Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1901-11-25

AID hand during the past twelve
months The texts are: l Corinthians
i. 10. He that pIoweth should plow
in hope Isaiah XII, Z, He that
smootheth with the hammer" Judges
Y, II. They that handle h pen of the
writer
There is n table being spread across
the top OF the two great ranges of
mountains which ridge this continent,
\ table which reaches from the Allan
tic to the Pacific sea. 1t is the Thanks
giving table of the nation. They will
come from the east and the west and
the north and the south and sit at it.
On il are smoking the products Of all
lands, birds of every aviary, cattle
from every pasture. fish from every
lake, feathered spoils from every farm.
The fruit baskets bend down under the
products plucked from the peachfields
of Maryland, the apple orchards Of
western New York, the orange groves
OF Florida. the vineyards Of Ohio and
the nuts thrashed from New England
woods. The bread is white from the
wheatfeldS of Illinois and Michigan.
the banqucterS are adorned with Cali
fornia gold, and the table is agleam
with Nevada silver, and the feast is
warmed with the fire CRATES heaped
up with Pennsylvania coal. The hall is
spread with carpets from Lowell mills,
and at night tie lights will flash from
brOnZed brackets of Philadelphia man
u~facture.
Welcome, Thanksgiving day, What
ever we may think of New England
theology, we all like New England
Thanksgiving day. What means the
steady rush to the depOts and the long
rail trains darting their lanterns along
the tracks of the Boston and Lowell,
the Georgia Central. the Chicago Great
Western. the st. Paul and Duluth and
the Southern railway? ASK the happy
group lii the New England farmhouse;
ask the villagers whose song of praise
in the morning will come over the
Berkshire hills; ask all the plantations
of the south which have adopted the
New England custom of setting apart
a day of thanksgiving. Oh, it is Il great
day of national festivity! Clap your
hands. We people. and shout aloud for
joy Through the organ pipes let there
come down the thunder CT Il nations
rejoicing. Blow the cornet! Wave the
palm branches, "Oh. that men would
praise the Lord for his goodness and
for his wonderful works to the chill
dren of men!"
Victories of Peace.
For two years and "A half this nation
has been celebrating the triumph CT
sword and gun and battery. We have
sung martial airs and cheered return
Snr ono ,DI -A,,,DI4I H. ,-,,iao
for the slain in battle. Methinks il
will be a healthful change if on this
years Thanksgiving in church and
homestead we celebrate the victories
OF the plow. the hammer and the pen,
for nothing vas done at Santiago or
Manila that was of more Importance
than that which in the last year has
beer one in farmers field and me-
chanic'S ship and authors study by
those who never wore an epaulet or
shot a Spaniard or went a hundred
miles from their own dOOrsill. Come
up. farmers and mechanics and liter
airy men. and get YOU dues as far as
can pay them.
Things have marvelouSly changed.
Time was when the stern edict of gov
ernments forbade religious assemble
geS. Those who dared TO be so unloyal
to their king us to acknowledge loyalty
to the Head of the universe were pun
ished. Churches awfully silent in wor-
ship suddenly heard their doors swung
open. II down upon the church aisle
n score of muskets thumped as the
leaders babe them Ground arms!!'
This custom of having the fathers. the
husbands. the o and brothers at the
entrance of the pew is a custom which
came down from Olden time. when it
was absolutely necessary that the ia
Their or brother should sit at the end of
b hurch pew fully armed to defend
the helpless portion of the family. But
now how changed, Severe penalties
are threatened against any one who
shall interrupt religious services, and
annually. at the command of the high
est official in the United States, we
gather together for thanksgiving and
holy worship. Today | would stir your
souls TO joyful thanksgiving while |
speak of the mercies of God and in un-
conventional way recount the con-
quests of the pillow. the hammer and
the pen.
Most of the implements of husband
~ have been superseded by modern
inventions. but the plow has never lost
its reign. 1t has furrOwed its way
through all the ages. Its victories have
been waved by the barley of Palestine.
the wheat of Persia. the flax of Ger
many. the ricestalks of china the rich
grasses of Italy. 1t has turned up the
mammoth of Siberia. the maStOdcn of
Egypt and the pine groves of TheSsaly.
Its iron foot hath marched where Mo-
ses wrote and Homer sang and Arts
totle taught and Alexander mounted