The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1899-11-11
RecounitiOy, of Gou,

Recognition of Goa.
New York Sun: The usual proclaim
alton by the president appointing a Day
Of Thanksgiving has been issued by Pres
ident McKinley. We say usual because
the custom began with Abraham Lin
coin in 1868, or more than generation
ago. Originally, however, 1t was con-
lined to the governors of New England
states though during the revolution o
national Thanksgiving was annuallyrs-
commended Ly Congress. A general
thanksgiving for peace was appointed III
1854, hnt not until l7s9 was it again re-
commended by Washington, atthe re-,
quest Of congress. Afterward in 1895 he
issued second proclamation for thanks.
giving for the suppression of insnrrec-
tion, and in 1915, Madison called on the
people to give thanks 10 God for peace
secured. a. day was not regularly set
apart for the purpose by the governor of
New York until 1917, and the practice.
was adopted by the southern states slow
| ly, Gov. Wise Of Virginia declining to is
sue such proclamation sotlately as 1857
on the ground that he had DO authority
to Interfere in religious affairs.
The official appointmentof Day OF
THANKSGIVING is; Ell emphatic declara-
| ton that tho American people believe in
a personal God, who iuterycncs actively
in the affairs of the world, and in the
efficacy ofdeyout prayer to him-rin other
words, that they arc a religious people,
who realize their dependence on divine
help and attribute TO the Almighty their
prosperity and regard their adyersity as
a just punishment at his hands for their
sins. Nor can it be said that the ap-
pointment OF Day OF Thanksgiving an-
nually by the president aud governors OF
states is a merely perfunctory official
performance. 1t is unqnestionably re-
| sponsiye to the demand Of the religious
sentiment Of the people. OF the popl-
lation Of the United States in 1890, more
than one-thlrd were included in the ac-
tual membership Of religious commun-
ions, and probably twice ..s many were
iirectly or indirectly under the influence
OF The churches asd were religious be-
levers who recognized their dependence
on the. divine ruler, and the obligation
Of obedience to his commands as express
sed in the bible.
1t is true there is no such formal re-
cognition of God in the national cohsti-
tuition, and the omission has stirred loud
| protests from certain religious consci-
ences. The preamble of the New York
,constitulion is:
I eve. the people OF the state Of New
York, grateful to almighty God for our
freedom,"
But that Of the national constitution
does not go beyond the people them-
i selves:
"We, the people OF the Uniled States,
! in order tC form more perfect union,
establish justice insure domestic tran
i guilty, provide for the common defense,
promote the general welfare and secure
/ the blessings OF liberty to ourselves and
| our posterity, do ordaln,' etc.
/ The declaration Of Independence, how
ever, contains four references to God
and mans dependence on divine favor
1 though itaWas written by Thomas JEFF.
fersoi, who was much under the intlu.
I ence Of the contemporary school o.
French skeptics. This deyout recogni-
ton BY the government Of a personal
God, as we have said. appears also ii
every national and state Thanksgiving
proclamation, as now by President Nc
&inley's calling for "feTyent prayers
to the most high for a continuance O
the divine guidance, without which
mans efforts are yain." Moreover
Thanksgiving Day has Become one Of th'
most universally observed holidays o
!, the year; it may not be kept consistent
ly with its theory so much as a secula
!, festival but that criticism would appl,
+, TO all OUR other religious holidays. TIL
: annual setting apart Of 1t throughou
the American republic is unquestio1abl
an official announcement that this is
nation Of believers in God and in til
3 efficacy of prayer to him as the actua
Y governor oil the world, q personal bein
: to lie loved and obeYed. II implies, alst
Q necessarily, belief in the immortality Q
S conscious personal existence by man, i
i mans future accountability for his acts
o and his obligation to render to hi
s creator the oblation OF prayer and Drais
It Our correspondence indicates that a
It this is an open question in many mind
at this day, but it is questionable if I'll
doubt prevails more now than it'd
among the members Of the cGnvpntio
!, which adopted the national constitutio
more than century ago. The meth0
, OF approaching and discussing the sui
IA ject has changed, though where there
n doubt or denial it is no greater or mol
. decided row tllan it was then. A vel
= radical change, however, has taken plat
" since then 10 the character Of the mint
10 whom doubt and denial come. II
ranks Of skepticism are now recrnitt
a largely and powerfully from the theol
b. gians themselves. That is the distil
es gushing feature Of the skepticism
y. the time.
lie --4-:-- --------
- discovered by o woman.
=" Another great discovery has been mac
and that too, by q lady in this countr
"Disease fastened Its clutches upon b