The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1888-11-30
THANKSGIVING SERVICE YESTERDAY

There was O very respectable a.
tendance at the Thanksgiving service
in the Presbyterian church yesterday
morning. The platform was oc-
cupied by the reverends G. II. Hall,
G. W. Grannis and A. Leroy each of
whom took part.
The Rev. A. Leroy delivered an
eloquent and able address, which was
especially appropriate to the occasion
and was listened to with much in
terest and wrapt attention. We re-
gret that owing to the crowded state
of our columns to-day we can only
give very brief synopsis Of Mr.. Le-
Roy's able address.
The speaker commenced by saying,
ut is fitting that all great events
shall have their commemorative serv-
ices. Ithas been so ever since the ha -dy
sons of Israel celebrated their deliver
ance from Egytian bondage. History
plainly records that every nation and
every tribe in some way peculiar TO
the age in which it lived has been
accustomed to making thank offer
ings to God on special occasions, and
SO the custom is not one of recent
origin, but has been handed down
through the ages" Abiding TO
our own Thanksgiving he. remarked: 4:
DR.. Franklin says that in time of
great dependency among the first
settlers of New England it was pro
posed in one of their pub!ic assem-
blies to proclaim fast. An old
farmer arose and spoke of their pro-
voking heaven with their complaints.
reviewed their merc;es, showing that
they had much to be thankful for,
and concluded his remarks by NOV
ing that instead of appointing a day
of fasting, they appoint then and
there a day of thanksgiving. This
was done, and the custom has been
continued ever since. In the same
spirit of gratitude which animated
the old farmer, we are now assembled
in compliance with the proclamation
of the CHEF executive of this IA
vored country. We have now a day
of National Thanksgiving. 1 call it
national because it has outerown its
local limits, and is no longer con-
fined to New England, nor yet only
to the direct descendants of the few
who, when the bows of the May
f01Cer kissed the Plymouth Rock,
knelt beneath the tattered sails upon
the weather-beaten deck, and there
with one accord gave thanks to the
great Captain of their salvation for
bringing them safely across the
mighty deep to their desired haven of
rest.
The reverend speaker then fol-
lowed up this line of thought until
he brought wildly before the minds
OF his hearers the deep obligations
they were under to Almighty God in
planting their feet and casting their
lot on this specially, favored north
west Pacific slope, the bright future
prospects of which he portrayed in
fervent and glowingly eloquent
phrases.
At the close OF Mr.. LeRoy's address
he introduced to the audience Mr.. N.
II. Jacks, who in o few well chosen
remarks lucidly explained the aim
and object of the work Of Young
Mems Christian associations, and an
nounced that as travelling secretary
of the associations on the mol thwest
Pacific coast he had come to Astoria
and would remain here a week or ten
days, during which time he hoped to
be able to secure the aid and sympa-
thy of the citizens of this city in be-
half of the Astoria association, which
he found to be well equipped and do,
ing good work as far as it could, but
sadly in need of funds to carry on
the good work more efficiently.
A collection was then taken up for
the benefit of the Y. NJ. c. A, which
amounted to the liberal sum of thirty
dollars.