Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-30

| We neither deny this nor describe the cause
! of it. Joy in the Lord is our strength. We
| implicitly trust His word that when we
| confess He is faithful and just to forgive.
| We honor His fidelity and His justice by
| accepting this fact. which may
| treat as concluded and settled, and with
which we need concern ourselves no more.
| SO We viii not mar this joyous day by re-
| calling the sins that God mas forgotten.
| We Will Wear no SackCloth and ashes. but
| the garments of festivity. We will NOT
| fast. bu- eat aad drink and thank our God
| for his UnGIilin2 bounty"
Turning to national topics, DIR. Hamlin
said: Here, as well as in personal mat
tors, ou- text seems to be Just the guide
that We ncel. our thanksgiving is very apt
to be shattered ny the thought of our ma
tiunal shortcomings We are prone to feel
that We have no right to be exultantly
happy unless we can show clean bill of
ne alth. That We certainly cannot do"
He gave as examples drunkenness, lead
Es to crimes innumerable and many be-
heVe, lie said, that the law is not invoked
as IL should be Life is in many places
held cheap. Our largest cities and our
greatest stat are in the hands of sordid
and unScrUpUiOuS political bosses. Our
House OF Representatives will be asked on
next Monday to seat as national law
maker man who openly practices and de
fends poIygdmy, but whom a sovereign
state sends with lis c. fcdentials. Certainly
If one wishes TO fast when ne may find
quite enough 10 take away his appetite.
Those who hav- a relish cor pessimism may
indulge themselves to the full.
God Reigns.
But" he SAID, I'VE need not fear to face
our national sins with unappalied hearts.
Not because they are trihes: not because
underestimate their threat against our
national Hf.: but because Nehemiahs God
is also ours in whom is our strength. and
- our JOY. That simple fact. alone, should
make 4 Christian people happy our gra-
cioUs God who 'kuoweth our frame, and
TvrlemheTeih that We are dust gives us
visible and tangible proofs of His sOver-
eighty in our national affairs. We need to
believe that good oVerbdiances evil; that
right Is certain to conquer wrong: because
God reigns In order to get this assurance
and enjoy the comfort of it, We must lift
UP our heads and look far and wide.
Nearsightedness is always pesstmistic. The
microscope reveals flaws. Even the indi-
yilUal life must be seen at large, if il is to
be judged fairly: much more the national
or the world life.
The Eject of the War in Philippines.
Take. for example, he said, ''our war in
;he Philippines, now apparently nearing its
end. Its cost in money and lives is la
rnentabIe. Were it TO have no other result
than merely the subduing of an inSurrec-
ton We might well say it Is costing too
much. But if is a step along the road that
is always hard and steep, in the worlds
civilization. God at the first set this nation
in large place which has steadily broad
ened. as barbar.sm, sterility and darkness
have reccded before us across the CONT
nent. In this rich soil We have grown to be
mighty nation. 1t would be very delight
fui for 10 take our ease and enjoy our
IuXuries within our own secure borders. but
can seVenty-fve millions. rich intelligent,
eHterprising Christians, so play at being a
natiOn2 Plainly. We must take our share
in wOrld-mOVements and wOrldrespOnsiDih-
ties. We are large minded and courageous
enough to welcome this, with all the bur
dens that 1t involves. Evidently we are to
have our part in awakening the orient, and
especially the vast empire of China, from
its deep sleep. No doubt there will be
meanings and grumblings and disturbing
stretchings as the giant energies from
troubled dreams; and we may receive some
of his half-cOrsciOus blows. Nevertheless
he must awake. and enter with the wide
open eyes and clear brain into the life of
the new century.
Higher Civilization.
Whatever may be our feelings or pref
udices, we can hardly fail to see that in
Africa. in the Philippines, in China, a
higher civilization is facing a lower; en-
lghtenment stands arrayed against ignor-
5nce; intelligence against bigotry and su-
perstitiOn. The fittest will survive Who
could want it otherwise? This is not to
say that every Americans and every Eng
GShman'S : motives are pure, unseifish and
wholly patriotic; but God works with men
Of mixed motives. and knows how to make
the wrath of man praise Him. The law of
tht- survival of the fittest is nowhere
tntIe law. and civilization Seems unable
To materially soften II. There are suffering
and death. but even here and now. these
are doors to larger life. Africa and the
east cannot he redeemed without blood. but
they are to he redeemed and to contribute
lmmeasurabIy to the progress and happi-
ness Of mankind
Other movements of q less violent ma
Frrr..
omen: France has once more vindicated
herself before the world. The German en-
perOr has wonderfully commended himself
as an able, strong and even conservative
sovereign. whose substantial alliance with
Great Britain aliays many fears. The Czar
OF all the Russias immortalized himself by
his proposal OF limitation of armaments
and by the resulting conference at The
Hague.
Causes for Thanksgiving.
TO return home and look again at our
own national life. How the causes of
Thanksgiving swarm about US. The estab-
lished solidarity of our AngIo-Saxon race,
with its widespread mutual understanding
and good will; itself an almost insuperable
barrier TO any great war. The breaking of
our youthful swaddling bands and enter
ing upon our national manhood to stand
in the front rank of civilzing and Chris
taniZing powers for all the world. The
strengthening OF moral sentiment through
out our whole population. which has swept
over our land like a whirlwind in condem-
nation of even the possibility of giving
iegalZed COuntenanCe to polygamy, and
which, without vindictiveness or injustice
toward an individual. will, doubt, with
in few days forever exclude from our
national life the infamy of which he Is un-
fortunately for himself, the representative.
Overlooking abundance in forest. stream
and field. Well-paid labor for contented in
dustry. 1nnumefable happy homes Free
schools for all our children. Welcoming
churches where all may worship God
though none may be compelled How un-
generous and ungratefui should we be to
darken such picturei There are evils,
but good is mightier. There are bad men
but God reigns. So. go your way, eat the
fat and drink the sweet, and send portions