Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
SERVICES Of PRAISE
Continued from Second Page.)
church was decorated with wheat, grapes,
corn. apples, pears. etc.
All Of One Denomination Unite.

church was decorated with wheat, grapes,
corn apples, pears, etc.
All Of One Denomination Unite.
At the Vermont Avenue Christian Church
at II o'clock this morning all of the
churches OF that denomination in the city
participated in union services. The sermon
was preached by Rev. Edward B. Bagby,
pastor of the Ninth Street Church. those as
sisting being Rev. Frederick D. Power Of
and Rev. C. c. Jones, the last-named Offer
ing prayer. Mr.. Schell read the proclama-
ton of President Roosevelt calling upon the
people of the country to observe the day as
ings that had been showered upon them
during the past year. and Mr.. Power con-
Quoted the formal services.
Mr.. Bagby drew his remarks from John
III; emitting them 1.-The Father of Light.
In part, he said:
"In this world there are both good and
evil; In the journey of life we taste of the
bitter and the sweet. There is source of
all that Is good and source Of all that is
evil Every good and every perfect gift
cometh from above; every base and demon
| alizing thing cometh from below. We are
not to consider the evil today nor the tickle
and inconstant heart from which 1t pro-
ceeds but to look to God for light and
courage in the journey of life. 1t is good
thing to begin our Thanksgiving medita-
lions with God. 1t is a good thing to be-
and you will read In the beginning was
God;' kneel down to pray and you will find
that your God is there with you, If you
have the right spirit, for he that cometh to
God must believe that he is beginning to
preach the gospel of God. He who SO loved
the world that He gave His only begotten
Son that all whatsoever believeth in Him
shall not perish, but have everlasting life,
is God of love, God Of light and life and
hone and might.
flames, in speaking Of God, uses name
which men were taught to comprehend by
Jesus. He speaks Of Him as the Father Of
Light and it Is this beautiful appellation
that specially appeals to mankind when the
gospel of Christ has entered into his
beiH and taught him to understand the
true import Of the words of the disciple.
Fatherhood denotes a relationship of kim
dred beings. There Is no word in our lam
guage that expresses closer tie than
that. no. even motherhood, with which it
equally shares.
God is the Creator Of all the animals of
the universe; He is the Father Of men. for
He made man, and beloved now are We,
the sons of this mighty and loving God. AS
His sons we are capable Of bearing fellow
ship with Him. We may speak to Him.
for He is ready to listen and always hears
the prayers of the righteous and faithful.
He knows us far better than we know our
selves; He knows our dispositions, our
strength and our weaknesses; our tempta-
tons and our struggles. He remembereth
these things and judgeth us according to
the quaIlty OF what we nave done rather
than to the number of our virtues or vices
Mr.. Bagby's evident purpose was to i'm
press his hearers with the necessity of TAX
ing into their confidence this benign God;
of treating Him Father rather than as
a distant and unapproachable being whose
power was sc tremendous that ordinary
man might not dare to take his troubles to
the throne. k
I'VE the architects and builders Of
our fortunes" he said land in all things
our Father in Heaven should be consulted
before we attempt to carry out any plans
that are but the work of mortal man. I'M
mortal God, our Father, is ever ready to
listen and aid us, and to that Presence
should we take our troubles And as an
endless chain comes down loaded with
gifts from heaven, let it bear back to he
throne of our Father our grateful praises
and thanksgiving