The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-11-27
THANKSGIVING DAY.
SERMONS AT THE VARIOUS CHURCHES
IRsported for the Daily Ercaonge. ]
TRINITY CHURCH, BROADWAY.
Rgr fra, 4 T,1J.s,,

God: for it is pleasant and praise is comely.'
We meet under pleasant circumstances 1t is go03
thing to give thanks.'' Prayer is attended with peni
tence bat to-day express our gratitude Praise with
out Litany, and then there with US thousands Of
congregations. "OurS is solitary voice" iii is de-
lightful to whole congregation praisng Cod how
cheering to see whole nation thus engaged
And for what shall we thank Him
For creatiothat God has given us immortal facu
ties. He made the the fields the trees but then per
ish while each of us shall live eternay.
And then this preservation is a continuous creation
preserving our lives in sickness and dangers We walk
among the graves early companions we are this
day in the enjoyment of health and reason the nonu-
ments of his continued care
Creation and preservation blessings toan indrdI
though placed desert isand but Se have homes and
trtesdS; and how much is meant by these endearing
terms? spot where our is welcome where our
departure is missed
How many wanderers our very streets who as thav
see the cheerful light of otter homes must saw with
sigh, "there is no home for me.n
And can forget on this day our second HoD,eo The
place of spiritual birth and nourishment Why what
were home without its altar? day without a SUM-
But see from this sacred spring there is rverand
it enters home kindness and fobearance grow upon its
banks. And in the Church itself what endships have
been formed? lntimaces without jar. am sure that
many members of this family, though in distant land
would often think of the sweet communion held here
am sure that in leaving these things of time many will
their last parting look on the scenes and ssoctons
OF this sacred place, and glad to believe that if the
dsembodied have any interest earh that interest is
concentrated around such spot this These various
merces can be estimated but there is nest
mable. 1t is the mercy of God in Christ Jesus-and
shall we remember lesser mercies and not appreciate
TINS! lnlS mountain OF the w
Heaven and shall any one be pleased with the beauty of
the surrounding hills, and yet be unable to see this?
No. my brethren not only is the Cross of Christ the
greatest mercy but without it all others inUiS ibe
What is earths beauty without the sun? What are Gods
merces without Christ? Creation preservation Home
the church all dark until the Son of righteousness
shines upon them. And the of discovers
meaning in each stone beauty in leaf language
in each staso in each event of life the christian dis
covers the hand of Father Do address any one who
not thankful for this crowning gift of od?-then this no
day to you and would entrea you to go
TINS very day TO the Cross and stay there sufficiently long
and then life Will have new meanng-and hark the
voice, the advent season! He comes Christ is com
ing But suppose that most of those address are diff
ferent they do feel grateful and is this that induced
them to return and present their annual Thanksgiving
But with these thanks mingled feelings of pain and
white in reviewing the past years we must saw How
good is Godin we are also compelled say 'Iow thank
less we!n and what shall do2 Let our deficiencies
answer They urge us TO give ourselves anew to his
blessed service. And what field do hearts pre-
5 ent? Missionary field. How many years have past
and how few converted thoughts and empers? What lit
tie progress Heavenward. And when look at our
BomeS-wha field is there! Have the stars a language
and has home voice? All. my brethren from every
home there is call for our aid and every that
derSands the voice of Christ will hear that Home
And then think of the honor of working with God.
have not mentioned our city and country because
think them unimportant but because in reforag our
and church. and through them upon our city and
nation And though it may impossible for single
iRdiUiddi TO benefit whole community we must remem-
ber that God not only acts through each person. that
He often uses the weakest instruments accomplish the
y III
merely living but always acting Its influence is en-
balmed Its example grows with Time.
See the recent suggestion of an eminent physician He
comes forward alone and proposes plan for improving
our city which if successful will perpetuate his name
The valley is filled. The hill is evelled there not
in the churcl-in our homes-the need Of improve
ment which will bring eternal happiness? Is there not in
ecery church hill of difficulty? And shall the christian
not think of that othink of some plan to welcome the
Prince of Peace, by opening highway for HIS coming?
If there the for eternity time what
happy inventions would rise from many heart. What
,Ias-aI leo,
IdresultS not attracting the gaze of the crowd but
resting the attention of Heaven. And now what says
The past? 1t tells of who were here on last
Thanksgiving day, who are here no more. And what
lOes the future say? 1t says that now here
will not be here when the congregation is called to
he next Thanksgiving And the united voices of the past
md future concentrate the present and declare Pre-
pare to meet thy God.' And what mercy it is that we
permitted to he here fo- such object while thou
sands pass idly by, Of whom Christ might say '.Were
there not ten healed and where are the nine? They
turn thanks" And how show our gratitudeS
BY giving ourselves up to his service.
We ought my Brethren, to be liberal at all times but
chiefly this day. when tables are crowned with
llenty and when our children are merry with their holi
lay Then now let us remember that within squares
IF our dwellings there are tables with the most scanty
promise and little children wondering why the
closed and asking the mother 'What is Thanksgiving
lay? Would it, my friends, take from your pleasure
visit such family and those little eyes glisenng
with gladness? This the day when the Samaritan stops
lfc's journey and raises the head of fnng brother
This is the day when Christians return thanks Christ
another year and though they him in per-
son, they may find him this afternoon at cheerless
Home The wise took months to perporm their pill
grmage We may have that privilege in the visit of an
iO1tr
The angels came from Heaven to say
That Christ was born on Christmas day
And wise their King adore,
By bringing offerings to His poor.
And should it not be lot to another Thanksgv
ng day here We shall have the satisfaction Of knowing
hat our last eXertons for Christ the best-My last
Thanksgiving day on earth was my hsppiest.' noO
understand that text-'Ionor the Lord with thy sub
stance and with the first fruits of all thine increase
shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy presses
burst out with new wine"
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Edyette and North Streets
Divine service held in this church. when the Pas
or, the Rev j. c. Backus D. D. delivered discourse ap
1roprate to the OCCASION founded upon the cxxvi psalm
we're like then that dream. There mouth filled
with laughter and tongue with singing. Then said
hey among the heahenthe Lord hath done great things
or them the Lord hath done great things for whereof
We glad. Turn again our captivity, Lord the
reams in the south They that in tears shall reap
n joy He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing
precious seed shall doubtless again with rejoicing
bringing his sheaves with him. The reverend speaker
commenced by stating that this psalm of those
hat the Christians of old sing during
heir periodical iourneyngs to great yearly festivals,
when they assembled to give thanks to the Most High for
national deiverances and blessings, and therefore
seemed especially appropriate to the present Obser
'ance of thanksgiving. The captivity referred to
~ the PsalmiSt, he regarded as applicable to
ither the Egyptians or Babyonians and designed to
ymbolize the bondage of sin in which mankind
ormed by nature. He quoted portion of the Psalm as
expressing beautiful picture of refreshing church
land and strikingy illustrative of that outpourng
# heavenly influences with which have been visited
Turing the past year He reminded his hearers that
cherished objects of the founders of this nation quoted
de TOcqueve evidence that religion gave birth to
he AgO American Society, and Bancroft to prove that
he entire civil Constitution and social life of the
country the produce of English and Scotch Purtanism
The American system of general political equality and
edom in the kindred doctrines OF the right and duty of
elfgovernment he stated was but simple transfer of
he doctrines of the Reformation to the civil sphere After
uding to the separation of the English Church from the
Thu ch of Rome, which he regarded being first rath
political than religious, he traced the growth of the
Protestant sentiment in England through the regns of
Elizabeth and her preliminary hstor
cal sketch of the rise and progress of the Presbyterian be-
ief and the causes which led the earlier members of
hey might enjoy their religious opinions and worship
iod according the dictates of their own conscience The
arer cOloniss-the Puritans-the speaker thought did
fully understand the full extent of their principles
md failed sometimes to act in accordance with this spirit
hough the rights they claimed, and the doctrines they
ed contained the germ of civil and religious liberty and
would ultimately have worked their legitimate results
The Presbyterian among the last of the religious de
that obtained settlement in this country
md having important bearing his present sub
he glanced the events which led to the introduction
# Scotch settlers into the north of Ireland and the nfu
those cOlonsts excited upon the religious sentiment
that country the deep with which their
onal indifference to religious matters was viewed in
England and Scotland and the sensible increase of
eligon which rewarded the labours Of Brice, Ridge,
Hubbard Giendenning Blair Hamilton Welch, Stewart,
dunbar Livingston McCleand ana others. who on Varl
occasions went to Ireland to preach to them and
lnder whose minisratons the foundation of the Irish
Presbyterian Church laid. Thus too that Irish
Scotch element which has eXered powerful an influence
lpon the Intellectual social religious and political char
of this country BY this class of persons the
Church in this country founded in the latter
of the seventeenth and the beginning of the eight
zenith centuries In the schools in which they taught
hey had learned the lessons to which Hume
he liberal principles of English politics. and which led
American freedom. The speaker touched upon the
persecution of the Presbyterians of Scotland and
ireland, under the Seuarts, the which led to
their migration first to New England and subsequently
New Jersey and Pennsylvania from whence they grad
lay spread all the land; that Drs. Blair and
Schaf attest next to the Puritans, the Scotch and
irish Presbyterians have contributed most largely
@ form the political, social and religious ele-
nent of this country. He enlarged upon their
influence in securing Independence and in forming
he subsraun of social and reli gous character
)eopeheir great principle being that rulers should be
hoSen by the popular voice and govern according to
grtten constitution and laws. Such being their aims and
principles they were, Church. born in extraordinary
evivals and is worthy of remark that after taking
ID their abode here large numbers they became under
God the hOnOred instruments of promoting the great
of 1740 The reverend speaker regarded the
constant reviving of religious impressions only
sufficient hope and expressed the opinion that the reli
,ious life ofthe country had evidently become feeble by
he diffusion of many different elements popu
alton, the constantly recurring political excitement the
urements of gain and especially by the extension of
territories and the discovery of the richest gold fields
he country has ever known whereby American energy
las been stimulated into an almost preernatura inensi
penetrating the whole mind of the country and giving
Use almost universally absorbing devotion to
eria and worldly interests. The commercial re-
llsion had however dispelled the Illusion and had
proved the providential forerunner of a religious
extensive and pervading than
he business cities of our land 1t had peryaded the hauns
If commerce, and had penetrated the institutions of learn
ng the resorts of fashion, and had included of all
PARTIES in politics, and of all denominations in rei
hundred thousand persons had begun and religious
fe under its influence. He enlarged upon the necessity
nY,A