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cease to hear, and cheerfully comply with, the voice of their civil Fathers calling them, at each return of this season to enter God’s “gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.”

I have, therefore, thought fit to appoint, and with the advice of the Council, do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty fourth day of November next, to be observed by the inhabitants of this State as a Day of Public Praise and Thanksgiving.

And they are requested to assemble on that day, in their several places of religious worship, and to unite as one man in offering unto God those thankful acknowledgements which His goodness demands, and in causing “one sound to be heard in blessing and praising the Lord, saying for He is good for His mercy endureth forever.” For all the natural and moral perfections, which compose His character, for His greatness which is infinite; for His power, which is almighty; for His wisdom, which is unerring; for His holiness, which is unspotted; for His goodness, which is unbounded; for His truth and faithfullness which never fail; and for His tender mercy, which is all over His works, let us praise Him “who alone is worthy to be praised,” and “give unto Him the glory which is due to His name.” And while we praise Him for all His infinite and adorable perfections, let us “render Him our most hearty thanks” for the rich and manifold blessings, which in the exercise of those perfections He had bestowed on us and on others with whom we are connected. For the mercies, worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance, which He showed unto our Fathers when “He hast out the heathen before them and planted them”; for the protecting and bountiful hand which He has ever since extended over their descendants; for His kind care of this State from the commencement of its political existence; for the abundant supply of the fruits of the earth, with which He has crowned the present year; for the success which has attended our commerce, manufactures and fisheries, for our preservation from those desolating judgments which we have merited; for the continued enjoyment of our inestimable privileges, civil, literary and religious; and above all for the “unspeakable gift” of His Son, for the blessings of salvation through Him, and for the successful exertions which are made to communicate these blessings to our “destitute countrymen and fellow creatures, let us with sincere and most fervent gratitude present our thankful acknowledgements to the Great Giver of every good and perfect gift, to whose unmerited overflowing kindness alone we are indebted for all these favors.

Uniting confession and supplication with our thanksgivings, let us humbly acknowledge, and beseech Him for the sake of His Son, to forgive our past ingratitude, and our abuse of His mercies

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