The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1921-11-25
SPECIAL SERVICES
HELD YESTERDAY
Large Quantities of Food and
Clothing Distributed
to. Poor


Celebration of Thanksgiving in Bir-
mingham was marked by appropriate
services in the various churches and
schools of the city, and by the usual
Thanksgiving offering for the poor.
Large quantities of food and cloth
ing were contributed and were dis
tributed among those in need by
committees from the various churches
and that received at the schools was
turned over to the local charities.
Dr.J. A. MacSporran, pastor of the
First Presbyterian church, preached
a Thanksgiving sermon yesterday
morning. He spoke of the earlier ir-
resistible emotion that sought ex-
preston in such services.
But there have come in these later
days those who do not feel that way"
ne said. "Of course, to initiate the
fathers. without the feeling that
prompted the fathers is of little use.
But l am profoundly sad because
the children of today do not feel that
impulse of thanksgiving that moved
the founders and fathers of this land.
Gratitude comes from one cause and
that is vision. Given that, the fire
Of Gladness burns. But that must
come first when the sight of the eye
becomes the insight of the soul. We
must see.
I'm the one great outstanding
thing of American life you would
find the thing that would release
the fountains of our joy. once found,
you wonder at the blindness of the
gloomy and afraid who cannot see
it, 1t is, the river of God.
"Today Is Hope OF World"
I'm the times of chaos, strangely
like ours, Ezekiel was taken and
shown the river whose springs were
under the altar of God. How it grew
in measurement from a rill to
mighty river. That stream was the
stream of the grace of God, life
bringing, flowing through the land.
We have seen it flowing on and on
through the notwithstanding on to
the birth and work and death of the
Redeemer; on to us, and still flow
ing. 1t rises from. the prayers OF
his people and goes forth 10 heal
the nations. 1t is the clue to the
puzzle "of life.
In relation to our own. people.
Son of man, hast thou seen this
1t began with a little stream in the
pilgrim and the puritan of this land,
the very fountain of our. national
life; the soul and spirit of America.
the conquering river. Today it is the
hope of the world Other lands hope |
less, discouraged, lacking this stream.
are looking to us as people for
healing and for leadership to rebuild
the lives of other nations.
only when you share the faith
and the vision of the fathers are
you in the real current of our Amer
lean life; not on the surface, but in
the deep stream of it. There is no
other nation on earth where there
is so much organized good will and
1t comes from the stream that flows
from under the altar of the house of
God.
"You have the love and the law of
God in your very heritage. All that
makes your lives beautiful has come
from this river of God. AS you see
and know that. there will arise an
overwhelming desire to give thanks
to God for your heritage and your
hope-for that comes from the ire
sistible river. of God, sweeping you
on out to the ocean of Gods power
and Gods purpose to his people!
For the rest, their hope is the ir-
rigation that may come to them FROM
this river. For that river we give
thanks When you see 1T your heart
will break forth into singing, on you-
knees you will give thanks for TINS
river-the hope of the world.
Special Services
Two special Thanksgiving services
were held at the Third Presbyterian
chuch by the pastor, DIR. ]. A. Bryan.
Both were largely attended and two
splendid sermons were preached. a.
the morning hour he had as his sub
jcct. Let Everybody Give Thanks
Unto God Through Jesus Christ and
at the evening service: "Rememhcr
the Blessings of the Past Year" Spe-
ciaI music was furnished at both the
services.
DR.: William Ray Dobyns preached
forcefui ard appropriate sermon at
The South Highlands Presbyterian
church yesterday morning. A large
congregation attended the service
and a splendid musical program was
rendered.
:, Services were held last night at
the Trinity Episcopal chuch at West
End with Lionel s. Capers in charge.
Many gifts of canned goods. groceries
and children,s clothing were received
and will be distributed among the,
needy Of the vicinity.