The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-11-27

Almighty God for their rescue from I'M
pending famine-thus laying the corner
stone OF national faith and obligation.
And from that day to this. with little in
terruption through all the varying cir
cumstances and vicissitudes of it's check.
cred life, the nation has kept Its festival
and, we would fain believe, as by that
token at least, it's faith.
1T would be interesting to review the
story OF the days, each with it's special
colorlng and inspiration. What a pictur-
esque and pictorial history It would give
US OF the nations advance from It's early
precarious childhood, when prayer and
praise answered 20 the tears and smiles
OF It's simple life, when timely rain, or
the opportune arrival OF A food-laden
ship. an escape from the attack OF sur
rounding savages. or the abatement OF
threatened eppidemic. would send the
colony TO its knees, and lift up the
Thanksgiving with one consent TO its AL
mighty Guardian.
THANKSGIVING ITSELF.
Then, long after. came the time when,
Its childhood. past, the young nation
claimed the privileges and responsible
ties OF Independent manhood, when once
again prayer and psalm, most often
against a wintry sky. were raised TO the
Arbiter OF Battles. crowned at last by
a brighter elimination. when a free. set
tied nation assembled TO the proclamation
of its first great president to offer pub
lie Thanksgiving and prayer $50 ran It's
wordsl In acknowledgment of the many
signal favors OF Almighty God, and es-
pecially His affording them the oppor-
tunity peaceably to establish a constitu-
tional government for their safety and
happiness the day appointed being the
26th November. 1889, just lls years ago
today.
Still nearer 10 our own time some of
us may remember when once again the
war drum called the nation TO arms and
the watch fires were once more lighted
| in a hundred camps in a desperate strug-
| gle for the preservation Of that same Cow
ernment, and when once again a chssten-
ed. humbled people turned In their per-
| plexity to the God of the fathers II so be
| He could pardon their offences and give
victory TO the unrent flag. Who, that
| carries them among childhoods memo
ries, can ever forget those days of hu-
initiation and prayer, days OF national
agony and suspense. sometimes almost
! despair. when the fevered tide of national
! life ebbed and flowed with uncertain is-
| sue?
But, after all, when we come 20 think
| of II. the significant fact Of all Thanks
| giving days lies not in any special cir
cumstances or occasions which gave their
| momentary color or impetus: but in tho
essential fact of Thanksgiving itself. the
| solemn gathering OF the nation itself in It's
| best representatives on one day at least
of all the year. for the pledging again of
the nations faith In God. the giver or
every good and and perfect gift. alike TO
nations and TO men.
PoRTENToUs EVIL.
THE great difficulty is that the sons
! Of God. instead of manifesting them
selves, are too often hanging back. belly
| ing their claim to such title, OF else de-
| lberately betraying their high trust and
going over To the world. while the poor
old world itself goes on groaning and
| Travelling under the bondage OF that old
| monster, custom Church members who
should speak the word and set the step
for the multitude on Gods holy day,
| are found themselves lax and indifferen,
TO its privileges. and even turning their
faces with the world. yea. leading Il, to-
ward of a day OF frivolous and selfish re-
! creation.
There are men and women 10 whom
society has right 10 look for inspira
ton and guidance. who. instead OF raising
its standard. only contribute 20 its down
| ward drift toward all that Is mean and
| vulgar and sordid.
| "And then. once more. IN the state and
| I'm the world OF politlcs-and surely here
! cannot be misunderstood or misrepre-
sented but by wilful and hopeless preju-
/ dice when point TO conditions OF gravest
and portentous evil. Who can doubt their
existence7 Who can shut HIS eyes 10 them
but the professional politician or HIS par
| tisan minions7
| ut Is no reckless slander OF our fair
| heritage I'm nation and commonwealth. the
fairest that God ever gave to any people
under heaven, and that He has kept and
blessed with unnumbered blessings. 90
boldly face and unmask II need be the
evils that menace II. II Is simply the
duty Of the hour for every son OF God
certainly. And the chief difficulty of the
whole situation Is not that there are GER
/ tain well-dehned evils. not that there are
corruption and fraud here and there; had
! as that Is, that the mort sacred trust OF