The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-12-04
THANKSGIVING SERMON.
BY THE REV. H. H. GowEN AT ST. AN
DREw's CATHEDRAL.

Following is the sermon preached
by Rev. Herbert III. .Gowen at st.
Andrews Cathedral from the text:
Psalm 81, verse 6.-Then shall the
earth yield her increase and God,
even our God, shall bless u.s.
Psalm 67 was the harvest thanks
giving psalm of the Jewish Church.
The feast of Ingathering or Taber-
nacles was called by the Rabbis "the
Feast" For seven consecutive days
the caravans of pilgrims arrived at
Jerusalem from every part, and all
the gardens outside the city were
thrown open to accommodate. the re-
joicing multitudes. There they
raised the 'succoth' or booths of
palm branch, olive and myrtle. In
the streets glad professions took
place, each person bearing the 'lu-
lab or palm branch. Each day the
priest went down to Sloan and
drew water in golden ever, and
while the temple trumpets sounded
and the people waved their lulabs,
poured it out beside the altar. Well,
said the Rabbis, that the man who
had not seen his joy did not know
what joy was. And it was during
these festivities that the psalm was
sung-an anthem with solo, semi
chorus and chorus-to an accom-
paniment of stringed instruments.
Whatever may be the shortcom-
ings of Judaism no one can say that
the vital connection between its re-
ligious and secular life was noble
realization of which alas, few exam
Piles remain in the modern world.
In the ancient Church, as we may
learn from our Prayer Book, it was
the custom for the whole people to
unite on the three Rogation days in So
lemn supplication for Gods blessing
ON the seed sown, and for the pros
perity of the nation in its ventures
by land and sea. Then there were
professions round the parish known
as beating the bounds signifying
that the town was walled about and
defended by the protecting power oi
God. On Aug. lst we have relic
of Harvest Thanksgiving in Lammas
Day or 'Loaf-mas,' the feast of the
first loaf.
In many ways these old religious
customs have been dissociated from
the national life. On many hands
it is held that the march of progress
sive civilization can go on irrespec
tive of national belief in God or na
tional recognition of Him as the
source of greatness. There is ar
idea, that Inherent in modern nations
is something which is to save then
from the common fate of the nations
of antiquity, which grew strong
and in their strength grew proud
and in their pride decayed and died
True thanksgiving dispels this idea
for just as love involves service, 81
Thanksgiving involves dependence
Without dependence and the sense
OF responsibility which dependence
brings, civilization is an unmeaninl
term. The memory of this is TIN
only thing which can ensure to thu
Anglo-Saxon race its exemption
from the fate of Egyptian, Greek O.
Aztec. Power is delegated power
The nation which says as Plate, ".
have power" will soon learn by thu
stern teaching of history, "Thol
couldst have no power at all excep
it were given thee from above,
while 10 the nation which like Solo
mon asks of the Most High wisdom
and grace, will be added glory ant
victory and length of days.
And, to-day, as we thank God TO
q nations prosperity, let us remem
ber in what that prosperity consists
Do We thank Him merely for ma
terial blessings, the wealth of th,
soil, the forest and the mine? 4? Is /
in these that the greatness of thu
American Republic consists? Liebil
said of England: "The power O
England lies in her coal-mines. ;
That was only chemists view
What is material wealth aloneP Ii
Milan Cathedral lies the embalmet
body of S. Carlo Borromeo. In hi
hand rests a golden crozier, on hi
breast a cross Of emeralds. Can th,
corpse be considered as having