Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-11-03
THANKSGIVING.


proclamation says: Few years in our
history have afforded such cause for
Thanksgiving. We have been blessed
| by abundant harvests. our trade and
commerce have been wonderfully in-
creased, our public credit has been i'm
proved and strengthened, all sections
of our common country have been
brought together and knitted into closer
! bonds of national purpose and unity.
The skies have been for time darken
ed by the cloud of war, but as we were
compelled to take up the sword in the
cause of humanity, we are permitted to
rejoice that the conflict has been of brief
duration and the losses we have had to
mourn, though grievous and important,
have been SO few, considering the great
results accomplished, as to inspire us
| with gratitude and praise to the Lord
of Hosts. We may laud and magnify
| His holy name that the cessation of hos
tilities came so soon, as to spare both
| sides the countless SORROWS and disasters
that attend protracted war. Thanks
giving Day will be Thursday, the Oath
of November.
The President is much after the style
of a recent philosopher whose acquain-
| lance we We're SO fortunate as to enjoy.
He was preparing on enc occasion an
essay On change of heart, when we
entered his room. His manuscript was
piled in heaps about him on the table
on the floor and some over near the
CRATE on the hearth. "Mr. Blank" we
said, 1--WE are sorry to have disturbed
you in the midst of your work. " ''Ah, D
said he, 81 have just finished, l have
written pages you see, but they go for
naught, the change of heart and relig-
| ious fervor do not proceed from the
sources recOunted by me in these hun
dreds of papes you see scattered here.
All of the philosophy of the change, all
| the reason may be summed up in the
page hold in my hand which l have
just finished. 1t proceeds from the
| stomach SIR, the stomach. You take IL
little circuit riding preacher whose
| charge consists of about forty people
who live in the fastness of the noun
tains, who dig gin seng for alivelhood.
and whose food is corn bread. potatoes
and bear meat, and whose drink is
water, whose horse is his own shanks,
and whose church is a school house, or
the only room in the house of some of
his congregation, whose pay is in pro
duce of the country in which his lines
have fallen, and who never gets cent
of money, and has worn the same suit of
clothes to every Conference since he en-
tered the ministry, and he sir preache S
fire and birthstone. He warns his peo-
pie to flee from the wrath to come. He
shouts and storms, and weeps. He pic
lures the Devil with horns and scales
and cloyenfeet.
But on the other hand, sir take the
well fed pastor of large and rich con-
gregation, with a $10,000-salary, whose
home is carpeted with velvet, and his
windows hung with costly lace curtains,
luxurious apartments, his library filed
with books, his table groaning with
every delicacy, his sons and daughters
at the best schools, and he riding to his
church in his carriage, or living in a
manse by the church itself. His clothes
of the best material and his linen as
white IS the driven snow Does he
preach fire and birthstone? O far from
it, my friend. He does not think hell
place of torment; he does not use the
word hell, but sheol, or hadee, are strong
enough. He seesp peace and plenty and
the world is so fit place for resld ence.
that he does not crave death. He talks
of human affairs and sees
Doubtful providences everywhere, and
nature smiles, and every prospect
pleases, and only man is vile" He
takes his wine for dinner, and he gives
thanks, and his well rOuuded form and
smoothe, healthful face, and soft gloved
hands tell he is at ease with all things
In this world and beyond Our changes
OF heart and our beliefs arise from the
stomach, sir, from the stomach" said
the philosopher, land l have fully
proven it in this one page"
This brief summary of our philoso- |
pher' views are cited here, not in proof !
OF his theory, but as the subject of !
thought with the President and his |
as the text of what might |
De our discourse had not our friend ;
written before we took up cur pen. +
Possibly in this case it is the stomach;
who knows?