Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-11-28

Thanksgiving day was generally observed in
the District Of Columbia. Washington pre-
scented Sunday aspect sli day. AL OF the gov
srpmeEt and District Offices, the different
banking houses, and perhaps majority of other
business places were closed, and the streets OF
ear city were unusually quiet all day, except
when thrOnged by people on their way &c or re-
turning from their several places Of worship.
AL of the different places Of amusements were
largely attended, in the afternoon ard evening,
special attractions being offered in honor of the
occasion. Below we give some OF the special
features Of the observance of the day in the
District.
Thanksgiving I'm tise Churcbes
SIMMONS ON Cuban AFFAIRS, MANIFEST DEs-
TINY, CAEsARIsN, ETC.
Special services were held ycsterdsc in the
various Protestant churches in this city, as fol-
flows:
PRESBYTERIAN
1St p-cyb .tsridH-( D.. SGader'dnd - - Manifest
p,SfiHg' and Cuban AFFAIRS REV. Or. Sunder-
land yesterday preached 10 a large congrega-
tieD, on the subject of manifest destiny, taking
for his text Psalm Ill, and 9TH verse: "He hath
showed His people the power Of His works, that
He might give them the heritage of the
heathen." During the serTOn the following
passage occurred: ''It presages the further ex-
tensiOn OF the public domain and ABSORPTION of
the contiguous nations. We have already pos
sessed the heart Of the continent-we rust yet
tsn OF tine, and the hours of God strike fast
If he has given Us the body will He not also add
the fIinges Of the garment? 1t is impossible
that the great freehold of America should
main forever divided. All eyes ara just now
turned 10 the Antilles. What is the meaning of
that wide spread excitement in tie very fever
efwhieh We are TO-DAY assembled7 know not
What may be the technicalities CT exactiOns of
International law, or the long drawn subtleties
or eivilities Of perplexing, it may be eXaspeT-
ating diplomacy; but one thing do know, and
that Is that feel settling down upon me, some
bow, newborn conviction that the day draws
nigh when the ocean will yield US the gem Of the
islaDds; that whoever nay De right or whoever
may be wrong by the standard of human Judg-
uent, dHHe-diiyR will be the result of this DAVIS
business. IL is borne in upon me, like q strong
faith which would not resist, that such an
issue lies in the near future of our manifest
destiny"
AssessbIy C1urch.-Rev. Mr.. Little the pastor
preached TO good congregation in the church,
taking for his text: Nehemiah viii. 10, Then
he sand unto them 90 your way, eat the fat and
drink the sweet ard send portions with them
for whom nothing IS prepared; Tor the day is
holy unto the Lord Neither be We sorry tor the
joy of the Lord is your strength His argument
was based upon the thought taught in the text:
that thanksgiving day may be wisely ap-
pointed and observed even in the midst of great
natiSnal aitiictiOD.
CGsGTlsEi, Gc.)-At this church the pastor, Rev.
DIR. Chester, preached from Luke, ii chapter,
and 18th verse; ION earth Peace Good Will 70
men" The theme being the great need of the
tines-eonhdence between man and man. lie
introduced the subject by saying that probably
since the last war there had never been a
thanksgiving day in which the hearts of our
people lacked 80 much a feeling of confidence.
We literally know not what an hour may bring
forth, either as regards war or finance. After
dwelling on the necessity OF confidence in
human relations, he viewed the subject in its
social, pOhtica. and pecuniary interests of man.
Dwelling upon the political view, he said that
the want of confidence traced in the late
war. He said il Is true that lately some OF the
public press have devoted much time TO prove
hat lfa-afD fraAT
Perial purple. But fortunately this occurred in
dog days, when II was really too hot to get ND
sn excitement, and the panic coming on az
forded some better theme for editorials, and if
you Will notice, since the panic We have heard
very little about C@sarism- He proceeded to
show bow confidence was weakened by the late
Investigations in Congress. As far as they
weakened confidence in individuals, they did IN
aTepubliesn form Of government. As far as
they served to introduce a wholesale deEuncia-
ton OF public men, they served also to perpeta-
ate great wrong. Ii is well to remember that
there are great many honest men left in the
Ner York AreHus PrssbyterlaE CIurcl.-The
Rev. ;, ). Mitchell preached from the text
chow manifold are all thy works, o GOd,' and
took for the theme of his discourse the theory Of
the vital Importance to all nature of the StmOs-
phere- The sermon was of scientific nature
throughout, but closed with the application OF
the text There was large audience, and the
discourse was appreciated.
Fourth Presby'sTtaa.-Rey. John G. Saith,
the pastor, preached at II a. m, from the text
first chapter of the general epistie James, nth
yerse-"Eyery good gift and every perfect gift
- nom above, and cometh down from the
Father OF lights, with whom is no rariableness,
neither fhadOw of turning He divided his
discourse into four divisions, viz 1. The Father
eiLleht. = Every good and perfect gilt cometh
shadow Of turning. 4. All of which has been
made over to rs BY covenant stipulstions made
known through our Lsrd Jesus Christ.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL.
ksfroPotitqH Church. The panic fsiiolg>d bs
Spdaish brutality and OEtrGse-sHbJs5t Of a
mon ~ ts PGs:sr. Rev. DIR. Tiffany preached
IN the church to a large congregation. He
chose no biblical text, but delivered AZ inter
estlng discourse on the national character. He
said the panic had scarcely ceased to tlsnch all
faces, before brutality and outrage called at
tenuOn 10 our neighbOrs of the ocean. At once
lmpnlSiye enthusiasm demanded war with
Spain, because of the outrage TO our nag, while
others cl aimed thatthe NIrziEius was Rot bona
nde an American vessel, and that her intention
10 make mischief and create disturbance being
openly 2vOwed, she was not entitled to Ameri-
can protection on account OF papers fraudulent.v
obtained, and that therefore the governments
ought not TO be embrCiled because of & tech
BY an unauthorized use o. our flag
Others less ardent thought war m ght not be 20
great disaster, since it would give employ
ment TO the IDLE, and we Eeed a naval station
IN the lDCles. A great wreng was made TO Ep-
pear still greater by lying kilograms of OutTsge
on our Minister abroad, and of repeated mas
saeres. There IS to-day wonderful connection
An printing houses, great agitation in the hearts
OF Immigrants ard refugees; but the people are
NV dteAiutu- NutY nall Win pleasure the IN
creased activity in our dock Yards for they
nave always had Just pride in our navy, but they
VII mot allow enthusiasm nor indig naton TO
hpset their Jud gment, because they know that
tney nave placed on guard a vigilent and sleep
tess sentinel, who id not allow our fac To be
tnsngted on the land who feels that mon the
hlgh seas the stars and stripes still our hsg.
The people have committed the adInioistraticn
o. AFFAIRS 70 one, who knowing what war is and
how 70 manage IL, has added to the laurel
which be wears the olive he has won.
Foundry ehUycA.-The Rev. Ii. A. Cleveland.
Pastor.-This church held q " Thanksgiving
Service OF Praise " last evening. A large au.
aience was in attendance. The elegant lecture
room, rem0deled and refurnlshed, was crowded.
Many persona participated In the free confer
ence service. The pastor, In opening, made an
address only the chief points Of which We eau
give. A single act Of thanksgiving Is beauti-
ful. A whole nation, whose empire extends
over a continent, and whose boundary lines are
the zones and the oceans. engaged In thanks
giving, and led BY Its Chief MsgistT ate Is more
than beautiful-it 10 sublime. We have reason
tor gratitude. The year has been fruitful even
20 abundance. Peace and prosperity abound;
the arts and sciences flourish; labor Is remunet-