The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-28
THANKSGIVING DAY IS PECULIARLY
AMERICAN IN ORIGIN AND OBSERVANCE
Rev. ]. Nelson, Pastor of the English Lutheran Church.
Preached Sermon at Union Services this Morning
Day is Associated With United States History.

that I shall mention: The gatherings
OF the people in Gods house.
Each recurring Thanksgiving dav
Aus a. testimony that our beloved land
is Immanuels land. The hearts of
tne people so out after the living God
anu ever have. from the day that CO.
lumbus planted the standard Of the
Cross. 1t is a day set apart for wor-
snip. Our national executive calls up
On US TO offer praise and thanks to
GOO Tor the manifold blessings youch-
safed" to us.
Our governor designates and pro.
cIa'ms 1t "a day OF general thanksgiv-
ing and prayer throughout the state"
IN thousands of places Of worship arc
our people gathered today to observe
mo q as becomes n Christian and
Go~d.Iearing people. Doing this we
are IN harmony with the moral history
or our country. We have a moral his.
.cry: me religious spirit has made
lts impress everywhere and in each
period of our national life.
Religion Helped Ancestors
Reverence for religion had much to
DO with the early explorations and
founding Of colonies. It was n recor-
nized factor in the beginning Of our
national councils. And all along, our
rulers have given recognition to and
proot OF the truth: That God goy.
erns IN the affairs Of men," Thu ela-
ment OF religion is thoroughly inter.
v with the story Of American his.
tory. 1857
At times. the bond of patriotism has
Deen snapped, national honor has
tIa . IN the dust. our best institu-
IONS nave been debased and in mani
fold ways has our country been sec
tionalised, and yet In It all, the re-
ligious spirit has dominated the life
OF the nation. A religious
g thread Of a Christian faith runs
tnrough our national life. America
belongs to Christianity.
us discovery, colonization and M.
tlona! development have all been =
vaoe6 by a spirit Of reverence for Je-
sns Christ: We are citizens OF a con-
tinent which, from east to west has
neen baptized in the name Of Christ,
AS christian people We need to be and
wish to be loyal to the Christian Ma
lory OF our country. Our presence in
God's house today manifests our low
lily and means that we rejoice in our
nationa! life attended by Providence
n followed by religion"
we are all in place with one
ed us to this place. The oblieatio.,
OF gratitude inhcres in two great
Facts First. the existence Of a E
sonal God; secondly. the relation OF
n a personal God to every good that
men enjoy. Thoughtful men VII
LOOK behind the good that they receive
ana enjoy and will see the benAflcienf
Father. 'e.ie"
Otherwise Thanksgiving would be
worse than mockery. Some speak Of
% n nworshtp OF nature" Such talk
IS silly and such worship is folly. II
there is no personal God then nature
Is a iifeless stone, a dead piece OF
wood. Who could worship it? who
could thank 1t? A person aIone car
he thanked. And il there were no
personal God behind, all natural. thinx,
all u worship, all our customs. re-.
iigious n moral would be solemn
Our executive has called US togeth.
er IN the place of Thanksgiving. be.
cause he n we and this nation he.
lleve there is One above, who ia per.
sonar and benevolent in His admins.
tratlon of government and distribu.
tion OF good. There is one God and
HIS relation to all good is that Of the
personal giver. He is related to the
SHINING OF the sun and the fallinr o1
the rain. to the fruit Of the earth, the
grass n the flowers OF the field.
ne Is related to the least thing and
10 the greatest thing In. our life. Il
ls not IN the power Of man to brina
seed time and harvest. Man cannoi
cause the fruit to grow, nor temper
n seasons with sunshine and rim
The continued creation in eroyvinc
vegetation and maturing fruit II fhe
work Of God.
A Religion of Thanlseivin~
Christianity is a religion Of thanks
giving because 1t teaches the reality
OF God as the giver of gifts unto mon.
Every good gift and every perfect
gift Is from above and cometh down
from the Father Of lights with whom,
is no variableness. neither shadow of
turning"
nbelievers talk about the invariable.
talks about the invariableness Of a
Heavenly Father whose hand is in
every good and whose smile is In ey-
cry prosperity and Joy.
All nature is Gods gift and not
God. The bird. the flower, the fruit
and harvest, the rays. the rain
drop. the frost. the snow, the winters
grandeur. the summers beauty, the
light of day and the rest of night, the
moons soft rays and the stars bril-
HAAAS are UuI nAFY1
Of natur signs Of all Gods gifts.
They are not God but God speaks
through them.
TO be thankful then. We must look
up beyond the stars and beyond the
gifts and see the Father, "the Giyer
OF every good and perfect gift"
II God has not given me my daily
bread there is no obligation Of graft
tude. But IL He has given me ali.
from n smallest comfort Of my body
to the highest privilege and Joy of my
soul. then must my whole being lift
itself in song Of praise to Almighty
God. The first manifestation of graft
tude must be the reception of God M
we'll as his gifts.
Then m praise. Some grateful
soul has said: "a good IL not half A
good until 1t is Acknowledged in
words"
They that put God away from their
hearts have no voice nor ear O tho
song Of praise. They enjoy the gift.
perhaps. but they do not know the
Giver. Even today they say: LET
us eat and drink and be merry" With
Gloster In Shakespeare's Henry VI.
we say Of such: my lord. 'tis but a
base. ignoble mind that mounts no
higher than a bird can SOAR" Man ia
under obligation to render the saeri-
flee Of praise to the Giver Of good
gifts.
The Greek word "anthropos." the
word for man OF mans face, means
lone who looks up" as distinguished
from all other animal creation. We
honor u manhood when we lift II