Evening star., 1939-11-24
Thanksgiving
Takes Religious
Aspect Here
Church Leaders
Give InspirotionoI
Messages for Day

"dSlllllS lOllldllo Ildu oCllc VI
inspirational Thanksgiving mes
'sages to remember today even if
they sought to forget their hearty
holiday dinners.
From pulpit and broadcasting
studio, churchmen and educators
gave thanks for peace, and a word
of caution and encouragement for
the future. In the city, several
community church services united
many congregations, and a message
OF tolerance was broadcast Jointly
by leaders of Protestant, Catholic
and Jewish religions.
The city enjoyed a bountiful holi-
day along with Is States observing
the presidential proclamation. The
remaining States were to observe
Thanksgiving next Thursday, on
the traditional last Thursday in
November.
Religious Life Program.
Freedom for Religion and Re-
llgion for Freedom" was the key
note of a program broadcast from
Stations WMAL and WRC yester-
day afternoon. The Committee on
Religious Life in the Nations Capi-
tai was the sponsoring organization,
and those participating included
Rev. DR.. Albert J. Mccartney, min
lister of the Covenant First Presby-
terrain Church, chairman; Henry I.
Quinn, who represented Rev. DR..
John K. Cartwright, pastor of the
Church of the Immaculate Concep-
ton; Rev. DR.. H. W. Burgan, pastor
OF the Hamline Methodist Church.
and Rabbi Norman Gerstenfeld,
minister of the Washington Hebrew
Congregation.
Each of the speakers stressed the
Importance of gratitude for blessings
enjoyed by their countrymen.
Let us give thanks" DR.. Cartney
declared in his Introductory address,
that it is our good fortune to live
in land where the great rank and
file OF the people possess more politi-
cal freedom, more material bless
lngs, more spiritual opportunities
than are vouchsafed to any other
people under the SUM-"
Mr.. Quinn. reading a manuscript
prepared by Father Cartwright,
warned that "the causes of war are
materialism, greed. race hatred
class Jealousy and general apostasy
from religion and from God. These
causes are found not only in foreign
fields, but in our own. Millions of
our people have been going farther
and farther from the fountains of
faith and grace. This abandonment
OF the sources of mans spiritual
strength has come to its retribution
IN Europe, and to its very climax in
Germany and Russia. But here in
America the process is under way.
Only reversal of direction, only
rededication of our people, only a
reconsecration of America to the
God of our fathers can change the
outcome"
Urges Remembrance of God.
| DR.. Burgan urged similar re-
| pentance in his address. The
greatest boon that can come out of
this Thanksgiving Day" he said, sis
for America to gratefully remember
God, who would work through us
both to will and to do of His good
pleasure" Four blessings, the same
speaker cited, are among those for
which the Nation should be CRATE
ful-"the miracle of memory, the
mercy of mystery, the healing of
time and the fascination of change. y
Human inability to be certain about
the future, he declared, is not a
handicap. Yet, there is assurance
for America. In spite of the haunts
of wretchedness and need which
mar our cities, the selfish strife
between classes, the lure of greed
the war cries of race and clan, we
can have confidence. The history
of civilization is the story of change,
and changes are coming in the life
Of America. These terrify some
persons. Changes in economic
structure, in social customs, expand
ing political horizons mark this age
We need not be afraid, if we keep
step with the onmarching God.
Progress can come only through
change. God is not afraid of
change"
Rabbi Gerstenfeld paid homage
to the Pilgrim Fathers of New Eng
land for their devotion to the prin-
ciples of life set forth in the Old
Testament. 1--WE can understand -
he told the unseen congregation,
why these pious pioneers rooted
in that ancient Hebraic tradition
should establish with their first
harvest the feast of Thanksgiving
to the good God, the giver of The
precious fruits of the earth. 1t
arose out of the classic pattern of
their venerated Scriptures and out
of the eternal gratitude of the
human heart to the God who re-
wards our honest labors"
Union Service.
More than 1900 persons attended
union service in Calvary Baptist
Church in which four congregations
participated.
The worshipers contributed mon
ey, food and other gifts for the
city's underprivileged. DR.. Raphael
H. Miller, pastor of the National
City Christian Church, declared one
of the differences between free
countries and totalitarian states is
the privilege of sharing life's goods
willingly or under coercion. The
difference between the two systems