Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1920-11-26
FRIDAY. NOVEMBER 70. 1920.
oh, PRAISE THE LORD"

thanks unto the Lord, and the
repetition year after year of a |
great nations thanksgiving is an
imposing sight. It has become
a national affair the President
by proclamation sets the day, his
voice speaking for the people the
reasons for gratitude, and sug-
costing the method of express
ing it, in church and i'll the
homes. 1t is customary to have
one church in a group of city
churches open and a sermon
preached, which the people hear,
aud with a sense of having done
well, they return to their homes
for the typical feast.
There is a point of view not
always considered that is God s.
He looketh upon men, and know
ing his part, all the goodness
and mercy he has poured upon
them, the gifts he showers daily
in abundance,s to him it would
seem almost a matter of course,
a matter of human courtesy, that
his children would express their
appreciation. There are many
ways in which this could be
done. The sound Of praise, sim
cere, heartfelt, brings Joy to the
Father of All. Walls of odors
could be no more fragrant to him
than a course singing I'VE praise
thee. we bless, we magnify thy
name" He knows they who are
his rejoice in telling it abroad :;
and the sound of their hymns
reaches far out into the eternal
spaces to the place of the Sap
phlre Throne No matter how
broken the voice to the human
ear, as it joins the others to laud
that Name, distance cannot check
it on it goes to him that hears!
Other ways to sound his praise
are within reach. Whoever loves
that Father desires that all the
other children of the earth shall
also praise him. Hew can they
praise unless they know about
him, know the things that claim
praise ? But the earth is small
place compared with the unend-
ing space beyond. It is an easy
matter to proclaim through its
rernotest bound the glory of the
Omniootent God. The difficult
ties IN such an effort are slight,
overcome at once by the same
goodness that is to be taught :;
and voice after voice is added to
them that laud. That is the one
business given to men. God
babe them teach he would d.
rect, guide, open paths, utilize
lives and service, but it must be
done. 1t is praise in action.
Silent are those who feel no
thankfulness but their hearts
have not known the gifts of the
All-F ather. Their thought is
that by their own hands they
gained wealth, knowledge, pros
perity. To them it does not
seem necessary to attribute
their powers, their success any
where but to themselves. He
knows they do not thank him.
He gives them opportunity, opens
to them way after way to learn,
to do, to acknowledge him in his
might. At last, some are forced
to see that he is Lord. They
bring belated tribute. and even
this he accepts, glad that they
come to join the assembly of
saints and own their obligation
DO him.
But how can some of his Great
tires praise him on this day? And
often, through the ages others
have lain in such want, igno-
rance, misery, pain. that human
nature refuses to own cause for
gratitude. 1t takes a far-seeing
eye-but even the agony of Ar
menia can yet be turned into
praise of God. A Christian ma
ton can use that suffering for
Its opportunity to glorify him
that must be his reason for a.
lowing that misery. Bodies fed,
cleansed, healed, put to work
when fit, set on the road to new
sort of life, are a glory. And
still more, redeemed souls drawn
cut of sinful surroundings, shown
a clear way, directed to follow
those feet which trod such a
thorny path. what can they dol
except sound his praise through
eternityt |
Let them praise the name of the
Lord
RAp Mo mama alono Il nvnAl1Ant