Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-12-12
A THANKSGIVING SERMON,
- DELIVERED BY
Rev. E 4. HUNTINGTON,
IN THE
Congressional Church Of Olympia,
November 27lh, 1879.

-" In my Fathers House are many Man
sions'-St. John XIV
Religion find it's fittest types in
the relation of the earthly home.
In the text " My Fatter's House," is
made the type of the Heavenly
home, and under this type we
get the best conception of Heaven,
where God is Father and all that
dwell there are children of ono fani-
ly.
But it is my object to. day to bring
to remembrance the type rather
than tho thing typiiied, and on this
occasion of family reunions all over
the land, this return of the national
feast day, to contemplate ".M
Fathers House" and study it's bear
ing upon the civilization and the
happiness of any people. There is
no other place like I" My Fathers
Uouse," that old rural home in
which was cast, as in q mold, the
destiny of large family, no one
appointment of which was without
it's moral bearing. There, in the
centre, was the old stack of CHM
neys, covering a base of twelve feet
square, with large open tireplaces on
each of it's quadrilateral sides. One
with its huge brick oven accommoda-
ting the dining kitchen, which was
the general reception, working, cook
ing and eating room of the establish.
ment. Each of the others, warming
parlor and sleeping rooms, with
sanded floors of maple wood secured
to immaculate whiteness. The naked
beams and joists of the ceilings,
adorned with festoons of drying fruit,
seed corn, traced and suspended in
graceful strings, while the buzzing
of spinning wheels, the clatter of
the loom, the prattle of numerous
children the rattling of dinner dish
es, superseded the use of the modern
piano. In the garret was stored the
hives of honey, the kegs of home
made sugar, hetched flax from tho
barn, and the cleansed heeces, wait
ing for the cards, and the distaff of
the industrious matrons. In the
large open chamber between kitch-
en- and garret were the many man
sions of my Fathers house, separated
by the hanging blankets from my
mothers loom, wherein were bed
steds of massive maple, with ticks
for straw and feathers from the
family loom, supported upon tight
ened cord from homegrown flax, and
twisted in the homemade rope walk,
everything which were flannel Dhects
and fantastic coverlids, the handi-
work of a mother whose fingers
never rested and whose genius was
never exhausted and also downy
pillows that king might envy.
One Of these compartments was the
bridal chamber of the married
daughters. In others were the
spare beds for the returning child
rem and visiting friends. In the
basement was the large cellar, we'll
stored with the products of garden,
richard and dairy. And outside
vas the old we'll with its weather
beaten curb and towering sweey
suspending
The old oaken bucket, the iron bound
bucket,
The moss-covered bucket that hung in the
we'll"
The large old barn stuffed to the
ridge with the garnered crops of the
year, with fattened swine in the sty
and fattened poultry everywhere.
Such is faint picture of my father
house, as the decendents of the New
England farmers Of the past age re
member it. But the event mos