The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-11-26
ALWAYS BE THANKFUL.
rev. Mr.. Malvern at High st. churo CHI
Yesterday.

| "''S sdlIns, bUGh ChapGer, 14bn
'Her unto God thanksgiving
anu pay ehy vows unto the Most High. =
AAeer cohdemning the spirit of fault
nholng which is SO prone to crop even on
aaS OF thanksgiving, and pointing out
some 81 ene many temporal blessings we
nave TO DO thankful for, the sneaker said
How thankful we ought IN he fo~ o,,r
religious liberty and freedon, Tha s+.ta
does not tell the clergy whether thew shall
preach In black gown or white surnlice
or without gown or surplice, how they
shall pray, what they shallsbelieve and
| what they shall not believe, but leaves ,,s
all to worship God according to fine die
tates of our own conscience.
The main element of orr ,at;o,.,
strength consists incur voluntary relig-
ious institutions. Yes, the millions of
the world testify that while infidelitv and
superstition dwarf every generous feeling
of our nature, the freedom of the Gosnel
truth expands the energies of man for
the enterprises of this life and purifies the
soul for the life to come.
Through the influence of Christianity
we are called upon to assemble ourselves
together today to render unto God
thanksgiving for another years mercies
and comforts. The only nation in the
world that systematically does 1t is ours,
showing the superior spirit Of applied
| Christianity which we have in this hap
| py land.
This brings me to point where can
only offer suggestion and leave you to
elaborate the thought. Our religious
life takes on very largely the system of
national government, under which we
may live. Compare, If you please, the
spirit and genius and the dogmasic teach
ings of the Christian church. Under tho
absolute monarchy of Russia, the semi.
absolute monarchy of Germany, the con-
stitutional monarchy of England, you
will find them graded in their manliness
and severity according to their methods
Of government. Then compare theirs
with our sweet, loving, generous, hopeful
Christianity, liberty of head and heart,
and see which Is the best. We enjoy
true spiritual republic.
Another suggestion. Look around and
see the various denominations. Now
study them in their relation to tempera-
ment and you will find that temperament
very largely dominates heart and head
in the make ND of denominations. Sure
ly this is the land of the free and the
home of the brave in more senses than
one.
There is another subject on my mind of
which l should like to speak, but find
myself utterly unable to solve the pro-
blem, but some of you may be able to do
so. We have very large GLASS of persons
in our community whose present duties
are such that they get but little time for
rest, recreation and worship. When we
are comfortably seated in our churches
saying our prayers, reading our Psalms,
and hearing helpful words from cur pas
tors, we would feel that we should be
very hardly dwe1t with if we were de-
prived of the blessed privileges. yet our
mail carriers, electric car men, policemen.
hremon and very many others that do
not occur to me now, have SO much Sun
day work to do they rarely have the op-
portunlty of Divine worship they would
enjoy and be helped by as much as any
OF US. II you can help them, do so. If
in no other way make their work as
light as possible and let them know they
have our sympathy and prayers, while
we receive from them comfort, help and
protection. Personally / endeavor to re-
member them in my Sunday morning
service.
have been endeavoring to cheer you
and make you thankful for what you
enjoy as God dear children.
Will you bear with me before I close
in speaking for Gods dear creatures upon
whom we depend for SO much that makes
our own living pleasant and enjoyable
all the year round. They cannot speak
for themselves, but for them someone
ought to speak once in a while. 1 am
reminded of this by the supply of |
blankets received by the agent of the
society with the long name, for the horses
in the mail carts, and paper put into
my hands.
On my lawn found toad, indeed l /
think it was the same that had been
oAASA0 Aoi SoVoIdl years. L leaned DOWN /
and patting it, said: "God made you
and He made me; you have your place
in the economy of nature; may fill my
place as well as you fill yours. Go on;
God bless you.'
This is true. Everything that God has
made is useful and any cruelty to flies,
reptiles, birds, beasts OF fishes ia sin |
against God. True, animals have to be |
killed for food but science has come to |
our help ana they can be painlessly |
killed
1 feel 1 need hardly appeal to this |
Christian congregation to be kind to all |
animals, COWS, pigs, cats, dogs and |
horses. Remember they have feelings |
sometimes they seem to have conscience. |
During this cold weather see that they |
are we'll fed, well housed and your hors- |
es covered from the cold on,our streets. | |
should like to give incidents of animal |
inte1liCence but nv time has oopa v,4