The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-29
union THANKS
.l1GIVING SERVICE
n Held TODAY

cations.
The pastors of the three churches
Joined in the services; and the SER
cgnon was by Rev. George w. Powell
"a of Grace M. z. church
Al solo by Howard Moody, Let Us
Have Peace, Ball, and "Ye Shall
Dwell in the Land, Stainer, by the
Z Congregational quartet, were the
special musical features of the SER
vice.
Rev. George w. Powell preached
the sermon, his theme being THE
One Who Came Back"
Speaking of special days and their
significance Rev. Powell said:
1,s''There has been tendency in late
\ years to multiply special days to be
/. observed by the church and the ma
rtion. One writer said that owing to
; the multiplication of special days in
the church 1t was possible ony once
rAin a while to have a Lords day.
II Nevertheless, there are days in the
g,calendar OF the church and the ma
\ tion that could not be omitted for
they are bound up in the life Of the
snation. Thanksgiving day is one OF
these.
~ lone wishes that not only Ameri-
Ca but all the peoples Of the civilized
world would set apart one day in the
syear upon which they could return
for the benefits that He has confer
cred upon u.s. The Pilgrim fathers
made no mistake when they set apart
.Athis day for. thanksgiving. The OBJ
s4sefvance Of this day was first confin-
-.ed to one state. but the idea took root
and today all over the world Thanks
ssgiving day Is treasured in the hearts
of the American people.
What memories the day must
bring to these boys Of ours who are
sain France. May we think of them
sin our prayers and remember them
while we are assembled for the pur-
s1pose OF thanksgiving. Let It be said
that Thanksgiving day Is essentially
q spiritual and religious day. We
SHOULD be happy and joyous while
We are giving thanks but should
s-never so far forget ourselves as to let
enjoyment and merrymaking become
.hthe chief end OF Thanksgiving. day
land by so doing forget its spiritual
~ significance.
!. Thanksgiving is a Christian virtue
: and duty commended and set forth
= by precept and example by our Lord
"a his apostles. In the story, which
vrhas been selected as the basis Of the
message for this service, Jesus
tEhrist commended a man for return
Ding thanks for benefits received from
his hands. Ten men had received the
sasame benefits from Christ yet only
zone returned TO give thanks"
ses Some of the blessings for which
-sthis man was thankful were: He was
i thankful for q sound body. He knew
what IL was to have an unsound one.
t5He knew what 1t was to be in con-
tctinuaI III health. The blessing that
perfect health brought to him so dll-
ed him with Joy that he felt compelI-
ed to return to Christ and give him
thanks for this great blessing. Note
that In this case the man placed duty
before worship. He bad been told
by Christ to show himself to a priest
but felt Il was his duty to thank
Christ first. One Blessing for which
we can be thankful this morning is
n good health and sound bodies.
Il This man was thankful for free
dom and restored Fellowship Every
one here this moEning knows the
condition of the leper. How he was
s1cut OFF from everybody and had no
fellowship or communication with
his friends. When Christ healed
him he was restored to his friends.
s4and renewed his fellowship with
III a. There are thousands in the
= I'D In similar condition. We can
lnkful that we have fellowship
rhe man was thankful that he
ind Christ which was the greatest
tossing OF all. He found him for
whom the world, all through the ages
had been looking. He found the ideal
man. Nay. he found more; he found
Christ the son OF God, manifest in
1.-THE flesh. The one who had power
to heal him spiritually and physical
VI We. who are here this morning,
ocan be at least thankful for some OF
the blessings for which this man was
thankful. Are there no more bless
ings for which we can be thankful
this morning2
III think we can be thankful that
4 we have an opportunity to serve our
fellow men, Our boys in France are
making the world safe for democracy
and peace. They are fighting for the
principles which gave birth to this
nation. They are lighting in order
that the cross and not the sword
shall rule the world. They need all
our help, cooperation and prayers.
Never So Many Opportunities.
Never in the history of this great
country have there been so many OPP
portunities for service presented TO
the American people.
How nobly have the people re-
bonded, especially the women Of this
land; and the women in the lands Of
the allies. The fingers and knitting
pins Of the women OF democracy
Of freedom. The kitchens OF this
eeuntry are helping in the great
struggle. Children have the opport-
unity and are so doing.
1.-THE best manhood Of the nation
r. doing all It can in the crisis.
Buying liberty bonds, helping the
Christian associations Of young men
and young women: helping that
noble society, the Red Cross SerV-
ing on committees and wherever
there is an opportunity for service
the men and women are giving freely.
"A few do not feel the seriousness Of
the crisis We are facing but Ii viii
come home to them in the. near
future.
! Again. we can be thankful for the
country 10 which we are living. How
fortunate we are not to be living in |
other lands for which our Offering
this morning win be taken. Poor
tBtarving, desolate, bleeding Armenia
and Syria. Blasted, outraged and
savaged, beautiful France. What an
opportunity for America, the land Of
abundance, to give literally OF her /
resources to help her stricken friends |
across the sea.
America, surely this is the day 81 |
thy visitation and opportunity. May |
you respond with q spirit of thank /
fulness that shall show itself in /
asacrifice and giving Until It hurts. |
Then, when the last great thanks |
giving day shall come and the nations /
shah learn the arts Of war no more, I
may the people OF America hear |
those words OF commentator, In i
Asmuch Is We did To the least OF these /
IiulY little ones. We did e unto me-
AGAIN we should be thankful for Il