Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-28
WORSHIP At CHURCHES.
Thanksgiving Services Held at
the NJ. E., ST. Mary's and St.
Paul's Churches.
Rev. Ellison R. Purdy. Of Friends
Church. Addresses Union
Meeting.
"A Feast for the Soldiers Home
Veterans..Out Of Town Wis
itors Numerous.

were the features of MarshalltoWns
observance Of the annual day OF
thanks An unusual number of peo-
pie spent the day with friends in other
cities, and the home comings of alb
sent members of family circles were
also numerous. Public buildings and
Offices were closed. as majority of the
business and industrial institutions
gave their employees holiday. A foot
ball game and skating added to the out
OF door observances.
Religious services were held at the
Methodist church and at st. PauIs
and St. Mary's. The meeaing at the
Methodist church was in the nature OF
q union service Of the protestant
churches, and large audience was
present. The sermon was delivered by
Rev. Ellison r. Purdy, pastor OF the
Friends church. Rev. Purdy was re-
Gently called to the passionate of that
church, and altho a young man, no
made an excellent impression on the
large audience. Music for the services
was provided by the Methodist choir
Rev. Purtiy took his text from Second
Corinthians, 9.15: Thanks be unto
God for his unspeakable gift" He said
In part:
..In our purpose to fulfill the intent
OF this day we may survey with pleas
ure the acceptable things which have
occurred in our HIVES during the past
year, or our thought may broaden
somewhat untileit includes our neigh
bors.
..our church spirit, our city spirit,
or our patriotism may influence us,
and we may measure the blessings
upon church. or city, or nation. Surely,
American people have much to crafty
them this Thanksgiving day. The
olive branch OF peace has waved over
our country.
1.-THE other day an II passed by the
court house square noticed several
small boys playing upon one of the
cannon and 1 said, I wish had snap
shot OF that scene; would call it
Peace How ittingly such picture
might be entitled, America in 1901
War clouds have gathered in other
countries and the cruel sting Of wat
has been felt in their homes, while
peace has brooded over us. Great
financial prosperity has attended our
nation, o prosperity unparalleled in
nv other time The affairs -sof our
country have been so wisely managed
at home and abroad that we have risen
rapidly in the estimation of the world.
And even when we are forced to turn
to the great calamity of the year there
I Is cause for gratitude that the thrust
ing Of the reins OF government into
Other hands has been attended by no
evil consequence. But in nourishing
this feeling OF satisfaction we shall fall
far short OF the duty and privilege of
the occasion unless we follow the sug-
gestion OF the great apostle Paul when
he said, Thanks be unto God
II believe that the great purpose of
Thanksgiving day is not that we should
cultivate spirit Of satisfaction with
ourselves, our surroundings and our
country, but that God should be exalted
and we should worship him as the be-
slower OF all our blessings.
ITO be truly thankful for the good
gifts OF life enlarges their value. To
direct that thanksgiving to God, brings
into association with life's blessings the
one great, eternal. ever-adorable Be-
Ing.
Are we not as a country in danger
0f coming to that place OF which Moses
warned the Israelites when he said,
Lest when thou hast eaten and art
fun, and hast built goodly houses and
dwelt therein; and when thy herds and
thy nocks multiply. and thy silver and
thy gold 10 multiplied, and all that thou
hast Is multiplied. then thine heart be
asNA -, \, r.
God, which brought thee forth out of
the land OF Egypt, from the house of
bondage: $3.50 And thou say in thine
heart my power and the might OF mine
hand has gotten me this wealth.
How fatal 1t would be IL the omni-
present God, who has everywhere mani
tested himself in the glories of creation,
should fade out Of the thoughts OF the
people upon whom has bestowed His
greatest favors. and who have adj
yanced farthest in the upward course
Of humanity.
I'VE trace our way back thru the
dim. distant past. and when we have
rome beyond the record of the historian,
the inscriptions of the monuments, and
the faint hint from tablet and relic.
and standing by the great chasm, look
back over that mighty mystery, the I'M
recorded past, even there we see that
one great figure looming up, for we
read In the words of divine writ, In
the beginning, God or II we turn our
faces to the future, the unlived and I'M
written future, the unhappy future,
save as we have the few
lines OF rugged contour that proph-
ecy has stretched out before our vision,
still there we behold that one mighty
: Being. filling the unexplored, as we
exclaim with the Psalmist, OF old hast
thou laid the foundations of earth, and
the heavens are the work of thy hands.
They shall perish. but thou shall en-
dure; yea, all of them shall wax old
like garment; as a vesture shalt thou
change them and they shall be
changed: but thou art the same and
thy years shall have no end
Not only is God found in all time
but also in every place. His house is
by the seaside. The tinicst flower that
blooms is his temple Whittier shall l
go from thy spirit says the Psalmist
sor whittier shall flee from thy pres
ence?' God In all time! God in every
place! What pity If God should fade
out Of the thought Of Christian Ameri
ma?
The fool hath said in his heart,
No Cod What folly shall our country
commit IL God be eliminated from her
reckoning?
"A shudder and groan swept over
our country as the QuiYerinE wires