Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-12-02


Thus the number privileged to ap.
proach the Throne Of Heavenly Grace
and obtain help In time Of need is lin.
tied to the Church of Christ These
have special guidance in all their af-
fairs, because they have come into the
family Of God. But even those who
are aliens and strangers may pay hom-
age in the presence Of the great King
just as only the citizens of country
may have the ballot or other privileges
Of citizenship, but the foreigner may
uncover his head, hail the ruler and
acknowledge blessings enjoyed, even
though he has not become citizen
and does not enjoy the privileges Of the
ballot, etc.
Thanksgiving Day.
A beautiful and appropriate custom
prevails in the United States-the set
ting apart Of the last Thursday in each
November as day Of special thanks
giving to God for the harvest bounties
and all the blessings of the year past.
With the majority it has deteriorated
into mere f0rmalism-a holiday. The
cause Of this is the growth Of unbe.
lief and unbelef has grown with high
er education; for the educated, repelled
by the false pictures Of the Almighty,
have turned from the God of the Bible
and from any conception of personal
God, and are lnstructing the flower of
the rising generation in infidelity, un.
belief in the Blble-we might almost
say, in atheism.
This is the key to the situation. The
only way back to God, to faith, con-
tentment thanksgiving, Is through the
dissemination Of the knowledge Of the
glory OF God, that He is a God Of
Love, that His mercy endureth for
ever, that He has only begun His sal
walton in the gathering Of the Church,
and that eventually 1t shall extend to
every creature, during Messiahs Thou
sand-Year Reign.
Let us not wait for denomInational
movement, which will never come.
Let us each feel personal RESPONSE
bility. Let each one who receives the
blessing "show forth the praises OF
Film who called us out OF darkness
into His marvellous light" Let each
one who appreciates the true basis Of
thankfulness report the Message of the
Kingdom to others, that they, too may
be blessed.
The Bible, however, does not lead us
to hope for any such condition at the
present time, On the contrary, 1t tells
that the present unbelief and dlscon-
tent will increase, and will involve the
entire world in Time Of Trouble, the
climax Of which will be anarchy.
"iiis Mercy Endureth Forever
However, the Bible proceeds to tell
that in mans extremity, when faith
shall have largely fled from the world,
when discomfort shall have burst into
anarchy, when the present social fab
ric shall have collapsed, then God will,
nevertheless. be merclful; for His mer-
cy endureth forever.
Gods mercy will then be manifested
in the prompt establishment Of the
Messlanle Kingdom Mans extremity
will be Gods opportunity for showing
forth His great mercy and love; for He
loved the world when they were yet
sinners. Romans 5S.
Let Us Be Thankful.
If our hearts have not been over
come by the tidal waves OF unbellef
sweeping over the world, 1t is cause
for gratitude to God, and for resolu-
tion that, by His grace, we will seek
to know Him better appreciate Him
more and Increase our thankfulness.
II we have faith that recognizes Dl-
vine providence, especially in the af-
fairs Of the Church, and also IN the at
fairs Of the world, let us be grateful.
and let US remember that faith can be
cultivated or can be dwarfed,
With the disciples OF old let us pray,
Lord, Increase our fulth"; and let us
use the means the Lord has provided
for the Increase OF our faith. Let us
note In Gods Word the fulflments OF
His promises and the application Of
the Scriptures to our own personal ex-
perlences. Let us grow In apprecia.
ton OF the truths OF the Bible, In In.
creased energy in the study cf the hi.
BILE and IN the application Of It's Mes.
snge TO our own hearts. Let us also grow
In increased thanRfulness, and effort to
show forth the praises Of the Lord
and to assist others out OF darkness
Into the light which we ourselves are
more and more enjoying.
While we are not to think OF God
In the way we do OF man. that He
would pe similarly hurt or pleased or
attended or happlaed, nevertheless we
know that man was made In Gods
Image. We are Justified therefore. IN
assuming that as we would appreciate
thankfulness, gratitude, In the heart
or those who are sharors OF our boun-
ues'-our children on our servants or
our dumb animols--so God IL surely
pleased with those who are 0pprecla-
tive OF His goodness, who think upon
His favolS and who make acknowl-
edgmcut Of them. who seek to show
forth His praises to others aud who by
faith are trusting Him even whore
they cannot trace Him,
o Give Thanka TO codl
My hope Is that not only the audi.
ence | nm now Addresalng win hnYa 4