Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-05
ThaNks0lVlN0 DoV.

Thanksgiving Day.
Tho day was delightfully."- pleasant,
and every one seemed in frame Of mind
to give thanks for past blessings and
favors, and enjoy the days offerings.
There seemed to he no general under
standing among business men, rs to an
observance Of the day. Each house reg.
ulated its own affairs, and kept open shop,
or not, as its Keepers thought best. A
part, however, were closed from church
time till after turkey. eating time. Bust
ness was generally dull, however, and
we have no doubt that those per"ns VIII"
closed their shops, were as rich in purse
the next morning as those who kept open
all day. But. to the religious services:
THE UNION SERVICE
of the Congregational, Baptist and Meth
dist churches, was held with the Baptists,
and was largely attended, the church be
seen every Christian sect in Austin join
in this union service. Such meetings are
very pleasant And christian churches
would make more friends and converts
by o!tener displaying this spirit of unity.
After the singing of an appropriate
HYMN, Rev. Mr.. Belden read selection
from Scriptures; anG Mr. Williams Of
fered an earnest prayer Of thanksgiving.
Mr.. Wright delivered the sermon, his
text being Romans V: 8, 4: I'VE glory
IN trlbulatiOns also: Knowing that t"ibu.
lation workr,h patience; and patience
experience; and experience, hope" Mr.
Wright made good use Of his context
He alluded to our social, financial and
political tribulations, and yet in face Of
these trials, We have reason for thanks
giving Out Of ,ribulations has come all
intellectual and moral good. AID trials
are as great benefit to the Nation as
they are to individuals. ut is one Of the
great comPensa lions Of such 'hard times
that they bring to our attention, with
powerful emphasis, the great truths
which underlie the welfare of society, and
upon which all true prosperity rests. In
times of affluence, an easy habit If lltc,
mastered by no strong convictio MS, seems
to answer the end of living. But when
upheavals come, and society is shaken !;
when principles that trusted, fail; when
the foundations are shaken, and only
those things which cannot be shaken, re-
main; then we awake I" the realization
If need, which the soft summer. time
did not reveal, the need Of convictions,
Of 10y atty to conscience, of conformity to
eternal principles, of a morality and y
religion that will not fail in the final day
that tries every mans work, Of what sort 1t
is. Such revealing time has come to us
pow, and we should praise God for It,"
| The sermon was so good, and 80 much
enjoyed by the congregation, that, at the
request of several who heard it, we have
concluded next week to give it the bene-
fit Of larger audience by publishing it
| in the columns of the TRANSCRIPT.
AT CHRIST CHunCH.
The service at Christ Church, (Episco-
paD was well attended, the c"nyreg atiop
joining earnestly with their pastor, Rev
j. A"kctell,in the beautifully appropriate
services Of the church for the day togeth-
er with a portion of the usual morning
service.
Introductory to his sermon, the pastor
expressed his pie assure in SD general an
attendance, and, rs bearing upon the OBJ
servance of the day, drew The attention Of
the congre cation to the Parish record as
show ing that the first service held in the
present church ed,fice was held on
Tha nk>giving day-thus making the day
an anniversary III the Parish.
The text was taken from the Gospel of
the dny-a portion of the fifth chapter
of the Gospel according to St. Mahcw,
"He maketh his sun to rise on the evil
and on The good" Opening with shcrt
history of the origin Of the day as estah
lshed by the Purl'ans, and with the re-
Elections suggested by their selecting s"
late season of the year as being typical
of their stern and rugged natures, he ell
tered upon the adoption by The Pr 'testant
Episcopal Church ct the United States
of America, of "a form of prayer and
thanksgiving to Almighty God, for the
fruits If the earth and all the other bless
lngs of His Mercifll Providence to be
observed yearly, Oh the first Thursday IN
November, or on such other day as shall
he appointed by the civil authority"
That the church had fallen into using
the day appointed by the civil authorities,
and that the probabilities were it would
continue in the same With practical
and earnest reflections upon the general
application of the subject of the text to
the day, the pastor closed his first "Thanks-
giving Day" services in the Parish.
AT THE UN1vERsAL1sT CHURCH,
there was the usual thanksgiving service.
The attendance was fair The pastor,
Rev j. W. Eldridge. preached from the
text, as follows: know ye the Lord, He
is God: VT ore his people, and the Sheep
Of lis pasture" Ps. c., 8. The main
points, as presented, were: I. The perma-
nence of the Kingdom Of God, as found in
His character, as Rock Fortress, Deliver
er, Buckler, Sun, Shield, SC. 2. His rela.
tons to us as Shepherd AID duty to Him
as His people and Sheep of His pasture.
and the mutual obligations growing out IF
this relationship. 8. In the use of the
text, David spoke to the 1sraelites and
them alone, and yet we must apply this
language to the larger Israel OF God. We
have many evidences of Gods favor to us
as Nation and people. The speaker