The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-12-02


is name worth striving for-and to
possess it should be our constant effort
at all risks. 1t will be ours il we are
trusting in God and doing all in his
name and for his glory. And this not
on one appointed day in the year, but
daily throughout our lives. This is the
way we pay our VOWS TO the Most High
Whatsoever we do doing all to the glory
of God. Then viii the praise of thanks
giving with its sacrifice be a sweet SMELL
ing SAVIOR unto our God.
But this day is the day OF reckon
ing. This is the day the bills become
due. We must draw our balance to
see how We stand. Very few of US but
will ind that in our duty to God We have
very little, if any, on the credit side.
Now is the time TO pay our debts. They
cannot be paid in gold always. We have
VOWS 10 pay. Votive offerings that are
richer than gold. There is the sacrifice
OF personal ease and comfort; the gift of
time; the Inconvenience suffered with
out murmuring. Not few of these VOWS
have been paid, but they must be re-
newed and paid again, if We wish to gain
the promised eternal reward of His love.
4IAC VI TIC 1Sldl4QS
are not allowed to anguish, and much
private benefaction OF which the world
knows very little is constantly being car
ried on. As our intercourse with the
outer world increases, and our commu-
nicatlon with other countries becomes
more frequent, We must sexpect to be
visited with the sorrows as well as the
JOYS, the poor as well as the rich, of the
world, and We must make preparation
for every contingency. There is one
danger which, though not peculiar to our
Islands, is perhaps one into which our
people more readily fall land that is weary
ing in well-doing. The most necessary acts
OF charity become wearisome il not per-
formed IN the true spirit OF thanksgiving
and OF paying vows to God for his mer-
cies yOuchsafed already. ! his is the only
spirit which Will sustain US in our good
works. All other motives lose in energy
and strength, and the good work begun
with much enthusiasm and carried on
for time with energy will finally flicker
and die out. This is the day on which
to revive the right spirit, to offer earnest,
heartfelt prayer to God to give US His
holy spirit; to guide US and strengthen US
when we fail, so that no good work cease
through our shortcoming. Ii We have
approached our God with true sense of
gratitude for His mercies, His blessings,
His preservation OF US and His protection
our immunity from the extremes OF
natures powers and from the fierceness
of human passions-our thanksgiving
will not end with the day, but from this
time our lives will be devoted TO His SER
vice. We shall count nothing our own,
and ourselves as only His stewards, ever
ready to minister TO the wants of his peO-
pie IN everything in our power. He who
deems that his years account is settled
in full by one days devotion is making
4 griey0us mistake, and he must be pre-
pared to render an account 10 the Judge
OF all the earth at his coming. How Joy
ful will be the thanksgiving OF all those
who make this day the time for deepen
ing their love and gratitude starting
point for new efforts, the registering of
new vows, who come before Gods
throne not only to offer the praise OF
thanksgiving with their lips, but to offer
freely the devotion of a loving, faithful
and true heart, and intend to show forth
this devotion in their lives by the
holy spirit of God, which they so
fervently pray for, and which God will
most assuredly give, seeing that his ear
is ever open to the prayers of his people.
Let each one Of US be as just towards
God as We expect Him to be Just towards
Us, and then We shall not find ourselves
Withholding from any his Just due.
Being Just towards God we cannot be
unjust towards our neighbor
True sacrifice of thanksgiving will not
allow Us to become so entirely absorbed
in the cares and pleasures or the sorrows
OF this life. Neither shall We be content
with what We Go, or rest in the thought
that we are ministering unto God from
our own goodness of heart. God re-
quires nothing from US. He is the
Creator and GiVer of all good things. eff
I am hungry l will not tell thee, HE says
for every beast OF the forest is mine, and
so are the cattle on thousand hills.
Therefore let Us offer unto God thanks
giving and pay our VOWS unto the Most
High, out OF pure and unfeigned lips
from grateful heart and 50 shall we
join the whole creation in the song of
praise which viii reach to the Heaven OF
Heavens.