Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-25

mon gifts, which, because they are
more constant, are therefore more
valuable. But the exceptional gift is
not the best evidence of Gods love.
If God thought of us only at the
times when we realize that some great
gift, as we call it, has come to us,
what would be our condition during
SO per cent of our time? With these
exceptional gifts only, we would be
of all men most miserable. Life
would indeed be poverty stricken.
Then there would be room for the
old question, as to whether life is
worth living. Take one illustration
which has come forcibly to our minds
during the last ten days. The men
in the mine at Cherry, Ill, are dy-
ing, because the air is so poisonous
that the rescuers cannot get to them.
What would we do if the air about US
were not specially prepared for US
by the foresight of a kind and loving
God? What would be the result if
forgetting us, or not caring, He
should permit the proportion of OK
ygen to become less? We would all
die speedily, for want of the life-sus-
tanning property. Or, suppose that
the proportion be increased, and the
result would be no less fatal. Our
breathing would be like a clock with
out a pendulum, and our lives would
soon burn themselves out. Even in
the matter of so common a blessing
as this, of which we seldom or never
think, we can see Gods never-for-
getting love for us. No exceptional
blessing that comes to US can be COM
pared to this in Importance.
Special Thanksgiving Due.
80. l believe in exceptional bless
ings. I am DESTROYS of the excep-
tional blessing l look for it, and want
to thank God for it when it does
come 1t is right for us to look
about us and see the great provision
God has made for our enjoyment and
profit. l am glad that the past year
has been so prosperous. l thank God
for the abundant crops as a reward
for mems toll 1 thank Him that
there is no danger of famine among
us. am in favor of q special Thanks
giving day. 1t is a proper time for
the people to come together for unit
ed expressions of gratitude. But I
am not in favor of a special day to
the exclusion or belittling of daily
gratitude on the part of the indi-
vidual for the daily blessings which
come to us almost without number.
40. Do we get as much from God
as we might? This seems like a
strange question, and yet, to my
mind, altogether proper. God is
planning for us large things. Too
often we get only the small part of
that which He is planning for us.
Part of the time we are not in SYM
pathy with Him or with His methods
Part of the time we are engaged with
trivial things of our own imaginings
Part of the time we do not think it
worth while 20 ask of Him the thingS
we need. And so. from one or all of
these reasons, much of the good that
God had proposed for us is lost to
our use. At one time God proposed
to do for His people certain things;
but He also added, for these things
will also be inquired of by the
house of Israel to do it for them.
1t is a great principle, and one which
we should grasp. There is practic-
ally no limit to that which God will
do for US. if we will but put our
selves in right attitude before Him.
9, No. 1 cannot count them, all the
gifts of love,
Like unnumbered sunbeams, coming
from above;
How they CLEAN and sparkle, bright
ming all my way,
Waking happy carols every passing
day.
|" o, how many blessings, bountiful
and true,
Many precious blessings, every morn
ing new;
Blessings without number, more than
lips can sing;
Great and countless blessings from
my gracious King
Collections for Poor.
A collection was taken at the Memo
rial Christian church and at the Spen-
Ger Memorial church today for the AS
ISOLATED Charities, and the money
which was collected will be used for
helping the poor of the city at Christ
mas time. Nothing was done for the
poor by the organization today, but
aid was extended to the West End mis-
sion in giving Thanksgiving baskets to
about 80 needy families in the west end
of the city.
The Associated Charities distributed
copies of it's annual report at the
churches today. The report showed
the number of families helped, the
amounts which were placed at the dis
posal of the organization, and the
ways in which they we're used.