The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1882-12-02
THANKSGIVING pay.

tional Thanksgiving and Prayer, the Amer
lean citizens sojourning in these islands
were invited by the His Elk. Rollin NJ. Dag
gett, lnitei States Minister Resident, to
make due observance of the day in harmony
with the people of the United States of
America, and TO this end appropriate ser
vices were offered at Fort Street Church in
this city, by the Rev. j. a. Cruzan at IL
O'Clock Am. that day. Similar services
were also offered by the Rev. George Wal
lace, at st. Andrews Church.
1t was an occasion of especial interest, as
was evinced by the large gatherings at both
places of worship.
At eleven O'Clock precisely the proceedings
opened at Fort Street Church by a Voluntary
from 3rd Organ Sonata, Myron n. Jones, followed
by the Lords Prayer. The choir then sang.
NY Soul doth Magnify the Lord"
During the singing 2 of the Psalm, Mr.. Daggett
entered the church, followed by His Majesty the
King, Her Majesty the Queen. their Excellencies
the Premier and Gov rnor Dominis, and His
Majesty's acting Chamberlain As they entered,
the congregation rose up, and remained stand
ing throughout the singing of the Psalm.
Mr.. Daggett then assembled the dais and made
the following Introductory remarks prior to
reading the Proclamation
Ny FRIENDS: Before proceeding with the
reading of the proclamation of the President of
the United States, 1 ask the indulgence of a few
words. The observance of a day of ma
tional Thanksgiving is strictly an Amer
lean custom, and as such is entitled To
Jul toptSla cOunt5nHuces ana although
it has been in vogue for more than
two and a half centuries, no other nation has AS
yet followed the example. Nor need this much
be wondered at, for mover, since the children of
Jacob dwelt beside the Jordan, has a nation been
SO blessed as the Great Republic, whose scat
tered but ever-devoted children are assembled
here to-day under the tamarind and the palm
to give thanks to the God of their fathers for all
that He has done for them in the past. for all
He is doing for them now, for all OF His prom
ises for the future; to give thanks to Him
Whose mercy lifted in their wasted strength,
Whose finger guided when their paths were dim;''
To give thanks to that
Almighty Father from whose hand
The centuries roll like grains of sand
The thanksgiving custom had its ori..a with
the Puritan Fathers of New England. For many
years after their arrival in the New World. their
hardshIps were many and their prIVati. las great.
Their scanty crops from year to Year scarcely
-uficed to carry them through the long and
rigorous winters of their new home. They titled
their fields with their rifles strapped to their
backs, and the hostile arrows that looked at
them through the thickets were ALMOST as plenti-
ful AS the thorns. To enable them to bear their
heavy burdens of danger and restitution, their
council yearly set apart a day of solemn fast
ing, humiliation and prayer.
Finully. their skies became brighter, and their
fields broader and more green, and when one
Autumn, tina usual motion was made for "a
day of fasting. humiliation and prayer an old
member of the Council rose-such q man, | can
conceive, as was stern old Abraham Davenport,
made glorious by the verse of Whittier-aud
moved as u substitute that a day of thanks
giving and praise be appointed, for, said he,
our streams are full of fishes. our granaries
ara full of corn, and peace and abund-
ance sleep upon every threshold. The
substitute was promptly adopted. and thus
was inaugurated our day of thanksgiving. The
custom was continued by the executives of the
several states. but the day was not always uni
form, although generally late i'll Autumn. 1t
extended from New England to the Middle, and
then to the Western States. but was seldom OBJ
served in the Southern States.
1t was during the rebellion that Abraham
Lincoln, the greatest of all the martyrs to the
cause of human liberty and Christianity, first
made Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday.
He appointed a day of thanksgiving and prayer,
and the executives OF the several states recog-
nizing federal control at once issued proclama-
tons setting apart the same day. And so since
has the custom continued, the President of the
Republic fixing the day in each year by procla
nation. and the Governors of the States and
Territ ries giving it formal and distinct accept
ance. Aud so may it continue SO long as the
Republic las is, which will be to the end of time,
and so long as the providence of God finds re-
cognition among the peoples of the earth.
l will now read the
PROCLAMATION.
In conformance with Il custom, the annual OBJ
servance of which is justly held III honor by this
people, L, Chester A. Arthur, President of the
United States, do hereby set apart Thursday, the
OULn Gay OF NONeu1Der next, aS a DAY OF pubic
Thanksgiving. The blessings demanding our
gratitude are numerous and varled-for the
peace and amity which subsist between the Re-
publicnd Il all the nations of the world for our
freedom from internal discord and violence for
the Increasing friendship between the different
sections of the land of liberty, Justice and con-
stitutional government for the devotion Of the
people to our free institutions, and their cheer
full obedience to the civil laws ; for the constantly
increasing strength of the Republic, while eY-
t6u1InD its IrIYllcpeS to Our feflOW-men who
come to US for improved means of internal COIN
munication and increased facilities of intercourse
with other nations for the generally prevailing
good health of the year for the prosperity of
all our industries, a liberal return for our me-
chanics' toll, affording n market for the abund-
ant harvest for our husbandmen for the pre-
servatiOn of the national faith and credit for
wise and generous provisions % effect the intel
lectual and moral education of our youth for
the influence upon the conscience of the restrain
ing and transforming power of religion, and for
the joys of home. For these and for many other
blessings we should give thanks. Wherefore, 1
do recommend that the day above designated be
observed throughout the country as a day of ma
tiOnal thanksgiving and prayer, and that the
people, censing from their daily labor and meet
ing in accordance with their several forms of
worship, draw near to the throne of Almighty
God. offering to him praise aud gratitude for the
manifest good which he has vouchsafed to US,
and praying that his blessings aud mercies may
continue. And L do further recommend that
the DAY thuS appointed may De made n special
occasion for deeds of kindness and char ty to the
suffering and needy, so that all who dwelI within
the land may rejoice and be glad in this season
of national thanksgiving.
In witness whereof, / have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the United States to
be affixed.
Done at Washington, this 25th day of Octo-
Der, in the year of Our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty-two, and of the indepsnd-
snce of the United States the one hundred and
seventh. CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
By the President
FREDERICK L. FRELINGHUYsEN,
Secretary of State.
This was followed by the Anthem" Thorn
visitest the earth and waterest it, by thu l rIHR