Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-11-28

unitarian and Congrewation.,
Churches.


Thanksgiving services were held .t both
'"e Unitarian and Congregational churches
on Thursday forenoon.
Ar THE UNITARIAN.
Inc Universalists and Unitariaps Of the c;,v
!omeu IN union services, the attendance he.
, ,1I large. Rev. I. j. Meade. Rev n
mite. Rev. J. s. Gledhill psrticipsted an
soie ana appropriate Thanksgiving discour.a
oeing delivered by Rev. P. s. Thacher. ns..
.or OF the Unitarian church. His t-rt -.
.ssim % IL, IF we're hungry I would NOT
.. .ell thee, for the world is mine and fullnes.
'"ereoI: Following is an abstract:
ne iacs that men needed to be told that
200 DID not need food from them. is a proof
1nas We have advanced in our knowledge of
uoo' !or we have no such idea The text i.
:"e.e!ore marx that the tide of knowledge
~ rising. II God is teaching Us to see how
de is at work in nature and in bumar i;te
We ought 10 know more Of Him than Moses
and David, than Calvin and Wesley We
must not permit our spiritual life to be con-
.roiied by leading strings held in dead hands
U ,4, De uplitted by the new thought and life
what people think about God is of no i'm.
Portance, unless their belief enlsrpes the
heart, ennobles the life, and increases their
usefulness, The men who believe that God
mas more love tor the members of one church.
.nah ior those of another. are believing in an
luoi that mas no more existence than Santa
Ciaus. Their God has all the faults we con-
demn-He is partial, jealous, vindictive and
wrathful. 1t is absurd to try and subdue
these evils in man while worshipping the same
in God. '"e ''''
In the second clause of the text we have
statement Of the rights of God over all ma
teriai things. ''The world is mine and the
iuiiness thereof" We cannot look upon the
orderly universe, and say Nothing has
originated this, no intelligent principle has
peen at work here. There is an underlying
realty, In whom must lie the conceptional
germs not only Of force as apparent in mat
ter, but also intelligence. will, and those
other perceptions of human nature called the
Moral Sentiments. Everything that exists
comes out of the fullness of God. Does evil
and suffering come from God? So the Bible
teaches. Then how can we believe in the
goodness of God? Because He can see the
good that will grow out of the evil Suffer-
ing is not only punitive but remedial We
are purified by our suffering A sorrowless
world would be joyless one. Where the
light is strongest the shadows are deepest.
Moral evil is the result of human freedom.
We cannot have the rose without the thorn.
But the dark background of evil is spanned
by a radiant arch of promise, and He who has
woven with His own light out of our dark
those brilliant hues, will yet change our pass
ing night into His own eternal day.
l know there is in the distance a frightful
shadow-the abyss where lost souls writhe in
tOrments forever. Eternal torment! and
the merciful God looking down upon
- al II ,p
there is desperate struggle to escape. We
believe in universal redemption, - that
through struggle every child of God will find
his way to the Father, who patiently waits
for the Homecoming of every wanderer.
Have we not then much to be thankful for?
In addition to the blessings we share with all
others, we can look forward with the morning
light shining in our eyes to time when all
shall praise the universal God. Let us show
our gratitude by our works. Let our efforts
be joined to the mighty Power ever at work,
to make the best better. and the worst good.
AT THE GRANITE CHURCH.
An unusually large congregation gathered
in this church chorus choir of some 80
or 40 young people led the singing in an in
spring manner, and Revs Kicker, H. J.
White, Libby of n, Augusta, Skeele and
Bradlee took part in the services. A liberal
collection for the poor of the city was taken
Very appropriate and feeling mention of our
national bereavment in the death of Vice
Pres. Hendricks was made in the prayer.
The sermon was by the pastor of the Meth
odist Episcopal church from Psalm so IA.
"Offer Unto God Thanksgiving" The speak
er erected an imaginary altar and summoned
various kinds of worshipers to bring their
offerings unto the Most High. In this way
the insufficiency as an acceptable sacrifice for
the hour of certain ispositions-commends
Bile in them selves-was shown, and the picture
of an aged woman, of humble mien but glo-
rified face, making an offering of genuine pen
itence and gratitude unto God, was introduced
to show sacrifice obligatory upon all to offer
at the church and home altar upon the day
appointed for thankful remembrance of the
Heavenly Fathers mercies by all the people Of
our land Sincerity in this exercise was in
sisted upon and some of the benefits of en-
gazing in it were mentioned. Some sweet
Thanksgiving Day memories wee revived
and the aged and bereaved were exhorted to
praise God for joys which were once theirs
and because they were to be given back again
in the land to which they had flown. Inter.
esting items in the history of Thanksgiving
DAYS were given and the hope expressed
that the institution which was born of the
unyielding faith Of our devOut fOrefathers
might be perpetuated; its honor not tarnish-
ed its spirit not lost. Christians have cause
to rejoice in National Thanksgiving Day,
as thereby infdelity is rebuked and the
God of the Bible, and in whose name
our Republic was founded. is honofed
When we celebrate National Thanks
giving it is but the nations voice
arising in acknowledgment of Heavenly
Parents protection, that the mercies received
come not by chance, but that there is perso-
nal superintendance over this world, and this
deliverance from trouble, calamity and death
is the proof of Fathers love. There has
been the usual amount of grumbling and bor-
rowing of trouble during the year, but the
harvests have not tailed us, and God has pre-
served the Just and the unjust. Men blame
God often for their own incompetence or neg
lect The Almighty is not to blame for the
weaknesses which come to US through the
law of inheritance, or as a result of our in
discretions and sins. Gods grace does not
promise to make stupid man brilliant. nor
to bring one to wealth or fame, unless he
meet the natural conditions, however
good and trustful he may be. Now and
then for some mysterious reason, an
irdividual stumbes upon legacy or an office
of distinction. but the rule requires patience
brain and work. We have to thank God for so
cial blessings. intellectual blessings, political
blessings and religious blessings. God has