Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-11-26
The Thanksgiving Attitude.

Tomorrow is the day set apart by
proclamation of both governor and
President as day OF national thanks
giving, and the people of this great
land are called to render thanks to
the Giver of all good.
To many the day is looked forward
to as day of feasting, day in which
to seat the fat and drink the sweet;
to others the day is welcome because
of cessation of work and the oppor-
tunity to have festival time in
sports and like events; others still
are glad because of the chance
to get back to the old home, and to
gather round the family board as in
days of yore, while some, and their
number is all too few, win respond to
the call of the bell in yonder tower
ringing out a summons to come to the
house OF God, thus to acknowledge
their gratitude to Him.
1t would seem as though the legend
of the two angels is quite character
istie of our humanity. One went
forth, you will remember, to gather
up the petitions OF the world, and the
other carried a basket in which TO
garner the thanksgiving of the hu-
man family. When the first one re-
turned he was loaded as we may ex-
pect to see a parcei-post delivery
v,a~N xa-lpffs.
the other had so few returns that he
could still see the bottom OF the
basket.
1t is question of spirit after all.
We are good askers but poor thank
ers. And II, with whatever obser-
vance we celebrate the day, there is
not spirit OF downright gratitude in
our hearts for the blessings that are
our heritage, the day becomes dead
letter TO us, so far as things of the
heart are concerned.
But thanks giving ought to be more
than matter of spirit; 1t ought to be
the fixed attitude of our lives. The
great apostle wrote: ''In everything
give thanks" 1t is we'll for US, as a
country, to set apart one day to
recognize our Obligations TO God in a
formal and national manner, bat as
individuals we need to make it an
every day matter, to grow 1t into a
habit, to develop it into an attitude
toward Him TO whom we should give
thanks.
Count your mercies.
II you have a good appetite, be
thankful, and if you have dinner to
correspond, be more thankful. May
good digestion wait on both. There
are many wealthy dyspeptics in the
land who would pay a handsome
bonus if they could eat hearty din
ner without having their gastric econ
omy feel like Mexico.
And il you have an opportunity to
get back to the home folks and shove
your feet under the old table where,
as youDgster, you did your share,
just be thankful. There are some
mortals who will be as lonesome as an
abandoned farm on that day.
And il you are interested in good
government, just be thankful that
you live in the Pine Tree State, where
there is a governor who is trying to
keep faith with the people in matters
of Righteousness, and for Christian
President, who commands the respect
of all parties because of his evident
sincerity and ability. You might live
in a worse country.
II you are interested in justice and
the square deal, just be thankful that
in the Bellies trial, Russia felt the
presence OF Christian civilization so
strongly that she had to be fair in her
verdict, though she fain would have
bounded the Jew. And other things,
too numerous to mention, are hap
pening, that are simply waymarks
on the march of this old world TO the
goal of those higher ideals set up by
the Nazarene. For
There is divinity that shapes our ends.
Rough hew them AS we will"
Therefore, let thanks giving and
thanks living be joined in holy union
in your lives, and thereby develop
the attitude OF gratitude.