Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-28


science and its fruits, of education,
political and social freedom, and of
moral and religious advancement. In
| all of these he saw reason for encour-
ugement, although in religion he felt
that there has been a retrograde
movement in some ways. On the
whole, however, the conclusion was
reached that the religious life of to-
day is more widely diffused, more
real and more vital than ever before
in the history of the world.
After the sermon there was prayer
by Rev. Reed, an offering for the
poor that was collected to be placed
in the hands of the Associated Char
tiles, and the services closed with the
singing of the national hymn, and
benediction.
The collection was the largest one
ever taken in this city on Thanksgiv-
| ing day for the benefit of the poor,
the sum realized being $122.46. Many
embraced the opportunity to join the
Associated Charities, to which body
the amount was turned over.
At Trinity Episcopal church there
were special services in honor of the
day, beginning at 1O:45, of which the
most important part was an address
by Hon. William Jackson. Mr.. Jack
son began by reading the Thanksgiv-
ing proclamation of President Roose
welt and then he said in part:
Much to Be Thankful For.
las we draw nigh to the close of
this year we are invited to give
thanks. and in so doing we are in
vited to take a retrospective view of
| the year behind us. to remember the
| fruitful season. n large measure of
domestic happiness-the peace that
suggests, The still hour when storms
are gone the winds in softness
| breathing, the waves in silence sleep
ing We contemplate the peaceful
enjoyment of our daily lives, the love
of friends and the friendship of
neighbors. Can we review the steps
of this nation during the past year
| and refuse to give or express that
measure of gratitude that is due from
MS? True, it has not been sunshine
every day. We have had the storm
| that left behind it ruin and desola-
| ton, that made the earth to groan
as beneath a heavy load But we
| have not had Mont Pelee raining in
slant death and destruction. We have
had poverty, chill penury that froze
the genial current of the soul We
have had death, to which many have
succumbed and who have crossed that
awful gulf no mortal e'er repassed, to
tell what's doing on the other side.
| But clouds and storms and pow
erty and death have been graciously
set off by sunshine, the winds have
been still, abundance has overtaken
and far outstripped penury, and
death has been rainbowed with hope
and swallowed up in victory. Yet.
| after all, we can truthfully say that
the failures and lack of success.
about which we may be disposed to
note and complain, and thus discount
our Thanksgiving, may not, after all,
result in an experience more perma-
nently valuable than the present loss.
In our national affairs we may not
be able to say that we have had I'M
broken peace, unsullied by war, yet,
after all, we have had more of the
plowshare than of the sword, more
of the pruning hook than of the spear.
/ Peace for the World
''It is matter of congratulation
there is n growing conviction that
duty requires careful consideration
of existing circumstances that some
avenue of escape may be found before
men deliberately conclude to abandon
the pIowshare and take up the sword.
May the sweet dove of peace be en-
couraged to abide with us, may it
not be said of us that we are disposed
to retard the advent of that promis-
ed day when men shall learn war no
more.
II desire to call attention to the
christian church and it's relation to
the nation at large in view of the in
dustrial struggle that has attracted
the attention of the people during
the last six months, struggle which
has tested the patience of all directly
and indirectly interested. This has
afforded the pessimist an opportunity
to scent disaster. He fears unrest
and contention, he breads insecurity.
On the part of the optimist there is
no cloud so dark but what there is a
silver lining. He remembers no is
sue in our nation, political or other
wise, but what has been successfully
worked out under the spur and in
fiuence of our christian civilization.
Therefore, the fearful man sees a
frowning Providence, the hopeful
man a smiling face.
$50 long as the people of our coun-
try hold fast to. the principles of
christian civilization we are safe. The
storms of unrest may beat upon us,
but our civilization will stand. 1t is
e 4
principles and we are at once out
upon the ocean of uncertainty in an
unsound bark without rudder or