The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-11-30

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Thanks to God-An Eloquent Ser
mon Was Preached by Rev. Rob-
ert F. Y. Pierce, D. D.
One of the largest and most thor
oughly successful union Thanksgiving
services ever conducted in this city
was held yesterday morning in the
Penn Avenue Baptist church by the
united congregations of that church,
of the Elm Park Methodist Episcopal
of the Grace Evangelical Luthern and
of the Grace Reformed church.
The spacious auditorium of the
church was handsomely decorated with
flowers and the national colors and
was entirely too small to accommodate
the enormous throng OF people who
journeyed from all parts of the city
TO give public expression of their
gratitude to. God for the blessings Of
the past year.
A remarkably friendly feeling pre-
dominated the whole service and greet
ings and handshakes were exchanged
between the members OF the four con-
gregations before the services proper
began. These We're opened with an
organ prelude rendered by Prof. Haydn
Evans in his usual mastery style.
A morning hymn of praise to God
was then rendered by the congresd-
ton, all standing. There was an in
spring swing and fervor to the rem
dering of this hymn which was es-
pecially marked After IL brief re-
sponsive reading and a congregational
response. Rev. Luther Hess Waring,
pastor Of the Grace Evangelical Lu-
tharan church, led in prayer.
REV. MIR. ALKICH LED.
Then there was responsive Scrip
ture lesson led by Rev. G. L. Alrich,
pastor OF tine Grace Reformed Epis-
copal church followed by another con-
gregational hymn of praise sung 10
the air Of an old Italian hymn rem
dered centuries ago. perhaps. in the
dim religious light OF some cloistcrcd
morestary
After an eloquent and earnest prayer
by Rev. DR.. c. NJ. Gitin. pastor of the
Elm Park church. Il vocal duet was
exquisitely rendered by Mrs. B,un-
dage and w. A. Roberts. The selection
was Wiegand's Come. Holy Spirit"
and an impressive silence reigned un-
til the last notes had died away. The
Penn Avenue church choir, a most
thoroughly trained and splendid body
of singers. sang Praise the l.Ord'
while. an Offering for the benefit of the
Home of the Friendless was being
taken up.
The Thanksgiving sernon was de-
livered by Rev. DR.. Robert +. Y. Pierce.
ID. D., pastor of the Penn Avenue Rap-
tist church. whose graceful eloquence
has made him one OF Scranton's lead
ing pulpit orators. Rev. DR.. Pierce
took as his topic "America in the
Twilight of Two Centuries"
DIR. PIERCE;S SERMON.
DR.. Pierce took as his text the verse,
Hitherto hath the Lord helped US"
and almost in the beginning OF his
sermon had something to say regard
ing the question OF the expansion nf
this country into the far east. Said
he:
"Now by patriotic devotion we sit as
a united family of states around one
Thanksgiving board and our good host,
the Goddess of Liberty. has brought !,
few choice islands of the sea to share
our love and fortunes. Expansion may
be lightly treated as campaign hoo
doc. but American expansion means
the light Of civilization, the hand "
philanthropy, the brain of education,
the brain of industry and the heart of
Christianity.
"As some one has said With mag
nanimity which will startle the world
we shall in due time give to our Cuba
and the other islands of the sea
government by the people and of the
people and for the people, and beau
tiful and bencticient as we have 1T
home.
with our national unity and great
ness there is national responsibility.
We must give to our own people and
to the world the largest liberty. the
truest gospel and the grandest civili-
cation. The century has brought IL
great ethical advance in social evoiu-
tion. There are now no prisoners
dragged through triumphal arches
there is no more beheading of kings
and queens
"The impulse of Il noble civilization
has reached the throne. There are 70
more base and vile Charles the Flrsts
and there are no more Queen Eliza
UctHS, lIluclICdlt anu lulse ms l'fittt
W have the good King Humbert. the
noble Queen Victoria and President
Mckinley. who is knightly in charac-
ter and Christ-likc in spirit.
CONTROLLING; FORCES.
"'rie controlling forces which shall
l.: pi.id the coming century will h.
fourh in the gospel of the Son of God.
To the devotional and the institutional
will be added the inspirat onal church,
where man shall find his nobler self:
where the world shall find help, and
where the weary snail find God.
Greater than marshallcd arm
les will be the voice of the NaZarann |
above the din of the worlds activities
and Sorrows
Following DR.. Pierce's sermon w. A.
Roberts sang in "A most acceptable
manner 20, Holy Father" by Weig-
and, and the service was brought to
IA most effective close by the spirited
of the grand old national
hymn, my Country, lis of Thee"
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.