Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-23
DAY OF THANKSGIVING
Observance in Washington of
Annual Custom.
SERVICES Tn CHURCHES
GRATITUDE EXPRESSED FOR PAST
AND PRESENT FAvoRs.
In Common With Americans, Wherever
congregated, Residents of Capital
City to Celebrate.

tomorrow for the blessings of the past
twelve months and of former years. The
growing power and prestige of the United
States, bringing along with it more pros
perity for the individual citizen and fnspir-
ing in every heart pride in the land of the
pilgrim fathers, originators of Thanksgiving
day services will render it a joyous duty
to give honor and praise to Providence,
whose controlling power the leaders of the
nation have humbly recognized from the
day of discovery to the recent proclama-
ton of President Theodore Roosevelt call
Ing upon SOOOo.0Oo of people to pause in
their busy life and remember the source of
their blessings. Two hundred and eight
four years ago, the morning of November
q, 1620. the sturdy voyagers of the May
flower landed at Plymouth, and kneeling
then on that "rock-bound coast, with the
ocean roaring in their ears, and no knowl-
edge of the land to which they had come
except that 1t was infested by savage In
dams, and was free. they thanked God
they had arrived in safety. Even in the
widest dream the most visionary of their
number could not have foreseen the great
significance Of that event, the tremendous
growth that would come with the advanc-
ing years on this continent of the new
world.
Loyal to England were these pilgrims,
and although they would not worship God
exactly as did their king, yet as his SUBJ
JcClS CHey WOulQ nave IOuSht TO the last
man for him against the trained soldiers of
any other nation on earth.
Could they have foreseen the settlement
and development of thirteen colonies on
the Atlantic coast, the growth of the spirit
Of liberty, fostered by Britain's iron-rule
policy; could they have seen in the dim
vistas of the future the Continental Con-
gress, the revolutionary war. the Declare
ton of Independence, their earnestness of
purpose and their steadfastness of effort
could have been no greater.
The American of today, who beholds his
country built on the foundation that these
and other determined men and women from
old England laid. will not be able to say
he could have done the allotted task bet
ter than did his ancestors, nor will those en-
cestors be forgotten tomorrow in the world
wide Thanksgiving Of the great American
republic 1t may be said that our practice
should be a lesson to all the nations of the
globe. teaching that all should recognize
the greater greatness of a nation which an
nually sets apart day for public thanks
giving. . q 81
Day Of Reunions.
1t has grown to be a day of pleasant re-
unions when friends and relatives meet and
clasp hands. after months and even years
of separation, and assemble at dinner with
even a menu prescribed in the traditions of
the day. These things also we owe to those
New Englanders who first taught the nation
what such a day might mean. -
OF later years. 1t Is Conceded a still bet
ter and more enn0biing significance has
been given to the occasion. AS prosperity
has blessed the country and given many Of
its Inhabitants plenty and to spare, the
more unfortunate have come to claim the
first place in an Americans heart on the
last Thursday in November. The average
citizen is not content unless he can help the
poor to enjoy the day, with turkey dinner
and ALL Thanksgiving stands with Christ
one of the two great days of charity
and Christian bene1cence.
Markets and stores are full Of good things.
People are f1ocking thither with great bas-
kets and the kitchens all over the land
alive with activity. Charitable institutions
and societies are making immense pur-
chases and preparing lists of the deserving
who shall be sent basket in the morning.
Not behind other cities of the country
will be Washington. All phases Of the day
will receive the customary attention here.
and the public schools will not be open to-
morrow. Few and far between will be the
homes where there is no turkey. The poor
will be provided for by many generous or
CARNATIONS of the more prosperous.
The churches WILL either singly or in
union. hold thanksgiving services, and in
many instances religious exercises will be
held in the charitable and reformatory in
situations and In the city's hospitals.
District Mems Day.
The District government offices will DO
closed tomorrow and the clerks and officials
will observe the day of Thanksgiving in
various ways. Some OF the officials intend
partaking Of turkey and cranberry sauce
at the homes OF friends in the city and
few purpose going into the country for the
holiday.
Some Of the officials of the District how
ever. will not be able to take thu whole day
OF from their work. This will be particu-
larly true OF the members Of the investi-
eating committee, who are working until
nearly midnight each day in the effort to
complete their report on their examination
of the various offices In the District gov
eminent.
The three District Commissioners will all
spend the day in Washington. Commits
sioner Macfarland, together with Mrs. Mac
fariand. will attend the. morning service at
the Church OF the Covenant. and in the at
ternoon will visit the Central Union Mis-
sion, where the missions annual turkey
dinner will be served. The Commissioner
will partake Of turkey at his home in the
Commissioner West proposes to spend the
morning on the golf links, in an effort to
lower his former record on the course. In
the evening he will eat Thanksgiving din
ner with his family at his home in Mt
Col. John Biddle. Engineer Commissioners.
also expects to take a. few shots at the lit
tie white golf ball onothe green tomorrow.
He will eat turkey at the home Of relatives
In the Churehss.
A union Methodist eEpiscopal thanksgiv-
ing service will be held tomorrow morning
at IL o'clock at the Metropolitan NJ. e.
Church. ~ and C streetsrnorthwest. Rev.
Bishop Earl Cranstonn viii preach the SER
mon. = -
The Presbyterian churches of the city
will hold services very generally tomor-
row. At the Western Presbyterian Church
program will be observed at II O'Clock
In the morning. in which the congregation
Of the Union Methodist Church will join.
Rev. 8. Reese Murray pastor Of the latter
church. VIII preach sists y
A union service viii be held by the
Metropolitan Presbyterian and the First
Methodist Protestant Church at the lattar
edihce. 4th street near e street southeast.
Rev. Albert Evans, pastor of tho Metropof-
tan Church. will deliver the sermon.
AT the First Presbyterian Church. John
Marshall place northwest. there will be ex-
ercises at II O'Clock tomorrow morning,
with preaching by the PASTOR. Rev. DR..
Donald c. Mcleod. The Fourth Presbyterian
Church. 18th and Yale streets northwest
VIII have services at O'Clock In the morn
Ing An II o'clock special program win be
observed at the New York Avenue Pres
byterian Church
st. PauIs Lutheran Church Wilr hold