The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1896-11-28
Some Rambling Thoughts.
BY MEMO
A LArMAN's THANKSGIVING.

BY MEMO
LAYMAN's THANKSGIVING.
| Oh, great Architect of the infinite,
to whom a thousand years are as a
day, we ephemeral, vanishing crea-
lures bow before Thee in quiet, hum
BILE thanks.
For Unreasonable space, so exten-
sive that the most cunning devices
of men turn us back defeated from
all attempts to set its bounds; foI
the weight of our world and of all
the other wondrous, unsupported,
circling bodies, so ponderous that
the human mind reels in computa-
ton, we thank Thee, Thou who art
power.
For the accurate movement OF
each star, revolving in its orbit with
precision indescribable; for the visi-
BILE voice of the heavens, our peren-
NAL time-piece; for the inclination of
the axis of our world, so cunningly
devised to give comfort and advan-
tage in the changing seasons and
the broadened area of habitation, we
thank Thee, Thou who art order.
Oh, thou Mechanic of the infini-
tesimal, we who are not the least of
all Thy creatures enter Thy pres
ence with praise.
For the perfect detail in the short
lived gnat, dancing in the light of
the dying day; for the structural
adaptation of those creatures that
escape our vision save as the eyes
are aided by the microscope; for the
pervasivencss of life, things even
that die being the sustainers of
things that live; for the evasiveness
of life, so that after all research we
give up foiled in every attempt to
find natural origin for life in the
tiniest atom; for all these things we
thank Thee, Thou who art life
For our own bodies, sacred because
they are Thy handiwork, so brief in
their endurance and yet so potential
because of the blessing or sorrow we
pass to those who come after us; for
brains and their power to set us on
the apex of all living things; for
thought and its products in solid
form that are seen in every direction !;
for the challenge to effort that comes
from the elusive secrets of nature
for the power to conquer and trans
form this inert world beneath our
feet, we thank Thee, Thou who art
supreme intelligence.
|
Oh, thou Mind of the universe, we
who detect in ourselves free will and
an individual consciousness that
separate us from the beasts and give
us a sense OF kinship with Thee, ap-
proach Thee with assurance.
For the protest of the human mind
against the claim Of any human
knowledge to be final and complete;
for all honest doubt that drives us
steadily forward to clearer compre-
henson; for the great scientists who
have helped to shake the dead husks
from creeds and opened the eyes of
their makers and preachers to full
er religion, wherein the unity and
comprehensiveness of Thy plan for
onward movement, both in nature
and in revelation, are more fully
recognized, we thank Thee, Thou
who art not far from any one of us.
For all passing away of forms and
ceremonies; forthe universal execra-
ton of hollow Pharisaism, for the
growing understanding that sancti
| ty is never more to be measured by
mere attendance at worship for the
spiritual and material progress of
our race; for Thy state steppings in
human history, making life seem no
longer a thing of chance but the
possible opening notes of grand
eternal symphony, we thank Thee,
Thou who dwellest not in temples
made with hands.
For all sorrows that break down
our dissatisfaction; for the furnace
of affection that destroys the dross
and makes of the residue golden
chalce for bearing solace to our fell
lows; for all agony that touches us
with the feeling of others infrmities;
we thank Thee, though Thou afflict
us sore, bending over us as fryer
and refner of precious things.
For all great disasters that electri-
fly us with the feeling of brotherhood
to all men; for famines and pesti-
lences that turn us for the time from
the rakings of selfishness to the
works of sympathy; for sudden death
and it's warnings that our own time
is limited, we thank Thee, Thou who
hottest the fall of the sparrow.
For all children thought of with
love before birth, nourished with
tender joy and welcomed to the
world with holy purpose; for all
mothers who comprehend the far
reaching influence of marriage; for
all fathers who keep their bodies
consecrate; for the growing feeling
that the family life is a sacred and
fateful function; we thank Thee,
Thou who art Love.
For all maiden women who with
hearts of flesh sanctified to humani-
ty seek wider family than home
can give, and go forth to cherish the
sick, the bereft, the orphan; for all
the helpful ministrations of those
full of Divine self-denial who bury
their sorrow to turn sunshine face
to the world, we thank Thee, Thou
satisfier of hearts that yearn to be
filled.
For the great Teacher, the Eman-
cipator of mind, the Founder, the
Center, the Secret of all that is love-
ly and of good report in our later
civilization; for the Moral Monarch,
the Prince of Peace, before whose
mild might the organisms of Rome
and Greece shivered into fragments;
for Him whose power is not shorten
ed to tame the heart of fire, till the
lion within us lieth down with the
Lamb, we thank Thee, who hast
made Thyself comprehensive to us
in human form
We bow in wondering awe before
Thee, apparent in these Thy works