Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-11-27
Thanksgiving Service.

This is Thanksgiving week, and the notes
both of invitation and preparation are heard
on every hand 1t is a grand old festival,
and though its observance is sometimes a
little wide of the original mark, its divine
authority is unquestioned and its benefits
are abundantly attested by human expert
ence. Surely the present year is exceptional
in the occasion it affords for an earnest
grateful and joyous observance of the day,
in this section of the country at least. Our
gamers are literally full health abounds
on every hand and the whole country, so
long depressed by pecuniary embarrass-
ments, we trust stands at the very threshold
of brighter day. Let us then, one and
all, come together in our places of worship
with offerings of gratitude and songs of
gladness let us open our hearts TO receive
the truth and our purses to give to the poor (;
and around our firesides, let us cultivate those
generous affections which alone can make
our homes happy, and help to Danish selfish
ness and sin and sorrow from off the face of
the earth.
But we greatly fear the religious OBJ
servance of the day will be too much like
the past. Agreeably to timehonored Gus
tom, and in conformity to the request of
our worthy Governor, our people, or a
small portion of them, will gather in the
churches for the usual service. The min
listers are already preparing their sermons,
with unusual care, but destined to be we'll
nigh lost upon empty seats. A few will
attend for looks sake; some, perhaps, be-
cause Others go; and there will be few
devout worshipers who will be there with
hearts full of gratitude, ready to hear and
respond to the expressions of thanksgiving
coming from the pastors heart.
In view of this widespread defect in the
ordinary service, Vermont pastor, not
many years ago, determined on a radical
change, and he adopted the following plan,
as described by him: Notice was given
from the pulpit the Sabbath before that in-
stead of the usual Thanksgiving sermon,
there would be Thanksgiving service, and
all WIN Hdu IeCclNeu any uhihB w NC tuallh-
full for during the past year were cordially
invited to come. The result was, on Thurs
day morning following, at half-past ten A. NJ,
we had nearly the entire Sabbath congrega-
ton present. After appropriate Scripture
reading and remarks of perhaps ten minutes
duration by the pastor, and an appropriate
hymn sung, an invitation was given for
each one to express his own thanksgiving
An aged BROTHER whose wife had been sick
three years, and who was having as hard
time to get along as any one in the COM
munity, Immediately rose up and thanked
the Lord for his goodness to him. Immedi-
ately following him was poor blind man,
whose heart seemed OVERLOOKING with thanks
giving to God. Next, in quick succession,
was cripple, who rose to his feet, or rather
foot, as we might say, and with great fervor
said, al am glad the sick, and the blind
and the lame can thank Cod All hearts
were touched, and the Thanksgiving service
we had then and there was worth more than
all the Thanksgiving sermons ever preached
in that house.
This good pastor adds, awe still continue
our Thanksgiving services, and we would
not dare go back to the sermon plan. 1t
would be robbing the people of God"