The New York Herald Newspaper, November 25, 1870, Page 4

f THANKSGIVING. The Nation's Gratitude for the Blessings of a Year. Services and Sermons in the Churches of New York and Brooklyn. The Publie Parades and Street Displays. The Shandley Legion, Target Com- panies and Calithumpians. Boccher, Tyng, Kennedy and Other Pulpit Apos- tles Preaching on Plenty and Politics, FEASTING THE POOR AND NEEDY. Peans of Praise for Peace, Plenty and Prosperity. Thanksgiving Dinners Among tho Prisoners on Blackwell’s Island, the Emigrants on Ward’s Island and the Orphans and Foundlings on Randall’s Isiand. ‘Thankagiving Day of 1870 is new among the mem- ories of the past, The great national holiday has come and gene; but its lessons are still fresh and its effects not all worn off. From Maine to California, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, in every town and Village and hamiet of the nition, there kas been Merrymaking and reunion. The custom, founded vy the Puritans in a spirit of religious exclusiveness, has become national, and Jew and Gentile alike honor aud thank God in their own peculiar way on this day of general thanks giving. The festival was extensively celebrated yesterday in this city, and, indeed, throughout the country. Families were reunited after many months of sepa- Tation; turkey and pumpkin ple suffered materially, while stories of the doings during the past year fell from the lips of loved wanderers and brightened or darkeged tue faces of those who listened. The celebration of Thanksgtyiuy in this country, taken to a grea' position held by Christmas in the Old Coun- try, There 1s not, of course, the same Christian mystery to celebrate, but there is every reason for the nation to give thanks, as a na- ton, once @ year, on a aay which ail can celebrate. Yesterday the ebservance of the holiday took a . Myriad of forms, but all tending to show the thank- fulness and lightness of the nation’s heart. Ser- mons, exhortations and ceremonies in houses of divine worship; special offerings of thanks in do- mestic circies, public and private amusements of all kinds, Day has, extent the FEASTING AND MERRYMAKING, ‘were everywhere indulged in, and throughout all ran a spirit of genuine thankfulness. In this city and the immediate vicinity the cele- bration was unusually exuberant. Kloquent divines spoke in glowing terms of the duty of the day and hour; the churches of all deneminations were well attended, and charity was spoken of as being a tung companion for thankfulness. The children or protegés of charity were cared for; their homely fare was varied in honor of the festival by the bounty of those who had been viessea with more of the world’s goods than they. In all the private and public charitable institutions feasts were pre- pared for the inmates and were largely enjoyed by the recipients. From early morn till late at night the streets and thor- oughfares were crowded by parties hurrying hither and thither, to or from some frienaly gather- ing. Sounds of martial and merry music from nu- merous bands filled the air, in company with the huzzas or the LAUGHTER OF THE POPULACE, accompanying and greeting some embryo organiza- tions of peaceful warriors or the “make up” and the antics of some body of fantasticals. The tnea- tres and minstrel halls were well attended, the ball fields and the race tracks claimed scores and hun- dreds of the admirers of sport; every species of amusement and diversion was indulged in, and all Went off as merrily and as happily as one could ‘wish tor, THE WEATHER Was beautiful; the sky so bright and clear, the sun- shine so cheerful, and the air so fine and bracing, seeming to carry thankfulness with every inspira- ton, could not fail to act as important aids to make the day enjoyable, That it was enjoyable and that it was duly appreciated and enjeyed; that thanks were given in good form; that happiness and cen- tentment everywhere reigned, and that Thanksgiv- ing Day of 1870 1s worthy or being long remembered may readily be judged from the accounts given be- Jow of the doings everywhere In honer of the festi- val. THANKSGIVING IN THE CHURCHES, NEW ENGLAND CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. Causes for Individdal and National Tbanks- siviog—Eloquent Discourse by Rev. Merrill Richardson, ~ ~Te-eminent for its traditional thanksgiving tur- keys and ponderous pumpkin pics as New England always has been, it is natural that its represeutatives should pay proper heed to the day; and go did the egation, made up large! gland peo- ple, worshipping at the New England Congregational church at the corner of Madison avenue and Forty- seventh street, The preliminary exercises of prayer, i preaching and praise drew out a large and worshipfal | attendance. They looked a grateful gathering and they sang grateful anthems and they “ad the pleasure of listening to a sermon brimming over with: grate fal reminders of the myriad causes for which, as in- dividuals, as States and 28 a nation, there !s reason to be thankful. Rev. Merrill Richardsen, the pas- tor, preached THE SERMON. {t was a sermon in his usual style—soundly logi- cal, clear, outspoken and eloquent. He took his text from the Psalms—“Blessed by the Lord, who | daily loadeth us with its benefits.” As will be seen, it was a text special), adapted to the aay, His ae- scription of thé béundiess Fesources of ofr country yas most grapaicaly interesting. He traced our natural grewth with a minuteness of detail seem- ingly impossible to confine within the limits of a sermon; our growth in population, In wealth, in in- telligence and in the enjoyment of nauoual free- dom. ‘The présentreseurces of this country, he stated, are seven anda half billions of meney— nearly double what they were ten years age. He showed that there was no country on the globe like this; no country with such a grandly free govern- ment and free press aud fiee churches wad free schools, of suca grand breadth of domain, of such grand lakes and rivers, of such grand enter) rises and audacity of daring and genius, and bold and successful ventures. Progressing wita his aiscourse he reiterated the vartous special causes for tuank- fulness. The first ground for gratitude was the Diessed privilege of living in this country. ‘He thought f there was any one subject upon which one might boast it was that of being born in the United States, Another cause of thanks was our ancestry; am rose to a strain of most impaa- Bloned eiequen he dwelt upoa the sturdy characters of the rs on Plymouth Rock and the leading characteristics ot their New sngland descendants—their industry, energy, _ piety, probity and patriotism. Going over the two hun- dred and fifty years of our national existence, he dwelt upon our inventions, steam presses, railroads and telegraphs, and all the elements forming the basis of our growth and power, He praised our climate as better than that of Italy, and was ——— NEW YORK HERALD, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1870.-TRIPLE SHEET. — ‘upon which he was most bey tnd eloquent his every thought and utterance glow- ing with more a Prayer, flery warmth and beauty and power to the close. yee og “—Doxology” and benediction exe! el PLYMOUTH CHURCH, BROOKLYN. A Thanksgiving Address by Mr. Beecher—A Glerification of America and Her Future His Views on the Labor Question—He Goes “For That Heathen Chisee”—What He Thinks About the [rish—A Million Dollars Won’t Amount te Much Seon. Plymouth church was crowded yesterday, for the most part with strangers. The regular congregation were giving thanks elsewhere, for comparatively Tew of these were present. The choir was there tn its full strength, and favored the audience with one of ita best musical efforts, including solo, duet, trio, quartet and choras, A greater freedom than on Sundays and an absence of solemnity were the per- vading characteristics of the assembly, which mant- fested itsclf at intervals in demonsirative applause that rung through the building and stopped the speaker in his utterances, Mr. Beecher did not preach a sermon; he aid not select a text of Scriptare; but delivered a charac- teristic Thanksgiving address, and the audience were not by any means backward in showing their approval of its sentiments, appealing, as they did, to the popular mind, and accompanied by occa- sional witticisms and lacenic sayings that would have moved the risibility of the sturdiest Puritan. It contained some very startling statements and was rich in practical wisdom, ~ ‘The address was upon ‘‘America; Its Present Ac- quisitions and Future Prospects.” The lower pos- sessions of a mation were its material wealth; the nextin the gradation were {ts social and civil devel- opments, and the highest were its moral and spiritual. Glancing at the physical advantages of thls country, its patural wealth, and showing Low almost bound- less were its capacities for expansion, he spoke of the condition of the common peopie, and said that the workingmen of this country were aever so well clothed, 80 BOUNTIFULLY FED and so well housed as they are now. The tendency of their social condition was net backward, bat ferward. They are more refined in their food, more tasty In dress, and there is more culture shown in their dwellings than at any previous period in their history. Ju mere material things the tendency was certainly upward and not down- ward, These, however, were not the signs ef the highest good or of Christianity, but it was encour- aging to note the fact that there never was a time when the workingmen grumbled more than they do now. (Laughter.) A few tlustrations ef the evil or mistaken contentment and the social healthiness of any indications that showed that man was anxieus to improve his social positien, and Mr. Beecher passed on to notice the assimilating pewer of Ameri- can institutions. The institutiens ef America were cherished by the working classes; men did not think of themselves as Classes, but as citizens, ana were proud of their citizenship. Our institutions were never stronger than they are to-day. They were Mei Slegebed Wy AB pate dern, cups alone, but by the foreigi population, who came here to find a home. In our great confligt none were truer to us than those who were foreiga to our land. When eur national credit was likely to be impaired none were truer to the country of thelr adeption than our foreign friends. Why should they not? They did not come here to destroy our opular institutions, for popular institutions were just those that the common people wanted. Except ‘a few cities, and except one nationality, there had been scarcely heard a@ word ef complaint. The Irish are an ingenueus Henne they are open and frank; speak out what they think. “There has in Consequence been some trouble springing from this ullar temperament of theirs, With all their faults they have shown many gooa qualities, and great good has sprung from their race; but while admitting all this we were obliged to confess that, though it was very good stock, it was VERY HARD TO WORK IT UP. (Lond laughter.) While, therefore, there had been trouble in ove city from one portion of the foreign population, yet upon the whole none had contributed mere completely to the welfare and prosperity of the country than the foreigner, who speedily minglea 80 well in the general population that he seemed to be born among us. There was one section of this foreign element that some people seewed to be afraid of. He (Mr. Beecher) was just as little afraid of the Oriental as he was of the Westerner. ‘Taerefore he was glad te see the Chinese coming among us, It might reqaire more time fer their assimilation, coming ameng us as they did with another tongue, snether history, and a different race, and a different culture, but the Chinaman weuld speeaily be swallowed by American institutions =and would be feund to be di- gestible, and make as good blood and as good food of the body politic as any other fereigner. (Loud cheers.) lei it be understoed that they would have a welcome to this land. It was said by the Amert- cans who hold objections to the Chinese that what Was objecttonable was the compulsory carriage; only let them come freery and tkey would be wel- come, Now, it was not the compulsery carriage that was tue objection ef these objectors, though they said su, The real ebjection was that it was A COMPETITION WITH LABOR that was feared. It was a shame, a great shame to any class of men to urge such an objection, when they themseives had made fortunes entirely eut of cheap labor that was native, to refuse to give to that labor an opportunity te develep itself when It came here. (Cheers.) Men who were unskilled, who had nothing bat their hands could afford to work cheap. They ought todoso. That hand had no skill in it, 1 had not the experience, the talent, the facility that forty years of instructed labor had given to the working classes of this country. These Chinese, then, were scholars who, if they worked cheaply, worked honestly. AS one class rose in social power anda skilled must be another to take its place, and this unskilled, uninstructed labor took that place. Everybody who was sensible wished work- ingmen to rise; they sught to rise,and any man who did not had not that wish because he was igno- rant, and the most mischievous of all ignorance was that which did not know hew to be wise, (Laughter.) If there was ene thing that was wanted more than another in the land it was labor. There was Jand in this country which for the next hun- dred years will hardly see seed-corn, do what we would, because we lack the needful force to place it there. “God bless the Swede; God bless the Dane; God bjess the German, and a hundred times over God bless the French and the Italian; God bless the simple-minded Welsh; God bless the sturdy English- man; God bless the mercurial Irishman, but God bless a littlemore the Chinaman.’? (LouG cheers.) ‘The general aspect of wealtn in America was to ‘ve occasion for thankfulness. The prodigieus ‘orces for developing wealth are only just beginning to be perceived, The fnture fortunes of individual owners in America will be prodigious, and will in no way compare with the present possessions of the wealthy. Te ownership of a million ef doliars will not soon make a man eligible te be classed with rich men. He looked forward to a golden future, when there will be marvels of growth In wealth, of which we should have no parallel in the history of nations. Now the value of the possession of wealth in the moral progress of & nation was manifest. No nation rose frem @ barbarous state except by earned Wealth. It was no use taking the Gospel to a people, uniess you taught that _peeple te be industrious and to make money. Mr. Beecher then showed that wealth geed not be used to deprive people of their votes, of their liberty, and could be appropriated to good ends as well as bad. Wealth nad hygtenic properties as weil as bad ends. Let all men try to gei it, labor for it, and do anything tor 1t except sacrifice their honor and disobey their God. Riches might be sata to be THE POOR MAN'S PROVIDENCE, when tt was riches in use and not riches locked up. The tendency of wealth in this country te pro- mote refinement was shown by the prevalence of happy homes. In no other country in the workl were there so many elegant homes. 80 many conventent and well furnished house: for the population, asim this. ‘There was much 0s tentation, but the wonder was that there was not Mr. Beecher also urged as a proof of this the prevalent taste for music and the enormous number ef pianos manufactured here, The large lipraries pessessed by mechanics and farmefs was alsé urged another illustration that weaith was rigiitly used. e remainder of the address, which was listened to with rapt attention, was devoted to the uses Wealth Was put to by 80 many pubilc benefactors; the growth of true religion, as shown in the absence of sectarianism and scepticisin, and the union of all churches in werks of common good and benevo- lence, and the desire to spread the knowledge of Christian tru, = THIRD REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. God's Relationship with Natious—Sermon by Rev. David Gregg. “:at the people praise Thee, O God; let ail the people praise Thee. Then shail the earth yield ner increase. (Psalm 1xyli., 5, 6.) Are the nations right with God; is the worta gediy? For sixty centuries the character of man has been changed from Its pristine purity, and the scene before the master eye haa been a godless world, ruled by jess natious; a little church only gave glory to God and offered this prayer for the conversion of kingdems, ‘The munister explained that it contained three facts— First, that there was a relationship between God and nations. He was aware that this idea might awaken alarm in the minds of Americans, side by side, distinct in organization. distinct in rule; let them be separate, but let them be friends, Separese them, but forget net they are both the imances of God. paral ¢ them, but build them beth on the same foundation of truth; divorcee them whenever married, but diverce neither of them from principle. This ta position of our fathers. They divorced the State from the Chureh, but not from religion, Sec- ond, the relation of a nation with God, when duly honored, was always attended with profit; it pre- DESTROYING CALAMITIES the mation that faithfully obeyed the will of the Creator. The minister cited France as an example of the fact that Ged punished national offences by national calamities, He said France had always been a godless nat. She had shed more innocent bloed than could be atoned forin years of rep ee. The blood of fifty thousand Huguenots was crying out against her forvengeance, and he darea ‘any one te say (Dat it was not the will ot God thatthe imperial city that once with the rejoicings of the Catholtc hordes that with de- mon malice put to the swerd ail whe fell into their bands, and whose streets trembled under the roar of artillery fired for piety ya should not Ri 7 but this time to the boner ef His own glory through the means et King William ef France had brought this upon herself by her own wickedness, Third, that the relattonship weuld bring about a renewal of praise to God, and he earnestiy hoped to see this country turn from her wickedness and rely more upon Heaven for strength in governing her people. He said the Presiaent of the United States was not a professed Christian, yet he had called us together to worship and give thanks to the God that the nation had not duly houored, He earnestly longed to see the day when the nation’s God should be written in its cen- stitution, and he hoped the day was not far distant when America should cast ter crown at the foot of the xing of Kings and wy to rear for herself a throne like Als. THIATY-FOURTH STREET TABERNACLE. Sermon by Dr. Thompson—How Shall Wo Be Governed, by Personal, Constitutional or Ecclesiastical Government f—IRome, France and America. One by one the members of the congregation of the Tabernacle drepped in and took their seats, amd the rustling of silks and whispered commen. taries; the organ pealed forth a lively overture from Mozart, sending @ delightful thrill through the frames of all present, as if the better to prepare them for the solemn devotions that were to follow, The choir sang the quartet “O be Joyful mn the Lord,” in the most charming style, and the services were declared epened by Dr. Thompson yester- day morning. After the reading of the Scriptures and a lengthy prayer by the Doctor, in which he expressed his gratitude for all the benefits received during the past year, both for himself and congregation, anether quartet was sung by the choir to the words, “O Lord, how mani- fest are Thy works,” and the plate passed round for contributiens, to be atstributed te the poor. This being ended, the Doctor selected for his text four verses in Daniel vu., 24-28—“And tem horns out of the kingdom,” &e. As an illustration of the various interpretations that bad been placed upon this prophecy of Daniel he quoted a number of circumstances in connection with the sufferings subsequently endured by the Jews, and went on to say that there were three forms of government, all of which had been tried—viz., ecclestastical, per- sonal and constitutignal, =" ~~ 4 ‘ THE PAPAOY, athe | to th downfall of which the prophecy probably re- ferred, waa a signal instance of fatiure ef ecclesias- tical government. In the Popes for centuries an almost unlimited power had been vested, to which kings and princes had bowed with meekness and submission. But that power at the best was a mys- terious one. Within tho past year a great meeting had been called, and as if still turther to add to the then existing spiritual despotism, it was sought to pass a@ measure declaring Pope Pius IX, infallible ia judgment and not liable to error. His power had en upheld for years by terce of arms; and though he had been called a generous prince and a mag- nanimous ruler, let the Itallan ariny once march out of Rome and any one afterwards dare te raise a velce against him, bed would soon realize the power vested in him by the dogma of infalli- bility. Newspapers would be stopped and the mouths of the people wagged as before. The people of the United States had been asked to make a great outcry against the encroachments of Victor Emman- uel; to hokd m¢ gs and do all im their pewer to reinstate the Pope in his temporal autherity; but how could a nation like the democratic Americans, who have ever been the enemies of tyranny and despotism, assist in reinstating the Pope upon a throne that had been built up by the blood of na- tions and subsequently maintained by means that were at once tyramnical and revelting? PERSONAL GOVERNMENT had also been tested and feand wanting. As an Il- lustration the Doctor referred his cengregation to France, whieh for twenty years had been governed by one man, and in connection with the Romish authorities France was to-day—with its war and misery, with its loss of prestige and power—a mark lor sorrow and a true representative of the result of “one-man government.” She had once been forc- most in all the arts and sclences and taught the na- tens of Europe ways of civilization, but she was now herself dewn in the dust—humbled and de- basea, enervated and iost. Genstitutional govern- ment was represented by PRUSSIA AND GREAT BRITAIN; but even in these countries many evils were pointed eut bythe Doctor as calling fer redress before it could be said they fairly represented the principles upon which they prefessea to have founded thelr institutions, THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC next came under review, during which he said there existed two parties here called “rings,” each being closely banded together. and who worked generally so secretiy that the public did not ascertain what they were doing. Sometimes when thetr interests, on efther side, were at stake they controlled the Legislature, the public recoras, the baliet boxes and ublic offices; either party, being im power too jong, became tyrann cal and selfish, placinga 1! their own friends and favorites in public offices without ee them to any examination as to fitness or ability. A SHOT AT TAMMANY. As an Instance of the immense power of the rings he related what he said were facts eoncerning the modus operandi of one party. A few years ago a gentleman he knew was nominated for an omce, and it was confidently expected he would be successful, but to the surprise of ail an opponent was elected, This matter was dormant until another election, and the former gentieman was again nom- inated. During the canyass a man called upon the candidate and promised hima certain number of votes. ‘Where from?’ said the candidate. “Weil,” said the man, ‘‘you were elected before vy 7,000 majority; but 1 was paid to count the votes the re- verse of what we learned at school, and so you were thrown out, These men who assisted me are now under my thumb.” ‘This 1s the immorality Washington warned his countrymen against, and until men can be found willing to undertake the representation of the peo- ple hein f and honorably our society and insti- tutions will remain as they now are—subject to every kind of avarice, and governed by men devoid of Christian or even moral principles. CHURCH OF THE HOLY TAINITY. Thanksgiving Sermon by Rev. Tyna, Jr. The Rey. Stephen Ht. Tyng, Jr., delivered an inte- resting sermon yesterday morning at his church, corner of Madison avenue and Forty-second street. He took for his text, “Thou openest thine nand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psalm exly., 16.) The open hand of God 1s our thanksgiving theme. We leave all the questions of political philosophy to students of sacred causes. After thus summarily disposing of the political re- form Yestion, upon which it was expected he would devote a considerate portion of nis discourse, he enlarged on the divine beneficence of God, which Stephen H. was, he said, like Himself (the Lord), and which, like all His works, were grand, great and broadly comprehensive—shedding light and truth over the earth and exercising a most potent and powerful infuence over the destinies and purt- fying the natures of His creatures—endearing man to his neighbor and creating a more fervent faith in Himself, the sublime Giver of all. I exhort you all earnestly, he continued, to imitate, each according to his or her ability, the example of the Lord, in being charitable to one another and loving your neigabor a3 yourself, and deating with him tn uccord- aace with this rule, PLENTEOUS REDEMPTION was the teuchstone of His grace which sheds dewn the ligt. and glery of above and 1s perfect tn itself. How should he measure this pleuteous redemption ? ‘Tne task was beyond the reach of the human tutel- lect—too vast for mortal—and a man blessed with the greatest mental facuities would trembie before such an enormous duty if ordered to make the attempt. It was too extensive, too truly grand to be meas- ured or sketched by human means, It is the glo- rious testuneny which Ls accorded us on earth ef the ever opea hand of the Lord—the hand of never- ceasing benencence, Let me nelp you count up your mercies and so lead you to the thaukful sovereignty. All this and more is expressed by the Psalmist under this symbol of God's open hand, But, while open, surely it skeds not the light of trath for ihe few. It is as read and open as the face of heaven, and full of forgiveness aud rewardto the righicous and unrighteous alike. THE PRAYERS OF THE HUMBLEST are thankfully and gladly Ustened to and received by the All-Powerful, eur Divine Lord. He gives ight, their Maker. Is ie the tyrannical e God, the impure God, inconsiderate, unjust Ge forsaken ey some creatures revile and condemn! No; this is the whe mighty God, who forgives when forgiveness 1s deserved, and condemns when condemnation is merited. Oh, let us worship this God of truth, Magnanimity and justice, and ever praise and revere his divine name, to the end that we may be saved and enjoy the heavenly privilege of rejoicing with Him in Bis heavenly dominions above, POLITICAL REFORM and pure charity are to be most thoroughly promo- ted not by acrimonious criticism upon existing things, and the multiplication of new maehinery and agencies—the! ves soon to be polluted and corrupted in their turn—but by the exaltations of ver ity of grace which, subduing each wilful heart to the obedience of Christ, most effec- tualdy elevates the individual, sanetifies the mind, and so cements society. He who ministers to the soul of man is the best politician. THE BROOKLYN TABERNACLE. Thacksgiving Sermon by Rev. Mr. Talmage, of Brooklyn=Qur Nationn! Presperity— Skirmishing with the Politicians. The Rev. De Witt Talmage preached an appro- priate Thanksgiving sermon yesterday morning, at his Tabernacle in Schermerhorn street, Brooklyn, which was filled by a large congregation. The na- tional bymn, ‘‘America,’’ was sung by the congre- gation. In the prayer the Rev. Mr. Talmage thanked God for our manifold national blessings, for the peace we enjoyed, and hoped that God would soon give to Spain a king, create @ better understanding between ENGLAND AND RUSSIA, give France a republic and save Prussia from get- ting drunk on the wine of victory, He then took his text from a part of the fifth verse of the twenty-third Psalm of David—“Thou spread+ eat 9 table befere me.” To-day the Thanksgiving table of the nation was spread and sur- rounded by @ happy eople, who were blessed beyond measure. Birds, fish and fowl covered the tables, and we blessed God for all His goodness, Their homes presented evidences of comfort on every side, and differed very widely in he hones of thelr fathers. Now their walls wel m grace ith fine paintings, while the walls in the homes of OUR FATHERS WERE BA) Now the tables in their libraries were covered with magazines and the shelves filled with the works of our best authors. They should be thankful for the childhood sent to their homes, and they shoula pray fer those who looked upon despoiled cradles, He referred to the poor and hoped, in the collection about to be taken up, they would not be forgotten, He sald that he had on several occasions been told toils was one of the worst cities on the earth, and he believed that a great many had been impressed with that idea. When THE JERSEYMAN LANDED at the foot of Cortlandt street he jum into a cab and bribed the driver to take him with all haste to the Hudson River Ratiroad depot, so that he might escape the plague? Now, who was responsible for this’ He thought it was the politicians. The demo- crats called the republicans a set of vagabonds, and the republicans called the democrats great villains. For bis part he was not much of a politician, but in hts opinion the party in power pars stole the most, He loved the city, aud blessed God that ne lived here. FOURTH REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CONGREGATION, Sermon in Harvard Rooms by the Rev. James Kennedy—No Nation Can be Prosperous Unless It Acknowledges the Law ot Gbdd, ‘The Fourth Reformea Presbyterian congregation mot yesterday morning at Harvard Rooms, on Sixth avenue, neat Ferny second Street, for the pufpdse of celebrating Thanksgiving Day. The services were conducted by the newly installed pastor, Rev. James Kennedy, fomerly of Newtown-Limavaddy, in the north of Ireland. The reverend gentleman, who is of slender build, speaks with consideranle fluency, and with that accent which is peculiar to inhabit- ants of the province of Ulster. The matter of his truth and health to his fleck, irrespective of worldly UPON the subject of eur soclat owing Y) the great = Lincoln fie trot @ frailspliitter and how Grant was once a poor tanner. His final topic was, that we ought to be thankful for the living Ught of Chris because they did not believe in the union of Church and State. He did not ask them to beileve in It; the exiled life of our fathers forbade it. He de- Mmanded, however, that they be allowed to gtapd condition, and asks eniy, in return for the countiess benefits and blessings bestowed, devetion and gre titude, which, alas ! too many are selfish enough to refuse, thinking enly of their riches and bodily ease and comiort—negiccuge thelr gouls’ welfarg and discourse indicated that he 1s a man of considerable ability, reading and information, and he will, no doubt, be a very desirable spiritual guide among the respectable and intelligent congregation whe have selected him to expound for them the Holy Word of God, The attendance at the service was large. After the psalm had been sung by the congrega- tion the reverend gentleman delivered a brief ex- hortation, in the course of which he said that when those who had now assembled to hear him had finished their course and looked back upon their past lives, and upon the events of their career on Earth, they wouid find among them nothing so much worth remembrance as the trials and the sorrows they had endured. There would be no sincerity in thelr prayera but for the troubles and afllictions with which they nad been tried. It was by send- ing aMictions upon the world that God, as it were, hewed the human character and formed it in spiritual peer While they thanked God let them not forget allHe had done for the world. Peace was in their boundaries; they had national prosperity; they had had a bounti har- vest, and they enjoyed social blessings and bless- ings of a national character never to be forgotten. Let them remember what they owed to God, who gave them these at blessin: Had they not seen that system which had exercised so deleterious an Influence upon civil and religieus liberty—the tem- poral power of the Papacy—swept out of existence, and the matiens that gave it support dropping ont Austria in 1866, Spain in revelut and France in 1870. France, the right hand of the Papacy, the oldest son of the Church, pallied to withdraw the troops from Rome, and the Italians rejoicing that they would be able to givejutterance to what they deeply felt. There were other results in other directions. ‘The system which deprived men of the pase of pri- vate judgment was to be condemned. The human mind came up to a conscieusness of its own power, and the Word of God would be Chup acai of great results. In Austria, Spain, Mexico, and in some of the republics of America that had their origin from Europe the Word of God had been mak- ing progress and developing powerful suits and convictions in men’s mi The reverend gentleman then offered up a lengthened prayer; he prayed for the President and his Ministers; that God would grant them wisdom to rule with advantage to the whole nation. He reached a lengthened sermon, taking as his text the fourteenth chapter of Prover! thirty-fourth verse:—'Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is @ reproach to any people.’? Mr. Kennedy said that, in erder to get a correct understanding of the text, it was necessary to take into consideration the ex- act meaning of the Divine Word. When God made all things He first put them underalaw. Ever, creature was pot under @ law whic asserted the naturo amd economy of the Divine Spirit. Righteousness was @ Keeping man within the boundaries prescribed by God’s law, and sin was a breaking away from the obligations of the law and acting in such @ manner as to be con- trary to the laws of God’s moral government, Righteousness was harmony with the divine iaw, and differed from holiness, which meant moral purity. Sin was transgression of the law aud righteousness was harmony with the law. These two terms were not feptied to Individuals alone, but they were also applied to nations. This was note- worthy because on it he intended to base his re- marks on the subject announced for te-day— “Religion Essential to the Life and Lal of a Nation.” The reverend preacher dealt wit this question in an elaborate, careiul and eloquent manner, orig J that nations were breught within the authority of God’s moral government. Civil overnment was the ordinance of God. God estab- ighed it by giving us rulers. He gave usan intal- tive knewledge of our secial relations. Whon a nation did violence to another a complaint was made to the governmeut of the party aggrieved. Responsibility rested on the government for the ood conduct ef all those who were under its care, Raving dwelt upon this branch of the question at length, the preacher went on to show, by reference to examples from history, that when nations ceased to be influenced by religion and obedience to the moral government of God they fell into decay and ruin, instancing the Romans, whose fall was great until their empire was reconstructed under Constantine; the States of Greece, the Babylonian empire and the blasphemies of Balshazzar, and France in the Re- volution, when she rejected faith and set up an abandoned creature as the Goddess of Reason, who subsequently died mad. He urged all nations and peoples to acknowledge God and obey and follow His oly law in all things. ‘The service eonclud at half-past twelve o'clock, and the congregation retired, no deubt quite pleased with the discourse of their new pastor. SHAAREY TEFILA. Rev. S. M. Isaacs on the Gratitude Due to God. ‘The magnificent temple of Shaarey Teflla was yes- terday morning filled with worshippers, The chil- dren belonging to the Orphan Asylam were also pre- sent, dressed in their neat gray uniforms, with blue military caps, After the usual services had been gone through the Rev. S. M. Isaacs proceeded to address the children of Israel ou their duty to the Supreme Being. We meet here to-day, said he, to express our heartfelt thanks and offer up our fervent thanksgtv- ing to that Being who watches over us with such parental cave. Like the children of Israel did im the temple, we love te gather ann and acknowledge the greatness of God and our utter dependence on Him. qhe preacher read from the sixty-fith Psalm; wherein David saya:—" Thou visitest tne Barth and waterest it; Thou greatly énrichest it with the river God, which 18 full of water; Shou preparest corn when Thou hast so provided for it” He then spoke of THE SHEPHERD KING, who, in all his vicigaitudes, preserved that love for God which shews, itself throngh His every word, and, sald no, the ;host pleasing homage we can pay to the Creator to Him for the benefits He she Sons and daughters are full of memories of GEORGE WASHINGTON, whem God inspired to free his country from the Inte struguifor liberty. “And you have to thank for ls ou have God for the formation of t “republic. On its friendly shores exiles from all lai are received and followers of every creed are protected in their faith. Here the church, the synagogue and the mosque are equally safe from desecratien. To Washington we are indebted for all this. Yet though to the children of Israel David has been a savior, his name ts almost blotted out of their memories, Enjoyment in unis life is enhanced by contrast with suifering, and when we survey the WAR IN EUROPE, & War, not for principle but for supremacy, which cannot be excused as being for any purpose bene- ficial to mankind, how thankful ought we be tothe 8 Being for the calmness and quiet which we clesed by saying—You Israclites have great cause te rejoice when you contrast your con- dition with that of your ancestors, and those of the same faith in other lands even now. ‘The trustees of the synagogue had a splendid din- ner provided for the children of the Orphan Asylum after the services, STRONG PLACE BAPTIST CHURCH, SOUTH BROOKLYN. Interesting Thanksgiving Services—Discourse by Rev. Wayland Hoyt—Five Congregations at Wership. ‘The Strong Place Baptist church was filled yester- day morning by representatives from the South Congregational church, Dr. H. M, Storrs pas- Mr. Thomas pastor; Tabernacle Baptist church, Dr. A. ©. Oaborn pastor; the Westminster Presbyterian the Strong Place Baptist church, A beautiful feature of the exercises of the day consisted in the alter- nate reading by the pastor and congregation extracts, which tor; First Place Methodist church, Rev. chureh, and Rev. Wayland Hoyt pastor. of appropriate Sertptural had been distributed among the pews and were ar- viduals.” believe God, that it shall be even as it |was told me.” The text has a stormy setting, yet bright enough even for Thanksgiving; for this Thanksgiving is a day of brightness, Itis and has always beer sug- gestive of sunny hearts, It falis like a ray of light through the rifted clouds of a darkened day upon the somewhat sombre New England history. In the old times when the Thanksgiving morning dawned and the hour for wership was proclaumed by a horn blown or ‘A DRUM BEATEN on the top of 8 hill, the peopie were gathered within the stoveless church and sang their psalms and lis- tened to the prayer, longer than the sermons of our day, and sat out the se’ ee ding threagh expo- sition, doctrine, heads, divisions, sub-divisions and applications for at ne iy as they gathereg ground tho od, ihe AgEA seaturyp of ths Sune Telaxed, 46 6n no ether day in the round year, Thus the day has come down to us—a very blessed heritage. Itis a By. ‘Of hearts, a da; of homes, a day fora memory of the Divine wate! and care. It is pre-eminently a day of cheer. ‘The pastor then drew a vivid picture of Paul and his surroundings on the occasion of the iitlerance of the words of the text, and showed how those poor mariners, trusting in the God of Pani, did enjer into cheer, overcome the tempest and reach fety. Bi if G supears, that if these Thanksgiving Di have AO helpful meaning for us they ths just this meaning of cheerfulness—they stand in the world luke Paul among the mariners to say, “Be of good romises are sure.” This, then, 1s the subjectfor ‘Thanksgiving Day—‘*Cheerfulness”— and these are the pomts concerning it—First, the value of it; second, some of the reasons for it, and ae a few suggestions toward getting and keep- CHEERFULNESS IS A MOOD of the mind, tranquil, ho) |, _self-possessed; a strong and sunny temper. us defined a man can have ne more valuable sodeemet. It enthrones a man in self mastery, and with this cheerfulness, shedding its glad A tee age gtng stronger than the toils and disaj iments of life, In his relations te others what a to man is cheerfulness, Like the sun, light in itself and shed- possi, bat he cannot Keep ‘is bof from going 2, cannot keep asi unless somehow there be a cheer. ond cinating woman iucompany may be moody and dis- coeaee athome; the result, an alienated husband @ dismembered housel There is many a wife whose home has become a prison, be- cause the husband brings but ashes to the hearth. constant ‘ana habivual grativude, it imaposaibie was le to be thankiul unless the heart be in the faith that what God does is right and best and wise. Qne of the reasons fer cheerfulness 12 that the rightis con- uUnually winning in the world, People talk about the good old times. God does not work backward. ‘The new times are better. If a man e himself on the side of right he is sure of victory. There will be room for him and reward for him. That is a thing to CHASE THE SHADOWS out of the heart—thag the right 1s strong and con- juering. Another reason for cheerfulness is that in every human lot, how severe soever, there are certain compensations. No life isso sad but there is some reason fer cheer init. But perhaps it 4s very hard for some of you to see this benignant face of compensation in your own case just now. ‘There is the vacant chair; hopes are vain and plans are blighted. But, de friend, to have treasure laid up in heaven—to have those you love garnered from toil and sorrow into the beatific brightness— w ‘have your own heart brought into nearer contact Wi THE UNSEEN AND ETERNAL and detached more really from the earthly and transient—surely even here in your case there is a holy compensation, to be full of the warmth and comfort of & most sacred cheer. Then, again, God’s hand is in the world. There is a Divine Providence, Let the heart but stay itself in God and it must be full of cheer. There is another way ef getting and keeping cheerfulness—by a thankful comparison or eur lot with that of others. Really every man’s place and chance 1s in some respects better than. another man’s. ‘Every missed misery is an added foe Life is not made up of great sorrows or joys. ‘The pastor closed with an earnest appeal to every one of his hearers to cultivate cheerfulness as a means of not merely present but future happiness, of not only temporal joy but heavenly beatitude, assuring them that a lowly heart which leans on God is happy anywhere. SOUTH THIRD STREET or aa CHURCH, WILLIAMS RG. An Object Lesson from the Nations—Sermon by Rev. Charles S. Pomeroy. A union service was held by several Presbyterian churches of Brooklyn, E, D., at the South Third Street Presbyterian church. The Rey. Charles S, Pomeroy, pastor of the Rosa street church, preached the sermon from the text—Psalm Ixvi., 7-9— “He ruleth by His power forever; His eyes behold the nations; let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Oh, bless our God, ye people, and make the voice of His praise to be heard, which holdeth our soul in life, and suffereth not our feet to be moved.” The speaker made the nations the involuntary teachers of our thankfulness, Our struggle of late had made us the centre of attraction to tne world’s eye. Now it was our turn. We are no longer exhibitors, but students, We sit in the niche of our blessed secu- rity and watch Europe seething like a great caul- dren, with deadly fire beneath it, curling with the war smoke. But Owe is there who can regulate the glow and put @ damper to the flame and quench it when He will, Tendencies to the denial of God’s providence were suggested as all too common among us. GOD'S PLAN RUNS NO RISK of thwarting. All history 1s a tangle until you fix this postulate. War subserves the victeries of the Prince of Peace. Let the great Powers confer to set- ule Europe. There will be One among them, whom they know not, to moderate their proceedings. He shall have the casting vote, whieh subordinates thelr schemes to His and secures the enviea balance of power to Him who sits on the ecernal throne, Mr., Pomeroy drew a picture of THR SITUATION IN EUROPE, contrasted with our own, as a stimuius to gratitude. A historical cemparison was skeiched at length between France, with its incessant changes, and our own land since Washington’s inauguration; the fail of Napoleon—just now feared and honorer as the arbiter of Europe’s destiny—so bent on easy conquest that he must needs inselently pick a quar- rel wi'h his neighbor and start as on a pleasure trip to Berlin; Austria was descr bed as naving breken the Concordat which bound her te the chariot waeels of the Papacy; italy securing her ewn capital, Rome enfranchised, Spain making rapid headway in popular education, with the Bible free at last. rovidential Medes g were everywhere letting in the light of trath and freedom, Gratitude was due for the fact of our, removed toes of OUR TOUCHY PATRIOTISM. quarreiling ones. across the water—uniil the world tions. This was no time for RNa | true progress—as God and history Ww! not by increasing power and wealth and swarm! populations, Nations have gone te ruin with ing in ‘cious luxury, thelr end was sure. physical. OUR WORST DANGER is lest we forget God in our pros) } pOaver upon men undt to bear it, 4s to let Him see that we are gratefal owers On Us, of Israel, your minds to-day ranged under the several headings of ‘An Invita- ton to Praise God,” “For What He is.as Benefactor,” “For What He is as Redeemer,” ‘For His Favor to Us as a Nation” an@ “For His Favor to Us as Indi: Rev. Mr. Hoyt eloquently discoursed from acts xxvil., 27—Wherefore sirs, be of geod cheer: fer I jon—far {rom all the strife. If nearer, something mighi tread on the If just and righteous, we shall take the position more and mere ef umpire above the crowded and become a United States of assisting God-fearing na- ‘The nauons il regard it—is these. If unrighteous, or pusillanimeus, or fasten ne moral fd mental advance must keep pace wath the rity, Lest we put leat we, suffer the helms of state ana office to slide into handa that are violence or clutching bribes, with we dis- of covetousness. We want a national ‘foundations, ana eit, meaiwhll, ass it, meanwhile, Mehlgvement&lafier saul to ur pate Sinninghe Shan ail possible aggregation of perishable m h ST. ANN'S ON THE HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN. The Coming Age=Blessings Received and Blessings to Come~Sermon by Rev. N. H. Schenck, D. D. The Rev. N. H. Schenck, D. p,, rector, officiated at service in the morning. The beantifut service of the Episcopal Church was celebrated with great tmpres- Siveness before ® large congregation, whose re- spectability was no less apparent than their earnest spirit of devotion. The first lesson taught them to “give thanks to God tn all things,” the second that “man lives mot by bread. alone but the Word of God;” after which the rector preached the sermon for the Thanksgiving fete. He asked the congregation to thank God for three things—for tne material bless! or the year, that the world is in preparation for a new evangel, and that He 1s sending the h doors for purposes bite will sone ue i teil and glory. Surrounded, as they were, by the grace- tu cantoutone of a lady—the wheat, oats, rye and barley—symbols of a plenteous harvest, and the beautiful flowers, the tmmortelies, tokens of a sum- mer to come where the flowers never wither—shoula they not raise their hearts to God in thankfulness? He speke of the expansion of our commerce, the peace we ¢t the consolidation of our gov- ernment, whi CRIBS OF MURDER AND RAPINE are wafted to us from France by every gale that blows across the Atlantic. ‘The preacher next referred to the convulsions in the moral world, Every organization in Uhristendom 1s in some way repudiating traditionary dogmas, and the world is 4n a transilion state, preparatory to something that will ere long be ushered in for our acceptance. Oid forms, religious and civil, have become effete, and everything bows to THE GENIUS OF THE COMING AGE, There will be two ee elements in the next civil- ization—difusion of populations and the fraterniza- tion of men in religious and worldly government, a compromise on great ideas and the git up of bigotry ef churches, dogmas and schoels, The heatnén will come to us to learn the religion of Christ, and we will go to their pagedas to tell them the truths of the Gospel, TEMPLE BNAI JESHURUN, “The Adyantage of the Land Is in Its Ene tirety??—Discourse by Rey. Dr. Vidaver. In conformity with the proclamation of the Prest- dent of the United States, the reverend Doctor satd, we were congregated in the house ef God to give Him humble thanks for his goodness to us for the past year. We had for this day cast off ail care of business, and he hoped thai the hearts of all assem- bled felt that they owed a great debt to the Giver of all perfect gifts, and that in humbleness and meek- ness they would thank Him and earnestly pray for His protection for the future. The reverend Doctor took his text from Ecclesiastes, v,, 8:—‘‘The advan- tage of the land is in Its saute,” He sald it was a ae GLORIOUS BI h a to behold & Whole natten acknowledging its dépend- ence upon the @racious aid of Providence and feel- ing its heart exalted with the hollest emotions of ‘atitude, Indeed, we se@ that the advantage of the land 1s in its entirety. Our entirety, the nation, shouid rise in aderation of the Supreme Donor of all good, and in one mighty cho xolaim with joy, “Give thanks unto the Lord, Als mercy endureth forever.” He believed that if any nation ‘on earth had cause to thank God for favors received THIS BLESSED LAND ‘was the one. It had special cause to be gratefal to God for the incessant dispensations of love and and grace He has 80 conspicuously vouchsafed unto it, from the beginning of its national existence up to this sacred hour, kK around us, said the Doc- tor, and behold the vast expansion of our land, stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, from the St. Lawrence to the Rio Grande; the im- mense increase of its population, the thriving flel the richness of ite harvests, the giant progress ond presperity of its commerce, and then ask if we do notowe a debt tothe Masterabove. He said he could almost hear the voice of the Most High calling ‘unto the peogie of America and saying unto them, “{ ghall be as the dew unto the land. america shall rise up; she shall strike root like the ferests ef Lebanon.” For where, in the world’s history, can be fonnd such gigantic results brought. about by any nation in so short a period of time? Com- pare the two hundred and years during which time the settlers of A! ved under the sway of the different European governments with the Comparatively short period that has elapsed since the Revolution to our own day, and we will be com- pelled to admit that He has not dealt so with any Other nation. Look at the GREAT HEROES who fought for and gained the liberty of America; think you that they forget to give thanks to the Greak God above’ Ne; ey acknowledged His power and humbly asked for His protection and astrei th guide them in their struggle. Now, beholding at this, have we not_ reason to be humbly grateful to Him on High? Have we not reasen to fall en our knees and thank Him? our success and our liberty have been held in His hands, and to us He has mercifully and freely granted beth. And { trust that the day is not far distant when all nations shall recognize the mercy and power of God in the success of the national affairs, and jom with us in one universal Thanksgiving Day. KYRIE ELEISON. Service Yesterday the Greek Chapel= Bishop Paulus Officiating. For the firat time since 1t has been fitted up as@ chapel religious service according to the rites of the Greek Church was celebrated on gesterday morning at the roem at 947 Second avenue, which has been selected as the temporary house of worship for the Greek and Russian community resident in the city. Though the day had not been selected specially on the ground of its being Thanksgiving Day, but simply because, in the general suspension of business, a larger attendance might be expected, the occasion was observed and _ thanksgiv! prayers for the general prosperity of the people the United states were introduced, ‘The chapel has been adornea with great good taste With pictures and gilding, and A COUPLE OF BANNERS wave at either side of the chancel. In the sanctuary, Into which, agreeably lo the traditions of the Greek Church, none but ordained priests are allewed to enter, there is a handsome altar, upon which rest a handsome silver crucifix and a large candelabrum, with seven branches, denoting the seven tirst apos- tolic churches, The service commenced exactly at ten e’clock. The chief celebrant was the Russiam Bishop of Alaska, now on his way home to St. Petersburg. He was ussisted by the Rev, Father Bjerring, who has been appeinted by the Synod in St. Peiersburg as the regular chaplain of the Russian community of New York. THE SERVICE was comparatively short, and consisted merely of the usual morning service of the Greek liturgy. There was a good attendance, including, among others, the Greek Consul. At the close of the service the-audience, after the custom of Greek congregations, reverently came forward and kissed the nand of the Bishop and the cructiix which it held out tothem. Tie psalms were sung to peculiarly Greek chants by Mr. Smirnof, but the congregation did not join in. IN A FEW WEEKS, when the preliminary preparations have:been cem- pleted, regular services wili be held by Father Bjer- ring at this little chapel, and as soon asthe neces- sary funds have been raised @ church will be erected on the corner of Lexington avenue and Fiftieth street. A couple of lots for the purpose have already been purchased for $20,000. it must not be supposed, however. that Father Bjerring con- templates introducing a fresh element of discord inte the religious world of Ainerica, For # long time the union of the Greek and Episcopai Churches. has been advocated by many members of both, and the good Father hopes that the opening of a Greek: eburch in New York may do much towards consam- mating this movement. AT ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL. ‘The Cathedral was crowded from an early hour by the faithful desirous of returning thanks for the blessings of the past year. There was no special service nor religious ceremonial display beyond the ordinary masses, the first of which commenced as early as half-past six o’cleck, and the final, at halft- Past ten o'clock, being said in honer of the day. Theré was a very large attendance and the peoples gratitude to God wes uttered. with, true devotion, THANKSGIVING AT THE WESTEHESTER FRO. TECTORY, Intexesting Confirmation Ceremonice=Prew gress of n Manificem Undertaking—How the Outcast Children of New York Are Taught, Fed and Cared For. Hhaving been announced that the ceremony of confirmation would be performed by Axchbishop McCloskey at, the Protectory for Roman Catholic Ohulldren, in Westchester, yesterday a largonumber of friends and patrons of the institution assembled there to witness the interesting event, and also, perhaps, wo familiarize themselves with the extent and progress: ofone of the most munificent charities within the limits of the State of New Yerk, This institntion, which at present forms 8 comfortable home for 959. boys and 812 girls, was estabilshed in 1865, when tne old Varian homestead, constating of 114 acres, was purchased at a cost of $40,090, Au addititional tract of twenty acres wag since secured for $20,500, and