The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-29
THE UNION THANKSGIVING SER
VICE.
Able and Inspiring Address by Rev. MIR.
Temple-ResOlutiOns On the Armenian
Outrages.

Aosc anu IuspsfAnG Auurcss ~ AeV. VA
Tcmple-Resolutions ON the Armenia
Outrages.
The Thanksgiving day services wer
held in the Congregational church yes
terday morning, the attendance bein
fully up to the average. The meeting
was in charge OF Rev. G. O. Day ant
the music was furnished by the churcl
choir. The opening prayer was mad
by Rev. A. j. Hough and the Scrip
ture reading was BY Rev. Mr.. Max
we'll.
The address of the day was by Rev
L. d. Temple who't took his text from
Palms % :l-2.
The fundamental truth Of the Chris
tian religion, he said, that there is 9
personal God to whom worship ant
thanksgiving may be addressed.
Thanksgiving is rational because Goo
Is our father and cares for us. 1t is q
good thing to give thanks. 1t makes
one observant and reflective. Many
of our blessings are subtle and unsus
pected. The habit OF Thanksgiving
developes refinement. The essence Of
refinement is courtesy, gratitude and
recognition Of kindnesses. Giving
thanks leads to clearer perception oi
the character of God. 1t brings the
human will into truer harmony with
the Divine will. AS result man re-
signs himself to God and is more con
tent to rest in Gods care. Thanksgiv-
ing sweeps away the clouds from the
sky OF our souls life and let's the
sweetness and sunshine of Divine love
come in. Beneath the sense of the in
finite goodness the hardness melts
from our hearts. Thanksgiving makes
the soul hopeful. The New England
settlers at first endured many priva-
tions. They observed many days Of
fasting and prayer. Constant refec-
tion upon their distresses made them
discontented. Another fast was pro-
posed. A plain old man suggested, it
mercies. The colony was growing
strong. the fields were more produc-
tive. the streams were full of fish and
the woods of game, the air was sweet.
the climate good, their wives helpful
and their children obedicnt and above
all they had liberty. Therefore he
urged day of Thanksgiving instead of
fasting. The most adequate thanks
giving is impossible. without faith in
the unfailing wisdom and constant
watchfulness of God. Famine and
pestilence, death and disaster, are all
for the good of human society. They
are factors of justice that is tenn
pered with mercy and forces in re
demption that makes not only happy
but holy.
The following resolutions VIZ
offered by DIR. Ii. D. Holton and after
remarks by Dea. Thompson and Rev.
A. j. Hough were unanimously odopt
ed
Whereas. Christian civilization everywhere
has been profoundly shocked by the reported
outrages and atrocities perpetuated upon the
Armenians: Atrocities at once the most cruel,
wanton and disgraceful ever known to history.
Therefore, Resolved, That as patriotic free
men, descendants OF the men and women who
contended for and shed their blood to establish
liberty, we protest against tnc 1lagrant barbar-
ity with which these people are being persecui-
the Turkish government In allowing. or as some
reports indicate, In directing the pillage, rapne
and slaughter of his Armenian subjects, the
burning Of their homes and the destruction Of
their villages and cities, deserves the anathemas
Of the whole civilized world
Resolved, That In common with the patriotic
citizens of our whole country, In the name of Il
common humanity. we urge upon our govern
ment at Washington, that they take such efhcl-
ent and immediate action. rs will at once termi'
nate these infamous acts Of wicked and i'm
becile government.
Resolved, Thai we request the various
,hurches of the town to take collection at their
service next Sunday in aid of the Armenian
Ralief Fund"
Rev. A. j. Leavitt then made the |
closing prayer and Mr.. Hough pro-
the benediction.
The Iniversalist church had a |
special Thanksgiving service Sunday |
with thoughtful and up
lifting discourse from the pastor, Rev. |
4. d. Maxwell He took for his |
heme, SIS this the possible of
worlds" He began by referring to
he statement in the fifth verse of
Psalm 100, For the Lord is good, "
md said in part Our attention is
alled at this hour to larger questions
md graver problems than any incl
lentally connected with the passing
lays of single year; let us see if
re can discover any evidence which
hall justify the assertion that this
ng of intelligence and love. Many
evere indictments have been made
gainst things as they are, the good
ess of God has been bitterly i'm
ugned. In each life there are indi
ations of divine beneficence. In a
ealthy and normal condition of the
ody every function operates with a
leasure greater than that is necessary !
DR. the discharging of its office. The
lind. with its powers of observation, !
memory, imagination, as
iration, stands in the world as the
ource of the highest and richest Joy
nat we can know. 1t is mean and
nall and selfish to refuse to be thank
III. 1t is wonderful thing to live, c
, live in great, grand, splendid way,
orthy of what we are and what we :
Jay be; it is wonderful thing to be Q
wing in such stage of the worlds :
rogress when the accumulated intelli-
ence, knowledge, affection and freedom '
the countless generations that have 7
)ne are all ours, the source of great
enefits and of greater inspirations. a
ught we not to be thankful for all
le good and great of the past, for
'ery form of life which has toiled
I'd sacrificed and suffered, and whose e
Ill and sacrifice and suffering made a
ir lives easier, grander, happier. n
hen, we ought to be very careful not
charge God with unkindness or ii
uelty when misfortune or sorrow ap- G
caches, if that misfortune or sorrow n \
rs been due to our own disobedience. O
a man destroys his life by overwork, y
, dissipation, or abuse of any kind. ,s N
is blasphemous to speak of Gods
md having been laid heavily upon -
e affection of his friends: the cause Z
ust be looked for in the mans own .
God should be acquit