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3. For power to be victorious o v e r evils. Many are the evils in this day of in vertebrate theology, jellyfish morality, India-rubber convictions, sommersault- and-seesaw religion. But we read: “Now thanks be unto God, which always caus- eth us to triumph in Christ, a,nd maketh manifest the savor of his knowledge by us in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14). For the power to be victorious over 'all evils, all ills, and all temptations in this pres ent evil age, we give thanks—rejoicing that we Can be “always bearing about In the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Cor. 4:10). 4. For the Bible. 1 For this Book out of which has blos somed every social and national bless ing we enjoy today, we give thanks. It is the plot of heaven-blessed and vita lized soil from which has sprung our every social and national blessing. In praise of this Word of God, the best we can say, with tongue or pen, is but man’s mean paint on God’s fair lilies; it is but man’s paste jewels in God’s . casket of pure gems. Our best efforts . to praise it are but disfigurements. It is the living Word of the living God— the Book supernatural in origin, eternal in duration, inexpressible in value, im- measureable in influence, i n f i n i t e in 'scope, divine in authorship," human in penmanship, regenerative in power, in fallible in authority, universal in inter est; personal in application, inspired in - totality. And today, wherever it is read and treasured, it breaks the fetters of the slave,, subdues life’s fierce fevers, robs death of Its sting and parting of its pain. Thanks be unto God that this miracle Book of diversity in unity—har monious in its infinite complexity—today ' walks more bypaths, travels more high ways, knocks at more doors, and speaks to more people in their mother tongue than does any other book. 5. For spiritual blessings—in Christ -Jesus. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeak able gift” (2 Cor. 9:15). Thanks be to God “who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings . . . in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). These are the blessings of peace, forgiveness, redemption; the blessings -of being chosen in Him, predestined unto, eternal life, and sealed with the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption. Thanks be to God for Christ, who died as the Just One for the unjust, that He might bring us to God—who, on the „cross, became for us all that God must judge, that we, through faith In Him, might become all that God cannot judge. For Christ, more precious to the soul than health and life to tie sick and dying, we give thanks. For the grace He daily bestows for living and for daily service, for the fact that He has once for all finished the plan of redemption for us, and that nothing more need
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Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp'unto our. God: "Who covereth toe heaven with douds, who prepareto rain tor tli« earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains." ■lf*a. 147:£ * }.
Photo by Gilbert E. Kirkpatrick
and tongue, and people, and nation,” and “made us unto our God kings and priests” (Rev. 5:12, 9, 10). By faith we stand, as it were, on Nebo looking away toward the “better country, that is, a heavenly.” A silver stream, which we call Death, rolls in between. Than e’er I’ve been before.” - ' . j We presently s h a l l be greeting old friends in that happy land—all of us who have received Christ and have par taken of His atonement. Oh, happy day of hand-clasping and reunion, when we shall gather, like veterans around their camp fires, to recount the experiences that we are now passing through! Oh, happy, happy day! And of all the fa miliar faces that we shall see, none will compare with one face, “so marred yet divinely beautiful,” the face of the Lord who has healed us of all the ills that human flesh is heir to; whom we shall greet as the oldest, dearest, and most faithful of friends, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ “One sweetly solemn thought Comes to me o’er and o’er; Nearer my home today am I
be added—for these we give thanks. 6. For victory over death and the hope of something better farther on. “Christ . . . hath abolished death” (2 Tim. 1:10). At thè cross, death was abolished. At the second advent of our Lord, death will be swallowed up. At the end, death will be destroyed—by Christ Jesus. And beyond death is the heayenly home. We are pilgrims and sojourners here, pre paring for a life that shall continue through the endless eons of eternity. We shall be there presently; and blessed be God, we shall be praising Him for ever more for His loving-kindness! “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into t}ie heart of man, the things which God ' hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). The happy land is not, as the hymn declares, “far, far away.” Its lights glimmer through the mists that obstruct our vision here and now. Its Songs of thanksgiving come to us in faint ech oes: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain,” and who has redeemed us to God by His blood “out of every kindred.
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