Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-11-29
THANKSGIVING SERVICES.
Rev. F. E. Marbles Sermon on 1.-THE
Giving of Thanks"

Union Thanksgiving services were
held in the First Baptist church at !
o'clock yesterday. Rev. f. Il. Marble,
Phi. D., preaching the sermon. A print
ed responsive service was used, in
which the pastors of the several
churches participated The attend
ance was not large. The sermon was
on the theme, THE Giving of Thanks, "
the scriptural texts being ! Thess.
V: 16, and Eph. v: 20. DR.. Marble said
in part: I'VE are met at the call of
the civil government. The President
and Governor have issued proclama-
tions according to time hallowed Gus
toms and in obedience to long estah-
lshed usage calling attention to seed
time and harvest and the reward of
labor; to peace, plenty and prosperity,
national. intellectual and spiritual so
that. in spite of national disaster we
as a people have abundant reason for
thanksgiving.
Both these proclamations are good
the sincere expression of Christian
men, but they fall very far short of the
scriptural ideal, in that they make the
giving of thanks a matter of the calen-
dar and find the motive for thanksgiv-
ing in the increase of possessions. In
the Bible neither time nor the increase
of possessions determines the giving of
thanks, but this is enjoined on the
same ground as prayer and other
Christian graces. A casual reading
of the texts mentioned will afford an
swer to several questions which we
ask ourselves again and again. First
When shall we give thanks? The
Apostle answers: Always Here
thanksgiving is not so much an act as
an attitude. Lies blessings come in
a steady stream, and this requires a
steady flow of thanks. And. moreover,
the hearts love requires constant eX-
preston. The act of thanksgiving
must be intermttant; the spirit of
Thanksgiving should be incessant.
"Second-For what shall we give
thanks? The apostle answers: In all
things. for all things For what we
call blessings Of course. Seed-time
and harvest, peace and prosperity,
health and happiness. Besides these
common blessings the year has been
signalized abroad by the protocol in
China, the great awakening in Japan
and the establishment of civil govern
ment in the Philippines; at home by
the triumph of good government in
New York city. the growing apprecia-
ton on the part of wealth that to die
rich is TO die disgraced.' and the pub
LEGATION of the American standard re-
vised Bible; and locally by the Thomp-
son estate for sewing-girls. the Ford
bequest for state missions. the en-
foreement of the liquor laws and the
greater unity of the churches in all
that makes for the kingdom. Yes, for
all these, thanks but there are losses.
sorrows and disasters. How about
them? In all these also thanks. We
thank God. not for the death of Presi-
dent Mckinley. but that in his death
he gained the victory. So with per-
sonal losses and disappointments. We
give thanks. sometimes for these, but
always, thanks. For life's training and
discipline we are thankful, for We
know that all things work together for
good to them that love God.
"Third-Why should we give
thanks? Because this is the will Of
God The giving of thanks glorifies
God and rightly disposes our hearts
toward the giver as well as the gift
"Fourth-How shall we give thanks?
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
in whom alone God wills everything
and does everything for us. AS we
pray in the name of Christ so we
should thank God in the name of
Christ for all good received"