The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-11-29
REV. DR. MASDEN'S SERMON
CITY METHODISTS HELD UNION
 THANKSGIVING SERVICE.


 THINKSGIYING SERVICE.
 Ae Trinity Methodist Church-Proclama- ton Read by Rev. MT. Prince--sermon Confined to Practical Subject of Thanks EIvlng-Duty of fThsnksgiVing-What is Opposed To-ThankssiVing and Adora- tion-The Scope. Time and Medium-An Interesting sermon.
 The various Methodist churches of the city united yesterday in holding Thanksgiving services at Trinity M. E. church. Rev. MT. Prince read the gov ernor's proclamation and Rev, Dr. Charles F. Masden, pastor of the First Methodist church, preached the sermon from Ephesians 5:2O, Giving thanks al ways for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"
 Nlr Masden did not attempt any elab- crate discourse upon national calaml- ties, corruption in politics, nor like sub- jeCts but confined himself to the prac- tical subject of Thanksgiving. He spoke substantially as follows: A recognition of the personal God and a trust in Him as our Heavenly Father are at the foun- dation of our Thanksgiving, and with out this underlying principle our service to-day is a mochery and our deVouons idle pastimes. There is d tendency in Hhe natural man, in the human mind, to forget God, to ignore God, to crlti- else God, to doubt His wisdom, to queS- tion His love, to pull to pieces His rev elation, to mend it for Him, to recreate the Creator. In this case God is not trusted and there can be no gratitude. This distrust of God is far more preva- nent than we imagine Briefly stated, some of it's workings are: Human fore thought, skill and activity displace God. We distrust God Iby trusting in natural law to the exclusion of the personal God, and we dSstrust God when our de- sires and determinations oppose his will and purpose. A. recognition of the per sonal God, a realization of His wisdom and goodness, a trust in His sovereign grace, obedience to His will, and love flor His person must lie at the basis of our thanksgiving. The duty of Thanks giving consists in Giving thanks all ways for all things" and here we have three things speciffed-the nature, scope and duration of thanksgiving.
 Thanksgiving is opposed to ingrati- Jude, complainings, envy, and to gloom dness or the habit of dwelling on the losses and forgetting the blessings of life. Continuing, MT. Masden said;
 We think more of the one dollar lost than the thousands left us-more of the one friend dead than the many beloved liyinv. We talk more about one months sickness than eleven months health We miss the one star eclipsed and fail to see the spangled Armament above us.
 Some people have legitimate cause for sorrow, vet even they sorrow not as they who have no hope; but others have cultivated the disposition of looking on the dark side of things until the sun light of thanksgiving has faded from their sky. They court the gloom. They travel over plains of joy and through landscapes of happiness and hunt out some dismal swamp of melancholy. They prefer fog to sunshine, the croak- ine of foss to the singing of birds, and insist on seeing the coming troubles and gathering storms.
 We admit that human life, viewed from the standpoint of this world, is a losing process. We leave much be- hind us in our pilgrim march we would gladly carry with us. We dig grave here and throw down treasure there. We pass on from pleasant bowers and green oases into the desert heat and sand.
 Yet what we have lost is nothing to what we have gained. Our losses are only the dust thrown from the chariot wheels of the conuuerer as he rides to the throne .--only the sheded feathers from the eagles plumage as he mounts above storm cloud to soar toward the sun Losses are only the surplusage of the soul You stand richer and grander tU- day in your spirit life than wher weighed down by that which you have lost.
 Your loss of property on earth has made the fadeless inheritance more val uable Your loss of popularity among men has made Gods favor more prec. dous Your loss of loved ones has re. moved your home center from the wilderness of this life to the immorta Canaan Your loss of health has beer your souls moulting season, when the butterfly has left the chrysalis an6 mounted on silken wings in the sun light of God. Why mourn over youl losses so as to eclipse your gains? Out of the decay of the humans behold the youth of the spiritual, and learn that withered blossoms are the harbingers of ripened fruit.
 Thanksgiving implies resignation Unless We can say, "Thy will be done, we can't say from the heart, Praise the Lord" I may dwell on the mercies and goodness of God to-day and it vii awaken some song of gratitude in youl soul unless you are in harmony witt