Norwich bulletin., 1912-11-23
SUNDAY MORNING TALK
The Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.

Mere politeness should impel men to the expression of gratitude. We count him as lacking in courteous instincts who receives favors and makes no sign. It is not much to say thank you" but the words are often sufficient to mark the gentleman as distinguished from the boor.
 There is in many of us a diSclina- tion to acknowledge obligation. We de- sire to be considered independent and self sustaining. It frequently costs struggle to give graceful credit to an other for help received. Thank you's often represent real moral effort and come hard In some mood like this perhaps, the Psalmist declared, q will offer unto thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving"
 The independent self sufficient atti- tude rests on a complete faIIacy when we ponder the facts. No life on our planet is unindebted or supports it. self for minute of the day. Setting aside the myriad toilers on land and sea, who have ministered to our neces- sities in our own age and all it's pred ecessors, we are finally dependent for the very air that we breathe on that great Power whom men call God. | There is a universality about the Creators gifts that blinds our eyes to 1 their inestimable value. We take them as a matter of course. In His divine magnanimity God plays no favorites but 'maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on 1 the just and on the unjust" 1 We are trained in this world to pay for what we get and to distrust any realm in which such payment is not | demanded. It is well to remember that the most colossal gifts that life af- lords are had free gratis by the poor est of the sons of men.
 Earth gets it's price for what Earth gives us;
 l The beggar is taxed for a corner to
 die in,
 The Priest hath his fee who comes Nand shrives us
 We bargain for the graves we lie in; At the devils booth are all things
 sold,
 Each ounce of dross costs it's ounce of
 gold:
 For a cap and bells our lives we pay. Bubbles we buy with a whole souls
 tasking;
 'Tis heaven alone that is given away
 'Tis only God may be had for the ask
 ing.
 It is well to praise God when all goes well with us. It is harder but better
 to praise Him when events are mot
 shaped to our liking. St. Paul on one
 occasion thanked God and took cour- age" At the time he was emerging
 from one peril and about to fall into
 another Having barely escaped witt
 his life from a laundering vessel he
 was en route to a Roman prison. From } the grasp of the sea he was falling 1T the hands of Caesar. Thanksgiving 1T an hour like that has the ring of hero ism in it.
 Many there will be at this Thanks giving season unable to discern any appropriate cause for gratitude. Life has yielded little of joy or success
 Charles Kingsley's prescription vii
 meet the case at least of some anC
 give them a warrant for raising tn,
 Jubilate Dec.
 :. Thank God every morning when yol
 get up that you have some thing tt do that day which must be don, whether you like it or not. Beinl ], forced to work and forced to do you best will breed in you temperance ant
 self-control diligence and strength o
 will, cheerfulness and content, and ? | hundred virtues which the idle neve 5 know" If the circumstances of life ] however strengthened form a gym
 nasium wherein we are permitted t develop moral muscle, that in itsel
 should stir our hearts to thankfulnes ] and open our lips in praise. y THE PARSON.