The New York herald., 1871-12-01
Sermon by the Rev. Mr. Chapn-The H2s.
thetfcs Of TbalxsgiVing.


have met here to express our thanEfumess for the
ingahered fruit OF the earth. The husbandman's
year is ended. The order Of nature mas Kept lis
course. Summer and winter, seej.time and hlr
vest have not ceased, and the old bou1ty has been
renewed. IL mas been more than an ordinary year.
IN which the human world has been deeply moved.
But steadily the great processes OF the natural
world have fulfilled their work. The secret WOMB
OF the earth has been duIckened with Its my sterols
life, and step by step unfodeI per petuai MIRA.
ces. first the bade then the ear, a tier ina, the
luil cora In the ear' Ours IS land OF wonueriul
diversity. crowned by opposite chmaSes, framing
all varieties or soil. III one portion the aooTer
snatcnes MS harvest ron he very skirts OF winer
In another u spontaneous luxurance leaps to tue
touch Q, tropical sun. Here tDe iood browns the
hope oi the year, and there the ire Consumes IT.
Inc tempest upro0ts IL lii TINS district, the frO3G
Kills " III ,ha,. but the resources Of the gfet whole
balance tne vlc's itudes 0i the parts To-day with
q oeaatliui ucaJfdanCe al over the land In ctics
nuu " ,iiages, the neavy load OF labor stops, the
brow OF care l. lighted ana lifted up and, God pe
Claim the Joy or tne harvest Tlls giadncss Is
Q legitimate uIce OF thanksgiving. All true
worship must spring from a real and Intelligent
conviction. Thanksgiving for the harvest Is
directed to an object, and implies conviction Of
the providence and the goodness OF Goi. 1t Is an
expression OF oar iaiin lnat the universe
as well as mora-ls governed by that DIVINE Prov.
dence. \ there are any who prefer to assert taat
with them. | also believe that al things are sub.
Ject to a fixed order; moreover. pc,leve thai tue
and harmonious system. But II the proposition
concerning law Is intended to a1lrm, NOS
merely o verbal equivalent, but the nnat
truth OF things tncn, as indicating only
method and not u purpose--as enthrOnnH
mechanism IN the place or mind cannos
accept IT, Then VINO are satisfied win Il
II they are disposed 10 be grateful NC ALI
may, IN TINS law Of Ingatnering, erect affairs 70
such celestial or terrestrial aspects or ienuer
thanks TO such chemical magnetic forces ns theI
will. On the other hand-and desire You 10 marx
that this Is the only alternatvemss .ne neCossaIy
truth, divorced from winch ms observance OF
Thank sgiving is obsolete and absurd. assume
thai the ultimate fact to which all thinQs must 10
re- erred Is an Intelligent villa DIVINE Providencc.
In Ihie laith--tnrougn however many links we may
truce the actual prOccss-wc aim al v God as tue
spring and origin OF all that we gather la tie har-.
vest our THANKSGIVING coniesscs God as The MD
den source OF that mysterious lie In the seed aud
tae being OF man."
lhe speaker here compared the unconcern wits
which present generations aw ait tho appearance or
tine crops with what mus. have been tile fear anu
uncertainty OF him who first placed seed IN tue
bosom vi inc DroSn earth. he had no surety o. the
successful iruifon ol his hopes while we rely upon
the assurances wnicn the previous years have gwen
us 0l tue ala OF Providence. il wncn the gram
appeared the nrst husban imam had cause iOr
thanksgiving, does not every year deepen the occa
sion Tor " by u.s. Further sketcnn9 the causes for
tnanNs2iving he SAID one OF the most potent was
the restoration OF confidence Ia the stability o our