Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-11-27
REV. ROBERT J. LOCKE TELLS
VAST CONGREGATION OF
REASONS FOR THANKS
SERMON EULL OF TRUTH
Audience Held by Spell of Speakers
Charm During Talk-Eiaborate
Musical Program a Feature
of the Meeting.
From THURSDAYS Dailv.

The gratitude to God, the maker ant
giver, for the gifts bestowed; the gift,
themselves and how they affect tn,
lives of all people and the impress the,
have left and continue to leave upol
mankind, were graphically told by Rev
Robert j. Locke this morning in the
union Thanksgiving day service at the
First Christian church. The eloquenct
of the speaker was forgotten for the
time being by the worshipers in con
temptation of the wisdom of the grea
truths he delivered.
An elaborate musical program un
der the able direction of Mrs. E. G
PIERCE, was a feature Of the splendid
Thanksgiving services. The program
included number of special selec
lions, which were ably rendered. Be
ginning with a prelude on the organ
The following program was given
Anthem, nedictus-Choir
Prayer.
Solo, THE Great White Throne"
Mrs. Thad. T. Harlan.
Scripture lesson.
Reading of the proclamation.
Hymn of the Pilgrims
At the close Of the sermon, the sing
ng Of the hymn, God Bless Ou1
Native Land" was followed by the
benediction and the meeting closed.
The beauty of the service generally
part of the hearers thought only in the
relation they bore to gifts from God
or which man should be grateful. The
Individual the family, the community
Ind the nation, all were shown to
lave debt of gratitude to the maker
md giver for the things they possess
The relation of man to other things
If nature was clearly explained by the
,peaker, in showing mans dependency
N God and what man owes Him for
he things aeenan plished for mankind
Beginning his sermon with a quota
don from the psalms, Mr.. Locke said:
Causes for Thanksgiving.
30 give 4aanks unto the Lord; call
lpon His name; make known His
leeds among the psople." Psalm
O5:1.
THE can Of Tia psalnist is one
worthy Of eHr heod. Like the Jews OF
I'D who SEu e1le hand of God in ev.
.rything, In the guidance of their
orefathers, msfhe overthrow of their
nemies, in the establishment of their
aith above that of the nations round
bout; in the stream of Righteousness
Thich maintained it's course through
he years, we ought to give thanks
nd call upon his name and thus
make known kisGdeeds among the peo-
lie. Like thsxn of Old there is par
ocular fitnaaH IA fh@ saFang of thanks
IS nation fDrsfhes things in the past,
or the bsNaRf3 fin the present. The
mind goesshaak to The. tsme when this
ay became a, Uatic6Esa day. How far
ave we como Eanca EsfneDln in 1863
ssued o proclassxtton setting a day
or ThanksgivingSSor che nation. There
lad been no suca day for nearly sew.
nty-five years. Then in the sadness,
the midst of the awful sacrifice OF
he war there came this proclamation
or day of thanksgiving. We have as
! nation gone far since that time We
ire now united and the same
ag with it's message of a free people
oats to the winds of the southland
S it does to the winds of the north.
and. The wounds are being healed
md the old sectional bitterness is be.
ng lost in a new national vision. And
We come not as a divided people to
his day, but as one. We come be.
ause the same God is over us and
re are all the recipients of his bounty
nd his goodness.
One Flag; One Faith.
'Tf there be one flag, there is also
me faith. One faith in the might and
Teatness Of God, one faith in the SUI.
remacy Of the Christ; one faith in
he place Of power which we as a ma.
lon are taking in the betterment Of
he worlds life. AS nation we have
ever gotten away from the thought
hat we are livingtand bringing things
pass because God has in q marked
aanner been with us. The same thing
! emphasized by the text. Why give
hanks to God if he be not the source
rom whom all things flow? Our ma
onal thanksgiving daytis a testimony
the world that we believe in the
anne God who led our fore
hers to the barren and bleak Nep,
'ngland shores. There will be many
ithout doubt who will enter this day
nth no thought of God. For many II
hay be a day of rioting and debauch
ry; many will fulfill the word of the
rophet when he declared that they
torship their angle and their draa
nd theirsnet. Many will think that the
iings which have come to then,
trough the year have come simply
ecause of their own efforts. But fol-
he mass of people in America today
here will be hearty acknowledge
lent of'the divine care and generosity
the Father. It is a national day
lack of it stands God
What causes have we for gratitude
lis morning? Do we come here in z
erfunctory manner with the thought
Lat there Is service today and we
ught to go to it? There will be but
tile profit in it for us In that mood
hut If we come thinking of the piled
treasures Of the year; of the
lessings which have enriched on
avs; of the goodness of God; of tht
lsciplines of the heart; of the larger
Gaming of GsS 20 us and the deeper