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T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
November 1926
we have and are, as a nation, to Him. Does our ingrati tude hurt His great heart? Does our selfishness and indifference give Him pain ? Are we as a nation drift ing away from the moorings o f the faith o f our fathers? Will the theatres and picture ghows be full of grate ful people on Thanksgiving Day? Will the dance halls resound with hallelujahs? W ill spiritual songs break forth from the beaches? Will the mountains and hills echo the sounds of holy rejoicing? Will God be “ in all their thoughts” ? What will the atheists be doing to “ abolish God’,’ on that day? Will they distribute their literature?
GIVING THANKS FOR GOD ’S GOODNESS The United States o f America is today the outstand ing nation o f the world, and the logical question is "W h y is it ? ” It is a new nation. It is separated from the old nations by the waters of two great oceans. It is large in area and yet compact. It is the richest of the nations. Its citizenship is complex, for its doors have been wide open in the past to all peoples, though now the influx is restricted by more stringent immigration laws. We have treated the people who have come to
We have come a long way in a short time, as a nation. We have left behind many sacred privileges. The first place in our hearts has been assigned to other gods. We are wealthy. We are great in our own eyes. But we have short memories. We forget that there are other nations, which were once great and prosperous which are poor and needy now. W o u l d it not be a fine thing if we,' as a n a t i o n , could gather on Thanksgiv ing Day, confess our sins, and pour out our hearts in gratitude to God; reach up and put our hands in the Hands that were pierced, . and call Him L o r d and Master ? He is real. Make Him rea l! Enter into His heavenly gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name!
us with a large measure of tolerance and have permit ted them to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. God has been bountiful in His blessings to ns. *As a nation, we were founded on our faith in God ’s H o l y Word, which has been recog nized as authoritative, al though s u b j e c t to many interpretations. It is hon ored by the President, who presses it to his lips when he takes the oath of office. It is recognized in every court of justice, and every witness m u s t swear with uplifted hand that with God’s help he will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Thanksgiving D a y h a s been a memorable day in recognition o f God ’s gra cious goodness to us, and every loyal citizen should recognize that fact when he reads the President’s procla
HYMN OF THANKSGIVING TjffOR all that God in mercy sends; JJi For health and children, home and friends, For comfort in the time of need, For guidance in our daily walk, For everything, give thanks! For beauty in this world of ours, For verdant grass and lovely flowers, For song of birds, for hum of bees, For the refreshing summe* breeze, For hill and plain, for streams and wood, For the great ocean’s mighty flood, For everything, give thanks! For the sweet sleep which comes with night, For the returning morning’s light, For the bright sun that shines on high, For every kindly word and deed, For happy thoughts and holy talk,
For the stars glittering in the sky, For these and everything we see, O L ord ! our hearts we lift to Thee, And give Thee hearty thanks!
— Selected.
IS CHRIST’S COMING IMMINENT? There is a remarkable sound the world around which may well arrest the attention o f every thoughtful believer. Are the prophesied times at hand? The startling fact is that not only in religious papers and magazines, but in secular papers o f all kinds, the question is, “ What does it all mean—this spirit of unrest and uncertainty so manifest everywhere ? ’ ’ There are no signs of relief or peace anywhere, but there are signs which cause thinking men to ponder deeply and which fill them with alarm. The “ World Court” wobbles in the hands o f the politicians. Every nation would like to have things go smoothly—until they were in good shape to combine with others in defense o f their own interests! Each looks askance at the other and tries to fathom their motives.
mation. Thousands will do this, and many churches will be open where people will gather in the name of Jesus Christ and voice their anthems and songs of praise, and He who sitteth upon the throne will rejoice in every breath of true acknowledgment o f His loving kindness and tender mercies. Thanksgiving Day was no doubt ordained of God for America, and has had its influence in the past; but as the years have rolled along it has become less and less o f a “ holy-day” and more and more of a holiday. In place o f every church gathering its own people together for a Thanksgiving service, as formerly, now one church accommodates all who will gather out o f sev eral congregations, and the number o f real worshippers decreases as the population increases. Why is this?. God looks down from His throne and sees and knows every heart. He has been so good to us. He has favored us so graciously. We owe all that
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