The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-11-30
CAUSES FOR THANKS
SERMON OF REV. MIR. HURT IN
 SELMA.
Rabbi Levy Discourses Eloquently at His Synagogue and His Con- gregation Contributes to the
 summerfield Orphans Home.
Advertiser Bureau,

Advertiser Bureau,
 Selma, Nov. g, 1901.
 The different denominations of the city observed Thanksgiving in befitting manner yesterday. Services were held at St. PauPs in the morning and all of the churches east of Broad Street had a union service. The Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists west of Broad Street held union service in the First Presbyterian Church. The congregation was not as large as 1t should have been, being composed principally of ladies.
 Rev. A. A. Little. the pastor read passage of scripture and led in prayer. Rev. W. P. Hurt. pastor of Church Street Methodist Church, preached the sermon, which was able. eloquent and pathetic. Mir. Hurt has a full round voice. sympathetic in tone, splendid com mand of words and never fails to interest and instruct his hearers. Above all he is a deeply pious man and his earnest ness and great zeal always make pow erful impression on those who hear him.
 He preceded his sermon with few remarks on the subject of Thanksgiving Day. Our Thanksgiving Day. he said. dated back to 162l, when John Bradford sent out four men to kill game that thanks might be returned for the abun- dant harvest of that year. The first Thanksgiving for our new world dated back to 149S. Columbus had returned from discovering the new world. It was in the month of April and Ferdinand and Isabella received him under a canopy. Columbus was hailed with a sounding of trumpets, the ringing of bells and the songs of the multitude. Under that rich canopy. before two of the crowned heads of Europe, surrounded by the Indians that he had brought with him, Columbus related the story of his discoveries and adventures to his sovereigns. at the con- clusion of which the assembled multitude broke forth in songs of Thanksgiving and praises. This was long before John Bradford sent forth his men to kill game for a thanksgiving and that remar- kable scene before Ferdinand and Isabella may be considered the beginning of thanksgiving day in and for America. For two hundred and fifty years" |" said the speaker. "a day has been set aside in the fall of each year for a day of thanksgiving in this country. It is said that ours is the only country on the face of the earth that has tablish- ed the beautiful custom of setting aside one day as a time for thanking God for his manifold blessings.
 "Our forefathers felt and believed that they were the agents in the hands of Providence for working out the destiny of this western world and they always assembled on Thanksgiving Day to thank God for his many acts of mercy and kind ness to them. Of course there were days of trial and gloom, but after the shiver of the earthquake had passed the des- truction wrought by wind and storm had gone, the ravages of fires in the cities had been overcome, God had never failed to whisper sweet words of comfort and hope into the ears of his people. and amid 1t all. this great nation has gradually forged to the front, and there had not been a year since our forefathers set foot upon this soil but that this great nation has not had great blessings to be thankful for.
 If there ever was a nation" Mir. Hurt continued whom God has rocked in the cradle of his Providence, 1t Is the Ameri- can nation, and If there ever was a nation that ought to set aside a day for a national Thanksgiving 1t is this people,"
 chapter of Ephesians: Give thanks "'~'"vs unto all things. unto God the father"
 ulr. Hurt said that 1t was bounden duty to give thanks to God. The whole world united in condemning an ingrate. He is the most contemptible of all crea- tion's work. Nothing so adorns human Character as gratitude. The thankless soul must be a wonder in the other other world. If men should withhold this tribute of thankfulness for Gods mercies, would not all nature unite in praising him? If the cherubim and seraphim and all the harps in heaven cease to adore and praise God would not the tempest and the ocean praise him? If the people of this world should cease to sing praises to God the inhabitants of the other worlds would forever con- tinue to praise the name of the great Jehovah.
 The act of giving thanks is 2 constant duty. The man that is in good health and has fortune has every reason to be thankful. The man who is a sufferer has every reason also to be thankful for sufferings are oftimes the occasion of our richest blessings, and intensity our cause for thanksfulness.
 He alluded tenderly and patheticaly to many a homegathering around the festive board today, where there would be vacant chair. but the sweetest of memo ries would come to the minds of the loved ones about the absent occupant of the chair.
 'We ought to thank God" he said, flor having given us those whom He has taken unto Himself. The affliction that seem to crush and break your heart OusHI tO De lOOkcu on as blessings. Life is never an unmixed evil. There is not man whose heart cannot find something to be thankful for. Can a man in poverty thank God? Yes. Can a man thank God from a couch of sickness 7 Yes. Can a man raise his voice and thank God as the open grave receives some one near and dear to him? Yes. Can man thank God when he Is groan- ing under the assaults of the wicked? Yes. Can a man thank God when he Is hated and reviled by man? Yes.
 Christ pronounced the sweetest bless ings on the poor, despised disciples. What earthly evil Is there that does not pos sess some blessing?. The cold that kills the cattle In Colorado drives away the yellow fever from Florida. The angel walked with Gods children in the fiery furnace.
 Tt is the constant duty of man to praise God. Give thanks always for all things. Thank Him for your existence Life is an unmistakable blessing Some have asked the question: Is life worth the llving?' No sane man would ask that question. Deep down in every mans soul he feels that life is worth the living, and