The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1880-11-26
THANKSGIVING.

TnanksglVlhg lay an occasion LOT
little extra feasting, there are probably
but few who ever stop TO think how
much or how little reason they have to
observe the day as the Pilgrim Fathers
observed it, as day of praise and of
giving thanks to the Father of all for
the blessings given by him during the
year. Our worthy governor calls up
on us to be thankful to Him for pretty
much we have that makes life worth
living among our hills and mountains.
Now it may be questioned If it be
sound basis on which our pleasant fes-
tival has to stand. The idea that all
the blessings which we enjoy are the
special gift of the creator of the universe
may be pleasing one to the devout
mind, but common sense bids us IN
quire il He descends in these days to
such personal relations to His creatures
us to bestow gifts upon them in the
manner and in the sense which calls for
the recipients acknowledgement of
"Thank you," in whatever form and
and with whatever reverence it be ex-
pressed.
These blessings are the same in sub
stance as are enjoyed by every living
creature, great or small, namely, the
ability to live, and to enjoy the living.
They are the same in substance as man
kind has always enjoyed. Life and
death, disease and health, want and
plenty, liberty and oppression, have
always, in every land, existed side by
side. But amid 1t all, from the day
when man was but naked savage
with but the single idea of obtaining
qualification of his animal wants, down
10 these days of advanced attainment
and culture, he has had the same thing
to be thankful for, that Oh the whole
his life was enjoyment. And this is
nothing more than animated nature in
all its multitudinous forms forms and
pursuits has to be thankful for The
environment in which is placed every
animated creature, from man down to
the tiniest speck of life which the mi
croscope reveals, has shaped them for
this enjoyment. And of them all
man is the only creature presumptuous
enough to suppose that he is singled
out as the special recipient of gifts from
the Creator who has bestowed so liber-
ally upon all. God does not make pres
ents. All that we can learn of Him of
whom we can know nothing is, that lie
has placed us all in world where each
creature has the chance to live, 10 grow
and to improve, in fulfllment ofcapaci-
tics originally implanted in his nature.
In striving with the conditions in
which he has been placed, man has de-
veloped and Improved. He acquires
new and better tastes from age to age.
He knows more of the nature of the
limitations which bcset him, and learns
to make them the step-ladder to new
acquisitions. The experience of life i
gradually teaching him that his own
liberty and happiness are compatible
and dependent upon the enjoyment Of
the same by his fellows. But all his
betterlnent is in accordance with rules
which the united experience of the
word outside of bible history cannot
show ever to have been altered in any
case for the special benefit of any man
or people. Man is as much the creature
of nature, fixed and unchanging to eter
nifty, as the worm he Lreads upon. If
he labors he acquires the means of life.
II idle he starves. If he lives uprightly
and strives to improve the powers of
body and Of soul which are his by ma
ture, he prospers. Every power of ma
ture is at the service and for the benefit
Of every man alike. Industrious or
Idle, just or unjust, of nature spiritual
or grovelling, the warm sun shines and
the reviving rain falls for all alike. If
the plague is in the air or famine falls
upon the land all alike suffer. Ifa race
violates physical laws it deteriorates
and dies out.
Nature unchangingly goes on. Seed
time and harvest follow each other and
man enjoys tine rich fruits which al
ways have and always will follow
rightly directed efforts. No special gifl
Of Providence are they, but the newt
able results of the conditions amid
which man exists. Net less inevita.
bic result of these conditions are the
freedom and enlightenment which we
enjoy. The idea that our enjyoments,
our rights and our privileges are con.
ferred upon us by the Creator is on
par with that which ascribes to His
Christening hand the evilf which our
own rashness, ignorance or iinprudence
has brought upon us.
Man is but an insignificant part of
creation, 80 Insignificant that it is
strange that he dares think an Infinite |
creator has singled him out of the infin-
lite jewellers an infinite universe to
bestow upon him more than he has
bestowed upon other beings. lie las
given to all alike capacities and the
means of fulfilling them. To man ac-
cording to his measure he has given no |
moae than to the others. And the only
thanks the Creator wants of his crea-
lures is to rejoice and be glad in the life
he has given them and the conditions
for making that life a satisfaction and
an enjoyment.
1t Is we'll for men to take time to re.
alize all that they have and enjoy. And
1t is we'll that they praise the Creator
for It all. But in SO doing they should
not forget that there is no call for their
thanks for the special blessings of the
year, the governors proclamation to