The Ordway new era., 1918-11-29
THANKSGIVING DAY
By Rev. l.. NJ. Doherty, Pastor OF
st. Peters Church.


America. nation under God, bows
the head in prayer and gratitude TO
the giver of every good and every
perfect gift. The proclamation of
our great president, inviting us to
give thanks to God at this season, in
an especial manner this year finds
responsive accent in the heart OF
every American. Triumphant peace
has overspread the land like the
dawn of glorious day after long
night of sacrifice and suffering and
the heart of every American is filled
to overflowing with joy and pride and
gratitude beyond words Of expression.
1t is significant that our people gen.
orally, in the hour of their well-won
triumph. have not forgotten to give
thanks and glory to God. AS one of
our foremost journals said, editoria-
lily: "Thanks to all the powers OF
heaven and earth, the end Is a victory
for liberty and humanity" These
sentiments must thrill every Ameri-
can laboring for Christian civiliza-
ton.
For our inspiration reflect for a
moment on the pages of recent his
tory. The war Just ended dwarfed
all previous conflicts of history in
the titantic scale on which 1t was
fought. but this after all is only
matter of mathematics and machin-
cry. The thought that crowns our
exultation with satisfaction unnl-
loyed by inner questionings is that
the people of this land in unparallel-
ed uranimity entered the struggle
now finished not for material con
quests or selfish motives, but in the
defense of the highest and grandest
ideal under God that can nerve the
human heart and hand to action, the
liberty of the peoples of the earth.
There is a mighty undercurrent III
the glad rejoicing that fills our cities
and invests the whole land with 1ubtl
alton. To find a counterpart Tor IL
we must pass over many famous
victory and its national rejoicing and
go back to that glorious morning
when the news went across Christen-
dom that the Turkish armada had
been destroyed at Lepanto or to
that other day when couriers told
Europe that the Holy city had been
vrested from the Mussulman hordes
and the crescent been replaced by
Christ's cross on the sacred soil where
He died to make men free.
All May Re5oice
All these victories were the VIC
\ tories of ideals and the enemy had
laughed them to scorn before the
event as the Prussian had scoffed at
American idealism and as the mater
ialist in every age has sneered at the
principles which alone make man
kind worth while. So everyone can
rejoice. the little ones as well as
those saddencd by life's experience,
because Holy cause has been won
and we have no dark deeds to regret
There is but one thing lacking IN TINS
nation wide celebration; 1T is the
presence of those gallant sons OF this
land who have made in person for
the ideal the great sacrifice that we
can make only indirectly, the men
whose bodies lie in the CORY helds OF
France or rest beneath the waves
Those sons of all the stout hearted
peoples of the world who make up
America, had gone three thousand
miles to fight for the preservation or
liberty. for the maintenance OF the
government of the people, for the
preservation of civilization itself. The
kaiser, who proclaimed that he was
responsible to God alone, that there
was no law but his law. that his Will
was the highest earthly law, he would
have made the civilization or the
word subject to the sword. IL would
have been the victory of force over
struggling idealism, the doctrine OF
might displaying right. Right at the
apex of that great German arrow.
heading for Paris, were sent the
American marines and the other
American forces. They had not come
three thousand miles to retreat. They
had come to win or die. They struck
with the Irresistible determine
tion OF free men. Their wonderful
courage. their daring, their impetuos-
ity revived the weary British, intensi-
fed the courage of the indomitable
French, lent new heart to the struggl-
ing Italians. They exhibited the
priceless virtues and the heroism OF
APOSTLES Of liberty. They burned
with the spirit of that America that
has never been defeated, They were
stirred by the symbolism of the flag
that means liberty and opportunity
They carried-and they knew they
carried 1.-THE hope of the western
world And they won,
In the midst OF this celebration
let us not forget the many homes
where It's sound brings proud sadness
to the hearts and tears to the eyes
of men and women who mourn their
dead who died for world liberty in
the great war. The nation in its gool
time will give to its dead all the e'hon-
or in its power and to their kindred
what recognition and token of graft
tude it can. This is the inevitable
pity of all great victories that they
who deserve best of a grateful people
come not to claim the gratitude that
is their due. The ideal for which
America fought is consecrated by the
blood of brave men and that high
price must make us all the more de-
termlned to preserve II unsullied and
never let that sacrifice appear to have
been made IN vain.
A Prayer
That these ideals may be ever pre-
served amongst us we may fittingly
offer the following prayer on this