, th
le American flag is seen on all waters and respect
L ed everywhere; and, whilst other nations ar
i, -mbroled in carnal warfare, and are suferin
Is the devastating effects, we are blessed with il
W ternal peace and unexampled prosperity; an
lie though the rumor of war is circulating throug
ed the land, the blessing of peace has too th'
It's roughly identified the interests of other natioI
r. with our own to lead them to desire a cessatio
DO of such amicuble relations.
id 1t was expressed as the opinion Of the speal
n err that our national prosperity is attributabl
lrt in great measure, to the fact, that the col
he federacy of these United States had adopted
ITO republican form of government striking resen
on bling the Theocracy of the Jews.
What great things have been done for us
IN denomination of Christians In seventee
III, hundred and thrty-nine, there were but eig
all or nlne Methodists in all the world--now,
no the short period of about one hundred and 81
DIS. teen years, we have grown to the magnitude
in- about one and half milions--we have ne
ion thirteen thousand church ediices, accommod
Tvs ting about four and half millions of souls.
ak After which were considered the genel
me prosperity of the country-the bountful
re- stownents of merciful Providence, temporal
ate and religiously, when Mr.. R. closed with
ng. earnest exhortaton to fear the Lord in tru
,ne with the whole heart, and unfeigned than
Do giving TO the Author of every blessing.
bat n-~P There was a large Railroad meeti