The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-11-29
Addresses of DR.. Marshall
and Rev. Hubbard.
GOD RE.NARDER OF MEN
The Principle Of Thanksgiving is as
Old as the Revelation Of God"
WE ARE HAPPIER THAN We KNOW
The Men and Women Who Have Moved the
World Have Been the Ones With
Bright Hopes. We Are on no
Sinking Ship.

Bright Hopes. We Are on no
Sinking Ship.
The Presbyterian church was filled to
the doors yesterday morning for the IN
ion THANKSGIVING service. DR.. Eugenf
Daniel conducted the meeting, and adT
dresses were made by DR.. A. A. Mar
shall of the First Baptist church and
Rev. w. d. Hubbard, Of the Tabernacle
Baptist church.
Singing of the long metre doXology and
prayer by DR.. Daniel opened the service
Then the choir sang "Songs of Praise"
and all joined in Gospel Hymn 231,
"Come, Thou Almighty King"
DIR. Daniel called on Rev. DR.. Skinner
to lead in prayer. The petition he offer
ed was beautiful and appropriate.
After singing Gospel Hymn 217, DR..
Daniel read from the one hundred and
third psalm, and said:
1T was matter of deepest congratula-
ton that we live in land where God
has national recoGnition. There are
lands where the people do not assemble
TO give thanks upon common day.
II regret that it is not possible for all
my brethren in tho city to be present
with us: but some are out OF
town, and Mr.. Butler, of the Fayette-
vile Street church. has written that he
cannot be with us, OF account of severe
cold"
DR.. Daniel then spoke of the large
meeting at the Edenton Street Methodist
church, and asked: After all, is it not
better to have two large congregations
giving thanks than only one?"
1t was announced that the collection
would be for the benefit of the various
orphanages, and DR.. A. A. Marshall was
presented.
DIR. MARSHALL'S ADDRESS.
Dr. Marshall said in part:
There are certain virtues and charac-
teristics which are absolutely essential to
asnoble nature, and others that are pure
ly incidental, that man may not pos
sess and still be regarded as fair and
just man. 1t seems to me that one OF
these essentials is the appreciation OF
favors bestowed, the rendering thanks
for the good things received.
"Our Thanksgiving is based upon the
idea that God is the giver of all our gifts
and benefits, a recognition OF the charac.
ter of God, the bestoWer of all favors.
'.There are two fundamental questions
underlying our entire religion: The di-
vine eistence, which few have denied;
and the characteristics of the Divine Be-
ing. 1t is around this second question
that the great battle has been Waged.
Agnosticisn, for instance, does not posi-
lively deny the existence Of a God, but
it does deny that we can have any
knowledge of him, of his nature, his
characteristics. ~ -
mo one can be student of nature
without the cogniZance both that He is
and is the rewarder of men; for there are
evidences all about us and writ very
large upon the whole face Of nature.
sit is then in recognizance of His
goodness that we are here this morning.
DR.. Marshall then referred to the origin
of Thanksgiving day in the New England
States. In time of great depression it
was proposed to proclaim solemn day.
sSome one wiser than the others suggest
ed that it be a feast day, on which the
people should thank God for the bless
ings already received
Back of all these assemblies, the day
of its celebration finds loving expression
in every Christian heart There is
planted along with the principle of the
new life an element of praise, of thanks
giving. The principle of thanksgiving is
as old as the religion Of Jesus Christ,
and as old as the revelation of God"
What reasons asked the speaker,
'have we to be thankful? 1t is to me
sad fact that some of us only associate
God with our sorrow and calamltles
We need to recognize the presence of
God in the joys, the sunshine. the bless
ings of life, as we'll as in the sorrows,
the misfortunes, the thunder and the
clouds. The same God whose fNyo1ce
speaks in the thunder is felt likewise in
the perfume of the flowers, the song OF
the gladstone birds. If we recover from
an illness, we credit it to the physician
or robust constitution. But it is His
own hand that placed the cunning effect
In that drug or gave us the constitution
We are so proud Of How wonderfully
God has endowed US in these bodies, CIV
ing US this infinite variety of pleasures!
Every function is accompanied by de-
lightful sensations
DR.. Marshall then took I'D the reasons
Tor giving thanks from national Stand
point.
Surely" said he, God has dealt with
10 people as he has dealt with this.
May He help us to express our graft
tude not only by our words, but in our
lives
MR. HUBBARD's THANKS.
After singing from Gospel Hymn 227,
Mr. w D. Hubbard spoke somewhat as
follows on our reasons for giving thanks
I'VE have been taught and we believe
God is always with us, but somehow when
We sing Praise God, from Whom all
Blessings Flow, He seems just little
nearer. | am glad of the custom that
calls us together on day like this. We
sum 1t all UP, take our bearing and see
where we are / think most of us are
happier than we know. Many of you
can look back to days of sunshine and
say How happy / could have been.
4 cannot help feeling as / look at you,
Gods here. He is here, and in every
happy home whose Threshold you may
cross today. As the editor Of the News
nvx1n IL Z 49, -