The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-12-01
JOINT SERVICES
OF THANKSGIVING
lAHGD DENOMINATIONS UNITE IN
RENDERING THANKS roa
BLESSINGS
WHY GRATITUDE IS DUE
srHE DAY OF WHINING LONG-rAC.
ED CHRISTIANITY HAS PASS
ED.' SAYS REV. RYLAND
KNIGHT.
WHY GRATITUDE IS DUE

1sACNHonu yesterday nGiQ- JOHN
Thanksgiving services. In every case
visiting minister occupied the pull
pit where the Joint service was held
and the occasion was one OF in
terest and intellectual and spiritual
profit Large congregations attend
ed the several Joint services and OPP
portunity was afforded for members
Of the same denomination from wide-
~ scattered sections OF the city to
get together In a social way before
and after the service.
The Christian Churches.
The annual union Thanksgiving
service OF the Christian churcnes of
Richmond was held yesterday morn
Ing at IL O'Clock at the THIRD Chris
tan church. iwenty-sixth and Mar
shalt streets. Rev. +. w. Long. pas
tor Of Cowardin Avenue Christian
church. preached the sermon on the
SUBJECT, Forgotten Mercies." taking
as his text Genesis 40. rs.
The Duty Of Gratitude.
Taking the incident In the life Of
joseph when he suffered basest in
gratitude at the hands Of the but
: Ter. whose dream he interpreted, Mr..
Long drew from II lessons FOR the
present. What we are individually
and collectively" he said. I'VE owe
to God. How often do We hear II
said. II am a self made man. l start
ed as q country school teacher. q
grocery clerk. i sold papers on the
street; cleaned the snow from
buildings to earn money to buy books
III which to study. and now look at
me. did It ALL How unlike Joseph
In the midst Of his properties later
on in life. God hath made me ruler
of all Egypt Let us give God the
glory for our wealth. our learning. our
- influence. As a nation we boast OF
our greatness. when In truth God lie
responsible for II, The statesman is
apt In his vanity to claim the honor
Tor our national greatness. but there
is nothing in statesmanshtp alone
The scholar says II II In culture, hut
] must remind you of tha words Of
Bacon, in knowledge without love
there is something Of malignity. and
in tho words OF Coierfdge, In the
mere proaucs Of tho understanding
there is death. It IL not In culture
AS 1t Is not in statesmanship. but IT
IL In the Christian religion. and only
as this becomes fact does 1t be-
come saving power"
In reciting causes for thanksgiv-
Ing the minister said:
I'VE are glad in This day OF COM
mercialism for men who Will not
sacrifice their honest convictions for
public laurels. men who do not court
popular favor. Once 1t was glory to
be a Roman. To-day II Is glory
to be q man, Plato rejoiced that he
lived In the day OF Socrates We
deem 1t a greater privilege to 1--we In
Christian era.
we are thankful for tho silent
forces at work for good. AZ elijah
realized the presence of God In the
still small voice. as We see His power
at work In the invisible forces. Inc
burden Of history IL the failures and
mistakes OF man. HIS joys. Victories
affiistions. good wishes are imprinted.
Yet In these silent forces God moves
last End Baptist.
The Baptists OF the last End
united in a joint Thanksgiving ser
vice in the reinodeled Leigh Street
church, Rev. w. r. Burren. pastor
Of Paramount Aven.e Baptist church,
preached the sermon, his text be-
Ing CotIo.ssans g. Is. And lie ye
thankful" Or. Burreli said In part:
We, ~ a people, hare lhoeea
r.uch to be thankful Tor. We have
enjoyed a year Of profound peace.
Of hounteous harsssts. OF vast ma
rsrial advance, Of far-reaching pros
:,erity. Of ex:arxing horison. Of
broadening knowledge. OF o9er-eA.
tending triumph over the material
things Of iifs. over the GARTH, the
SEA and tho skies: OF victory over
evil, sickness, disease and denth. We
are thankful Tn tEis. We are also
thankful for our glorious heritage.
Our Glorious Heritage.
I'VE are also thankful for our
glorious heritage For we are the
heirs Of the centuries For US the
fathers wrought, and In building.
buiided better than they knew. In
literature, In science. In arr, We are
the heirs OF the best that the world
has known But II Ii In the realm
of the inner or religious life that
our largest blessings have come. Wa
are not always az ready As We might
be to recognize the debt that we
owe TO our fathers. Practically all
liberty. ali enlightenment. all nd
vance In government. In civilization
comes to us sprinkled with the blood
Of the martyrs-martyrs to religion.
to science, to philosophy. to art, to
invention Our footsteps to the door
Of this church have been marked
in blood.
Our Responsibilities
LET US never forget that to whom
much HRS been given. Prom them \
snail muCh be f6QuITcu. we sAuu
at the apex Of thu worlds civilisa-
zion. with ono hand outstretched to-
ward the past. receiving Its gifts
and with the other outstretched to-
ward the future. dispensing and for
wartiing tta favors In the name Of
our God. Shall We hs found worthy
OF our heritage and opportunity"
Cheerful Christianity.
Advocating 2 cheerful form Of Chris
tianity, Rev. DIR. Ryland knight. pastor
OF Calvary Baptist church. preached
yesterday morning at Tabernacle Bap-
siist church to joint service OF Bap-
lists OF the West End. on tho sub
feet. ~The Consultations of God.v Are
the consultations OF God too small for
thee? Job 10. IL. was the text. n
trust that we are rapidly outgrowing."
maid DR.. knight, III we have not yet
entirely outgrown that old whining, |
long faced Christianity which hade IN
think Of this world a. vale Of tears |
ana I wilderness Of woe 1t seems to
me that It In a pitiable thing that
Christians who ought to be the hap
piest people In the world should 70
around with whine In their voices |
and drag the weary draping Of their |
despair acroas the beauty OF life. AZ |
q matter Of fact We an know that It !
y not world Of deso1atton and drear-