Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-29
Spirit Of Thanksgiving.

10 convert the church of God into a
political convention, and for the minis
ter to use a text as a percussion cap with
which to fire off political harangue,
but, Tor rehearsing the acts Of Divine
goodness, and stringing them upon the
golden thread of gratitude to God. Hence
I this practical text and religious discourse
upon the character and duty Of Thanks
giring.
In the contest, the Apostle informs
us that the true source Of gladness and
song is not physical intoxlcation, but
spiritual fulness. "Be We not drunk
with wine, wherein is excess, but he we
filled with the spirit; speaking to your.
selves in psalms and hymns and spiri-
tual songs, singing and making melody
i'm YOUR heart to the Lord; giving thanks,
&c, &c. That is, the Christian is not
under the necessity Of seeking stimu-
lus in wine, or excitements in sensual
and goddess indulgences, for the Holy
Spirit is his inspiration and can lift him
above all depressing influences. Let
IA therefore take down our harps from
the willows and engage with Paul in
this blessed minstrelsy.
The text divides itself into three
parts.
TIE OBJECT OF PRAISE AND BASIS OF
THANKSGIVING.
"Giying thanks TO God, the Father"
A recognition of God as creator and gov
ernor of the world and trust in him
as our father, lie at the basis OF Thanks
giving.
There is, however, a tendency in the
natural man TO forget God, TO ignore
God, to criticise God, to pull to pieces
his revelation, to mend it for him, to
re-create the Creator. Hence, God is
not trusted and there can be no graft
tude.
This distrust in God, this practical
atheism, which causes these silent harps
and yoicelesS temples and heather ex-
cesses OF earth, is far more prevalent
than we at first imagine. Hence,
let us notice some OF its practical work
ings.
Human skill, Industry and achievements
dispLace God. We rule God out of our
calculations. We leave no place for Dl-
vine influence and power IN our human
schemes. We try, by management, to
supplant God. Civilization takes the
place OF spirituality.
We didriid God By trusting 10 natural
lar, 10 the exclusion Of a Personal God. We
trust in the seed, the soil, the season, the
rain, the sunshine, anything and every
thing but a personal God.
1t is true the world is under natural
ldw. Ecry grain Of corn is the product
of law. Natural blessings or civilization
are the fruits OF the laws of labor and
industry. Intellectual greatness is the
result of the laws of application and
study. Spiritual blessings, while they
are the gifts OF sovereign grace, are also
conditioned in the laws OF faith and obe-
dience.
Yet this Is no reason why we should
be practical atheists, because 1t is far
easier to believe in God of law and or
der than i'm one of confusion and dis
order. The one will, the one purpose,
the harmonious blending OF all laws,
the correlation of forces are the very
best evidences of an Omniscient mind
and Personal God back of all law.
We disirISt God, too, often Uhsn our dr-
sirsS and determination are opposed w ms
p,rpose and wM. We are all the time
clashing against omnipotence, and as
sumo to instruct omnisCience. Wetrust
IN olpSelres, in natural lars, and ~ our az
fsctiOIlS and desires, instead of God, and
of course there can be no Thanksglv-
ing.
The Character and Duty Of Thanksgiving
"Giving thanks for all things always"
Here we have The Duty, The Scope and TIE
Duration of Thanksgiving.
(a.) What Is Thanksgiving 10 Is 0ppos-
I'll 10 iiigrdtit,lole and cOmpLGmugs. Many
persons stand as beggars at the door OF
Mercy with their empty baskets, piteous-
ly crying give give give" when
they might be inside enjoying the feast
with Gods happy children.
His opposed to Snry, not enjoying our
own blessings because some one else is
more highly favored. Envy surrounded
by the brightness OF anOther's prosperity,
like a Scorpion in a circle OF fire, will
sting itself to death.
II iSODpOSsd 10 glOOmuISSS, or dwelling IN
the losses and fOrgettingt gains in life.
From standpoint OF earth, human lie
is losing process, but what we have
lost is nothing to what We have gained.
OR Losses are but the dust thrown from
the wheels of the chariot in which the
Conquerer rides to his throne the
shielded feathers from the Eagles plum
age in his glorious flight. We stand
richer and stronger in soul to-day than
when weighed by what We have lost.
Positively Considered, Thanksgiving is
the highest point OF PRAYER, the crown
on the brow Of the suppliant. 1t is be-
yond asking and beseeching. 1t is JOY
IN receiving.
u dLso implies resignation, unless we
can say THY will be done we can from
the heart say praise the Lord
1t also implies more than submission,
there must be an element Of prGi~ in the
resignation. 1.-THE Lord gave and the
Lord hath taken away Here is sub
mission. Blessed be the name OF the
Lord" Here Jobintroduced the element
of praise.
Thanksgiving reaches its highest point
of excellence when We praise God for
his own glory and character, for His own
sake.
d. The Scopc Of Thanksgiving; "For all
things We are not to retlecta few speci-
mems and from the hill tops OF life give
thanks but take in the whole range OF
being "for all things
(cIThS DaraiioH Of Thanksgiving: cal
yays.h Not 10 tune and use our harps
to-day and then hang them on the will
lows until another Thanksgiving ut ~
ways" give thanks. Pralsing God should
not be like sparks from a flint, but like
water from u fountain, free, natural,
constant.
THE MEDIUM or THANKSGIVING.
an the name of our Lord Jesus
Christ" He is Gods almoner and our
Mediator. All gifts OF pardon, peace
and purity from God 10 us, and our
PRAYERS and praises to God flow through
. Him. W nv nave w sunny ~
cause He was IAN hungered. Why
have we so many friends? Because He
was friendless. Why have We immortal
prospects? Because He was mortal and
died and planted the flower of eternal
spring in the moss of the tomb.
Trio sad thoughts will intrude upon the
lows and festivities of this day. The First
Is the fact OF vacant chair and miss
| ing presence in the home. The home
circle is broken and, like Harp with a
shattered chord, the music can never be
perfect. These anniversaries revive old
9riefs with original freshness. The &c
ond and sadder thought is the absence
( of Christ from so many homes and
hearts. Without Christ, eternity throws
a pail over the festivities OF life. May
/ He. who "went TO be the guest OF a
I man VINO Is n sinner, be your guest TO-
4 day and thus bring ioy to many homes,