Smyrna times., 1894-12-05
Cheswold.
THANKSGIVING SERMON BEFORE THE
o. U. A. M.-RUMORED WEDDINGS
PIGEON SHOOTING-CHRIST-
MAS ENTERTAINMENT
Special Correspondence to Smyrna Times.

-PlIEON SHOOIlNG-CHRlST-
MAS ENTERTAINMENT.
Special Correspondence to Smyrna Times
Last Thursday was in all respects a
typical Thanksgiving day and our peO-
pie more than on past occasions seemed
in a spirit to observe it, At the sound
of the church bells at 10 80 a. m, the
Jr., 0. u. a. NJ. Council of our town
marched in body from their hall to
the church, were Rev. II. K. VanDyke,
the pastor, who is also one of the order,
preachoi to a good audience from the
lst and 2nd verses of the 9th Psalm,
sermon that drew out general praise
and endorsement After first alluding
to the fact that Thanksgiving was first
instituted by the Pilgrims when they
landed upon our shores and dwelling
briefly upon the Injunction laid down
by the Psalmist he named the local and
national causes why we should give
praise and thanksgiving. He said,
while we are yet young among the ma
tiOns of the earth, we rank perhaps the
greatest. We are emiEently christian
nation; Il land of churces, where the
bible the greatest literary work since
the world stood, is distributed in our
homes and we enjoy freedom of religi-
Gus thought; we ought to be thankful
this is so, and that we are not today
bowed down to nuneries. Our natural
commercial advantages, inland as well
as coast, are unsurpassed, and our
manufacturing interests have advanced
in the past few years more than four
hundred millions dollars Gladstone had
said we are the workshop Of the world
Our mining resources also, though per.
haps in their infancy, are the greatest
of the nations of the earth. Yet, with
our bOasted greatness, which to every
true American is a source of pride ana
cause for thanksgiving, there are three
dangers that threaten us as a nation.
First, immigration, which has been
| overlooking us with low class from
other countries, mostly peasants, who
come here with the idea of freedom.
and they want freedom unrestrained.
| They will not conform to our laws but
would make us nation Of devils. An
archism is born in them and they are
not only q source of constant fear, but
| it is tax upon Us to watch them
The second menace is ROmanism,
the bible in our public schools. We
have special cause for thanks today in
the fact that the denOminational differ
ences are so well represented in the
schools throughout our land as to break
down class differences. This is sun
barrier against rOmish rule Our hope
also against ROmish designs is in being
well organized as American citizens.
Third, the liquor traffic, the influence
of which invades and destroys so many
! homes; carries its evil effects into the
social circle and just now the power of
the saloon is entering politics, and will
ere long control our government if not
checked. The purchased ballot, the
worst evil aud growing one, is
fOstered and maintained by the saloon
power. The man who wants TO 90 to
the U. 5. Senate furnishes the money
easily to put him there. There are few
Washingtons and Lincolns in our Con-
gress to day. The man who sells his
vote barters away his manhood and for
feits all that should be held sacred in
citizenship, so dearly bought by our
fOrefathers, and he that does it is no
less traitor than was Benedict Arnold.
Let us be watchful and prayeFful of the
interests of this great country of ours.
In the afternoon a shooting contest
for Blue Rock pigeons was entered into
by w. S. Hardcastle, j. S. Barcus, A.
Newton, John Thompson, Harry Loose,
John Downs, ID. H. Boyce, FL Moore,
w. J. Phillips, Z. L. Barcus, Jr., w. F.
Ford and Arthur 2. Jones. w. S.
Hardcastle proved to be the champion
shooter, breaking % out % birds.
In the evening the EpwOrth League
held free will offering" in the inter.
est of missions consisting of music by
the League, alternating with anthems
by quartette of voices. with addresses
by MIR. Lewis Bernard, Miss Ida Sapp
and the pastor. A basket collection
was taken amounting to $l628.
Madam rumOr says we are to have a
church wedding before the closing
hours of this hOrrid old year, 1891
More than this, she says there are tC
be three more weddings later on. Ma
dame rumor you know is great talker
Sometimes she talks too much. Some.
times she gets of the right track and
NEEDLES, but she is born that way and
death is the only cure. She declares
cupid is doing effective work in and
near Cheswold but is puzzled however
as to whether the later weddings are tC
be home or church affairs. She asks
more time.
Rev. w. r. Mowbray preached q
gem of sermon in Cheswold last Snn.
day morning on straight Christian
Living" following which he adminis
tered the Lords supper.
Cheswold Sunday School will give 8
Christmas entertainment, Wednesday
evening December 26th, using the pro
gramme entitled THE Angel Story,
after which treat will be served tn,