Newport daily independent., 1913-12-02
ALL SHALL REJOICE
"for the Good Things Are Abund- ant Which Our Father Hath
 Sent Unto Us."

Auu lHOu Snalt re1OlCe in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee, and unto thine house, thou and the Leyite, and the stranger that is among you Deuter- onomy 26, II.
 The duty of acknowledging Gods care of us is a sacred. sacrameutal duty, an acknowledgment that he who has promised to give us all things need!ul, both for our souls and bodies, hath fulfilled his promise Note the sacramental teaching of this chapter ot the scriptures-the ritual of the harvest thanksgiving the basket of hrst fruits in recognition of the fulfil mrnt of the promise made to their fla thers in Egy pt- which has had it's part Ill bringing about our recognition of the fact that the head of our family, the ruler of our kingdom, has not for gotten to provide for us, his children.
 We exhibit the blessings of the field a. representing all the blessings given to us, our country, our homes, our selves. The returns to the farmer lie at the foundation of so many of our comforts. Necessary as the harvest undoubtedly is, the Day of Thanks giving recognizes all the temporal blessings, the means of grace, the hope of glory, and allows the fruits and flowers to typify all the blessings of life. "Rejoice,' and let us remember the words are addressed to us of to- day. 1 have no patience with those who loudly profess their love for the Bible, and yet coolly declare that most of the Pentateuch does not refer to, nor have any bearing upon our life now. Jesus said: T came not to destroy, but to fulfill" the law of Moses, and what has not been full filled, never has been destroyed If God did not destroy it, the devil could not, though the passover was fulfilled by the events of Calvary and Easter; Pentecost by the divine outpouring of the Holy Ghost-the Harvest festival, as Hebrew writers declare, has had no fulfilment yet!
 Rejoice be happy and merry. God is not anxious to receive only your fearful, penitential service. He bids you rejoice. Be merry now!" Re joice in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee Take them all as fresh proofs of his favor to you. You may wonder at his providence. but you cannot ques- ton his love. Covering under sense of sin, you may acknowledge your unworthiness to ask for good, but now with barn filled by him, a home blessed by him, friends, your country, yourself protected and pre- served by him, you dare not doubt his loving care for you, and his willingness to give you anything you ask him for. Every good thing you have to thank him for as you rejoice before him. The talent he gave, the place he gave you in the quarter of the earth he set you in, the ength-whether physical or mental by means of which you earn your living. his church into which he ad- mitted you-even your negative bless ings-such. for example, as freedom from temptation to fall into evil liv- ing, lying, drunkenness; as well as the deliverance of your families and friends from sickness and death. 'Rejoice,' take every one of these good things as a new reason for re- joicing. Remember every good gift and every perfect gift is from above. y Each is a proof of his love and of your right to ask for further greater blessings
 think few of us realize the beauty and glory of our life n this country Where is people so wonderfully pre- served as we are? So uniformly-in a grandly even way progressing The land is diversified in its climate, in it's scenery. Talk of the gardens of other worlds! Where was ever garden bedecked on such grand scale as our countryside is now. The whole creation as we see it cries: Lift up your heart" Rejoice in the Lord who hath so blessed you and will bless. Don't try to bear your burdens on your own souls. Lay them down for he will mercifully carry them and cheer you on the way Lay them down with him, beside the cross; all the anxiety about the future, the par don you require, the money you need, the help you want. Leave all that with him. Rejoice cast off your care be glad because of his merciful care It is his divine command So much has he given you already, what bA pnf, oft Doll laI4 Calvary, and his gifts of your life, your health, your food" and all your means of grace and hopes of glory?
 nnnIou the Vacant Hours