Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1919-11-28
CLERGYMAN SHOWS
Why AMERICA IS
REALLY THANKFUL
REV MUELLER OF ZION CHURCH.
DELIVERS SPECIAL THANKS.
GIVING DAY SERMON TO LARGE
CONGREGATION.


1t shows itself by approaching me ma
terial blessing OF God and by seeking
higher things. Rev. j. T. Mueller yes
tarday morning gave to his congrega
zion at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran
church. mucn food for thought in his
sermon
Taking his text from John 6, 2f-2a,
he said In part
II IL evident that We should De
thankful. And there are Two special
reasons, why we should render to God
the sacrifices OF our thanksgiving.
one ID our demeri,. Thus our Venel-
able and pious teacher and father III
Marin Luther has taught Us TO con-
less in his explanation OF the filth
Petition: We ask in this petition tha
our Heavenly Father would not look
mon our sins, nor ON their account de
ny our prayers. For we are worthy OF
none, Of the things for which we pray
neither have we deserved them. We
are so williul and disobedient that the
Lord would be fully justified in cut
ting US Off without a bite To eat or !,
drop OF wa}er 10 cool our parche
tongues. When we are asked 10 he'
some poor family one OF the iirst
things werwth 10 know is, whether
they are worthy And If we find hat
they are unworthy OF our help We are
very slow in extending to them our
helping hand Does God apply ihat
principle to us? Does He not ra
cause mis- sun 10 shine upon the eVl
and the good. and send His rains upon
the Just and the unjust?
The other reason why we should be
thankful Is, because all material bless
ings are given us in return Tor our
work This may seem a strange rea
son for being thankful for them, as
we clai mthem as our just compensa
ton, But let me explain. There is a
yelled rebuke in our text. Having
been fed the people desired to make
Jesus their KING, because they though
that II Hes should give them bread
without work, all their weary days OF
toll would be over. Jesus rebukeS
that notion He desires man to worF
and He has so decreed that work Is
- the greatest blessing man has. God
does not bring His material blessing
in baskets We must go after them
-7tn,f wfra- is more we should be thank
tui for this arrangement.
In his Thanksgiving proclamation
the Governor of Illinois. the Hon
Frank O. Lowden, has made the fol
lowing appeal; |, Frank O. Lowder
Governor of Illinois. do hereby urge
cur citizens to observe that day as
day of prayer and thanksgiving.
urge that our people assemble in theil
places of worship, and there render
to Almighty God for the manifold
blessings He has vOuch Sated TO us .
In accord with this proclamation
and what is more, prompted by our
own deep sense of gratitude, we nave
gathered in our house of worship 10
day TO render thanks to Almighty
God for the manifold blessings He ha,
ing this. we are rather a small and
lonely crowd. Thousands OF our house
wives are Just now plying the knife
and the spoon rather than their prayer
books, while their husbands and son
are locking for he blessings of the
dining room rather than for the bless
iEgs OF the church. In a way we have
no fault TO find, Our SAVIOUR truly
wishes US to aggregate His blessings
lty using them. ~lf you were to give a
tIaggar piece of bread you certainly
would have him eat II to the last
crumb. Eut this is far from being all
hat true thanksgiving requires of US
True thanksgiving must show itself
In acts OF faith, piety and worship. II
Is this thought which | would stress
today, showing you: | How true
Christian thanksgiving should show it.
self by approaching Gods blessing
ny word of praise; and 2, how II
shows itself by seeking after the high
er spiritual things which our Lord
would give us
Our text gives us fine oppor,un!t,
TO speak OF both the material and the
spiritual sides of life. Accordingly lei
me, first dwell upon the material bless
ings for which we should be thank
full.
True Christian thanksgiving show
itself by seeking after the higher
spiritual things. In our text Chris
says: Labor not for. the meet
perisheth, but for the meat which o.
dures unto everlasting life" Let lis
nbte the fac. that Christ says tina, al
earthly meat perisheI. 1t is even ar
II we were destined to live forever q,
this earth, then bread and amusement
would suffice. but thousands OF
les cry out that we were not made
for this world alone. and that our pill
grimage in this life Is too short e
squander It alone on material things
This thought Christ would impress up
on US in the text. We are to look not
only on mother earth which " di e,
and must return to dust But we are
to look up and live up Created In the
image of God man should daily grow
more like Him, and find pleasure ir
the everlasting blessings which oul
Lord would give us.
II Is to the worker to whom the sor
OF man gives, and to him. who look
for them, that is shall be given C
find. And one way to look for them is
to see them reflected already in the
blessings of the earth. Jesus re
proved the people because they g.
not see more In the miracle thar
loayes and fishes. And so He is dis
pleased with us today, II we do n"'
see In The harvests of the year thar