Smyrna times., 1881-11-30

1hANhSOlN lNO. 1ndHkSSlNlHH Gay |
cleared up in the morning blustery and
decidedly cold for what it had BEEN but
in its social aspects was fully enjoyed.
The people are not, it is evident from the
number that repair to the churches, the
appointed places for public thanksgiving,
fully imbucd with the spirit of the day in
its full significance.
At St Peters Church the usual Thanks
| giving service was had with a sermon in
consOnance by the Rector, Rev. VIM. B.
Gordon.
At the NJ f. Church there was a very
| appreciative audience who enjoyed the
singing and the pulpit ministrations
After prayer by Presiding Elder Martin
dale and selections of scripture by Rev.
Mr.. Rigg, Rev. J. T. Umsted of the Pres
! byterian Church was introduced and en-
tertained the audience for nearly an hour
in very scholarly, Thoughtful and com
prehensiVe discourse on national subjects.
MR.. UMsTED's DISCOURSE.
After citing few passages Of scripture
as the basis of his discourse, and making |
Il passing comment especially on the Tooth |
Psalm, as completing "a decalogue of |
Psalms" all addressed to the nations to |
give thanks to jehovah as the creator |
and preserver of all things, and to praise |
Him for His infinite goodness, constancy |
and faithfulness, he proceeded to remark, !
that the observance of a national festival |
Ofthanksgiving was an open acknowledge
ment by our rulers, and the people gen
orally, of God as the Governor among the
nations, the controller of their destinies,
as well as the author of every good and
perfect gift-that he was our Cod and our
fathers God, and that we are, in some
good sense, still a religious people; mani
Testing to the world the fact Of the eX-
istence of Church separate from the
State, but conjoined in community Of feel
ing, thus rendering TO Cesar The things
which are CGsar's, and to God the things
which are Gods" He alluded to some of
the circumstances calculated to dampen
the ardor OF gratitude, and to repress the
y outbursts of Thanksgiving on the present
: occasion; the destruction of life and prop
erty by tornadoes, floods and fires in some
:: parts of the country, and above all the
/ nations lingering grief and tears over its
beloved and martyred President: the
| shameful farce being enacted in the criIni-
| nal court at Washington in the case of the
n | cunning and debased william who commit
y ted the terrible deed. But rising above
= these circumstances of depression, turning
away from the dark side Of the picture to
its brighter view, there were those fitted
n to awaken emotions of joy and to give
Y vent to expressions of gratitude unto the
r bounteous Givcr of all good. There was
n the enjoyment OF peace in all the land
) save with the wrOnged Indians on our
st boTders-peaCe, a community of feeling
It and interest in the national brotherhood
d pulsating more kindly and tenderly by
1t the strange, affective dspensatiOn of proy-
e idence in the death of the GOuntryiS Off
IS cial head, in which the wrath of man was
Y made to glorify God to this end, and to
v bind the hearts of his people more closely
Of in one throughout the world. There was
o. also an international sympathy still in
of our late bereavement, and hence uni
re versal peace among all nations as TO our
a selves and we as to them; which was an
n occasion of thanksgiving as premOnition
n of Messiah's reign. The industries of the
" country had, during the past year, been
er greatly revived after long depression
We trade and commerce, the maritime, mining
ed manufacturing and railroad interests had
to been greatly reSuscitStcd The agricul
ed tural interests alone had to some extent
ch suffered. But there was plenty in the
i" land, enough and TO spare to supply the de
ficiency i'll other lands. The advance il
price of the products of the earth, had il
q a great measure compensated the farme
ne for the shOrtness of his crop, and he haC
10 no occasion to complain but to join in th
| RcHcEdl tudilhSSAHlHE w INN WlO HAS It
1T. deemed his gracious covenant that Will
Ses earth remaineth, Seed-time and harves
am shall not cease. The health Of the peOpl
VIA had been wonderfully preserved, tn
mortality less than during the proceeding
ere wear. The institutions of learning, semi
ne narics and colleges, and public schools ha
ied been in q most hourshing condition, an
$ never had so many of the youth of tn
Ger land been in the wny Of receiving praC
sn- tical, classical, scientific or ordinary edu
ru, cation. The more noted institutions ha
eW received large endowments from wealth
10 and liberal-hearted men. Common schoO
ing had been established all over the Soutl
ers and the freedmen were being instructed
rds the branches of good English educG
tiiy tion--all of which tended to the home
the geniety of the nation. In conneotio
ION with this, he exhorted the people of ii
'ry, Diamond State to raise the public scho
In system to the highest grade, and to stan
abreast with the other States of the Unio
ms as virtue and independence cannot lor
ries be maintained among an ignorant peopl
Doh, After referring at considerable length
y the preservation and enjoyment of OF
rice civil and religious rights, our prosperi
tne under our free and liberal Constitute
hao and from our beginning as q nation, Il
yes, variety of climate, soil and production
Rior the country Ito the splendid succe
pose which the God of nations had shed th
70 far on the experiment of American Ind
ieck pendence, and which he ascribed to 4
MIN goodness of God; he referred TO the d
| so covery of the country, the Reformation
loan soon following, and ecclesiastical proscri
tne ton and persecution, preparing people
ans migrate TO these shores to establish
AI.er Christian Commonwealth aud to solve
VINO themselves and their children in the ger
\ 70 rations following the three great problei
par Of humanity, The civit rights Of men, i
. government and q free church. lie th
alluded TO the dangers which threaten
ugh the Republic-the demons offraud, ,ayari
Gus extrayagance, luxury, intempeTagce, V
wing lence, anti-Sabbatsn-the symptoms
w. the decay Of public virtue, q cTimil
thirst for political Office, systema
have greed for its spoils, the hordes Of Eure
,tion pressing in upon us with their licentiS
!, views Of liberty, communism in the abb
i. is ton and DESTRUCTION Of all the domes
this and social ties and the lightsof propert,
s the flings of an atheistic philosophy, pc
,rado and literature at religion, the Bible,
had Church aud the ministry 4 the agitationl