Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-11-21
COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS.
BY His Exccnency. John Il. Andrew,
Governor.
A PROCLAMATION
For Day Of Public Thanksgiving and R,aise.


For Day Of Public Thanksgiving and Praise
The example of the fathers, and the dictates
OF piety and gratitude, summon the people of
Massachusetts, at this, the harvest season,
browning the year with the rich proofs of the
wisdom and love Of God, to join in solemn
and joyful act of united praise and thanksgv.
ing to the bounttul Giver Of every good and
perfect gift.
do, therefore, with the advice and consent
OF the council appoint THURSDAY, the Dist
day of November nexl-ihe same being the
anniversary of that day, in the year of our
Lord sixteen hundred and twenty, on which
the Pilgrims of Massachusetts, GU board the
May flower, united themselves in solemn and
written compact OF government-to be OBJ
served by the people OF Massachusetts as a
day of public thanksgiving and praise. And
invoke its observance by all people with de
vout and religious Joy.
Sing aloud unto God our strengths make
joyful noise unto the God of Jacob.
Take psalm and bring hither the
timbrel, the pleasant harp with the psaltery.
Blow up the trumpet in the new moon,
i'll the time appointed on our solemn feast day
For this was a statute Tor Israel,
and n law of the God of Jacob.-PSalmS, 81, u. l
0 bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of
His praise to be heard.
Which huldeth our soul in life, and sufereth not our
feet to be moved
For Thou, o q oG, hath proved us; Thou hast tried
us, as silver is tried-Psa!as 66, .. and 8.
Let us rejoice in God and be thankful for
the fullne.s with which He has blessed us in
our basket and in our store. giving large le
wards 10 the toll of the husbandman, SO that
"our paths drop taness -
For the many and gentle alleyati0ns of the
hardshipS which, in the present time OF public
disorder, have afflicted the various pursuits Of
industry -
For the early evidences of the reyiving en-.
ergies of the business Of the people =
For the measures OF success which has at
tended the enterprise Of those who 20 down TO
The sea in ships, Of those who search the
depths OF the ocean to add to the food OF man,
and Of those whose busy skill and handicraft
combine to prepare for various uses the crops
OF the earth AM the sea =
For the advantages of sound learning,
placed within the reach OF all the children OF
the people, and the freedom aud alacrity with
which these advantages are embraced and i'm
proved -
For the opportunities OF religious instruction
and worship universally enjoyed by con.
sciences untrammeIed by any human authori-
ty =
For "the redemption of the world by Jesus
Christ, for the means Of grace and the hope Of
glory"
God Tor the oneness OF heart mind. and pur,
pose in which lie has united the people of
this ancient commonwealth for the defense of
the rights, liberties, and honor OF our beloved
country -.
May we stand forever in the same mind re-
membcrng the devoted lives OF our fathers.
the precious Inheritance of freedom, received
at their hands, the weight of glory which
awaits the faithful, and the in6nity of blessing
which it is our privilege, If we will, to trans,
nit to the countless generations of the future.
And, while our tears flow in a stream of
cordial sympathy with the daughters Of our
people, just now berett by tie violence of the
wicked and rebelious, of the fathers and hus-
bands, and brothers and sons, whose heroic
blood has made verify sacred the soil OF Yir.
ginia, and, mingling with the waters of the
Potomac, has made the river now and forever
ours,-let our souls arise to God on the wings
of Praise, in thanksgiving that lie has again
granted 10 us the privilege of living unselfshy
and OF dying nobiy, in grand and righteous
cause -
For the precious and rare possession of so
much devoted valor and manly heroism =
For the sentiment of pous duty which dis.
tinguished our fallen. in the camp and in the
field -
And for the sweet and blessed consultations
which accompany the memories OF those dear
sons of Massachusetts on To Immortality
And in our praise let us also be penitent
Let us seek the truth and ensue il, ;" and pre-
pare our minds for whatever dqty shall be
manifested hereafter.
May the controversy in which we stand be
found worthy in lis consummatiop of heroic
sacrifices OF The people and the precious blood
Of their sons, OF the doctrine and faith of the
fathers, and consistent with the honor of God
and with iusticp to all men
And,
"Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let
them also that hate him flee before him.
AS smoke is driven away, SO drive them away -
Psalms, IS, 4. l and 2.
Scatter them by Thy power, and bring them down.
Lord, our shield.n-PsahnS, 50, 4. H.
Given at tue Council Chamber, this thirty first
day of October, in the year Of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and sixty one, and
the eighty sixth OF the Independence of the
United States of America
JOHN A. ANDREW.
By His EXceency the Governor, with the
advice and consent of the Council.
OLIVER WARNER, Secretary.
God Sa0e The Commonwealth Of Massachusetts.