Daily Kennebec journal., 1913-11-27
Our Thanksgiving.

For what are you thankful. today
Are you really thankful for any
thing Or, are you just taking things
az. they come without being thankful
Cor anything or of reseDting the lot
ct !ife that has not given YOU more
Have you actually given the matter
> moments thought? If YOU have not,
why not devote an hour. today, to
homes, review of your conditions and
surroundings?
No matter how sad and diseourasinS
the outlook have you not many things
for which to be thankful II things
are not to your liking. is not your cher
VERY and chagrin because OF what
Others see and will say about you,
how they win judge you and yours?
1t Is not the biting poverty of these
days that causes the most anguish OF
heart. but the exposing to the world
our sad failures.
Few persons, If any. in Maine art
acfnally going hungry, today. Few
are suffering from cold in their homes;
few that fear hunger an6 cold on the
morrow because of extreme poverty.
Ii we question our duty to be thank
fu.. let us consider the pitiful condi-
t.ons of the New England colonists in
1877 when Governor, Bradford issued
the first Thanksgiving proclamation
How many homes can be found in
Maine, today, that are not blessed with
many more comforts and infinitely bet
ter prospects for the near future than
had any home of the Plymouth colony
in the first year when they gave
thanks TO Goo fer his goodness and
mercy?
If you are i'll. today, you know that
you will have care. If you are poor,
you know that the food and fuel which
you cannot earn will be supplied to
keep yeu from actual suffering. No hos
tile enemy. other than your own vie-
ious passions and desires, beset YOU,
Peace and plenty surround you. On
every hand YOU see Gods bounty, and
know that the world has grown won-I
cerfnlly wiser and better in 300 years.
Of course we know that the world
might be. ought to be, better than it
is. and we protest and find fault, and
point tout. but that is the way real
rrogress rs made. Let us keep on with
our criticisms and suggestions; let us
continue to openly and fearlessly at
tack thpses definite erils which live at
the expense of public morals, public
health life and property, economy and
efficiency. And let US be truly thank
fui for the progress already made.
Let Us first be thankful for our
health and our homes. for community
prosperity and promise of continued
work and wages Let US be thankful
for bounteous crops and a country
wide assurance of success and happi-
ness in large degree. Let us be thank
full that no severer penalties have been
inflicted upon us for our wiciiedness.
cur defiance of the laws of God and
man, our hardened turning away from
infinite love to the momentary pas
tiyities. Let us be thankful that all
is as well with US as it is II we are
inraiids, let MS be thankful for inter-
walls of ease.
Today, let us remember King George
When our national independence had
been triumphantly achieved the colo
MES held general jubilee. King George
who had been sadly worsted in th'
conflict, thinking himself quite as piou'
outdone in godliness by such rebels
against the divine right, appointed als'
a day of thanksgiving for the restora
IN OF peace To his long disturbed en-
pire In the vicinity of the monarch
residence, then Windsor Castle, dwell
a most estimabie member of th'
churen, VINO shafeu MS sovereign III
tirnacy. and conversed with him freely
ON this occasion the worthy divin'
venlured to say
Y-Your Majesty has sent out procla
nation for a day Of thanksgiving. Fo
what are We to give thanks? Is /
because your Majesty has lost thirteel
of the fairest Jewels from your crown?
NO. no. replied the monarch. no
for that
.+weli. then, shall we give thanks be
cause so many millions Of treasur
have been spent in this war, and $
many millions added to the publ
debt
ANo. no. again replied the Kinl
Anof Tor that
.sh..l we, then, give thanks that )