The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-12-01
THANKFUL SPIRIT
AND WHAT IT MEANS
Excellent Sermon Before Union Service
at the Congregational Church Yes
terday Forenoon.

The religious observance of Thanks
giving day in Barre was marked by q
notable gathering Of four congregations
in the Congregational church at 10
o'clock in the forenoon, for a union sery-
ice of Thanksgiving. Rev. Edward C.
Downey, pastor OF the Universalist
church, preached the sermon before A
large congregation, and the pastors of
the ether churches also participated in
the services. Mr. Downey's remarks
were chosen appropriate to the occasion.
and the audience maintained close
attention throughout his discourse.
Following the organ prelude, America
and Variations (Rinkl, by S. HolIister
jackson, Rev. w E. Braisted, pastor Of
the First Baptist church. read the
Thanksgiving proclamation issued by the
governor Rev. T. Q. Thayer, pastor of
the Hedding Methodist church, gave the
scripture reading, and Rev Il ". Ear.
nett, pastor Of the Congregational
church, offered prayer. Miss Virginia
Peter rendered the offertory, soprano
solo, 30 Divine RedeemerH tGounodl.
the offering taken being devoted to the
support of the City hospital
For his sermon. Rev. Mr.. Downpy chesa
his text from Psalm l06:I, 2, 20 give
thanks unto the Lord, for lie is GOOD,
His mercy endureth forever Who can
utter the mighty acts of the Lord? " bo
can show forth all his praise ?" The
preacher spoke as follows:
The Sermon.
"We have gathered here this morning
for single purpose, to voice our graft
tude to God in prayer, to foster and
magnify the spirit of devotion by which
we this day win hold communion with
God unto thanksgiving Herein lies the
reason of all have to say Protestauts
have thought OF the sermon as an intel
lectual exercise altogether too much II
has been judged as a piece of literature,
looked upon as a religious entertain
ment and the favorable comment has too
often been, i enjoyed it, as if the re-
ligious service took a place beside the
theatre, lecture and cneert as one Of the
sources of entertainment. The fault
lies, perhaps, more with the pulpit than
with the pew. The sermon has been
the main thing in the service, afodnd
which other things have been grouped
We are grateful for the many evidences
of reaction that aims at making tho
sermon part of the service, means of
inspiration, an aid in worship. If any
of YOU shall discover in what | shall
say anything other than yhis, | ask YOU
to forget and forgive.
First, to show forth all the reasons
for thanksgiving is to circumscribe God,
is to sound the depth of the meaning OF
life This is not the task of a sermon;
II is the task of the religion Of the ages.
While we must say, Such knowledge Is
too wonderful for me, it is heights |
have not yet attained unto, yet it is
well that we should measure the good
ness and mercy of God that comes with
in the grasp of our intelligence or has
touched with awe the spirit of our affee-
ton. II ] read Alright, men from The
beginning of history, Aryan, Semitic
alike, have caught this inspiration and
once each year at the time of the har-
vest have gathered together and for
getting tribe and clan and family diff !
ferences have united i'm worshiping God, |
pouring forth their souls in a feast OF I
We cannot do less, for. /
getting our creeds and forms and diff |
CONTINUED on second page.l