The Washington times., 1917-11-29
THANKSGIVING
SPIRIT PERVADES
ALL WASHINGTON
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Greene preached. Special Thanks
giving services were held at most OF
the Presbyterian churches at IL
o'clock. The principal service OF the
day at the Cathedral OF SIS. Peter and
Paul. Mt st. Albans, was at IL
o'clock Canon William L De Vries
preached. The Rt Rev. Alfred Hard
ing, bishop OF Washington. participa-
ted in services at 7:3O a. m.
The way Washington was on every
hand sharing its turkey with the sol
diers and sailors is the most striking
feature of the day. The men in uni
form have been literally swAmped
with invitations. They are guests OF
honor In the strictest sense, and those
who were lucky enough to have uni
formed man for dinner congratulated
themselves. There were many more
invitations than there were soldiers
The soldiers and sailors carving
turkey breasts and dancing with
Washington's best talent today know
the real Thanksgiving spirit
Locking Forward to Xmas.
Miss Washington is a royal host
ess," they say. "We hope we'll be
here Christmas"
rying crosses for Christ and hu-
mAnity, the people Of the United
States today have cause to give
thanks for the part they are playing
in world events.
In such words as these President
Wilson today heard himself justified
for the nations war policy in the
sermon OF thanks offered by Bishop
William F. Mcdowell, OF the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, at the Met
ropolitan NJ. E. Church. Bishop Nc
Dowell said:
This is the day of national thanks
giving and domestic reunion, for the
praising of God for His mercies and
the enjoyment OF friends and homes.
We meet as we have never met be-
FORE many wonder whether God
is good or IL so, where He is hiding
Himself; when the war in some tragic
form sits down at every table and
beside every hearthstone in the lana.
The trenches OF Europe run relent-
lessly through our thoughts, our
worship. and our efforts to lift our
hearts in praise. Our doxologies are
likely to be choked with our sobs and
our family parties broken with grief.
In Better Case Today.
yet We are in better case today
than last year. Then we were not in
the worlds Gethsemane except in
symAthy. Now we are sweating our
own drops OF honorable blood, and
preparing to go up our own Calvaries.
aad that puts heart back into us. For
we can even sing as we climb new
Calvaries with the cross that turns
not back Those who carry crosses.
with Christ, for humanity's sake, may
well lift up their hearts. When the
burnt offering begins. the song of the
Lord may begin also with the trump
cts. Men and nations in the minis
try OF service may reverently take
their hearts in their hands and say
their thanks to God who puts them
into this ministry and then enables
them to fulfill it
Now, how shall q nation interpret
its life in q day like this? When
the storm IL IN we must be sure
that our compass is working accu-
rately. We need high thinking nov
along with the pizin living to which
we all gladly conform First, in times
like these we must interpret our
purpose at our lshest levels, in ac-
cordance with All noblest traditions
and under the holiest influences. IDEAL
ism must not 'ail us now or be set
aside We must follow the gleam'
The things tha. a = true, honorable,
just, pure, lovely. and of good re-
port must now shape our lives, sail
IN all our ships, Iule in all our camps,
sit in all our cvunciis- speak in all
our speech.
WIZ Some Day Thank God.
There will coree other years for
us and our children when we and
they must kreEl in a thousand
churches and 81. N q million homes
and thank God that we did not let
our standards down in the day of
storm We NAV win or we may lose
our world: we Ehall rot destroy or
lose our soul. Ever deeper and deep
er into the things of the spirit, into
the life of the spirit, into the life
of God the nation must go in order
that we may be saved from trying
to meet brutality with other bru-
taIIty, murder with other murder,
vulgar and degrading.
1--WE have come again into the syn
agogue with tle Lord OF all life to
stand on our feet beside Him and
reverentIy repeat with Him those
noble old words: The Spirit OF the
Lord is upon me, Ior He hath anoint-
ed me- Not all wars are equally
noble. Some do not drive men to God
by any natural process. Some arise
from pit anu nave IN -NAANAh NHS
spirit Of the pit Go5 help America
and all our allies that this war may
spfritualize and uClift US as sons OF
God, SO that through IL and after II
we may steadily see His face and
know that we ara His
Moral Emphasis Steady.
Second, in a time like this the na-
tion must keep it's moral distinctions
clear and its moral emphasis steady.
The nation that can and does do this
may gather in its churches in genuine
thansEiving. and sing its anthems
with full heart We are eager for
victory, but far more eager for honor
and for righteousness. The current
war Is full of tragedies, none more
deadly than fits moral collapses in
high places. Julian. the Apostate, OF
Infamous memory, never more com
pleteIy betrayed the Lord than have
those who in high place have denied
the truth. houted moral distinctions,