Omaha daily bee., 1898-11-25
ALL UNITE To GIVE THANKS
Congregations Of Protestant Churches Observe
Thanksgiving Day.
REV. G. W. SNYDER breaches THE SERMON
Traces Analogy Between Gods Deal
ing with the Ancient Isrnelites
and the People of This
Country.

anu the feOpIe OF IulD
COUNTRY
The congregations Of the Protestant
churches Of Council Bluffs observed Thanks
giving day, as has been the general custom
for years past In this city, with union
services yesterday morning at the Broad
way Methodist church-this church being
selected as having the largest auditorium OF
any sacred ediice In the city. Owing to
the large window over the main entrance
having been blown out during the blizzard
Monday night, 1t was found impossible to
properly heat the auditorium and the serv-
ice had to be held in the rooms in the
basement which, owing to the large con-
gregation present, were somewhat incon-
veniently rowde BY a strange coinci-
dence, to which the Rev. G.. w. Snyder,
pastor Of st. Johns English Lutheran
church, referred in the opening OF his SER
mon, six years ago when he was called upon
to preach the Thanksgiving sermon at the
union services at the same church, owing
to the blizzard raging that day, they had
to be held in the basement.
Rev. Snyder took as his text Exodus "a: "a:
For l will cast out the nations be-
fore thee and enlarge thy borders;
neither shall any man desire thy land when
thou shall go up to appear before the Lord
thy God thrice In the year" He said In
part:
What a spectacle is this day presented
to God, to angels and to men. A nation Of
1000, 900 souls saying: Praise the Lord,
o Jerusalem, praise thy God, O., Zion'-a ma
ton Offering thanksgiving unto God. That
must indeed be no trifling or common cause
that can close the marts of business, 81
lence the hum Of Industry, suspend the
work Of buying and selling and getting
gain, spread a solitary stiffness over a PEE
Rod allotted to secular work, and crowd
the houses Of God in the land with multi
tudes to offer praises and Thanksgiving 10
the father Of all mercies and blessings.
And this spectacle has not been produced
by any extraordinary religious awakening.
nor by any ecclesiastical authority nor by
any concerted action by the several Chris
tian bodies in the country, but is recon-
mended by a proclamation OF the nations
chief magistrate and again by
the executives Of the states. Thus the APP
pointment Of the solemn day is supported
by a combination Of civil sanction, influence
and power.
There is a peculiar analogy between
Gods dealings with the ancient Israelites
and the people Of this country. In noting
the blessings cited In the presidents procla-
nation, as we'll as others in which we so
greatly rejoice, we will draw attention to
this similarity in dealing with the two
people.
First, we rejoice in national security.
The Israelites were yet around Mount Sinai,
had Just started on their long, tedious jour-
ney for the promised land, when God said
unto Moses I will cast out the nations be-
fore thee and enlarge thy borders, neither
shall any man desire thy land when thou
shall go up to appear before the Lord thy
God thrice in the year. Extensive dominion
and national security were here promised.
The psalmist, referring to this in after years,
said He hath strengthened the bars Of thy
gates AS God gave the people Of Israel
a peculiar country, so has he our own nation.
Judea's fertility enabled 1t to sustain an
immense population and its physical geogra-
ply was a defense in itself to it's inhabi-
tants. So the fertility and the immense re-
sources Of wealth of all kinds Of this coun-
try are able to support and are supporting
growing millions.
"And II Judea was strong from Its physical
geography this country Is much stronger.
Our land extends from ocean to ocean. thou.
sands Of miles Of vast waters intervene be-
tween us and any other powerful nations
east or west. We extend as far north and
south as cold and heat make 1t desirable
for habitation. No powerful nation lies on
our borders to watch US with envy and jeal-
Gus eye and cause us to be ever In readiness
to repel a formidable invasion. A few days
notice Of fife and drum summons enough
men together to settle all warlike contro-
versies with any of our immediate neigh.
&c. IA nvnt ouno nm NO
evidenced in the late Hispano-American
imbroglio.
Hitherto We have been placed under no
necessity Of keeping q large standing army.
Our newly acquired possessions will make
an additional demand on our young men
for the army and navy. but nothing to COM
pare with the hundreds Of thousands Of men
in the prodigious military organization OF
European nations. When we are through
with a war we disarm at once, without say
ing anything to anybody about 1t, and re-
turn to the farm, the shop. the store and
the ONCE. In Europe they make proposals
to each other for disarmament, even in
times OF peace, and fail in their proposals.
Since our declaration OF independence as q
nation we have acquired territory from
England, Spain, France, Mexico, Russia
and Spain the second time; we have had
lou iSl6 Woio eho ohS Sh'A - "
coming out victorious. and have become
stronger after every clash OF arms and
mightier and weather. after every added
new possession. To the God Of Israel is
the praise. We rejoice in the restoration
of peace and in plenty throughout the land
in the courage Of our chief executive. II
ever an army and especially a navy were
divinely protected from great disaster while
in furious combat 1t was our army and
navy In the war just closed. Two grea'
naval victories and only three men killed
a large army captured. a proud nation de.
feated and compelled to sue for peace, with
a loss Of only something over 200 killed
among the victors. Peace procured 80 read
lily and with such wonderful results demand!
our heartiest praise and thanksgiving"
Mr.. Synder told Of the bounteous harves
the country over and reminded his congre'
cation Of the debt OF gratitude due tn.