Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-11-18
CHRISTIAN ENDsAvoR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. q. 1908.


Topic.-Songs of the heart.-xIf. Graf
ftude and how to express it-Ps. CHI
Thanksgiving day meeting.
With each recurrence of our nationa
Thanksgiving day the hearts of all ths
American people. individually and col
1ectively. should turn to God with greaf
gratitude for His blessings to Us a,
individuals and as nation. TIKI
One Hundred and Third Psalm il
a good model for this double pur
pose, and from 1t also we nav learr
how to express this twofold gratitude
1t has been well said that 1t lis ths
Outpouring of a full heart in thanksgiv
ing to God for His grace and compass
sion, both as experienced in His ewr
life and also as manifested TO His
nation in their history Next to Israe
and the lsraelites God has seldom II
ever bestowed greater blessings upon q
people and nation than upon the
American people and the American pa.
ton Therefore we may wei call upon
our souls and all that is within us tc
bless His holy name and to forget not
all His benefits"
The first call to gratitude is for per
sonal blessings. both spiritual and tenn
poral and the second call to national
gratitude for national blessings. Sell
dom, indeed. have the goodness and
mercy of God been so beautifully and
comprehensively set forth and in so
few words as the psalmist expresses
them here-how graciously the for
giveness of sins and the subsequent
new hfe is expressed, "Wbo forgiveth
AL thine iniquities: who healeth all
thy diseases fspirituan: who redeemeth
Thy life from destruction fmoral and
spirituaD; who crowneth thee with
loving kindness and tender nercies:
who satisfieth thy mouth with good
things, SO that thy youth is renewed
like the eagle's,'' We have received
such spiritual and temporal blessings
IN the past year. and out of a fun heart
we should express our gratitude to
God.
ours In the past year 1t IS true that
there has been financial adversely TO
some extent. and vet we have been
preserved and wonderfully blessed.
Famine. pestilence and sword have es-
capped US. No great national calamity
Israel, in that. although God has made
known His ways and His acts unto Us
we, as a nation, have not always fol-
lowed in these ways, and but for the
fact that He Is still "merciful and gra-
cious, slow to anger and plenteous in
mercy" His judgments might have
been executed upon us But the Amer
lean nation needs to heed the psalm
lists warning. "He viii not always
ehife; neither win He keep His anger
forever" Past nations have forgotten
this warning aud have fallen-Israel.
Babylon. Greece and Rome. VIII God
spare us when He has not spared other
nations? Nay. Our doom viii be the
greater because Of our immensely
greater advantages and opportunities
to do His will And who can deny on
national iniquities? The greed for gold
was never greater, and TO many who
gain 1t luxurious life. with its in
evitable companions, vice and sin, is
the result. The marriage relation is
not held as sacred as 1t should be. The
liquor power, though greatly decreased,
Is still mighty power. The Sabbath
day Is not remembered and kept holy,
as Goo demands Gods house is light
~ esteemed by multitudes Of Protes-
tants, who, recalling the devotion OF
their ancestors to it. should be filed
with shame. The business world and
the political world do not lack corrup-
don. God sees 1t all, but He is patient
bat let us not think that His patience
means forgetfulness. Yet. with it all
the signs of the times are favorable
Tremendous forces are being arrayed
against evil There has been a great
moral awakening in our land, and lei
~ do all in our power to continue Il
until we shall not only know Gods
ways, but do them.
BIBLE READINGS.
Ps. xxxiv, 1-S; xviii, 10; C. Is; cxyi
l2-19; cxx, ITO; Mark v, 1921; Acts II
44-47; lii, 40: Phil iv. 11G; Col. Ii, O
2: Rev. VII, II. II.