The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-11-30
THANKS GOD
THAT We ARE
IN THE WAR
But For Humanity and NotF For
Gain
WHY WE GIVE THANKS
Thanksgiving Day Address Yester-
day BY Rev. w. G. Towart at the
Union Service.

A fair-sized audience gathered at
the union Thanksgiving service at
the NJ E. church Thursday forenoon
at nine o'clock. A choir of sixteen
voices rendered an appropriate an
them most acceptably and Mrs. Har-
vey Davenport sang a solo with
great credit. Rev. George S. Mills
presided and read the President S
Thanksgiving proclamation. Rev
w. G. Towart preached the sermon,
which was, in part, as follows:
Text, Psalm so IA, "Offer unto
God thanksgiving. Amid the noise
of war and the conflict of nations. we
come together this morning in our
usual Thanksgiving service. War
clouds hang heavy over the whole
world Today we are involved in the
great struggle that has convulsed
Europe now for over three years.
The boys from our homes are al
ready in the trenches or on the way.
American blood has already stained
the soil of France Sacrifice is be-
coming real word.
The question will arise in many
minds today, How can we be thank
full in burning world? Thanksgiv-
ing? For what? To meet and thank
God simply for the blessings of har-
vest would be mere mockery in
these times of stress and storm
There never was a time for a more
genuine Thanksgiving than today. II
is finer to give thanks in spite of
things than to give thanks for
things. A mans or nations life
consisteth not in the abundance of
things he possesseth. We should
thank God this morning that Ameri-
ca is finding her soul in fighting for
the cause of downtrodden humanity
THANK God that we are in the war
for what we are Our nation has no
vision OF territorial enlargement, of
financial gain, of political aggrandiz
ment We covet no foot OF land and
no dollar belonging to any other ma
ton. N''
we have no dream of world empire.
Wesare moved by no passion save
the passion of Righteousness and
liberty. In the interests of humanity
we have bowed our shoulders to the
burden and barred our breasts to the
storm.
we should be thankful this morn
ing that America is the servant OF
the world in a new and greater sense
than ever before; better than mere
peace of mind and prosperity of en-
terprise America had become sati-
ated with worldly success and had
become stepped in materialism. Dis
tress and trouble are hard task
masters. but we needed them to
teach us our lesson. No better basis
of thanksgiving can be offered than
the opportunity TO serve mankind.
A unifying and solidifying process
has been going on. Sectionalism is
being lost in the common cause; si''
The thing we call national life is
being reborn these days. A new
light shines about u.s. America has
caught the vision and in union viii
do her part. The strong must serve
the weak, This is no time for smooth
words pacificism needs to be inocu-
lated with common sense. This is
war against tyranny We ought to
thank God today that we have the
privilege of fighting against the
divine right of kings idea. The man
today who seeks to save his life at
the cost of Righteousness has not a
life worth saving. Is it not worth
while to thank God that our ideal is
noble and that we have the spirit
that will fight?
I'VE should be thankful that not
only our own land but the world in
general is finding God. Everywhere
there is a growing spirit Of sober
ness of mind. The nation has been
struck with sudden seriousness. Re
ligion in its deepest and most funda.
mental sense is becoming a real and
vital thing to it. And the church of
Christ is finding herself A wonder
full work is being done by all de.
nominations for the boys at the front
and in the camps So then in these
terrible days in which we are living
let us not lose hope; God is still on,
his throne and all things will con
tinue to work ont his will
rThrough the rude desolation Of
war the light of humanity's hope
shines. We are looking toward
peace with righteousness. but mean,
time we must tread the way of sor-
row and sacrifice. rn err,3rs
"Will not the war, above all, es
tablish true democracy of all great
nations and coming of the time
when 1t will be realized for every ma
ton that for which we pray for our
own nation?"
20 beautiful for patriots dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities CLEAN,
Undimmed by human tears
America, America, God shed his