Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
SERVICES OF PRAISE
Thanksgiving Day Observed
in the Churches.
OUTLINE OF SERMONS
DELIVERED THIS MORNING FROM
LOCAL PULPITS.
Proclamation Of the President Read
the Exercises-Several Union
Meetings Held.
OUTLINE OF SERMONS


the city the day set apart by presidential
proclamation for the Offering of the ma
tons thanks to the Almighty was OBJ
served with appropriate services this morn
ing. Sermons in which the spirit of optim-
ism dominated were delivered by local
clergymen from the various pulpts to large
congregations, the members of which, by
the attendance. evidenced spirit of graft
tude for the blessings and vicissitudes of
life. The hymns sung at the services We're
those of praise and the special anthems,
were filled with the sentiment of thankful.
ness.
In addition to the individual observance.
of the day by the various churches a num-
Der of union services were held, partici,
patcd in either by churches of several de-
nominations in the same locality, or else
by the churches of one denomination. At.
nearly every service was read the procla-
nation of the President setting apart this
day for the giving of thanks. =.
AE:ong the most notaole OF the services
was the union observance of all the white
Baptist congr egations in the District. held
at Calvary Baptist Church. Another union
service was held at Wesley M. f. Church.
This service was participated in by the con-
gregations of Assemblys PRESBYTERIAN,
Central Presbyterian, North Capitol Meth
odist and Wesley Methodist churches.
At Calvary Baptist Church.
The services at the Calvary Baptist
Church this morning consisted of a union
observance of Thanksgiving day, participate
ed in by all the white Baptist churches of
the District. The sermon was delivered by
Rev. j. Compton BAH, pastor of Metropoli-
tan Baptist Church, while ministers of other
Baptist societies in the city assisted in the
religious exercises. In the large consresa-
ton We're noticed representative members
of each of the seventeen churches OF the
Baptist denomination in the District.
Following the singing of the Gloria by
the entire assembly, led by the choir,
Thanksgiving prayer was offered by Rev.
w. NJ. Nevins, pastor of Grace Baptist
Church. After the singing of the hymn,
Holy Holy, Holy" Rev. DR.. c. +. Win
bigler. pastor of the First Baptist Church,
read the Presidents Thanksgiving procla-
nation, and Rev. e. Hez Sven of the Sec
part of the sgd Psalm.
Rev Mr.. Ball took for his text the words
found in Colossians, 3;15: BE Ye Thank
full These words said the preacher, con-
stitute g command to be thankful. All
ture, he said readily sings praise to God,
but man must be tod to make expression
of his gratitude. He spoke of the unthank
fulness shown in Gains offering. the in
gratitude of Israel and of the nine lepers
mentioned in the Bible, and other incidents
referred to in sacred history.
The people of today" said the speaker,
haven't got away from the spirit of I'M
thankfulness which is suggested in various
incidents mentioned in the Bible. We are
still prone to be ungrateful. The command
to be thankful applies to the United States
as q nation, and in this sense the Presi-
dents proclamation is inspired. Ii is are
utterance of the text We should be thank
full that God is the God of nations, that he
makes and he casts away. In an especial
sense is Jehovah the God of America"
Origin of the Service.
MI Ball then spoke of the first Thanks
giving service held for America which took
place in Barcelona Spain, in 1888 when
Columbus, as viceroy of the islands return
ed from his voyage of discovery. He also
referred briefly to the first Thanksgiving
service held in America. when the Pilgrims
landed at Plymouth Rock In speaking of
the things Americans have to be thankful
for the speaker said:
The people of the United States should
be thankful for the open Bible, for the
knowledge of the fact that they may wor-
ship God without fear of persecution. Our
government is based on the Bible I.y-
man Beecher says that our republic in its
Constitution and laws is of heavenly
origin. 1t is not borrowed from either
Greece or Rome, but from the Bible. An
the Bible, said: This book is the rock
upon which our republic rests
AS government we may have made
some mistakes, but history has proved
that the Declaration of Independence the
Louisiana purchase, the emancipation
proclamation and the relief of Cuba, were
for the advancement of civilization and
the cause of righteousness
The Educational System
The people of the United States should
also be grateful for our educational sys-
tenn. England and Germany may boast
of their universities, but our own public
school system for the education of the
masses is not excelled by any nation in
the world. The past year has been one
Of prosperity and peace the wheels of
industry have steadily turned, and best
of all, peace hovers over the land, for
these things we should give praise No
nation has such opportunities for good as
America Our resources, both mineral and
agricultural are unsurpassed. We are
practically independent of all other ma
tons and hold the balance of power in
the great affairs of the world.
Il believe that the attitude of the
United States will have much to do in
the settling of the eastern questions. Our
prayer is that wherever our flag citizens
go peace may be promoted, distress re-
lieved and Gods word spread abroad
AS individuals, said the speaker we
should be thankful for life and it's bless
ings, likewise for the sorrows of life.
The highest expression OF thanksgiving,
he declared, is Thanksgiving" which
means sclf-dcthroned and Christ enthron-
ed.
The special music for the occasion was
rendered by the quartet choir of the Tenn
pie Baptist Church. AT tire close of the
sermon Rev. Or. j. j. MUM, conducted the
exercises attending the. Offering for the
Baptist Home.
DR.. Hamlin's Discourse
\ spirit of hopefulness. ''incorrigible
hopefulness. as Rev. DIR Hamlin eX-
pressed it in his sermon tlifs morning at
the Church of the Covenant, was the theme
of discourse which was heard by large
audience.
In addition to the usual floral decora-
tons Il large American flag hung in front
of the organ a suggestion of the patri-
otto character of the day. and this feature
of the Thanksgiving holiday was not over
looked by the speaker, but was touched
upon along with the humanitarian aspects
which have become part of the annual
national festival
The preacher said what is needed is a
revival in the modern thought. of faith in
the possibility and probability of the re-
demption of what are usually looked upon
as the submerged section of humanity.
Christ. ii was pointed out, came to save