Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-12-04
1917 THANKSGIVING HAS PASSED
INTO HISTORY


ing has passed into history. The day
was observed throughout our great
nation, but far different in many ways
from the Thanksgiving of the past
The festival was celebrated by old and
young in one way or another, and
''eats' were more or less the main
feature, yet there was something diff
ferent about the day.
The cloud of war, which hovers over
our country put damper on the cell
ebration of this great national holiday.
| Everywhere there were evidences OF
war. There were many vacant places
at our Thanksgiving tables, and the
| thoughts of relatives and friends were
whether the next Thanksgiving would
| bring their loved ones back, and we
hope long before that time.
Thanksgiving is always a season of
| the year for family gatherings and
reunions, but these getting together
parties" were not complete in most
homes this year, because of the father,
son and brother having gone away to
fight for his country. All good Amer
ican citizens thanked God last Thurs
day that they are Americans.
IIdnhSSlNluS ll1Ol ilillS I'd WACu
beautifully upon Wausau. Jack Frost
had visited the city during the night
and had decorated our trees and
shrubbery in a white color scheme.
The day was a little cold, but an
ideal day to offer thanks to Him who
has bestowed an abundance of mate
rial and spiritual blessings upon us.
Thanksgiving morning in Wausau
was spent by most of our people in
our various churches.
Union services were held in the
First Presbyterian church and Rev.
Richard Evans, pastor of the First
Methodist church, preached the SER
mon. Rev. Evans took as his sub
iect, "A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving.
He took as his text, st. John II: 27-
Now is my soul troubled; and what
shall | say? Father, save me from this
hour: but for this cause came l unto
this hour Rev. Evans said in part:
"A year ago we offered thanks be-
cause for two and half years we
had been kept out of war. Today we
are one of the warning countries. The
meaning and blessedness of sacrifice
is becoming more and more evitable.
hSIC al lSdSOuS why VIC
should be exceedingly thankful on this
Thanksgiving day. We are thankful
for the privileges of making a great
sacrifice in a great cause; thankful be-
cause we have more to put into the
struggle than any other nation, and
that we have the will to put it in;
thankful that we are counted worthy
to sacrifice and suffer with other coun-
tries, and thankful that we are giving
out of our bountiful resources with
cheerfulness that the world may be
made free" Rev. Evans also gave
other reasons why we should be thank
full. He also spoke of the cheerful re-
spond of our sturdy manhood, also of
the coming together of the Christian
forces of America, as never before. We
have reason to rejoice that, while we
are in the war, and in to stay until the
last victory is won, we are there not
for conquest of territory, but for free
dom. We are not living in the days
of festivities, but days OF anxiety and
real work.
The sermons in the other churches
were along the same lines as the |
above.
The poor and needy people of Wau-
sau were we'll cared for on Thanks /
giving day. The hearts of those rich |
in worldly goods were touched and |
the broadening out of humanity made |
it possible for the unfortunate to also |
have Thanksgiving feasts.
The season was quite unusual this |
year especially in the homes of those |
living near military training camps, |
as they opened their doors to the SOL |
diers that they might have a real |
holiday. There were vacant chairs |
in many homes, still the brightest of |
hopes and good cheer was uppermost |
in all brave hearts. The soldiers and |
sailors were all given Thanksgiving |
feeds"
Although every family in this coun-
try is Hooverizing, the Thanksgiving |
tables in our country were laden with |
good things on Thursday. 1t may be |
that less turkey was eaten because it |
was costly, and less cranberry sauce, |
because sugar is scarce and costly |
but there were other good things, less |
expensive, to take the place of the |
costlier foods. For our Thanksgiv- |
ing food, we had cause for deep graf |
itude and heartfelt thankfulness.
NOTES
Thanksgiving informal affairs, such |
as dances, knitting parties, ETC., were
given.
The business district of Wausau was
quiet on Thanksgiving day. Business
was generally suspended to give all
a chance to enjoy the holiday.
The inmates of the Marathon county
asylum and home enjoyed the annual
Thanksgiving holiday with big feasts
of the years harvest.
On the evening of Thanksgiving day
an informal dancing party was given
at the Wausau club for the members,
who are now in military service, an
account of which is given elsewhere in
this issue.