The New York herald., 1874-11-23
LYRIC HALL
o. b. Frothingnam ON Thanksgiving
Day.

Day.
Yesterday at Lyric Hail was marked by the usual
full attendance. Mr.. rockingham read extracts
from the Bible. the Koran ofMohammed and from
the Hindoo Scriptures ana after the singing Of
hymn said Tho call has gone forth Il ON the high
quarters Of state that on next Thursday the peo-
pie shall gather together 70 render thanks to the
Almighty for HIS meruies. A We have no service
on Thursday, will give the few thoughts have
on the subject to-day.
There is something grotesqus 10 q general
decree appointing . day Of Thanksgiving, rs n q
DAY ever could be sol apart Tor grateful feelings.
This feeling is spontaneous. It Will not come st
our CALL 1t is absurd to think by making the day
. national holiday we shall make the nation
thankful for meroies. The 0rst New England
Thanksgiving Day was spontaneous. They could
not help 1t. small band OF men driven from
their land and cast on o strange coast-a little
band, considering themselves specially chosen
by God Tor particular purpose-these
few people, standing on the rugged shore.
praised God-pralsed God so heartily that
they instituted perpetual praise OF
God every year on that anniversary. Now the
reason they gave thanks 80 heartily was because
they had SO little to give thanks for 1t is always
30. An impression prevails that people are thank
fu most when they have the most TO be thankfu,
for. Tney are entirely mistaken. We are grateful
when we have the least to be grateful for. rhe
least cheek in p osperity makes men think OF God.
Who Ia grateful ior uninterrupted health2 Nobody
ever knew Of IL Is thing taken for granted.
But many aud many q time have l seen sick peo-
pie praise God because they had one hour OF peace
So II Is in poverty. person who Is sure OF din
ueF every day don't know how to be
THANKFUL FOR A CRUST.
Providence always comes with shock when NO
to mn n
dark that there is not occasional star in it. As
We 60 along We ind good deal to be grateful for.
For many years the Thanksgiving Day mas been
losing It's religious significance; 1t has been less
aud less day OF gratciulness for mercies. look
back TO the DAYS or my youth. In Massachusetts,
whore the custom was originated, IL was the
fashion to preach political sermons, and since
then the religious element has been diminishing
moro and more, till now 1t can scarcely be found.
Now Thanksgiving s extended ali over the
country It is q national holiday, ana the religious
Way, Sn' because can waen men
take broad view Of the word, the
not be found. We are called upon to be thankful
what Tor For plenty on In Nebraska people
arc fsmishing Tor ood, and IN this CITY Of New
York the richest city on the Continent there are
thousands and thousands OF people who 40 not
know from day TO day where they are TO get their
there there is noneg What snail | we oe tnanxiul ior
For wealth : The money making power Is para
lyzed for time. VIVA. snail we be snanktui lor
for tho last three months; this Is a state. not or
peace, bus OF suppressed revolution. What shall
COOP GOVERNMENT
While now IT Is proposed to substitute another
clared to be unreliable ana corrupt, But at all
events people say you can give thanks Tor the
so d 0s 70 u.s. 10 ~ @
fertility No. The SOIL has to be made. At the
beginning this Old planet OF ours was a nari,
rugged cr0Ss-grained thing, on which IL was
scarcely possible for man to set his feet, an0 it
WAS only BY tue toll OF nyriads OF generations that
men were able to make anything at all out oil the
earth. As God gave it to us It was only the possi-
biuty Of an eartn Consider how much is required
a. against AIMS drought and ood loo or Insects 49, There Is
always some enemy man must overcome, or
be cast down and DESTROYED them selves we can.
But ct all events you can be grateful for the
Tnere Is not much intelligence to be thankful for.
There Ii sucn q vast amount Of iaculty Tor which
). Se nd s'sy T. 9ays
have 70 be brought % the grindstone and snarpsned
And % an9ng Z, M
every man mad 1t and 1t was his own fault II ne did
not use It. Il Is great deHsicn M There a are many
but has to be trained We We speak Of the genius
e S.v. acquired 0ssS' e% n.esss. ss. 'nsS
their case. They had to exercise their
wits, aud hence Ii come this wonderful
inventive genius Any other nation would have
done the same. Genius is not gift, but an acqui-
thing to give thanks Tor, and when we undertake
TO offer up our full hearts our tongues begin to
stammer. Then. again. whom are we TO thank
TO whom shall we give the tribute OF our graft
tude IL was easy enough when men believed IN
. directing. experimenting, personal power which
had charge OF our personal anairs, when people
believed in an individual personal creator who
sat on the circle OF the world-as the old heorews
army. It was easy enough TO give thanks, then,
for all gifts came rom Him but how b u nows
ceded This experimenting care has gone
away with the mist OF inauguration
Far beyond the reach OF history or thought ho the
creative causes. Instead Of being sure tnat per.
sonal God governs the heavens We are not sure
tnere is personal God at oil. generation ago
Hugh Miller wrote Q book on the
FOOTPRINTS or rH1 CRkAf0R,
io faorR Inf hoao