Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1908-11-05
THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION.
President Roosevelt Recounts Bless
ings that Call for Gratitude

President Roosevelt RecOunts Bless
ings that Call for Gratitude.
WASHINGTON, October 3l.-The Presi-
dent to-day issued she annual Thanksgiv-
ing proclamation in which be pointed out
tne STEADY growth Of the nation in strength,
worldly power, wealth and population, and
that our average of individual comfort and
well-being is higher than that Of any other
country in the sasla For this, he de-
esagss aleFjTs ewe il Il tie Asfnig.aty
to show equaI progress in moral and spirit
nal things The proclamation follows:-
tOnce again the season is at hand when,
according TO the ancient custom Of our peo-
pie, it becomes the duty of the President 80
appoint day of prayer and of tianksgiy-
ing to God
ear Dy year this nation grows in
strength and worldly power. During the
century and quarter that has elapsed since
our entry into the circle OF independent peo-
pies we have grown and prospered in ma
teflal things to degree never known be-
fore, and not now known in any other coun-
try. The thirteen c0louies which struggled
along the seacoast OF the Atlantic and were
hemmed in bns few miles west of tide
water by the lndian-baunted wilderness,
have been transformed into tbe mightiest
republic which che world has ever seen. Its
domains stretch across the continent from
one TO the other of the two greatest oceans,
and it exercises dominion alike in the Arc
tic and tropic realms The growth in
wealth and population has surpassed even
the growth in territory. Nowhere else in
the world is the average of individual COM
fort and material well-being as high as in
our fortunate land
For the very reason that IN material
well being we have thus abounded. we
owe it to the Almighty TO show equal
progress in moral and spiritual things
With a nation, as with the individuals who
make up a nation material weIl-beiDg is
an indispensable foundation But the
foundation avails notbipg by itself That
life is wasted, and worse than wasted,
which is spent in pilng, heap upon heap,
those things which minister merely 80 the
pleasure Of the body and TO the power that
rests only on wealth. Upon material we'll
being as foundation must be raised the
structure of the lofty life of the spirit. if
this nation is properly to fulfill its great
mission and 10 accomplish all that we so
ardently hope aud desire. The things of
the body are good; the things of the INTEL
lect better; but best Of all are the things Of
the soul; for, in the nation as in the indi-
vidnal, in the long run it is character that
counts. Let us, therefore, as a people, set
onr faces resolutely against evil, and with
broad charity, with kindliness and good
will toward all men, but with untiinching
determination so smite down wrong, strive
with all the strength that is given us for
righteousness in public and private life.
Now, therefore, /, Theodore Roosevelt,
President OF the United States, do set apart
Thursday, the 26th day OF November, next,
as day Of general thanksgiving and prayer,
and on that day recommend that she peo-
pie shall cease from their daily work, and,
IN their homes or in their churches, meet
deyoutly TO thank the Almighty for the
many and great blessings they have receiy-
ed 10 the past, and to pray shat they may
be given strength so to order their lives as
TO deserve continuation Of these bless ngs
in the future