Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-11-30
THANKSGIVING Sermon


Wees ~ congregational Church on
Thanksgiving Day.
Psalms 1l6:12-"What shall / render
unto the Lord for sill his benefits towards
me?"
When you have been travelling you
have nosiced here aud there beside the
track m~ile-pcsts, to mark the distance
from the starting point. AS the never
wearying rush of time bears ne onward
these yearly feasts-such commemors-
tive days as these-cpme TO mark our
pathway.
The cold yet social winter, tie early
budding spring. the biossoming, grow
ing summer, the ripenipg, busy autumn,
ell nave come with their Joys and sor-
row one hundred and eleven times since
this land became q nation. Another
mile-post is here to-day, soon it will be
past as onward we speed. Shall we not
es a nation look about us? We may not
stay the flight of time, but we may look
out of the windows to see what may be
rushing by. Happy the man or woman
that each year learns new lessons from
the past and learns them we'll. Happy
would We be as o nation if the lessons OF
the years gone by, as told at these ami.
versaries, were SO deeply impressed as
never to be forgotten. Ii from the pages
| OF our history we would lea n as q ma
| ton to love truth ard honesty, then
! the past would not have been In vain
Ii from a study OF the former years we
should learn TO do justly and walk up
rightly, then the present would have no
| regrets as it went outward with the set
/ ting sun. III from the sorrows and mis-
takes of the days gone by we should
learn that righteousness exalteth q
nation, bat sin is q disgrace to any peo-
Pile, !" then the past would have done its
work end the future would oe brighter
In the hope of holier, happier days.
In the history Of our own land there
are SO many noble deeds coupled with
SO many great names that every heart
ought to bound with emotion and beat
high With q wish to be like those gone
before, and to initiate their noble Geedst
I pity the poor man whose heart is SC
small that, standing in the shadows o.
the great deeds Of the past, does not fee
himself filled with O desire to be nobler
to be q truer man, o better citizen and
more worthy patriot.
The history of our own land leads N,
to think that in the rise, progress ane
prosperity of our nation there has beer
q purpose of wisdom higher than humar
working out for this people q wonderful
destiny. / am thankful to Him who ha
given us the past and who will guide q
in the future. Let me suggest some o
the blessings that are ours as a nation:
Prosperity he's been ours; the current
of trade have moved steadily, merchant
have sold, manufacturers have beer
busy, the steamship has plowed tn
ocean aud the steam car has rushed tt
and fro upon the land bearing the burdeI
of commerce. The hum Of trade hos beef
continuous, the whir of the spindle ha
echoed the song of the plowman an
each has found q response in the ring o
> the anvil, until ous whole patton ha
bean o rushing. moving, thronging bus
activity.
The blessing of good crops should nc
be forgotten. We are a people that de
pend, after all, upon agriculture. Th
east cannot divorce itself from tn
broad prairies of the west, and W
J should be thankful to-day for goo
> crops. No general failure has been re
! ported in all the length and breadth O
our land. Thank God, then, that Their
is abundance within our borders an,
that the crops have beer garnered.
), We are at peace. The nations abroa
respect us and while some of them stan
in armed menace against each other GU
flag hosts peacefully among all nations
emblems. l cannot close this part c
the subject without one more referenc
to national affairs. / speak OF th
/, great election just passed. Certainly j
ought to be q matter of thankfulnes
that q complete deposition OF rulers ca
be made SO peacefully. and ] think n
true patriot can help rejoicing that ties
changes are made in this fair lend of gu,
without war A contest the issues {
which were as broad as our national lii
: settled peacefully st the polls. Eve
disfranchised Dakotaians, Whatever ma.
be their political affiliations, see q roy
!, light in the fact that one OF their mo
ardent advocates will be at the head
the nation, and in the prospect of speed
division and admission. We should b
, thankful for the brightness OF the pro
:. poet. What we want is division and 81
:, mission into the union. and that in 81
most speedy way possible. Lst us off
, our prayers that before another nation
thanksgiving We may be part of the nj
ton, and let us rejoice in the prospec
. Shall we speak also of the blessing
to the home? The word hon
has % christian meaning, for on
in christian lands is the tt,
!. home found. Bounded by Il
: four walls OF a true christian home q
the dearest, tenderest ties OF earth. /
= true is this that we speak of God
father and heaven as the ideal HON
THE speaker alluded in q pleasing ma
ner TO the pleasant homo gatherings