The Helena independent., 1893-12-02
THANKSGIVING IN HELENA
Tho Dav Set Apar4 Was Quite Gener-
ally Observed by Capital
City People.
Disagreeabls Weather Made It
More Than Usual o Fire
side Celebration.
Sermon Delivered BY Rev. j. =. Squlres
At tho Union Services at the Com
gregatlcnat Church.

Thanksgiving day was very generally
celebrated in Helena this year. mercantile
houses being closed and business generally
suspended. II was quite cod all day. and
the snow was deep, 20 that the majority OF
people found theft enjoyment about theis
own fireside. The union services as the
Congregational church wore we'll attended,
as were those ab ST. Peters Episcopal
church. The dinner given BY the members
OF the A. NJ. Il. church was we'll patroniZsd
and in the evening the entertainment given
at TIE Central Presbyterian church BY tho
w, G. u. U. was we'll attended and very
enjoyable. The heavy snow early in the
day delayed street car traffic somewhat.
butNhy noon u had cleared OF ana the oars
were running on quite good time.
Notwithstanding the severity OF the
weather. the young ladies' in the Dairy
Maids DILL woro oot in full number al the
auditorium in the morning. Mr.. @. o.
Reed, chai man Of tho musical COMMITTEES
Of st. Paul's ohutoh. spoke 10 the young
ladieU as follows: ! am stranger to most,
II not quite all, ofyou, which fact. however,
need not deny me the pleasure Of compli-
msnsing you upon the efficiency you have
attained in your maneuvers. and which IL
all the moro conspicuous by reason of the
fact that you have had 30 little time IN
which TO make Preparations. ! presume
you have already been advised. that II Is
The intention Of tthe committee to offer
prizes for the sale OF tickets for onr enter
tejpmens to be given here. in this audito-
rum, one week from tonight. The prizes
will be three in number and in amounts OF
i've. seven and ten dollars. respectively.
We have confidence to believe. that
you will not allow impatiense to overtaks
you. which the frequency OF these r.
hearsals may seem to invite. ! have tne
further pleasure OF stating that you will
NOT only be supported by the orchestra, but
by some Of the best lady voices Of Helena.
and the Mandolin club, an aggregation OF
local talent, guaranteeing an entertainment
which the public cannot fail to appreciate"
At the union service at the Congssga-
tional church those participating were Rev.
T. j. Moore. of the Presbyterian church;
Rev. G. h. Allen. ot the Baptism church.
and Dr., Raleigh, OF the Methodist Episco-
pal church. Rev. j. E. Squires. of the
Grand street Methodist Episcopal Church
South. preached the sermon, taking for
hi: text Every ao1a from git .seas sas 'vsS snS
oometh down from the father of lights"
The speaker read. in connection with the
text Psalms 33-1 and 116-12. and said three
thouahts were indicated by these scriptures
which he desired to emphasizo to-day: The
fact that all meroies come down from God
the father; that when men recognized him
40 the source Of blessing they intuitively
ask. with the Psalnist "What sh all I render
INTO the Lord for all his benefits towards
men, Then the other most important
truth to the earnest. grateful, inquirdg
hearts He will accept praise and thanks
Coming to a.. The frss thought. that all
msrcies and blessings Of life come from
God. my father. needs to be emphasized at
this period in the Developments OF human
thought, when they are tolling us that
there is no personal God; shat al things
come through natural law" and nobody
thersfoYs TO oredit or to blame for the
thinos that happen to mon. The text de-
.Ia,as his persons alikv and his divine father
hood. and that not by chance or happen.
but on purpose, and because OF interest in
and love for u.s. he gives to us from his
own hand.
But what shall render? ! may be
thankful for them at least; and he asks
nothing higher OF greater than this. Men
are grateful and express il toward their
fellow men for kindnesses bestowed. The
little child says "thanks'' for the little
tokens we procure for him on birthday or
holidays and We expect this. As parents
70 expect nothing more OF him. We.know
he is utterly unable to indemnify us for our
trouble or pay us back for our pains or
money spent. We don't want that; but
when, after looking at and handling it
awhile in childish glee, hs comes and puts
his chubby hand upon our cheek and kisses
for the nice toy you gave me-" We ara
repaid. We often wish we could repeat the
present again and again, and greatly en-
large its value to him.
So our father In heaven would delight to
have men appreciate their mercies. and to
dered to God it becomes worship. not only
acceptable to him, but most blessed in It's
reflex influence on rs.
There are two questions before the mind
At this paint: Hsw shall we be thanklu rs
We knowwe ought to be2 and in what way
The meaning Of our coming together
here. and worshippers gathering all over
the land to-day. ID not so much to discuss
the philosophy as it is to reach a point Of
deep and zeal gratitude to Almighty
God for his good and perfect gifts which
be thankful? l answer, first of all, that to
be "thinkfup is the prominent step to
thankfulness-the very words think" and
shank" are akin. coming from
the same ioot. l believe the man
who can quietly. TRANQUILITY. mediate
on tho good merciss of God. upon him. and
upon ali mankind and be utterly nnmoysd
In his deepest being is morally mad. "be-
side himself" But the trouble is. men do
not think on thss, things. my peo pie will
not consider" was one OF the sad COM
ments the prophet made upon the church
of God in olden time. More than con-
tury ago our pious forefatEers met when
danger and death threatened the lives and
homes of the colonies to call day of
''p'syer and fasting" for the divine inter
vention and help. AS they counseled and
meditsted upon bis signal delivcrancss in
the past. a plain. devout man arose and
said. "lst US first appoint a dav of thanks
giving for mercieb already received. " and
they did. and wheh it was held there was so
much to thank ard praise for that they
neglected to call the othe, meeting, but
continued yearly TO call a meeting for the
giving of thanks. One state after another
adopted the wholesome custom until in
1862. the highest authority in the nation
called q national Thanksgiving day." and
ever since our chief executive has
repeated IL, the governors of the various
states generally issuing a pa allel coll in
states OF which they are governor. am
happy to say that both tho president an 4