New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-11-28
DAILY THANKS FOR DAILY MERCIES.
The Rec Dr. MqrcR H. Vincent the Church Of the C0rsaa
(PrssbytcTGnA

The Rec Dr. Marsn ylaesnt a. ne Church Of the cOrs"Ga
At the Church of the Covenant, at Park
and Tairiy the pastor the Rev Drvincent
preached the Thanksgiving sermon, taking for bis
theme the clvth Psalm. lie spoke IA follows:
IL a great and very common mistake to suppose
that the Bible belongs only our sorrowfu hours On
the contrary we can take better companion into our
of JOY and thanksgiving When our hearts are
charged with gratitude the Bible furnishes the
best forms Of expression, exhibits the most delightful
sympathy and directs minds to the true principles
OF Thanksgiving.
And in discharge of this latter Office il very nat
urally corrects in views of hanksey-
ing For instance, tend much TO reserve ex-
pressions Of gratitude to God for special occasions.
Nay sometimes the lies deeper and the sentiment
Of gratitude does fluid place unless called forth ny
special appliances. Such a mistake is met by words
like these of the Apostle Pau who, according 20
worldly notions. lived under circumstances least
all adapted awaken thanksgiving. yet
whose writings peryaded with both its
spirit and its expression words like these repeat
GviDg thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father. in the name OF our Lord Jesus Christ"
Such words those point us beyond the formal and
occasional thanksgiving thanksgiving the habit of
life. Inc formal expression indeed Is not excluded. II
is good thing for gather here to-day and recount
the mercies of our Heavenly Father and unite IN
thems of praise But after all the Thanksgiving service
should stand daily thanksgiving very in the
same relation the Thanksgiving feast docs 10 our
daily meal. That we prepare somewhat more elabor-
ate and formal meal the Thanksgiving Day. does not
imply that do not eat on other days That give
thanks in a public and formal
that day originated by civil authorities,
ought not to imply that reserve all thanks
and praises for that day. For what giving
thanks to-day3 Is it for great special good
slowed to-day yesterday Truly not. II ia for
multitude of blessings, small aud great speaking
men speak,, shot through the warp OF our life like
golden threads, and appearing everywhere distributed
its surface. Have then been boarding up
of these daily merces in order to 1t in
Offering to-day the throne of Father of Mercesi
II so, have made mistake and the special service
Of the day may therefore not only furnish for
pent-up thanks, but possibly teach hereafter to
distribute thanks throughout days Even then,
when shall come to the day of special thanksgiving,
shall find that, by Gods wonderful law OF increase
through distribution, richer instead OF poorer
the impulse and liz the material Of thaukfuness.
am not supposiug case. Gratitude is pop
ularly supposed To be of the natural,
almost inevitable vlrtues-so much SO, that its
absence even in people OF very low moral
grade excitcs surprselnd yet the facts 90 TO show
that the story of the epers, only Of whom
turned thank Christ healing him. a very signih-
cant oreshadowng of the worlds practice Of this virtue
am not sure that that great Euglsh divine alto
gether wrong IN saying that that story fairly repre-
scented the proportion of the worlds gratitude God
tally selfish and ungTaeiul, but that in
they are careless. in case slight Of
fence. Nevertheless. in mems relations to God there
are reasons for that which understand and the
understanding of which ought to make careful
watch these weak points The Gver of these bound
less mercies for instance. IS invisible. and
prone to be weak the side where not aided
by We know the proverD Out OF sight, out OF
mind" How powerfully our Lord used the fact which
that proyerb carries III Ills startling picture OF the
want whose OF obligation vanished with his
Masters absence and who began and beat his
fellow servants.
Then too the gifts sometimes hide the gvcr. Gods
bounties Princely that not nfrequenty give
themselves 10 their enjoyment forgetting that every
good gift IS from the Father Of Lights.
Then. too. the gifts common People
prone think that nothing is great which excep
oua OF the greatest and best Of Gods
gifts are His daily. gifts. How many think Of
being daily thankful for sight and hearing and reason
the ability to DE clean and decent How truthful
| the words often sing:
THY houniiful care. what tongue can recitei
IL brcatnes H. the AIR, 10 shines IN the light;
1t streams from the NILS, IL descends to the plain.
Ana sweety dstils in the dew ana the ram"
These everyday blessings. hut none the less bless
iugs. They IRE common gifts. but they gifts. We
are not entitled health. signt freedom from accident
competency We hud out how great these bounties
when have lost them.
And then Gods gifts often made up of great
/
have MS spiritual sense quickened nOrder 10 recOg
H. They like ths iittl, streams the high
lands mere threads IN the pass. dozen OF winch the
take IN the OF ms stride IN "A
walk ut down in the valley, where the contributions
O. thousand rills massrd. proud river flows Thai
is apprccbe The who thinks nothing Of thestreams
relOces the happy periods lives thu
mainly spoaking) largely composed ~ a succession
OF trng pleasures, you would una II hard To resolve
such section OF your lie into lis elem, ns 10 III
pleasant walks with dear friend, cheerful meetings
aud bright hasy words the corners of the streets,
table. There the babes froiIc In
evening frelgt: there was your ooys lille TRIUMPH
school and ten thousand such things, which
along quiet, matter-Oi-cOursc way. You did not
know how happy YOU You did realize how
these unprzed little streams making rich and
joyful years Ana yet as you look back 10 those years
from some later. stOrmlcr period. 20 realize what
blessed years tney WERE how full to the brim with
aud you thank God for them now that they
gone perhaps you never thanked him while they
Ana / do believe should more
pleasure out OF our years, as Vel AS a deeper
sense OF gratitude II We should cultivate me
better 10 talk our blessings they COME aud TO learn
feel that they real aud precious Dressings, and GO
expect Aapnes frOm these $50 lar n They be
instruments o. happuossl than 10 have our eyes con-
stdnty liked some future which we dream contains
the rape irut wic God the iOr tOdays
picking. Let as be careful l,st reach our great
dream ai'r al WAT thu Father sends to-day lake
tuere are IN il. what "a rich token OF Fathtrly
love Is IL II something 10 meet Your
your days toll and TO sit down with them at your
own taDe IL Is something 10 gather with your house
hold at the family altar Ii Is something to out
among NOur neghhOrs honorable aud To be
To hold your mead and To fellow
respects your integrity aud values friendship.
The sound oi the IN the house and al the Tie feet
the nursery, aud Vi the familiar airs watch float to
y0ur per from the old uiiBO-al YOU Will know
wat they are Ly&nd-Dy when they sBai DC heard no
4 am pretty sure that man or woman seldom
reaches middle life without saying, What fool WAS
that o.. not know low hap( ives ana did not get as
I much az l Nigh ont OF whai Gnd gave me.
Blt tuen, De thankful fIr al things There l. the
problem Fac ol the world Wlll SAY; "Ihdt is push
iua thankluucs, Idthcr TOO ar. understand being
CRAZE Tor Gods daib hissug, for prosperity and