New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-30
THANKSGIVING SERMONS.

Plymouth Church 10 very large and attentive
congregation. We .ive full report of bis re.
marks
ADD all the peopl. departed svsry 70 h' house. and
David returned 20 b ess BIS house" II Ch'on- 1873
have read in your boarng the ceremony and
worship Of Thanksgiving, reoorded in the Old res.A
meet perio, med by David sbd his servants, upoo e
memorable occasion Of ths restoration Of Gods long
exiIed AK tn IFS House You ~ih observe th.t have
selected the closing verse G: this chapter FOR text
When tho pubic ceremonies Il Thanksgiving were
done. every man returned 70 biz house, and D.
yid The Chief msn Of the n+don is kiog set the ex
ample and returned to bless his House. The Sane.
tuuy anc the House the pubic Congregation sas the
private HOusebee, the Churc; and The Familv-taese
were the features OF that UebTes DOlty which acting
through ages has stamped its Il aence upon West4rp
institutions. For when the jews had been torn up
and part Of th.m destroyed, the scattered Ike
chat in al the world, the s1acog of their old in.
slituticbs fell upon moders days; and Ike the sbsdon
OF the Apostles, II has had power 10 il than the
living presence OF moot Institutions which the world
hAs bad
as ides of srt-s language, aud bot philoso ny hat
motive toward philosorhi=ing-bat rot 6 siogIe In
stitatso-. Az Institution is MI organized power either
OF seas or Of Implements OF pc yer. do not re IN
Der one that caue from toe Greeks.
The KomaLs-leSs than the reeks in auguaye less in
philosOphizHg tendency, les 10 art-h-ve left 70 the
world most powerful org AIMING tendenoes- The Law
OF the " ord bso Roman lesven in it.
The Jew sIG tie Roman have lett institutions TO the
world TIE ffst institutions based upon natural in
stisots ths second, based upon ideas sBo artificial
wants TIE jew organized the atf>ctlons the Roman,
tbs civil rights OF maa The Family is Jewish the
Civil Law "a RomsD. Boz Of taese are JET Living
Fcrces. But one works at tie root tbs other 10 tes
branches. The one shapes tho inward life aud SUB
stance Of mems nature, the other shapes the outward
life and actions.
Our Puritan Ancestors were men Of the Old Tesla
nest DrleosaiiOD planted 10 New England They
were mighty, but lot Normal. they were driven by
disgust into reactions against amenities graces n1o
oeDt sports and the sp!rt of brt and beauty No nsn
formed by a reaction can be Dormal They wsre
driven by suffering and pc secuoR clear back Of tbs
New Tesauent INFO the Old And az the Jews were
sometimes driven out OF Ole Jerusa EN- aud compelled
to hide from their enemies in the mountains round
about, 90 the Puritan Driven cut of tae New Je-
rusaism of Gospel aud compelled 10 find rest and
refuge 10 II rugged pesses Of TIE Old Testament
The Ola Testament Wa Chld OF Storms. 1t Wa the
gradual product Of times OF suffering and wrong. II
contains the views OF truth which PECULIARLY sustain
man urdtr such Influences Toe views OF God; the
exhibitions Of Divine Justcs; the whole revelation OF
Providence, are such 10 comfort men WAC are
stripped by misfortupe and failed by peroecu-
ton. And, In every age men who are
deeply religious, and called TO suffer persecution toc
moral pTiLoplo have taken refuge ia those views Of
God which the Old Testament gives. Aud they will
continue 10 DO til the end Of the werld Criticism
may destroy H. and skepticism turn II under like sod
double eeep-but the moment men are brought into
distress By wrong they will search 10 out, ana dig II
mp, ami live upon ii Being 40 driven, our Puritan
fathers became thoroughly imbued with Old. Testament
ioeas. IL was fortunate for US tost It wes 60 There
are such il uences in the world for the formation
OF the Family the Old Testament Influences Ali
ether institutions were subsidiary to the Famiy-thS
was the paramount one. Customs, fes1yas, worship,
ritusl tempe-sl were to give way st length-ths
Family never. And while these lived they were but
the servants Of the Family, and whsteyer influences
came from tho ore general and public HebTsE nst-
A.AtA h. h. ullar Oha nnGla
God down into the Fsmilies so bst the whole pohty
Of the Hebrews not central lake OF theocracy,
fed by all the streams and head fpuOgs Of families,
but rather q reservoir, and families we're supplied VITA
inAueIc&s BY drawing from it. The Government aud
Church were made for the family and not the family
for Government Church. When David and the
people had finished the public service OF Thanksgiving
They went to their HOUSES That Yves the night pscs
to go to. Whatever man gets ia the sanctuary he
should store up in the House.
In the beginning the THAI ksgivng Festival Of New
England wss festival for harvets-s festival OF IT,
gathering. II tod the history Of the year lte mean
ing in tho meeting was expressive Of JOY ana
gratitude for the years fidelity to It's avs and me
applications of them TO human wants by human skill
ard industry.
On such day one might 30 back to the frat forrows
OF Spring; 10 the bircs swaming ~ er tae po Tman
ard seedman Ia the sowing and psGtiDgi TO the ten
der lifting up Of the willing earth ny seeds first psep'
ing forth 10 zee il il tune to wake up and grow.
We look back through long flies OF Sumner days,
whose Offering rsys were brighter with heat aha sun
Ieht thaa all the lances oi an armed host Warm
rams patter on the roof OF mer Dry we see the
black bel led cloud we hesr the voice OF thunder,
which IL the OILY sound t1at dare represent the voice
OF Geo except The ocean when IL breaks upon tle
shore look back and smell the orchards, and see
the yellow sryest-feld. We hear the creskiog OF
whees the waius bear homo the grsln-heece OF the
earth, Standing in the month Of November, which ls
the porch OF Winter, we look back through rudy
boughs and gold-ranks of muttudinous harvest INTO
The open bosom Of Summer and into the very eyes OF
Spring, a2d lifting up orr hearts we msnk Goa ioi
furrow and seed for grass aud Hover, Tor corn snd
fruit for ram and dew for light aud darkness anG Tor
the whole mystery of that sublime year, through whose
evoluiious God brings forth all the treasures OF our
outward HE
But though this day is aud was day of Harvest
Thanksgiving, the peculiar Anglo-Saxo Hebrew, Pu-
ritau spirit bas covered IL over with another telling
The whole abundance of the year Ia but God oteriog
Of love TO the Family. The Household IL the grand
center AND fruit and grain, wool and fax, root and
seed all take their value from what they can 90 for
the Family.
IL ia the rs Int hand Of the farmer family The scyhe
and the sickle are but the fingers o. tae household
cutting the locks from the head Of the year. And
what thing Is done the farm, in the shop along the
street but cone ior the Family Only the navy and
the army DO not work for families. They are unhstu-
raj They are not institutions founded on natural
instincts but ors auzed medicines 70 be administered
10 tho deeses of natural instinct But the merchant
runs through itch Of gold alone Is the family
behind him that WORKS moro than mere love OF money
II il rot the love of work skill that drives up the
shop--it Is the love OF wife and child ana me aoy
sspctiiiep of the Roof
Hence Thsnkss living has is heart in the Family:
We 20 first 70 Church. But then, ike toe people ana
HE KING David we 90 hack to our house. And ON
that cay there was not Hebrew VINO, once W,oiR us
own door did not feel every inch as great a. hing
David lie was as great The hing oil Israel was
nothing but father and husband in his own family:
King was less than Father, ana the greater swAo"e1