The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-29
TODAY WE May
GIVE THANKSFOR
UNITY OF ALLIES,
SAYS REV. FORD.
Other Causes For Thanks
Seem Trivial In These
Times @ -s.
EVERYBODY WANTS
TO DO SOMETHING
This Spirit Will Mean
Great Things For The
World


unity and cooperation which marks
us and our allies. was the message
conveyed by Rev. e. c. Ford. pastor
Of the Plymouth Congregational
church, who was speaker at the
neighborhood Thanksgiving service
of the Plymouth Congregational,
Broadway Methodist and Christian
church congregations in the Broad
way Methodist church this morning.
What have we to be thankful Cor
in these war times2" said Rev. Ford
in opening. .s
For that the leaders took the
lead in Israel,
For that the people offered
themselves willingly, -
Bless (thank) We jehovah"
"A British army is fighting its way
north through Palestine. Already
like Samson of old, it has carried off
the gates Of GAIA and Is even now
battling at the doors OF Jerusalem.
About 20 miles north of Jerusalem
there is a plain which extends from
the foothills of Judea on the south
to the Sea of Galilee on the north,
and west from the Jordon to the
Great Sea. 1t Is known in history as
the plain Of Esdraelon and is famous
for the many important battles that
have been fought there. Syria and
Egypt met here. Here Salidim de-
feated the crusaders. To meet the
advancing British there is a large
Turkish army making its way south
under German and Austrian officers.
A great battle in this region is i'm
pending. 1t may well take place on
the already famous plain Of Esdrae-
Ion.
"A victory here would mean much
for us and our allies. The Turks
would be thrown back on Constan-
tinople and the Pan-Germanic dream
OF an empire stretching from the
North sea to the Persian gulf would
be shattered for all time God grant
that Ii may be so.
One Of the first and most i'm
portant battles fought on this plain
was between the Israelites under
Deborah and Barak and the Cana
antics under Siscera. After the
conquest of the country and the re-
moval by death of Jushua the tribes
of Israel fell apart. There tribal
organization was still intact and
strong but for the lack Of a strong
national government they became an
easy prey to the neighboring tribe
of Canaan, and were subject to
them for 20 years. At the length OF
that time Deborah aroused the peo-
pie. Barak led them forth to a
great victory on Esdraelon. After
1t was over they sang the hymn of
Victory in, the fifth chapter Of Judges
of which the text is a part: For
that the leader took the lead in
Israel. For that the people offered
themselves willingly, Bless (thank)
We jehovah"
In these words Deborah gives
thanks for the unity and co-opera-
ton of the leaders and people. The
unity aroused here went on until It
found expression in the reigns Of
David and Solomon and we see the
result OF it today In what we some-
times call the clanishness OF the
Jews today.
Give Thanks For Unity.
I'VE may give thanks today in
these war times for that same unity |
and cooperation which marks us
and our allies. At such times as
these the usual causes given for |
seem trivial. We must |
COX more deeply. We may give |
thanks that we, who, a few months |
ago. were divided into cliques and |
CLAIMS and parties and divisions and |
are now, practically |
without exception, ONE. The lead |
srs are doing little quarreling among |
themselves and the people are Of |
.ering themselves willingly
THE women, God bless them, are /
shifting, knitting, knitting and 4
cooking whestless and meatless and
meals. The men. God i
bless them, those who cannot go to /
he front are working on Red Cross,
Ar
And we are all paying
axes and giving. If we do not have
active to do we feel hurt.
everybody wants to do something.
{ is fine! It is great!
Between the allied nations there |
8 growing up a spirit Of unity and
cooperation. ] could but notice
his when ! was in Canada this sum-
ner. A woman, one OF the thousands
Icing a mans work in these DAYS,
aid to me. You people from the
itates are our brothers now. AS
within so without there is this won
lerful spirit OF unity and co-opera-
ion.
This spirit is going to mean
great things for the world when
sometime though IL may be three,
I've or more years. A few people
lave dreamed the dream OF q new
NTERNATIoNALISM. 1t is coming
Is a result Of this war. We are learn
ne through this war how to co-op-
rate, we shall not forget II when
leace comes. It took a great bat
le on Esdraelon to bring to Israel
he sense OF nationallsm. Another
,reat battle there may be one OF
he means OF ushering in the new
Let us pray that
he newly established war council
4 the allies may be continued after
he war as an international council
or peace.
I'm the midst Of this awful war
which is likely for a time to grow
worse rather than better: I'm the
midst of the suffering and sacrifices
md pain and blood, for this we may
le thankful, for this wonderful
Ipirit of unity and cooperation
which means so much for the present
nd has in II such great promise for
he future"