OFFEKING.
Thanksgiving, the act of giving thanks or ex- pressing gratitude for favors or mercy received. It im- plies, according to Dr. Barrow (^Sermons, i, ser. 8, 9), (1) a right apprehension of the benefits conferred ; (2) a faith- ful retention of benefits in the memory, and frequent re- flections upon them ; (3) a due esteem and valuation of benefits; (4) a reception of those benefits with a willing mind, a vehement affection; (5) due acknowledgment of our obligations; (0) endeavors of real compensation, or, as it respects the Divine Being, a willingness to serve and exalt him ; (7) esteem, veneration, and love of the benefactor.
The blessings for which we should be thankful are
(1) temporal, such as health, food, raiment, rest, etc.;
(2) spiritual, such as the Bible, ordinances, the Gospel and its blessings, as free grace, adoption, pardon, justifi- cation, calling, etc.; (3) eternal, or the enjoyment of God in a future state; (4) also for all that is past, what we now enjo3', and what is promised ; for private and public, for ordinary and extraordinary blessings; for prosperity, and even adversity, so far as rendered sub- servient to our good.
The obligation to this duty arises (1) from the rela- tion we stand in to God; (2) the divine command; (3) the i)romises (lod has made ; (4) the example of all good men ; (5) our imworthiness of the blessings we receive; (6) the prospect of eternal glorv. Whoever possesses any good without giving thanks for it deprives him who bestows that good of his glory, sets a bad example before others, and prepares a recollection severely pain- ful for himself when he comes in his turn to experience ingratitude. See Chalmers, Sermons; Hall, Sermons; D wight, Thenlorpj. — Henderson-Buck.
Thanksgiving-day, an annual religious festival observed in the United States. It owes its origin to
THANKSGIVING SERVICE 301
THAYER
the desire of the Puritans for greater simplicity in the forms of worship of the Established Church, and a pur- pose not to celebrate any of the numerous festival-days observed by that Church. An occasional day of thanks- giving has been recommended by the civil authorities of Europe, and such a day was observed in Leyden, Hol- land, Oct, 3, 1575, the first anniversary of the deliver- ance of that cit}^ from siege. Before the adoption of an aiHuial thanksgiving-day, we find mention of several ap- pointed for special reasons. After the first harvest at rivniouth, in 1621, Gov. Bradford sent four men out fowling, that they " might after a more special manner rejoice together." In July, l&2o, the governor appoint- ed a day of thanksgiving for rain, after a long drought, and the records show a similar appoiiitment in 1(J3"2 be- cause of the arrival of supplies from Ireland. There is also record of the appointment of days of thanksgiving in Massachusetts in 163"2, 103."), 1634, 1637, 1638, and 1639, and in Plymouth in 1651, 1668, 1680 (when the form of the recommendation indicates that it had be- come an annual custom), 1689, ami 1690. The Dutch governors of New Netherland in 1644, 1645, 1655, and 1664, and the English governors of New York in 1755 and 1760, appointed days of thanksgiving. During the llevolution. Thanksgiving-day was observed by the na- lion, being annually recommended by Congress; but there was no national appointment between the general thanksgiving for peace in 1784 and 1789, when presi- dent Washington recommended a day of thanksgiving for the adoption of the constitution. Since that time special days have been set apart both by presidents and governors until 1864, when the present practice was adopted of a national annual thanksgiving. The presi- dent issues an annual proclamation, followed by the governors of the several states and mayors of the prin- cipal cities. Custom has fixed the time for the last Thursday in November.
Thanksgiving Service. There are various modes inider the Old Test, of offering thanksgiving. Sometimes it was public, sometimes in the family. It was fretpiently accompanied by sacrifices (2 Chron. xxix, 31) and peace-oft'erings, or offerings of pure de- votion, arising from the sentiments of gratitude in the offerer's own mind (Lev. vii, 12, 15; Psa. cvii, 23 ; cxvi, 7). It is usually connected with praise, joy, gladness, and the voice of melody (Isa. li, 3), or (as Neh. xi, 17) witli singing and with honor (Rev. vii, 12) ; but occa- sionally, if not generally, with supplication (Phil, iv, 6) and prayer (1 Tim. ii, 3; Neh. xi, 17).
In the Book of Common Prayer there are various forms of thanksgiving, particular and general, as espe- cially the " (ieneral Thanksgiving," which was added at tlie last revision, and appointed for daily use, and more particularly the " Office for the Holy Communion." But there are, besides, particular thanksgivings appointed for deliverance from drought, rain, famine, war, tumult, and pestilence; and there is an entire service of thanks- giving for women after childbirth; and certain days on wiiicli are commemorated great deliverances of the Church and nation are marked also with a solemn ser- vice of thanksgiving,
Thanner, Ignaz, a Roman Catholic divine, was l)orn Feb. 9, 1770, at Neumarkt, in Bavaria. In 1802 lie was appointed professor of catechetics at Salzburg; in 1805 professor of philosophy at Landshut; in 1808 he was called to Innspruck, and in 1810 to Salzburg again, where he died, Ma}' 28, 1856. At first he belonged to the Kantian philosophical school, but soon became con- verted to that of Schelling. He wrote, Dei- Transcm- dentalismus in seiner dreifacheu Sleigerung (Munich, 1805): — Die Idee des Organismvs (ibid. 1806): — Hand- huch der Vorhereitung zum selbststdivligen wissenschaft- iichen Studium ( ibid. 1807, 2 vols. ) : — Doistellimg der ahsoluten Identitdtslehre (ibid. 1810): — Logiscke Apho- rhmen (Salzburg, \S\.l):^Lehr- viid Iltindburh der iheoretischen und praktischen Philosophic (ibid. 1811,2