Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-11-26
DAY OF THANKSGIVING.


The People of the Loyal States are this day
summoned, by invitation of the President of the
United States, to return thanks to Almighty God
for the meroies and blessings which have crowned
the present year.
is signal mark of the Divine bengnity
towards this nation that, while it is rent and torn
by the conflicting passions of men, the good
hand of the Great All Father has none the
less been laid upon it in kindness and forbearance
1t is because His bounty has failed not and His
compositions are not removed from US, in the face
of our i-desert, that we this day permitted to
: rejoice in full gamers, afording all manner Of
store, and in the plenitude of those good and per-
feet gifts which come down from the Father Of
Lights, in whom there is no variableness nor the
shadow of turning. And to these unremitting
blessings Of His universal providence He has added
the richer blessings of His grace, in that He has
still preserved to this people the heritage of tenn
poral and spiritual favors which Christianity car
ries in its train.
The incentives to gratitude and praise meet US
on every hand for, we look around US, we see
every where the memorials of the Divine benef-
cence. 1t is only when we look within ourselves
that we discover the source Of the evils which af-
fict US, and whose dark shadow still rests like a
pail over the nation, reminding that we still So
journ in Mesech and dwell in the tents of Kedar.
But as there is often soul of goodness" even in
things evil if men will but "cunnngly dstil it
out" so it cannot be doubted that songs of praise
may properly be joined with the suspiria de pro-
funds extorted from SO many stricken hearts
throughout the land. If We receive good at the
hands of the Lord shall We not also receive evil
when, In just retribution for SINS in needed
discipline for the development of higher national
life, He sees fit to make the wrath of man the in
strument of His purposes? If the hearts of our
oountrymen had been hardened into insensibility
by the very constancy and uniformity of the bless
ings Of Heaven, insomuch that the goodness Of
God no longer led them to repentance, there was
needs be" for the sore chastisements which
have como to break our dreams of selfish and igno-
BILE indulgence 1t only remains for the people Of
this country rightly to interpret the lessons of that
mysterious Providence which is now passing before
their eyes, and by timely turning towards the
paths of the Divine testimonies, to discover those
ways of wisdom which are ways Of pleasantness
and those paths which are paths Of peace
If we shall this day enter the sanctuary ami
mated by this spirit of mingled humility and praise,
we may all with one accord take up the sublime
; ltany of the Psalmist, and exclaim:
"Praise waiteth for Thee, God, in Sion; and
unto Thee shall the vow be performed.
go Thou that nearest prayer, unto Thee shall all
flesh come.
"Iniquities prevail against US; as for our trans
gressions, Thou shalt purge them away.
"By terrible things in righteousness wilt Thou
answer US, o God of our salvation, who art the
confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them
that afar off upon the sea;
(Which by His strength setteth fast the noun
tains, being grded with power;
(Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise
Of the waves, and the tumult of the people
Thou visitest the earth and waterest it Thou
greatly enrichest it with the river of God which is
full of water.
"Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness,
and Thy paths drop fairness"