The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-01
THANKSGIVING DAY IS OBSERVED HERE Services Are Held at Several
 Churches. ALL BANKS ARE CLOSED pr. Duncan Delivers Sermon Which Was Considered Very Appropriate.
 Prisoners Are Fed at
 the Jail.

Although the weather was little chilly yesterday, Thanksgiving was celebrated with appropriate exercises, and great crowds attended the services at the diff ferent churches. Early in the morning 1t was uncomfortably cold and only those whose business compelled it. ventured out. It was a holiday pure and simple and was evidenced on all sides. Business was practically at standstill and every re- tail store of any consequence in the city was closed in the afternoon.
 The big football game in the afternoon was the center of attraction and great many out of town people saw the contest. The afternoon performance at the two theatres were witnessed by packed houses and big crowds went again last night.
 Some of the retail stores in the business section closed during the entire day, but the majority of them did not discontinue business until noon. Both the employees and the heads of the many firms mingled together in celebration of the national holiday. Judging from the great number of turkies sold by the local dealers, there were but few families in the city ana vicinity which did not have this favorite food. All the hotels In the city had spe- cial menus for the day, as did also many of the leading cafes. The travelling man whose business prevented him from be- Ing in the midst of his family, was well cared for.
 A great many local people took advant-
 4t.1 l...tr r1c age of the excellent spreads at the no'els and many dinner parties were Tn eVi- dence. The day passed off very quietly in police circles and but few arrests were made. Few intoxicated persons were seen. The county officers also had auiet day and joined in the celebration.
 Sermons at Churches.
 As previously stated the services at the different churches in the city and suourps were well attended and special musical programmes were rendered. The principai service in the city was at the flrst fres- byterian church, where all the northside churches joined in union service The Rev. pr. J. A. Duncan, pastor of the First Methodist church, delivered the annual Thanksgiving sermon. The congrega- tions of the Presbyterian, Methodist, Bap- tist and Christian churches and Temple Emanuel filled the handsome edifice to overflowing and special music was ren- dered for the occasion. This was very interesting feature of the service, as some of the best vocal talent in the city parnci- pated. The offertory, With Verdue Clad, ' was rendered by Miss Norma Schoolar hnar rH n advantage. The special choir consisting l of Miss Scholar, Mrs, Mullin and Messrs Helflin and Hara gave a number of se- l lections before the sermon
 The address of the service was delivered | by Rabbi Newfield of Temple Emanuel ir l the interest of the Mercy Home. pr. Duncan used as his text: "There' fore let no man glory in men; for all
 things are yours.
 pr. Duncan's Sermon. Whether Paul or Appollos, or Cephas 1 or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come; all are yours And ye are Chrsts. and Christs Is Gods. First Corinthians, 3:2123. | He said in part:
 | A nunu1eQ anu SlAtttil ytdio dSo LIN | first president of the newly formed United States issued the first Thanksgiving proc I lamation to the American people. Witt | but few exceptions from year to year thii custom has continued to the present day | It is worthy of thought that so long a. our government rests upon the Declara | tion of Independence, and we are called | Ia, fo churches to give thanks to God for His mercies. we can never be an atheistica | nation.
 Ut is not my purpose this morning tc | call attention to those material blessings which we have enjoyed as containing reasons why we should be grateful, bu | rather to ask you to think of some reasons
 why Christian people should always fee | that they have cause for Thanksgiving. All things are yours is a very com l prehensive statement. and yet 1t is a true 1 one. Our limitations are not without but | within us There has always been d l tendency to limit our religious privileges and to limit the value of the teachings | of men. St. Paul found this to be the case
 "The church at Corinth was dlsputlng about the value of the various teachers | they had had Some said they were of I Paul. some of Apollos, some of Cephas | Such views were narrowing and conse- | quently why should man be shut up | to only the phase of truth presented | by Apollos when he might add to it both | that of Cephas and of Paul? It seems to me that the truth here taught is that | all teachers of truth belong to us. Truth | is never new. It is as old as God, for | He is the truth. Different men have pre- sented the truth in different fashion, but | of God. All truth belongs to the Chris | tian man. If MT. Darwin, or Mir Hux- | ley. or Tom Paine, or any one else dis | covers the smallest atom of truth 1t is | my truth, and I have a right to appro- {, priate 1t. profit by 1t. and thank God for | it. We may not believe all that any mere man has written. but it is foolish thing l to cut ourselves off from all that he has done merely because we do not believe a | part of it. Men have thrown over the | Bible because of this attitude, and Chris truths of science for the same reason. | Let us today thank God that all teachers of truth are ours.
 Time Is Ours.