Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-11-22
CHRISTIAN EnDEAuOR.
Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. 26. 1911.


Prayer Meeting Topic For the Week
Beginning Nov. 20. 1911.
ropic.-Echoes Of peace and blessing. :
Thess. v. 14-z4 Thanksgiving meeting ,
Edited by Rev Sherman H. Doyle. D. D.
The recurrence Of each national
Thanksgiving day recalls to our minds
one reason for gratitude and thanks
giving to God. not only for national
blessings. but for all the blessings OF
1fe-the individual blessings. the
blessings Of home and the blessings OF
the church. 1t could not be otherwise.
for the reason that the character OF
the nation in which we live has so
much to do with every phase OF hu-
man life. and in q nation Ike ours
how many blessings are enjoyed
through the form OF government. NO
other land offers greater Individual
opportunities, attaches more I'M
portance to sacredness and the
security Of the aome. and none to tue
same extent gives freedom OF religious
faith and worship. The echoes Of peace
and blessing in the nation resound In
every other relation Of life. and We
should follow the injunction OF Paul.
.In everything give thanks. for this
Ia the will Of God in Christ Jesus con
corning you"
No people have greater reason Tor
thanksgiving than the American peo-
ple. We have international and do
nestle peace. and one Of the great his
toric events Of the past year was the
mighty progress made toward perma-
nent peace through the signing OF
the arbitration treaties by England.
France and America. The deathkneil
of war has not yet been sounded. but
when three great nations agree to sub
mir questions concerning their honor
and possessions to arbitration certain
ly a very great stride toward conrin-
ued peace has been taken With peace
we have had prosperity. We have
been free from unusual calamities ana
devasta ting pestilence. For such bless
ings we may well be filed with graft
rude and thanksgiving to God who
controls the destinies Of nations as
well as individuals.
Gratitude should be expressed 1t
Is not enough to feel thankful In our
hearts. The thankful heart should
give expression to its feelings By
voice and deed as well as by thought
we should render unto God thanksgiv-
fng and praise for all His benefits to-
ward us. In the courts OF the Lords
house in the presence OF all His peo-
Die. we should praise the Lord for His
goodness. great and prosperous ma
tion at worship In the true spirit Of
gratitude Is an inspiring sight and
one that is not only acceptable to
God and beneficial to itself. but one
that leads other nations to seek the
same blessings In the same way and TO
be thankful when they are received
Blessed ourselves. we should seek to
be blessing TO others. We thank
others. The nation itself very well IL
illustrates this form of thanksgiving.
At a great sacrifice IT gave TO Cupa
the freedom which 1t possesses. and
at still greater cost In men and
money IT is working out the destiny
of the Filipinos toward civil and
religious liberty. At present this can
only be attained through connection
with our own country. The people are
incapable of self government. Genera
tons of education and development
may be needed to make them so. The
cost win be tremendous. but in giving
to others the blessings which we enjoy
we will be expressing our appreciation
to God and the question Of reward
may be left to Him.
But In everything shall We give
thAnkA Everything? In trouble. In
SORROW. In bereavement. In adversely?
Yes: the apostle says I'm everything"
Gods hand Is In everything. and for
good. not evil. mo good thing will BE
withhold from them that walk upright
ly." What He knows to be good may
seem to us To be evil. but His knowl-
edge Is perfect. while ours is narrow
and limited. Therefore in everything
give thanks" and 1.-THE very God Of
peace sanctify you wholly"