The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-12-09

Seal l.. Anderson, pastor of the First
Presbyterian church of Winston-Sa-
lem. said:
Every good and perfect gift is from
ahnye, and cOmeth down from the |
Father of lights with whom there is |
no variableness, neither shadow Of |
turning:-James LII.
The essential characteristic Of the
spirit Of thanksgiving that distin- |
cuisines it from joy and gladness that |
we'll up in the heart because Of any
earthly good, is it's recognition OF the
source from whom all blessings flow,
the Father Of lights, whose loving
kindness is Interchangeable.
The style Of the author of the text
is every where dominated by the
idioms and modes Of thought Of the
Hebrew race.
Ran, Egyptian, Greek or Roman had
never been able to bring together into
one synthetic conception the thought
Of an omnipOtent, Omnipresent, Om-
niscent God Of all the universe. Men
in other lands looked out upon the
MONDAY splendor, and bowed down
to the God Of the Son, or with quiv-
ering awe gazed upon the shining
hosts at eventide n wOrshipped the
moon and the stars. They lifted up
their eyes upon wide spreading fields
Astounding in productiveness, and
adored the God Of Springtime and
Harvest. They looked out upon the
mountain peaks rearing their sum-
mits into the clouds and praised the
gods of the hills.
But the people Of James lifting up
their eyes to the hills cried out
Whence someth my help?" and the
answer came in one great shout Of
the antiphOnal chorus, my help
cometh from the Lord, who made-not
the hills only-but heaven and earth"
Cause For Thanksgiving.
In the mids of a modern e~cclesi-
asticism that would shut UP God with
in the circle wherein operate his dis
tinctive and glorious means of grace,
and that other, secular spirit, that
would shut Him out of the world OF
His creation, because OF the very inn
m%utability Of the laws by which He
governs His handiwork. it is cause for
Thanksgiving that there is set apart
in the very heart of the life of the
people one day in which God is to be
acknowledged as the author Of every
good and perfect gift-the source OF
all truth, scientific as we'll as theOlOg-
ical; the giver of golden harvests, the
power that thunders in the waterfall
harncssed to do the work Of man
that flashes in the captive lightning
the Spirit that hrObs in all high ant
holy aspiration of multitudeS seeking
freedom and the larger life of ser
vice. as well as the Spirit Of all grace
who whispers within the heart of tn
lonely and discOnsolate, the waywar
and prodigal. the message of a Sa
Yiclr'S love.
Before directing your attention t
some Of the special occasions TO
Thanksgiving that grow out of thes
lavish gifts of Gods hand, may
speak for a moment Of the spirit O
the age in which Providence has cas-
our lot?
The Spirit OF the Age.
The eighteenth century witnesse
the beginnings Of the great trugg
Tor political freedom that has contlr
ued until the flaming sword OF a
awakened Democracy has flashed be
fore the eyes of kings and Emperor
on every throne in Christendom.
n nineteenth century saw IN
interfering of the human mind, an
the Wrestling of Natures secrets, frol
the fartheSt star whose dust is WelSi
ed in the balances of science, 10 II
tniest flower whose secret or beau'
Is uncovered.
The twentieth century has Opene
In the, midst Of great world NOV
- XIV "
N the overturning of the ideals ar
standards Of the ages.
The new age stands half built again
the sky,
open to every vino that passeth o
Scattolding wells it's walls,
And the dim dust floats and falls.
rs moving to and fro,
Ihelr work the masOns ply.
is not the very unrest OF the not
the very inCompleteness of the Wor
tasks to which men are setting the1
selves, something for which we Shou
he hankful-this vision of brotne
mood and social service hat brea
upon our sloth and ease and dlstur
our contentmen with things as Tn
are? This restless yearning ana .
ilration of the souls OF men, Il
trowing purpo deep down IN [
hearts Of the peoples that the lde;
~ liberty, equality and fratern'
SHALL E, into tho t2cT