Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-12-02
THANKSGIVING DAY.
HOW 1T WAS OBSERVED In
GOLDSBORO.
General Suspension of Business-Large
Church Attendance-Fine Music
Fine Talks.

Our annuaI festival OF InankS-
giving had it's origin among
serious-minded men who con
scientiously aimed to direct their
action as citizens of the Com
monwealth by their conceptions
of duty as members Of the family
of God and who did not hesitate
to ascribe to Him all TEN poral as
we'll as spiritual blessings which
they were privileged 60 enjoy.
It was a hard life they led among
the difficulties aud dangers Of the
early settlement Of this New
World, and it is small wonder
that their doctrines also seem
grim aud hard to their less
strenuous descendants; but we
shall miss much oe the sifnifi-
canoe of our American history if
we neglect those impulses of
faith and devotion that. with al
their now obvions errors, con
trolled the development of our
institutions and that found char
acteristic expression in the civic
formality of Thanksgiving Day.
How Or why our civic organi-
zation has gradually drifted apart
from the religious convictions of
the people need not be here dis
cussed. 1t is simply fact to be
recognized. Yet the annual re-
currence Of Thanksgiving Day, set
apart by official proclamation, is
an acknowledgment that the separ-
alton is not a natural one; that the
State is still bound by Gods law,
and for its achievements in the ci-
vilization of the world is still de
pendent upon Him. The day is
thus a challenge to every believing
man to testify his faith by pub
lie acknowledgement, in such form
as his own religious associations
direct; and furthermore to show
his thankfulness by the spirit of
Christian sympathy. And it is
also challenge to every man who
believes in truth and righteousness
to bring all his best influence to
bear for the promotion of truth
and righteousness in civic affairs
It is a narrow and selfish view
of the day that recognizes only the
family festival and thinks neither
| of the duty of personal charity on
the one hand, nor on the other OF
the obligation of membership in a
God>fealing Commonwealth. The
domestic side of thanksgiving is
we'll enough, but it is trivial in
comparison with the public side OF
it, and only so far as this is recog-
nized can the day be made of any
real Importance or profit either to
the individual or to the State.
It is in this higher spirit OF
thankfulness and in this broader
impulse of humanity that the
day has come to be observec in
Goldsboro. This spirit of obser
vance has been inculcated in the
children of the community, as
we'll, aud so the levin will work
on through the years, as the gems
erations come and go, making
the people better, drawing then
closer together in bonds of fras
ternal sympathy and leading
| them up to higher .conceptions
Of life, It's duties, its possibilis
ties and its supernatural re,
wards. What delightful con-
temptation at this time, and how
gratifyingly was it sustained by
the manner of the days obser.
vance by our people yesterday
| In the Goldsboro Baptis
church a large congregation wor
shipped and listened to inspiring
music, and a fine sermon by th'
! pastor, Rev. JAS. Long, and th'
generous collection for the Thorn
asville Orphanage attested th'
fealty of the congregations thank
fulness.
At ST. Johns Methodist churcl
| goodly congregation worship
ped, and the Rev. W. FL. Eros
preached.
At the Hebrew Synagogu
, Rabbi Meyerberg discoursed abl.
on the significance and observ
ance of the day, and the splendi'