The Alaska daily empire., 1917-11-29
THANKSGIVING SERMON GIVEN
 BY REV. BRUCE Good Attendance at the Union Services Held Today in Methodist
 Church TOUCHES ON THE WAR Shows That There Are a Lot of Things for which
 People Can Be
 Thankful.
TOUCHES ON THE WAR

There was q good attendance today at the Thanksgiving services held il the Methodist Church. at which Rev George c. Bruce, of the Presbyterian Church, preached the following ser mon:
 Blessing. and glory, and wisdom. ant thanksgiving, and honor and power and might, be unto our God forever and ever. Amen. Rev 7:12
 If we would recall the reasons foi thanksgiving that have ever called the people together in the past it would bt difficult for us to find what might seen God time and again that we have beer free from war and that peace has beer within our borders, but we are engaging in the greatest war in the history of the world, not within our borders to be true. but it is within everything we call sacred. We have thanked Cod for abundant harvests but we are told that only the strictest economy vii provide sufficent for us to eat and 10 provide for those, who are our neighbors ir need.
 But in our stress of circumstances we still have many things for which we may be called together to be thankful. History tells us of a young man in ar oriental court who had been so blessed that he had much whereof to be grate- day for he had won the favor of the king. His place in the kingdom was che of highest honor. He enjoyed rich :
  But 1t happened that his enemies planned to get him out of favor with his majesty and besides had planned for him a terrible death. The record is interesting concerning this Hebrew prince: And when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house. (now his windows were open in his chamber toward Jerusalem) and he kneeled upon his knees three times day and prayed, and gave thanks be- fore God as he did aforetime." Dan- el might lose his position his honors his favor with the king; but he still had his God who would go with him into ell harm and deliver him.
 Now the text brings us just to that place where we have the real. the true things TOT WHICH We tdn De Here is spiritual rainbow that will throw itself right between us and all the darkness of the future to enighten the pathway.
 What beautiful thing is a rainbow When the sun shines on falling rain, Q rainbow, or an arc of prismatic colors, is seen on the rain. The phenomenon is caused by the combined effects of re- fraction and interference of the solar rays as they pass through the falling rain. Although natural, it has been given spiritual significance by the Master Painter. who permits few storm clouds to pass until He has renewed to man that the world will never be again destroyed with a flood
 In this spiritual rainbow it is the Sun of Righteousness that shines on our deeds-the raindrops-with the re- suit that man and God can see the glory of them.
 Let us then consider this spiritual rainbow. color by color:
 l. Blessing. There is a fine meaning wrapped within the word To make happy by some means. Jesus thought so much of the word that he placed it first in the "beatitudes' of the Ser mon on the Mount" We find the same thought in the word happy Happy is the man that hungers and thirst after righteousness for he shall be filled " Happiness is not an expression, it is an experience. That is the reason it is sc hard to describe. It is Gods desire that all men should be happy and that is why we have the songs of the birds the beauty and perfume of the flowers and the purity of the snow. Men who try to be happy have happy experi- ences.
 ?. Glory. Any attribute. quality or circumstance by which thing is glori- fed. An obedient child is ever a glory to its parents. To be interested and active in the advancing of principle that reflects the person and work of Christ is always a glory to the one engaged. Gods glory is perfect when mans happiness Is complete It is the desire of our Maker that we should shine in all things that are good and true and pure, and this indeed is glory.
 3. Wisdom. This is choosing the best, in the best way. for the best What q beautiful color to shine among the others. God is satisfied only with the best. and we find that all the things of His creation are good" Nothing becomes evil until tempered with by evil nQads. God made the grain to con tain alk the clements required to build up the body. and man mistakes the cereals when he makes them into dam- aging liquids to destroy the body and harm the soul This is opposed to wis dom; it Is not the best for the best. Since God gtyes man the besf He f.