The Indianapolis journal., 1892-11-25

giving. Ihe speaker held that the thank.
fnl spirit may be developed by such
recognizing our spiritual natures. has
not forgotten her function nor exceeded
her prerogatIycs. The exercise OF thank
full spirit. he said. tends to deepen our sense
of dependence upon God. and to quicken
obedience. 1t tends to still passions and to
strengthen good will. The speaker then
continued as follows:
"a thankful spirit conditions and
most essential to our growth. individual
greatness and national welfare. In but
few men il abiding gratitude toward God
an easy attainment. In the content OF sell
tsh possession the thankful spirit escapes.
In the abundance of our suppiies We forget
our benefactor. Some men. no matter what
they have, are always anticipating sor-
row and pain because OF what they may
nothave-alwaysa hungry hon ism the path
ahead of them. Egotsm cannot be thank
full, pride cannot be, nor vanity, nor covet-
Ousness. nor envy, nor jealousy. nor hatred,
nor malice. nor predomlnatlng secularlty
and worldliness. Rude and coarse natures
are seldom thankful. The necessary sensi-
tive facnlty is lacking in them. They no.
tice only their dissppointments and depri:
vations. single pain throws them out OF
geaI.l One day sDoils all the year. An in-
convenience clouds ell their sunshine. The
ering the bright side of things may be cui-
tivated. The thankful spirit will grow IN
us by our exercising it. A heart that is
not sensitive toward good Is not capable OF
the maj anliest happiness nor of the highest
greatness"
Dr.. Cleveland EN- mphaslzed the point that
q nations greatness is not It's material
prosperity, but lies in the intellectual and
moral life of it's citiZens. Great human
character. he said. has its beginning and
heart towards God. Continuing the Doc
tor said:
1.-The thankful man Is o happy man. and
the happiness of the citizen is the peace
and stability OF the nation. Happy men
do not cause any outbreakIng discoutents
in society. nor any rioting disorder In the
state. The heart that is sure of God and
His love will find sweetness even In soi-
influenced only by the oalamities of life.
1t Is bad thing for us when we do not see
the good hand of God even In our Affections.
A thankful and loving spirit within us Will
make the darkest day bright and the rough
est path fioraL 1t Will hang rain bow on
tho bosom of the storm. We have known
such souls: by them the beatitudes of heav-
en- were translated into life.
1.-The unthankful spirit is an enervating,
q diHu tegrating and incendlary spirit.
The peer mans happiness is in his virtues,
and not all in his wages Wealth does not
make men good, nor does it make them
public-spirited or happy. The happiest
men in our city to-day are not our wealth
thought, generous of heart, and who feel
that upon them Is the obligation of doing
good TO their neighbors. Thankful men
are sociable men; they are helpful men.
They who recognize the fatherhOod OF God
find it easy to feel the brotherhood OF man,
TO accord TO all their rights and to render
q brotherly service to all. The beauty OF
such national day as this rises TO the
moral sabine. Single acts of individual
Thanksgiving are beautiful. But
in the united thanksgiving of whole great
nation, as vast and multitudinOns as ours
10, is a scene so sublime that words are in
adequate to set it FORTH 1t suggests the
coming day when. In all the earth, there
shall be but one people. one faith. one wor-
ship, and the voice OF IL shall be like the
sound of many waters"
~ In the course of the sermon. the speaker
dwelt upon the practical side OF the days
import as follows
Upon strength and prosperity there al
ways rests the duty of elpiulness. While
any snfferIng that our hands might relieve
10 neglected by us. the thanksgiving We
Christian thanksgiving. Every year our
people are making their kindness to be
more real, more intelligent, moro practical
and more universal. Thoughtful helpful
ness toward little children is quality
especially Christian and especially Ameri-
can. The time will come when the quality
and degree of a nations civilization will be
Judged not BY the nations opulence and
splendor. but by It's Kindness. and when
the social rank of the individual will de-
pend. not on his possessions, but on the
helpful deeds he has done. ltis not enough
that We turn to God in acts of formal wor-
ship while, by our neglect. hungry children
limp with frozen feet along our streets. and
awful ills fall upon the homes of the inno-
cent. because the city does not make and
keep herself clean. The individual and
the nation, to be ChrIstianly thankful and
have security and progressive welfares.
must be practically righteous and helpful
ly kind to all men, especially 20 those who
have been uniustly treated and have need
of help"
The Doctor closed with . review of
causes fer gratitude, as follows: Let us
thank God for Columbus. for the story of
his faith. his courage. his heroic struggle.
splendid aureola that is duo 10 placed upon
his memory. Let us thank God for the
story of our fathers. for their wisdom, their
bravery, their cOnstancy, their self
sacrifice. anu for the goodly heritage they
have bequea:hed to us. Let rs thank Him
for the blessings with which He has
crowned the passing year. OF every thing
any ywhere any lack it is cansed by the
pOorness of our own contrivancc. Let us
thank Him that freedom and liberty are
still the portion of our people. that educa-
tion is going forward, that our arts are I'M
proving. that our sciences are winning new
victories in every field and are rendering
the, people q larger and kindlier service:
that reason Is prevailing over passion and
prejudice, that faith survives the fever of
scularlty and the criticism of science and
that piety. crowned with hope. still goes
forth to efface the sins, alleviate the eor-
rows of men."
IN ruyc NOuTuE ST SEs,rvOy