The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1897-11-26
THANKSGIVING SERMON.
Delivered in the First M. z. Church OF
Owosso. Thanksgiving Morning, by
Rev. Carey v. Northrop, of the
First Baptist Church.

Rev. Carey v. Northrop, OF the
First Baptist Church.
"Praise the Lord, o Jerusalem. Praise thy
God, o Zion; for He hath strengthened the bars
OF thy gates; He hath blessed thy children with
In thee; He maketh peace In thy borders, and
filest thee with the finest OF the wheat."-Ps.
147, 1914.
What would be more appropriate today,
than that we, as a christian congregation,
with songs of praise in heart and on lip,
seek to study with deepening gratitude the
theme selected for this hours thought:
The bright side of 1897.
For months until the months have made
up years, both as individuals and as a ma
tion, the American people have brooded toe
much and, at times, with degree OF mex
cusable pessimism over their perplexities
and disappOintments, their adversities and
sorrows. Upon our republic, so b0unteous-
Iy and divinely favored throughout its
whole chequered history, there came a
monetary crash and crisis which tried mems
souls, tested mems courage, humbled mems
spirits and broke mems hearts. In a mo-
ment, in twinkling Of an eye, with the
unexpectedness and rapidity of a flash o.
lightning from the bosom Of clear sky.
were witnessed on every hand the retreat OF
confidence. the failure of banks, the suspen-
sion of business, the shutting down of mills,
the embarrassment Of railroads, the reduc-
tion of wages and other unnumbered calam-
tiles. And weighty have been our personal
losses, so vast and varied our national dis
turbances, so universal and unusual the
worlds calamties that we have been edu-
eating ourselves to one.sided vision. Now
such a spirit should be discouraged. 1t
argues the absence of self-control. Of self
mastery, of trust in our Almighty and all
wise God. We need today the bugle blast
of hope, the prophetic notes of not far
distant triumph. We need to bid courage
revive, faith grow strong, confidence be re-
stored, men lift heart and head, and there
will be brought back the day when praises
of Joy shall follow dirges OF sorrow, and our
beloved and favored land rejoice again in
the properties of earth and the bene-
diction of heaven. The time has come,
say, before the old year vanish away for
ever, to catch new, fresh inspiration for the
future by contemplating, with happy
recognition Of God and his goodness, few
at least, of the manifold and marvellous
blessings showered upon us In America,
especially, during the divinely guided his
tory of the present year.
| OF course, no intelligent, observing man
or woman will deny that connected with the
year 1897 there has been unmeasured suf-
fering In all Observation-Disclosures personal,
national, world wide. We might point to
the many and notable deaths of the past
twelve months, as one by one, some of the
leading spirits of our day and generation
have been cut down by the irresistible
scythe of time-artists and orators, histori-
ans and moralists, philanthropists and phil.
osophers, statesmen and scholars, preachers
and poets. All these men were loved the
world over; men of noble and mighty souls
whose character and work have for years
been benediction to our race.
But the thought that l would press home
today, Is the gracious gifts. Within and
without, there are today, there have been
all along the pilgrimage of this year evil
dences of divine goodness both bountiful
and ineffable; as another has put 1t, ''our
lives, our conditions, our relations, our
means of knowledge, opportunities of en-.
joyment, helps to prosperity" our personal
comforts, social benefits, public privileges,
the protection of government, the blessings
Of land and water and air, of wind and fire,
of foliage and flowers, of eye and ear and
nose and touch and tongue; all that springs
up under our feet to nourish and gladden.,
all that stretches over our head to shade and
shield; all that we hope and believe and
realize; all that is social, intellectual, and
spiritual. Truly we are surrounded by,
wrapped up In, saturated with mercy that
enlightens, nourishes, defends, mercy
broad, constant, overfl0wing. Its vision
gladdens our eye, its touch of beauty and
goodness felt In home and society, in school
and church, in nation and the world. The
knowledge of such loving kindness and ten
der mercy Is too wonderful for us. 1t Is
too high, we cannot attain to 1t. Ii we
/ a tho.,
number than the stars In the armament OF
the sands of the sea shore. They are q
great multitude which no man can number.
Looking back and then up we can but sing:
with all thy mercies, o, my God
My rising soul surveys,
Transported with the view, I'm lost
| In wonder, love and praise"
But to be more specific, looked at from an
Individual point of view, 1t has been year
of peculiar prerogatives, of grand opp0r-
tunities, Of unmeasured and unmeasurable
mercies. Into our hearts and homes and
lives has dropped from heaven, since last
Thanksgiving day, kind Of wealth before
which fades the lustre of gold, the beauty
of the opal, the splendor Of the diamond
Think what have been the delights of home,
that hallowed retreat of fidelity and trust
where husband and wife, parent and child
DrOtner anu SlSteT cOumlDRle IN such sweet
association; what the advantages of the
school, with all its elevating and ennoblinp
culture; what the joys of society, where day
by day we have touched men and womer
with friendship as stable as mountains
and as radiant as stars; what the inspira
tion of the church, where sanity hearts arc
bound together by the golden chain of cod
illness, entwined with the roses of love
what uplifting hours of sweet communion
with God, when all the rapture of sins for
given and truth revealed, our spiritual ey,
has been able to see the cleaning stones II
the gates of pearl, and our spiritual ear /,
hear the melody of angelic choirs as the,
chant anthems around celestial throne
Oh, who of us, children of God, follow
ers of the gracious Christ, heirs of blessed
Immortality, can look back on persona
mercIes of the past year and not sing out Il
q glad song with David, 'Bless the Lord, {
my soul, and all that is within me. bIes
his holy name; who forgiveth all thine in
EQUITIES. who heaIeth all thy diseases, VIII
crowneth thee with loving kindness an,
tender mercies."
Let me call yOur attention TO some fhjno