Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-03
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TRUE CAUSE OF THANKSGIVING
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TRUE CAUSE OF THANKSGIVING
By Rev. Percy Trafford Olton.
Bless the Lord, o my soul, and for
get not all His benefits. Psalms 1903:
g.
One Of the frequent causes of our
failure to have the thankful spirit Is
forgetfulness Of past benefits. Con-
corning the past the majority Of peo-
pie try either to forget it altogether
Both are equally wrong. 1t is not in
tended that we should live only to for
get, nor Is 1t meant that we should
live only to remember.
The past is a book in which we re-
cord the experiences OF our journey
and to which we can refer for guild
ance and comfort as we press on
through the unknown future. And
when the days travel happens to be
through a barren and cherries coun-
try, we should be able to turn to those
pages which record days of great bless
Ing when we were passing through
land flowing with milk and honey.
But we are so apt to forget the bene
fits of the past. When we come to the
end Of a days Journey and sit down
to enter its experience how readily do
we record the disagreeable things-the
disappointments, the vexatIons, the
crosses that have been met with. Some
body has passed us travelling In ease
and luxury while we tramped on foot;
somebody has spoken an unkind word
or has done us an injury; somebody
has gone by that day with head erect
and smiling face while we staggered
under the burden of a heavy cross,
with the pain Of a great sorrow cut
ting like knife into our soul, and we
pour out the bitterness of our life on
the pages Of our book of memory.
All that has not been as we would
like is carefully entered, and as we
sit there and turn over the pages OF
the book we find entries similar to the
one we have Just made-records of
trials and disappointments and hard
ships-and reading them 1t seems as If
there was no other soul In the wide
world whose lot could be more cheer
less and desolate than ours.
We have no long of praise, for there
is no melody in our hearts; we cannot
say BLESS the Lord, o my SOUL" for
we feel that for us there is no special
reason for thanksgiving. Why Is it
thus? 1t Is because we have forgot
ten to make notes Of the benefits.
Oh, the patience and long suffering
Of God! Truly, He can say of us as
He said concerning the children of Is
rael: "How long will this people pro-
woke Me, and how long will it be ere
they believe Me for all the signs which
have showed unto them?"
He has led US step by step through
the wilderness; He has provided for
our every need, and yet we are con-
stantly doubling His wisdom and
goodness; we will not call to remem-
brance His unfailing providence.
Let us look back and see how great
and manifold have been the blessings.
There is no child of God who has not
abundant reason to thank God for past
benefits. If we will but look over the
past and count up some Of the innu-
merable blessings a great wave of
praise and thanksgiving will sweep
over our souls, and out Of overflow
Ing hearts there will burst forth the
song Of the psalmist of old: Bless the
Lord, o my soul, and all that is with
in me, bless His holy name Bless the
Lord, my soul, and forget not all
His benefits"