The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-11-28
DAY OF THANKS.
This is a General Holiday in
Topeka.
Churches Unite For Services of
Thanksgiving.
MR.. EMERSON'S SERMON
breaches at the First Presby-
terrain Church.
Tells Why Everyone Should Be
Thankful.
MR.. EMERSON'S SERMON
This is Thanksgiving day.

IHlS IS thanksgiving Jay
The members of the various churches
of the city have cast aside differences
in creed and opinion and have united
in holding mammoth praise and thanks
giving meetings in the larger churches
of the city.
The day is being quite generally OBJ
served Merchants have given their
employees half-holidays and the public
buildings and offices have been closed
for the day.
The forenoon was entirely given over
to expressions of thanksgiving for con-
tinued prosperity and good cheer, and
the turkey, cranberry sauce and celery,
together with football and chrysanthe
NUNS are holding the attention this af-
ternoon.
All the first churches in the central
portion of the city united in a special
service at 1890 at the First Presbyter-
ian church on Harrison street. A spec
ial musical programme was prepared
and Rev. F. W. Emerson of the First
Christian church preached the sermon.
He said:
THE first historical Thanksgiving, is
recorded in Exodus 1922. when the
grateful hosts of Israel beheld the dis
Egyptians. The burden of that Thanks
giving was The Lord is my strength
and song, and he is become my saliva
ton. He is my God and l will prepare
him an habitation, my fathers God and
/ will exalt him.
1.-The hymn of Thanksgiving sung by
Moses and his followers is an appropri-
ate one for the American people of to-
day.
when in our history has God so
magnifcently blessed US. Prosperity in
material things, harmony in govern
mental affairs, increasing strength in
spiritual life. quiekening OF public con
science in moral matters, blessings alike
on state and church, broader conception
of our national mission, the respect of
the entire world, what more could find
place in the cup of Gods favor. 1t is
meet that we remember our obliga-
tions to Jehovah and that our chief
magistrate in accordance with time
honored custom direct our thoughts to
the court of heaven whence cometh all
our mercies and blessings.
There is no custom more beautiful
than the observance Of Thanksgiving.
We rejoice that our nation recognizes
in a national way the overwhelming
Providence of God and we trust the
time will never come &hen our presi-
dent will fail to call attention of the
citizens Of this republic in each recur-
ring autumn, to their Indebtedness to
the God of Nations for the bounties Of
the year.
THE first proposition for a day of
Thanksgiving was rejected In the
the date of November 10. 1926, we read:
DR.. Laurie and others proposed that
day of thanksgiving be appointed for
the oath of November. I had no objec-
tions but agreed to consult the mem
bers of the adIninistra ton and answer
tomorrow. All the other members were
against it; objected to it as a novelty,
as liable to the imputation of political
purposes, of introducing New England
manners of seeking high authority for
an inferior measure. I acquiesced in
these opinions.
This is the only instance in our his
tory that such a proposition was re-
jected.
In 1863 the senate of the United
States adopted unanimously a resO1u-
tion using this Languages: Encouraged
in this day of trouble, by the assurance
in His word to seek Him for succor ac-
cording to the appointed way through
Jesus Christ, we do hereby request the
chief executive of these United States of
America to appoint a day of national
prayer and humiliation This was the
origin of Thanksgiving day as we now
celebrate it. In the first presidential
proclamation for a Thanksgiving day
Lincoln spoke of the necessity of re
deeming and preserving grace and de-
clared that the nation had forgot
God
This year we have peculiar reasons
for rejoicing. To be sure, there are
hearts and homes in our land that are
desolate. Treachery and anarchy have
brought supreme sorrow upon the ma
ton The loved president of the re-
public was the victim of senseless hate.
We mourned but our mourning was not
despair. The place made vacant by
the murder of the executive head of the
government was ably filled when the
vice president became president And
if his past rcord tells anything for the
future, his administration of affairs in
the government will be a success.
I'm our prosperity we should be
thankful and rejoice. God has given US
the grandest country in the world. 1t
flows with milk and honey. All kinds
of principles have been advocated and
tried in the political and business in
terests of the country. Some have been
good, some bad, and some Indifferent,