Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-11-20
CHRISTIAN ENpEAvoR.
Ropio For the week BEGINNING Nov.
24-Comment by Rev. =. III. Doyle.


TOPIC. -Thanksgiviag.-Isa. XIV. is.
THANKSGIVING should have a very
promhent place in our Christian lives.
We are enjoined by the word of God
to engage in many religious duties,
such as prayer. study, meditation, but
to none of these duties is that of
thanksgiving placed second. Gods
word throughout calls upon us to praise
the Lord, to exalt His name at all
times and sin everything to give
thanks The religious history of the
world illustrates to us very clearly the
naturalness and appropriateness of
thanksgiving to God. Nature as well
as Scripture enforees the duty of
thanksgiving The first forms of wor-
ship among all nations were affairs and
sacrifices. the purpose of which was to
express thanksgiving to God for some
recognized blessing. at is as the Civ
er of benefits that man seems first to
have recognized God. One of the ear
lest forms of religion was sun wor-
ship. and the reason for selecting the
sun as the object of religious regard
was the manifest fact that from the
sun man derives so many and such
great blessings. The very name God
is probably modification of the root
gut or good and was given to the
Supreme Being by our Anglo-Saxon
forefathers in recognition of His good
ness in bestowing upon US so many
blessings. The first religious utteranees
seem to have the shape of hymns rath-
er than prayers, and hymns or psalms
form the most antique portions of our
rituals" This natural tendencyto thank
God pervades us, as it did those who
have gone before us, and we should
follow in the footsteps of the ancients
and foster and cultivate.
Thanksgiving should be rendered unto
God for what He is. He is God and as
God is worthy of our highest alteration
and praise. 30 Lord, thou art my God!
I will exalt thee. l will praise Thy
name" Our God is the only living and
true God, the infinite and sovereign
God, sublime in majesty, perfect In
holiness and in all His attributes.
who is like unto Thee, o Lord, among
the gods? Who Is like Thee, glorious
in holiness, fearful in praises, doing
wonders?" For what He is the angels
around Gods throne are constantly
praising Him.
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee.
Which vert and art and ever more shalt be.
Well may we join in the anthem and
praise God for what He Isl
Thanksgiving should be rendered I'M
to God for what He does. 81 will
praise Thy name, for Thou hast done
wonderful things" Among the won
derful things Isaiah goes on to mention
the execution of Gods judgments, their
effect upon the heather and the saliva
ton which God has vouchsafed unto
His people To enumerate all that God
has done and is doing, for which we
should thank Him, would be impossi-
BILE. Every good and perfect gift com
eth from above" For temporal, spir
itual individual. family and national
blessings we should cease not to thank
Almighty God. Great and marvellous
are Thy works, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are Thy ways, Thou King
OF Saints, Who shall not fear Thee, o
God, and glorify Thy name? For Thou
only are holy; for all nations shall
come and worship Thee; for Thy judg-
ments are manifest" Such is the song
of Moses and the Lamb. and we need
not wait until we reach the heavenly
shore to join in it. Praise ye the
Lord"
THE PRAYER MEETING.
Arrange a special Thanksgiving pro-
gramme.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. xxxiv, Is; Xviii, 1: Xvi, l, 2;
lxxxi, 1-3; xcii, 1-5; cxlvii, 100; II Cor.
tx. 1912; Phil. iv, 4-6; Col. ii, 6. Z; Rev.
vii. II, IL.