The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-27
THE ORIGIN OF THE DAY
TITS \ SACRED, NOT \ SECULAR,
INSTITUTION.
THE LESSONS IT SHOULD TEACH
Freely ye. have Received, Freely Give
Thanksgiving Enjoins Sacrifice as
Well as Rejoicing. An Appeal
for the Orphans


Thanksgiving sermon preached by
Rev. NJ. NJ. Marshall, ID. d., ut Christ
Church, November 24th.)
Freely We have received: freely give.
st. Matthew 10 chap. part of Sth verse.
These words, you may remember,
brethren, are a part of our Lords direc-
tons to the twelve when He sent them
forth into the world to preach the Cos
pl. AS We 30, preach. saying the king
dom of Heaven is at hand. Heal the sick,
cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast
out devils: freely We have received, free
ly give
Without any improperly l think they
may also be received somewhat apart
from their immediate connection anu APP
piled TO all Christians, for St. Peter
calls all such IAN holy priesthood to Of
fer ND spiritual sacrifices acceptable to
God by Jesus Christi and st. John
in Revelation says. Jesus Christ
Y hath made us kings and
priests unto God and his Father
Nay. more: it is true of all men
whether they profess and call them
selves Christians or not-It is true of
every human being as belonging to the
great DfOJuSTUObu VI my
have freely received from God and there
fore should freely give of good to others
every man lin his own ORDER each
according to his several ability.
No law Of Nature tone indeed which
God has established for the very main
tenace and continued being of the world,
is of more universal applicability or more
apparent than this great law of depend
,,,,o InnanHanra tho
the other that applies to all of Gods
creatures. great or small. animate or in
animate. whether in earth. air, or sea.
Not one is made for itself alone; but
each-howeyer tiny or however ire
men6ous-for others, and all for the
glory of God.
OF everything about us it may BIG said,
as the Apostle says, man, the greatest OF
Gods creatures of earth. Met one
liyeth unto himself and not one dieth
INTO himself Every moral influence,
good or bad. set going in the world
and none are so humble or so insight
ficant as not to constantly exercise such
influence--goes on and on III an ever
widening circle and contributes it's quota
to the general result.
True. there may be. and are, counter
acting influences to hold them i'll check.
but there are other concurrent ones to
further them; and in any case it is true
i'm morals as in physics that nothing is
destroyed. We may alter its form, we
may divert its force; but the force is
there and--however infinitesimal we may
regard tit is a factor in the general
result. 1t is a part of the complete
whole. 1t is so in the world of matter.
1t is so not less in the world of mind
and morals.
Gods law in nature and in grace is
one as He is one.
These threads of influence, good or
bad. however small, make up the wool
ana the warp Of the life OF the world,
and though we may lose sight of them
they are there nevertheless, and God will
one day brace them every one before our
eyes, each to its proper sources. and so
shall we be judged. Brethren, life is a
fearful responsibility. But it may be
made corresponding blessing. AS we
are higher in the scale of being. we are
capable of, and We're made for higher
happiness and by so much also we have
the greater responsibility
OF all of Gods creatures of earth
man has from his Maker received"
most freely and should therefore most
freely give to his fellow of whatever is
for their good.
That's Gods law. That's Gods com
mand: 'Freely We have received, freely
give" The setting apart by the church
of particular day in every year to be
observed as one of special prayer and
Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the
fruits of the earth, and all the other
blessings of his mercful providence.
had it's origin in devout recognition of
this law of God and this sound principle
of the Faith. / say the setting apart Of
such a day by the church adyisedly. For
/ find year by year on the recurrence
of this day there are those who need to
be reminded that Thanksgiving Day is
not in its origin crea ture of the State,
but of the church 1t was not and is not
appointed for any political reason what
ever: but as the Rubric itself prefixed
TO the office which we have this morn
ing used expressly states, it is form
of prayer and thanksgiving to A.
mighty God for the fruits of the earth
and all the other blessings Of his mer-
ciful Providence: which it further
states is "to be used yearly on the first
Thursday in November or on such other
day as shall be appointed by the civil
authority" 1t is appointed in November
because then the harvests have been
gathered, ana for the same reason the
day is Familiarity called in the church of
England the Harvest Home" festival.
Such services were common in England
long before they were known in this
country: but our church finding the OBJ
servance of such a day in keeping with
the principle which underlies the ap.
pointment of Festivals and Fasts and
Saints Days ION each of which particu-
lar doctrines and duties are taught,
namely the principle that what we have
not set time for. we are apt more or
less to neglect-made the day 10 be oh
served one and the same throughout the
country. that is National. and prepared
for its due celebration that appropriate
office which. in common with thousands
and tens of thousands of churchmen