Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1872-12-05

In the 95th Psalm and 2nd verse
David SAYS: 'Let us csme before hi,
presence with thanksgiving. y So say>
our noble Grant, and our hearts re-
spond yea we will come. DR., Frank
lin says, that in time Of great des.
pondence among the first settlers oi
New England. it was proposed in one
of their public assemblies to proclaim .
fast. An old farmer arose, spoke o.
their provoking heaven with their com
plants, reviewed their mercics, showed
that they had much to be thankful for,
and moved, that instead of appointing
day Of fasting, they should appoint q
day of thanksgiving. This was accord
ingly done, and the custom has been
continued ever since.
And it seems to me that never in
our history has there been time when
this CUSTOM has been more heartily ap-
proved or ought to be, than at this
time. And ] doubt not, bnt the presi-
dents proclamation of thanksgiving
will be observed by greater number
of fpcoplo to-day than ever before.
1t is said, that when the sun is going
out of sight, the pieus Swiss herdsman
of the Alps takes his Alpine horn and
shouts loudly through it, "Praise ye
the Lord 2" Then brother herdsman
on some distant slope takes up the
Praise ye the lord = Soon another
answers, still higher up the mountains
till hin shouts to hill, and peak echoes
to peak, the sublime anthem Of praise to
the Lord of all
IS this day is observed throughout
the T. S, as a day Of thanksgiving,
and according to general custom lalt
past ten O'Clock is the hour for pukGc
congregation to assemble Therefore
about one hour aud twenty inmates
ago the people in New England struel,
the kcy-note Of the anthem Of praise,
and then the hill wave set in westward,
the chorus was taken uF, it has reached
us, and now we join in, AND Ga j; goes,
until it reaches the Pacific coast, and
to-day throughout lhis vast Republic,
from East to West, ana from North to
South, hill shouts to hill, and noun
tain peak echoes 10 mountain peak and
the valleys are filed with the Anthem
,qaf Praise to the lord Of al.
The cause of gratitude is SO vast,
and in attempting to grasp too much
we may lose all, therefore lei US digide
the great subject into parts.
1t is meet and right that we offer
Thanksgiving and praise to God
lst For personal blessings,
Preservation of liie, CONTINUATION oc
health, food, raiment, friends, and
pleasant associations.
end Fer 4lessings on onr families
3rd For blessings on our community.
(l) Temporal blessings Health Of the
people, increase and enlargement of
business facilities such as houses,
stores, new bridge (ice) and Rail
road.
(2) The spiritual blessings
Conversions, more permanent cstab-
lishmcnt Of Christian prineiffes &c.
4th For the years prosperity in our
State. Development of resources, in
creased business facilities, Railroads,
and manufactures, There has been
general increase Of wealth.
And as we lcngthen and widen the
range Of our vision 50 as to look ow and
orer the line of our community aud the
boundary Of our State into the great
commonwealth of States, we see the
blessings Of God 50 great in number,
that they cannot be rockoned up, and
so rich that their value cannot be com
put:d.
During the past year National ques-
tions have been amicably settled. Is
pecially the Alabama question, Ques-
tions Of not one hundred millioneth
part the magnitude have bcan deemed
sufficient cause to Gil Kingdoms and
Empires with the nese Of drums and
trumpets, the clash Of swords, the
rattle Of armor, the grsens Of the wound
ed, the sickening sights Of the dying
soldiers, widows and orphans, the .ex-
penditure Of treasures and vast fnpn-
cial burdens
gut thanks TO God for the gift to
our nation, Of that man, who, in the
commencement Of bis life Of unsurpass-
ed craftsmanship said to the nation
nLat us have ncace. y In the aNon-