The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1909-11-18
Thank ksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day is welcomed as
n social and religious festival. So
thoroughly Is :: pervaded with the old
New England spirit, love of home and
the need of religious worship that it
does not lose its own peculiar distinc-
ton. Each year our blessings broaden
and deepen, but on Thanksgiving Day
we do well to compare them with the
days of our forefathcrs. To them
their merciss were abundant, and
they rendered their grateful thanks
to the Lord of life. 1t seemed so
much to have one day of comfort, and
even luxury. after the kindly old
earth had done her best and the
precious harvosts had been gathered
In. The Pilgrim said, God be
praised" at every step, and he kept
an open hearth and generous heart
for less fortunate neighbor. II one
of those bleak country towns could
have caught glimpse of lighted
streets and well-stocked libraries, of
dainty home fabrics stitched on pol
lshed machines, of grain cut and gath
cred without hand labor and of whis-
pered messages of kindness to friends
hundred miles aw2y-the vision
would have been as bewildering as a
sight OF the Eternal City was TO ST.
John at PatmoS, ana the electric cars
would have seemed TO them like the
chariOtS of fire in which Elijah as
cended to heaven.
What incredible distance between
their holiday and ours, Their graft
iy expressed in an ascetic way, out
side of the homc-in the meeting
house. Only vestige OF that up
ward-looking thankfUInCss remains
among the moderns. Is l. because
We have thought to enshrinc religion
in the nomc-or tried tO--instead OF
Keeping ii apart in some more formal
ly consccratcl place? Partly so, but
the prevailing quality of prcsant-day
religious feeling is more than ever
ior@-Ra!ity and a heart-sympathy,
and in this We have bean gamers.
whatever of loss there has been in
othar respects. Deny it as many
dc cs"endant of Pilgrim or Puritan
may, cur NoTcmbcr holiday is no
longer th" Thanksgiving Day of old.
transformed by the latl"r-day re-
h%:on OF humanity. which ma!:es the
most Of hearty. Eindlv fellowship and
sympathy. the festival is naw time
FOR III" warming or Il arts rather than
the giving of thanks, and COUNTLESS it
Is all approved by tho Dirinc Giver.
Tomorrow is day for g!adness,
and 10 jG"n TIE S7GrJhIight even upon
sorrow AL suffering Eor what allcvia-
ton il may reveal. The hard times
o. life are so carp anu severe, their
experience Is 50 vivid that tho short
ress CT their duration, as compared
Win length CT days. 4. a.; 10 be over
looked. I'll" hurricane ana IT," storm
Blot out thr memory 0f the long.
peaceful days wncn thc outline of the
nils stood soft and pura!a ia the dis
t2nce
The past season may ha recalled as
peculiarly intcrJ sling 0r account of
the weather. Each month has
brought surprise August and Sep
tom5er apparently chaHcrd places,
each Offering to the other tie best il
had TO give. The resul; was "A com
bination OF which our climate may
well be proud. The late summer and
fall came as near perfection for hu-
man enjoyment as New England
could give. The Indian summer. haZy
and mellow, was prolonged beyond it's
usual stay, and the late flowers have
persisted in their right to blossom.