The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-19

The Festival Of Harvest Homo was
celebrated yesterday by the congrega-
tion and Sunday school of the Evan
gelical church of the Holy Trinity.
During the regular morning service
special sermon was preached by the
pastor, Rev. c. G.. Spieker, and special
music was rendered by the choir under
the direction of Pref. f. Protheroe. In
the evening exercises were held by the
Sunday school
Vegetable and other products Of gar
den and field were used for decorating
about the pulpit and all the space back
of 1t. Corn stalks, unthreshed grain,
pumpkinS, potatoes, turnips, squashes.
tomatoes and other grain and vege-
tables and fruit were piled in profuson
but in tasteful array in every corner.
Pastor Spieker's Harvest Home SER
mon was preached in the morning. 1t
was from the text BLESS the Lord,
my soul. and forget not all his bene-
fits" Psalms ciii:2. He introduced his
discourse with a reference to the wis
dom in setting aside such day for the
purpose of giving praise for the abund-
ance provided by a gracious Father for
use by his people.
God. He was ever busy singing sweet
praises. 1t was his life work and high
est joy. There was as good reason
why we should praise. not only with
our hearts, but with our hands and all
that is within us. This should be done.
first, because God, alone holy and per-
fect,is alone worthy of praise and ador-
alton. He created us unto his praise
~ hn,, ,AY' 4, oil hnt t,n do
PRAISES AND HONORS GOD.
The armament above, the world, the
whole realm praises and honors God.
AS the picture reflects praise to the
artist, so should we praise our Maker.
| This is especially epected in view Of
our intelligence and immortal souls.
| Being undeserving we are all the more
| bound to give the honor and dues in
return for the redemption of fallen and
| lost souls and from death; for redemp-
| tion from oblivion to heavenly man.
sions. How can we refrain from kneel-
ing and thanking Him?
| Provision has also been made by the
| Father for our temporal welfare. In
| stead of famine and want there has
| been a rich harvest. No more fitting
avenue than the Harvest festival could
be chosen for showing appreciation: on
| no occasion, however, should there be
a refrain from 1t in spirit.
Not only has He been bountiful but
it is He alone who is able to give such
blessings and bounty. Instead of half
hearted and nigcardly. the harvest has
| been open-handed and of great vol
ume, not of drops and driblets like our
love at times for Him. The extent of
His goodness, Mr.. Spieker said. was
shown in the variety and delight wit
messed in the fruits, grain and Vege-
tables contained in the church.
| Gods goodness looms up the more
| prominently as 1t is compared with
our condition in receiving it. His love
meets, too often. with faint apprecia-
tion, so cold and selfish is man who
wastes his love on perishing delights.
BEEN ESPECIALLY BLESSED.
The United States, said Mr.. Spieker.
had been especially blessed. So must
we deal with him who blessed it and
gave the overflow of the blessing
to others, to the dying and starving in
other lands when the Lord and His
goodness had not been known. This
could not be done, however if our own
needs were forgotten, charity begins
, at home" If there is room for the
, Lords blessing here among those who
do not know Him, they should not be
distributed elsewhere.
The pastor asked his hearers If the
: harvest had been enough for them in.
,, dividually. He urged that they permit
neither their hearts nor souls to forge,
his benefits during the coming year
= Every person should be field for &
: harvest of grace, of gospel. of love fol
, the Precious Son. Nor should the fina
harvest be forgotten. the harves
which shall be garnered and the whea
separated from the chaff.
In the evening, r. II. Brader, super
| | intendent of the Sunday school, pre-
sided There were anthems and hymn
by the school, an opening address b!
= Miss Jennie Seaman, recitation b.
Grace Brown and solo and chorus b,
= her and six small children. recitation
by Lottie Dickens. solo by ID. j. Davis
= recitation by Alta Wetzel solo an,
( chorus by Bessie Schire and choir ant
i remarks by the pastor.
. America" was among the selection
u sung in concert by the school.
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