Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-12-01


! TnANKsGIvISG. In the custom Of gen.
cral annual Thanksgiving by the people, there
is an acknowledgement Of dependence as
well as gratitude. It was intended TO be
purely religious institution, in which those
relations between manand his MAKER should
be specially considered and confessed. IL
is IN form recognition by us as II people Of.
the idea Of GOD's providence and overuling
care in the government Of men, and consc
qucntly in It's observance those subjects are
more pertinent for reflection and comment
which involve the relations existing between
man and the DEITY than those which treat
Of the duties between individuals.
In the perversion Of the institution from
a religious to a political one, persons are ab
solved from the universal duty to join in its
observance imposed by the original design.
The custom is no longer general expression
by the people of dependence upon GoD and
a recognition of His mercies, but it is a par
tisan commenoration in which churches and
the cermonials of worship are employed for
the propagation of political ideas, which as
sumo to be the result of inspiration, and
which, by the assertion of copartnership
between their possessors and the DEITY,
partially, at least, annul the confession of
dependence upon HIM which is one of the
objects for which the observance was insti-
tuted.
In the proclamation of the President for
a national thanksgiving, he assumes that
the ALMIGHTY had endorsed the political
policies of his administration which have
been most warmly opposed by nearly two
millions Of menwho voted for Gen. MCCLEL-
Ian and orc half the population of the north
and called upon all tie people for an express
sion of gratitude therefor. The assumption
was an exhibition of pharisacal pride, in
strange contrast with the humanity which
the institution was designed to inculcatc.
1t was a needless insult to his political op-
ponents, and wicked blending of the polit-
ical and religious.
This unchrstian feature of the procama-
ton furnished text for Mr. ANDERSON, of
this place, and doubtless for most clergymen
throughout the country. They assumed, as
LINCOLN did, that their political ideas had
received the DIVINE sanction, and proceed
ing upon this heresy, they expounded and
lauded the thread bare isms which have to
so great an extent ousted the Gospel of JE
sUs from our Churches.
In the wide range of religious duties,
there can be selected none which present
more broad and catholic grounds for COM
mon assent to platform which may be unf-
versally accepted, than the ones calling us
to an acknowledgement of our dependence
upon GoD's providence and an expression
of gratitude. Here, at least, is common
centre, in which all creeds meet, and, in pro-
portion to the extended charity which such
unity Of opinion should induce, is the NAL
evolent bigotry censureable which seizes
upon an occasion set apart for their exercise
to present its peculiar views and hurl male
dictions at those who dissent from the creed.
And if this is true of the discussion Of
religious doctrines irrelevant to the occasion,
what should be said Of the perversion of the
day, thus set apart, to one for the advace-
ment of political partisanship and rejoicings
for the success of a political party? What
: a mockery of religion, and of COP, and what
a burlesque upon the original design of the
$ institution, is such mixture of the COM
paratlvely petty motive and puerile policies
Of human organizations with the majestic
and bcnifcent projects of the DEITY, and a
return of thanks to HIM for His agency in
growing with success the corruptons of those
- who thus magnify themselves in the express
E sion of their gratitude.