The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-11-28
THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE EXPRESSED s.
I'm MANY CHURCHES OF MONTGOMERY


Of nationar life and character. It ha
also. no doubt, been the means Of bring
| ing a blessing to the people who engag
| In 1t.
1T Is the usual custom with speaker
on such occasions to present as reasoni
| of gratitude the facts of material pros
perity or temporal blessing. This 10 righ
and proper, for God Is the bestower O
every gift and upon Him we must de-
pend for temporal supply. As. however
on such occasions, we meet, not so mucf
as members of a community, or citizens
of a commonwealth, as in the capacit,
of children OF God. adoring their Heav'
emily Father for His manifold mercies, Il
would seem most fitting to dwell today
upon the thought of the spiritual advan'
pie, and the spiritual blessings which
he so rightly pours out upon them.
I'm the last analysis happiness Is
found to depend on the state of the soul
not on the condition of the larder. Oh
the state of the bank account. 1t Ia
spiritual blessings that supply the con-
ditions on which material advantages
become blessings or the reverse. And, as
these spiritual gifts are by the All-Fa.
ther associated with the Gospel of His
Son, it will be of advantage for us to
center our attention for few moments
on that Gospel. We may thus prepare
ourselves to head the exhortation of the
apostle when he urges those to whom
he writes to give thanks unto God for
His unspeakable gift
This first passage gives US view OF
the nature, scope and purpose of the
Gospel of the Son of God.
First, as to its nature, it is an utter
ance of love. Love gives character to
the whole message. Like the fundamen-
tai diapason of the organ II runs through
and supports every other note or tone.
This love so uttered Ia eternal, for God
commendeth His love toward us. in that,
while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for U.S. 1t was uncompelled. 1t was I'M
deserved.
Second, this passage reveals God prov
ing His uttered love by giving. Love
must give, without such proof 1t is re-
vealed as dead. God could not have loved
the world and not given His Son.
1.-THE scope of the Gospel. How wide
is it? Who may be benefited? Every
body Whatever we may believe about
the elective plan of God, the proclama-
ton of the Gospel is to whatsoever
Its purpose. The providing Of life.
For this Christ came, That they might
have life. and that they might have 1t
more abun0antly,
There is here given to us abundant
reasons for giving thanks unto God for
His unspeakable gift
Through this Gospel there is brought
to US rescue. From sin; its guilt. power,
consequences.
Comfort. This cannot be provided by
wealth or material blessings OF any sort.
The stricken mother whose boy lies sick
asks the man OF God to pray for her,
because she realizes that comfort can be
derived from God alone.
Through Gods gift come to us the
Joy of life. The miser, though surround
ed by wealth is miserable. The richest OF
men may be driven into an apopIexy by
vexation Of spirit.
Thanksgiving is not a mere emotion.
1t is not alone a season. 1t is an atti-
tude of mind and a habit of life. Its
best expression is In ministry to need.
Christ left as his representatives on the
earth the poor and afflicted. And His
word is that Inasmuch as we have done
it unto one of the least of these, my
| brethren, We have done it unto Me.
splendid musical program was pro-
yided.