The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-11-30
THANKSGIVING esARoR.
By THE Rtv. II. II. eowrN Al ST. Axe
DREw's CATHEDRAL.

AnuTeW OaUneural from Jne LeXJ:
Psalm 67, verse 6.-Then shall the
earth yield her increase and God,
even our God, shall bless us.
Psalm 81 was the harvest thanks
giving psalm of the Jewish Church.
The feast of Ingathering or Taber-
nacles was called by the Rabbits 'the
Feast" hFor 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 Rabbits, 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 naten 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 of
God. On Aug. 1st 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 ASSOCIATED 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 ma
tional recognition of Him as the
source of greatness. There is an
idea, that inherent in modern nations
is something which is to save them
from The common fate of the nations
of antiquity, which grew strong,
and in their strength grew proud
and in their pride decaycd 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 unmeaning
term. The memory of this is the
only thing whieh can ensure to the
Anglo-Saxon race its exemption
from the fate of Egyptian, Greek OIL
Aztec. Power is delegated power
The nation which says as Plate, 81
have power" will soon learn by the
stern teaching of history, Thou
couldst have no power at all except
it were given thee from above,
while TO 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 fol
a nations prosperity, let us remem
Der in what that prosperity consists
Do we thank Him merely for ma
terial blessings, the wealth of the
soil, the forest and the mine? Is i
in these that the greatness of thu
American Republic consists? Liebie
said of England: "The power O.
England lies in her coal-mines.'
That was only chemists view
What is material wealth alone? Ii
Milan Cathedral lies the embalmet
body of S. Carlo Borromeo. In hi
hand rests golden crozier, on hi
breast a cross Of emeralds. Can til,
corpse be considered as having
them? In the wreck of California;
ship passenger fastened 200 lbs
of gold around his waist, and wen
down like stone. Had he thu
gold, or had the gold him?
A dead body cannot possess pro
perty. Neither can a dead nation
To nation as an individual "th
life is more than meat, and the bod
than raiment." And we praise Go,
for the nations life not for the para
sitical organisms which prey upo
its vitals, but the life which make
the nation "heir of all the ages i
the foremost files of time" whic
moves it on with purpose sure an
strong towards the final goal.
when the war drum throbs no longe
and the battle flags are furl'd
In the Parliament of man, the Fedora
ton of the world
Well, said Plato years ago
"Tell them they have divine gol
and silver i'm their souls forever