Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-11-26
THE GREAT HOLIDAY.
HOW THANIxsCIvING-DAY WILL BE
OBSERVED HERE THURSDAY.
SERVICES IN THE CHURCHES.
4 Day of Reunions and Many Amuse-
ments--Signiicanc of the Fcsti-
yaI-The Poor, Aged, and Sick VIII
Not he Forgotten.

Thanksgiving-Day the feast day sacred
to the turkey, the harvest festival Of the
American people will be- observed next
Thursday.
II has been wisely said that a nation
may fairly be Judged by the number and
nature of it's holidays. The last Thursday
In November has been set apart IN this
country to remind the people Of their OBJ
legations to the Giver Of All Good GIFTS.
1t emphasizes the spirit Of freedom and
directs attention 10 ;he special blessings
for which the men and women OF America
-hod1 le slIlofdi.
Year by year. Thanksgving-Day APP
pears TO grow in popular favor. Ii is ut
once holy day holiday, and happy
day.
The proclamations OF President McKin-
ley and Governor Tyler make it a ma
donal and State holiday. and as such It
Will be observed I'm this city.
The public offices viii De closed, and
Sunday hours will be observed al the
post-0inco.
A DAY OF REUNIONS.
Tt win De- "a day Of family reunions
the poor, the sick. ana the inmates Of
eleemosynary institutions Will not be for
gotten. and the wheels OF commerce Will
for the nonce cease TO reyolve.
There VIII be a varied assortment Of
amusements. The football game be-
tween Lehigh and Virginia will be the
great attraction OF .he afternoon; the
places of recreation will all open with
attractive bills; there will be receptions,
dinners. and "a host Of other private en-
tertainments.
The real spirit Of the occasion, how
ever, will be more manifest in the
churches with the Catholics Thanks
giving-Day is a holy day of obligation,
and masses win be said as on Sunday.
The services I'm the Episcopal churches
will be festival I'm character, and In most
of them holy communion will be cele-
brated.
ARRANGEMENTS FOR SERVICES.
All the Baptist churches will unite in
a Thanksgiving-Day service at the First
church. Ii will begin at IL o'clock, and
Tie ministers who will take part are
Revs. r. j. Niiiinsham, y. G. Hening'
N. A. Jones, and j. Il. Hawthorne. The
proceeds Of the collection taken at this
service will be devoted 70 the Baptist
Home for the Aged.
THE Christian churches will unite at
ne eeventh-Street church and all the
ministers Of the denomination IN this city
v,iu be upon the rostrum. The full de-
tails. OF the arrangements viii be made
known al this mornings service.
The Presbyterians Will unite at the First
church Rev. DIT. r.. p. Kerr Will pre-
side. and the sermon will be preached
bv the Rev Dr. Witherspoon.
The arrangements for the celebration by
the Nothodists have not yet been an
nounced. The ministers have been at
teding the conference in Petersburg, and
few of them are expected 20 be IN their
places to-day. Union services VIII be-
held but at what church ana by whom
conducted remains to be announced to-
| day.
At the First English Evangelical Luthe-
ran church Thanksgiving services Wa be
held on the eve Of the festival and or
| Sunday next
! The German Lutheran and the German
I Evangelical churches will hold special
services next Thursday.
| The collections taken up az all these
services will be devoted 10 charity.