Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-11-30
THANKSGIVING DAY
CELEBRATED By.
THE CHURCHES THROUGHOUT
THE CITY YESTERDAY.
MANY CHURCHES UNITED
And Held Union Services-The Third
Presbyterian and Wesley NJ. E.
Churches Hear an Eloquent Adj
dress by the Rev. r.. r.. Bigger.
Other Church Services.

dress by the Rev. r.. r.. Bigger.
other Church Services.
Last evening the Wesley M. E. Church
and the Third Presbyterian church con-
gregations united and services wehe held
in the Wesley Church, conducted by the
Rev. R. R. Bigger of the Third Church.
Two years ago the Rev. Bigger preached
the sermon in this church. taking as his
text. 1.-THE First Thanksgiving for Amer
ica. held in Palos, Spain, in 1893. -Four
years ago he preached again on THE
First Thanksgiving Held in America by
the New Englanders"
Enter into His gates with thanksgiv-
ing and into His courts with praise
Ps. 100: 4.
Tonight, by way of introduction, let
US trace the blessed custom of giving
thanks from the beginning of historic
time down to the present hour
One of the chief characteristics of the
laws of Moses was the ample provision
made therein for days of fasting and
thanksgiving Passing on to the times of
David we find his writings Astounding
with exhortations ito give thanks unto
the Lord Indeed, the giving of thanks
was one of the distinguishing features
of the Israel!tish religion. In history, in
prophesy and in song the Hebrews ex-
pressed their gratitude to Jehovah.
In the lie of our dear Lord we have
this part of true worship emphasized and
intensified, and after His ascension on
high, His example was faithfully imitat-
ed by the Apostles and Disciples. The
Of ba fathers the
church are strongly marked by express
sions of gratitude and thankfulness unto
God. One of the cardinal principles of
Christian worship in all periods of the
churchs history has been to thankfully
acknowledge Gods goodness and mercy.
Indeed, prayer without thanks in it is
hardly considered a true Christian prayer.
Therefore a day set apart in this coun-
try for such purpose is no new thing
But let us consider for a moment the
genesis and history of public thanksgiv-
ing on this continent. The first harvest
gathered by the Pilgrim Fathers was cell
ebrated by a season of prayer and praise
And in 1923, on account of severe drouth,
a day of prayer and fasting was appoint
ed. Even while the people were assem-
bled and the ministers were praying there
came abundant showers and prayer was
turned to praise and thanksgiving. Grad
ually the custom prevailed until it be-
came day of annual thanksgiving soon
after the harvest season. During the rev.
dictionary war Congress annually recon-
mended a day of National Thanksgiving.
Washington and succeeding Presidents
occasionally appointed a day of thanks
giving. After victories during the civil
war President Lincoln appointed a day of
National thanksgiving, and custom has
reserved the last Thursday of November
of each year for that gladstone time
Even the thanksgiving turkey which we
all like so well, has historic connection
with this National holiday. Just before
the first Thanksgiving Day in America,
1921, Governor Bradford, of the Pilgrim
Fathers, detailed four special hunters to
go into the forests in search of wild
turkey. To quote his own language:
In order that we may after more
special manner rejoice together" There
fore, whether in peace or in war, that
thanksgiving turkey which Governor
Bradford sent those four men out to
shoot has been a special feature of the
day and central figure of the dinner.
table with our children and friends, let
us not neglect TO gather in the house of
the Lord and thank and praise Him whose
goodness has crowned the year To-day
let our religious and patriotic sentiments
blend. 1t is a day for the voicing of our
gratitude not simply as individuals, nor
as families, nor as churches, but also as
a nation with whom as it seems to US,
And as this is the last Thanksgiving Day
of the nineteenth century, we as a Ma
ton ought to be more thankful than ever
before, for we have not merely the
blessings of this year before us, but
hundred years of unparalleled National
growth, prosperity and blessing looks
down upon US to-day and reminds US
that this ought to be the most glorious
and the most devQut Thanksgiving in the
history of this Nation. During this ceLe
fury this Nation has grown to be the
grandest Nation on Gods footstool; and
during this last year of the century God
has heaped blessings for us up to the
full. Therefore, on this last Thanksgv-
ing evening of the century, let US briefly
review the great things that God hath
done for us nationally.
l. In point of numbers He has made us
great people. The recent census pro-
claims that we have population of more
than 76,00O,000; and this number does not
include the people of our recent acquisi-
tons. for whom we are responsible, of
whom there are about 100000. This is
a greater population than that of any
other nation save China, Russia and the
British Empire, and we have a larger
English speaking population than even
Great Britain.
., We are a great Nation in territory
l am sure that very few os us here to-
night realize the vast dimensions of our
country. THE Pilgrim Fathers on Mas
sachusetts Bay once decided that popuia-
ton was never likely to be very dense
west of Newton, a suburb of Boston, and
the founders of Lynn, Mass, after ex-
ploring 10 or Is miles, doubted whether the
country was good for anything farther
west than that" We may laugh at the
diminutive ideas of our forefathers, but
just as surely will our children laugh at
our calculations, for there is great fu-
ture before this Nation of which few of
us have ever dreamed. Let me quote
some comparisons made by DR. Josiah