Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-11-26
CAUSES FOR THANKFULNEss
Give Reasons Why Ma.
ton Should BE Grateful.
Dangerous Feature Lies In Fact Tint
Gratitude May Not he Of the Hum
bic Kind, with Acknowledge
mcnt to God.

! The union Thanksgiving service of Bur
linEton churches was held at the Meth
| odist Church last evening congregation
OF the First and College Street Congre
| gational, Methodist. Baptist and Unita
| rian Churches uniting. Prayer was of
fered by the Rev. r. G. Flagg OF thu
First Church, the responsive reading wa
| led by the Rev. I. G. Smart of the Col
| lege street Church. the Rev. G. ]. Staples
| of the Unitarian Church read the scrip
ture and addresses were made by tn,
Rev. j. S. Braker of the Baptist Church
and the Rev G. V. Grismer OF the Meth
odlst Church. The special program ot
music as published in the Free Press OF
yesterday was carried out and n colleC
ton was taken for the benefit of the Red
Cross.
The Rev Mr.. Braker called attention &c
the fact that thankfulness to the Lord is
necessary for the benefit of all human
institutions and progress. He said that
we should give thanks now when we arc
In the fulness of enjoyment and prosper
ity, and not live to regret that we had
not been thankful at the time when we
were receiving the benefits of God $ grace
He spoke of the war in Europe and said
were in a position to compare the results
of civilization as founded in Europe
with that of our own. and take notice OF
the differing results.
The Rev Mr.. Grismer, in the course
OF his remarks, said that if any nation
in the world had cause to express graft
'uue at the present time, ii was the Uni
ted states in view of the plenteous crops
purined political organizations. improved
social conditions, abundance of factory
output and the enjoyment of peace while
war RACES in Europe. He remembered
however that there was a dangerous fea-
tlr" to the apparent security of our con-
dltloh Our thankfuness and gratitude
may not be of the humble kind and with
due Acknowledgement to the fact that tn
Lord is the author of our peace and nros-
perity. The quality of our gratitude may
he self -congratuation over our position
but We must remember that commerce.
could not save Tyre. culture could not
save Greece. the armies could not save
Rome and all the wealth of the United
states cannot save 1t without humilia-
ton before the Lord. for dependence is
the basic quality Of gratitude Our graft
tude may also take the form of self-ap-
probation. We may b" like the Pharise.
VINO thanked God he was not like other
men. We may be apt to look at the war
ring countries of Europe and congratli-
late ourselves that w" are not like them.
Again, our attitude may take the form of
sell -aSgrandiZement. In this connect .O.,
Mr Grsmer pointed out the tendency %"
ne American nation to look to the com
nercial advantage of the war To this
country. We pointed to the apparent fact
nat the Robin Hood Powder company Of
'wanton with its order for 81, so 900 worth
II ammunition for the warning nations
annot he over enthusiastic for the disar-
nament OF the powers. Mr. Grismer con-
luded with the thought that our graft |
ude would he constructive. based on our. |
dependence on God ana working towards |
nc elevation of character and raising the |
uality of citizenship