National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-11-30
THANKSGIVING DAY
SOW IT WAS CELEBRATED.

II is seldom, indeed that at this season Of the
year such a beautiful day Is vouchsafed, and
when 1t falls upon a holiday like Thanksgiving
all feel truly grateful.
In accordance with the custom and prior an.
nouncement, religious services were neld In most
Of the Evangelical churches, and were attended
by large congregations, a report Of the interest.
Ing exercises being given below.
But the greater portion Of the community spent
the day In other ways. As a rule the places Of
business were closed, and at an early hour the
principal streets were thronged with people In
holiday attire, moving In a never-endlng pro
cesslon along the Avenue, all good humOred and
pleased, until the afternoon, when, as u by
magic, the crowded thoroughfares were silent
and deserted, and the mass Of humanity which
had made up the throng were safely seated
around the family table enjoying the good things
which a Thanksgiving reunion makes Inevitable
That over, the streets were again sought tn,
theatres patronlzed, both afternoon and eve
ming, and every possible point from which en-.
JOyment could he had was visited. The Knights
OF Pythias, Red Men and colored military had as
much as they could attend 70 In caring for thelr
visiting brethren, To whom they paid particular
attention.
The best possible orler was observed by thu
masses, and as gratifying result the police re
turns Of yesterday show a comparatively sinai
number Of cases, and all OF them FOR minoi
offences only.
bridge street Congregational Church.
The national discourse at this church by tho
pastor, Rev. $. II. Howe, was one Of great beauty
and power We give only few passages. Hii
text was FROM the 9TH verse Of the tooth Psalm
TnE rsAdR.
In obedience 10 the beautiful usage Of oui
fathers and In pcTpettiatlon and transmission Of
HtIaI lNu In att mel NN1N ATNW hWWaE
reached the golden day " our calendar, desig.
mated by the chief magistrate Of our nation and
state, upon whose portal Il written the lnscrip-
ton, carved into the GlCnCrOc stone; "ReGf ana
BE- 1RaRktuI.' At tho season which marks the
incoming Of gathered harycsts, one from whence
the backward glance reveals at once the results
Of the years prosperitiss, We are called upon e
the noisy rush Of tOllinR millions and review the
travened path tOllsOme II may have been Il
many, sad aud desolate to some, yet TO all, fail.
ing not TO open a perspective Of heaven-seni
mervles and benefits, and from this mount OF
hcautltude recognize the ground Of thankfulness
upon which kindly ordering Providence has
placed you, and to the bOuntltul GiVer Of ever
good and perfect gift, make grateful and feryid
acknowledgment. II was grand conception Of
our fathers, and grand spectacle Il Is which VT
witness tO-,layl whole nation halted In IL
onward march to eternity ~ front Of the great
FOunt and Source Of every blessing, and making
devOut recognition Of Him. Beautiful II the
usage which brings a nation to courts Of Cod
IINil NILS WIN Vintage anu NnlleNA
golden with corn" or from the "busy, bustllnp
marts Of business and trade, to bow before God
In public acknowledgment Of His existence,
and In feryld expression Of their gratitude and
praise to " Him from whom all blessings now.
u Is grand thought Of our rulers that this whole
American nation Is called upon once In each re.
vnlying year TO make public and grateful recOg.
milton Of the God u Heaven, who preHides over
the destinies Of men and nations.
Properly TO improve these recurring annIygF.
saries, and make them, what they should with
great prOpnety be, religious festivals; with q
view OF refreshing our memories, we need 10 call
up certain great principles which lie at the basis
OF all right acknowledgment Of God, and as a con.
sequent, gratitude TO Him.
!. We need In the nst place TO recognize the
Intimate connection which EXISTS between the
Creator and Ills works. We need TO dispOsses,
our minds Of the shallow fallACy that II Is tr
nature AMI her great laws and forces which
we are Indebted for even the lower forms Of
blessings. We need TO nd ourselves OF tht
empty COnCelt that lie has wound up this vast
mechanism Of nature and left II TO traverse a self
appointed orbit; that back Of and behind thu
screen Of visible nature the lnhnite God ats II
comparative indifference, ont Of connection witt
all It's operations as they bring to uA In constant
alterations the sunshine and the shadows o.
life; the blessings or the Universities Of existence
H. A second consideration, which Of necessit,
lies at the basis Ot grateful habit Of mind, Is
correct view Of lifes true nature AMI mission
We proceed In our reasoning upon the ordering
Vt our lot aud the movement NJ Providence up0T
the presumption that our present personal hap
pincss Il the great end Of existence, while G6t
moves through the events Of our earthly history
towards an end totally different; and hence witt
our miserable mlsconcepti0n Of what n TIT
grand purpose OF being, we very seldom see AM
ground for thankfulncss, ami not unfrequentll
give voice TO our feelings Of disappointment II
reproaches and mumuiings on account Of IN,
hardness Of the way,
Ill. But, on OccasiOns like the present, we arr
accustomed to widen the sweep Of outlook be
You'd the circumference Of our Individual lives
taking In the condition Of society, state, nation
and even the world; gathering from ali sOurcei
and grounds for deyOut and grateful AcknOWl
edgenent Of Almighty God; aud we need upon
this head again refresh our minds with prlncl
pies which underlie the divine dealing with men
~ we mud them grouped under more general
classincaIons; for we are met at its threshold
with the semi-atheism which excludes dlyint
connection with events which seem on their sur
face adverse, and detrimental, to the genera
Prosperity Of the race.
Whatever we may sec to discourage we know
that religion Ia to-day the one grand peerless In
terrst Of the world; not spot Of earth that Is no
directly or Indirectly nightly affected By al
/ aggressive and lCayening Christianity, Tn,
highest and best Of Its civilizations are Christian
aud these are erectlng nightly every other typl
Of human civilization, working eyeTywher,
among them as leayenlng influence, eleyatlnl
their tone, and Will one day absorb or assimilati
them to itself. Perfect conquest we do not CLAIM
Is To he effected In day. Conflict and antagO
nlsm we expect; turbulcnces which whlten thu
waters and toss them into raging foam, but 1t I
and will be the turbulence Of change, which lead
10 higher purity, aud grander, nObler issue. tt
this each year adds golden CLEAN for the com
ing dawn, and the one behind us has not beer
wanting In furnishing IL contribution. Let Us a.
Christian men he thankful as we lift up the eye
u ron the golden CLEAN Of worlds approaching
harvest, and remember too that for such a TIM
As this we have come to the kingdom.
There Is a light about TO gleam
There Is a fOunt about 10 stream,
There Is a nOwer about TO blow,
There IL fire about to glow,
mi III l.RnaN lttnF .f.H
Men OF thought, men Of action take your stand.
Aid the dawnlng tongue and pen,
Aid II hopes Of honest men,
Aid II paper, aid II type,
Aid II Tor the hour Il ripe,
And our earnest must not slackcn into play,
Men OF thought and men Of action, lead the way
st. PaHI's Charch.
The pastor, Rev. j, q. Butler, read selection,
from DeuL :, psalm 100, and Rev. 10 and 2ls
rhE GOsPEL As rOwER IN Our NATIONAL LIFE
Among the evidences that the gospel In IL,
truth and equity and mercy IA eayenlng the
thOrity In our land be noticed.
!. The appointment Of this annual day OF
Thanksgiving. To many II means only ldlenesS
and frlyollty, as do the Lords Sabbaths To Others
there Is nothing In Il save good dinner and
family gathering, and these should be In 1t. But
10 multltudes God Is In II. His goodness, the
blessings OF His providence and grace to us as
individuals and families AMI chuTohes-tO the
nation. The President In la appointment hut
expresses the popular heart-multitudes to-day
enter His courts with praise and Thanksgiving.
Is our national Thanksgiving.
2. TIE UNIFYING or TilB NATION
We represent all the peoples Of the earth
under one nag. God In His providence has re-
moved human bondage from among us, which
inspires the nations heart with It's f0rJearance
and forgiveness, so that every man has peace
except he who VIII not have It. Beneath the