Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-26

Lit is. AS we catch the magnificent,
sweep of the gospel 1t will be to find
that the world is one world and that
humanity is a brotherhood. What helps
one part Of the world helps all parts OF,
of the world Injuries all parts OF the
world. The partitions are being bro
ken Though the imaginary lines are
being withdrawn, the old prejudices
are being overthrown Humanity is
slowly but surely being bound into one.
economic whole. All humanity is, after
all, one organism. We can only pros
per in the prosperity of others. God Ia
| the father of us all. Let us give
thanks at the remembrance Of his holi.i
ness"
Joys and Sorrows.
1t would seem that here we might
have common ground for thankfulness
Life is not the same to all. The years
have not served us all alike. Some OF
us come to this day with empty hands
and empty heart. Some of us have not
been prosperous. Looking back we can
see where we have almost failed. We
are not as near the goal line Of hnan-
cial independence as we were one wear
ago. We have lost somewhat and we
are not at all certain of the future. We
cannot be altogether thankful. That we
have Jared no worse gives us occasion
for gratitude, but it is, after all, with
reluctance that we respond TO the
claims of this day if we keep In mind
our material prayers. We have not all
been in the enjoyment of health. Our
families have sickened by the way and
we have watched with dread and fear,
wondering II God would be mercIful.
Some of us have been tremendously
lonesome. Our hearts have ached with
the pain of loss, and with the thought
of what might have been. Some graves
have been made, and we wonder that
humanity does not tarry to drop tear
where our hopes are buried. To this
service today we bring joy mingled
with sorrow. There, has been SO mucn |
that we could not understand, SO much |
that tried our souls to the breaking |
point, so much that we can never
know on this side of the river Of life
that we are compelled to find common
ground for thankfulness remote from |
material things.
Since there can be no common
ground for thanksgiving in material
things since here we are all the crea-
lures of circumstances, some far1ng !
better and others worse-let us seek q
lofty one in God, maker of worlds end
upholder of all things. Whatever may
.befall the nation, whatever changes
may be wrought too deep for our I'M
derstanding, whatever ruin and con-
fusion may throw up barriers to our
vision as we look back over the way
NC no mi
Gods holiness remains and 1t Is a
source of the highest gratitude. The
flowers we have planted and cared for
may have been withered by the I'M
timely frosts, but the eternal gardens
are resplendent with flowers, and fra
grant all the day Our little candles
may have been blown out by last
nights storm which swept across our
part Of the world, but the sun still
shines to fill the world with lambert
flame. And while the sun continues to
shine there is hope of light and flow
which runs along the base of the moIl-
tain, but the sun discloses the noun
tain, snow, ice-chaliced well, rever-
berant waterfall. trees, flowers, all.
Gods Holiness Inspiring.
of Gods holiness to make us thankful?
of which should awaken our hearts to
gladness and make our life eloquent /,
with praise? All the holiness we have
known Is but copy of this. The holi.
est men and women we have seen and
heard were but imperfect echoes. sAs
much might be said for the saints.
n 4 III ,le Sxo 4, Ma
tremble and throb when corresponding
chords are struck elsewhere. This char
acter is the masterpiece that is to
move universal imitation. His holiness
is the essential glory of his nature, and
Is as necessary as his omniscience. He
cannot but know what is right and he
cannot but do what is just. By his
holiness we understand the sum total
of all the excellencies and all the vir-
tues of God. BY these he is separated
from all other beings by gulf no
thought can cross. BY acts that are
from everlasting to everlasting In
their range he makes for himself a
consecrated sphere Of life that must be
ever and only his own.
But the question still comes, why
should holiness in God, so far removed
from us and SO inaccessible, call forth
our gratitude? We are his children,
walking and working for little while
in his world where we are confronted
by mystery and doubt and misunder-
standing and perplexity. There is so
much that we do not know, so much
for which we cannot account. Mystery
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