The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-28
THANKSGIVING SERVICES.
THE CONGREGATIONS OF THE CITY
UNITE IN GIVING THANKS.
A Scholarly and Eloquent Discourse by
Rev. Mr.. SeabrOOk in the Baptist
~Church-The Collection.

SA~
Appropriate Thanksgiving services,
in which all the congregations of the
city participated, were held at the First
Baptist church yesterday morning.
The sermon was preached by Rev. W.
L. Seabrook, pastor of the Lutheran
Church of the Redeemer. 1t was an
eloquent and scholarly discourse, laden
with thought, and in the manner of its
delivery holding the undivided atten-
ton of the large and representative
congregation present.
The speaker chose his text from the
| 1l5th Psalm, the morning lesson: ''The
| Lord hath been mindful of us: he will
| bless US; he will bless the house of
Isreal; he will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless them that fear the Lord,
both small and great"
He said than this day there was no
day more appropriate for the coming
together in united service of the repre-
| sentatives of the various churches of
the communicative day that has long
been known as Thanksgiving Day, upon
which the people come together in ODE
dience to the call of the chief magis-
trate of the nation and the governor of
the State. Every day, it was true,
should be a thanksgiving day, because
every day was marked with mcrcies to
| each individual, but it was fitting that
! one day should be set apart for the
whole nation as a day of special and
| general thanksgiving. No nation on
| earth had more to be thankful for.
Each nation, like each Individual, was
| sent into the world with a God-given
! mission and could not pass away with
out having accomplished one of two
| things: either it must fulfill that mis-
| sion, or it must prove recreant to the
| trust which God has given it. He
| thought with another that the Amerl-
can democracy was made up of all that
was best in the governments of all
the preceding nations. What America
would accomplish would be disclosed by
the ages that are to come.
America now was only another name
for opportunity. Truly God has been
mindful of our people. America, since
her discovery, has been Gods country,
and is Gods country today. Bountl-
fully has she been blessed, a land today
! of which it has been said as truly as
it has been said of another country
throughout the ages, that it is neve
I without the sunlight-a land of un-
limited natural resources, of wounder-
full material well-being, and above all,
| a land of moral development: a land OF
churches and of the Bible. But past
blessings were not a pledge Of future
blessing. The speaker was afraid that
too many of our people think that moth
ing can stay Gods hands in the blessings
! which he would bestow upon US, what
ever life we live, whatever wrongs we
perpetrate. Remember the text, "He
will bless them who fear the Lord
He was full of hope for our land; his
| face was turned towards the sunrise,
but in no better way could appreciation
| of the past be shown than by thought
for the future. There were breakers
ahead of the Ship of State, and he did
not know whether greater folly was to
be found in too great optimism or in
that pessimism which can DO nothing
but see the breakers.
He thanked God for this day when all
over the land would be proclaimed the
principles of Christianity-th principles
of Christianity, the solution of all u
problems.
The services were opened with prayer
by Rev. W. 1. Herbert, of the Central
| Methodist church, and closed with
prayer by DR.. E. P. McClintock, of
the Associate Reformed Presbyterian
church.
A collection for orphans was taken.
The amounts contributed by the varl-
Gus churches to the ~orphanages under
their care were as follows:
A. R. Presbyterian. .. .."".....Sl9 %
Central Methodist..... ~"...... 10 OS