The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-11-30

EMS B. &E s w IL % times of If
HV31ASf%AW] possible or actual
persecution were
eXhorted to be of good cheer and to
count up their mercies.' Paul S
words are not only hortatory, but
also mandatory. 1t is the duty or
the Christian, amid all vicissitudes,
to be thankful A believer is never
justified in forgetting Gods benefits
to him. He is expected to figure out
every now and then the sum of the
divine favors that have been shown
to him, or what might be called the
statistics of salvation. 1t is true that
divine mercies have been innumer-
able, and cannot be tabulated with
anything like completeness; yet the
Christian believer is exhorted to
dwell upon these mercies in thought
and to render vivid to his mind, by
frequent reflection, so many of the
visitations of divine favor as he can
discern providentially unfolded In
his past life.
There is, then, duty Of thanks
giving. Praise is the expected thing,
gratitude is demanded. God is dis
| appointed, and even angered, when
men receive his gifts without return
| ing thanks. The Lord is gracious
but that is no reason why the chill
dren Of men should be ungraciously
| thankless. Thanksgiving is part
of the code Of duty of Christian, it
is an integral portion Of the deca
logue Of moral action. 1t Is not a
kind Of extra service, or superfluous
activity added on to the body Of duty
otherwise complete, but is Of the
warp and wool Of the Christians OBJ
legation. BE thankful" was not the
idle, chance remark of a sentimental
apostle, but is the New Testament in
depreciation Of the Old Testament
burden Of blessing.
But If thankfulness Is a duty, it is
none the less on that account a grace
If it is not optional. it may certainly
be ornamental The fact that 9
thing or a trait is demanded by the
moral law does not render the sacri
fee Of that thing or the exhibition
of that trait any the less noble OF
lovely. The grace Of gratitude II
particular is a peculiarly lovely vir
tue. There is even, we may say, al
aesthetic quality to thankfulness
"Praise is comely for the upright,
said the Psalmist, who was an au
IF SC
Even the world appreciates the aes
thetic value of gratitude-as we'll as
its earning power, acquisitive Of fu
ture favors, as a practical asset o!
life-and poets in all ages have SUNG
of the charm of a grateful spirit, the
nobility Of responsive nature. Ever
the birds look up when they drink, q
II in mute recognition Of the heav
emily source Of the bits Of blessin
which fall to them, and certainly man
much more richly endowed an
blessed, should do at least as much
and express his THANK you'll" bot
by the testimony Of the lips and tn
generous actions Of the life.
Thanksgiving day is proper AM
convenient occasion for considering
both the duty and the grace Of graft
tude to the great Giver Of all good
But Thanksgiving day is not simpl!
for the abstract discussion Of genera
ideas present in thought or stirring
the emotions. This day does-ol
should-have a direct governing re
lation to the ministries of the hant
and the unfolding Of the wallet.
When it is celebrated in the spirit C.!
the scriptural exhortation to thank
fulness, it becomes a time of rejoic
ing in the truest, fullest sense, be
cause it joins praise to God with prac
tiCal ministry to the poor and unfor
tunate. Thanksgiving should issue
in Thanksgiving. Praise should be
come practice. Gratitude must be
come a temper and tendency of the
life. So will God be glorified and
gratified, and men, by their cordia
and constant recognition of his good
ness, be lifted in the scale of being
| and be the better fitted to receive
from heaven more favors still.-Rev
| C. A. S. Dwight.