St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-11-20
St. Charles, Iowa, Nov. 20, 1856.
Thanksgiving.


or, has seen fit to appoint this as a
day of thanksgiving and praise"
The observance of Thanksgiving ap-
pears to be extending over all the
States, and this New England holiday
promises soon to become national
one which viii be observed from the
Atlantic, to the Pacific. As the festi-
val is purely American, we are glad
to-sse it-thus -honored, and we regard
it as one of the ties which will unite,
and is uniting, in still stronger bonds
the confederacy of this nation. The
political holiday, which occurs in the
heat of summer, has it's own purposes
and is not adopted to visiting and So
cial retinions. People are too busy
and the weather is too warm for the
full observance of holiday.
In the autumn, when the agricultu-
rallabors Of the year are over, there is
time for genial feelings tofind vent,
and for men to look at each other in a
more cordial light than debtor and
creditor, or buyer and seller.
Holidays, properly observed, have
a good influence upon the people,
Man, no more than the horse, can en-
dure unremitted labor; and common
holidays, in which all can unite, open
the heart and enlarge the vision.
Americans indeed have need Of a wide
scope Of sight, since they are required
to look over the Aleghanies on the
one, hand, and the Rocky Mountains
on the .Iother. Mason & Dixon's
line must be no barrier to their friend
]ysobservations.a So, give us Thanks
giving, Christmas and all; and with
them . truly devout spirit, which can
celebrate in a national, patriotic and
pious manner these happy festivals.
The churches of the land are gener:
ally open on these joyous festive days
and are tolerably well attended. 1t
must be confessed, however, that these
DAYS are not observed with that
strictness with which they ought to be.
They are getting to partake more of
the character of mere feasts, and too
often Of profane and vicious recrea,
ton. With such dissertations the wise
and good are sorely tried. 1t cannot
be disguised that the clergy, though
well.intentioned, have done something
to secularize days Of Thanksgiving,
Fasts, &C., by preaching SO often as
they have done upon politics, slavery,
and the like, instead Of the good old
fashioned thanksgiving sermons upon
the mercies and blessings Of God.
Let the pulpits of the LAND discourse,
as they may, true and powerful thanks
giving sermons in the strict sense,
emitting politics and the other topics
which tend to stir up strife and weak
en- their own influence for good, and
the people will be led to praise the
Lord their Maker, and observe the day
in more spiritual manner than they
are wont to do-for upon this subject
as upon every thing else, Like
priest, like people"
The true spirit Of Thanksgiving
Festival shows itself in the scattering
ofgoods and benefits; in relieving the
poor when they need, in making the
heart of the destitute sing for joy.
He who selfishly wraps himself up in
his own grcediness, or buttons all the
rest of the world out of his thoughts
and sympathies under a good warm
overcoat, has no right to pretend to
any gratitude. He does not possess
it. It is not in him. Selfshness car
ries with it this retributive justice
that it mars enjoyment.
It is the charm of Thanksgiving
that it is Home Festival. Families
gather to recount the mercies OF the
year, while neighborhoods and com
munities meet to rehearse the good
ness of God in the harvest, in COM
merce, in public health, and in all the
general interests Of society. The oc
casion appeals to every grateful sen
timent and every kindly emotion of the
heart. We welcome the return Of this
day for its genial influence upon ALL
humanizing the masses, whose daily
life is mere brute-dragging at the
wheels of care; cheering the poor with
it's generous bounties; enriching the
aged with voices and memories Of
love, and blessing childhood with its
social festivities. Long may it live
to commemorate the heart-and-home.
life of the "stern old Puritan" and to
diffuse through the nation that he
moulded with his will, the Grace that
gave him strength and hope and joy
-o,- ~,solIc ~ hsc AacrnpI