The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-11-25
Thanksgiving Day.

Offer unto God thanksgiving
Psalms 50:14.
let us go into His courts with
thanksgiving. for all the manifold
gifts He showers upon u.s." "All?"
asks the casuist, tIpure..sg an eye
brow. Does mot that include sick
. ness. pain, disaster and even death ?"
With full knowledge OF all that is i'm
piled, once again we affirm, Let us
go into His courts with thanksglv-
Ing for all His manifold gifts"
Executives have issued proclama-
tons calling upon the people to give
thanks for bountiful crops. material
Increase. gain in golden freighted
argosies and fecund mines. For
these they would magnify His name.
We should indeed give praise and
thanks for these proofs Of Gods
bounty. They are evidence of His
continuous care for us. But. also.
let us give thanks for the Christening
rod which we may have received
and which so many Of us need. In
Imitation of the SANITY Ambrose We
could compose a litany for our times.
II would be strange to the unthlnk-
ing ear and, in part, would run thus:
\ We praise Thee for enemies, o
Lord, for they reveal to us our weak
ncsses.
1--WE praise Thee for failure, Q Lord,
fOr we are thereby made humble and
set on the true path of success.
We praise thee for pain, o Lord,
for it is the guide post that tells~us
we are on the wrong road and points
the way 10 recovery.
We praise Thee for disappointment,
b Lord, for through It the glory of
realization is made the sweeter.
Z We praise Thee for the discovery
OF false friends. o Lord. for then we
can know and love our true friends
more.
We praise Thee for life, Q Lord,
Tor 1t is q great and glorious adven-
tiire Thou hast given us.
We praise Thee for death. o Lord,
for 1t is the crown Of life.
u we should be thankful that life Is
II travail. for we are gloritied there
by. Michelangelo took a block OF
marble and wrought from the shape
less mass the figure Of Moses"
statue that the world Is proud to ac-
claim. With blows of tremendous
bower he struck until, the vision in |
bis mind became reality. 1t took the
Blows to do it! Soft love taps would
net suffice. We, too, are shapeless
Masses of marble and the pain of life
IS sculptor hewing away excres-
cences until the beautiful soul is re-
Tealed.
In art what is it that attracts us
The most? The pretty, simpering, In
sipid faces OF Vergedo's court ladies
Or the wonderful wrinkle lined face
II Madame Baas of Rembrandt,
Whistler's Mother" or TeuHeurs
Head of an Old MANI" They are
souls who have known JOY and pain
and the hammer strokes Of these two
master sculptors have wrought each
into a perfest whole. We feel in
that they have repeatedly
offered thanksgiving for all His gifts.
Once we met one OF the most beau
iful women in the world, The tabled
oveliness of Helen of Troy, the state
y beauty of Cleopatra of Egypt ana
he magic charm of Mary of Scots
could not compare with her. She
vas little, bent-o wisp of wom-
In with white hair, wrinkled face,
hands and commonplace
,lothes. but the dear old face was
,lorified by the beauty of the soul
within. only passing glimpse In
crowd, but size had left us upltfted
md ennobled by her passing.
To her every day was a thanks
diving day, and the glory of her life
vas mirrored in the beauty of her
ace So, too, with us. II We cease
o expect and crave that all things
hail be pleasant; If We learn that
fttimes apparent evil IS hidden good
nd take the bitter with the sweet,
go into His courts with thanksgiv-
1g," then. indeed will our lives be an
acense and a sweet odor to the Mas
er and every day a glorious Thanks
living day.