The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-11-25
REASONS FOR
THANKSGIVING
SPLENDID SERMON PREACHED
YESTERDAY BY DEAN BOWLING
AT THE EPISCOPAL THANKS
GIVING SERVICES - REVIEWS
HISTORY OF THE NATION.

Gethsemane cathedral was well attend
ed. Bishop Mann said opening pray
ers and read the psalms ana lessons
and the remainder of the service was
taken by Dean bowling who also
preached the sermon. The choral part
Of the service included the anthem APP
\ pointed for Thanksgiving day, Bucks
festival TIE Deum and Stainer's beau
tfful anthem, They Shall Dwell in the
Land.
The American Peoples Day of
Grateful Thanksgiving, was the theme
I of the deans sermon, based on the
text, psalm xxxiii, IL, Blessed Is the
nation whose God is the Lord. After
a few historic references, as preface
to his remarks, the dean said:
Looking back over the history Of
the American people we can bear glad
testimony today, Blessed is the nation
whose God is the Lord. This is the
day when the American people unite
in grateful thanksgiving, for the many
rich blessings the nation has known.
The president of the United States.
and the governor of our own state have
issued proclamations to the people of
this magnificent country and this state
calling upon them to gather in their
several places of worship to return
thanks to God for His bounty. do
not believe these proclamations have
been spread broadcast merely from a
sense of formal duty. believe our
rulers have been honest in their recog-
milton of the giver of every good and
perfect gift; and sincere in their call
to the citizens of this commonwealth
to praise God for His goodness and
for His wonderful works to the chill
dren Of men. believe they have
issued these proelamations not merely
that we might clearly recognize the
duty Of giving thanks, but that we
might be truly grateful for the bles-
sings we have received.
America, the United States, is a
God fearing nation. Now and again
some have entertained the fear that
such was not the attitude of the ma
ton. Scanning the history of the ma
tion believe the fear unfounded. God
has a right to the gratitude of the
American people today because of the
history Of the nation. In the history Of
the American people there are traces
of the hand Of providence in our ma
tional history. The revolution of 1916
was for better government, the right
of man to self government. The rights
of man found it's logical expression
in the short Spanish American con-
flict.
I'm our expression of gratitude we
do not on the Thanksgiving day wish
to emulate spirit of boasting, yet
we are not afraid to confess that the
American nation holds an enviable
place among the nations of the world
I'VE are thankful today. for the
spirit of thrift which is the inspira-
ton of our people, and places head
and shoulders above all other nations
Of the world Material prosperity is
eminent"
Closing the dean referred to the
destiny Of the American people. He
said May the Destiny of America
be always active in the mission of re-
demption. We cannot set it too high.
In all ages of the world there have
been men whose function it was to re-
deem. From time to time there have
been nations which at least fitfully
and as by a flash of insight perceived
that they were called to redeem the
world. Israel was such a nation, and
by virtue of it the Jewish people
through vicissitudes unparalleled have
remained people. France was such a
nation for the brief wild period OF
revolution. The mission of redemption
must have its basis religious, and not
political sanctions. That is the truth
our nation wants to become fully con-
scious of today. May the profound
conviction that the work of redemption
as the destiny of the American people
is possible only in alliance with God
be the gift OF this Thanksgiving day.
The proceeds of the offertory will
be given to the North Dakota children's
home.