El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-11-24

! cup and gave thanks, and gave Il TO
them saying, Drink ye all Ok it."
2 F Jesus had not given thanks over
/ this cup, the Incident would have
- been less important Almost any
one can accept the cup OF bitterness
with resignation. Only a great soul
can drink it and give thanks. Thanks
giving is usually reserved for those
times when fortune smiles, when pros
perity knocks al the gate, when the
family circle has been left unbroken
by death, when abundant health has
favored, when disagreeable duties
have not stalked in TO mar the pleas
ure OF the holiday. When things be-
gin to 90 badly, bard times come,
death enters the home, sickness lends
its gloom, and harsh necessity de-
mands some sacrifice-we are in
clined to think that man has done
his bit II he can accept the bludgeOn-
iugs OF chance" with stOical calm.
taking his medicine like a man" We
are never so unreasonable as to sug
gest that he might make these things
the object Of thanksgiving
It Is thus quite evident that Jesus
act In not only accepting his fate
with resignation, but greeting It with
thanks, is particularly dramatic one.
When Hamlet found what destiny had
IN store for him he complained Of the
''wretched spite, that ever I was born
to set It right" That is pretty feeble
IN comparison with Jesus.
Had No Wish to Spare Any.
Another interesting thing to note
Is that the Master babe his followers
drink from the same cup and with
the same spirit OF thanksgiving. He
had no wish to spare them the agony.
And It is easy to see why. II the cup
OF bitterness is q thing to be thank
full about, It Is certainly a thing to be
desired by everyone. IN other words,
1t was the belief OF Jesus that pain
and anguish are IN themselves not
evil; and that when they come they
should be met with sincere thanks
giving.
This year our Thanksgiving holiday
is likely to lose its meaning for a good
many people 1T should be a day for
curse giving" said a man the other
day. For what shall we give thanks2
For crops? But the world faces a
food faminei For prosperity? But our
money is being rapidly drained awayi
For unbroken family circles? But our
boys have gone to war! For peace
What jest, there Is no peace! No, =
our Thanksgiving IS going 10 be like
those Of the last few years It Will be
only hollow mockery. Some cheap
opt1mists and vapid surface scratch
CTS Wa NtADeAGzs AAG AP anu NG-A Is
that Gods in His heaven, AIS right
with the world"
Choke Down the Sob. Smile.
But that won't go down with the
millions whose hearts are breaking
this November 1t is a better thing
70 choke down the sob and smile
through the tears than to try and fix
up g lovely Camiuflage to make things
seem bright and sheery."
There is sense, however, IN which
this Thanksgiving IS the greatest and
Roblest that has ever been It is the
sense IN which Jesus's crucifixion was
to him matter for Thanksgiving The
bitter cross would save mankind-let
the Christ give thanks that He can
voted organicaIly to unite with the 1
Lutheran general council and general I
synod Their action insures one
Lutheran body OF 900, 900 members, I
the last named organizations, strong J
est in the north but with scattering
membership in the south, having al I
ready acted. It is stated that amalga- /
nation Of mission and other boards 4
were to follow. There are $4,000 4
LutherGns in the United States, ac- J
tual membership, and there remain as I
still separate bodies the synodical !
with 100000 members. and 4
many Independent synods, largely on .
racial and linguistic lines, with mem
berships OF 100000. Some Of these I
small bodies will enter the new gem
eral one, but so far as can be learned !
there Is no movement making head
way at present TO unite all American
.ufheranE