Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-11-26
GIVING THANKS.

served by the t11lcu tolsutS. He llISl
American Thanksgiving Day was observed
by Plymouth colony November 26, 1921,
Just 80 years ago today That's long
time IN the history of any people. It is SO
long time and the custom has been so long
observed that we wonder if the day has any
deep significance for great number Of
American people.
To many the day brings only thoughts
of pleasant holiday, ofsfeasting on turkey
cranberry sauce and mince pie, of few
games of cards, pleasant social visiting, a
dance in the evening or perhaps attendance
at the theatre. Considered from the stand
point Of the total population Of any com
munity, mere handful of people will
gather in the churches and spend short
period III Thanksgiving service. These peo-
pie come nearer to observing the real sig
nificance of the day than do those who sec
only in the custom an opportunity of graf
flying personal pleasure Of course when
one considers the number all over this vast
land who are thus engaged Oh this day Of
Thanksgiving. it is realized that a vast
throng pauses long enough to offer pass
ing thanks to a Divine Being To get out
Of the day its real significance one must
necessarily believe in such Being.
Last summer very lilabe young man
sat III our office, a young man who had spent
three years III great western university.
He said Eyes. | am IN atheist ! hay-
changed my beliefs greatly from what |
was raised to believe, but ] have worked
out code of my own that am following
That didn't signify much because every
libertine, robber, murderer and thief has
been doing the same thing from the dawn OF
civilizaton--wo working out a code of his own
Not many summers ago a young woman
stood III this office and said Il was an
atheist when | was graduated from the
university (another great western univer
sity) but lately | have gone back to my
former convictions. F"
Just few weeks ago, another likeablc
young man, a student in still another west
ern university said not to us but to a
friend, Il am rather convinced that the
grave ends everything
TO two Of the young people mentioned
here and to the other one at the time She
left the university, Thanksgiving Day
could mean nothing but holiday, day Of
pleasure, a pagan observance Of "eat,
drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. =
That, Of course, is contrary to the spirit Of
the day. The American government is def
initely founded upon the belief in a Su-
preme Being, and in harmony with that be-
lief the nation observes i day Of giving
thanks
It's cNpectcdthat one shall give thanks
for ones blessings. While these blessings
are numerous and while the pleasures Of
life we all enjoy are inestimably rich and
glorious, yet our thought at this time is
thanks for something that not many would
feel thankful for We shall give thanks to-
day for the depression. 1t is quite general
ly believed that no truly worthwhile char
acter is developed without trial, heartachc
and tribulation. The depression has acted
in that capacity to the American nation.
America was travelling at too giddy pace
Too little thought was given to those flnda-
mental things of life the lack Of which will
surely and eventually drive every individ-
ual and every nation on the rocks The iazz
concept had gained too great hold on the
life OF the nation. Eat, drink and be merry
for tomorrow we die" was apparently the
motto Of too vast number of our people
If the depression will result in driving that
jazz concept out Of our lives and then out
of our music, the nation will reap great
gain from the two years of slackened bust
ness activity and enforced economy that
we have been and are now passing through
So today we shall have a grateful heart
for the many blessings that have made oul