The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-11-26
THANK SEWING.


To-day is the nations thanksgiving
Day. While it may be said that the mere
formal and official appointment OF day
Of public thanksgiving does not involve
necessarily any particular sense OF graft
tude on the part of the nation, or have
any necessarily strong influence in affect
ing the people to grateful remembrance OF
national social or individual blessings,
there is yet fitness in this public recog-
milton of God, and a corresponding i'm
preston upon peoples minds which any
one who thinks for moment cannot but
appreciate. Thevery fact that the Govern
ment of the United States has set apart the
twenty sixth day of November as Thanks
giving Day, that the ordinary industries of
life will for the time being cease, that the
churches will be open, and invitation and
opportunity afforded for thought and prayer
and praise-these things will of themselves
have unquestionable and incalculable
influence in drawing mems minds to the
thought of God and their dependence upon
Him, and therefore, and necessarily, to an
awakening of a sense of gratitude and
genuine and spontaneous returning OF
thanks.
1t is a cold and callous heart indeed that
is not stirred into mood of glad and
grateful emotion as it contemplates the
dealings of Divine Providence and reckons
up, however imperfectly, the blessings of
the year Whether one begins within
himself and his own immediate circle, and
widens his horizon to take in the common
wealth, or whether he begins first to emu
merate national blessings, and narrows his
thought and his outlook till he comes last
of all to his personal blessings, it does not
make great deal of difference. However
a man begins or ends his remembrance of
the good hand of our God which has been
upon him and upon his community and his
country, he will find ample, and more than
ample, cause for his utmost homage of
loyal and loving thanksgiving. 1t is pos
sible, indeed to shut up the heart and close
the eyes SO as neither to feel an emotion of
gratitude to the Supreme Being, nor any
cause for it. There are human beings
millions of them-redeemed by Christ s
blood, and guarded every day by Christ's
care, who are as absolutely Indifferent to
His claims upon their affection as the dog
by their side, or the horse in their stables.
And there are millions more who, while
formally acknowledging Indebtedness to
Him, shrink utterly from any real and
honest service hatwould Individually testify
of their thankfulness, such testimony as
that contemplated in the beautiful words of
the Anglican liturgy, where it is prayed
that ''We may show forth our thankfulness
not only with our lips but in our lives, by
giving up ourselves to thy service and by
walking before thee in holiness and right
teousness all our days" And that, after
all, is the only real test of the sincerity of our
gratitude. Words are nothing; emotions
are nothing. eff we love me-" said the
Savior, keep my commandments" If we
are genuinely grateful for the blessings oil
life, with which our cup is full to overflow
ing, We will show it. not merely by lively
emotions and joyous anthems on Thanks
giving Day, but by loftier sense of our
obligations as citizens of Christian com
monwealth, by more practical philanthropy
as members of communities where self
denial for others good is constantly called
for, and by holier living as individual men
and women, who are called to enshrine and
evidence, always and everywhere, the
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