Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1905-11-23


IESEs Az rs you've gone. you viii
- answer: 1.-THE best way
tc spell Thanksgiving In T-h-a-n-k-s-
Living
Josh Billings says: MANY peopl,
use their religion about as they would
a life-preserver, putting 1t on only IN
time OF danger, and they generally
wrong side before"
Part of our religion Is supposed to
tie cherishing a spirit Of thankful
ness. The president OF the United
States calls on us annually to give
thanks. A thousand other voices call
us daily TO the same experience.
Do We respond?
Some do. after the style OF certain
expression too common among q
class of young people. Hand a girl
on the car the handkerchief she has
dropped, and she answers: Thanks,
awfully." Give a waiter a tip. and
he responds: Thanks, awfully." Show
another the way to some Office which
he is looking for. and he touches MS
hat, saying: Thanks. awfully." Now.
isn't that absurd? Certainly 1t is un-
refined, undignified and utterly imp
propriate slang.
Yet to me 1t expresses too force
fully the manner Of much professedly
Christian thought. For example: A
man thinks q growl, because his baby
has had the whooping cough. though
he's nearly well. Why does he not give
thanks because the baby lived. His
neighbours died.
"Rained for four days steady" says
another man. How about the II days
of continuous sunshine and balmy air
preceding? "Well," he says, II for.
got that. suppose | ought to he
thankful" Now isn't that Thanks.
awfully?"
I'm getting so gray I'm startled
says some Beau Brummel. Way
aren't you thankful you've got hair
enough to turn gray? Your partne-
is bald as a qnart-cup.
Be thankful, but live it. The nation
is learning this duty fast. Neighbour
hood is no longer q geographical term
but means human need and ability to
help.
Christ for the world" we sing Is IN
the hymn book. But so is the next
line. 1.-The world to Christ we bring"
Here's some more:
1.-THE poor and those that mourn,
The weak and overcome.
Slnsick and sorrow worn,
Whom Christ can heal"
But He will be pretty apt to do II
through your word, your touch, your
pocke,book-yourself.
poor little waif," was said to little
ragemuffin by tender-hearted wom-
an. why doesn't God tell somebody
about your needs?" HE did," said the
child, pitifully, but Somebody forgot
about It,"
To forget-that Is "Thanks-aw-
fully" If the nation is grateful to-day,
Il means her citizens are. We've
. had the sword, our across-the-sea-
neighbors have had 1t long enough.
But gee! The sabre that cleft foe.
mans skull set wide open the door Of
human responsibility before the eyes
of Christian men and women.
Thankful were we for our own
peace. But Thanksgiving means na.
tional and individual THANKSGIVING!
So, awhile ago. with a sublime altru-
ism, wealthy nation of $4,000 900 laid
itself at the feet of enslaved Cuba and
said: Here are we! Our best youth,
our aElest generals, our guns. our mu-
milton and fortunes. to set you free"
II cost blood, even quarter Of q NIL
lion men; 1t cost treasure; but in 100
days the foe was conquered. and H..
100000 people set free.
Are we thankful for the still more
recent treaty Of peace? Yes! But
we are not worthy to stand as Amer
lean citizens II we do not prove our
gratitude by meeting the tax assessor
honorably, the laboring man fairly, the
capitalist as fairly, and the needy a.
generously.
Let us go to autumn's shrine and lay
there our garland Of thanksgiving.
purple, and crimson. and gold. Leave
It there, thankfully, holly.
Then let us go to put crimson glorles
and new tints of happiness in poor.
starved, helpless lives. Maybe some
body Is hungry for a CLINT Of gladness
IN ycur office. Maybe in your home.
Look about. If the people do thus
YOU and / are the people-the nat;on
will. and the earth will laugh out in
her gladness to hail q true Thanks
giving day.