New-York tribune., 1871-11-30
TN f\KCEIHitE

After all, what share can Il mere record Of
the worlds news have in the work of giving
thanks7 What force or fitness is there III this
annual adjuratOn to gratitude which we, with
ill of our cotcmpOralic1. are in the habit of
| giving to Our readers between the rates of cx-
change and shipping int;lligcncc7 The daily
papcr the year round, comes to the ordinary
citizens breakfast table with an crrand akin
to that of the skeleton at the Egyptian feast.
1t brings him IA case of murder to-day, adultery
| 10 morrow ; shows him Ku-klux Klans, Tam
many Rings, burned Chicago or starving
Persia; dlags him ont of the calm Christian
content of his own obscure surroundings to
look at crime, misery, and degradation over
which he has no control. He can look up from
his comfortable chops and coffee and the happy
faces of wife and children about him, and
easily believe that there is God of order and
loving Kindness very near above him to whom
he can give thanks; but here are gimpses,
di-jointed fragments of q world Of disorder,
inherited vice, needless suffering, pcstilencc,
war, hr,ltalizcd manhood. What wholesome
fruit of the earth has grown out of this mighty
planting of ills 7 Is it for these things of
which we have daily brought him evidence
that we are to ASK him to-day to give thanks
But in spite of all this reprOach, the news
paper is we believe, the fittcst preacher of
to-days sermon. That it should become, n,
matter how carefully it is conducted, the
mirror of the worst side of the worlds face, il
inevitable; it is tho clamor of mems lives it
must record not the silence; the crime, the
disease, the first muttcring of war or rcv0lu-
tion, must be dragged up before the world to
4 l.. I'LL
health, and peace are left to utter themselves
in their own daylight and to God. The smoke
of our nrighbOr's burning dwelling will always
be seen afar off by people who never knew of
his widespread acres of golden grain. But
once year, at least, it is just and fitting that
the ncws-bringcr itself should urge upon its
/ hearers the remembrance of that great happy
, Inass of mankind of whom no news is to be
told We are much in danger nowadays
Of ha>ing our opinions of society and
an ovcrrulng God upon the exceptional data
furnished by the newspapers, that it is
wholesome correction Of our crecds and found
alton for Thanksgiving to remind ourselves
how exceptional they are; that pestllence
tclrtes simply because health is the normal
condition; that back Of every case of murder
or adultery which utters its foul details into
the public ear, lie a myriad quiet homes,
whose chastites, integrity III duty unselGsh
affections, it is no more necessary 10 note
than the daily sunlight; that although half
dozen city officials are thieves, our friend,
grocer, servant is, ten to ono, an honorable,
fair dealing man. that while two or three
unhappy women parade their crazed ambition
and abnormal passions before the world, the
silent wives and mothers of tho country
quietly maintain the dccency, the tenderness.
aud the high religious spirit Of its domestic
life untouched.
1t is ap easy thing fof any man tn carry his
thoughts this morning from his bright hearth
stone, his wife's face or baby's cliBeing hold, I,
to tho All Father In whom is his only trust
that these things may be perptla for him;
il is our place to remind him that behind all
the Ills ", have ID m.H,5 the same Wisc