Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-11-07
Thanksgiving Proclamation.

On Thursday last, President Cleve-
land issued the following Thanksgiv-
ing Proclamation =
The American people should CRATE
fully render Thanksgiving and praise
to the Supreme Ruler of the universe
who has watched over them with
kindness and fostering care during the
year that has passed.
They should also with humility and
faith supplicate the Father of all
mercies for continued blessings accord
ing to their needs, and they should by
deeds of charity seek the favor of the
| Oliver of every good and perfect gift
Therefore, |, Grover Cleveland,
President of the United States, do
hereby appoint and set apart Thurs
| day, the twenty ninth day of Novem-
bel instant, as day OF Thanksgiving
and prayer, to be kept and observed
by all the people Of the land.
On that day let our ordinary work
and business be suspended. and let us
meet in orr accustomed places Of wor-
ship aud give thanks to Almighty God
for our preservation as nariun, for
our immunity from disease and pesti
lence, for the harvests shat have re-
warded our husbandry, for a renewal
of national prosperity and for every
advance in virtue aud intelligence that
has marked our growth as a people.
And with our thanksgiving let us
pray that these blessings may be null
tiplied unto us, that our national con-
science may be quickened to better
recognition of the power and goodness
of God, that in our national life we
may clearer see and closer follow the
path of righteousness.
And in our places of worship aud
praise, as well as in the happy re-
unions of kindred and friends, on that
day let us invoke Divine approval by
generously remembering the poor and
needy. Surely He who has given us
comfort and plenty will look upon our
relief of the destitute and our ministra-
tions of charity as the work of hearts
truly grateful and as proofs of the sin
certify of our thanksgiving.
| Witness my hand and the seal of the
United States which l have caused to
be hereto affixed.
Done at the city of Washington on
the first day of November, in the year
of our Lord eighteen hundred and
ninety four, and of the independence
of the United States the one hundred
and nineteenth.
| GROVER CLEVELAND.
By the President:
W. @ GRESHAM, Sec'y of State.
METHODIST STATISTICS.-ln view OF
the approaching meeting of the Meth
odist Conference in Charlottesville the
| following will be read with especial in
terest:
The first Methodist church in Amer
lea was founded 1913 years ago October
3Gth in the sail loft at 100 William
street, New York. The congregation
grew slowly until in 1918 the present
church in John street was erected and
dedicated. Among the relics in posses
sion of the congregation are the altar
railing of the church in William street,
the original pulpit chair, the two
candlesticks first used in the pulpit OF
the John street edifice, the subscrip
ton book, with the amounts given en-
tered in the handwriting of the ori
ginal members of the Methodist church
in Amerdoners, and the old class book
in which the members of the congre
cation were kept.
In 1918 there were 400 members OF
che Methodist church in America. The
number now is greater than 100000
This rapid increase of Methodists in
the United States, recalls a remark
made by distinguished minister oil
that church several years ago, that
"Methodism and dog fennel would yet
take this country" = Charlottesville
Progress.
| MURDERED HIS BETRoTHED.-Wee
before last the body of Miss Mary A
Jones, aged 40, was found suspended
by the neck in the chamber of hel
lonely farm house near Vi1oqua, Wis
1t was supposed that she had commit
ted suicide, but yesterday Samuel S
Buxton, who was arrested Saturday
at the instance of the dead woman's
mother, confessed to having murdered
Miss Jones. He ruined her under
promise of marriage, and, when she
pressed him to keep his agreement
strangled her to death, telling her thai
a witch had said to him slight hang
ing was necess airy before marriage.
! The Tragedy in Pekin's Palace.
The latest news about the young
Emperor of China, published by the
Herald in its special cable despatch
from Shanghi yesterday morning
shows what an irresponsible despos is
Kwang su, alias the Continuation oil
Splendor, alias the Son of Heaven
Since the war began we have heard
frequently of his doings, among the
most conspicuous of which were de-
priving Li-Hung-Chang of his yellow
riding jacket and his three-eyed pea
cock feather and ordering the decapi
tation of his unfortunate subjects. His
last act. that of shifting in the face his
young Empress, to whom he was mar
ried five years ago, causing her to com
nit suicide. shows him in the character
of wretched infuriate, incapable OF
governing himself, much less his mil
lions of people. There is prophecy
in China, based on dream once upon
a time interpreted by wise men for the
Dowager Empress, that after Kwang su
shall have reigned twenty years there
will be change of the dynasty in
China. The twenty years will be up
on January 70, 1895. Japan will un.
doubleday assist the prophecy to full.
fillment.-NeaO York Herald, Moo. 1st
A Hard Question.