The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-26
JOIN
IN THANKSGIVING
CHURCHES HOLD SERVICE OF
THANKS IN UNiON-REv. o.
s. sAYLEYs SERMON.

Inc vi SIX tltFtfltS
joined yesterday i'm the union Thanks
giving service. The services were
held i'm the Presbyterian church and
were participated In by the pastors
and congregations OF the Presbyterian
Methodist. Baptist. Methodist south.
Christian and the Congregational
churches. Rev w H. Bagby of the
Christian church had the services In
charge and the sermon was delivered
by Rev. Dwight $. Bayley of the Con-
gregutional church. The special music
by the Presbyterian choir was unusual
ly good. Under the direction of Prin-
cipal j. +, Thomas. of the county
high school, the choir has mastered
some difficult classical music
and their singing yesterday was sur
prise Mr. Thomas solo work was
especially good.
Rev. w. II. Bagby pronounced the
Invocation. The scriptural reading
was led by Rev. ]. a. Maclean Of the
Presbyterian church. Rev. q. II.
Gibbs read the presidents ThanksgiN-
ing proclamation and Rev. J. w. TAFT
led i'm prayer. At the close of the
service Rev. Henry Van Engelen
pronounced the benediction. collec-
ton was taken during the services and
the proceeds were devoted to Thanks
giving charity work. Mr.. Bayley's SER
mon was in part rs follows:
The Sermon.
Verify | say unto you, inasmuch ms
We did it unto one of these. my breth-
rem. even these least, We did 1t unto
me- Matt. %: A.
These words of our Lord may seem
To some a strange text tn bring out Tor
Thanksgiving sermon: but second
thought will show that they contain
principle most vitality applicable to the
Thanksgiving theme. Put i'm more gen
erai terms. the principle Is this: What
ever we do to Il brother man we do to
Jesus II we are kind To "A fellow, we
are kind tn Jesus. and unkindness.
helpfulness, selfishness, thankfulness
which we direct toward brother hu-
man are all taken by Jesus as directed
toward Himself. THANKSGIVING and
brotherhood are inseparable.
To-day we are conscious of many
blessings. rich in variety and we'll nigh
countless in number. But all can be
classified under two heads. Every
blessing is either direct-that is. COM
ing to us directly from God, without
any intervening agent-or indirect
that is. coming from God indirectly,
through some human channel o. agen-
cy. Let MS classify few of our
blessings.
Gifts Of Nature.
Among the direct blessings are GER
tain great gifts of nature. The air we
breathe. SO wonderfully adapted to the
needs of our physical frames. comes In
us without causation or hindrance on
the part of man, 1t is directly from
God The same is true of the water we
use. which refreshes and cieanses us.
and of the sunshine. which imparts
vitality TO us and indescrihable beauty
To the landscape. Likewise the charm.
of the landscape itself This IS direct
ly from the great Father. for it was
He who upheayed the mighty hills and
spread the peaceful valleys: il was
He who drew across the receding miles
the silver line of streamlet and river.
running 10 rep.enish the stores Of the
great deep,
The direct bounties Of God include.
also. certain spiritual gifts. Love. the
greatest thing in the world which is
the foundation of the home and the
prerequisite of all happiness. is directly
gift from God. His name is Love:
and the apostle has said: He that