Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-30
GIVING OF THANKS
Continued From First Page,

ceasing and continually give thanks to God.
In enumerating the blessings for which
the people of this diocese should especially
give thanks. he announced the recent wip-
ing out of the large debt on the foundation
of the proposed cathedral at st. Adams,
which has made possible an early consid-
Grafton of plans for the actual construction
of the edifice.
who are those whom we see giving
thanks In the churches on this Thanksgty-
ing day?" he asked in the course of his SER
mon. who pray without ceas.ng and are
continually rejoicing because of what the
Lord has given them? Is Ii the prosperous
people and those who are enjoying the best
of health? No; 1t is those who have the
most to bear One of the greatest para
doxes of the Christian life is that those
who suffer the most, rejoice the most and
are the happiest.".
The bishop asked every member of his
congregation to examine himself to find
whether he was really thankful, as God
commanded him to be. He declared it was
part of a Christians duty to keep bright
outlook upon life and be grateful to the
Father in Heaven for his condition. Holy
communion was celebrated at the Church
of the Ascension as a part of the Thanks
giving service.
Dr. Powers Theme.
Rev. Dr. Frederick d. Power, pastor of
the Vermont Avenue Christian Church,
preached upon the Causes of Thanksgiv-
ing" at that church this forenoon before a
large congregation. DR.. Power said there
are the national thanksgiving, the congre-
gational thanksgiving, the family thanks
giving and that of the individual, of nature
and of the Christian. Speaking of the first,
ne said
LAS this is national day. we think first
of our national blessings. We say God
hath not dealt so with any nation We
affirm with Emerson: Gods latest charity
to the race Is America We declare:
righteousness exalteth nation. but sin
is reproach to any people. We sing:
Long may our land be bright with Free
dom's holy light We thank God for our
history, our institutions, our peace, pros
perity and place among the nations. our
favored situation, our Astounding natural
resources, our high-minded forefathers, our
liberty of thought and worship This is
well. We are q great people and this has
been the most marvellous year.
What of the action Of our chief magis-
trate in bringing to an end the awful strug-
gle between Russia and Japan? That alone
would be enough. What of the uprising of
moral and religious forces in the late cleo
tons? The Waterloo of the bosses? The
people are all right. The people are honest
The people are opposed to graveyard regis
tration. to thuggism. to the reign of loot
and graft to political knavery and munich
pal rottenness.
THE people, by their reserved SOW
,ereignty, are for righteousness, and an
awful peril to the wrongdoer. We are CRATE
full, yet the Presidents admonition is worth
noting
1--WE are not threatened by foes from
without: the foes from whom we should
pray to be delivered are our own passions,
appetites and follieS.
THE greatest danger to the republic is the
decay of civic virtue, the constituencies
pursuit of wealth. the decline of the family
life. the neglect Of religion. The guarantee
10 nc O. to &c, IN
be found not in its past or its prestige; not
In Its armies and navies not In It's genius,
learning or wealth, but in the sound NOR
atty and Christian sentiment of its people,
and while we thank God anew for health,
friends, food and raiment, let US consecrate
ourselves anew to a life Of cleanliness,
honor and wisdom so that this nation
may do It's allotted work on the earth in a
manner worthy of those who founded it.
and of those who preserved It,"
Baptist Churches Unite.
The Baptist congregations Of the city
held union services this morning in the
large auditorium of the Calvary Baptist
Church, sth and H streets. The Thanksgiv-
ing exercises were participated in by sew
eral members of the Baptist clergy, the SER
mon being delivered by Rev. ]. N Lawless,
pastor of the Brookland Baptist Church.
The opening prayer was offered by Rev.
bI uueIy pastor Oh the Futn Baptist
Church. DIR. Muir of the Temple Baptist
Church made a brief appeal for contribu-
tons to the support of the Baptist Home
for the Aged in Georgetown He said this
should not be looked upon a charitable
contribution, but as the performance of a
religious duty.
Rev. f. Hez Sven, pastor of the Second
Baptist Church read the scripture lesson.
The invocation was offered by Rev. DR..
Winbigler, pastor of the First Baptist
10r 7 arx-ln -lan Ia1iy fGn
sermon has only recently become a mem
Der of the Washington clergy. His text was
from Luke, xvii:17 Where are the nine?"
He said in part:
When the incidents narrated in the
morning lesson occurred Jesus was on His
way to Jerusalem to the passover. And
as He entered a certain village, there met
him ten men that were lepers which stood
afar off These lepers were not allowed to
associate with the people. Their awful
disease excluded them from their friends,
even from the ministration of born kindred
they were denied the privileges of the tenn
pie and of the synagogue; they were even
excluded from the protection of the city
walls. Christ met them outside of the vii
lage. Their only companions We're those
who suffered from like Affections Their
only sleeping places We're In out-of-way
places or in abandoned tombs.
Horrors of Disease
1.-THE horrors of their awful disease no
human tongue can telt Living, but ever
dying, they dragged out a waste of weari-
some hours. Whatever boasts the rabbis
made in regard to their powers to cure DIS
eases, they never claimed the power to cure
leprosy-for that there was no cure.
Happy day, therefore, for these lonely
wanderers when they met Jesus. 1t IS al
ways good to meet Him. In tenderest COM
passion and pity and love He drove away
their sorrows and healed their diseases
Gone their night of deepest gloom! Gone
their days of melancholy! But strange,
passing strange, that only one should re-
turn to give thanks to their common bene-
factor!
II do not believe that, generally speaking
the American people are ungrateful And
l do not bring this scene before you as a
reproof. We meet here today in keeping
with an old and time honored custom-a
custom that goes back to the seventeenth
century and one that has been dignified
and made noble by presidential proclama-
tons by Presidents from Washnsto TO
Roosevelt, custom, let US believe, that as
the years go by will draw out more songs
and sweeter, more praise and filter.
What more fitting thing could've DO
than recount Gods merc.es toward us and
rejoice in them with thanksgiving? Where
fore should we give thanks?