The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-11-29
1901 NOVEMBER 1901
Thank SGIYING.

IIRRASGI VINJ.
How rapidly the years chase one
another as each succeeding milestone
in life is passed. When we were chill
dren it seemed as if Thanksgiving,
which was forerunner of Christmas,
would never come; but as Father
Time hears heavier and heavier upon
our shoulders it now seems but a
brief breathing spell as each year goes
by.
Thanksgiving is again here and we
meet it with different ideas, different
views and different aspects of life
from that of its predecessors. The
eternal order of things has decreed
that change must constantly take
place. We have not the same bodies,
the same minds, or similar thoughts
as we possessed year ago. AS we
grow older the world seems to differ
emit and in point of fact it really is
Changes have been constantly taking
place, so the biologists inform us, for
the past ages and even nowgood old
Mother Earth is preparing her
self to assume different nature and
occupy a new position among the
planets of the heavens.
These holidays afford a briefrcspite
from the ever-grinding monotony of
daily life, so that our minds may be
allowed the opportunity to contem-
plate in calm, deliberate manner
what we actually are, the lives we
are living, and whether or not we
thoroughly realize the responsibilities
that life has placed upon us.
There is no holiday that appeals
more directly to the spiritual, inner
man than does Thanksgiving, 1t is
not day of sackcloth and ashes,
but rather a time when we should
realize the many blessings that a
bountiful Providence has bestowed
upon US; and offer up thanks for His
goodness and kindness. fevery one
had been blessed with all the.riches
and pleasures of this earth during the
past twelve months it would be an
easy task to say pleasant things
which would appeal to the ear and
arouse gratitude in the heart. I'm
fortunately there is not single hu-
man being, whose eyes will peruse
this article, that has not in the past
year met with many bitter disap-
pointments and vexatious trials.
Poverty or sickness or even the grim
reaper, Death has crossed their paths
and to them especially is this appeal
directed.
For some reason, best known to
the Divine Ruler, our lives are made
up of crosses, trials and Affections
No one can escape them. In pain we
came into this world, we endure it
through life and only are released
from its bondage by death. Itwould
sometimes seem that a human being
might be likened to the rough stone
taken from the quarry. 1t requires
blasting, cutting and chiseling before
it goes to make up one ofthe distinct
and separate portions of that edifce
which represents eternal life.
On this day of thanksgiving and
prayer, we should look back and see
how much has been done for US by a
High and Mighty Power. We
should weigh in the balance the
many blessings that we havereceived
and after deducting the misfortunes,
it will not be hard to tell which side
of the scale is the heavier. There is
no life, it matters not how dreary,
which has not at sometime many
bright GASES in the desert of trouble
that has cheered it with its daily
round of duty. 1t recalls that
passage in the old English Reader.
LET fate do her worst
There are relics OF JOY,
Bright beams of the past,
She can never destroy"
When we consider how little some
of us deserve, should we not on
Bonded knee show our appreciation
of our unworthiness by offering up
a prayer of thanksgiving and praise,
that we are permitted to enjoy so
many of the blessings here below, in
this transitory stage, where we are
simply undergoing the necessary
transformations, which will make a
perfect nature, in the world that is
to come.
Looking at the matter from a
material standpoint we have much
for which to be thankful. Our coun-
try at large has been blessed with
peace and all have enjoyed some little
degree ofprosperity. 1t is true that
nature has failed in some of her
but her compensating hand
has furnished other things to balance