The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1891-11-27
Thanksgiving.

The wonder comes, on this change
full, storm-driven, November day,
with our annual Thanksgiving at
hand, what the anniversary means to
the hearts of The HERALD'S thous-
ands of readers. II we could gather
around one great glowing hre-side,
and tell our experiences" what
tears would fall, what alleluias would
be uttered! For nothing is so wonder
full as human life, with its measure
less possibilities of joy and grief, OF
out-reach and up-lIfC, and, alas! OF
descent to the lowest abysses. Thou
sands of bruised and broken spirits at
this very time are asking, why
should ! celebrate Thanksgiving"
.'What have / to be grateful for" III
[ were asked which of all the gifts l
should desire for those l love best i'll
all the world, L should answer con-
tented spirit.
Not the mere animal coptentment
that makes man satisfied with any
condition in life, but that higher
spirit that leads child of the Heaven
ly King to hold himself well content
with any dispensatiOn of his Fathers
will. Look about you a little now
and then, mark how few of US have
really great trials to bear. There are
millions of poor people in the world,
and to be very poor is to miss many
of the good things of this life. But 1T
is not in the power of old clothes and
scrimpy food, and low ceilings to
render you forgetful of the many
mansions that are awaiting you, and
! the "White robes" and the sparkling
crown, when these few brief years OF
life in an alien land are forgotten.
Some to-day may have greater trials
a. hIifn Fn n
the silent prisoned ones who people
| the invalid's world, and whose smoth-
cred plant does not reach the ear,
and into whose life sunshine comes
| in April and uncertain fashion.
The longest life of pain shall seem
| of small consequence, when Christ
himself shall stOOp, at last, to gather
YOUR life's rose and smile away your
mortal to divine. Are you tormented
by faithless friends and broken con-
| stancies; or what is worse, have you
uncOngenial ones, whose natures DO
not respond to your own, who do not
understand your highest hopes and
before whom you can never be your
better self, 1t is eGsy to act heroies
on a platform before the multitude,
but to keep grand and fine and brave
under the sOrdid cares of a life OF
sickness, sorrow and poverty is not
less worthy. The missionary at
fhome creates and inspires little en-
thusiasm, and many patient heart
beats on "unhonored and unsung-"
Oh sorrowing hearts, this is
Thanksgiving that we all may keep.
Make poverty lose its sting by shar-
ing the little you have with those
who have less.
And you good passer by in your
we'll wadded carriage and ermine
robes, as you roll by the row of hum
BILE homes, at which carriage folk"
do not visit, pray you stop and out
of your bounteOus store give to the
children and their mothers, the in
valid and the waiting ones, the ignor-
ant and the fallen ones, the tired and
the toiIing ones. Note their curious
faces full Of eager interest and un'
gratified longiDg; white from the
confinement of dingy rooms, wan
from the lack of blue sky and Gods
sunshine, let them have at least the
solace of your sympathy in gentle
courtesies and tender fOrbearances
There is nothing then, not poverty
nor want, nor pain nor grief, mol
death itself, can keep us out Of the
heritage of sure coming joy, il we
bear in our bosom the jewel of con
tented mind, and in our soul an un
wavering trust in the tenderness O.
the All Loving One.
SOPHY SPARKLE.