The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-11-30

The Thanksgiving Day proclaimed by
the President of the United States for
that extraordinarily November 29th-
was observed according to the custom OF
many years in this city. 1t seems to
have been the most thorough observance
here in a long period. Business houses
and Offices in the European quarter were
generally closed all day, and the Govern
ment departments and bureaus were
sealed against business during the after
noon. Indeed, it was much more OF
close holiday than was the previous day,
the anniversary of the recognition OF
Hawaiian Independence by the Powers,
although the latter had the advantage OF
being proclaimed by the Hawaiian Gov
eminent.
Services were held in Central Union
Church Congregational and st. An
drew's Cathedral (Anglican), large con-
gregations assembling in both. The
United States Minister and lady, His
Excellency and Mrs. Geo. W. Merrill,
were present at Central Union. Rev.
Geo. Wallace read the service at the
Cathedral, while Rev. II. H. GoWen
preached an eloquent sermon from the
text, 'Then shall the earth yield her in
crease and God even our own God shall
bless u.s." The musical service here by
the choir was very appropriate and i'm
pressive, comprising Berg's TIE Deum in
G, Sir John Stainer's anthem, aye shall
dwell in the land" and the hymns, "All
IL 4
''We plough the fields and scatter"
Central Union Church was as usual
beautifully decorated, a special service
of praise was rendered by the choir, and
the pastor, Rev. E. G. Beckwith, d. D.,
preached the sermon printed below:
How We Kept Thanksgiving Fifty
Years Ago.
Ps. las: 4-One generation shall praise
Thy works to another.
Fifty years ago, the Fourth of July
and Thanksgiving were the only holi-
days for a boy whose home was among
the New England hills. There were
only two days, except Sundays, of all the
three hundred and sixty-fve, when
there was no work to be done; just one
bright summer day, and one cold autumn
day, that boy could give to festivity
from morning till night. But boys were
just as much boys in those days as now
and so were the girls, [ suppose;
though l never knew much about them.
We never had any in our house in my
childhood days. Only four restless, roll
licking brothers of US. Not sister till
we were almost grown up men. In our
boyhood not single sister, or anybody
else's sister, in the home, to tone us
down to decency and decorum with her
sweet, gentle ways. That is why we
grew up so awkward, and FESTIVE, and
wild-like. 1t is a great misfortune to
boys not to have any sisters 10 charm
away their rudeness and teach them all
the beautiful prOprieties and all the little
sweet cOurtesies.
But we had no sisters. So cannot
speak for the girls of fifty years ago.
But the boys-I know all about them.
They were very much like the boys of
to-day; not overload of work, nor very
hungry for study; but hungry enough
for play, and hungry enough for feasting.
And yet we had to study while the school
kept, and when vacation came we had to
work The boys had to work up there
among the Berkshire hills. No lying in
bed late in the morning in those days.
Come, boys" 1t seems as though
could hear it now, the voice of that be-
loved father SO early astir always and so
full of energy. "Come, boys; time to
be up. Lively now. A long days work
ahead" We knew that we'll enough.
That was the very reason why we didn't
want to get up. But we did get up.
Shall ever forget those long, long days,
on the hills among the corn, in the
meadows among the lay? It used to
seem as though the sun would never go
down. And so full of toll [ do not
speak of it regretful1y; though it used to
seem pretty hard, sometimes, to see the
herds on the hills with nothing to do;
and the birds lettering on the lilies all
over the meadows, and sailing and sing
ing at their own sweet will and the
very dog chasing the swallows and run
ming races with the squirrels, or lolling
under the cool willows, or asleep on the
fragrant hay; everything at liberty to
play or to rest, at its own good pleasure ;
but for us boys, nothing but one long
days work after another through all the
golden summer. 1t seemed a little hard
then. Do l think it hard now? [ have
thanked the Lord for it all hundred
times since then It was the best condi- |
ton of things--except the want of sisters.
[ shall never get over that; but for all |
the rest, it was the best condition of |
things a boy ever had, through which to |
come safely up to manhood. That cease
less work was Gods good angel to us. A |
dull and dreary kind of boyhood was
it? Not bit of it. For among those |
long days of toll I verify believe we
chinked in more genuine fun, every day, |
than your boy, who has nothing else to |
do, ever sees in a month. Why, we |
turned the work into frolic. We ran |
races into the meadows, in the morning; |
and swifter races out of the meadows, at |
night. We had jollier rides in the rat
ting old hay cart, than any Sunday |
School picnic ever had on a railroad !
We hnried each other nnder the great !