The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1896-11-13

ed; the people were suddenly re-
duced from great wealth to great
poverty; Southern soil was full OF
their dead fathers and husbands and
sons. Yet, Thanksgiving Day was
kept as sacredly in the South as in
the North.
Again, three years in the city OF
New Orleans, Thanksgiving Day
found the city afflicted with the
two dread diseases OF cholera and
yellow fever, and funeral process
sions filed every street as far as the
eye could reach. But the churches
were open for worship. (You know
we had no Puritan fathers down
there to close the churches at time
when people felt most keenly the
need Of worshipping God) and in
their sad affection the people re-
turned thanks to God.
The heart that can only thank
God in prosperity is not heart that
He wants. To advertise Thanks
giving Day as a time in which to
parade our prosperity as an evil
dence OF Gods favor, is mockery,
and born OF spirit descended from
Oliver Cromwell and his assistant
king killersl And it is that Purit an
perversion Of religious truth that
disgusts men of the world, and
makes them acoff at all creeds.
Puritanism is only another name
for fanaticism. Put Puritans in a
church, and they at once begin to
assume superior sanctity over the
other members. Put them into So
ciety, and their views must rule, or
their noses are turned up. In po
litics they become tyrants, petty
prosecutors, and so thankful that
the Almighty Ruler has favor out
their greatness. And those who
oppose them, in religion, politics or
society," The shade OF Torquemada
can only tell what they would dol
l must tell you another story. A
Vermont man travelling in the
South just after the war, asked a
Southerner il he knew of any way
by which the unhappy strife be-
tween brothers could have been pre-.
vented. The Southerner replied
without hesitation: Eyes; If, in
stead of the Pilgrim fathers landing
on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock
had landed on them the war never
would have occurredp
My purpose, Mr.. Editor, in this
COMMUNICATION is to set forth the idea:
First, that present prosperity is
no sign that God loves the pros
porous more than Others.
Second, that those who have been
made to suffer by sickness or mis-
fortune, have good course to go to
church on Thanksgiving Day, and
thank God for His presence aud pro-
lection aud for the faith that tells
them that He doth not willingly
affect or grieve them.
Third, that those who have
been deposed from power, may go
to church on Nov. Goth, and thank
God for having given them the
grace to submit patiently to Puri-
tans' display of Gospel forcel
Surely, there will be no treason,
if one attends Thanksgiving services
and thanks God that He has so
blessed the woman recently de-
throned, that she has been quiet,
submissive, accomplishing, and ever
surrounded by an atmosphere of
queenly dignity and patience. Even
supposing that the political change
is for the best, aud that the present
heads OF government are Gods
special favorites, the fact remains
that other have bten impoverished
and deprived Of powers and prero
gatives which really belonged to
them. And it is question whether
one of the present government could
be suddenly deprived Of his position,