The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-11-29


exhorted to be of good cheer and to
count up their mercies." Paul's
words are not only hortatory, but
also mandatory. It is the duty OF
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, a 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,
bat that is no reason why the chill
dren of men should be ungraciously
| thankless. Thanksgiving is a part
Of the code Of duty of a Christian, it
| is an integral portion of the deca-
| logue of moral action. It Is not a
kind of extra service, or superfiuous
activity added on to the body of duty
| nj Inr of h11f ic Of 40
| warp and woof of the Christians OBJ
legation. ''Be thankful" was not the
idle, chance remark of sentimental
| apostle, but is the New Testament in
depreciation Of the Old Testament
burden of blessing.
But if thankfulness is duty, it is
none the less on that account grace
If it is not optional, it may certainly
| be ornamental The fact that a
| 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 in
particular is a peculiarly lovely vir
tue. There is even, we may say, ar
aesthetic quality to thankfulness
Praise is comely for the upright,
said the Psalmist, who was an au
thority On the beauty Of holiness
Even the world appreciates the aes
thetic value Of gratitude-as we'll al
it's earning power, acquisitive of fu
ture favors, as a practical asset o
life-and poets in all ages have sun:
of the charm of a grateful spirit, tn
nobility of a responsive nature. Ever
. the birds look up when they drink, a
If in mute recognition of the hea,
emily source of the bits of blessin
which fall TO them, and certainly mar
much more richly endowed an
blessed, should do at least as much
and express his Thank you!" bot
: by the testimony of the lips and tn
, | generous actions Of the life.
:, i Thanksgiving day is a proper an
convenient occasion for considerin
both the duty and the grace of graf
tude to the great Giver of all goos
,' But Thanksgiving day is not simpl
for the abstract discussion of genera
ideas present in thought or stirrin
the emotions. This day does-C
should-have direct governing T,
= lation to the ministries of the han
and the unfolding of the wallet
When it is celebrated in the spirit {
the scriptur1 exhortation to thanl
fulness, it becomes a time of rejoi
ing in the truest, fullest sense, b
cause it joins praise to God with pra
: teal ministry to the poor and unto
tunate. Thanksgiving should issu
in thanksgiving. Praise should b
r. come a practice. Gratitude must b
come 4 temper and tendency Of th
l. life. So will God be glorifed an
gratified, and men, by their cordi
- and constant recognition Of his goo
ness, be lifted in the scale Of bein
and be the better fitted to receiy
from heaven more favors still.-Re
c. A. S. Dwight.