Year: 1864




our God"


1t is an unusual thanksgiving" whicl
we observe to-day. 1t marks an epocl
in our nations history, and in the histor!
Of this our annual festival.


As sons of New England we cherisl
fondly the observance Of our annua
Thanksgiving day" 1t is our .teStal day
1t is day when home affections aLC
nome joys come warming about the heart
and we think there are no homes on eartI
so dear as ours. And if there be any o
the sons and daughters of New England
who have sought hume elsewhere ii
our wide extended territory, or any who
are transiently away, the return Of tbi'
day recalls, more vividly than any other
the memories of blessed New England
homes.


This is Puritan honored day. Here
tofore it has been regarded very much a;
New England's day. And it is only a:
her sons have found a home in other
States, that It's observance has been sought
to be made more general And 1t has
been thought happy omen, that, gradu'
ally, of late years, western, and middle,
and southern states have been falling in
to this good custom.


Bu. where do we find ourselves to day
| have before me the customary and well
come call of the governor of our State,
coupled with the call of the president Of
the United States. That honest, saga
cious patriot who stands at the head of
our government that God-send in our
time of need; a man Of such remarka>
ble characteristics as seem TO mark him
as "the man for the times and Just the
one to save our country from impending
destruction cool, large hearted, and hons
est; he seems to see and improve what
ever may have tendency to cement to-
gether the hearts of this great people,
In his straightforward purpose he is plan
ming and working, untiringly and man
fully, TO save the Union and in that he
embraces everything dear and sacred to
us as Americans, and worth preserving
Those great vital interests which are
sometimes spoken of as "side issues" l
think he clearly sees are necessarily in
volved in the one great declared purpose
which lie is bound to fulfil.


do not think that, with the president,
it is by.chance thing that his call for a
national thanksgiving falls on the day of
our customary, and time honored and
Puritan honored State thanksgiving day
There are memories, and associations
and principles, linked to this day and
they will find deeper way into the heart
of the nation in its Thanksgiving to day.
The rebellion has spread New England
over the land; in the persons of her
sons, and in the principles they carry
with them, and which they are fighting
for. New England institutions are grows
ing, and casting their seeds into every
State in the Union. Now there was sa-
gacity, and view TO the one noble pur-
pose Of cementing the hearts of Ameri-
cans in regard for the principles of uni
yersal freedom which laid the foundations
of our government, in the time and man
ner of this call for national thanksgiv-
ing by tue president. And he says il,
seems ct and proper that our blessings
should be acknowledged "as with one
heart and voice by the whole American
people," And he ''inyites his fellow cit
liens in every part of the United States,
and those upon the sea, and those who
are sGjourning in foreign lands" to set
apart this day for that purpose.


As | said, this is no ordinary celebra.
ton of our New England Thanksgiving
day." 1t is marrying one of our most
cherished and freedom loving institutions
to the States of the Union. And how
will New England's sons "in every part
of the United States and those upon the
sea" and all who love New England
principles, hail this day? Our own sons
and relatives away in the war will not
miss their homes so much to day, because
their own home Thanksgiving is made to
embrace them in it.


When l read the proclamation of the
president and the proclamation of the
governor, l thought 1 would devote
discourse to-day to the origin and history
of our annual thanksgiving. But 1 will
content myself with alluding, as / have,
to what it has grown to be to day a
fore CLEAN hope and trust of the day
soon to come, when peace, and the purest
liberty, and universal freedom shall en-
hace every foot of our territory.


And while use the animating words
Of David, "Sing unto the Lord with