New-York tribune., 1914-11-23

hundred and fifty millions Of human
ity, our blood relatives, are at war,
seeking TO destroy each other. Ninety
million Americans, deeply intere ted in
them, are invited by our Honorable
President and the Governors Of our
several States TO render thanks 20 the
Aim ohtv. Truly, we have many causes
for thanksgiving TO our Creator; life
Itself is blessing, a boon, our nation
in many re 5pects is the most favored
on the face Of the earth. enriched by
Gods bounty above all others. not the
least Of our blessings being our evil
and religious liberties.
Surely no one Of even average heart
and head has caufe for other than great
thankfulness % our Creator. Our
lines have fallen 20 US in pleasant
places" Those who feel no gratitude
are surely soured by discomfort, the
fruitace Of ignorance. se'fshrcss ard
sin. How appropriate, then. that each
and MI bow heart and head before the
Givcr Of every good and perfect giftl
To whatever extent this course be fol-
lowed heartily, without hypocrisy, un-
doubtedly a blessing will result, i1di-
vidually and nationally. The custom
is a beautiful one
There is a difference between thanks
giving and prayer. None have the ght
or the privilege Of approaching The
Throne Of Grace IN prayer except those
who have come into covenant relation
ship with Cod. The Jews came INTO
covenant relationship with God through
their Law Covenant by Divine arrange
ment through Moses. The fol overs
If Jesus. who accept the Divine ar
rangement of the Gospel Age. are
PRIVILEGED thus TO come into relation
hip with the Creator through I'm.
He is our Advocate, who has ope ed
IN for US new and living way,
through the sacrifice of His feeh Al
whom the Father has accepted through
Him-all whom the Father has begot-
ten by His Holy Spirit are Scriptural-
" termed sons Of God. children Of God,
heirs Of God, ioint-heirs with Jesus
Christ their Lord John 81; Ro-
mans S:17.
These are invited to come TO their
Father and 20 address Him thus: "Our
Father who art in Heaven" ard 10 ask
for the blessings which God has pro-
vided for His children, according 10
His Divine purposes and arrangements.
But more others are permitted Co come
10 this Throne OF Grace, because not
in covenant relationship with the
Savior. because in Gods arrangement
There is none other name given under
Heaven or arO~ est men. whereby we
may be saved" from our sins, brought
into relationship with our Father.
Thus we see that only limited num-
Der may enjoy the privileges of prayer
or eXpect answers to their prayers. But,
thank God, others may worship and
bow down. "Come, let us worship and
bow down: let us kneel before the
Lord our Maker" Many have this
privilege, and the exercise of il is sure
10 bring blessing. Whoever has a
thankful heart, which takes delight in
Offering worship to the Giver of every
good gift, will surely receive a reflex
blessing. His love of Righteousness
and truth, holiness and goodness,
mercy and justice, will thereby be
strengthened; and so also will be the
probability of his some day reaching
the point where he will see the wisdom
and the desirability of giving his heart
his little ALTO the Lord in conse-
cration-to be faithful footstep fol-
lower of the Redeemer--a son of God.
Giving Thanks for War.
Very evidently the majority of man
kind have an insutticiency of knowledge
Of God, of the Bible, and of the Divine
Plan therein set forth, TO thank God
for the prese. state of war. But 10
the Church, whose eyes of understand
ing have been opened 70 see the lengths
and the breadths, the heights and the
depths, of Gods love in the Message
of the Bible, St. Paul writes: "In every
thing give thanks"
Ripe Christians have learned to give
thanks 20 God for the adversities OF
life in their own experiences convinced
that under Gods supervision, the direst
of calamities may be overruled for
good 10 His people and for glory 70 His
name. But only the advanced, the de-
veloped, Christian is able 70 give
thanks under circumstances of severe
trials and testings. Only those who
have great faith. built upon clear
knowledge Of the Divine promises, can
realize thoroughly that all things are
working together for their good.
Similarly in respect 10 the great Eu-
ropean war now in progress, its cas-
ualties. desolations and wounds, only
the well-instructed of Gods people may
understand the Divine plans and ar
rangements so thoroughly as to be able
to give thanks in respect 20 the war,
and able TO exercise confident faith
that the outcome Of it will mean bless
ings of instruction and preparation for
future blessings.
If the Scriptures did not foretell this
time of worldwide distress of ma
IONS" we might not know that God had
foreseen il and had made provision for
its results before permitting il. But
the same Bible that foretells about the
war tells of its results. saying: when
the judgments of the Lord are abroad
in the earth, the inhabitants Of the
world will learn righteousness" (lsai-
an 26:9D If. then, the war Is teach
ing the world lessons along the lines
of Righteousness and justice, it will be
doing permanent good. Moreover the
same Bible tells that the war is merely
.he outgrowth Of human selhshness,
ignorance, superstition and false doe
trine. and assures US that although il
will lead on to revolution, anarchy and
the utter wreck of the present order
of things-the present civilization
nevertheless, God is prepared for the
emergency. "Man's extremity will be
Gods opportunity"
The Solution OF Our Perpiexities.
The hour having come for Messiah
20 take the reins Of government. He
will stand forth in Power and Majesty
at the proper moment, and exclaim to
the raging elements of the restless
human sea: Peace. Be still" And
there will be a great calm. The lesson