have not been successful. Thus far, thanks be
to God, our nationality has been preserved, and we
are at peace with all. nations. At Gettysburg,
thanks be to God, the defiant armies of the
assailants of our flag were sent back reel
ing and bloody to their desolate prison grounds;
Whilst at the Milne hour the Gibraltar of the Missis
sippi surrendered to the victorious arms of its pro
per owners ; and that, instead of having had our
harvest fields trodden down by the steeds of war,
our manufactories and workshops transmuted into
Military barracks, our cities lacked, and our people
crushed under the heels of suocessful usurpers, we
some together in peace and comfort, thanking God,
and congratulating each other, that "the country,
rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength
and vigor, is permitted to expect a continuance of
years, with a large increase of freedom." Well
does our President proclaim that "no human °MA
NIA hath devised, nor bath any mortal hand worked
out, these great things. They are the gracious gifts
Of the Moat High God, who, dealing with ua in
anger for our sins, has, nevertheless, remembered
mercy." "He stayeth his rough wind in the day of
the east wind."
Consider, also, what incidental blessings have
been brought directly'out of the very calamities that
the country has been suffering. This strife' of par
ties and sections is a terrible thing. The shame and
evil of it are beyond expression. War, at any time,
in any cause, is a dreadful scourge. - Iris always a
breeder of infamies at which humanity revolts, to
say nothing of religion. It so shakes the founda
tions of society, loosens the restraints of public
Sentiment, interrupts and changes the pursuits of
• private happiness, brings misery and wretchedness
in so many forms, and is so doubtful in its issues,
that no wise and good man can ever accept it but in
cases of dire necessity. And civil war is the most
dreadful of all. - The responsibility that is upon
those who wilfully bring it on is one which will sink
the guilty to perdition's nether caverns. But, incl.
dentally, there is often good in evil, and God, in the
mystery of his providence, maketh even the wrath
of man to praise Him. It has been so in this con
test. Much life and treasure is being expended, and
we are yet in the crucible, not knowing what the
-exact result of the experiment shall be. But, with
all the corruption, guilt, and misery attending it,
good is being evolved. The worldis looking on, and
learning lessons of wisdom. History is being made
which will instruct the ages. Thoug htful minds are
being called to a review of the inaccurate philoso
phy and theology into which the nation was careless
ly drifting, and bringing forth safer and truer views
of things. The majesty and importance of law
are being exhumed. The necessity of a different
tone and spirit of national life is being discovered ;
other ideas of fiscal policy and military defences are
being tested ; new sources of support and improve
ment have been opened to the poorer classes; old
delusions and prejudices are being exploded and east
tolhe winds ; new means of wealth and prosperity
have been rendered available. Whilst thousands
are being irrecoverably ruined, many that were lost
are being saved,- and if our people will but learn the
lessons which Providence is endeavoring to teach
us, these storms shall be to us the fan which driveth
away the chaff, that only the precious wheat may
remain. Nay, and amid it all, what great wonder is
being enacted before us? What mighty miracle, as
in the days of Moses? Take your stand for a mo
ment with Baalam, " on the top of Peor that looketh
toward Jeshimon," and see. Behold the thousands
upon thousands of the long oppressed coming forth
dry-shod through all this sea of blood, on their way,
- with their wives and little ones, to the Canaan 'of
Liberty, sounding the loud cymbals of their de.
liveranoe over the waves that are closing upon the
pride of their oppressors for ever. Behold these
strange outworking! of :this strange strife of broth.
ere, and see, and confess, with gratefuljoy to the
dear. God who presides over it, that " He stayeth
his rough wind in the day of the east wharf."
And, with all, look at our assurances for the
future. Dark and impenetrable that future may
seem to us, but He who sees the end of all things
from the beginning, has laid down the sure founda
tions on which confident anticipations may be built.
God is at the helm of things. Whatever may be
man's perplexities and fears, the way is clear and
plain to him, and nothing can defeat his gracious
purposes, or bring hie promises to nought. He has
his great plans of good to all who put their trust in
Him, and they shall be infallibly consummated. Let
these days of m 5 stery and trial develop what they
may, the result, all things considered, shall be the
very best that infinite wisdom and goodness can de
vise. And if it should even be toe great day of
his dreadful judgments hate which we are being
brought ; that day that shall burn as an oven ; the
`day for the extermination of every plant which He
bath not planted ; the day when thrones shall fall,
and constitutions fail, and confederations dosolve,
and all the proud works of apostate man be turned
to desolation ; still the Lord has covenanted to be
as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from
the tempest, and his people shall sing Hallelujah
for ever, over the great salvation that that day
shall bring. •
.- - • - •••1V
Rev. E. W. Hotter.
- In St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, New ctraet,
a numerous audience had assembled, to listen to a
discourse by the pastor, Rev. E. W..H.titter. After
appropriate introductory exercises, consisting of
singing and prayer, the Rev. speaker announced as
his text the appropriate words selected from let
Samuel, 12th chapter, 24th verse:
"Consider how great things God bath done for yon."
The Rev. speaker commenced by saying that a
peculiar solemnity always attaches to words of
farewell, Whether addressed to a household by a
venerated parent, or to a congregation by a pastor,
or to an entire people by one high in official posi
tion, such utterances never fail to exciteunusual in
terest, In such connection stand the words of the
text. They con stitute part of the glowing and elo.
spent valedictory of Samuel, delivered when he was
old and gray. headed," in the presence of all Israel,
whom he had so long and so faithfully served as pro
phet, judge, and teacher. When his countrymen,
with strange irgratitude to the Supreme Monarch
of the skies, elomorpel for the abolition of their the
erotical form of government, and the substitution of
an earthly rag - al system, Samuel at first vehemently
remonstrates spinet the stupendous guilt and folly
of such a demand. But, finoins them inexorable, at
length, under the Divine guidance, their illustrious
leader accedes to their exactions. Before resigning his
_high functions, with the fervor of st true patriot,
and the piety of a devoted servant of God, he ex
horts there to a line of conduct that would perpetu
ate their nationality, and preserve them, through
all coming time, a people, peaceful, prosperous, and
beloved or God. These counsels he bases mainly on
the principle' recognized in the convocations of
Godta people, this day—vD. : Gratitude to God, and
the rendition of suitable thanks for mercies and
benefits received. The text itself, though brief, is
a comprehensive and suggestive exhortation to
them to live in perpetual rememberanoe of the
many signal manifestations of the Divine favor
which they, as a people, during their most eventful
career, had enjoyed, In their behoof, flinty rocks
were made to pour out crystal streams, the clouds
had rained manna on their pathway, the winds
f had been laden with flesh, rivers and seas
- bad been divided, the sun and the., moon
bad been made to stand still in ' their habi-
tations, angels had descended from their ce
lestial abodes, and disclosed themselves to their
astonished gaze; and even the Lord Jehovah him
self, emerging from his own unapproachable refill.
genre, in divers manners cognizable to the senses,
had displayed his special guardianship of them by
going before them in a cloud by day, and a • pillar of
ire by night. To crown it all, unto them had been
committed the "oracles of God," which testified to
the coming of the world's Redeemer. And yet,
even of such a Governor, mighty in wisdom and
power,
and of such an administration of their af
fair', -this -rebellious and stiff-necked people had
grown weary, and clamored to supplant it with a
puny arm of flesh. A sad commentary, truly, on
the fearful havoc which sin bath wrought with all
the nobler impulses of the human soul ! A sorrow
ful instance of the exhibition of causeless and un
provoked rebellion, even at that early day !
In applying the words of the venerable prophet to
Ourselves, and to this National Thanksgiving mos
dion, the reverend speaker entered Into a brief re
view of the great things which this same beneficent
and all-wise God bad likewise done for us, and
.also showed the returns which both nature and reli
gion concur to demand of us.
Not to be expected was it, however, that the long
and unvaried succession of benefits which we, as
one of the organized political Powers of the earth,
from the time our pilgrim fathers first entered upon
this favored country to this present hour, had en
joyed -at the hands of God. should be recapitulated
with any degree of specification. Delightful and
cheering as such a retrospect would be, it would lead
' to amplifications impossible to compress into the
marrow limits of a single pulpit discourse. They
are recorded in ineffaceable characters in our coun-
try's historic annals. Not to be denied is it, indeed,
but, with deepest gratitude, let it be confessed that,
.from the first, this land was most manifestly the
very nurseling , of the kind providence of Heaven,
and the constant recipient of its superabounding
:goodness. Our forefathers, who lie silent in, the
dust, attested their recognition of it by warm and
•oft-reiterated effusions of gratitude. Instead, then,
of unrolling, rug we might do, the chronicles of a de
parted generation, let us content ourselves today
with simply fixing our minds on those .benefits and
blessings which, just now, encompass us.
That a great calamity has come upon us it were
-alike crime and folly to deny. We hear, even as we
are speaking, the noise of the warrior, and behold'
garments rolled in blood. We see once smiling and
fertile fields trodden by the feet of armed hosts, and
their verdure and beauty destroyed. We see habita
tions sinking in flames ; bridges, and railways, and
other costly monuments of human enterprise de
atroyed ; and our ears are pained with hearing the
sobs, and sighs; and groans of wounded and dying
men. Ten thousand quivering ties of warmest.
Iffection, udely our dered, attest the genuineness
and depth of our national grief. Not to realize,
therefore, that our songs of thanksgiving this day
are sadly ciscordant, by intermingling accents of
lausentatior, would betray sensibilities strangely
blunted, and a stoical disregard of the chastening
discipline of the Almights . Let our habitations,
then, and our Louses of worship, resound not alone
with curdle?' A or joy, and with hosannas of praise,
but let penire Lbal coefelsions, and humiliations, and
amendatory I ( solv: a cast their sombre hue over all
our exerciars
But we hats-. nevertheless, reasons innumerable,
alto, for thanle-utterances. With Moser, we may
erect an altar nil inscribe on it : "Jehovah Nisei "
...the Lord my banner. With the Holy Prophet,
-whose words rte are considering, we may rear a Me
morial of Fsieh. and write upon it : " Ebenezer "
hir herto hstri me Lord helped um No wrong hath,
- therefore; been committed by the Chief Magistrate
in summoning the people to these solemnities.
Thanksgivings may, with eminent propriety, rise, as
sweet incense, heavenward. Among our manifold
,mercies, let us call to mind, that, amidst all the pet
plexities which agitate and environ us, besides our
- GOd in heaven, we have an earthly rallying point,
in the constitutional form of government establish
ed by our fathero—a Government, such as the wisest
and most virtuous of ancient lawgivers labored in
wain to accomplish—such as speculative statesmen
asf former ages rather delineated theoretioelly than
ever expected to see realized. This fair fabric thank
God ! is not overthrown; nor will be. Against its
strong buttresses the howling winds and dashing
Waves of sedition and rebellion beat in vain. It
still stands secure, challenging the wonder and ad
miration of the world, the ultimate centre of
'attraction to all the down. trodden and oppressed of
earth. Our beautiful banner, with its gorgeous
heraldry of •stars and striPes, albeit by apostate and
degenerate sons fired upon, and sought to be trailed
in the dust, etW waves in triumph over land and
sea, than which no brighter, better, holler banner—
none more feared, none more loved, Ales beneath
the broad canopy of the arched heavens. Threatened
-complications with foreign Powers wise and forbear
ing diplomacy has happily averted •; and from our
.own borders the (insurgent waves of rebellion have
teen gloriously beaten back. They were permitted
'to advance to Gettysburg—the spot so deeply en
shrined in every Lutheran heart—butano farther.
Here these proud waves were stayed ;, even beaten
back with a fearful rebound by the brave hearts, and
strong arms, and stalwart frames, of the soldiers of
the Republic. The United States of America, hence
this day, maugre all efforts to degrade and destroy
them, still constitute a living Power in the earth, re
-solved that they Will not be destroyed, neither by
'this foul, and wicked revolt nor by any other.
The inestimable privilege of worshipping God ac
cording to the dictates of conscience is, likewise,
unimpaired. Religion here is still uncontaminated
by meretricious union with the State. Human
weeds and confessions can be enforced by no system
of pains and penalties, but religion is proffered to
man's acceptance in its native beauty.. The gates of
Zion are still open, and vocal with holy song. In
the midst of much deolension '
the Cross is still
ac hi ev i ng man y conquests, and proving to multi
tudes the wisdom and power of God unto salvation.
Our educational facilities were never before so great.
Our literary advantages were never before so, nu
merous. Of the making of books there is atill no
end, and the humblest family, at the cost of one cent
per Mein, may have a well conducted newspaper
left at their door, before they are out of bed I And
bow abundant our harvests—how super-abundant
the autumnal fruits—how delightful, in the main, the
weather—how free our city from destructive conlla
grationa—how exempt from wasting epidemic die
wine I And how charming our numerous. social
and domestic enjoyments, to multitudes inflater
tatted I Who, indeed, shall 'count up the, num
ber Of our aalvations, of nature, of pren
-
Alence, and of grace? Oh, are they not more
numerous than the sande of the sea -shore, mul
tiplied' by the stare of heaven 1 Do they not
-challenge the power of human arithmetic to com
pute? And thee, when we call to mind that even
•our worst afilletions are often only blessings in die
guise—rough'rciercies of God, in contradistinction
to the tender; ' summoning us to repentance, and
working, for us a far more exceeding and eternal
- welichlCsicry '—ought not out hearts to swell with
gratitude, - aud oiir lips grow eloquent with 'orisons
of humility and aspriptions of.praiset • Nor it
SineWertotefer these multiplied, kindnesses tO the
.oarricei ort comae, of to Daman agencies,
.
would be to flounder`lll the very dregs of atheistic
infidelity. So the prophetjdoes not in'the text. He
ascends far above all earthly sources of power and
influence, and awards the glory primarily to Rim,
without whose unseen ministration man nor angel
can raise a pinion nor lift a thread. May we never,
on occasions such as theme, murder the precious
hours allotted to us, by considering what Cabinets,
or Senate., or encoring caPtains .have done in our
behalf or failed to do, but let 'us "consider how
great things God !lath done for us."
The Rev. speaker concluded by saying that such
displays of gratitude as - engaged in this day by in
dividuals, families, and worshippinrassemblies, are
among the moat ennobling occupations men can en
gage in. They conduct the soul heavenward, lifting
it on the pinions of holy contemplation to the great
est and beet Being in the universe. Our minds they
fill with the purest of thoughts, ourhearts with the
holiest of affections, our mouths with the sweetest
of words.. Many of our other religious services
spring from inferior sources. Our prayers from our
necessities, our hopes from selfish desires, anti both
from the over flowing treasury of heaven are ever
taking. But gratitude asks nothing. By this we, -
ourselves, in some manner, give to him, who,
hanging creation on his arm, is continually feeding
it at his festive board. Hibitual thankfulness, in
deed, is in itself a felicity. It serves to keep our
souls with- God in constant peaceful communion,
serves to perpetuate and multiply our blessings,
since, by their recollection they are reproduced, thir
ty, sixty, and an hundred fold. And, best of
all, when our gratitude is manifested acceptably,
not with mere lip•homage, but with the sincere out
pouring of the heart, and by the daily obedience of
the life, then it unites the soul in adamantine chains
to the throne of the Invisible. Then it is but the
prelude to the immortality_ that Jesus hash pre
pared for hie believing children in the world of light
end blessedness, that lies beyond this earthly pil
grimage, where grace will be succeeded by glory,
and faith by a perfect fruition. These same swell
ing sentiments of gratitude, ripened into a very
habit of the life, will, in that world of unclouded se
renity,' continue to thrill tie souls of the redeemed
with ecatacies unspeakable, for there as well amidst
the beatitudes of the upper sanctuary, through un
ending cycles, the main ingredient of our cup of re
joicing will consist in the very exercises we have to
day been contemplating, and in which here, how
ever imperfectly, we have sought to engage—viz : in
considering "how great things God hath done for
us."
REFORMED DUTCH.
Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage
The Rev. T. De Witt Talmage preached in the
Seeondßeformed Dutch Church of this city, Seventh
street, above Brown. The reverend gentleman se•
lected the following text :
• 'end they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of
water and three score and ten palm trees."—Exodus
xV. 27.
The apeaket 'opened with a vivid picture of the
sufferings of the children of Israel; and said we
should glorify God that in the desert of our domestic
grief, and - in the wilderness of national sorrow,
there are places brighter than Eliot, and better than
the palm trees of the text are the consolations to be
found in the house, in the church, in the camp, and
in the houses of the poor. Thank God for the
bright and happy homes of Philadelphia! Let other
cities speak against our White shutters, anti marble
steps, and unpretending customs, but we will not
forget to rejoice in wise municipal government, and
luxurious markets, and cleanly streets, and quiet
Sabbaths, and full churches, and classic scenes to
which all the world make pilgrimage, and schools of
art, and hospitals that reach forth hands of mercy to
;the battle-field ; and asylums that put the wing over
orphanage, and hold up totteringage, and make the
dumb to speak, and lift the sick into Bethesda, and
snatch back the truant by the grace of Him who had
mercy on Mary Magdalene ; and cemeteries where
death loses half its ghastliness, and the story of de.
patted worth is told by chaste monument, and
broken shaft, and rustic workmanship, and ceno
taph scrolled and garlanded. For residence in such
a city praise the Lord who hath guarded our com
merce, and blessed Otir churches, ,and shielded us
from flame, and plague, and battle. -
The eloquent gentleman pictured the happiness of
Thanksgiving Day as seen in the nursery, the parlor,
and the dining-hall, dwelling with much pathos and
beauty upon the different scenes 'and thoughts thus
suggested. We might not, he continued, possess all
these bre:wings of the parlor, and the nursery, and
the dining-hall, and the library, but still you know
something of the height, and - delith, and length,
and breadth of that sweet, tender, joyous, triumph- •
ant word—home! Look not upon it merely as a
place to stay—as the lion looks upon his lair, or the
fox his burrow, or the eagle -hie eyrie. Call it not
peer residence, or your house, or your lodgings, or
efflir domicile, but, for the sake of your old father and
mother, for the sake of childhood, for the sake of the
dead, for the sake of all that is good, and beautiful,
and true, and blessed, cant home!
The speaker then spoke of Thanksgiving in the
Church. Oh ! ye descendants'of men who were hunt
ed among the Highlands, and who fell at Drumelog
and Bothwell Bridge, or of those who stood uncom
plaining amid the agonies of the awful siege of Ley
den, and shouted the martyr's triumph amid the hor
rors of the Brussel's market place ; or of the 'fugue
note, whose garments were dyed with the wine
press of Vainly and St. Bartholomew ! Oh ! ye
descendants of the rack and the gibbet, and the in
quisition, ye sons and daughters of the fire ; have
you no praise to-day for a quiet church, and a free
pulpit, and a winged Gospel Glorious Church S
shadow Of retreat for the pursued ; gate of Heaven ;
harbor from weekday tempest; Eliot with twelve
wells of water, and three score and ten palm trees,
As an individual church, we must bring an offering
of praise. I gennot atop to recount the large tempo
ral prosperity,•ii.'ven us, far exceeding the expectation
of the most sanguine, bat hasten to ask, with thank
ful sotil, Who are these that fly as a cloud and as
doves to their windows? Why this outcry of the
spiritually imperilled? Why this bleating of the
lambs for the fold? Why this wounding of proud
men -by the arrows from the Almighty's quiver?
We see times of glorious refreshing. This to many
of our congregation is the happiest of all Thanks
giving days ; your joy is akin to the raptures of
Heaven.. Church triumphant mingles with-Church
militant at the news of sins forgiven. Glory to God
.in the highest! Hosanneh to the son of David I
The preacher went on at length to speak of Thanks
giving in the camp. He said that all the rebellious
States" had felt the thunder tread - of our armies.
The fat Pennsylvania horses the rebels stole were
hardly swift enough to deliver them from the pursuit
of Kilpatrick. Our own State, from bloody baptism
at Carlisle and Gettysburg, has risen up newly
consecrated to the cause of the Union. Hills about
Chattanooga heave up their buttresses of rook, to
guard our hosts, and all the graves of Vickaburg,
and Polt Hudson, and Chickamauga, utter per
petual prayer for the avenging of our cause, and cry
from under the altar of national suffering : "How
long? 0 ! Lord, how long Let sympathy temper
our rejoicing. What orphanage, barefoot, pinched,
and blasted! What widowhond that will come out
from luxuriant home, end with hands that knew
no toil, begin to grind in the mills of Giante_Der
pair ! There are mountins of aon u:which
hundreds of thousands cli a mb, findin g g a y t ,
very step
a new wretchedness - to mount, and fiercer blasts to
endure, and thicker darkness in which to grope.
Woe ! woe ! woe r How many Hearts writhe and
bleed under the sharp hoof of-tffe cavalry, and the
grinding wheel of the heavy supply-train? With a
whip of scorpions, God is scourging the bare back
of this nation, and between the upper and nether
millstones of Ilia indignation we are caught, and all
rations shall see that God is just, and that the cause
Of the poor, and the distressed, and the enslaved, He
will take in his own hands. Hallelujah! for the
Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
R. J. Howayd Suydam
The Rev.',T. Howard Suydam, pastor of the First
Reformed Dutch Church, took for his text a cisme
of the 16th verse of chap. xxviii. of the Acts or the
Apostles
"He thanked God, and took enirage."
These words were spoken of the Apostle Paul,
who, as a prisoner, was on his way to Rome, to ap
pear before ()mutes tribunal, to which he had ap
pealed from Agrippa's. When he was still fifty-six
miles from-.the city, a company of Christians came
out to meet him ; when Paul saw this devotion, he
thanked God and took courage. Paul's circum
stances at that time were somewhat similar to the
present position of our country. He was not yet set.
at liberty, nor had he coy immediate prospect of if,
yet he saw something to cheer and encourage him.
So is it with our nation. A terrible war is upon us,
and has heaped up horrors mountain.high. We are
not yet delivered from it, and we cannot tell but it
may require years for its completion; yet we see
somewhat to inspire us with hope, and to make us,
as Paul did, thank God for what He has done in our
behalf, and to take courage for the future. Every
thirg upon the earth is partial and incomplete;
there is no unmixed evil, nor is there any absolute
good. There is propriety, therefore, in thanking
God for the good as we get it, for if - we wait for per
fect blessing we must wait until we are removed
from this present world. After alluding to the com
mon, which are the greatest blessings of life as a
motive for universal thankfulness, the preacher pro
ceeded to consider the peculiar obligations to this
duty resting upon the citizens of Pennsylvania, be
cause of their signal deliverance from the enemy
during the months Of June and July last. The mo
tive of the enemy in this invasion is not very appa
rent, even since the issue of his official reports. But
whether it was to encourage the treasonable Peace
patty of the North, to secure the capital by a flank
movement, or to seize the property of the inhabi
tants of the district through which he might pass, in
either case, had he succeeded, the consequences
Would have been terrible beyond conception. De
liverance from this, upon the anniversary of our
national independence, was surely enough to bring
us to our knees in thanks to Almighty God. And
new, the three great facts in history, the signing of
the Declaration of Independence, tie session of the
framers of our national Constitution, and the dedi
cation of the Soldiers' Cemetery, at Gettysburg,
will form a trinity in this State, which, in their
united influence and separate associations, cannot
but make her sons more than ever lovers of the
whole human race, which the first declares to be
cleated - equal; more than ever lovers of law and
order,
which the second makes obligatory; and,
mote than ever loyal to the Umon of all the States,
to which the third has dedicated the precious life's
blood of those who sleep within hallowed en
closure. But it is a national thanksgiving day.
e must look for causes here for rendering thanks
to God. The progress of our arms was oue cause.
• The rebellious district was cut into two parts.
Banks was taking care of the Snu hweet, while
GI ant pressed on in the centre, and Meade is the
.East thus far had kept in check the ablest general
of the war. We have the whole sea-coast except
Wilmington and Mobile in our possession, which
the enemy held for a time entire, with the single ex
ception of Cape Hatteras. The present aspect of
foreign sentiment was hopeful. Russia ip outspoken
and frank; England, though long hesitating, has
placed the broad arrow upon the rebel rains in the
Ederaey, and the bogus emissary of the confederacy
has retired from her soil -in disgust. France is an
enigma ; but with the others on our side we have
nothing to fear. The prospect of deliverance from
the, expense and curse of slavery is bright. We no
longer look at it in the light of commerce, nor of
political expediency, for peace' sake ; but for peace'
mike we fine it expedient to set the slaves free, and
our sense of righteousness says Amen. Hereafter
when commerce hoists the flag to the masthead, and
politics raises it over the hustings, and justice poises
her scales beneath its folds, they all will point to it
with equal pride and satisfactidn, and say "That
banner means freedom." The unquestioned bravery
of the soldiers ; the recently expressed loyalty of
the people. of the North; the wisdom, prudence, and
integrity of the. Administration;
the unexampled
prosperity of the country; and the prospect of a
stronger Government than we have ever had, were
and each 'separately, cmuses for thankfulness to
God, who is overruling all those things for good.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in both armies at
the present time:was a glorious omen. Complete
victory, victory which Will assuage the bad passions -
- -of
of men conquered by the sword, -could only be
wrought out in the heart. May we not hope that
the present revival is a counterpart of the other
triumph which we anticipate? And may we not
hope that when peace than again.bless us, that it
will be permanent, because, both at the North and
the South, we shall be more truly a Christian peo
ple. The preacher exhorted , to prayer that this
good work might be continued, and made a strong
appeal for charity to the poor, and to the Christian
and Sanitary Commissions. lie concluded by en
couraging faith in God as sovereign, for which
cause they zheuld take courage.
CONGREGA . TIONA_T..
Rev. D. L. Gear.
The First Congregational Church, corner of Frank
fop road and Montgomery, was well filled Iresterday
morning by an attentive audience, to listen to a ser
mon by the pastor, Rev. D. L. Gear. He chose ; for
the substance of his remarks the following text :
" Thit I will teach you the good and the right way;
only fear the Lord, and. Coven him in troth with all your
heart: for consider how great things he hath done for
Yon "--ISamuel,l2. 25, Pet,
?qui tells us that whatsoever things were written
afotetime were written for our learning. If so, we
should conaider this exhortation addressed to us, as
certainly as it was to the ancient Israelites. They
had erred in preferring a king to the kindly offices
of Samuel; but' for all that they were still under
obligations to fear and obey God in view of-the
great things he had done for them. The came is true
of-ourselves , as a nation. We have not sinned in
seeking a monarchial government as a substitute for
a republican one; but we have sinned in many other
forms, and we have done so in the face of untold
blessings showered upon us by the God of our salva
tion. The great lesson of the text is- grateful net•
vice, living your gratitude. We will consider first
some of the great things which God hath done for
us as 'a nation. lie has preserved its life.' hien
have plotted and conspired against it; the hand of
'the in has sought to throttle it ; armed legions
nagrolied And fought againot it the orf of
Millions both at home and abroad has been, Raze 1
it I raze it ( But up' to this date the hands of them
that would oast us down, and write our annihilation
in the sorrowful chronicles of aguilty world, have '
been restrained, and we stand before the world to
day a people not forsaken-of the Lord of Hosts,
though our land is filled with pin against the Holy
One of Israel. There are men who see nothing of
God in the history and destiny of nations, but Paul
told the-Athenians that God had made of; One blood
all the nations of men to dwell on all the Face of the
earth; and bath determined the bounds of their ha
bitation. The existence of America is not an aced.
dent. This continent was disclosed to Columbus by
a Providential arrangement—an asylum of liberty, a
Canaan of hope for God's persecuted and aulferiag
people. The Pilgrim fathers braved the perils of the
sea to find here a home ; they were the germ of a
great nation, wafted by .Providence to a predestined
shore. The necessity that created this nation still
exists, Its destiny is in the hands of God that made
it, and until its high mission is' accomplished nei
ther foreign invader nor home traitor will be permit
ted to take its life. Second. God hath done a great
thing for us in taking care of the nation's health.
There is much in the existence of a great national
war' to foster and spread disease. It is a well-known
fact that the present type of disease known as small
pox originated in the wars of Itahommed, and esta
blished Itself as a distinctly marked fever in the
track of a devastating army. It is also a well-at
tested fact that the form of disease known as the
cholera appears to have originated In India, in 1817,
among the troops of the East India Company, sta
tioned on the delta of-the Ganges. It would be
strange, indeed, if, after battlefields Bush as ours,
and camp-life on so large a scale, kept up in winter's
cold and summer's heat, the nation should not be
desolated with these virulent diseases. Great battles
have been fought in every season of the year. Vast
hospitals of sick and wounded are in nearly all
the great cities and towns of the nation. All classes,
loom the most remote sections of the country, car
ry home from the battle-field and hospitals the sick
and dying and the dead bodies of their friends in
crowded trains, It would be, indeed, a very re
markable circumstance :.if - there was not a vast
amount of infection of disease spreading around us
on every side. The reports in all the towns and vil
lages show such a tendency towards it, as seventy
or eighty years ago would have spread just alarm
through the-whole country. Still, there has been no
widespread national plague summoning men to the
awful bar of Judgment. Something of this Is doubt
less due to the extra precautionary measures of the
Sanitary Commission of the Government. But we
apprehend' much more is duo to the preventing
mercy of God.- The philosophy of man refers every
thing to the visible, natural, and secondary cause;
but the philosophy of-piety traces rational health
to the gracious interposition of the one great Divine
Physician. Third. God has done another "great
thing " fous in supplying the nation with food.
The bread question, as it is called in Great Britain,
is one of the meet perplexing that modern statesmen
have had to cope with. They have seen the bony
hand of want stretched out ready to grasp the pun
pered throat of luxury. They admit that pau
perism should be fed, but how to do it is
the difficult problem. But in thin land there
is no want of food. We have a productive
soil, and plenty of it. The skies drop down fatness.
The toils of the husbandman 'are reward. with
abundant harvests. Our garners are full of all man-.
ner of store. In the midst of a gigantic war, we
have food enough to feed our own immense armies,
to supply the wants of our starving brethren in the
rebel dungeons at Richmond, and to send ship-loads
as presents to famishing millions in proud, aristo
cratic, and sneering Europe. What Paul said to the
inhabitants of Lystra may, with great truth, be said
of America, "God hath not left himself without
witness.. in that he is good, giving us rain from
heaven, and fruitful seasons, tilling our mouth with
food and gladness."
Fourth. God heath done great things for this na
tion in the religious privileges that we enjoy. We
have the Sabbath, an open Bible, asglorious Gospel,
a flee Church, an able ministry s and a good hope of .
eternal life through Christ. Persecution is dis
carded—conscience is unfetted—the law spreads its
protection over the roof of the cottage of the poor
man as well as over the prouder doine of the rich
man. A full supply of the means of grace is the
beauty, the safety, and the happiness of the land .
Queen Victoria sent a copy of the Bible to an- Afri-
Herm prince as containing the secret of England's
greatness and power. The Bible in the heart of any
nation is its glory—its bulwark of defence.
The obligations these favors impose upon us the
grateful fear and service of the Lord, "Only fear
the-Lord, and serve him in truth, with all your
'heart, for consider what great things , he hath done
for you." Ingratitude between man and man has
always been regarded as a dark stain upon the
human character, but when ingratitude is shown by
a nation towards its bountiful Benefactor and Gra
cious Keeper, bow much deeper its shades!—how
much darker its colors If, then, as a nation, we
With. to secure the continuance of God's favors to
us, we must render him grateful service. "This
thing commanded I your fathers, saying obey my
voice and I will be your God, and ye shall be my
people.% If we would obtainsthese great blessings,
it is certainly reasonable that we should comply
with the announced conditions. And shall we be
disobedient I—and shall we break away from the
Sabbath, the Bible, and the law of God? Shall we
join the ranks of Atheism, blot out the Sabbath,
shut up the sanctuary, silence the Christian
ministry, and sweep away the connected influ
ence of the Gospel of Christ 1 If we do we
shall reap the fruits of our impiety. When troubles
come we shall have no God to go to, no sheet
anchor to which we may moor the ship of state,
and outside the tempest of human pride and passion.
God has said "the nation that will not serve Him
shall perish ; yea, those nations shall be utterly I
wasted." The world is filled with illustrations of
the awful truthfulness of this great law of God. I
When Epheaus gave up her piety she also gave up
her safety. Her ships went out of her harbors and
never returned. Her soldiers deserted her standard,
and she was buried in the general ruins of the Greek
Empire, in the fourteenth century. On her grave
might truthfully be written, "her sin ruined her."
fluting the best days of the Republic. the ROLInUII
were the most religious of nations. Every import
ant State measure was undertaken with religious
services. There was doubtlees a great deal of super
stition in all this, but it implied faith_in the exist
ence of a supreme power in heaven ruling the desti
nies of nations and of men. Hence, the Romans
were long distinguished for a sacred regard for an
oath as an inviolab'e obligation; and historians
have remarked that with the loss of this regard for
the sacredness of an oath and the bell. f in Provie
deuce began the decline and fall of the Roman Re
public. Piety is the safeguard, the bulwark of
the land. " Righteousnese exalteth a nation, but sin
is & reproach to any people." We may subdue
rebellion, extend our territory, improve our rivers
and harbors, increase the army and navy, wall round
the States with forts and guns, give the most-effi
cient protection to every industrial pursuit, and say
in the pride of our hearts, "I sit as a queen among
the nations : shall never be moved." But if God
withdraw., his protection as a punishment for our
disobedience, then our defence is departed from us,
and all the corridors of history will resound with the
cry, " Another republic has fallen !" That this may
not be the-final doom of this favored land, let us
take the advice in the text, and " serve the Lord in
truth with all our heart." Let us have nothing to
do with any of those 'sins with which tne land is
filled ; let us not engage in any , of those political con
tests which are the catigrase of our age, but let us
make the glory of God, the salvation of souls, and
the weal of the nation the great ohjects of life, so
that while others are reeking to be greatest on earth,
we may seek to be greatest in the kingdom of hea
ven. Living thus, we shall be useful and happy
members of society, and serve as salt to keep our
own souls from destruction, and our country from
desolation. And when time to us shall be no longer,
it shall be our happy lot to enter in through the
gates into the city of God, and to join with the re
ceemed in the song of- thanksgiving that rises ever
before the throne, and in the presence of God and
the Lamb. -
- UNITARIAN.
Rev. Dr. Furness
In the church at Tenth and Locust streets the
Rev. Wm. R. Furness .delivered a discourse from
the text of Proverbs xiv, verse 34 : " Righteousness
exateth a nation." Among other admirable pas.
sages, his sermon contained the following eloquent
'tribute to President Lincoln, as one of the gifts for
which we have to be thankful :
OUR CHIEF ➢IAGISTRATE,
But although this great moral result of the effort '
of the nation to throw off the foul wrong that threat
ened its ruin is the crowning' blessing for which we
owe "grateful vow and solemn praise," there are
other special mercies which claim our most cordial
acknowledgment And among these, Ido not know
one that should be mentioned before the gift which
the bounty of Heaven has bestowed upon us in the
man who has been sailed at this momentous hour to
occupy the highest place in the nation. If I recol
lect sight, I believe on a 'former thanksgiving lam-
sion (I think it was the first thanksgiving recom
mended by the President,)l named the President him
self as one of the blessings for which we were bound
to give thanks. We have more reason to be thankful
for him now than we had then. He has gone
through a fiery trial, as is said of Shadrach,
Meahach, and Abednego, and upon his soul the tire
has had no power," nor has a hair of his head bean
singed, nor has his coat changed, nor the smell of
the fire passed through it." We cannot tell how
much we owe to his indomitable patience, to his
"incorrigible honesty," to that singular wisdom by
which he has been guided, I think without his being
aware of it himself, and by which, while studying
always anxiously to observe to the, utmost the con
stitutional limitations which he registered his oath
in honor to observe, he has never left it scarcely for
a moment to be doubted that all hie perional aims,
feelings and opinions were on the side of liberty for
every man, woman and child on our soil. Never yet
was imposed upon any man so difficult a problem as
he has been called to solve, and never had such
a problem so successful a solution. Never was the
conflict of official and personal duties so wall
settled as it has been thus far by President, Lincoln.
It is a "reason above reason," The wisdom of G 3d, -
kneaded into the flesh and mixed with the very
blood of the man, that has guided him. Ct 13 true,
in our impatience, we have not always u-aderstanu
the working of that wisdom in him. But we have
never so far mieunderstood it as to have created in
us any-serious doubt that he was all right and sound _
at the centre of him. His enemies, the rebels and
their Northern friends, have charged him with tyres).-
nicaal cts, with a ditregard of just constitutional. re
straints. That was to be expected. lie never could
have been the true man that he is if the foes of our
country and of freedom had nothing to say againat '
him. When the history of this time comes to be
written, this will be the weeder of it, thal in him
who occupied the chair of State in the midst of this
great revolution, the man was never lost in the,
office, nor the-office in the man.
By the way,lt has been charged against Abraham
Lincoln that he is light-minded, altogether too fond
of a jest. But - was not the same thing said of Lied
Melbourne 'when he was Prime Minister of Eng
land? And Is not the same thing said of Lord Pal
merston, the present Prime Minister? And is it not
true, also, that when the mind is burdened with the
weight of affairs, it instinctively seeks the relief
that it needs, in this way, that it turns to laughter
and jest to refresh its exhausted strength, to repair
its powers ? And if this be so, then the jests of Er.
Lincoln, ao . far from Indicating levity, only show,
inopportune as they sometimes may seem, how se- .
vete is the tension to which Ills mind is subjected.
There is no levity traceable in his acts. These are
all serious and well considered.
But lam not claiming , ' that he is faultless. I say
only that he is a man admirably fitted to the time. I
have yet to hear another man named so well fitted
to the country and to the hour as he, and so signal
are the favors which the Divine bounty is showering
upon us - so manifest is it that this nation is dear to
the good God, that I am persuaded, if there had been
a better man forrus, Abraham Lincoln would never
have been chosen. He is a blessing to be most espe
cially grateful for. We cannot pay him for what he is.
He has his reward in the public confidence which
no President of thia Union ever enjoyed to a greater
degree. This one fact, that at times like these he is
thus trusted, is evidence,
than which there can be
none more decisive , of his Godereated integrity.
.1 ..
And it is a cause for thankfulness that the people at
large have known how to appreciate a thoroughly
honest man when they found him whereimen, at the
best but indifferently honest, had abounded for some
years previous, in the high office of the nation,
BRETHREN IN CHRIST
Dr. 'William Morris.
Dr. William Morris delivered a characteristic dis
course at the Assembly Buildings, founded on Acts,
14th chap. 17th verge
" Nevertheless, He left not himself without witness
In that He did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and
fruitful seasons, filling cur hearts with food and glad.
In the first place the Doctor noticed the fact -that
the Apostle Paul , in his evangelical testimony, al=-
ways reached to the position in which the minds of
his audience were found. For instance; in the syna
gogue of the Jews, he appealed to the volume of in
spiration, because that, in the synagogue the di
vine_ authority of Moses and the Prophets was
avowed. When among Gentiles, he appealed to the
volume of creation, and-"to the, perceptiveness and
reason of men. He announced the true God, on the
prinoip le that a man must believe in the existence of
the living God before he can believe that the living
God has sent forth a message of. grace and truth.
At Athens, Paul convicted the polite and learned of
the unreasonableness of idolatry, by quoting an in
scription on one of their own altars, and a senti
ment from one of their own poets. And at Lim
on* when addressing the common people, he an
'flounced God, the living_God," and appealed' to
his beneficent works and ways. These, he showed
to be, collectively, the witness that God is God, and
that God is good ; and that, notwithstanding the in
gratitude and idolatry of the nations, the bounties
of God arecontinuously_noa....nuosincently be.
stowed. Fruitful itonamani the load' of
THE PRESS.-PHILADELPHIA.. FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 27. 1863:
men with food and gladness, are the smiling wit
ness to the being and benignity and bountiful
ness of the living God. This was the fleet particular
evolved. We can only give a mere outline of a dis
course in Which such a degree of opulence of thought
and terseness of style were combined. The Doctor
proceeded to speak, in substance, to this effect : Man,
at the first, had &conferred title to continuous life,
to the Garden of Eden, and to the lordship of the
earth. But this conferred title was conditionally held;
and, by a.d.lberate act of disobedience, all that had
been gratuitously conferred was justly forfeited—all
was lost. But, when man had thus forfeited all good.
and had ceased to love God, his Creator, God did
not cease to love man, as his oreature,but has added to
the primeval expression of his benevolence the mani
festation of his compassion and mercr (as it hi writ
ten, "God is good to all, and his tender mercies are
overr, all his works"). And when, in the progress of
human history, the iniquity of man had culminated,
and Noah had testified of the righteousness of the
divine government, and the judgment of the flood
had confirmed his testimony ; when many the crew
tune,
ture, had proved his utter evil and worthlessness;'
then God, the Creator and the preserver of men,
proved his essential mercifulness. He accepted the
ceremonial and typical holocaust presented by
Noah i "andthe Lord said in his heart, I will not
again curse the groan &any more for man's sake; for
the imagination of man , a heart is evil from hie
youth ; neither will I again smite everything living,
as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seed
time andjharvest, and cold and heat, and sum
mer and winter, and day and night, shall not
cease." The 'truths thus declared and contrasted
are, that man is inherently and unalterably evil,
and that God is infinitely and unchangeably good..
The course of human history, both national and
personal, embodies the one truth, and the history of
divine providence embodies the other. '
Man, as a sinner and subject to Wiath, has no
rights under the moral government of God. His
very existence is forfeited. Neither is lie capable of
acquiring a title to any one blessing from the hand of
God. Be is secure from injustice and oppression by
any sot of the divine administration, because that
God is essentially holy and just ; and he itithe reci
pient of innumerable blessings, because that God is
essentially merciful and good. The bounteous bless
ings of divine providence are bestowed on man con
trary to his moral desert. They are freely given " to
the unthankful and the evil," in the way of name
ritable and- unforfeitable mercy, and in fulfilment
of the promissory and absolute covenant of
Providence made with Noah and all creatures
upon earth. But had that covenant been made,
in any respect, conditional, end dependent on the
conduct of man, p it must have failed agesr ago, and,
by its failure; the earth must longhave been a
scorched and barren waste ; and the howl of famish
ing and ferocioua multitudes must have ceased in
universal death. But that covenant depends &boo.
stately on the goodness and veracity of God and the
token of that covenant—the beauteous rainbow—is
God's grand hieroglyph hung on the margin of the
surcharged cloud. As displayed in the view of the
early descendants of Noah, it reminded them of the
words of the promissory and, providential covenant.
It told them of Gbd, the Promiser, and, to their
discernment, its prismatic lines had each a signi
ficant intent. They read the hieroglyphic token,
and to them it declared that, " The Sovereign
has promised, in his love and condescension,
unto his own glory; ; and has pledged hierighteous
nese, holineme, honor, and might." Buts of those
same descendants of Noah—the whole human rate
it is testified that, " When they knew God, they
glorified Him not as God, neither 'were thankful;
but became-vain in their imaginations, and their
foolish heart waii.darkened." "And even as they
did not like to retain God in acknowledgment, God
pave them over to a mind void of discernment."
The insensate and debasing forms and systems of
human idolatry ensued, and God "suffered all na
tions to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless, He
left not Himself without witnesses, in that lie did
good, and gave' us rain from heaven, and fruitful
seasons, filling our hearts with food and
gladness." But it must not be imagined
that the idolatrous nations alone are Charge
able with the guilt of not glorifying God as
God ; of not being thankful, and of not liking- to
retain God in acknowledgment. The nations of
Christendom are, in this respect, equally guilty, if
not even more so. God is now disowned in his
righteousness that brought "in a flood upon the
world of the ungodly ;" the Mosaic record of , the
flood is pronounced a fable, and thua the covenant
of Providence is declared to be equally a myth ; and
skeptical science has scoffed at the idea of God's
prismatic pledge—the pledge of his veracity and
faithful Mercy—and we are told that the prism has
exploded that now obsolete superstition, by reveal
ing that the rainbow is a mere natural pheno•
menon—the analysis of light—haiing no signifi
cancy but that of refraction, resolution, and reties.
tion : in a word, the polarization of light. And, even
within the pale of the professed Christian church,
God is, in these respects. dishonored and denied.
Nevertheless, God Is ever mindful of his covenant,
and has not left Himself witholit witness; doing
good to the nations; giving us rain from heaven
and fruitful seasons ; filling our hearts with food
and gladness, as it is this day. All his works praise
Him, "and only man is vile." Abil his saints,
whom He has constituted the priests of this lower
creation, should be continually praising his name
for his goodness and mercy towards all Men. The
whole lift-time of the children of God on earth
should be one continuous " thanksgiving day."
MEETING AT THE CHITEGII OP THE EPIPHANY
ADDRESSES • BY BISHOP POTTER HON JOHN
BROUGH,'OOVP.RNOP. ELECT OP OHIO, MAJOR 80.
LER, GEO. 11. STUART, AND OTHERS-OVER TEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS CONTRIBUTED FOR THE RE.
LIEF OF THE UNION PRISONERS IN RICHMOND
It is very seldom that a meeting is held in this
city which attracts so large or so accomplished an
audience as the one assembled last evening at the
Church of the Epiphany, corner of Fifteenth and
Chestnut street?. The church was throWa open at
least an hour before the commencemwit, when
the people [began to pour in by hundreds, and in
a short time afterwards it was filled to over
flowing by an intelligent and interesting nudience.
Notwithstanding that this is one of the largest
churches of this city, having double galleried; every
available spot was occupied, and many hundreds
were unable to gain admittance.
Among those ' , present -were the distinguished
personages, Hon. John Brongh, Governor. elect of
Ohio, Hon. Henry D. Moore, of this State, and
many officers and soldiers of - thosrmy. The exer
cises commenced at half.past seven by the Rev. Dr.
Newton announcing the 85th hymn, which w as . sung
with much enthusiasm -by the audience present ;
after which the same gentleman offered up to the
Almighty God an earnest and heartfelt "prayer in
behalf of the country, and the poor, suffering heroes
who are now confined in the Southern dungeons,
wasting away for the want of food and proper treat
ment. The presiding officer of the meeting, Bishop
Potter, then arose and spoke as follows :
We are in et to-night, my brethren, to return thanks
to the great Giver of All Good and to collect, with
this °Hering of thanksgiving, contributions for the.
relief of his suffering children and onr suffering
brethren in the prisons of the South. Wherever
throughout the world a signal of distress; is hung
out, there the sympathies of the Christian heart
Should be attracted and the contributions , of Chris
tian hands go readily forth. A.year einceWe receiv
ed--intelligence that operatives of Lancashire, in
England, were in danger of starring, and you may
remencher the promptitude with which vessels ware
loaded in this port-and other ports and sent over to
relieve their distress, How much more liberal and
more prompt should be our efforts in behalf of our
Own brothers, in behalf of those who left their
homes, their business, their cares, to devote them
selves to the defence of our country, and of .its unity
and sovereignty I
It may be, my friends, that at this moment their
wants are not so great as they were ten days ago.,
The reverberation which has been occasioned
throughout the land by the arrival of that miserable
Vessel, which discharged its freight at Annapolis,
may have produced some modification of their
sufferings. But I know from the testiniony of a
most intelligent and conscientious woman, who has
devoted her entire time and talent to the service of
the sick in this war, that - a more miserable con
gregation of- human beings was never beheld by
sympathizing man-than was presented by that boat
load. There are questions in regard to the ex.-
change of prisoners now pending of the gravest and
most momentous importance. Let us, then, not
merely strengthen our appeals to the Government
to have these suffering brethren immediately re
lieVed. but let us apply our efforts to their relief,
and let that grave and most momentous question
respecting the attitude, the status of our colored sol
diers and of their commanding officers, be settled as
righteousness require/. No sacrifice is too great to
procure the instant adjustment of that question.
But, my friends, I will not detain you. We are
assembled here under the auspices of the Christian
Commission. It is a commission whose good deeds
are known throughout the land. I have been more
conversant with the operations of the .Sanitary
Commission, which has been wisely/carrying to all
parts of our army the' most efficient,' relief. But all
the relief that all , the commissions which we can
raise can give will be inadequate fO . ,the emergenclee
that have been created, or that 911 be created by
the advance of our troops. I will call now upon
the Governor elect of Ohio, who, haupens to be
present, by whom you will be addressed.
ItInIARKS OF HON, JOHN BROlialf, 00VaRNOR
ELECT OF OHIO.
Upon taking the stand, Gov. Brough remarked
that he had conic to the meetingas a listener, not
as a speaker, and therefore - was not
nit
for any
formal introduction.
Re continued : I can conceive of nit language suffi
ciently ad( (piste with which to clothe an appeal to
the people of this Union to aid, soccer, and befriead
their gallaot aoldiers who are prisonets in the South,
nor. any declaration other than the limple one that
they ale there; suffering for you &mill who are here
at ht me, comfortable. and happy.; I know of no
other sentence that can In itself go tome at once to
the heart of the American citizen 1 10 it should not
boll move hii heart, but unloose - Ms / hands in every
-1
thing that can possibly-be done to ac mptish a work.
not only grand and noble, but imper tire and neces-
sary in its character.
An appeal to the- people in a case 1 this kind can
be made in the name of Chrietianit ; and that con.
eiderittion will be presented to you night, though
rot by myrelf. There is another app al. which I may
elites under the broad head of duty he duty of the
citizen to his fellow ; the duty oft ,z l3 man who is in.
the enjoyment of peace to the aoldi who is braving
the petals of war. -
I-know nothing,r very little, of
0..
tion, or in what form it is propose
aid in the good work that has ea
night. That is a matter of detail
supervise. But in whatsoever fot'
upon to aid in this mighty work,
wizen, to give it your hands and y
instant.
War is at best a terrible subject . r reflection, but
having been thrust upon the peo .e of talc Union
by rebels against the integrity of- he best Govern
ment that ever was given to man,'t has become a
necessity, and it imposes upon all f us a duty from
which no man may shrink. It mus be endured with
all its suffering, with all its perils ~ . d disasters, and
with all its wants and woe. Therep.a physical suf
feting to be endured ; there is d h to be met ins
every form ; there is anguish a . sorrow to be
brought to almost every he hatone in the
land-all
urea as the
natural coneequences of war. sut yet in this
war, under the circumstance!, attending , its
inception and progress, what ve you
lic
not to
be thankful for I And not only t e people of this
city, hut what have not the people f this great and
mighty North to be thankful for'? The desolating
ravages of war, so far as concerns our property and
pereonal effects; have not come hene to you. There
is woe and anguish, and there are many bereaved
and sorrow-stricken hearts among iron ; yet compare
your condition as a people with the ordinary condi
tion of a country at war. No Relief yours has been
invaded or lain waste ; no wholesale conflagrations
hthe devastated your :property; no ruthless hand
has been laid upon that which is near and dear to
you—your domestic hearth ; no suffering has afflict
ed you, except that appertaining to the loss of kin
dred and friends in battle. God has blessed you in
the aced and in the harvest; He has prospered.,
you in all the employments - which from day to day
you are following; your garners_ are filled to reple
tion ; your atorehouses are thronged; your whole
country is everywhere teeming with prosperity.
Whilst a portion of -your fellow-citizens are bat
tling in this war to restore the unity of the States
and the glory of your. Government, you are at
lemmas peaceful and , •contented, as prosperous and
safe as you were before the war began. !You are
'in the full enjoyment of all your civil and religious
rights; you worship in your temples with none to
molest or make you afraid, and you literally bask
' in the sunlight of that proteotion which our free
Government affords to its citizens. Why is all
this I Know you anything qkblaated fields that ex
tend from Ahe northern to the southern limits of ,the
Southern States i -Know you anything of the pre,
"sent condition of that once beautiful - and fertile
country, over which the tide of 'war has swept,
leaving` behind one vast scene of ruin and
desolation) Know you anything, of the deso
lation which • stalks abroad in those once fair
fields Where now is heard the roar of cannon and
the elm& of annuli No, you have seen none of this.
And why 7 Because of that gallant band of men
who sprang to arms when their country's institu
tions were imperilled who same not as ' soldiers un
willing to the task, but sprang
_forward as volun
tears, with their whole hearts and souls in the con
test. Because that pliant band of men are standing,
'between, You and this armed host that is ready, to invade your homes at any moment that an opening,
• is attend them.' Because that gallant band of sol
diers are Carrying forward this war upon the soil of
V. S. CHRISTIAN COMMISSION
REMARKS OF RIGHT RRV. BISHOP POTTER
the men who provoked it by their unholy acts, and
because they stand as a wall of fire between your
enemies and you. Is there no feeling of duty or
gratitude due those men I What security have you
in your persons or property if your defenders in the
field stand aside and allow a rebel invasion to deso
late your country?
The speaker eloquently exhorted his hearers to
appreciate at its full measure the services and sa
crifices of our representatives inithe field. If the
ordinary sentiment of gratitude was not suffi
cient to awaken a proper spirit of sympathy, the
consideration of duty would certainly. influence
the popular mind. He continued: The his
tory of the world may %be searched in vain
for an equal, I will not say a superior, evi
dence of the devotion of a people to a country
which they love, and to a flag so revered by its fol.
lowere as our own. The annals of history do not
furnish a parallel to the spontaneous and prompt ac
tion of our citizens volunteers. They have given
evidence of their devotion to the nation's cause in
a manner not to be mistaken. Let us treat them in
the same spirit. There are probably obstacles in
the way of reaching them with that full measure of
comfort which the people of the North would be
glad to extend, yet f we do not succeed in giving
them that substantial aid which they deserve, we
will at least reach their hearts by the evidence of
our willingnets and determination to do all that we
can in their behalf. Thus they will be cheered in
their captivity and consoled in the hour of death.
In conclusion, I know of no language in which I.
could sufficiently extol the great purpose which you
have labored to accomplish. I have of late been ac
customed to speak of the authors of this war in
terms not so moderate as I have used hereto-night.
Nothing ever yet touched my feelings so deeply as
the contemplation, first, of the sacrifices which our
noble volunteers have made in our behalf, and, next,
the great measure of , gratitude we owe_ to them.
Next to the men who gave us this form of govern
ment, there will stand upon the page of history the
Men who, when: that Government was imperilled,
and threatened with annihilation, stood forth to
support it. My friends, I need urge no further ar
gument,'andtherefore I bid you good night.
REMARKS OF GEORGIC H. STUART, 118 Q
Mr. Stuart came forward and introduced the next
speaker, Major Boler, whom he complimented for
his distinguished services and personal sacrifices in
the canoe of the Union. The following letter from
Major General Casey was read by Mr. S.:
. Was - IrmoVox, D. G'., Nov. 23, 1863,
George H. Stuart, Esq., Chairman Christian Com. :
MESA Sin : Yours of to.day's date, inviting me to
be present at the meeting of the Christian Com
mission, next Thursday, is received. Fully appre
ciating the noble and Christian duty whinh your
Commission is performing in our armies, it would, I
assure you, give me much pleasure to attend. The
duties of the board over which I preside are so press
ing that I shall feel obliged to deny myself the plea
sure of attending. That the inspiration of the Holy
Spirit may attend your meeting is my prayer.
Beliel.1: me, truly yours,
SILAS CASEY, Major General.
Mr. Stuart then said? I should love dearly to
enter into some details of the work of the Christian
Commission, but I trust that it itrko well known in
this community, where its headquarters are located,
that it will be entirely unnecessary for me to say
more than a few words. • Like its sister institution,
the Sanitary Commission, it is designed to subserve
the personal comfort of our brave soldiers in the
field, in the hospital, in the prison, or, wherever they
may be found. We differ from some other organiza
tions only in this respect, that we combine the tem
poral with the spiritual. We go forth with the
bread that perisheth in the cne hand, and in. the
other the bread that "if a man eat he shall never
hunger." We dispense those necessaries that are
given to us by the generosity of the American peo
ple, through the hands of volunteer, unpaid dele
gates, who serve our commission for the sake of-the
compensating "God bless you" of the American
soldier. Every one of these delegates who have re
turned to us tells us that that is the best coin they
ever received for any service. We have distributed
already in stores and publications over half a million
of dollars, although we have been only a little more
' than a year at our work. In a relent emergency, we
asked the merchants of Boston for ten thousand dollars.
They responded by giving us thirty thousand dollars.
An emergency is upon the Commission to-night.
Its own great work (extending, as it does, from New
Orleans, all along the Southern coast, over Virginia,
across the mountains through Tennessee, and down
the Mississippi, until - we meet our delegates again
approliching us from New Orleans,) is so great that
the Commission feels itself unable to meet satisfac
torily this new emergency, which has come upon us
in the providence of God. What is that emergency,
sirt lt is the distress of thirteen thousand of our
own gallant soldiers who have endured all the hard
ships of the tiattle-field, and who are tonight en
during martyrdom in Southern prisons. Oh, sir, if
those suffering three hundred and fifty who, this
day a week ago, arrived at Annapolis, could bihere,
then, sir, Governor Brought.% voice and the voice of
this noble soldier of your own State might be silent.
The speaker then touchingly referred to the scene
which transpired at'Annapolis, upon the arrival of
the prisoners alluded to, and eloquently appealed to
the audience in behalf of the soldiers' cause. He
remarked that the door was now open , by which
provisiona, clothing, and other necessaries could be
Dent to the prisoners at Richmond, and elsewhere,
and sufficient information had been received by the
Commission to satilifylthem of the safe delivery of ar
ticles which had been consigned to Richmond.
Major Boler then addressed the audience in a neat
and appropriate speech, mainly explanatory of the
treatment experienced by himself and comrades
when prisoners at Richmond. The condition of
Libby Prison, the fare given to its inmates, and the
principal causes of disease, were dwelt upon at
length. His remarks were interspersed with hu
morous narratives of his own experience in rebel
dom, and proved highly interesting, occasionally
drawing forth applause from the audience.
After the interesting and truthful picture of the
tuff ericg of the Union prisoners in the South, the
Rev. W. P. Breed was introduced, who said: It is
an awful thing to think that the ancient ,days of
barbarism should come down to the present genera
tion. and prisoners of war be thus treated. Row
shell we deal with those men "that bring such suffer
ing -to our heroic soldiers. Retaliate not in the
same way, but by kindness. Let us, by our Chris.
tian character, make Heaven -and civilization our
friend. Ile wanted to know where all the wealth
and happiness that is enjoyed in this city would be
bad it not been for the soldiers who' fought so nobly
at Gettysburg There is no need to talk abourthe
duty of Philadelphians at the present time. They
know what is needed,
,and will pour out of their
wealth for the benefit of the men who have suffered
at cl are suffering in the South.
He was followed by the Rev. J. B. Castle, who
spoke at length upon the great good performed by
the members of the Christian Commission in the
heeritals_ and on the battle-fields, by ministering to
the wants or in. auLts ...eddyingpatriots. Other ad
dresses were delivered by the Rev. - Itobert H. Pat
tison, and the Rev. Dr. Newton, who made a strong
appeal to those present for a liberal contribution,
which was nobly responded to, the collection
amounting to over ten thousand dollars, with pros
pects of having it inereased to fifteen thousand to
day. Several prominent firms of this city gave a
thousand dollars each. After the collection a short
and spirited address was made by the Rev. Samuel
B..Barnitz, of West Virginia, which was followed
by the audience singleg the doxology and Bishop
Potter pronounced the benediction, - and the great
mass of human beings wended their way slowly out
highly gratified with the proceedings.
Inconsequence of the upper sanctuary being
crowded to excess, many could not obtain admit
tance, and these assembled in the lower room, where
a liVely meeting was held, which was presided over
by the Rev. Dr. Spear, who made an interesting and
appropriate address, followed by the Rev. Messrs.
IYI arks, Sloan, and Breed ; also, a private in the
88th New York Regiment. A collection was taken,
amounting to nearly two hundred dollars,
All persons; who were not present at the meeting
last evening, and feel it their individual duty to con
tribute of their earthly allowance to the Christian
Commiesion, for the relief of those who are suffer
ing, and even dying, in the wretched hospitals of
Richmond, may do so at any time by sending it to
Mr. Joe. Patterson, Treasurer of the Commission,
at the Western Bank.
PHFSENTATION OP A MANSION TO BISHOP MAT
'THEW SIMPSOI+.7, OF THE METHODIST CHURCH
HAPPY
The very pleasant ceremony of presenting a well
furnished mansion to the Rev. Matthew Simpson,
bishop of the Methodist Church, took place at No.
1807 Mount "Vernon 'street. The occasion was a
happy gathering of the ladies and gentlemen who
contlibuted to the gift, and who are efficient mem
bers 'of the aural. Among the prominent individu
als present we noticed Col. Alexander Cummings,
Mr. Merles B. Barrett, Mr. Thomas Price, Rev. Mr.
Atwood, Rev. Mr. Neill, and Mr. William Steven
son.
The mansion is , double, with aide parlors, each 11-,
luniintited with six-light chandeliers, a hall and ves
tibule in the centre; extensive back buildings, fine
library, sitting room, reception room, tke., the whole
being warmed by means of improved patent heaters,
and handsomely furnished in all its apartments.
The ceremonies of presentation commenced by
the singing of a portion of a hymn, beginning as
follows :
ff Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian 10ve, ,,
in which all the company joined harmoniously.
The Rev. James Neill addressed the Throne of
Grace in-a fervent and appropriate manner.• These
preliminaries having been gone thrOligh with, the
Rev. Thomas T. Tacker, Sr. '
advanced to the
centre of the eastern parlor, and in a voice scarcely
audible to us, said that he held in his hands the deed
of the house in which we now are, and ae the re
presentative of the contributors, desired to present
it to The Bishop, Matthew Simpson, of the iVlctlio
dist Church, as a home for himself and hie family,
wherein he might enjoy the society of the' brethren
in the Church in the city of Philadelphia. In thus
making the presentation, he said that he was au.
thoriztd to say that it came as the free-Will offering
or those who have the good - of the Church at heart.
The venerable speaker now proceeded at some
length to speak of the vast extent of Philadelphia,
its resources, its business generally, its prosperity
and ill hospitalities, to all of which he heartily wel
comed the recipient. As a•city, we'have made much
advancement, and we will yet achieve more, though
now we canmay with tru ,h that we have a greater
number of churches than any other city in the coun
try, and we will yet have more. He heartily wel
comed the Bishop to a city of kindness, wherein the
glory of the Lord has been made manifest in various
ways. - - -
ln conclusiory.the speaker indulged the hope
that a kind Providence would spare the life of the
Bishop for many years to enjoy this home, and the
friendly relations, that exist in the Church in our
city. He felt quite sure that the vast congrega-
Bone, at large, will be gratified to know that they
have one among them to whom they could all 11:113i;
with confidence, for kind ministrations. The
Church, sir, opens wide its arms to embrace you,
and,in future years, its members will look back to
the present time and say, , then, how good a thing it
was that Bishop Simpson came to live among us in
Philadelphia.
Bishop Simpson, after alluding to the emotions
which he experienced incident to such an occasion,
said he desired to express his thanks to Brother
Tacker for his kind remarks, and to the friends pre
sent for the magnificent property given with such
testimony of Christian "kindness and affection. Re
had been led all his life by a kind Providence from
one Bection'of the country to another, and he would
say that in coming here it was not because he was
dissatisfied elsewhere, for in all places the church
had been kind to him. He took me when a boy,
and with -a firm reliance on :him, he has
sustained me in manhood, no matter where I
travelled. While in the West. my thoughts were
turned towards a home in the East, and the prefe
rence was given by my wife to Philadelphia. He
knew this city had its many attractions, prominent
in which was the fact that it is P city of brotherly
love, and he had found that already. In accepting
the property, he desired to return his thanks on be
half of his family, more for its members than for
himself, for he bad been, all hie life, a kind of wan
derer. He had chosen the life of a Methodist
preacher. Here the reverend speaker alluded feel- I
ingly to the death-bed of his father, who called in a
Methodist minister to administer -to him, in hie dy- ,
ing moments, the consolations of the Christian reli
gion. Since he had entered- on the duties of his
calling he had "visited many-.place?, in distant
`parts, was exposed to many hardships and
dangers, but the Lord had sustained him at all
times. He felt great gratification in receiving this
handsome present, for he well knew, now, that if he
should travel agairrwhere he thought his duty to his
God called him,he.would have the heartfelt satis
fedi= of knowing that his family Wes ire comfort-'
able home, surrounded by-brothers, sisteraMtends.
He was born in the West; his partialities Were in
the West, but - he - bad strong attachments for the
East, and will remain bete as my home, and do all
in - my power to advance the cause of the Chucch,
with all the strength and knowledge which God in
his mercy has given me..-Brother Tasker has alluded
to..the enterprising spirit everywhere manifest in
Philadelphia to do all for the kingdom of God. Re
-hoped that God would bless us all, and pour,out the
spirit of his loVe upon all the People of this great
city. In conclusion, he would say to his friends
around him that he returned his most heartfelt
thanks for this happy gilt, of a comfortable home for
himself and family, and he devoutly hoped that God,
in his infinite mercy, would give every one preeent„.."
and all the members of the Church a home eternal
in the Heavens, and pour out ußon us the riches of
his holy spirit.
The proceeding' here concluded, and the Bishop,
Surrounded by the member% of his family, plaeedithe
deeder of the property into the hands of his estima
- pie wife. _
The entire party then proceeded to another per•
tion of the house; Where they participated in a
Tketniogillloll WPM k. hapger Or- Mere etieethil
your organiza
1. that you shall
,ed you here to
itch others will
you are ea led
urge you as a
ur lleavta on the
INTERESTING CEREMONY
sociality was nowhere to be found. last evening, in
the widespread city of Philadaphis than among
the party that had time assembled beneath the roof
of the splendid building presented to Bishop Simpson.
MISCELLANEOUS
Thanksgiving Day was properly observed in the
various Hebrew churches. The ceremonies of this
peculiar sect differ verymuch from the various reli
gious denominations. The synagogues, according
to the number of Israelites in our city, were as
largely *tended as the churches of the other denomi
nations. The exercises were impressive.
We also made a tour of churches wherein the
colored population sing praises of deliverance from
the sin of slavery. These churches were very well at
tended, and many a patriotic remark fell from the
preachers' lips, many a hN mu of rejoicing was sung,
and loud choruses swelled the anthem.
THE DAY AT, THE ARMY HOSPITALS,
The soldiers of the Soutivatreet Hospital were
agreeably entertained at noon yesterday with
the many good things of this life. The dining hall
was gaily festooned with the national colors, and
the tables filled to overflowing with poultry, fruit,
and cake, which the defenders of law and order
heartily partook of. The scene was gratifying to
look upon. These heroes, who while in the army
were accustomed to eat nothing but fat perk, coffee,
and hard tack, felt and looked joyful when partaking
of the many delicacies provided for them. Such
meals should be given to them at all times, for none
are more deserving or have earned it than they,
Previous to the dinner the national hymn,
"America," and "Praise God from whom all bless
ings now," were sung by the soldiers and also
,
several patriotic songs by Mr. Warden the celebrated
vocalist, and his lady. At the close of there inter
eating proceedings .cheers were given
for the 'sur
geons attached to the hospital, the lady in charge,
and the excellent and worthy steward.
This institution is among the first of the kind
started in the city, and although small in size, pre
sent', an appearance which, for order and cleanli
ness, is not to be eAcelled by any other. It is ca
pable of holding 253 men, and is now fully occunimi.
The library contains a number of instructive and
pleaeing books, which the soldiers take gregidelight ,
in perusing. These were voluntarily coMibuted,
but more are needed, and persons having an abun
dance of useful ones would bestow a great favor by
forwarding them to the hospital, where they will be
thankfully received. '
This organization is conducted_somewhat different
from others of a similar kind, there being no lady com
mittee attached to it. Miss Hannah Davis, who has
been with the hospital since it first started, has the
management of affairs, and by her kindness and at
tention to the suffering ones, is deserving of the
highest commendation. The medical department is
conducted by Dr. Edward Shippen, Surgeon D. S.
A., formerly connected with the Army of the Poto
mac, but relieved from there to take charge of this
hospital. The executive officer is Surgeon T. F.
Maury, D. S. A., and the assistant surgeons are Dr.
M. K. Knorr, Dr. B. F. Butcher, and Dr. 0. 11.
Boardman.
ISOCLIELLAN HOSPITAL
Thanksgiving day was appropriately celebrated at
this asylum for our sick and wounded soldiers. The
services in the chapel were particularly interesting.
At the appointed hour, 1014. A. M., the surgeon in
charge, the medical staff, and all the patients able to
attend, were assembled together to unite in praises
to the All• Wise Creator for the many and signal
benefits he has vouchsafed to us as a nation. After
the beautiful ritual of the Episcopal Church, and
an eloquent and patriotic discourse by the chaplain
bad been concluded, the hospital band performed the
national airs. These were followed by the "Presi
dent's Hymn," "Gloria in Excelcis," "Rook of
Ages," and other anthems, sung by Miss Jenny
Bucknor, Misses Dolly and Anna Roberts, and Mr.
Felix de Crano. /The singing was admirable, and
gave marked satisfaction. At the conclusion of the
exercises the brave men who have perilled their
lives in defence of our beloved country were boun
tifully regaled with "creature comforts," supplied
by the " Penn Relief Association," and from various
private sources. Altogether the occasion was one
of joy and festivity, long to be remembered by those
who participated in it.
We cannot clime without saying a word or two in
commendation of the excellent manner in which
this hospital is conducted. Dr. Lewis Taylor, U. S.
A., the surgeon in charge, is well qualified for his
position, and understands how to temper justice
with mercy. He is ably assisteerby his medical
staff. As long as our army hospitals are managed
like the " McClellan," we may rest assured that our
noble soldiers are amply andjudiciously provided for.
THE CHERRY-STREET HOSPITAL
The patients of the Broad and Cherry•streets Hos•
pital yesterday partook of an elegant Thankigiving
dinner, furnished chiefly by the lady visitors to that
hospital.
Previous to the dinner religious services were
held by Chaplain Reisley and Charles E. Lex., Esq.
While the patients were at the table the fine brass
band attached to the hospital played several na
tional and operatic airs, and at the close hearty and
prolonged cheers were given for Dr. William V.
Keating, surgeon in charge, and also for the ladies,
to whose exertions in furnisbing and decorating the
table too much praise cannot be given. Several
distinguished visitors were present, among whom
were Professor Bache, of the U. S. coast survey,
who made a few brief remarks to the men. The
Broad and Cherry streets Hospital is one of the old
est in the city, and under the able administration of
Surgeon Keating,•no pains are spared to provide the
sick and wounded with every comfort and conveni
ence, and the brave fellows will long remember their
Thanksgiving dinner at that hospital.
PLACES OF AMUSEMENT
In regard to the celebrations of the day, in Places
of amusement, the National circus was the largest.
The clowns, IVleaera. Austin. and Long, were happy
and patriotic in their remarks, and elicited ,the
most enthusiastic applause. The same statement
will airlAv to the ever popular Blitz, whose beau
tiful Tempe° of Wonders was crowded during the
day and evening.
. The Walnut-street Theatre was also well attended
yesterday afternten with a delighted audience.
rho Pitteeri of anik.ment generally were filled to
evelllcwing last eveninz.
SODNES AND INCIDENTS
The Brotherly Love, sestina of the Cadets of Tem
perance made.a street parade yesterday afternoon,
with banners and music. The members were dressed
in uniform and wore white gloves, Their appear
ance was decidedly creditable,
The weather was lovely Outing the afternoon.; and
everything being propitious for - outdoor display,
the principal streets of our city were crowded with
an immense number of ladies, gentlemen,-and child
ren. Places of business were as generally clo.ld as is
customary on Sundays. Everything passed off inthe,
most harmonious manner. Everybody was cheerful'
as the thrilling news came from the Army of the
Cumberland. We might have stated before, that in
regard to the reception of the glorious news at the
early hour of four o'clock yesterday morning, the
big flag was run up to the top of the tall staff on The
Press building, and as daylight broke in and die-
Played the glory of the" bunting," crowds of anxious
inquirers flocked to the office, - and many a cheer
made the welkin ring as the glad tidings were made
known so early on the day of National Thanksgiv
ing. Other flags were soon run up in all parts of
Philadelphia, and-unfurled their beati,ty against a
sky of serene blue, and laughed in the genial breeze
from the Southwest.
[For The Press. 3
A DIRGE.
Far away thy soldier lies ;
In slumber rest his tired eyes.
The bleak winds blow, the raindrops fall
Beneath the cloudy heaven's pall.
By marches worn, by battle torn,
He sleeps, but wakes or ere 3tis morn:
To arms !
He rouses up—he grasps in pride
His musket by him like a bride.
Far away ! ah ! far away
The drums beat to the battle•fray
Far away thy sailor sleeps,
_Rocked by the loud•resounding deeps ;
Or on the deck to danger runs,
Stand!' lonely by the bloody guns.
His comrades dying in the din
Are borne away, are falling in
The sea! •
The squadrons sail, the billows roar,'
Their bones are bleaching on the ahore
• Well a day, ah ! welt a day, •
The waters murmur far away.
Far away thy hero calls,
Where round the deadly bullet falls,
And where the battle's thunder.sun
Bursts on the storm of glory won; ,
Where shot in dame the shrieking shell,
Ah Christ, his dying brother fell.
Hurrah!
Hurrah! press on the storrners' home;
"Comrades," he Cries, "I come! I come !"
Far away ; ah ! far away
The drums beat from the battle's fray.
In prisons foul our martyrs lie ;
On beds of pain our haves die ;
In fever waste, in famine pine,
0 ! liberty, for thee and thine,
To caves the hunted patriot riles,
Or by the rebel bullet dies.
Avenge !
The voice of blood calls frorn the sod—
Avenge, 0 ! Lord. Have mercy, God.
Welladay ;ah welladay,
The drums are beating far away.
Alone the drooping widow mourns ;
To Heaven the weeping virgin turns ;
0, dry thy norrowspeaking eyes I
He on the couch of honor lies.
His name to fame; from battle riven,
His soul to love, and hope, and Heaven—
To Heaven !
His wounds were eruel—soothe his sin,
And take him, God, to glory in
Far away, ah ! far away
The drums beat and the bugles play.
On Southern fields thy patriot died,
With awful wounds upon his side,
In dread attack, or in defeat,
.Or perished when the foe were beat.
The roots are tangled in his bones, •
The forest o'er his burial moans.
The dirge 1
But oh ! the bones that strewed the sod
Were lainupon Thine altar, God !
Far away, ah ! far away
The drums beat and the bugles play.
Way; sweetheart, nay—forbid me not e
My brethren call—mine be their lot :
'rho' anguish pall, tho , love command,
My sword for thee, mine own dear land!
'Their voices whisper in the gale—
Come, brother, come ! Ye heroes hail!
All hail! .
thear the trump, the shout, the drum-- as
'Tis Freedom's voice—l come! Feome!
Far away, ah ! far away,
The druma beat and the bugles play.
"V - Far away, ah! far away,
The rankkare gathering to the fray:
By Tennessee or Rapidan,
Ileaven.speed.them in , the battle's van !i
Be sacred where they fought and fell,
And blessings on their last farewell!
Farewell!
The laurels lay upon his bier,
In mournful music falls the tear.
Far away; ah 1 far away
The drums beat and the bugles play.
Luz O'Dorniat.
THANKSGIVING IN NEW YORK.
Sermon by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher.
[Special Report to The Press. i
Thanksgiving Day was quite generally observed
in New York City and Blooklyn. The churches in
both cities were very largely attended, by devout
and attentive worshippers. The Church of the Pil
grims, Brooklyn, was filled to its utmost capacity,
there not being even `
standing•room within the edL
lice at least an hour before the commencement of the
exercises. The popularity of the eloquent pastor,
Bev. Henry Ward Beecher, is more than sufficient
at any time to crowd its pews and aisles, and it was
not remarkable that although Mr. Beecher had re
lated his foreign experience frequently since his
return, there was manifested so intense an interest
to hear him again, in his inimitable way, tell of the
sympathies in Europe for our cause, and their bear
ings upon our war.
The exercises were opened with a ferventprayer
by Mr. Beecher, in which he commended to the
throne of grace the care and protection of his native
land, its wounded defenders, its rulers and all its
people, concluding with an impressive invocation
for peace :
" Give us peace that Shall abide, undisturVed la in
tegrity, undisturbed by slavery, uudiemrbed br incon
sistency; &peace 'which j astiC6 yields and integrity too.
Thou Saviour, Lord Christ, anointed. to give peace by
the eword, and by the - Bre. bring that purity that shall
at least give us peace from out of Thine own bosom. "
After singing and other usual exercises, Mr.
Beecher announced the text of his sermon
118th Psalm, 13th, 14th. and 18th verses.
When the President's proclamation appointing
this Thanhirgiving.day was received in England, the
London Times, that weathercock of nations, made
itself merry and scornful over the idea of giving
thanks for anything in America in her present con
dition, and there is indeed little that would be likely
to excite thanksgiving in the breasts of those to
whom God has denied faith and conscience, but:we
find transcendent mercies mingling with our afflic
tions. Our night has been long, its hours dark, its
dreams troubled, and its watching most weary; but
it has had its stars and they have lea on the morn
ing whose twilight is on the hills. Our day is at
hand, the nation is to live. It has gone through the
severe trial, It has been tested in fire. It is prov
ing itself to be capable of moral rejuvenescence.
Not the ,strength of our hand, but the strength of
our hearts is the sign that God intends to save us.
'Victory in the field is now becoming &demonstration
to the people, that-it shall represent liberty, not
mere brute superiority. In this sign shall we con
quer. Both sides in this conflict are American. If
either conquer, what then? It is not French against
English • it is not Russian against Turk ; it is not
the conflict of races with us. It is the same people
in a sad conflict. It means nothing if it does not
mean something moral. The distinction between
the Northern and Southern armies is to be found in
the principle for which they contend. We are fight
ing for the life of the nation that it may preserve
liberty on this continent and the world. They are
fighting for independence, that they may be let alone
while they build up their mountain of iniquity on
the earth. It is the moral significance, then, that
redeems its losses, its cruelties, its bereavements.
Let us pause upon the threshold to pay a tribute to
our heroes on either side, who have manifested the
noblest courage and endurance. Ten thousand
youth have dropped in the bloom of their lives.
Alas ! that for so many it should be death, so truly
dead. More and more will years reveal that
-young
Southern heroes died for an evil cause. Would that
so muchbravery had a better cause to display itself
in.
They died indeed who died for slavery. The
lapse of night will only make the mistake more
dreadful, and their oblivion more certain. It is in
deed a sad future for those who mourn for sons slain
under the 'dark banner of slavery. No future
historian will feel an enthusiasm in record
ing their names. The beet that can be done for
them by patriotism is to draw a veil over their
lives. Let them be forgotten. Over their gravel
the hand of charity can only write this: "Let their
names and mistakes be forgotten." But how bright
are the honors which await those who have endured
all things that they might save their native land
from division and the power of corruption ! The
honored dead! They that died for a good cause are
redeemed from !death. Their names .are gathered
and garnered. Their memory is-precious. Each place
grows proud that heroes were born there. Pious
love shall write tender inscriptions;upon their toinb
stones. The national festivals shall give thousands
of patriot names for the orator's lips. Orphan chil
dren shall find thousands al fathers to love and help
the children who have been left as a legacy to the
gratitude of the public. Tell me not they are dead,
that invisible band of heroes. Are they dead that
yet speak louder than -we speak 1 Are they dead
that yet moveth in society, inspiring the people
with more heroic patriotism? Ye that mourn, let
gladness mingle with your tears. It was your son,
but now he is the nation's. He made your house
hold bright. His example now inspires a thousand
households Dear to his brothers and sisters, he is
now a brother to every generous youth. Before, he
wasParrdlir. Now, he belongs to all. He was yours
then. He is ours now, He died to the family that
he might live to the nation.
Neither are they less honored who shall bear
wounds through life. Many will envy him who
limps ; they will uncover in the presence of those
whose feet are no longer able to march, except on
that way that leads to immortality. Oh, mourners
of the early dead, they shall live again ! The nation
lives through them, -and when our glorious land
shall in the coming days be blessed with the victo
ries of peace, she shall not forget those who have
died in her cause.
Let us rapidly enumerate some of the causes of
Thanksgiving, for never had a nation more. Let us
look at these mercies that come to us through na
ture. We dread to think of the possible results, had
our people been called to scarcity and famine during
this war. Divine Providence has been bountiful to
us. Re bas rained bread and manna to us as we
have been marching across to the promised land.
And since I regard the resuscitation of the peo
ple as the result of the civil war, so I.
cannot but think that nature has beenEeven more so
for us. Our harvests have helped us in this sacred
cause of liberty. Nature has, been moved in the ser
vice which God and g ood men so much love. Nor
should we forget that we have been favored with
pre-eminent health. There have been no plagues,
no deaths. The tropics appear to have been robbed
of their venom during the three years that have
passed. Look at the advantages of society, that
have grown stronger within a short time. We have
not been weakened because of intestine broils. In
this there has been an overruling Providence. Those
terrific wrongs—those riots which have marked the
month of July in New York city—have revealed the
nature of the meidious faction, and what they meant
by the cry of peace. We have been- mad. to aoo
what danger there is in ignorance. We must
educate. These riots have shown how cruel
and wicked is the spirit of caste, and it
has removed that prejudice which has pre
vented humane men from acting out their sympse
thin towards the despised. It Wag a terrible les
son ; but now that it is over we may thank God
that so much good has been educed from it. Re
mark, too, the growth of industry through theland !
Prosperity has smiled upon us everywhere. We
had been told that we could not have lived without
the South. Now we see that we can not only live
without the South, but in spite of the South. What
if there is some evil? What it some reaction do
take place? We can take care of that after we get
xitl of the cancer. We can bring the patient up, and
are not afraid thathe will die in the reaction. Let
Ua not lOok with a worldly eye upon our worldly pros
perity ; but let us thank God for it all, for it is the
evidence of his overruling kindness.
' We must remark the increased growth of moral
and civil institutions. We have not shut up a cal
lege. We have not shut - up one moral, or Wass.-
' Vonal institution. Nay, the institutions of peace
akve never flourished so before. Where else is there
l'einderful a preparation for,war, where else has
then:Sheen such preparations of the paraphernalia
-of war, - ..rei yet the country wearing the garments of
Peace'? the North is fighting as yet with only one
hand. w 0 ..1d that it would put both hands
to the burden. Tine nourishes us. _Time wastes
the South. We vow ;, they rot. This is a provi
dence, not an. :maser:rt. It is one of those provi
duces which act Throush laws and institutions.
We know how to develop ore; we know how to
give comely shapes to e 'Rule stoae ;we have
learned many things, but that wz,i c h we have learn
ed most is the making the most oievery individual
in the North. The world will lose elle of the les
sons of this war, if we fail to Show th,t we cannot
make all its citizens free and equal.
, We ought also not;to pass iloy, without. ere tit u d e
the providence of God, as manifested in our i ore i go.
relations. God be thanked; we have been sal„,d a
war with them ; for theugh we might not have lost
our Union while contencang with them '
the clesola
tion produced would have been fearful to contein-'
plate. A great change has come over the policy of.
foreign nations. They better understand the North
ern mind and will. There is a betteilinsight of the
moral {ends of .our contest. The misrepresenta
tions against our country are rising like the mists of
morning. The Governments abroad are leas tempted,
and they are more' inclined to generotis neutrality.
Let us not forget to be thankful to God and to our
friends under God, who comprise a large portion of
the French people, who have maintained unflinch
ingly their friendship for the North. I have not
hesitated to say to the Emperor," They are - our best
friends and allies ; and if you pick a war with the
North, we shall resist your taxationa.!! [applause ]
You otte much, my friends, to the Democratic
masses and nations of the continent; for, wherever
there has been a thousand men banded for
their own rights, there have been a thou
sand men whose prayers have gone up for
the success of the North. We should be
thankful for the accidental sympathy of Russia.
Russia is an autocracy. just now happened to be
bleat with a worthier prince than any who have
preceded him for many years; but republics cannot
afford to form elliances with despotisms of any kind.
. . .
[Applause.] We must maintain our institutions
and ideas, and that we can do without °trance to
anyeeovernment. So far as Russia studies - to pro
mote-the libertiee of the people, we shall be with
her ; but so far as she puts her foot upon the liber
ties of the people, we are ageinst her. Let us be
just to the weavers of Lancashire; they wno have
Seen sollatieet and faithful to their belief in liberty,
whom all tbe bribery of money could not swerve
Pieta their convictions and sense of duty toward us.
The laboring ca aeaes of England took a noble stand,
which they have never yet deserted. They said,
"Let the cotton supply cease; let our looms be
hushed-: better that than that we should give our
sympathy to the cause which is oppression of the
poor." They are heroes. God bless them. !
Let us not forget our earnest friends in England.
Let U 0 not forget the glorious names of Bright and
Cobden, Fester and Newman, and others who have
stoodeby us. Let us honor them for their upright
ness and honesey. Some men the State makes no
ble and some God makes noble. These are• men
made by both, for the aristocracy of England who
have stood by us have a double parentage. We have
the mother's heart with us. The Queen of England
heartily sympathizes with the people who received
her son with so much honor.
Let us look as to the progress of eitancipation. Tt
has become the bond of Union. The North is for it
--the South against It. Where shall ,we see such a
change of conviction as there has been at the North,
that slavery should be upturned?
We owe a great debt to God in our Chief Magis
trate. He is wisely and surely pioneering the way
of liberty to this nation. One man there was whom
God's band ordained to break our foreign bondage.
If it were possible to honor one more than him
whom - God bas ordained to break the bondage of a
worse opprcesion in our land, then the second
should be greater than the first ; but joined together,
one and inseparable, we shall hereafter hear the
shouts of Washington and Lincoln, the fathers of
their country. [Applause.]
Let us not forget those who cannot make their
sign to us. I thank God for the wonderful wisdom
which they that were still in chains have exhibited
since the opening of the war. There has not been a
word of complaint from the mouths of those who
have been waiting lie petiently for theeapproach of
liber,ty. - -Never did a people behave so well, under
the circumstances, as the slaves of the South. And
how has the free negro acted since he has thrown off
the chains of slavery Point me to an irregularity
in any of the fields where they have worked ! I
thank God that, while we have been fighting for
the rights of the slave, he has demonstrated what
we were trying to prove. The negro is a man, if
yeti judge him by the standard of war. When a
man fights well in war he secures esteem. The
negro has secured our esteem, for he is a good •
fighter. He has given his blood for our national
safety; And shell he be hereafter subject to our
tyrannyt Let us this morning see how much brighter
is the cheer of victory, that cornea to us from the
/Fest, than , the sun which gives us warmth and
etheerfulnese.
[Mr. Beecher here read a despatch from Genera
Grant, which had been handed up to the pulpit, an
nouncing a complete victory over Bragg. The
reading of it was received with mush applause.]
And so, if you are not, in view of all the conside
rations X have urged, thankful, then- ask God to
give you a heart of flesh instead of a heart of stone.
While you rejoice, pray for your enemies, pray for
the slate. Forget not the sick and wounded. Re
member the bereaved.
Let us pray for the sick and wounded : Be gra
cious oh, Lord! to those who are cast down in sick
ness and with wounds. Raise up for them many
friends in the hearts of all Thy people. Bless our
armies, bless our generals. and bless the President of
the United States, that he may continue to be the
instrument in Thy hands to bring' us to peace and
:harmony.
StriemE.—Yesterday morning, about 11
o'clock, Daniel Stone, who resided at 1430 :Filbert
street, committed suicide by drowning himself in
the Schuylkill at Arch-street wharf. far. Stone was
an extensive bridge builder. '"His body was re
covered.
ressf
E4t
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 1863.
.eir- We can take no notice of anonymous comma.
nications. We do not return rejected manuscripts.
/Sir Voluntary correspondence solicited from all
parts of the world, and especially from our different
military and naval departments. When Used, Ueda
be paid for.
VICTORY.
It seems as if there was a special Provi
dence in our Thanksgiving, for in the midst
of prayer and praise there came the news of
the great victory at Chattanooga. We have
looked to the West with deep anxiety for the
last few days, for we felt that the enemy
were determined to make a speedy and ear
nest assault. We knew that to this end the
rebels had given BRAGG every man that.
could be dragged from his home, and every
soldier that could be spared from BEMIRE
GARD, JOHNSTON, and LEE. We had faith
in GRANT, and in the men who composed
his army, but there were circumstances
connected with the military situation in
the West that gave us cause for anxiety.
ROSECRANS had left •an army in which
he was extremely popular, and it was known
that BURNSIDE was merely holding a tem
porary command, his successor being on the
way to relieve him. Our army had recently
passed through the throes of battle. It had
escaped a defeat, but it had not gained a
victory. It was weak, bleeding, faint, an&
disorganized, and it was impossible to think
of the contingencies of battle without feel
ing alarm. Then came the intelligence from
Knoxville. There was nothing in it abso
lutely bad, but there was nothing in it to
give comfort or hope. Therefore, when
men spoke of Chattanooga, it was as though
they felt that in the array of war we were
even with the rebels, while the odds of war
were against us. And yet, even with the
odds against us, we learn this morning th,it
we have gained a great victory.
General GRANT is a modest man, and
not given, in the preparations of his bul
letins, to yield to the temptations of vic
tory. ije tells General • Haramew, that
although the battle was fiercely con
tested, he felt that he had gained a
complete victory over General BRAGG.
He gives as the evidence of his belief
the possession of Lookout Mountain, and
the surrounding rifle-pits and fortifications.
These. he tells us "have been carried
and are now held by us." In addition to
this, we have another despatch from Wash
ington, emanating from the most reliable
authority known to the newspaper press,
affirming this news, and announcing that
General BRAGG is in retreat. With the
fruits of , General GRANT'S campaign be
fore us—the mountain top, the ridge,
the rifle•pits and works in the inter
vening valley in our possession—we do not
.see how Gem BRAGG can do otherwise than
retreat. He has lately held a threatening
position in front of Chattanooga ; his as
sault upon Knoxville was a bold attempt to
repossess himself of the mountains of East
Tennessee. He failed in• both attempts, and
he must either retreat or be destroyed. It
seems to us that the inevitable result of this
victory of GRANT will be to transfer the seat
of war from the borders of Tennessee to the
heal - of Georgia. It is probable that BnAo
may be willing to end the context, and
make the battle a decisive one. He can
not increase his strength. He can add no
more men to his armies, for he has behind
him an exhausted South. He cannot pro
long his retreat, for the mere act of retreat
ing through a country as loyal as Northern
Georgia would weaken and demoralize his
army. He maybe willing to wait, and hope,
and postpone the evil day, but we do not
see how he can avoid the last great shock of
battle. He must either fight or abandon
the contest, permitting his army to dissolve,
and those who care to follow such a for
tune to fly to the hills, and become gueril
las and land pirates.
We say this becauae we look upon a bat
tle at Chattanooga as the final and decisive
battle of the war. If GRANT is successful,
the military power of the South passes
away—its armies become mobs, and its vast
territory falls under the power of the Union
army. The whole question becomes a
question of statesmanship, and the-revolu
tion ceases to be a revolution of the sword.
This is the stake we play for at Chattanoo
ga, and we play for it with this comcorting
assurance, that a defeat of the Federal ar ra y
would not materially affect our campaign, a 3
the power we have in the field is but a small
part of the power now waiting to take the
field. We cannot, however, in the face of
this glorious news, permit ourselves to specu
, late upon any such a contingency. General
GRANT is master of the situation. He has
started BRAGG upon a retreat, and if we
know the man, the retreat will be but the be
ginning of annihilation. " When General
GRANT moves," said a Richmond newspa
per some days since, "he will move like an
avalanche." We ask no higher compliment
for our brave commander; and now that he
is on the mountain-top—so lately the rebel
stronghold—we feel that the sweep of hi%
victory will be rapid and irresistible. In
the midst of our prayer and praise, there is
nothing for which we thank God more de-
Vt , ntly than- this victory- at Chattanooga.
OTTER FROM "OCCASIONAL"
VASIIINGTON, Nov. 27, 1863
One of the best causes for greeting Thanks
giving Day with a ' , tarty zest is the gratifying
intelligence of a long- c - rpected and substan
tial triumph in Alabama. How suggestive
and touching it is that nearij all our great
victories, occur under such auspicw i a o i r cum..
stances, and are commemorated on cmra set
apart for expressions of gratitude to Goi.
Thus the crowning success of Meade at Get
tysburg reached the loyal States on tin
fourth of July, while the heroic Union arr
under Grant was celebrating the surrendi
of Vicksburg on the same national birtlida:
I shall not be surprised if the next intelli
gence from General Grant realizes all the
has been expected since the department
that illustrious soldier has been extended
include the column heretofore command(
by General Rosecrans, for - it is reasonabi
to hope that when the rebel forces aroi -
Knoxville hear of the stupendous succesi
Hooker in the vicinity of Chattanooga, tl
will either beat a hasty retreat or be for(
to an unconditional surrender. Burnsi
writes in fine spirits, and probably bef
this the great work has been accomplish(
Eastern Tennessee entirely cleared of
rebel hordes, and Georgia opened to
.conquering march of the defenders of
- Union. If these events are corstuninai
by General Grant, that blow will be art.
at the rebellion so much dreaded by Jeff(
son Davis, and our operations in North(
and Eastern Virginia be so strengthened
to render them irresistible against the foi
which are still congregated there under LI
The dissatisfaction which is kir
to have existed against Davis and
conspirators will be intensified by
'Union victories in Alabama ; and ' ti
silent, yet all—pervading protest ngail
his tyrannies and his usurpations will
broken, and thousands of tongues here(
fore compelled to be quiet, will assist
swelling the chorus of condeumatis
A gentleman lately returned from Rh
mond, who has had rare opportunitit
owing to his peculiar position, to und(
stand the relations of the Southern let
ers to Jefferson Davis and his Cabin(
assured me,, a few days go, that
words could describe the animosity
hatred which they entertain against
head , of the so-called Southern Confer
racy. His bearing is at once insole
and dictatorial, and his oppression
become so insufferable when my informs
left Richmond that many did not hesitate
declare that he seemed to be at Rt
earnestly realizing the
. predictions of
friends of the Union, who always assert
that the whole aim and object of the rein
lion was to establish a severe and remof
less military despotism in. the Southt
States. Men like Robert Toombs opel
took issue with Davis—a fact which
abundantly confirmed by his celebrated 14
ter some weeks ago, in which, with
ability and pluck, he compared the d 6