The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-11-29
SERVICES ~ THE CHURCHES.
sermons and Songs of Praise ana
Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving.
The usual Thanksgiving services were
held in the churches. At Christ and St.
Johns Episcopal churches, the services
were of especial interest The decora-
lions consisted Of fruits and grain and
the offerings were liberal. The music
at both churches was rendered by the
choirs and was in keeping with the day.
AT Christ church, the rector. Rev. Robb
White, preached from the text: What
shall render unto the Lord for the ben
ehts He hath done unto me?"
In the course Of his sermon Rev. Mr.
White referred TO the evil of Sunday IL
QuOr selling and the necessity for reform
in public office. He alluded TO the manner
OF celebrating the sacred feast days OF the
year and the consequences He quoted the
current rumOrs OF the violation or the
laws. the violation Of the Sabbath by sell
ing and drinking liquor and the drunken
ness and crime that result from these
evils. AT this Thanksgiving season, he said,
the people should make themselves worthy
OF the benefits they enjoy not only in pub
dc, but in private life
The union Thanksgiving services by
the evangelical churches were held at
the First Baptist church. The sermon
was by Rev. A. NJ Williams of Wesley
Monumental church. but several other
pastors of the city We're seated near the
pulpit and assisted in conducting the
services. They We're Rev. j. o. a. Cook
of Trinity Rev. j; L. Lovett of Grace
church and Rev II. j. Shpman Of the
Duffy Street Baptist church
Rev. Mr.. Cook made the opening prayer
and a collection was taken up for the
benefit OF the Female Orphan Asylum
and the Home for the Frendless. Rev.
Mr.. Williams preached typical Thanks
giving sermon.
Christs, and Christs is Cod L Cor,
I'VE are spared said Mr.. Williams, TO
,f-zr rtrr esff
is my fortunate calling 10 voice your feel
ings, and 10 direct your meditatiOns on
this happy occasion.
one is the sentimental ebulliton of the
day and it circumstances; the other is
the profound emotion of the heart fed by
its study of the principles that underlte
our life. AS Christians the latter be-
comes us best. 1 find in the text l have
announced some of those principles.
d" An things are yours From this
derive the proposition Ownership is the
basis of a thankful spirit. That which
has become mine is the soil from which
must spring my rejoicing. True owners
ship is not outside Of man; 1t is not
merely title TO real estate, or a GER
tificate of stock. True ownership is with
in man. 1t is that which he has taken
possession of with the real powers of his
nature and made his own. That this il
true can be seen in extreme cases in the
insane. Insanity does destroy title and ii
does destroy ownership. The same is
shown in frequent cases of an assimilat-
ed possession.
ION the other hand, some of the fullest
owners of this world have no deed on
record to any of its wealth. Take the
area of the earth, its hills, flowers, wat
ers, are taken into the soul and carried
everywhere.
Take the record of mans, great deeds.
Washington's conquest and the various
victims at Runnymede belong to the
glowing hearted patriot. Luther's strug-
giles against superstition and for con-
science is made mine by my personal APP
preparation. I would lay down this propO-
sitiOn. Only the real experiences of your
soul is the service of a genuine thanks
giving to-day. How much of Gods prom
ised land have you explored? How much
have you made. your own in the struggle
and living of this year?
There IS another view Of the topic sug-
gested in our text. The proper expression
of thanksgiving is the recognition Of the
fact that our ownership is only medi-
ate That what we have passes through
Us for the use of another eye are
Christs." The proper expression of
thanksgiving is to use what we have for
Christs sake. That was what Paul meant
when he said: For me to live is Christ -"
Now divest your mind of all narrow views
of what Christ is. We are told that in
Christ all things consist. He lis the center
from which radiates every real interest
Of mankind. When we really put our
selves in Christ we become uniVersals in
the meaning Of our being
To quote from a distinguished writer in
England. I'VE are no longer our own,
hut belong to Christ and to his church
The society Of which he is the inspiring
power exists not for the protection Of
body and goods alone but to train us to
use spirit and soul and body and possess
sion alike for him and for our brethren
So far as Christian society is really
Christian, so far we can give up to it
all that is personal; not only our money
TO taxation, our sO-called relations to be
ruled by laws, our persons to the con-
sc1puon and TO death in war, but an per-
sonal property, all personal interest our
own life and separate existence. The in
dFidual interest wanes and the universal
grows. We merge ourselves in Christ and
ia the community in which he lives We
can do this, ] say say. so far as the
community is really Christian: for we
know that I'm losing our life we shall find
~, we ourselves are living integers in
the society, and q really Christian society
gives back TO its members all that if
receives from them and viii never trench
Oh the Just domain Of individual freedom
The true expression of this thanks
giving principal is TO let Christ work
through AS in an cur relations
In our individual life John puts The