Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-27
THANKSGIVING SERVICES.
- Conducted at she Upfversaltst Unst.
rtan and Episcopal Churches.


The subject was ''The spirit of PRAYER and
Thanksgiving; text, Matthew, vi, 9-lo.
Human nature attained the zenith of its
perfection in Jesus. Thought touched abvs.e.
and rose to heights that are without r illel.
courage reached its loftiest altitude, reyer-
epce round Its lowilest need, obedience .ieid-
Cd 1t greatest sacrifice, and prayer exhibited
It's uttermost pathos, sublimitv and power.
The true act Of prayer is within. 1t is unu,-
terable prayers that are ever the mightiest
But the impulse to prayer must find utt4rsnce.
just as gushing spring must make tor itself
channel. Nothing in literature can compare
with this PRAYER Of Jesus. Il is not the
grouping OF its words that IS its majesty but
the prayer within the words. There are no
not, impatient yearnlng-. no sobs of fear: il
Is calm as planet and vivid as a star
Prayer may be extempore or the repetition of
written form. X is never the act bur al
ways the moral force that gives it birth. Let
prayer be mechanical and it will be frozen
on the lips. The first sentence of this pray-r
reoukes US all-"Our Father" The man
who can feel the messureless reverence. and
trust implied in this invocation, no matter
what name he may call himself, is Chris
uan. h anyone can repeat this PRAYER
without blush Of shame, when they refuse
W uoit III OlDtT tuTtSlldus whose 'ttIlOW-
ship is with the Father, and with his Son,
Jesus Christ" in a National Thanksgiving
Service, is mystery. This lamentable big
otry contributes more than anything else to
bring religion into contempt =
Th re is nothing within the range of hu-
manity SO deathless as the upward mo vement
OF the soul toward God, rs the vision that its
highest good is righteousness, and its bright
est crown Is truth. This is the outcome of
the Divine within us Realize this for il il
not by the light of intellect alone, that re
reach the Fatherhood of God. but by the re-
Spouse to the Utmost warnings of the soul.
1t is when the soul quivers with reverence,
and is lifted into trust that We cry "Our
Father" The forces and laws of nature do
not sati-fv us. They are blind and deaf But
Father. He can know, He can love. He can
pity. No wonder that the instructive breath
ing of the soul saws, "Hallowed be thy
uame" We hallow Gods name by striving 10
be like him. TO mount on conquered self
and passion daily nearer God is to live
the prayer "Halowed be- thy name" But
n low conception of God dishonors
him, and is the worst evil that
can befal the human spirit Our
ides of God moulds our ideal of life. Such
as we think God to be, such we tend to be-
come. 1t 10 precisely because men think
that God takes pleasure in torturing men for
erroneous beliefs after they are dead, that
they themselves take pleasure in ostracizing
them for difference in opinion while they
1 live. We cannot better ,how our thankful.
ness to God for his manifold blessings than
oy Trying 10 eAat .he conception OF Hod
among men. As the ideal rises. so rises the
whole standard Of character. That God may
be throned in the affections of the world and
blend all spirits into one brotherhood is the
nope 'hat prays' Ihy VIII be done on earth
rha a;v;n LII hn. .. - ah.l ~. :.
we could persuade God to sv.rye from His
will, His verv deity would be gone. nut no
| limit to His mower. He is infinite pray to
| Him then when your heart il heavy. when the
night is dark and the way unknown. ask him
| through binding tears in the d.solate home
amid the forum. $ wrpck-ask him to mellow
! vour grit 10 helm ynu hear vour burden md
your main. But do !. in the spirit of that lord.
lv brother whom b.n,.th tho shadow NJ tbs
cross Not a. will. but as Thou wilt"
'"e I'o "p'
Union lhAhksgNihg services occurred al
the Free Baptist church at II o'clock, A. NJ.
, there beinp fair-.ized audience n attend
M, ... -, =,
, '"'''o" ''' o'"s Vi '"s
proclamation were by Kew Mr Jordan
scripture reading, Rev. A +. Skeele The
sermon WAC though,ful nractical d;scour.s
/ ,,., wv.
anu was ue'''e'e' Nv "'F H. D. "i'e' "n'
took Tor has text Daniel vi, lo-'No" wher
Daniel knew the writing was signed, he ven
into bis house. and his windows helm, oner
...1
:" ''' " NJ nv
upon his knees three times day, and prayed
aud gave thanks before his God "a he die
af,ratip.~ EoIlo.;ng .bstr,,,
-, b'u'"ss '",i0 ""'' oee" 'no'e sehui','
wig 10Y t""t, 'o-u"y' ""e" peopi'
u"''eu !" prayer " '""hN t'ie hofu ior ueiiV-
e'""oe' "e'e 20 Nv euest.'" ''a' Tue ua'
'o>e' "aun" VI n' 'ls"'"'"n'e "nen .i'
N'"u", y, Ni9'' arc pu' '"e IL"
tent Vi .ne u"s "ot Nho's 'os'' lor praises
20 up "o'' INV ,I >'nu' VI s"nI' uar'es aho
nea' ,"''o'e' "e PEI i" a,'i' n'cu y" one'
wa" s''l"S DC W at 'O'iie ''nS' ~
anu p ~ Wv "e.et".ion' a"I
'ne il"n.'"e". uSs a"' "a'oh ,'aniel
oneteu p'"tci P'e'eeu ".' nau "ee'
spreau .oi ni" no o"e '"puiu w .ne sue,
eA0ep, !" wv mug, '' pt'ye" anu
ea'e 'u"pN' W., ~"e" my a"u '""' ms uea' "a'
!" """se, Nv VI '''e pe'P''
was. c.'eu az o"e Va ."e s neaous
'o"' "s. souoo-s' nv 'p's1"' e'e'' u
N"ten oui o1I",'y 49, ~ ui'Cn ior It's pros