Evening star., 1927-11-24
METH0D|STS HEAR
BISHOP MCDOWELL
Twelve Congregations Unite
for Annual Thanksgiving
Service.

Gratitude for chance to help
others and disposition to assist when
assistance is needed was emphasized
as the real basis for Thanksgiving by
Bishop William Fraser Mcdowell in
his sermon at the tenth annual ma
tional Thanksgiving service at the
Metropolitan Memorial Methodist
Episcopal Church, John Marshall
place and c street, this morning.
Twelve churches united in the service.
1--WE need all the time keep before
us the real grounds for Thanks
giving" the bishop said. Our best
emotions and feelings can only be
kept alive and potent within us when
they are on a true basis. Commonly
we think that thanks are only for
benefits received.
Thanks for Prosperity.
IF we have had prosperity we
may be thankful. If we have escaped
disaster we may give thanks. If God
has seemed to be good to us we may
be grateful to Him.
This is our common attitude as
persons and it is the way we think
as Nation. If we have had good
crops, good trade. active business, we
regard it as a good basis for which
to be grateful to God.
IF we have had hard times we
observe Thanksgiving day with only a
modified spirit of praise, for all this
gratitude, for benefits received is
sound and wholesome. It would be
bad for the souls of men and nations
If they took all this for granted and
accepted it as their natural right.
Taking what we want as our right
and accepting benefits as our due
does not show or develop very beau
tiful spirit in us. We still need to
say please and return thanks, to pray
and give thanks.
But there is another basis for
Thanksgiving that we too often over
look altogether. 1t Is gratitude for a
chance to help, for ability to serve
and above all for a disposition and
mind to assist when assistance is
needed.
II have carefully studied the habit
OF Jesus IN this matter. He never
seemed to want things for Himself or
to determine His gratitude by what
He received.
always He was grateful for what
He could give. for the help He could
bestow. If things went well with
Him He was thankful, of course, but
IL He could make them go we'll with
others His gratitude overflowed.
Removes All SeIfishness.
And think that is the only real
and sound basis for thanksgiving for
men or nations. That takes all the
selnshness out of gratitude and puts
1t In a shining relation to life. Have
you, then. received much this wear?
Thank God for it. Have YOU done
much? If so, lift up your hearts in
praise that God has given you a great
opportunity"
More than 1000 worshippers at.
tended the service, Postmaster Gen.
eral New. Senators Frazier and Yves.
ley l.. Jones and Representative Hoch
peing among the congregation. Spe.
clal floral decorations We're used in
the pulpit, which was shared with
Bishop Mcdowell by Bishop F. M.
Bristol, Rev. DR.. James Shera Mont.
gomery pastor of Metropolitan. and
chaplain OF the House of Representa-.
tives; Mai Peyton Gordon, United
states attorney; DIR. Lucius c. Clark,
chancellor of American University:
Kew. w. M. Hoffman of Waugh
Church ana Rev. DIR. Pterpont Of Nc.
Kendree Church. -
Maj. Gordon read President Cool.
idge's Thanksgiving proclamation: Dr.
Pierpont gave the responsive reading
and J. Benton Webb sang the Offer.
tory solo. o'
IL Churches Unite.
The IL churches united in the sery.
Ice were: First PRESBYTERIAN. Rripht :
wood Methodist, Gorsuch Methodist
McKendree Methodist, Ryland Metho.
dist. Trinity Methodist, Waugh Meth.
odist. Brookland Methodist. Wesley
Heights Methodist, Rosedale Meth.
odist, Wilson Memorial Methodist and
Lucy Webb Hayes Training School.
MuSic NaS flirxaiShod hxx4 :.