The Mankato free press., 1923-11-30

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81 G6d. This Thaikssfving festival
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81 J the Rss isasat, aas sslaii Irenasr
lEnto sfe E9fd Ior, Oil has henents
fpward mel" Whp eAp measure
NAu can esNmate: who can put
.ds8ly I6ftrAy OF fesbM express the
NhS6unded blesstnss g hfe ti,at man e
.XHasrica. How can We. Americans.
with all our unforeseen luxury,
prosperity, wealth, money, dissipa-
tion. pleasures. Hbertiss, how can We
APPRECIATE HE? America seethipg
With wealth gratifsdhg herself with
every manner OF fatnSss and pleas.
ure, how can we give thanks? It Is
the poor peasant after hard days
tol and crust OF bread that gives
thanks. Our highly organized indus
tries. our towering cities. our mag
nificent Institutions OF learning. IL
braries, theatres, our highways. our
parks. our farms, our modern homes.
all bind us to the preciousness OF
life and the source from whence
these blessings come. u this terrible
day Of the worlds history, Wnen
the world Is trembling: sorrowing.
alone sIas,h; Is Happy. Today while the
world Is In poverty, bankruptcy,
famine, destruction, darkness. con.
fusion, suspicion, hate, America
alone can lift smiling face ofepeace
and plenty. Our children are clothed
With expensive wooleus. furs and
silks; our tables are spread with
every delicious dish that the genius
of the scientific culinary art can
inyent; our houses are heated
with steam and piped for run
ming water, lighted with that uri-
known invisible power we call cleo
fricity. decorated with ornaments
and fixtures that come from the
ends of the earth. At night We lis,
ten to orchestras. concerts and
speeshes from every part OF tn, tine
eyes on exciting romances OF the
cinema screen; occasionally we 20
to church. We go largely out OF a
Sense OF duty, duty towards our
children and duty towards the insu-
tuition that has given us civilization.
Our library tables are laden with
literature, periodicals and news
sheets Of the latest happenings on
every continent, island and sea,
Between times we sit In the glow OF
subdued lights in velvet cushioned
chairs to scan the headlines and
laugh at cartoons.
NOW we are called to give
thanks: now we are assembled to
worship the God Of our Fathers
who has led us to this. era OF happi-
ness. We do 80 with sincerity OF en-
deayor and fervent desire to praise
the Lord and glory his name whose
greatness, love and power has
made all these things possible. &
LET us give thanks for tba UNI
speakable gifts Of creation. Poetry
often expresses In purer truth, VI
sion and grandeur what science but
partially unveils. We read In the
first chapter of the sacred literature
that In the beginning God created :
1T is God that hath made us and not
we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep Of HIS pasture Thou hast
made man Q little lower than the
angels, and hast crowned him with
glory and honor God created man
In his own image. In the image of
God created he him, male and fe-
question Of what process God em-
ployed nor. what are the ways of
his wisdom. It Is matter Of reality
that these things are here and the
creations are at our disposal. All
that we can behold has been placed
here for man. Light and darkness.
earth and sea, plants and animals
all for man. This grand garden of
this beautiful earth Is all for man.
Do animals ensiave each other to
build them their homes and carry
burdens Of produce? Do animals
reap or spin? Do they harness the
waterfalls. the air waves, the ether
powers? Do they hew down forests
mine metals, carve stone and write
books? Do they paint pictures.
mould statues, play musical instru-
ments, speak q language Of thought.
IDEAS, eternal aspirations, write
books, lover Do they praise God
knowingly and thirst for the living
God? This world Is for man. Let.
us praise God for life, with all its
unsearchable powers, and for the
creations about us with their in
exhaustfble energies and beauties.
"Let US give thanks to the all
wise, all-loying Providence for his
divine leading in the affairs of men.
Even in this day, when the world Is
so full OF selfishness, vanity, COR
ruption hatred and destructive tend
encies, there are guiding forces.
that keep society in check, and hold
mankind up to the destinies as child
rem Of God. Think Of the God In.
spired personalities in our own
land. Upon the passing away of that
great Christian Statesman Warren,
G.. Harding, the Presidents chair fell
to such a man as Calvin Coolidge. He
is a man with the caution. honor,
and courage Of a man who thinks
for himself and man who IL guild
ed and sustained by the wisdom and
spirit from on high. Let US give
thanks.
"Let us be deeply grateful for the
great Christian movements that are
spreading toward Christian unity
and the spirit Of the Kingdom OF
God. This spirit Of unity is finding
expression in such glorious enter
prizes as the Red Cross, Near East
Relief, Inter Church councils, Y. M.