Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1904-11-25
UNION THANKSGIVING SERVICE
At Methodist Church Wednesday
Evening.

the union THANKSGIVING service
was held at the Methodist church
Wednesday evening. On account OF
the organ recital at the Congrega-
tional church 1t had been deemed
best to hold the service at an earlier
hour than has been customary, and
the combination doubtless diminished
the attendance considerably. Rev.
II. A. Goodhue, Rev. G. B. Lawson.
Rev. Il. T. Mathison and Rev. II. r.
Miles participated in the exercises
and the sermon was preached by the
pastor of the church. Rev. +. w.
Lewis. Mr.. Marvin was out Of town
and Mr. Osgood was indisposed. The
music was by the regular choir OF
the church, though two of the mem.
bers were absent. 1t consisted of
an organ voluntary, well-rendered
anthem, solo by Miss Matthews,
an appropriate hymn and the doxol-
ogy. and was a pleasing part of the
program.
The sermon occupied only about
10 minutes as only so had been al
lowed for the entire service. The
text was ii Samuel lie. The speak
er declared II to be an illustration of
the fact that we naturally approve
the manifestation of gratitude, and
condemn its absence, even in the
case of human benefactors. "Our
debt to God is greater, and the study
Of the incident to which the text
refers may teach us some things as
to how we should show our graft
tude both to Him and to them" Mr..
Lewis then. briefly sketched the two
romantic incidents in the history Of
the Israelites which led King David
to use the words of the text, name
ly, the rescue of the inhabitants of
Jabesh Gilead from the Ammonites
by Saul, and the later rescue of the
bodies of Saul and his sons from
the Philistines by these same Gilead-
ties
in part: "They remembered the
benefit, though it was past bene-
fit. True gratitude is not merely
what it has been cynically defined,
"a lively sense of favors we expect to
receive They were ready to give
practical expression to their graft
tude. David sang and taught, the
song of the Bow and we do not
say that this praise of the departed
was not good, and even practical;
but the Gileadites did something
more than praise. Thanksgiving is
good, but THANKSGIVING is better.
They took--so far as we know-the
first opportunity to show their
gratitude. We too often delay show
ing appreciation, not only to God
but to employees, co-laborers,
friends Their gratitude took a form
of expression requiring no small de-
gree of courage. But it was that or
nothing. There are times when
nothing cheap easy and safe is
worthy of being offered to God.
What they undertook they carried
through. We need more of the
spirit that does not weary in well
doing.
There are matters in which we
might show more practical gratitude,
but some of them will require effort,
self-denial and courage. Especially
is this true with regard to con-
fronting evils of the day. The Phil
istine host has taken the Lords
anointed His laws, slain them and
nailed them up for public derision.
1t is ours to at least attempt TO res
cue, not to burn and bury, but to
re-vitalize and make effective. Easy
to be brave concerning some SINS
that are at distance, Russian ag-
gressions. Turkish cruelties; even
negro Acknowledgement and the
Mormon iniquity But how about
sins that fiaunt themselves in our
midst? Qntemperance, profanity
Sabbath desecration and gambling
were namely We can do, or at
least attempt, something. No one
NAV be able to accomplish much
alone. For best results it needs all
the valiant men as in the case OF
those who went out from Jabesh.
But even one can try. If we are tru-
lv grateful to Christ we wila be will
ing to fail for Him if necessary. But
let us do our best, and it will be no
real failure.