South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-27
THANKFUL SPIRIT
TOPIC OF SERMON
BY DR.. U.s.. DAVIS
Spirit of Thankfulness Gives
Us True Conception of
God" Pastor Says.

The Thanksgiving spirit" was
the subject of a stirring sermon de-
live.ed BY Rev. L. s. Davis before
his congregation az the First Baptist
church sunday morning. That the
sViri, OF thanksgiving enlarges our
conception OF the goodness OF Coo
sas emphasized.
His sermon On part:
Again and again the Scriptures
teaches the need OF the spirit OF
,hankfullness This is the spirit
that indicates appreciation OF th7
gifts OF life. This thanksgiving
spirit enlarges our conception OF
God.
1t gives Us a right conception OF
the Greatness Of God. Only great
GOO can 40 great things. keniem-
Der hat the events OF the past year
are not accidents. There are no ac-
cidents IN the program Of God. God
does not work by chance. The pro-
vidences OF God are far reaching,
complicated, slowly working toward
his own far off divine event"
God has no secrets. But he lets
man use the brain he has endowed
him with discover them. In this is
Gods wisdom and greatness.
The spirit Of thanksgiving en-
,arges our conception OF the good
ness Of God. How do know that
q Cd il good. Count my blessings.
The blessings Of hfe. radment. shelter,
food. friends. money. But l may do
all this and yet miss God. The
laundering multitude sought Jesus
for the loaves and fishes. Is heaven
a great bakers shop? II is like
wishing a great cathedral and seems
only the architecture and missing
the blessing of worship. 1t is Ike
remembering your mother as the
one who cared for you and MISSING
her heart Of love. Not until We are
thankful do we find God for himself.
III enlarges our conception of the
friendship Of God. We are thank
full for things. but are we thankful
for the companionship and COM
munion we can have with God. Hav-
ing Him we have all things. with
out Him we have nothing. seek
first the kingdom of God.
This spirit helps US 70 appreciate
the comfort OF God. We make much
OF the creating. working God. But
in this world with all its trials, we
need the comforting God. The
promises of the Word of God are
like candles lighting up our pathway
back home.
This is the spirit that helps US
10 appreciate the peace OF God. Let
Us never forget that the best treas
ures Of a nations life are in the
stiffness of a nations heart. Not
mans happiness but his mistakes
are printed in the newspapers. Even
the big headlines are the announce
ment OF mans folly and weakness.
That is why we think things are
bad. The good side of nation :
life is largely the unpublished side.
I'VE would wish that the daily
papers would talk more about our
home life. our friendships. for after
all these are the things that are
making history. Books tell US that
the world is mad and that life is bad.
But let US remember today the
faithfulness of manhood, the beauty
Of womanhood. the calm trustfu!
beauty OF olda sc and the splendid
loyalty OF youth.
I'VE ought TO be thankful today
that we are Americans and live in
this great Republic. At heart the
great American people are right. II
Is the heart Of compassion for a
starving and war broken world. We
have given to almost every nation
in the world The generosity Of tho
American people has no parallel in
history. We have given, remember
70 people OF all faiths and all colors.
We have been the worlds great
benefactor. We have played the
part Of the worlds big brother.
"As our president says in his
| Thanksgiving Proclamation, e "
years in our history have afforded
such cause for thanksgiving as this
/ Abundant harvests. public credit, in
/ dustry Not that there have not
/ been many calamities. personal. ma
/ tional. worldwide The old year has
many dark spOts. and yet there are
| bountiful evidences Of divine favor.
AS we remember all these things
| let us pray that God will help Us
TO go forth az noble nation lifted
moro and more through righteous
ness up. up into the divine sover-
eighty which abides in heaven.
]