New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-11-26
THANKSGIVING SERMONS.
HOLIDAY LESSONS FROM THE PuLPrr
THEMES or THE REV. DRs. mAEviS T. VINCENT
MORGAN DIX. AND =: u. CHAPiS-TfE DLsCouRsE
Al sT P.TRtcK's CATHEDRAL.

obtained larger attendance yesterday than mas
been usual in recent years, tho favoring sun ana ar
tempting people from their homes, although thefe
was chill enough in the atmosphere 10 stimulate
brisk notion The retrospect, and the comparison
of past years with the present. of which such fest
val as Thanksgiving is fruitful. suRg sed the theme
of the Row DR.. Vincent of the Presbyterian Church
gf the Covenant who argued against an unwiSe ex-
ata;ion of the past nj the expense of the present
Dr. Chapin reminded bis hearers of their duties to
the poor, illustrated Gods goodness To men, ana
their reasons Tor joyful gratitude. Dr. DIX III
Trinity Church spoke of thankfulnesS to God for the
gift of His word The day was observed by special
services in the Catholic churches. which were
througed with worshipers. At ST. Stephens 81.
AIMS. ST. Francis Xavier's, 1t. Peters and in all
the principal churches. High Mass was sung and
sermon preached At st. Patncks Cathedral in
Mott-si., the Rev. Father Griffin traced the rise
and progress of the Catholic Church. and dwell
upon the brotherhood of Christ's followers.
OUR GOLDEN AGE NOT IN THE PAST.
Tho NaTrn r. Vincent al ne Church Of ne Corenont
tFrsJytranJ
At the Thanksgiving service held yesterday
the Church OF the Covenant, at Park and Thirty
n'thst., the pastor. Kew Marvin II. Vincent, d. D.
took h- text from Ecccsiasies VIII 10: Say not thou
what Is Tie cause that Il former days better than
these for thou dost inquire wisely concerning ms
Or. Vincent, said invite your attention today to
Thought that No the past ut tie expense of the
present is both H. aud unwarrauod On every such
anniversary this there is every nd. and especially
in maurer minds. great deal Of retrospect Much oitS
inevitably sad Thou dts warise of past happy scenes
which cen never b. remove l. faces winch will mover
appear again at the Thanksgiving beard OF YOUTH
l frcshn, and mauy energy never more to re
turn. These reflections, say, are natural ineFtahe
and open 10 censuro Eut with these not unfrequenuy
= tflatua lis In
comp hat the ire en does not furnish what The past
DID aud charge tn PRESENT With wholesale drttiicra
longs 10 human nature IN every age. Why else the
w,ini OF text? long. long before The preacher
in ntbs after emancipation, hl"d The "ildcrnS,
th regrets The land OF their bondage ana again ahd
inain turned rom their h'aVru-scni lhtnna ana teli
longing fr the veeeihes end re- htshpGs OF ESypt
Who never srd talking ~ thu; which has taken place
- "re d,IgLted in awakening the recoiections OF
40 he not, that a great causes he dts
covered for plant which exist neither in the society
0pIT in IT, &C mpalners person Imagination has
.rrat deal To do with bright ming the gl0ea 81 me pas
Hence eaily and liheharN loiin' Oi ,,'laatV we
uouiar sentiment always rsccs the golden age IN tle
past. In the limits OF mans ,,Hpsrienee t thc
nIsi ,lwarfs it, anu0vancrs an sCrrOws.
The reIf-hnc,s Of has good deal 10 do with their
happier view OF me past Lhey pero'iU III no,l i ,ie
own time and den iiiicd with IT, nave tier recognized
a.. triinu and t,,y are naturally Jealous o.
iiiinns which nat lifted 10 them and Wiich SNOW
o Men, entirriy ont II the account Tie men who
Jo-ph DO not take Kindly TO tIe new k'ng VINO
ruows not Joseph Moreover. tine real progress OF the
present ia favorable 10 tho rest ANA hAcdnrSa ipo
which they have alecd Their habits are form. d, thrir
nons iaturcd. aud new tim VITA Other habits aud
| opinions iustes them unplclsantV' Having set
ia ia liseay .ry that God iuH'ls bm-ef in man,
TSy o, let and G1 1Sa STs way not t6Sii way
ihc very cnqn2os necessary to real pi9e, constantly
which thoroughly selfish ana "pin"naled men resent
Progress often means battle, and when uir has com
fotably wrapped the draperS 81 niS couch about hn
if l. not surprising that he IL angry when trumpet
i ~ ~" forth and met advancing host and light or
ropilte Al such unlcs men are very 'pJ 10 say tbr
! form times were better than these ~, -. ...
pared With he present, r""S IEnonoe OF s t,,
marx Wien theS Via W.. ir IN Its comment on Inc pas
"thlug, which do a9' @pfoar Are resA Thoi
me wisdels OF the past not appearing, are treated
"a or eris Ing. In tne great chambers OF history men
see nly ihe particles of d,.,t wi, Goat IN .he sunbeam
sy hen hence c,rrinIe that an,
sn TO quote again iroin tue .nslish hd",lhei II ooh'S
10 pa tna wat i. lit - history AMI What - mis,.5
uv,t.ty" Measuring Wh"se vices are ofScureC
aud mltIgdcd BY tIne an by iai the greater par"
! and newspapers detective syst' ms, IL u very
/ EASY 10 STRIFE balance IN ibYor oil The paot
| H. Very lame In.ic which cCr"inieS thar there
less rre past age because Nt are aware Oi 40 much
In the present. And, bcsdcN' IN ailhng e balance be-
tl' present ana lI Pc u' ~ Won, =" IstA.h
Ia The credit present ony the gCod wioh appears
aud la
vrmicd they hold existing mora. agencies 70 strict ac
r..uui FOR tie cyn winch tiey Lave not succ, ctcd
/ IN .ui, ro-.ng. forgetting bow much more
fper. nigot have been witDout t1ose agouces. II is
uuiie the th.ug IN loo dalo 10 tii stones ~ tbe
cInc,,. 10 charge the clergy with falling "a reach the
,@,,, agd On! siiaus Win pride ana mcilcicnc', and
tle righteousness with wLrh ,teh h"ints are read Ia
Inc c.nrcies certainly speak well for the sccuser,
6nowlcic. OF Carl. iian day. II not Tor Their ciaTiv
81 Inc ChGrcn OF pr sent. claim tAat u is bat SIM IT,
Justice 10 take not, of tc e,ii she ias rcfcntcd Well
IL OF that which sho has Jailed Ia suiPrtas: 44mdcIs
t4elt. drinking ana sambn! saloons, lie niio,' rHitr
/ ta,lncni.-agc, they abound. but what OF iha hands
tAat clean iOh blood a' iheit Nhai g, me c,ilS
! ,rtcu,ptrd What OI the mtn ana women who woulI
/ have been the scandal ana tho pest OF The
society but frr dose Original iulu,hces which the
Cinru urc-pn'. YES. Let those iuhurnCtS and :hclf
results be- emiu.lel from sUcicy to-day. and tile
cynical critic ui cuI Chez would be Unly too glad To
/ m. n OH placrs ard doing their old work
rhc SAME principles take ON different methods at differ
.nt times in often within t.c lifetime Of And
men are ~ apt to mistake form for substance beso
being. have already stem 80 weIdd 70 tie pafci-
selves them, that when the orm changes they think
that The Irincp! IL sacrificed And tns Is true IN The
teyinus drttlOUment society well rs cist VIII
Perhaps might safely say II peemincnti rte IN that
sphere NOthiig is more liked than christianity No
No, no circumstances LUiy in the least s fundamental
truths. THESE not for day. but for all time ON
tine other hand st Of truths affords acc Tor such
inipife varieties of manifestation. Forms OF religious
| thought OF church life, methods OF religious in
! strncttnn and RELIGIOUS activity types OF Christian
/ character vary from ag~ To age. one period is
pcntecOsal. another educltonn one Is conempLtNe,
notlrr active. emphasizes organization, another
yyr,sson The literature ae is rich in decnses
o the Jith another III records OF personal experience
The lack Of books in one age constrained The pulpit to
! deal with "A minutener-, winch the supply OF modern
Literature renders unnecessary Tho time Was-ani That
within the memory OF NOT rev hying-when reyivas
were numerous and when te largely accepted theory ~
churclife was Of advance under succession Of re
vvai moulses There has BEEN chanse These ,, i'm,
few years aud yet do not believe that The alter,
native has been revival or death. We read OF
a renecost. ana 1000 added to the church in
day; aud teu followed period of teaching and fellow
shin ana otnauces and Practical benedcence. And after
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