The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-11-26

and was challenged by picket. She
handed him the pass. He looked at
it and at her and said, I'VE don't
take that here"
81 know" she said, but Willie,
my boy, is dying in prison, and l
am going to him. Now shoot" He
did not shoot, but stood awed, and
hushed in the presence of love that
wao invincible. Penetrating the
lines, she reached the hospital. The
surgeon said, Madam, you must be
very careful, your boy will survive
no excitement" She crept past cot
after cot and knelt at the foot of the
one where her boy lay, and putting
up her hands, prayed in smothered
tones, 20 God, spare my boy" The
young man raised his white hands
under the sheet. The sound of his
mothers voice had gone clear down
into the valley and shadow of death,
where his soul was going out into the
silent beyond. Raising his hands
he said, Mother, 1 knew you would
come"
Whatever else we may let go,
whatever else may be swept from us
in the rush of years, whatever doc
trines may drop out Of creed, what
ever changes may come in Biblical
Interpretation, or in church admins
tration, let us hold on to this great
central truth of truths that God is
love, and hence, love can never fail.
There are thousand things which
1 cannot understand. Theories and
theorizers go and philosophers often
dip away into shadow lands which l
cannot explore. But never shall l
cease to believe that my life and
your life are over-arched and un-
der-girded by the love of God. Never
shall I surrender the conviction that
love immortal beats about us as
the ocean laves the beach of the is
land which it holds to it's bosom;
that, though the heavens may fall,
and the earth burn, and the judg-
ment thunder, and eternity roll,
still we are encompassed by that love
that famed out in Jesus Christ and
crystallized on Calvary. This was
the thought that calmed the heart of
our own Whittier when he sang:
Il know not where his islands life
Their fronded palms in air,
l only know / cannot drift
gl Beyond His love and care
M Indispensable, inyincible, immor-
tai that is the trinity of lover the
top-mose. bottom-mosts V iH9SEMe
oatermAst fact Of; the algersS III Is &
fHows can we BEST respond to that
heart of love? How best recognize
the goodness that has gone before
us. What can we give to him who
possesses all things? What shall
we render unto the Lord for all his
benefits?" No wonder we stop
when we ask these questions, and
cease trying osolve the problem.
But did not Will Carleton think
clear through and reach the right
conclusion when he asked and then
answered the question?
THE God above! What can we say
Or do, with eyes so dim
To make this Thursday-Sabbath day
Thanksgiving day to him?
What love, through grace and beauty
clad,
Can thrills to him impart?
1t may wrench our thought to
turn from our personal mercies-the
love that has hallowed our homes
the aegis that has been held before
our community life, and abruptly
give our attention to the broader
nId 80 p,,k no.
always been uppermost in my thought
on Thanksgiving day as the years
have come and gone, and have
heard from beyond the stars the
voice saying, "Open ye the gates that
the righteous nation that keepeth
truth may enter in" 'Tis the proc
clamation of the President of the
United States that calls us to our
places of worship-and tits here
always patriotic fervor burns at
white heat. With the wisdom of
maturer years, l have no desire to
change this custom, or dampen that
patriotic fervor, or change the tenor
of the message. Patriotism and re-
ligion, in my conception of them,
are indestructably linked-linked to
the thought and purpose of God.
What God has Joined together let
no man put asunder." There is a
special reason why our thought
should be given to the national
theme to-day-why the national an
them should burn within our hearts,
and leap in hot flames from our
tongues. We talk about America as
world-power-and it has become
such. But world power in a sense
far beyond our dreams. No country
on the face of the earth is exerting
the influence on the world that the
U. S. A. is doing to-day. No flag
commands the universal salute as
does ours. / speak it not boastfully
i speak it reverently-I speak it
hopefully speak it with the pray
er upon my lips: God save the
State!"
God give to us high ideals. and