Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-24
MANY CAUSES FOR
THANKSGIVING
Rev. Morris Points Out Causes
Why People of This Country
Should Be Thankful
UNION SERVICES ARE HELD
Most of the English Speaking Churches
United in Thanksgiving Service at
Methodist Church Today-Rev. Nor
ris Delivers Sermon on "Man Owes
Debt of Gratitude to God.H

thanksgiving. Business was generally
suspended for the day, and family
gatherings were held turnout the city.
Many entertained guests from u dis
lance, while others We're out Of the city
for the day. The foot ball games and
the theater this afternoon provided
amusements for those who cared for
them.
The annual Thanksgiving service
which was a union service for most of
the English speaking denominations of
the city, was held this morning, begin
ming at 10:30, in the Methodist church.
The attendance was not large as
Thanksgiving services go, an audience
of about 800 being present. Rev. A.
b. Morris, pastor Of the First United
Evangelical church. delivered the SER
mon, speaking on the subject, Man
Owes Debt Of Gratitude to God" Rev.
Morris brought forth many interesting
and helpful points during the course OF
his sermon. and showed many reasons
why the people of this country should
return thanks to God for his kind
neSses.
An anthem by the Methodist choir
began the service, followed by hymn
by the congregation. The apostles
creed was repeated in unison by the
congregation, after which Rev.
William III. Pilot, pastor Of the Friends
church, offered prayer. The reading OF
the scripture lesson, by Rev. j. b. Me-.
10y, pastor Of the State Street United
Evangelical church, was followed by
the reading Of President Roosevelts
proclamation by Rev. Elijah Brown
Jones, pastor of the First Baptist
church The thank offering, then taken,
was consecrated by Rev. Il. Hey Lemon,
Of the Church Of Christ. Following an
other hymn, Rev. Morris delivered the
sermon. He spoke in substance as fol-
lows:
..rhe American national Thanksgiv-
ing day originated in 1888, when the
Massachusetts Bay colony set apart
q day for public thanksgiving. The
first national Thanksgiving proclama-
lions were issued by congress during
the revolutionary war. The first great
American Thanksgiving day was N
1854, for the declaration of peace. There
was another national thanksgiving In
1889, and no other till 1863, when Pres
ident Lincoln issued national proc
lamat.on for q day Of thanksgiving.
Since that time the president mas 1ssu-
cd an annual proclamation.
The annual national THANKSGIVING
day is American born. In 1t tina Amer
can people are requested to cease from
their daily duties and In public gath
erings return thanks to God the giver
of every good and every perfect 'gtft.'
"'The earth is Gods and the fulness
thereof The world is Gods possess
sion, Gods property God Is Its sup
port. Without Him 1t or its inhabitants
could not exist II God had been NOR
tai creature and should die, the world
would fall into chaos and mankind
cease to exist God sends the rain,
and other blessings upon the world by
which it is sustained and when he
ceases to send, famine is at hand.
"a few evidences of Gods bounty
and reasons for thankfulness are: The
gift of life-In Him we live, move
and have our being He sends the
rain on the just and the unjust, there
fore the Just and the unjust alike have
reasons to be thankful for opportun-
tiles Of salvation and the saved for the
privilege Of adding stars to the crown
of eternal life.
.'The bountiful harvest-The gran
aries Of the United States are fairly
bursting with the harvest of the season.
Last year our corn crop reached the
immense amount Of 2,244, 900, 900 BUSH
els. Adding to this the number OF
bushels of the other five leading cereals
of our land, the number is increased to
the incomprehensible sum Of $780,
100000 bushels. Adding to this the
cotton and hay crop the whole is worth
755,000,000. This year we have ev-
cry reason to believe this amount will
be exceeded. Surely God has blessed
us, with an abundant harvest
peace and prosperity--Thank God
that peace reigns in America. Our soil
is not stained with the blood of our
fathers and sons. Prosperity reigns
We are the wealthiest and best fed
people in this earthly realm. Some
deny this, but it is true and cannot be
contradicted. There Is II
set of calamity howlers in the country
who have never seen good times, and
are always preaching hard times and
earnestly declaring that every Public |
official and all governmental affairs are
wholly corrupt, and that business and
governmental robbery is at high tide.
We all know that many things in our
civil and business affairs are bad, very
bad, but l for one am not ready to
concede that it Is all bad and thorough
ly rotten. We have our share OF ma
tional rottenness, but this everlasting
calamity bowling is making it's share
and that an abundant share. 1t breeds
which ripens in anarchism,
with which we have had sad exper-
ience
In order to see our real standing in
prosperity let us make a comparison. |
Look at Russia. Here are some facts |
given by leading official of Russia. Il |
give but few Of many facts,. IF we
look at what the peasant eats, we are
struck by the absence of meat of
milk. and of eggs. He supports himself |
solely Oil black bread and brick tea,
and has not always these articles Of
'ood. This nourishment is particularly
harmful to children"
From one-sixth to one-third of the
income is paid the state as
AZ. In one Of the principal provinces