The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-11-30
GENERAL OBSERVANCE or THE DAY.
Thanksgiving Notes.

Never was Thanksgiving Day m0r'
generally observed in Richmond than or
yesterday. This holiday, formerly ot
New England and Puritan origin had
never before the late war been regarded
with any special favor In the South, 1t,
! heretofore, having been observed in this
section only in the Episcopal Church
Which by its rnbrics-int. oduced into
this country from the Church Of Eng
land-sets apart the first Thursday OF
| November as day of special observance
as a Church festival OF Thanksgiving,
unless some other day be designa-
ted by the civil authorities AT
that time Thanksgiving Day in New
| England was observed in very much the
same manner that Christmas has always
been celebrated in the South, namely az
day of feslyity and gathering If The
home circle around the family board.
Ever since the war, Thanksgiving Day
has been growing more and more in pop
ulariiy in this section. until now all
O yer the South II is regarded with almost
a, much attention AZ in the North.
DR. HoGEs SERMON.
As announced yesterday the Prcsby-
terians of tie city united In Thanks
giving service at the First Presbyterian
Church, corner of Grace and Madison
streets, where Rev DR. Moses D. Hoge
preached an eloquent sermon from 4iih
Psalm, fst verse I'VE have heard with
our ears . God, our fathers have told
us what work thou did'st 10 their days,
in ha Af oil G.fl =.
a full synopsis Of his discourse reported
especially for the TIMES.
Psalms a, lst verse DR.. Hoge com.
mepced by saying the past is the gracious
and indulgent creditor to which we are
indebted for whatever Is precious in the
Inheritance of the present. There can
not be river without the original foun
tain from which its first waters flowed
There cannot be an oak without the ante
cedcnt acorn. The tree in its final de
yelOpment may lift it's head high and
spread lis branches wide, but all of ils
roots, truak, and limbs once lay hidden
in folds Of the germinai acorn. The law
OF progress 10 art, in morals, in govern
ment, in religion, is conditioned upon
the development Of the principles con-
tanned In each. In every art there are
certain fundamental ideas, and progress |
is based upon their recognition.
In The course Of time an artist of |
such talent arises that VIC would call his |
master piece an original creation, bnte it |
Is not soi he only combines and improves /
upon what Is admirable In the works of
his predecessors, and stamping his own
personality on it, the result is something
better than any previous production, lut
not independent of IT, All the inspira-
ion Of genius cannot separate it-elf
rom alliance on the principals which
lnderlie all art, and against This law Of
genius struggles as vainly as the ocean
loes against The shore.
The same thing is true ia most all the
schools of philosophy, having inherited
be tolls OF their predecessors. The
treat lights and landmarks On the shores
II thought would never have existed bu,
or the speculations OF previous thinkers,
whose names in all probability would have ,
In this sense there are no
original founders OF ethical systems.
SO, too, all forms of governments are
lftSr, tHt tapfttSftH VI tHt otttdf, tifH,
Intellectual and moral life Of the people :
l0wly unfolding and finally embodied in
avs and constitutions. |,
The same thing is true OF religion 1
Christianity is the outcome of the success
i've revelations Of four thousand years,
lie patrisrchal, prophetical, and leyitical {
ispensa,ions were only preparations for
he introduction of the gospel. But for q
be events recorded in Genesis there ,
ouid have been no Exodus. The historic {
salms all celebrate the early trials, q
aptivities and deliverance of the Hebrew s
eople The preface 10 The moral t
w itself reminds those to whom '
De ten commandments were given
lat God had brought them j
III from the house of bondage All the $
eat national festivals OF the Jews were {
Of events in their early O
inals. All The covenants were traced U
sck 70 Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. b
hen we come TO new testimonial times $
I'd read the speeches of Peter, Paul aud a
cohen. We 6nd them chiefly msde i
, Of old testament history. Even King 4