[Peace-discuss] Grover Cleveland October 25 1887

[E. Wayne Johnson]

On OCTOBER 25, 1887, President Grover Cleveland proclaimed a National 
Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer:

"The goodness and the mercy of God, which have followed the American 
people during all the days of the past year, claim their grateful 
recognition and humble acknowledgment."

Grover Cleveland continued:

"By His omnipotent power He has protected us from war and pestilence and 
from every national calamity; by His gracious favor the earth has 
yielded a generous return...by His loving kindness the hearts of our 
people have been replenished... and by His unerring guidance we have 
been directed in the way of national prosperity.

To the end that we may with one accord testify our gratitude for all 
these blessings, I, Grover Cleveland, President of the United States, do 
hereby designate and set apart...a day of thanksgiving and prayer, to be 
observed by all the people of the land.

On that day let all secular work and employment be suspended, and let 
our people assemble in their accustomed places of worship and with 
prayer and songs of praise give thanks to our Heavenly Father for all 
that He has done for us, while we humbly implore the forgiveness of our 
sins and a continuance of His mercy."