Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-12-02


the Rev. J. A. Hamilton pronounced tho
beredct!on.
AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH
Bishop Bliss Prcarbcs on Snnctity and
Integrity OF Family Lrc
At St. Paula Church POLY Communion
was celebrated ut 7:3O a m. At 1920
O'Clock there was a service. with morn
ing prayer said by the Rev A G. Drumm
aud sermon preached by the Rt Rev
@. Y. Bliss. Bishop Blss spoke OF the
observance Of Thanksgiving Day, and
referred to the agencies at hand to make
the home what 1t should be. He said, in
substance:
! BISHOP BLISS SERMON
The Lord is King, be the people never
&C impatient: He stitch between the Cher
ubim, be the earth never so unquiet."
Psalm 90: ". /.
Thanksgiving day. as our prayer book
states, Is a day 'of prayer and thanks
giving to Almighty God for the fruits
of the earth and for all the blessings of
His Merciful Providence Coming as the
day does in the last week of the Christian
year. 1t corresponds 10 the Dogation days
in The spring when the church teaches us
10 OlIeT special pTuNeTS 10 IOu IOr n
fruitful season. 1T is fitting, then, at
the end of the years when the harvests
are gathered in that we should have a
special day on which we should give
thanks to God for His merciful Provi-
dence and especially for the fruits OF the
earth.
On no Thanksgiving day in our history
has there not been good reason too to
give thanks for an abundant harvest.
This does not mean that failures here
are nowhere known or that soils and
weather. sunshine and rain have not the
variableness and uncertainties that these
elements of nature everywhere possess
But we escape want and famine chiefly
because our land Is so vast and also be-
cause as yet 1t is So sparcey settled
Our country extends through so many
zones, and stretches so far east and
west that univrsal failure seems almost
impossible. Year by year, therefore, we
have been privileged quite honestly and
sincerely to offer our heartfelt gratitude
to God that the land has enjoyed her in
crease; and the present year presents no
exception to this rule.
There Is a danger in the face of such
continued blessings and in tho midst
Of such general prosperity, that men will
forget God and be tempted to say, each
one in his heart, MY power and the
might of my hand hath gotten me this
wealth" THANKSGIVING day with it's rec
ignition of Divine Providence, year by
year reminds us that all our prosperity
depends upon the good pleasure of God
so that connected with the exercises of
this day is the duty to renew our ac-
acknowledgement of Almighty God as the
sovereign ruler of our lives and our OBJ
legation to obey His laws
Gods sovereignty over men and things
Is one of the simplest truths of our re-
. ligion and among the most fundamental.
, Human life moves out in two directions.
/, 1t moves up towards God and 1t moves
, out towards men, BY this second move
, ment are created these relationships that
exist with our neghbors and the duties
and responsibilities that we owe MIN. AT
, the center Of these human relations stands
, the home. Thanksgiving day while 1t Is
, a national holiday Is nj least here ir
1 New England peculiarly domestic fes'
tival, and our thoughts naturally turT
to-day 70 . Consideration 90 family life
a It's sanc.ity and Its integrity. law car
we deepen In family life a recognition o.
= Gods sovar otgn role and III. sense o.
obedience to His lsw'i What organized
v agencies are a. hand 10 make the homer
. o. our lac5 what thsy should be9
Cps does not hesitate h moment II
:, aayihG that two such agencies, through
h all Christian history hand maids one o.
: lhe other are education and religion tn
:, school and the church.
L r. L. startling 20 learn that afte
a = hurd. q yeArs of public schol educa
lion, there arp several million adults Il
cur country who cannot read or write
II will surprise many that OF the twenty
r Ave millions Of young people and chill
dren who now are OF school age, NOR
i than two millions in fifteen years vii
" have been added to the number Of Il
Y n.erates; and il should shame us all tina
- In land Of such abundant wealth as this
% million and a hnf OF children VIII
!; ought to be In school are employed Il
u mills and factories because OF tho liz
10 norWncc and indifference OF ;heir par
= snts or OF The greed Of employers. Pub
" lie school education mas been o. lnesti
\ mablc value to our people and there ar
L. few in our land who do not owe . deb
IA of gratitude to those VINO labor the, cic
70 for their wisdom, the;i patience and the!
1t self-sacrlfce The task corfessedly
"a great and the problems Intricate. bit tn
II aim Is SO spisndtd-to train the mind {
Sc every child that the subject OF edrca.io
p ought TO enlist the interest and secu!
Of the cooperation of every citizen In on
TX country.
g. But secular education cannot stan
G. alone. The child must be trained relit
Or toualy. To educate the hand and the braI
lie while no effort Is made to train the cor
j. science. to guide the affections or rtrengtl
in en- tho will, Is to bestow blensing
m doubtful value. The moral sense mus
n be developed. But morality finds no SUI
SIS foundation except in religion The chill
TX must be taught the sovereignty Of CO.
Or In the life ana teaching of Our Lord an
Saviour Jesus Christ, he will learn WI
pit God is. God ne He has revealed Himse
e. to US, His justice, His truth, His Wi
~ dom and goodness and love. How 10 in
at part religious education to children vi
p der present conditions is difficult que
mel ton. But II Is altogether too serious
no1 matter TO be longer disregarded.
he What you have to say IN classifis