The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-11-27
AT THE CHURCHES.
Services OF Thanksgiving and Praise
Lessons of the Day.


Services OF Thanksgiving and Praise
Lessons of the Day.
Very interesting services were held at st.
Marks church yesterday morning. The sing
ing, which was unusually good, included Farm
er's '"Te Deum,' ami a beautiful Thanksgiving
anthem. The offertOry was for the benefit OF
the poor OF the parish An appropriate sermon
was preached by the rector, Rev. d. c. Garrett,
who took as his text Job lilo:
''Shal we receive good at the hand OF God, and
shall we not receive eyil?"
Mr.. Garrett began by saying that on Thanks
giving day it was the custom to recount the
blessings received during the year by the nation,
the family and the individual People often at
tempted to draw line and say that this was
blessing for which we should DO thankful and
this, on the other hand, evil Men
spoke as if God in some years had been specially
gracious, while at other times He withheld His
favor. Thanks are returned for financial pros
perity, abundant crops and good health: but
business trouble and sickness are regarded as
evils. Mr.. Garrett urged that such opinions
were not the correct ones. God is the same
yesterday, today, and forever. lie does not
watch over men and care for them during one
year, and then for time withhold His favor
His blessings are not bestowed casually nor by
whim: but he is changeless in His mercy The
pain and conflict of life are blessings Just as
truly as the good fortune which comes, for they
are needed for the higher development of mans
nature, just as in the material world progress is
secured only through ages of opposition, OF
cropping and of pain. So in the spiritual; the
sorrow, the toll and the trouble help to forge
men into something better and stronger. The
cure for dissatisfied life is the remembrance
that in all the conflict and the WEAKNESS there
Is a purpose So 1t is selfish to remember on
Thanksgiving day only those things which ap-
pear good, for all things work together for good,
and we should thank God for the whole life.
The First Methodist Episcopal church at
Third and Marion streets, was completely filled
at the services at II a. m. All of the eight or
ten Methodist Episcopal churches of the city
had joined in union services, and the different
pastors were present to assist Rev Levi Gil
bert, the pastor of the First church. Dr. Gilbert
gave areview OF the year in his discourse, speak
ing OF the progress morally and spiritually in
national events, and showing the overrulipg
spirit in everything. He alluded to the compli-
cations with Chile and Italy; to the improve
ments made in our merchant marine; to the de-
velopement OF republican ideas throughout the
nations; TO the progress of peace and arbitra-
ton, and OF moral and political reforms The
Australian ballot system and the corrupt prac-
hces act. the Tanmany fight, and the senatorial
investigating committee were incidents all OF
which went TO show that politics were improv.
Ing DIR. Gilbert spoke OF the character of VIII
liam the Second; of the educational facilities of
the public schools. New libraries had been
founded and universities extended during the
rear.
In philanthropic work the health congress in
London. the prison reform movement and the
efforts TO check the persecution of the Jews in
Russia were ali cited. Great progress had also
been made in sociological affairs and the moral
reform had been very noticeable The sneaker
referred to incidents in the of Sir Charles
pike, to Parnell. to the Prince of Wales, and to
the recent suppression OF pvizedght at st.
Paul, to show how progress had been made
morally. In religious chronology the Congrega-
honsl congress at London, the Methodist Ecum-
tnical conference, the celebration of John
Nesleys death, the progress of General Booths
icheme, Mr.. Surgeons sickness, the trial of
Briggs, the election of Phillips Brooks as bishon
and other events were touched upon, and a
brief notice was made OF Won Moltke Grew.
William Henry Smith, Sir John Macdonald
Window. sherman and Porter. The choir con-
sisted OF Mrs. f. d. Parsons. soprano; Mrs
Arthur shepard, alto; Mr.. c. z. Bowman. tenor
and Mr. Grout, besso. Besides the hymns the
rhoir rendered an anthem for Thanksgiving.
aud Mrs. Parsons sang solo entitled Thoughts
Of Heaven"
All of the Congregational churches of the city
united in Thanksgiving services at the Plyn-
puth Congregational church at Third and Uni
tersi'y streets Rev. ". W. Terrier, pastor of
the Brooklyn church. preached the sermon H
spoke OF the ploclamstions 10y the president
and The governor and then gave short history
Of the day. The way TO give thanks he said
Was 10 live thanks aud 10 show by every day
notions how the blessings of lie were appreci-
nted
The morning services at the Unitarian church,
Seventh and Union streets, was conducted bv
the Rev William q. Eliot, the pastor Before
The regular sermon Ar. Eliot gave = nvs-minute
talk TO the children Of the sunday school
Tie subject OF his main discourse
was "Grstitude and Obligation lie said that
gratitude was the feeling we have toward one
who h.esscs or benefits rs. II was the natural
instinct Of the heart and was seen in animals
sS well as IL man. Gratitude could not te
ieparsTed from the thought Of the henefactOr
DOR the effort 70 show Itself. The Christian life
WAS grateful for al experiences whether bitter
or sweet and Thanksgiving for temporal bless.
luEs did not l@pIy that Al the experiences Of
life were not blessings II only their Divine sig.
aiucauee Tor each life wac conceived The
speaker dwelt upon the obligations consequent
upon gratitude and especially Of the duties of
citizenship. Despite the bad weather The attend
tucc large.
Thanksgiving at Holy Trinity Lutheran
church was observed in novel way The sun.
aEy~sehool and congregation met together At the
church al Ii o'eioek q m The attendance was
large, the suudsy-school in particular being
EeH represented. The exercises consisted OF
The regular morning service Of the lutheran
church and short sdiress 20 the children
fbe ohiec. OF this ehtllrens Thanks-
giving service 70 install spirt,
81 patriotism into the little ones and
shus lesd 20 tie training up Of generation OF
ChFia;IAa American citizens Before the
sermon the pastor read u the children the
presidents ard the governors prociaula.
Hons and explained their objects A discourse
By Rev. Z. f. keeyer followed based on Lev
n-3 4 IA this sermon the pastor told the
Children thsi among others they had three
taings 10 thank God Tor. First, for liberty Of
eeusc4enee. second. for unity, and third for
rsAce aud prosperity In this great and glorious
republic. Al these points were elaborated ana
Illustrated 90 sait the infant mind
A. tbs f1rst Presbyterian church the attend
snos 81 morning service was very large, includ-
Ing many from each Of the other Presbyterian