THANKSGIVING DAY.

Evening Star, Issue 2878, 10 May 1872, Page 2

THANKSGIVING DAY.

We give a digest of the sermons preached in the principal churches in the City yesterday :i ; ' ' ,' ' * ST. PAUL’S. . „

The service in this church was semi* choral. The chancel was beautifully decorated. Over the Communion Table was the text, “The Lord of Hosts—He is the King of Glory ! ” Mr Edwards’s text was taken from Ephesians 5, r. 20, “ Giving thanks always lor all things unto God.” He said that they might take the ‘‘ general thanksgiving ” in the Prayer Hook as a guide in answering the question, “ What are the occasions that especially call forth our thankfulness to God?' 1 ' Creation, preservation, and all the blessings of thin life, Ac, Among the blessings of this life Mr Edwards mentioned the form of government under which we live, and under which the British nation has so prospered. Referring to the recovery of the prince of Wales, he said that it was rather the high importance of his porition than any personal merit which demanded our thankfulness. And, he added, that the recent trial through which the Royal Family had passed had had this good effect: it had led men to see the danger into which the cry of democracy at one time threatened to plunge the British nation, and to value more than before the government which had been productive of such great blessings. ST. JOSEPH’S. There was a large congregation at the forenoon service at this church, where the Right Rev. Dr Moran, before preaching from the ordinary lesson of the day, referred to the Governors proclamation. His Lordship said that he willingly replied to the request of the Government, and called upon his dock to return thanks to God for the recovery of the Prince of Wales. He had not much to say on the subject—nothing of a persona) kind.. He had simply to reniiud-liia~bearera-ihat it was a Christian duty to pray for those who ruled over us. No matter what the subject might be, or under what form (

of ; gfcertfliyent/he lived, he was bound to prayror t%*ruling powers, that God might give them grace to discharge the duties of their station in a fitting and proper manner, .and also for their salvation. It would have beep a veiyserioas matter if, in the present political state of the world, the Prince of Wales bad died. Independently of the duty they owed to their rulers—for the recovery of a future one they were called upon to deliver thanksgiving in addition to the ordinary services of that day—the well-being of society must give great concern to every one of them. Their lives and property depended upon peace and security, and anything which interfered with those could not be regarded but as a great calamity. They had reason, therefore, to be thankful to Almighty God for having saved us from the impending danger—danger to society, and the individuals who composed society. Therefoi thanking Him for the recovery of the Prince of Wales, they were only discharging a dpty incumbent upon as Christians and members of the comiubuity, . ,• , PKESBYTERIANSi There was service in the First Church at 7 gjn. The Rev. Dr Copland preached, and chose for his text and in the course of .dusaobservationa said that it seemed to him that the blessing for which the .nation as ajhole was. turning thanks to God, was hot to We ; estimated merely by a regard to the personal qualities of the Prince, but in regard to the effects which his deliverance from death must ulti» irately have on the nation. It projuly meant a prolongation of the Queen’s life Lad usefulness in. her exalted station, anefj as a consequence, the continuance off the exercue of; those bright qualities which had made glorious her Court above the; Courts, of all other existing kingdoms, and the prevention of the spread of those republican ideas whick had manifested themselves in‘certain pMta of England—ideas which, if carried*<mt, would result in dispeace and general bloodt shed, apd had,. beep smothered- by the out* burst of loyalty which the Prince’s immlhetti danger had called forth from all parts of the Empire. Apart from these considerations, he claimed the sympathy of -his hearers for the Prince on the ground of our common humanity. It was well known that k'iloud had hung-over the Bunco’s character,.and had caused sorrow in, the minds of macTy of the citizens of the Eknpire. If the Prince had been taken away, they cduKt ndt imt have felt that he-Would have parsed from this earth with that cloud resting on his name and character which he had neither time nor opportunity to wipe away. Now, however, they saw least- she opportunity given hint to remove that fc£-bia future life qualify himself position he was destined to nation, when placed under his rule, might continue to enjoy the bless\n£s which nad been vouchsafed to it during the reign of the present Sovereign. Services were also held in St. Andrew’s, Knox Church, and in the morning at Dr Copland’s church, Great King street. THE CONOR EG ATIONALISTB, The sermon preached by the Rev. Thomas Roseby, M. A., in the Congregational Church Moray place, was from Timothy, oh. i, v. I and 2. The discourse commenced with an exposition of the passage pointing out the elements contained in prayer, and the subjects of prayer for whom it is to be offered. The preacher then went on to ahowtha reason of- the express and- specific-exhortation to pray “ for kings and all that are in authority,” ref rred to the special object of thanksgiving for. which his hearers were assembled, and proceeded i—“. We give thknkson behalf of who haabeen‘spared the loss of a beloved son. 1 We are tfaankfol that onr great and good Queen has not had to mourn over the bier of her first-born son. ■■ We give thanks on behalf of a young heart—- " ' The sea-king’s daughter, "happy and fair, ‘ : Blissful bride of a blissful heir, Bride of the heir of the kings of tha -sea'’— whose jubilant welcome to her new home years ago, the event has proved was not too jubilant, bat who has already WO l * for her. self a place in tfae English people. And we give thanks .bn behalf of the royal sufferer himself. „ YT® give thanks that a life so full of rich and. fffessed possibilities has not prematurely been cut off. And, as we give thanks, we pray that the Prince of Wales may have learned a lesson from his affliction, which will make him, if a sadder, yet also a wiser and better man.’ The preacher then pointed out causes of thanksgiving in national inconveniences and calamities, by this .timely deliverance averted. ' "All history teaohesus is the dangers of a long Regency." Many long"*years might have elapsed between the decease of the present sovereign and the accession of her grandson. By the recovery ofthe Pnnce we are saved from anxieties on that acconnt. Nor can I forbear adding,” continued the preacher, " that I think there is canse for thankfulness that the .j Republican - Spirit which was making S3 iie progress, chiefly among the lower strata of English society, has been checked. I am not going to discuss forms of government this morning. But some recent experiences we harehfid of ‘Republicanism, in its association with atheism aqd revelation, .do.not.givc us much encouragement, if we are to look for its establishment iu Republicanism will have to assume some different shape from that which it has assumed in France, before- We shall think it preferable to our pres, nt English And I think there is cause for thankfulness that this French poison - for it is net English, it is not indigenous to the soil of our country, it baa nothing in common with the puritan i-'epub-iicaniam which established the American Constitution —has met its seasonable antidote. Finally, we thank God for some lessons which this dispensation conveys to us all. 1. That all ranks and conditions of men stand, in the sight of God, upon a common level. 2. That the well-being of man is bound up in that of bis brother. " Is it "not remarkable that both the late Prince Consort and his eldest son should have been afflicted with diseases, bred of sanatory neglect, which we are in the habit of associating with dirt and poverty ? W hat is God’s lesson here but that, if the rich and well-to-do would protect tiiemselves from those deadly nuasiriata, they must see to the comfort and cleanliness of the 1 p iorand wretched in the lanes,- the allies, the gutters of the community T’ ■ 3. Finattyi there is encouragement to pray.

11 May the great and loving God,” the preacher give thanks, abundantly bless the heir-aypa-rent of the throne ! May ho live, and live long, to be a wise, and useful, and Godfearing king ! ‘ * And God save his royal mother ! “ * May she defend our laws, And ever give ns cause, To sing with heart and voice God save the Queen I ’ And finally, through a just, and wise, and mild administration of the Government of these realms 5 by the * of the people in righteousness,’ by the banishment of vice and wickedness; by His ‘ Grace which bringeth salvation,’ God save our country!” THE JEWS. At 2 30 p.m. a special service was held in the Synagogue, Moray place. The service opened in the ordinary manner, and included a sermon on the immediate topic of the day, preached from tho 103 rd Psalm by the Eev. J, Levy, who also read special prayer, which we published about a month ago. The Hallelujah Chorus and the Universal Hymn having been chanted by the choir, the service terminated. PORT CH^piEES. Public services were lidd in all the churches at the Port yesterday, and the day generally observed as a day of publib thanksgiving.