New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-11-25
Services ~ the Fonrth Universalist Church

forever
Services a., the Fourth Universalist Church.
SERMON BY THE REV. E. II. CHAPLIN.
! The Feast of Thanksgiving was celebrated
with much soemniy at the Fourth Universast Church,
Broadway better known sthe Rev Il. II. Chapins the
| church being crowded in every part by thIong OF
wo,shpers met in accordance with the custom and
recommendation Of the Chief Magistrate to offer TO the
Gver of all Good their thanks for His bounties The
services commenced by the performance by the organ
jr Of the Gloria in Exceis from Mozarts 18th Mass,
after " ich the choir sang kents anthem oh De JOY
fll In the Lord all We lands Appropriate seiectohs
from the New and Old Testament scriptures were len
Rad by Or Chaplin and prayer offered lie chof then
having sang the Psalm "Oh praise ye The LORD &C,
Mr. Chaplin then commenced his discourse taxing ior
his text he 10Th verse Of the I'D chapters Ana the
feast Of Dgahering. which is IN the end Of the year
wien thou hast gathered in thy labours out OF the
field end said that this feast was perhaps better known
az the Feast Of 1aberaacles. and We recognize It's
spirit as APPLYING TO all ages, and Re having
special application at the present tine 10 ourselves
The passage il the text had three fold sgnihcince
in ill., application National Thanksgiving. FIRST
ss expressed the sentiment OF the OCCASION second
\ in It's character. and third IN It's facts In the nIst
place the sentiment of the present occasion wac one Of
hankfulness In the old Feast 81 labcfnacies
a sentiment which was natural 10 the truly devout
~ the sentiment Of PRAYER and suppicaiion
rhe steady reception of benefits, tie regular
i
Of respiration secretion the circulation OF the blood
the alternating darkness and sunshine the rain falling
on all alike too often disposes as To forgeii OF
the God hO gives them bat lie never IOfgeta or uc
penlence upon Him and His mcrcies. With all these
blessings showeDg upon us We have undeniahe author
ty Tor The obserVances OF the day and cannot bcp dc
pUFg the condition OF those who iud no incentive 10
acts OF Thanksgiving IN the political welfare Of the peo
pie prct for the laws freedom nom financial dis
iubance and commercial prosperity the health Of the
population. and tie bountiiul haIvests that have
cTOwAed the year although undoubtedly, war s IN the
Land. and though far as Onr own hearts are con.
ccrned thee be more occasion for weeping
than laughter This sentiment Of thankiulness IS not
only a recognition Of mclcies but "a sentiment OF
trust. and though tie past is black with cOndf AMI
blood and the desolaton of war, YET we can reoee mol
merely for What have done but for what we trnst in
divine goodness; tor We believe that al TINS desoaiOn
l. only preparation for more Astounding beauty and
ffulues and that life and not death is the law Of the
universe and though in this crisis OF our national his
tory with this gloomy cloud Of upon us aud the
fearful blasts OF battle wiring ;eais from OUT eyes, siiH
we remember the Dcrcics We have received. In TIE
second place observo in tie character OF this OBJ
seryance that the Feast q JabcrEaclcs not merely
an agricutuIal-it historical celebration IL was
c1n!ueuty q national festival Ii established by
authority il marked The acquisition Of national liberty
and conserved The IglQya unl!. IL brought togepoI
The tribes at Jeilsslen for common object, and
most cheering thought 10 think that 20 man!
such broad extent Of Oui country. as one peops
are offering true united thanksgiving for cdiniion
beaent Among other things that our Thanksgiving
expresses are FIRST: loyal spirit TO the Union just ne
. " .
the proclamation Of The head Of the nation. responded
to and supplemented BY the procematons OF the differ
ent magistrates Of our states and in our own city not
only in accordance with the proclamation OF the Prrsi
dent but the very dubious proclamation Of our Gov
ernOr and au happy 10 say the very excellent proca
nation II opr Mayor Our Response 20 these pfGclaga'
ti0ns slows hs an 0ideyy and ltwfbidng people who
"a hot use onr liberty os le:uSe. Our democratic
idea 81 ieedoIn IL moi Of individual selfish NJ uur
of a nee government for III The pfocaGalon that
calls Us here - moi despltic edict for iI-ie
i. nat ma he fn.d1x lv Ia. ho
Thankful for tie mercies he enjoys or iTdplse the
luxury OF suk, and il lisa llsehood whether said BY
the children Of our soil OF liked on By enemies,
hat there is the least danger u dctp0sn in tins
tly. 1t is an Anglo Saxon tendency 10 observe order
and IA respect She National .ptho.ty. and the danger
Of despousip arises iIcr this source not IRON a rev
outoo slribg1p ntoI riot but from that which comes
peeirg precedent and Pgsi authority II isfls which
makes look scrppuQnsy aitcr institutions. aud
We look at ten rightly TO fad IN them not only the
DOW er Of popular freedom but OF good government and
ae sIe now tfyng this question whether institutions
sre chaos orderly force, whether there Il power IN
each part 20 dissolve the whole. organic authority
that though ALLOW ing each part fun life. f0 liberty get
in itself preserves toe sovcroignty whether this orderly
system he broken VI by some selfish claim Of each
part. We proud Of TIL, democracy OF ours ~ free
government and u has proved itself 30 Il! Tat most
gotlous victory Of all N. victory o; their ballots noise
lessly yIdicatDg The sovereignty OF the People q am
not referring 10 the result OF that election bat 10
the ORDERLY deHveIysf that verdiet) and II dhy man
should ssy rhs II, quiet was owing the glitter OF
in the distance, answer, that demonstration was not
n oycrae The expression Of any mans opinion but 10
protect it, ON Thanksgiving Day Is also the e1piss-
sion Of people attached 10 ara grateful iOf Liberty
IN. Iessf of Tahernacles had tis Significance cec
brated the Hebrews delncrance from bondage and
dwelling ia the wilderness, and 10 showed how history
repeated itself Did not our fathers dwell in tents and
booths. passing through the wilderness IN revelation.
feeling that liberty with eyer 30 SANDER
maintenance. was b,tler than nuy ior2 Of
political vice; vas thcle moi something In tLeir rec
CARA FOR liberty not 10 be bought sold aud mis- day
how many OF cbiden were dwelling IN tents BE-
cause We loved liberty more than We loved life 81 any
material or earthly thing, To-day We are stJnding
under she shsd0w Of war because Of Our attachment 10
freedom ana because We regard freedom not mere
sentiment but living principle, and because We be
e.e thai the ony way ~ preserve il 20 ourselves and
the world "a 10 give 10 an organization and enaOw II
with tire mower VI strong nation and strong Govern
ncpt 30 any Say YOU are forcing others reply we
n.~ forcing 10 i.sn sre simply calling Inen TO
desst from break ng 10 the frame that prcseISes
liberty both Tor ourselves and the world II they viii
uesst none IA receive them more gladly than We 1id
they NAV even come and sit down with soldiers
TO the feas, provided for them TO day bat it be
under the old flag Applause AGAIN II IS sgniii-
cant IN its character expressing the popular viii IN
regard 20 ire National Union The greast feast Of in
gathering serves the most vital purposes IN preserving
the national CpiOn was il found ia Israel anu that
Jefferson Davis II Isise Jeroboam found 1t Would lbs
Impossible 10 lce? the sections OF tho Hebrew nai"h
apart until lie established separate festival al DIS cph
capital instead of the common one ~ Jefushci Ihe
universally Of Thanksgiving to-day shows how this
sentiment OF nationality exists, and, my ifiends' nov
deeply TINS war has shown; how New EnRiand ibat
WA to be left out IN the cold has cemented IL With her
blood, and even distant Missouri and Maryland wiped
from their doubtful stains. have poured ous for our
national unity their Dobest blood and treasure In rhe
last place We have 10 look the facts Of Thanks
giving The preacher here alluded Ia the occasions II
afforded for family gatherings, matter for deSout
thsnkuness those 20 blessed in mectng Ia the boun-