The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-11-25
I'VE THANK THEE"
(From Dallas News)

'f
Now, therefore, our God, we thank.
thee, and praise thy glorious name
i Chron. 29:13.
He who is most grateful for what
he has thinks less of what he has
not, and so the sin Of selfishness
and all its eoncomitant evils fails TO
obtrude itself upon his happy heart.
Gratitude for a blessing is often
a greater blessing than that which
impels it.
He who is prat.sahfur Tor blessings
has the desire TO bestow them.
The ungrateful heart is misery
1t holds with greedy tenaci'y TO all
it can get because it does not realize
the duty of giving and the sweet
consciousness of having been gener-
U.S.; nor does it experience the JOY
of creating happiness in the hears
of others. 1t is shriveled. sterile,
barren. Gratitude is the perfume
from the flower of Love, and such
a flower does not grow in such SOL.
It's sweet perfume finds no element
capable of producing their richness;
its beautiful petals can not find IN
it material for their tints and col
ors, and because generosity is not
there, the sweet odor Of gratitude is
necessarily absent. He who is truly
grateful in his prayer Of thanksgiving
and praise includes all mankind III
his expression Of appreciation. Real
gratitude puts q song in the heart
brightness in the eye and contentmeht
in the mind OF him who has il. Such
n one appreciates much more the
God bless you!" Of one he has been
kind TO than the "Hurrah!" Of the
unthinking multitude for n whose
deeds are only dramatic or spectac-
ular. "Thou openest thine hand, n
satisfies the desire OF every living
thing" says the Psalmis'. The tru-
est, sweetest, most God-like happiness
comes from helping others.
The best thing that hearts which
are thankful can do
Is this: To make thankful some
other hearts, too"
The true ~gratitude-that which
softens the voice. brightens the eye
puts a song Of rejoicing in the heart
and g%lorifles God-comes only Of
purity Of thought, tender sympathy
and deeds Of loying-kindness. He
who does not love mar does not
love mans Father. and IL he does
not love Him, he naturally finds no
reason to look up to him in gratitude
for blessings received. 81. Bernard
SAYS, '"rhanklessness is a parching
wind, drying up the fountain Of pity
the dew OF mercy, the streams OF
grace. For doth not that rightly
seem to be lost which is given 10 one
ungrateful?" one who does not make
others happy can not be happy him.
self.
"Ah, the asking, the receiving and
giving
Is the soul OF the life that We live;
All the beauty and sweetness OF
living
Is TO ask. to receive. and to give
To many who are daily recipients
OF Gods love and mercy are like
the swine which eat the acorus, bui
never think OF looking up to th'
branches from which they fan. VIVA.
can such swinish satisfaction boz com
pared with the Joy OF one who, realiz
INK the infinite love " God. lii
tender mercics. omnipotcnce and ON,
nlpresence. pours out his heart b
earnest thankfulness because he hu
attained 20 greater spiritual heights
to n purer and better attitude o
thought. to more generous and bcnovo
lent impulses. to u moro sympatheti
and loving consideration of other.
10 a real love Of all that is tru
and good and beautiful To be con
stantly and always thankful shout
be our daily aim. What "A JOY
would give To the day did w hu
in the morning thank God tn I'D
vance FOR the blessings which ar
waiting to be given Us during th
day! The Master thanked His fathc
for granting His prayer even befor
IL was uttered. AZ the tomb of l.ai
nrus, before calling him forth froi
Its gloomy precincts. he said. "fathe
I thank thee that thou hast heard M
And I know that thou hearcs M
always" This sort ~ thankfulne'
is but a recognition Of the fact th'
Gods gocdness is given us Ia az
vance, for 1t IL said. And 1t sha