Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-30
FOURTH SHOP TALK
 AT M'cRUM-HoWELL PLANT
The Spirit of Thanksgiving the Topic
 of Rev. c. f1. Rie<etts.

In the fourth of the series of talks at the McCrun Howell company plant. under the auspices of the Y. M- C. A. Rev. C. H. Ricketts was the speaker at the noon hour on Wednesday, hay ing an attentive audience Of about l5e, to whom he spoke upon the topic, The Spirit of Thankssiying.
 Rev MT. Rfclxetts touched upon the Thanksgiving festivities as the out ward expression of the thankful spirit which finds it's real base in the human heart Unless there wells up in our hearts strong desire for thanl<sgiy- ing any outward expression of inc same is only q moclxery-
 If our hearts deeply feel that we are under the care and protection of tho infinite Father who never makes any mistakes concerning us. that He "fath crowned our year with fatness, and that He has given to us of the good things of His kingdom more iib- e-ally than our meagFe living has really merited, then it IS well to have the feast. yea. a feast of the very best things possible that shall adequately express the largeness of our gratitude. The cry Of the ancient heart. and his mercy endureth forever. if sincere, must have been very satisfying, and perhaps was the remote cause of that eia aberate system of thanksgiving for which the Hebrew nation was noted The real question before us, then. is this: As 1 look over the year now drawing to a close have l good req sons for being thankful?
 l think we ought to be thankful for all things that make us stronger men. The hard things of life-prcvided they are unavoidable and taken in the right spirit-do make strength. Things against which struggle has to be made develop power. To live at all, the white oaks of our bleak hills must stand up against chilling frosts and furious gales, but instead of de- stroying, tfese things give greater toughness of fibre. The signing Of the winds through their bare branches at this season of the year put into language would be this: We are thankful for zero cold. for storm and stress, and sweeping gales. that have made us what we are. not tender lilies that die with the season. but white oaks that ortlast the century" It is likewise true that the iron atoms of the human blood are not generated in the lap of luxury. but as men with brave hearts and iron wills face hard things because Gods stamp is there. The early settlers ot any country are usually men of sturdy bodies and viz orous minds be- ause struggle brings out every sleeping atom of efficiency,
 Observation teaches me that real men are not made by what their fla thers leave them, but by using alright their own brain and muscle. It is not baby play that makes athletes. the diet must be severe, and the training must test and harden bodily organs. Men. we are up against things every day that call forth the iron in our nature, and I cannot help feeling that somehow even the vacant chair, the bruised hand, the aching heart and the burning tear .sre linked to the eternal goodness Two things I know: the Almighty Father who is infinitely good, is here. and so are the hard things of life only by his permission. Why not join the two and rejoice that God never makes a mistake. I can not avoid the feeling that the mighty hand that once smootned out the ancient falilean sea can sweep the thorns from my pathway. and l will trust him to the finish.
 Now. if this position Is reasonable, may we not feel that the hard things of life even grip us more firmly to eternal realities? If so is there not occasion for thanksgiving? If we write in one column the things that evidently have been for us, and in the other the things that ssem to have been against us, will not the former vastly outweigh the latter When we think of the God who is above us, the country that is able and disposed to protect us in our rights, and all the advantages of this progressive civiliz- alton, is there not reason for thank fitness? If there IS this spirit in our hearts, then the bountiful table of to- morrow-Which trust you may all en1oy-WilI mean something