Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-11-26
THE DAY IN RICHMOND
CELEBRATION or THANKSGIVING
MORE GENERAL TIA. USUAL.
IERYICES HELD IN EANY CHURCHES.
Our blessings Acknowledged in Ser
mon, song, and Prayer--Sntcrcst In
the Foot-Bau Games--PIensure in
Prisons and PoorhOuse.
Acl.noyvIedgcd In Ser

OF Thanksgiving and football, seemed "a
In advance Of the season.
Thanksgiving was observed /
Richmond this year perhaps more gene
rally than usual. While business house
were not closed nearly all the industrial
establishments suspended work for tn
day. and the employees devoted them
selves To celebrating their holiday eacf
after his own sweet will. The city office.
were all closed. and those who desired e
transact business with municipal officials
were given to distinctly understand by
the drawn blinds and locked doors at the
City Hall that no matter how urgent the
matter upon which they came, it must
wait until the day of national thanks
giving had ended. The public schools
were closed. and lectures were suspended
at the various institutions of learning
for instructors even had they desired to
take no such formal notice Of the day,
were fully alive to the impossiDnity OF
securing full classes with two football
games on the programme.
INTEREST IN FOOTBALL
The football games were. OF course.
the events OF greatest popular interest
In connection with Thanksgiving, but
those who have been engaged in the
crusade recently inaugurated against the
game probably derived comfort from the
fact that the attendance at Mest-End
Park was much less than that OF former
years. Whether this was due TO the
growth OF anti-foOt-ball sentiment or the
practical certainty OF victory being won
ha
decided. Bur the crowds on the streets
haunting the cOlors Of their favorite, the
enthusiasm that vented itself in the many |
ways of which the small boy and the |
college enthusiast are masters, evidenced |
that the crusade against football is still /
far from a victorious termination, and /
that the pigskin and gridiron are, 10
many, still symbolical of a high form OF /
Thanksgiving enjoyment.
But 10 many the football field had not
charms as great as those of the old Vir-
ginia broomsedge and scrub-oaks and
pines, where the festive cotton-tails most |
do congregate, and where the wild tur-
key not infrequently consents TO GLADDEN.
the hunters heart by helping to fill his
game-bag. Numbers of Richmond peo-
pie spent yesterday in the country, some
in the hunting field, some with tackle
and creel, exercising their art in wooing
Walton's goddess.
SERVICES IN THE CHURCHES.
But despite all that fin-de-siecle cyni-
cism may say to the contrary, the great
of Richmond people observed !
The day in manner and spirit in ac-
cordance with those which marked the
Early days of its institution, and at
tendance upon services of public thanks 7
giving, and the practical charity that
)lesseth the giver more than the re-
,eiVer, made the day a happy one to z
thousands. Christian women, actuated ,
~ that charity which moves to noble
leeds, were mindful of those to whom
is too often but a day ]
lpcn which their neighbors are glad, and
many forlorn heart was made lighter
'y this obedience TO the injunction to re-
member those who have not held their
,wn in the struggle of life.
Public expression of thanksgiving for
he mercies and blessings of the past
ear was general. Services were held s
4 the churches of nearly all denomina- S
Ions, and sermons and songs were b
made to express the thanks of the people fl
Dr. the expressions Of love and mercy r
'om God TO his people. Attendance | c
pom these services was large i'm every II
and they were the sources of c
oportunity for enjoyable fraternal re- 81
Mon, as well as Divine worship. Il
Union Presbyterian Service. G
The Presbyterian congregations of the o.
~ united in Thanksgiving services al "
le Second church Rev Robert T. Il
err preached the sermon and was AS J'
sted In the service by DR.. Hoge and u
ev. Messrs. Hyde. Cook, and Chumbley. 1
special choir for this occasion was
imposed Of Mr.. and Mrs Blair, Mrs. OF
lift. Mrs. Young, Miss Hotchkiss, Mrs. vi
Jump. Mrs. Fits, and Mr.. Williams.
lss Smoot presided with skill and te
ace at the organ. The opening an 81
em-"Praise Thou the Lord, by ia
oyd, a splendid mottette. was rem &C
red with much spirit The offertory-- is
'enite Exultemus''-but voiced the of
robbing emotions of graceful praise ie
at welled up in the hearts Of the vast sa
ngregation, as they crowded His no
ties with praise" One of the features
the service was the splendid rendering .
a solid choral composed by Dr. Il. L: -.
'rr. and dedicated to the Band of an
venanters. This band of boys mus n nr
ed about ffty-tive strong, and march a.,
in = body with their banner ~
blue sashes, and were seated in the -. ..,
ddle aisle. AS their strong, vigorous VII
ces burst forth in "The Covenanters' ol'
mn" did not every heart say, God w, W.
IS those boys and the noble ladies ~
Il have organized them into an in uii
tuition of such magnificent possibili- VI
5 for good? mt
DIR, KERR'S FINE SERMON. sor
he subject of DR.. Kerrs sermon was rea
he Nearness of Cod" and the text. fec
nto Thee do we give thanks, o God; asC
% Thee do we give thanks, for that the
y name is near Thy wondrous works NO,
lare''-Psalms ixXv., l. DR.. Kerr said co
part: or,
he planets reflect the glory OF the sun, , cer
the flowers send up their tribute OF -
se TO the central orb OF light All you
els give thanks and only man needs you
% told to be grateful. 1t is well that tici
President of the United States and is
Governor OF Virginia, well as the his
ef Executives OF all other States. do -,
us to-day TO our pieces Of worship son
thanksgiving TO Almighty God. nav
say Gods name is near" Is 10 say fed
God Is near, for He Identifies His 81
he with Himself. His name given TO ! uea
who are called his people, like a | w. =
,tai lens, focuses upon us His alum W W,
goodness. The nearness of God 10 run
creatures Is manifested by ali that | plea
been and all that is. We see il In for
TWO terrestrial realms or nature and of {
e., ,e a ~. shah see II hereafter IN the ditto
lily is wonder: so is a bird-a great en-
wonder than any invention of man 'he
world Is full of Gods wonders
become common, and we admire .ev
e the wonders made by man, which, A.
r ali. are but discoveries and adapta- the
> OF wonders God made long ago. or
Is q greater wonder than ALL He Is and
q masterpiece. IL he would see WON we