The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-12-13
ARP FEELS THANKFUL
d, n,ccouRSFs ON IHE OBSEhvAN /
OF TIE DAY.
shy He is 50 Very Grateful Sis Sr0u'o ''
Board Nth IS of His family liable
,d-n vi h Good Thiogstn lat.

IL " 3
IF was \ preacher and believed ihe
General Breck nr.dge that TINS was oou
war and that God gave Us the Nlotoi',
would preach Il sermon TO-DAY oh -.
Giving. and would read David sohS 'n"'
he sang after his great victory oNti ,"
pbiuistines. for it was the first thanhs-
a;rinr If that kind on record. and seems
to fit orr case. Thou hast given me the
nacks of mine enemies. l did beat them
as small as the dust of the earth. lhoh
hast kept me to be the head or the heatu-
on. and 4 people that L knew not shdll
serve me. Strangers shall submit thehl-
selves unto me and shall be obedient unto
me Thou hast lifted me up high above
Thorn that rose against me. therefore,.
7 will give thanks unto Thee. on LORD.
The observance of Thanksgiving DAY
was a very ancient custom among ny
Jews. Moses ordained that all the trlpes
should gather three times Il year anu
bring offerings and give thanks 10 '""
for his goodness. The word thanks means
grateful thought. an expression OF graz
rude and the scriptures from Genesis TO
Revelation give it the highest importance
as an acceptable sacrifice. David
Psalms are pregnant with gratitude ano
he urges it upon all people III the most
impressive language. In the days OF the
o~nostleS the giving of thanks was a dalH
offering. not only in the temple service.
but at home and at their meals. ENeh
the Saviour would not distribute the
loaycs and fishes until lie had gwen
thanks: nor did He pass the Up at the
last supper until he had given thanks 70
thp Fathpr. Our custom of saylng grac,
at the table is as old as history. It
should be said seriously, d~evoutly ana
from the heart rs we'll as the tongue.
Why not? What good things have we Go'
that was not given us by our ncaNthi.
Irahtre:What are we, anyhow? We don I
know where we came from, nor WnllltI
we are going. nor what shall be our fu-
tnre state. We cannot add a Y ar or =
dav to our existence. We cannot fore@ce
or prevent the accidents of life. We can
not make Il single article Of food or cloth
ing. We don't know the process by VIII n
the grain terminates and grows or the
sheen takes on wool or how the sllWorm
weavcs his cocoon. In fact we are "
terlv HELPLESS and dependent on our
Creator and should give thanks every day
and every hour. for ingratitude IS the IA
sest Of all sins. Milton says: Il glut-
ton ne'er lOks to heaven during his feast.
but with base ingratitude Grams himself
and bl sphomes his feed - Shakespeare
saws In1I 1lgIlI4tttut 10 u
hearted fend" and BLOW. blow, thou
winter wind. Thou are not 50 cutting o.
unkind As mans ingratitude." What Z
fool is the man who IS proud Of his mon
cy or the woman who is vain of her
beauty. for neither was the author Of It
and neither gave any thanks to God for
it. Humility to God is the tittest gar
ment for Us all. and gratitude its best
ornament. Humble yourselves under
!. His mighty hand says st. Paul. \
: quaint old poet, who died $50 years ago.
, said Of the Saviour: He was the best
: Of men-a soft. meek. patient $ lrlt-thc
!. first true gentleman that ever breathed.
But this is sermon enough for a lay
man to preach. Turkey time is near II
. hand and ali the ct ceteras that surround
the feast-we are to dine out to-day with
t fifteen Of my family. | am thankful thai
they are all We'll enough to eat turkey
5 and the ct c~eteras. and all are fairly
good-lo0king. except me. and all are low
Q ing and kind. | am thankful that We
p live in this go0dly land and that no af-
4 fiction or calamity has bcfallen us. |
|. am thankful for the abundant crops. in
: Guiding the i-cent cotton. for il was Him
s who sent the sunshine and the rain th.t
Y made it. Twas not Him WHO ixed tho
$ price. I'm thankful for the sweets that
1eaStPu us ana the cn1IQFt II. ana the DtN-
n ers that gladden. our eyes. and the birds
G that sing to us. And now how beautiful
are the fading leaves that mingle THEN
b bright colOrS with the green pines upon
t the distant hills. As the poet says:
= The world is very lovely; oh, my
u God.
q | thank Thee that | live"
h But amidst al our comforts and luxr
y rieS and pleasing emotions. the essence OF
+ THANKSGIVING Will be lost unless we re.
=, member the poor and the distressed. no
"a only in our prayers. bat in our deeds
! Our preacher has invited Us all to bring
an offering to the church-an Offering fu1
the orphans at Clinton. where we have
: two that our Sabbath school maintains
:. That is practical Thanksgiving for Solo
= mon saith. He that eiveth to the poor
. lendeth to the Lord" and an old Scotci
= preacher added. Nov if YOU like the Sc
: curly. down with the dust"
Pm thankful that this unhappy WI,
, is over. if it is over. and | grieve for al
- those who nave suffer. d from it, whetne1
- they he friends or foes.
- But the turkey bell calls and I an
- wanted to preside and say graz -visl
that everybody had a turkev and @
= c~eteras.
RIIL ARP.