The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-27
THE PEOPLE GIVE THANKS
GOOD MUSIC AND INTERESTING
SERVICES AT C447 ONES.
A Fine Sermon by Or. Norman at the
First Presbyterian Church The
Episcopal Services.

day was filled at the joint service OF the
various churches of the city.
1t has been a custom, now in vogue for
about six years, for the Baptist, Metho-
dist, Christian and Presbyterian churches
to show their common brotherhood and
sympathetic relationship by holding 4
joint service in one of the churches of the
congregations represented
1t is a beautiful notion thus TO bury
Armenianism, Calyinism, immersion and
the other differences and get together,
hand to hand, heart to heart and voice TO
voice.
Another feature has been for the pas
tor of another church than the one III
which the service is held, to oticiate, as
sisted by his brethren of the cloth. The
music was also rendered by outside aid,
in addition to the choir.
Yesterday the First Presbyterian
church had the honor of furnishing all
OF the accessories for such service,
which was conducted with simplicity and
thorough heartiness.
On the pulpit rostrum, which has
somewhat limited accommodation, sat the
Reverend Doctors Norman, Garter and
Simms, the pastor of the church being
confined to his home by sickness. Other
ministers sat near at hand, and the en-
tire auditorium was filled to running over
with well-dressed good looking people,
all of whom it may be supposed, We're
more or less thankful and manifesting by
their presence that there is more of sun
shine than shade, and more of happiness
than sorrow. Then there were some who,
!. RF ,IxFsav Are ha
lieye in cardinal doctrine of giving
thanks under all circumstances. 1T
might have been worse" can be said by
almost every one; SO let us give thanks,
was the common feeling.
Miss Dinwiddie presided at the organ,
and gave as the opening selection
Gloria" by Mozart This was rendered
with precision, brilliancy and soulful,
sympathetic execution. Then followed
the one orthodox part of the service Of
every Protestant church, Praise God
from whom all blessings flow" The in
vocation by the Rev. Or. Simms was fol
lowed by the organ prelude to ''Sanctus
by Gounod.. The full mixed choir Of about
thirty voices, accompanied by violins,
cornet. trombone and organ, delivered this
piece in d most impressive manner.
Rev. DIR. Simms then read the appro
pirate proclamation by cur Governor,
Hon. ELIAS Carr, and after n hymn, the
Rev. DR.. Norman announced his subject
of "praise to God" The discourse was
in all respects suitable to the occasion,
and was calculated to have good results
with each one of the vast crowd assem-
bled before him.
DIR. NORMAN'S SERMON.
Rev. DIR. Norman preached q strong
sermon from the text: 1T is a good thing
to give thanks unto the Lord Psalms
92:1.
Among other things he said
1.-THE call by our chief magistrates to
observe this day as a day of thanksgiv-
ing to Almighty God, is a public ayowal
OF our belief i'll God as the Supreme
Ruler
ut is an open confession of our Deepen
dence upon God-and an unqualified de-
claration Of our belief as a people and
as individuals in his experimenting prov
idence and guialng and protecting care.
1T is recognition Of Him as the
source of all temporal bounty and the
giver Of every good and perfect gift.
cone of the most common sins is the
sin OF ingratitude, and it is one of the
most hurtful.
at creates and augments discomfort.
1t makes men and women morose and
sour and unhappy. 1t dwells forever up
on the ills we have, looking at these and
magnifying and parading them and con
tinually talking about them. 1t shuts
its eyes to the good dispensed by a bene-
far hav n -t.1Iy ROC "a hn hone.
dictions that crown our lives-and counts
all Gods multiplied blessings for naught.
1t undermines confidence in the Great
Supreme-and skaters the foundations
of our faith. 1t paralyzes our service, TAX
ing away the enthusiasm of hope, and
causing us to relinquish our grasp upon
duty.
1T is an ugly, hateful thing in the
sight of men, and especially SO III the
sight Of God.
There is a scripture that many seem
to have overlooked-Tn every thing give
thanks. Give thanks even in the midst
of the adverse, not thanks for the evil
but thanks that it is no worse.
But how meagre is our gratitude even in
the midst of positive blessings.
How few are there in this land Of
the free, who begin to value as they
should that precious heritage Of civil
liberty, transmitted to us as the result
Of the struggles of the continental heroes.
''Who is there that prizes as he should
the priceless boon of religious liberty?
We meet unmolested in our temples and
wait upon Collaborating to the dictates
of our own conscience We worship un-
der our own vine and fig tree-none dar-
ing to hinder, modest or make us afraid.
"Who values as he should the unspeak-
able blessing Of peace, white winged
peace, that hovers over all our borders
No voice of rude alarm or cruel clash
of arms disturbs our national repose.
"Who of MS in this favored community
are as thankful as we should be that
through the year we have been preserv-
ed from fatal accident, shielded from the
violence of earthquake, the death-deal-
ing fury Of the storm, the rayages Of
pestilence and the blight Of fearful cpl
denies?
who appreciates as he should the en-
dearing ties OF friendship and love, the
remnants of Paradise, left to a sinful
world