Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-11-29
Thanksgiving Day Generally Observed in q
Quiet Manner ID This City.
DR.. COLEMAN ADDRESSES THE UNION MEETING.
Services Held at the Christian Church. with Special Music
Thanksgiving Mass at St. Mary's
Veterans at tho Soldiers Home
Many Visitors in and Out Of the City-some Larger
Family and Neghborhood Gatherings

The day Of Thanksgiving in Marshall-
town was unusually quiet, altho OBJ
served in the customary manner. BUSH
ness was generally suspended, the larger
institutions giving their employees q
holiday and the business houses closing
at least during the afternoon.
Religious services were more general
than usual, q Thanksgiving mass at st.
Mary's and services at the Soldiers
Home being conducted in addition to the
customary union services. The only at
traction in the way Of outdoor sports
was the foot ball game between the
Marst1alltown and Belle PLANE eleyens.
"A large congregation assisted at the
mass OF thanksgiving at $3.50 this morn
ing, which was celebrated by Rev. Fa-
Their Lehman.
The union services OF the Protestant
churches were held at the Christian edi-
flee, where a large audience assembled
and listened to the sermon by DIR. F. NJ.
Coleman, pastor OF the Methodist
church. Music for the occasion was fur
nished by a quartet composed OF Miss
Gertrude Adams, soprano; Miss CoraAE-
crews, alto; Mr.. Chester Durelle. tenor.
and Mr.. G. g. Allen. basso, with Miss
Carrie Andrews as organist. Other pas
tors of the city assisted in the service,
Rev. Boardman reading the scripture
lesson, Rev. Russell the proclamation OF
President Mckinley. and DR.. Parsons
giving the prayer.
Rev. Coleman's text was from Joshua
23:14: And ye know in all your hearts
and in all your souls that not one thing
hath failed of all the good things which
you; all are come to pass unto you, and
not one thing hath failed thereof He
said in part:
These were the words OF Joshua to
Israel when he was nearing the close Of
his twenty-five years leadership in their
successful entrance and possession OF
the promised land. He had rehearsed
to them briefly the past promises Of God
and their complete fulfillment; and had
added larger promises which We're yet to
be fulfilled II they were still obedient.
That which would allow US to APP
fpropriate these words and apply themste
our own case would be equal certainty
that equal promises had been equally
fulfilled In our case. AS the children OF
Israel We're particularly and peculiarly
Gods favored people until the advent OF
Christ. SO in an equal measure since that
great event has every obedient people
been Gods favored and chosen Israel.
Not little of Paul's argument is to
prove that the heirs Of all the promises
are the children by faith rather than
the heshly seed OF Abraham. His con-
clusion8is that II We be Christ's, then are
We Abraham's seed, and heirs according
to the promise Heirs not only Of the
old, but also OF the new covenant prom
Uses. 1t needs but little argument to
prove. because there is little doubt, that
we have received equal to any people
Gods richest promises. The character
of the favor may be somewhat changed,
but the favor Is not diminished. He may
not divide the waters, shower bread
from Heaven, or in the same evidently
supernatural way fight our battles, but
/ II the blessings are as rich and from
the same source, 1t matters not whethe.
they flow thru natural or supernatural
channels.
The promises that were to ancient
Israel have been enriched and multiplied
as they have been extended to new
Israel. The limited promises Of the old
covenant have been suspended by their
fulffllment, such as a temporal home in
Canaan, but the general and perpetual
promises Of the old have been supple-
lnented by those Of the new. There is. q
radical difference in the relation OF
Gods people to him then and now. Be
cause OF their limited knowledge Gods
favor could be shown only by temporal
advantage. And for them to be sure
that the advantage did actually come
from God. 1t must come thru super
natural channel. To know the giver,
the gift must be stamped with the GER
tain power OF the giyer Material con-
Tditions We're to them the accepted evil
dence OF Gods approval or disapproval.
1t seems to be the design Of God, un-
der the later dispensation, to remove the
field of reward and penalties from the
temporal and material. SO as to enlarge
his benevolences even to the unworthy.
While material prosperity was a mark
OF divine favor. there was no chance to
bless the unjust without seeming to APP
prove Of their injustice. II the wicked
had q good harvest, 1t would be inter-
preted AZ an evidence of Gods approval
OF their life. The larger knowledge OF
this later dispensation gives man to
know Of Judgment to come and a
wrath reserved. Sin Is always destrucs
tive OF human happiness. but in this life
crime very often hurts the righteous
more than the criminal. It is an. impor-
tant lesson that IT takes the Lord s peo-
pie long to learn. that temporal condi-
ton Is not to be interpreted as an evil
dence OF Gods favor or disfayor. Among
Gods latest promises we read that all
things work together for good to them
that love Cod So that. to the lover OF
God, there can be no unfavorable condl-
lions in this life. To such an one 1t Ia
misnamed to call anything misfortune
for that which increases good !s fortune
The one who can believe this promise
has a never-failing condition for which
gratitude is right. And this benevolent
arrangement Of the Divine plan by
which God can shower blessings on the
wicked witholt approving Of their wick
edneHs, puts them under obligations OF
gratitude for benefits OF which they are
20 certainly unworthy. 3.
II the conditions in which Gods peo-
pie md themselves are agreeable to the
flesh. this fact certainly subtracts notf,-
Ing from the reason Of thanksktvinE. n
~ 4 ~, tft - ga q a. 49,