Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-24

| -
| much part of the observance of Thanksgiving
day as to have turkey for dinner. There is a
very general feeling of this sort among the
good people Of this city, and independent of
the religious duty involved it is a custom
which is generally observed. At least that
the case today. The church services were well
attended and the congregations listened to SER
mons Of a patriotic character, which taught the
lessons of good citizenship. After hearing
about their duty as citizens the church goers
then went home and did their duty toward the
dinner which had been provided.
AMERICAS CAUSE FOR GRATITUDE.
DR.. Brown at Foundry Points Out Many
Causes for Thankfulness.
Rev. DR.. Oliver A. Brown preached at
Foundry Church today from the text 1.-The
Lord is Good to ALL" Or. Brown spoke in
substance as follows: We are assembled in
this house Of God today in accordance with the
promptings of our thankful hearts as we'll as in
compliance with the proclamation of our noble
chief magistrate, who, though in deepest sor-
row because Of his recent sad bereavement, vet
summons a sympathizing nation to grateful
acknowledgment Of the goodness Of God in
words which touched the hearts Of all peoples.
With perhaps one exception-the anniversary
Of the birth Of our blessed Lord-around no
other day Of the wear cluster so many tender
memories and fond associations The happy
reunions. the grateful remembrances. the feast
ing, the mirth, the thanksgivings, the warm,
loving hearts 1t carries in its BOSOM all make it
day whose coming is longed for while it is yet
future and not to be forgotten when it is past.
In the midst of its JOY God always seems so
good. man is SO kind and home is so sweet, and
now let us take up the strain of the royal min
strel. David in which, while sweeping the harp
| strings, he SO often voiced the feelings Of his
grateful heart, 1.-The Lord is Good to All"
WHY AMERICANS SHOULD BE GRATEFUL
This declaration Of the President is of uni
versal application, but is especially applicable
to the people of this nation, because we are in
the enjoyment of blessings such as other ma
/ lions have never known. But We cannot prop
erly appreciate, and. therefore will not be suf-
| fcienty grateful for, any Of these blessings
without first of all being thankful that we live.
| l. Thank God for life, with all its opportuni-
| ties and privileges and glorious ministries.
| This Is the gift around which all other gifts
| cluster, and if TO any, even in the humblest
| sphere, it seems light bestowmeut then all
other gifts are vain and such a life ia not worth
| the living
| 2. Thank God for our land and know not
where beneath the sun there is a moro goodly
!
human activity and for the happiness and de-
velopment of a great people. Brighter skies,
| and bamler air. and more genial temperature,
and richer soil there may be. but these are not
the conditions for the development Of free and
noble men. They really weaken and enervate
| The greatest leaders and mis- b test peoples have
| had their homes in the midst of broken but glo-
| rious scenery. when the climate vas rigorous
and the soil rewarded only faithful and patient
| labor. Our land is rich in natural beauty and
| possesses a charming variety of scenery. Our
climate embraces nearly all temperatures. TIE
| products of the soil differ with the differing
sections, and our industries. too. are widely
different. AS one country produces something
| which other countries have not each section
of our land has its peculiar products and indus
| tries which contribute to the comfort and hap
piness Of the whole people. While We Join in
| thanksgiving for life let also be grateful for
u home in the fairest of all lands.
LIBERTY.
8. Thank God for liberty. Life in goodly
land is much, but life and land and liberty are
immeasureably more. To be able to say II
am is grand but to be able to say 81 am Free
8 grander. The dream of the ages is a living
fact in our own time and land.
i 4. We enjoy civil liberty. A few brave he
| roic souls dared to conceive that men had
rights; that God made the common people az
well as aristocrats; that all men had the iualieu-
able right to life and liberty" They dared
not only to conceive, but also to act, and in
their own blood. gladly shed for tie triumph of
| their just cause. they laid the foundation of
the republic on this inimitable principle that
''all men are created free and equal ard OF right
ought to be free" Never was government planned
more wisely. Three generations have already
tested it and they. with united voice, pronounce
it wise and safe and strong New ideas have
been born and old ones have died: education
and civilization have advanced: our territory
has grown wider and wider. our population has
constantly increased, progress has been seen
everywhere. and yet. notwithstanding all
changes, The system of government our fathers
adopted remains unchanged. 1t has been tried
in peace and in war, and through all it has
come unimpaired, not star blotted from our
flag.
5. We enjoy religious liberty. Religious free
dom as well as civil was that which our ia hers
sought and secured. They well understood the
evils OF union of church and state. side BY
SIDE therefore, with the seed Of civil liberty
they planted the seed of religious liberty and
watered them both with their tears and blood
The evils of this union i'll the past in other lands
are known to all who are conyersant with his
tory, for its pages are blotted with the records
! OF the most vile eusayements and wanton
crimes committed under its name. In this
country such union finds no place. and today
| the church Is more spiritual and the state
mightier because they are distinct and separate,
though one in love of country and in interest in
the welfare of her institutions.
LEARNING.
6. Thank God for learning. An intelligent
citizenship is an absolute necessity to a re-
public. knowledge cannot be monopolized by
the few as in despotsm. Our fathers saw the
need and made provision for it and laid the
foundation of the church and school house side
by side, and in the years that have followed
everywhere throughout the land, upon almost
every inviting eminence, have been planted
public schools free and open to ALL BY means
OF these intelligence and learning are being gem
orally difused among the great multitude and
by this general diffusion OF intelligence among
the masses will our free institutions be pre-
served.
2. Thank God for literature. Literature is
the great power Of the modern world whether
in books or magazines or the press. 1t is
mightier for the Congresses and parliaments
and kings. Fetter il you may, but the more it
is bound the mightier it becomes. Fettered or
unfettered il has ever led the way for liberty
to victory, and SO long as its voice can be heard
our rights are secure.
Last Of all, these are the foundations on
| which our republic stands, and stands securely,
If in addition they are cemented by
8. Love and loyalty to God. We must not
forget that the security of our liberty must be
found in the virtue of the people. and that vir-
tue must have its foundation in religious prin-
| ciple and not simnly m widelv diffnsa1 iptall,-