7S4 



Let me congratulate you as we separate, on the nauch needed addi- 

 tion of one more to the very limited number of our holidays. The 

 Jews, from the fullness of their thankful hearts, brought of the first 

 fruits of their harvest, and made of them an offering before the Lord. 

 The simple Hindoo, moved by the same impulse, laid a tithe of his 

 annual gatherings at the feet of his idol. From us, God requires no 

 such offerings, no typical sacrifices ; but happily we have substituted in 

 its stead an oftering to good will and good fellowship with our neigh- 

 bors, which annually, at our agricultural holiday, we come together to 

 bring. Wanting as we are in religious and national festivals, it is a 

 good thing for us to set apart one day, in our season of harvest and 

 abundance, when we can come together with our neighbors and com- 

 pare labors and results — not with the same malignant and envious feel- 

 ing that caused Cain to rise up in anger and slay his successful brother, 

 but rather with that abundant good will to all which the season natural- 

 ly inspires, and which leads us to rejoice in each other's success, and to 

 be thankful that there is, year by year, a steady march of onward pro- 

 gress, though others than ourselves, for the time being, may lead the 

 van. 



