The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-11-26
THE UNION SERVICE.
UOMBISED SERVICE AT THE FIRST
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
with the Meth oiist and baptist Con-
grcgations ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
by dtev. Seth Ward.

First Presbyterian church yesterday morn
ing at ii o'clock was a most beautiful,
patriotic and earnest one. and the large
congregation seemed to feel more than
ordinary exaltation OF spirit.
The service was opened with prayer
by Rev. William IIayne Lcayell Then
followed hymn, zone In Thee" and
scripture reading by Rev. l.. d. Lamhin
from II Philippians.
The choir was not present but the vast
congregation sang the ever-beautlful song,
"My Country. Ills Of Thee, and as its
strains poured out In mighty volume II
kindled every heart with intense emotion.
Rev. Seth Ward preached a splendid SER
mon. that follows:
Every good gift aud every perfect Is
from above and cometh down from the
Father OF Light."--Jamss, /. IL.
Ours Is the only Nation IN the world with
its annual national Thanksgiving day.
There Ia inspiration in the thought that
all over our broad t=.sd, In our great elites
and in quiet country places, In the North
and the South, amid New England hills
and our great Western plains. men and
women are assembled IN response TO the
call OF our chief magistrate TO offer sup
plication and thanksgiving to the God OF
nations-"Our fathers God from out
whose hand the centuries fall like grains
OF sand To the thoughtful man this fact
in itself Is profoundly Higniiicant. 1t IS
national recognition OF God. OF divine
providence and OF human responsibility.
II Is the recognition OF God as the saurce
Of our blessings, material and spiritual
and of the duty and beauty of gratitude.
NO Individual. no people. can stand In the
presence OF these great truths without
being impressed by them, without heing
blessed by them, II their uplifting and
sanctifying Influences be not resisted
For some strange reason 1t is easier
for us TO see our misfortunes than our
blessings. Men are more ready to murmur
than To give thanks. It "a therefore emf.
ncntly proper, and can not but be pronta-
Bile. for US on this occasion 10 recount our
blessings--to think OF the good that has
come into our lives At this suggestion
there should come trooping into our minds
memories OF individual mercies. Of personal
blessings, Of gracious visitatons and de-
Hverauces. and these should constitute mo
great ground for gratitude IA our hearts
today. 1i
But in this public service, In our col
lective capacity. we may also dwell on tho
blessings that have come to us as q peo-
pie. Ard in this let us Look beyond our
bountlful haryests, our extensive factories
our increasing commerce. 10 the unparal-
leied wealth, material, intellectual and
moral, that constitutes the inheritance Of
the men who are blessed with life In this
closing decade Of the Nineteenth century.
Then from the survey Of these innumerable
ana inesumabe blessings let us lool, un
10 God as the 'giyer Of every good and
perfect gift"
The great present Is ours. the most mar
velous and magnificent era since thu
morning stars sung together and the sons
OF Gou shouted their anthems OF praise on
creations morn. A mere catalogue OF tho
achievements Of our generation Is an i'm.
possibility. The progress of our own land
mas been so great that some one has well
saiu' These American days are more won.
oerfw than the Arabian Nights" Ours
one OF the youngest and yet the wealth.
lse. sation Oh earth In 1890 our national
wealth was $1,000 100000 Now the ANNUAL
. .',.' OF our wealth Is not less than that
amount. In 1890 there were twenty-three
miles OF railroad In the United States
AZ sxty-hve years we built enough 70
cross the continent sixty-fiye times--,n-
nuaiiy line to reach from the Atlantic
10 the Pacific, Our telegraphic wires w,ola
slrdie the globe thirty-two times. n Is
eiu mat there Is more merchandise trnns-
lv''eu py ran IN the United States than In
al other nations combined. N "a esti
mated that in the United States Enpiana
1trnany and France the steam power en-
royeu u equal 10 neasly three mechanical
saves Tor every man woman ana chill IN
THESE countries. Add 10 this the electr,e,,s
1nu water power employed and vol, VIII
nave servieeahle power equal TO nearly
,hs se, ,'ai, lot cvery human being In
thtse civilized lands: twenty Ave ~, 49,. -
cry family OF five persons. SO won,,ers,',,,,
mas the productive power Of the wsr,a ~" a.,
e.asea All the enis OF the earth VIII
setvc you at dinner today. Your hrcsa
from the great wheat fields OF thn ,sr
ws.. your table linen is iron, the Iooms
o. ireland, Brazil sends you coffee. Chm.
s salus yoai tea, our fruits come from No
yesses,a anu ous spices from the orient
- s NJ IN the capitals Of Eurone nna
IN the CITIES Of our own lana ,ns ~" amu
katner1ng the neHe for us. Last ,,,y,', !,
~ nhsned under the ocean ana 49,
tne continents. In the morning hn,,,.' "a !,
wss printed on pondcruus presses 49,
nur,ea 20 cur doors. The history az '.hs
1910 y reccunted at our breakfast table,
H Hay ~ wy. Aeain we may use George
man than he'll take notice Of "a'' on
Tne material and numerical crou.h I.
C.nrisuAnity has been equally great ~ =.
~ sun country the population Of Ina Jins,nd
et&tH mas been twelvefold. Within M
same period the membership Of The avar ,p
kencai rnurcncs has Increased thirty .cirhf.
Z iclu-nore tnan three times more ranislIv
one cornmunicant In our evsrrn,, Mas
rhurches 70 every fifteen 81 our annris
tfon, Now there il one to evorv Ne
Schools. churches ana benevolent fn.ts,r'
tons Of Christianity have kept nace v.,th
the marvellous matarial ndvanccnenf ~
our age. Christianity u not dead nor az
lpg pessimha 70 the contrary notwith-