Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-08-04
The harvest Home Celebration.
Thursday, July Goth, was a gala day

thursday, July NoIii, wac S
for the people of Mt. Wesley, and adj
Joining neIghborhoods About 9 o'clock,
in the morning the people began to
gather at the Swan-Pond woods to eel
citrate the annual feast of the Harvest
Home, and by IL o'clock, it was est
mated that there were about three hun
dred persons present. Criswells Cornet
Band. consisting of eleven members ar
rived about 10 o'clock, in their Band
Wagon, drawn by four able horses, and
soon they struck the air OF grand
march, and the woods resounded with
emusic sweet.
The effect was magical, calling the
attention of bustling committee, az
pointed to fix up and arrange for the
entertainment of the gathering crowds,
and drawing around them the younger
folks, curious to see as well as hear the
almost singing instruments.
BY noon all arrangements are per-
fected for dinner, and Notwithstanding
the quantities of refreshments that were
consumed at the "Saloon," nearly the
entire crowd found their way to the
tables, and such a dinner! Just the
kind you might expect among such an
independent class of Farmers, whose
wives know exactly how to serve up
such at home. And if you had seen the
gentlemen and ladies, by uniform ar
rangement, serving a table of more than
hundred persons, you might have con
cluded that they were trained for the
occasion. After dinner the crowd scat
tered in every direction, finding the
most inviting shade under wide spread
ing Oaks of a century, and the gentle
men enjoying cigar from the saloon,
and a chat on various subjects, promi-
nent among these was the subject OF the
strike among railroad men, which began
at Martinsburg, and soon became wide
spread, joined as it was by roughs and
tramps, and resolved itself into forml-
dable war. Baltimore, Pittsburg, Buff
talo, Philadelphia and other cities were
places of uprisings, and in which. there
was considerable destruction of proper
ty, bloodshed, and vandalism.
The Governors of the states called
out the militia, and in some instances
called upon President Hayes for military
assistance. In proclamation issued by
the President he forewarned all persons
not to take part with any of the lawless
and reckless mobs along the lines OF the
railroads, and demanded that all hostili-
ties cease, and the rioters return to their
homes before the oath OF July.
At o'clock =. NJ, the scattered
crowd assembled at the stand to listen
to an address by Rev. Mr.. Smith, Pas
tor of the church, on the subject OF the
Harvest Home. The speaker said that
the teasts OF the Israelites, celebrated
thousands of years ago. were true teasts,
and in commemoration of great events,
The three most important. were the
Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles
all celebrated at Jerusalem.
The Pentecost was feast OF thanks
for the harvest, and was on this account
called the feast of the harvest, and the
Pentecost was often called the day OF
the first fruits for the reason that two
loaves made of new meal, and the tenth
part of an Ephah Of grain were offered
as the first fruits. Moses speaks OF this
festival in the form of command in
Exodus 23rd chapter and 10th verse,
in which He says "Thou shalt keep the
feast Of harvest, the first fruits OF thy
labours, which thou hast sown in the
fields, and the feast of ingathering,
which is in the end of the year, when
thou hast gathered in thy labours out
of the field.
Here at Jerusalem the men and wo-
men assembled, very large concourse,
dressed in their best apparel, after
friendly greeting with acquaintance and
relatives then followed religious exer-
cises which were always accompanied
with music, and then came the feast,
which was enjoyed in both a social and
religious manner. The speaker aItereX-
planning the nature of the feast, showed
in what respects ours agreed and IN
what it disagreed with theirs. 1t
agreed in this that it was season OF
Joy, gladness, and thanksgiving to God
for the richer blessings of the harvest.
1t disagreed in that all who partook OF
the feast, those as well who provided 1t
felt under such obligations for the Cos
pei as to sustain it by their means.
The tenth of all that is raised in the
field and garden is not under the chris
tian dispensation demanded. Tithes
are not required but liberal, generous
support of the gospel by our means.
Upwards of one hundred dollars were
realized, and the well pleased crowd APP
peared as much delighted in the fnan-
cial success, as in the other enjoyable
features of the occasion.
PASTOR.
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