Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-11-29
A TYPICAL THANKSGIVING
The Anne rican Day of Gratitude
and Feasting.
How Rock Island Observed the Holt
day---Rev. Meidrum's Pointed Ser
mon----Dinner Parties .-Amuse-
meuts.

What gorgeous winter day was yes
terdiyl What an ideal. ms piring Thanks
givingl Could nature have robed herself
more grsndly and more fifth ugly for the
distinctly American holidayH Everybody
bad a kind word to say for the weather.
And the elements which uuconsciously,
perhaps. have so much to 10 with our
feelings and our sentiments after all,
made each one feel without recounting
and enumerating his individual blessings,
that there was truly much n general to
return thanks for to the Giyer of all
Good.
Rock Island always enjoys Thanksgiv-
ing. Especially has this been the case in
recent years. and more particularly was
1t so this year when the city has beeL so
greatly favored. The original Thanks
giving had distinct reference to a boun>
uful harvest. but it has developed and
brosdened into an event of returning
thanks on High for all bless ings, benefits
and prosperity. This is the reason WHY
Rock Island viewed the day with so much
Importance and appreciation Yesterday
The religious observance were all well
attended. This was the sse at Trinity.
morning and evening. where Rev. r F.
Sweet delivered appropriate sermons. At
the First Baptist the congre cations of that
church and also of the Central. Broadway
and United Presbyterian, the First NJ. f
and the Christian chapel united. the Revs.
Leland, Medium. Cue and Marquis par.
ticipating in the services. A combined
choir under the direction of Mr.. Leland.
furnished music.
MR.. MELDRUM's SERMON
The sermon was preached by Rev. A.
B. Medium of the Central PRESBYTERIAN,
whose text was taken from Matthew
1853:
But can you not discern the s'gus of the
times
Our Thanksgiving day would be spent
to little profit, Mr.. Medium said, unless
a day of holy resolution. and it WAS to
arouse TO this that he designed dis
course on the signs of the times. 1t has
become TO be = trite saying that we lived
In day OF marvellous mental. moral and
physical excitement. Intelligence has
vivif1ed the great mass of the community.
Events which used TO occupy a century
are crowded into q year. In Illustration
of this Mr.. Meldrum poir ted to what had
taken place IN the past two weeks, in
which time without blood shed or anarchy,
Brazil the empire had become Brazil the
republic.
The first point dwelt upon was the re-
ligIous signs of the times. These, the
preacher declared were bright with prom
Use and dark with threatening. Never
such noble combinations for good: never
more abundant proof of the power Of the
gospel to bless and save the race than to-
day. During the year ending March last
In the United States 6 33i new churches
were organized. 4 sos new ministers or,
dained. ia s64 new members admitted.
This was declared t. be record
unparalleled by any preceding wear.
Mr.. Meldrum also pointed to the fact that
the work of the church was more praCti-
cal than ever before. 4 holy warfare is
being waged against the gigantic evils Of
our day. The church has largely given
up the vain effort of proving what man.
by his very constitution cant help be-
lieving. namely: That Il ere is a God who
lives and reigns. he is setting himself
to more profitable task IF leading men to
God; and Of destroying al obstacles to his
mental. moral and spiritual progress.
And yet the picture is I OF wholly bright;
there are dread combir atoms for evil as
well as good, wild destructive anarchical
spirits abroad. There il So much of NOT
bid sentiment on one land and enthusi.
astic proianeness on he other that we
sometimes are ready to stand appalled,.
times, what is deman led of those who
call themselves chrittisnsI A strong,
vivid. commanding faith. We must take
our stand and keep 1t.
Mr.. Medium directed the attention Of
his auditors to some o the political signs
OF the times. and these, as in the other
case. he said to be both hopeful and
menacing In the opinion of the speaker,
ii was hopeful sign of the times to OBJ
serve 4 growing sen .iment in favor of
higher qualifications On the part of those
who came here from foreign lands APP
plying for citizenship. He felt that he
could speak more freely on that subject.
inasmuch as he himself, was of foreign
birth. Many level headed Americans
were beginning to realize the necessity
for some more satisfactory guarantee of
intelligence and decent character on the
part of those who applied for the right of
franchise. II was obvious. be said, that
many in this country were admitted 10
citizenship before they were thor oughly
AmeTicanized. He claimed that if the
constitution was some thing with which
every man seeking band in the man.
agement of this country ought to be ia.
milisr with. the law ought to demand an
exhibition of at Least a reasonable degree
of familiarity with it. He. therefore,
hoped that this movement would con.
tinue until no man would be allowed &c
vote who could not read the Americ al
constitution and the American language
and give some proof of sober and decen
character. Until there would not be toll.
Grated such half hearted style of Amer
icanism as rendered it possible for any
body of men under the oath Of allegianc,
to combine in this country for the ex
press purpose OF advancing the politicA
interests of another. Until the clan ma
gael and anarchists and men Of sucl
stripe would be given to understand tina