The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-11-30
THANKSGIVING
DAY SERMON
Continued From Page One.)

boasted freedom. Men are punished
by the Great Judge every day along
the line of their sins. The drunk
ard needs no worse He'll for the
adequate requital of his sottishness
and for his cruelty to his family
than the lost control of his manhood
which drags him down into the mire
to wallow with the swine. Who
would not rather be burnt with fire
in the ola He'll which men used to
talk about but which now we seem
rather to have forgotten because it
is an unpleasant thought
The liar loses the confidence OF
his friend and soon discovers that
the very thing which he desired to
an exaggerated and unreasonable de-
/ gree, namely, to be believed, is the
thing he must not expect And so
the man whose fancy it pleases to
consider himself not beholden to
anyone, who snatches a favor from
another without gratitude like a
robber or sneak-thief, gains for
| himself the hard-heartedness and
brutality of the former, and the
meanness of the latter, as a per-
manent component of his character.
Gratitude in the heart and on the
lips is a necessary foundation for
any true courtesy. Imagine a Ger
man or a Frenchman, accustomed to
the almost universal politeness of
those nations, suddenly finding him
self jostled in a New York crowd
and experiencing the strange sensa-
tion of rough, curt replies to his
questions as to where he must go.
But then he will be less surprised
upon Offering his seat to a woman
! in street car, to have it accepted
as a matter of course, without the
faintest whisper of thanks or the
slightest inclination of the head.
But really, what right has she to ac-
cept it as a matter of course. 1t is
merely the kindly expression of a
gentleman heart. But If it is ac-
cepted as matter of course, the at
mosphere of kindliness is given a
chill from which after a while it
fails to recover, the seat commences
to be retained as a matter of course,
and the woman stands. Here in our
beautiful town this sort of petty in
gratitude which finds its expression
in lack of the ordinary civilities of
life, is much more rare. Most OF
us still have time to be courteous
The hustle and roar of the great
city is still far distant. But we may
begin to hear the rumble of the
coming storm. Many are the signs
that cause us to look forward to
the city's proud estate. Our electric
lights, our theatre, our armory, our
increasing number of manufacturing
plants, in spite of our rumors of be-
coming the division point on a great
trunk railroad, all conspire to pers.
age the coming thousands. We are
still polite. We still have time to
say Thank you" Let us jealous.
ly guard the precious daily blessing
of politeness; and in order that we
may, let us keep our hearts free
from that form of selfishness which
forgets to be thankful for favors
that seem small, but which make VI
so much of the beauty of civilization
and the everyday joy of living
But an attribute which is involv
ed in the very nature of gratitude
is one whose claims should appea
strongly to the American heart-ant
that attribute is justice. In a natioI
in whose very constitution there
stands written demand for the
natural rights of men there should
be no disregard of this Fundamental
: ognition for their kindliness O
heart and the self-denial which Civ
ing to others of anything whatso
: ever, whether goods or privileges
or personal service so often means
Justice-what alteration is accord
ed to her at our national shrines
If this people should ever relapse
= into heathenism our chief Deity
would be Justice, with the scales O
fairness in her hands. But if it bt
true that in our national character
there is a tendency to a forgetful
ness of the obligations which we owe
to God or man, then in the name O
patriotism and legitimate nationa
pride let us, individually and as {
nation, try to stem the ugly tide.
And, finally, the quality of com
mon honesty, closely allied to JUS
tice, quality which should appea
to the native conscience of the race
/ say, common honesty is involved il
= gratitude.
And now, if gratitude implies
these things for our dealings MAJ
with man, what shall we say of the
claims of the great, good, lovinl
God? Toward Him for His mercie!
in HUMILITY we should be crate
: full. Toward Him because of the
finer feelings of our human nature
we should be grateful. Toward Hin
= because of the sense of JUSTICE
: upon which we pride ourselves We
should be grateful. And because o.
common HONESTY we should no
deny or forget the claims of oul
God to the gratitude of our hearts
During the past weeks in oul
, public schools the children hav,
been learning to sing:
: Once more the liberal year laughs
2 out
= Ger richer stores than gems Of
gold,
Once more with harvest song anC
: shout is Natures bloodless
triumph told.
Our common Mother rests anC
sings, like Ruth, among he
garland-sheaves,
: Her lap is full of goodly things, he
. brow is bright with autumn
: leaves.
favors every year made new
o gifts with rain and sun
shine sent.
The fulness oVerruns our due, tn,