The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-11-23
providence that guides our every walk

/ 4AVVAoChSO tAoo - uA0Vo Jul OsSey "SA-
ever present and watchful. Thankful
ness requires an acknowledgment OF
His mercies-"The Lord is good;" af
fectionate obedience to Him and &C
acknowledgement of His authority and
right to us.
The speaker then alluded to some of
the grounds we have for thankfulness,
viz: the relation we owe to our God as
our Creator; our alliance to Him by eter
nifty; His mercies TO US through all the
years; the abundant harvcsts; the sta
bility of our Government and the in
creasing unity of our people; the rapid
recuperation from our national disaste RS;
the reduction of the public debt; that
though disease and death have marched
their usual rounds, no noisome pests
lence has decimated our people, and
there is food and plenty wherever we go;
the completion OF the Pacific R. r. is q
national blessing-the Importance Of
which in our history is only second to
the emancipation of the slaye-spread.
ing blessings Of civilization along its
own line; churches and schools are
springing up in the wilds hitherto al.
most Inaccessible. Lastly the prosper
ity Of churches everywhere but especial
ly here, is cause for thanks. After q
short allusion to the recent revival, the
speaker took up the history of the Pres
- .
from it's foundation to the sepa-
ration of 1838,-and then gave an inter-
esting account of the late reunion at
Pittsburgh, at which he was present;
he stated that the united church num-
bered $4,000 members, 1000 ministers
and 5000 churches,-and closed by ap-
pealing to his congregation to do their
full share in raising she S5,000,O00,
which the united churches propose to
raise as "thank Offering" After prayer
the audience was dismissed by singing
| the hymn:
GLORIOUS things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our Goii
He whose word cannot be broken,
Formed thee for his abode.
On the rock OF Ages founded,
What can shake thy sure repose,
| With Salvation wall surrounded,
Thou mayst smile at all thy foes
The Thanksgiving services at the
BAPTIST CHURCH
| was we'll attended, and was an occasion
of peculiar interest to the congrega-
ton, being the first time in their his
tory that they had place in which to
hold such service. The pastor used
as a text the Ps. 11S: 10 give
thanks unto the Lord, for he is good !:
| because his mercy endureth forever"
After noticing the common blessings Of
| Our Heavenly Father, such as are usu
ally enumerated in our gubernatorial
| proclamations, the preacher said that
there is som cthing back of all these
which gives value and excellencies to
them The sun shone as brightly, the
clouds send down the rain as copiously,
| and the soil was as rich men had
1 intellect and thought as freely, were pos
sesscd of energy and used it, in fact all
natural resources were as abundant
| though not developed when this vast
country was a wilderness, with here and
there a wandering tribe of the wild man
enjoying the comforts of his wigwam, as
now when it is teeming with millions of
the freest ana happiest people on earth.
That came thing which had such won
derful influence upon our land, and for
which we should he especially thankful,
was the gospel of Christ. He then
showed its influence upon our govern
ment in its formation, and upon our in
stitutions Of which we may justly boast;
its benefits to society. the happy effect
upon the family circle, its purifying and
| exhalting power over the individual
| man. In view of this, its possession
was an occasion for than giving above
| that we are laid under by the enjoy m ent
of the common blessings of life, which
| are themselves made more valuable by
it. We should not forget however, that
| its chief value consists in what it does
for us in fitting US for the higher pleas
| ures, and the happiness of an eternity
| of bliss. In our thanksgiving for the
GLORIOUS gospel of the blessed Cod
We should not forget that there are
| those who hate our Bible, and want
| to get rid Of the influence which it
has upon our Institutions, and would
therefore exclude it from the public in :
struction of our people. We shall have
| to meet this issue soon, even in our own
city, as it is already being met in other
cities. Let US cling to the Bible for
ourselves. our children and our coun-
try.
Services were also held in the Catho-
lie churches, and among the colored
congregations.