The New York herald., 1870-11-25
STRONG PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH, SOUTH BROOKLYN.

lnteroStIn8 Tnauksglvlnx Scrvtccs-DtscOurs
by Rev. Wayland Hoyt-Five Congregations
MT Worship.
The Strong Place Baptist church was filled yester.
day morning by representatives from the South
Congregational church. DR.. II. M. Storrs pas.
| tor; First Place Methodist church, Rev. MIR.
Thomas pastor; Tabernacle Baptist church, DR..
A. G. Osborn pastor; the Westminster Presbyterian
church, and the Strong Place Baptist church,
| Rev. wayland Hoyt pastor. beautiful feature OF
the exercises Of the day consisted in the alter.
nate reading by the pastor and congregation
OF appropriate Scriptural extracts, which
had been distributed among the pews and were ar
ranged under the several headings or can Invita-
ton Praise God." "For What He is as Bencfactorn
'For WHAT He is as Redeemern .'For His Favor to
Us as Nation" ana "For His Favor to Us as Indi.
viduals.n
Rev. Mr.. Hoyt eloquentIy discoursed from Acts
xvii, 27-"Wherefore slrs be OF good cheer: for
believe God, that 1t shall be as IL twas told men
The text has stormy setting. yet bright enough
even for thanksgiving; for this Thanksgiving is q
day OF brightness. 1t is and has always beer sug-
gestive Of sunny hearts 1t falls like ray OF light
through the rifted clouds Of darkened day upon
the somewhat sombre New England history. In the
old times when the thanksgiving morning dawned
horn blown or
DRUM BEATEN
the sleeveless church and sang their psalms ana lis
tened to the prayer longer than the sermons 0. our
h aysns gndnS saps TsS sxs and
M Is s fsa sbss ssa h s sB asy
% UanS rartaR relaxed as on no ether day in the
very blessed heritage. 1t is day Of hearts, a day
OF homes, day for q memory OF the Divine watch
The pastor then drew vivid picture OF Paul and
nis surroundings on the occasion Of the utterance
poor mariners trusting In the God Of Paul. .1'G did
enter into cheer, overcome the tempest and reach
BUT II appears that II these Thanksgiving DAYS
have any helpful meaning for us they have just this
meaning OF cheerfulness-they stand In the world
cheer are sare TS o. sGSe tSe
subJectfor this Thanksgiving Observation-Disclosures
value OF it; second Of the reasons for IL, and
third, a few suggestions toward getting and keep
Ing 1t.
OF the mind. tranquil hopeful. sefpossessed; q
strong and sunny temper. Thus defned man can
man in self mastery, and with this cheerfulness,
shedding its glad rays upon mind and heart is
In his relations to others what treasure to man is
cheerulnesS. Like the sun, light in itself and she'd
ding light He may own the most elegant mansion
possible, but he cannot keep his boy from going
asray unless somehow there be genial cheer. fas.
cinating woman In company may be moody ana ais
and dismembered household. There is many
wife whose home has become Q prison, be-
cause the husband brings but ashes to the hearth.
Cheerfulness toward GOD is thankfulness. 1t Is
constant ana habltual gratitude. 1t was impossible
to be thankful unless the heart be In the faith that
what God does Is right and best and wise. One Of
the reasons for cheerulness ls that right s con.
tinualy winning In the world People talk about
the good old times. God does not work backward.
The new times are better. II range himself on
the side OF right he is Of victory. There will be
room for him and reward for him. That Is thing to
CHASE THE SHADOWS
out OF the heart-tnat the right is strong and con-
querlng. Another reason for cheerfulness Is
that In every human lot how severe soever there
there Is some reason for cheer in it, But perhaps It
Is very hard for some Of you TO this benlgnant
face OF compensation In your own case lust now
There Is the vacant chair; hopes vain and plans
are blighted. But, dear friend, to have treasure
laid up IN heaven-t0 have those you love garnered
from toll and sorrow into the beatifc brightness
to have your own heart brought into nearer contact
with
THE UNSEEN AND ETERNAL
and detached moro really from the earthly and
transient-surely even here in your case there is
holy compensation, to he full OF the warmth and
comfort OF most sacred cheer Then, again. Gods
hand Is In the world There Is Divine Providence.
Let the heart but stay itself in God ana 1t must be
full OF cheer. There is another way Of getting and
keeping cheerfulness-by thankful comparison OF
eur lot With that OF Others Really every mans
place and chance Is In some respects better than
another mans. every missed misery Is an added
mercy" Life is not made up OF great sorrows or
joys.
The pastor closed with an earnest appeal to every
one or his hearers to cultivate cheerfulness as a
means Of not merely present but future happiness
OF not only temporal Joy but heavenly beatitude
assuring them that lowly heart which leans on
God is happy anywhere.