Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-11-28

expressions Of gratitude at posses
sing these lesser gifts of material
things while His greatest gift of
Saviour is being disdainfully
spurned? True Thanksgiving in
wolves recognition of gifts, and there
can be no adequate recognition of
gifts which leaves out the Christ.
God cannot accept thanksgiving
which has its Inspiration in material
things alone.
The Christian has the advantage
of the people of the world at every
turn in life, for whereas the thanks
giving of the world must necessa rily
depend upon the material things of
life, the Christian is able to give
thanks always, for all things" In
counting gifts and blessings one is
so apt to enumerate only those
things which are pleasant and to him
desirab BILE. whereas the trial. the af-
Fiction, the misfortune may be the
greatest possible blessing, as will
be clearly seen in after years. "All
things work together for good to
them that love God" The misfor-
tune and trials of Joseph wrought
the salvation of his own family and
of the nation of Egypt. The cruel
edict of Pharaoh against the He
brew boy babies became the STEP
ping stone of Moses to the 40 years
of training in the kings palace. The
prosecutions of the disciples at Je-
| rusalem spread the glad Gospel mes
sage throughout the world. The
prison walls of John Bunyan became
the sacred temple within which the
inspired book of Pilgrims Progress
was given birth. The Christians
| Thanksgiving is not confined to one
day in the year, but every day be-
| comes day of Thanksgiving, as
| thanks are given always, for all
| things
Recognition of Reciprocal Obliga-
tions. We have seen that true
Thanksgiving involves recognition Of
dependence and recognition of gifts
| and blessings. We have seen some
thing of what dependence upon God
| means and what the recognition of
His gifts implies. We now come to
| the third element in true thanksgiv-
ing, namely: Recognition of recip-
rocal obligations. The one who pro-
| fesses thankfulness for gifts re-
ceived, and who feels that the mere
expression of the lips is fulfillment
of all claims, is not really thankful
at all. The truly thankful heart is
filled with an earnest purpose and
desire to give expression to it's graf
tude in some substantial way. David
sings: ENTER into His gates with
Thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise: Give thanks unto Him
and bless His name" And here ]
| believe he has implied practical ex
preston of the thainkfulness which
is swelling within his heart. What
David would have you do is this:
| Being thankful enter into the gates
and courts of God; give thanks unto
Him by blessing His name" What are
1 s'the gates and courts of God" ano
what is it to "bless His name?"
| Do I hear some one say thu
churches and meeting houses, thu
cathedrals and temples of worship
throughout the world are the courts
of God, and to ''sit and sing the soul
into everla sting bliss" is blessing
His name! That is the worlds idea.
and I am sorry to say it is the con-
.fception of many so-called Christian
but I want to tell you. in the light
of Gods eternal truth, that the soul
cannot prescribe limits to the courts
of God, nor can it 'bless His names
in the meeting house, if it has not
been blessing. his name in the
home, in the business, in the hours
of pleasure and recreation. 'The
earth is the Lords and the fulln ess
thereof; the world and they that
dwell therein" Gods court extends
to every nook and corner where hu.
man feet can tread; it spreads out
into the vast universe and includes
the realm of the saints and the an.
gels of Heaven. Entering into the
gates and courts of God means
recognition of reciprocal obligation
to Him which makes an honest
righteous business man, a Gevout ano
patriotic citizen, a faithful, affection
ate father, a pure-hearted associate;
| it means that wife and children, big
and little, great and small. every
BODY. are to give God the first place
in their lives because they are tread
ing His, courts. It does mean some
thing to enter the gates and courts
of Godi 1t does mean something tt
"bless His namei" True thanksgiv
ing must include recognition of re
ciprocal obligations every day and
every moment of the life.
Gods Claim Upon Us.-But whaa
claim has God upon us for rendering
unto Him Thanksgiving and praisei
What claim has the faithful parent
upon the child for grateful acknowl
| edement of the years Of love anc
careo What claim have you upon
that friend because of gifts, ano
favors, and service bestowed? Car
YOU answer these last two queries
and moi, he able to answer the one