Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-27
DEVOTION AND TURKEYS.
HOW sAVANNAHIANs OBSERVED
THANKSGIVING DAY.

Churches FILLED with Large COngre-
cations OF Grateful WOrshipperS--btg
Dinners and Varied Recreations Fhi
uD the Record OF the Autumn Holiday.
The first thought Of the small boy when
he awoke yesterday morning was oil tne
big Thanksgiving dinner he expected TO
tackle in the afternoon. After the dinner
was over ne wished some other boy had
tackled it. A good many older people
had similar thoughts and experiences.
The sOber-minded class recognize, how
ever, a much more significant meaning
in the arrival OF Thanksgiving day. II
means something more than fat turkey
and a holiday. Whether viewed in
religious, social or domestic light, it Is
everywhere ACKNOWLEDGED 10 be beauu-
ful and beneficial custom However al
variance the various methods Of observing
the day, there exists one universal
custom-that Of making an IN
commonly extensive repast. The
prisons. asylums and charitable
institutions generally are furnished with
an extra fare, either at the public expense
or through kindness Cd the part OF benln-
cent individuals.
There was the usual observance OF the
was no interruption Of business, and the
streets were crowded as usual. The pOul-
try dealers did lively trade, and Market
square was a lively place until the close
OF market hours. By noon business BE-
gan 70 drop of, and many q the leading
houses were closed.
IL several o. the e1urc1ss special
thanksgiving services were held and
large congregations assembled II humble
Ia Mr-r 10
upon Almighty God for all that con-
tributes 70 their health and happiness and
the prosperity Of the country. The festl-
walls u the Roman Catholic church, as
laid down in the calendar, DO not include
any celebration that has not received
the approval Of the Vatican. AS result
Thanksgiving day has heretofore received
no special recognition from the Catholic
church, but services are held annually In
recognition Of the government. In the
Protestant churches there were large con-
gregations.
At St. johns the services were Of an
unusually interesting character. The
church was appropriately decorated.
The altar was surmounted by cross Of
grain, at the base Of which was bank of
fruits and flowers. The chancel rail was
covered with vines, and at the chancel
gate two sheaves of grain, interviewer
with flowers and fruits, stood on orange
boxes. The font was covered with a
pyramid of fruits and plants, with tall
vases OF pampas grass waving gracefully
above the rich offerings. At the base Of
the font and pulpit, and along the steps
leading to the chancel, were the Thanks
giving offerings of the congregation
for the parish poor, in the
shape Of clothing, groceries, and
provisions of almost every kind.
The sermon was by the rector, Rev.
Charles II. Strong, and was discourse
appropriate to the occasion. The regular
offering Of the day was for the aged and in
firm clergy Of the church.
At Christ church services were also
held, and the rector, Rev. Thomas Boone,
preached a Thanksgiving sermon. The
chancel was decorated with the fruits of
the season. Upon the altar was a cross
OF grain woven with flowers. The font
was tilled with a mass of grains and f1ow-
ers, and piled at the base was mound
OF substantial offerings for the poor. The
rector in his sermon alluded TO the pail
which has been thrown over the country
by the death of Vice President Hendricks.
At the Baptist church the Presbyterian,
Methodist, Lutheran, and Baptist congre-
cations Of the city held union service.
The sermon was preached by Rev. j. w.
AoSdus pdStuI VI Tue II lIsb ITtSDy
church, from the text: she hath not dealt
so with any nation; and as for His judg-
ments, they have not known them. Praise
ye the Lord" Psalms cXlvil.. 20.
Rev. i. i. Christian, Of Trinity church !;
Rev. W. 5. Bowman, OF the Lutheran
church; Rev. Richard Webb, of the Sea
mems bethel, and Rev. j. Z. l.. Holmes,
pastor Of the Baptist church, occupied
seats on the pulpit platform. The church
was filled with a large congregation. The
collection was a liberal one. and was in
behalf o. the Home for the Friendless.
At the Female Orphan Asylum, the
Episcopal Orphans Home and the Home
for the Friendless Thanksgiving day
meant plentiful feast, and the bones and
empty dishes on the tables after the din
| ner hour was over told how well the meal
had been appreciated.
The streets were by no means deserted
/ II it was holiday. Downtown very lit
tie business was done after O'Clock, ont
| out Bull street and in the Park the
| crowds were on parade. The weather
IN the afternoon was just such
! weather as THANKSGIVING day ought
/ TO bring-coOl, bracing and bright.
/ Everybody, 1t seemed, was on the street,
and the park was thrOnged. 1t was not
/ until nightfall that the crowds dispersed.
/ At night the streets wore their usual ap-
/ pearance. Policemen had To patrol
/ their beats as usual and keep
/ good natured while the citizens,
whose property they guarded,
ate and drank. Newspaper men delve d
and dove and scrubbed and wrote, and
/ printers put up copy, while down in the
cellars long strips OF dampsned paper
were fed to the inky nav, and then
cast forth ike leaves with the
worlds news on their pages. The night
telegraph operators worked the same as
on any other night, though perhaps a
little slower and with less certain hands
and brain. Express and railroad men
kept on with their ceaseless round Of work,
while the merchant and professional man
laid aside ais cares, and tried TO get the
best Of the tough gobbler he ate for dinner
before the ghost Of the old hero comes
back to haunt him in his dreams.
For the everyday worker THANKSGIVING,
as a holiday, has no charms. II only
means more work 10 make up for that
which others have undone. Its obsery-
ance, however, was, as IL always Is in
Savannah, general throughout the city.