Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1905-12-07
The NobIest Thanksgiving.

= ~ II SlPblHCent tldt lOFeul0Nt
{ among too things pointed out by
the pulpit and the religious press.
this year, as calling for the special
! giving of thanks to the Most High,
is the awakening of the public con
science to the fact that the duties of
citizenship have been too much neg
lected, with an accompanying
resolve that they shall hereafter be
better performed, Also the rousing
of the same conscience to a precep-
ton Of the low level to which bust
ness morals have declined, and to a
general desire for the adoption Of
higher standards. To some it has
seemed as if our people were for the
first time really awakening to the
evils which they have permitted to
grow up through their absorption
in the worship of the golden calf,
and showing a disposition to put
aside that worship and turn to the
higher ideals of righteousness and
devotion to the public good and the
good of humanity which are the
soul of u Christian citizenship.
The awakening of Conscience
means, not only a PERCEPTION of
evils to which men have heretofore
blinded their eyes nor a mere desire
for things o precieved to be bet
ter, 1t means the translation of
desire into activity and achievement
for right. Conscience so translated
dethroned the gang of thieves who
for a quarter of a century had
ruled a corrupt and contented"
municipality in Philadelphia. 1t
shook Tammany to its foundations
in New York, and elected Jerome
over all party nominees. 1t pulver-
lied a corrupt machine in Ohio. 1t
has upheld Folk in his work of
reform in Missouri. 1t has brought
about organization among the good
men of numerous cities for the bet
ter enforcement of law. 1t has
made possible the fearless exposure
of insurance and land frauds involy-
ing men whom, not long ago,
nobody would have dared to attack.
The attack is now made, and rich
powerful hypocrites have been
exposed as princess in knavery, '
because the men who lead in attack '
and exposure have behind them the I
awakened conscience of the nation. d
A conscience which stirs mi lions of I
men and women to Simultaneous c
action is a power indeed. 9
If this awakening be indeed :
as the choicest of benefits Q
'eceived mt the hand of the c
Almighty, what should be the kind 8
md quality of the Thanksgiving :
endered therefor? The singing OF \
ongs the making of a joyful noise
into the Lord" the apostrophising I
# His goodness in pulpit oratory,- s.
il these are becoming; but the Y
eiex influence through which they II
'enift participants and hearers is G
PIT to be e~yanescent, and for a gift n
ouching so closely the essential and u
permanent in life it would seem as e
some manifestation less ephemeral a
gere fitting. N
A st. Paul preacher last Sunday
.uched a chord which may find a
esponse in many a breast lately
wakened 10 the responsibilities of
god citizenship, when he voiced Z
ne conception hat "the most
thanksgiven is exalted liv- "
ng' and surly here is a form Of :
manifestation in which gratitude
,ay unfold itself without limitation, :
feeds upon its own growth.
Voices are now calling 70 our !,
alton, almost unheard since it's !.
outh, save in the uplifting era Of !,
V Civil war, warning it Of the !,
ownward drift surely consequent