Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-11-26
THANKSGIVING
UNION SERVICES
REV. Z. w. JEFFREY GAVE SERMON
OF THE. DAY IN FIRST PREsBY-
TERRAIN cHuRcH.
MANY IN ATTENDANCE
ottun,wa People Give Praise In Song
and Observation-Disclosures Divine
B Tells Why All Should Give
Thanks.
From Thursday's Daily.

From Thursdays Daily.
Many reasons why all Americans
should give praise to God today, were
set forth In the Thanksgiving day SER
mon given by Rev. T. w. Jeffrey, pas
tor Of the First Methodist Episcopal
church, this morning at the union SER
vice in the First Presbyterian church.
An immense audience of Ottumwans
attended the services, In WHICH praise
to the Father Almighty was sincerely
given In songs and speech. The SER
vices opened at 10 o'clock with an
organ voluntary The Thanksgiving
day proclamation was read by the pas
tor, Rev. r. Ames Montgomery The
congregation sang the doxology stand
ing. Rev. r. ]. Locke, pastor OF the
First CONGREGATIONAL church, pro-
nounced the invocation. The responsive
reading was given by Rev. E. w. Far
ris Holler, pastor of the Benton Street
chapel OF the Presbyterian church.
The patriotic hymn, my Country It's
OF Thee" was then rendered by the
choir. Mr.. Locke gave the scripture
reading and beautiful anthem by the
choir followed. A sincere prayer OF
thanksgiving was given by Rev. John
Pool. pastor OF the Main Street p.
church, and hymn appropriate to the
occasion was given by the choir. Pre-
vious to the sermon Of the day ~ Mr.
jeffrey, an offering was taken, and
another hymn was sung by the choir.
Mr.. jeffrey followed his sermon with
20 prayer. The choir was again heard
in hymn and the closing bened1ction
was pronounced by the Rev. Mr. Pool
" Or. Jsffrey's Sermon.
Mr.. Jeffrey's text was taken from
Psalms 3O-4, "Give thanks at the rem
entrance Of his holiness" His SER
mon follows:
Thankfulness is an uprising OF the
soul into beautiful speech. 1t is
blessing possible to all and denied to
none, fitting into life like def fingers
to the strings of the harp. It Is an
essential part of triumphant human
life. He who cannot be grateful for
dement's received does not know the
Joy Of living. The still, small voice OF
gratitude cheers like mothers lul
laby and comforts like q. mothers
prayer.
@ Unthankfulness stalks the earth,
weird, gaunt, soulless, making more
or less trouble under every roof in the
world. We accept our blessing as
matter Of course and wall out our COM
plants when overtaken by reverses.
Some men are never heard from until
their voices are smothered by disap-
pointments or are made harsh and
rasping by failures. Men who never
express Any gratitude for the bless
ings Of this glorious country of ours
complain because of slight inconven-
fences. in business matters which they
attribute to some defect In the govern
ment. Instead Of showing complaint
we ought to express gratitude for q
stainless flag, for freedom, for oppor-
tunity and for government of the
people.
National Blessings.
Since this Is national day and be-
longs to the American people we need
not hesitate to speak OF national bless
ings and favors. God is In this worlds
affafrs, despite the attempt Of secular
ism and commercialism to explain the
existence and phenomena of the ma
terial universe without assigning q
personal God as the efficient cause He
Is here to note the sparrow's fall.
ssThe habits Of God are the laws OF
the world" While he may not operate
Ii precisely the same manner as he
did thousands Of years ago we are
conscious that he is among US now.
Since he is God he is wise enough to
adapt his methods to the age and the
changing conditions of the race.
s.There are diversities of operation,
but It is the same God which worketh
all in air" II the history Of this
country could be written by men who
possess the same spiritual discern
ment as those who wrote the history
which IL bound into our bible, it would