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THANKSGIVING NUMBER
f
- NOV
The Presbyterk^ -?f the South
Vol. 97. No. 47. RICHMOND, VA.
NOVEMBER 22, 1922
Thanksgiving should be a part of the
very nature of every Christian. When
we once realize that we are continually the
objects of God's love and mercy and providen
tial care, our spirits should be in a perpetual
attitude of thanksgiving. All that we have
comes from God, the life that sends the heart
blood coursing through our veins, the air we
breathe, the water we drink, the food that sus
tains our bodies, the clothing that makes us
comfortable, the homes that furnish us a
haven of quiet rest and peace, and of love, the
loved ones ami friends who brighten the jour
ney of life and inspire us to press on to better
things. These are some of the temporal bless
ings we are constantly receiving, but the spir
itual blessings which God bestows on us far
outweigh all others. He has given us His
measureless love, He has given us His own Son
to be our Saviour, through His death an infi
nite salvation has been provided for us, His
Holy Spirit has been given to comfort, sanc
tify and guide us as we go along the way that
God intends us to go. And then we are as
sured that the blessings of God's love shall not
be limited to this life, but that they are to con
tinue into the unlimited future. The new life
given us through Christ Jesus begins here, but
it will run on through eternity. We have the
promise of our Saviour that we shall dwell for
ever in the Father's home, and be continually
in His presence, and that we shall have the
joy of being with our loved ones, where there
shall be neither sin nor separation nor sickness
nor death. We should indeed render continual
thanks to God for all His benefits toward us.
But it is well to have a special time set apart,
when we should take an inventory of God's
blessings and render to Him special thanks.
This is the reason why a special day has been
set apart as Thanksgiving Day. The promi
nent feature of this day should be thanksgiv
ing to God for His goodness to us and to oth
ers.
JAPANESE women have recently gained a
victory that will mean a great deal, no
doubt, in coming years. In that country girls
of from six to twelve years of age are often
sold by their p^ents to men who train them to
become what is known as Geisha girls. They
are held in absolute slavery and can only secure
their release by paying back to their masters
all that they claim that the education of the
girls has cost them. This money, in most cases,
must be saved out of the very limited wages
paid them by their masters. This means that
practically very few are ever able to secure
their freedom. Recently a girl of twenty years
of ago wanted to leave her slavery in order
to be married. Her master refused to release
her. The ease was taken to the courts where
it was decided that the bondage in which this
girl was held was real slavery and that it was
contrary to the law of the land, and she was
set free. It will mean a great deal to the wom
anhood and to the morality of Japan. It is
sincerely to be hoped that steps will be taken
at once to release the thousands of these Geisha
girls and that provision will be made for tak
ing care of them and training them for useful
lives. With sufficient means supplied no
doubt our missionaries could do a good work
in this connection.
STEWARDSHIP is not a new idea nor is it
a new term, but in recent years it has
taken on an enlarged meaning in the minds
of many of God's people. We are beginning
to realize that all that we have belongs to God,
and is to be used as He wants us to use it. This
applies to our material wealth, of course. It
means that we are to use as much of it for our
selves and those immediately dependent upon
us as is necessary to fit us best for God's ser
vice, and the remainder is to be used for the
benefit of others as God shows us how He wants
it to be used. But stewardship has a far wider
meaning. God has given us many things that
LET US QIVE THANKS
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy
name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits.
Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good:
For His mercy endureth forever.
Oh, give thanks unto the God of gods:
Por His mercy endureth forever.
Oh, give thanks unto the Lord of lords:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him who alone doeth great wonders:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that by wisdom made the heavens:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that stretched out the earth above the
waters:
For His mercy endureth forever.
To Him that made great lights:
For His mercy endureth forever.
The sun to rule by day:
For His mercy endureth forever.
The moon and stars to rule by night:
For His mercy endureth forever.
"Who remembered our low estate:
For His mercy endureth forever.
And hath redeemed us from our enemies:
For His mercy endureth forever.
Who giveth food to all flesh:
For His mercy endureth forever.
Oh, give thanks unto the God of heaven:
For His mercy endureth forever.
What shall I reader unto the Lord for all
His benefits toward me?
I will take the cup of salvation, and call
upon the name of the Lord.
are of more value than our material wealth.
He has given us bodies, minds and souls, but
He has only intrusted these to us in order that
they may be used for His glory. Every talent
that we possess, no matter how little it may
seem to be, can be and should be used for the
advancement of the kingdom and glory of
God. What better time can we have for re
newing our consecration to God of ourselves
and all that we have than at this thanksgiving
season?
WHY do young people neglect religion, is
a question that is often asked. We be
lieve the answer is very simple. Of course
there is the natural tendency of a sinful na
ttire to make evjry one neglect religion, but
this is no greater in the young than in others.
The special cause which affects the young is
the neglect of older people. When a boy finds
that very few men go to Sunday School or
church, he naturally feels that there is no rea
son for his going. If his father does not show
his religion in his life, if he does not hold fam
ily worship, if he does not attend upon the ser
. vices of God's house, he need not expect hi?
boy to do so, nor to take religion as a matter of
serious importance. A Christian man, who had
been the superintendent of a Sunday School,
and whose children had always attended very
regularly, on one occasion said, "I do not be
lieve in sending children to Sunday School."
When surprise was expressed that he should
make such a statement, he added, "I believe
the parents ought to take their children with
them to Sunday School." Young people are
very apt to be interested in what older people
are interested in, though the interest may be
shown in a different way. When older people
cease to neglect religion, the younger people
will not neglect it either.
ORPHANS' HOMES have been established
in many parts of our Church to take care
of the fatherless little ones, who have none to
look to for help and protection save the Church.
Every one of these institutions is overcrowded
and yet each one is constantly obliged to de
cline to receive little ones that need its care,
because there is not room to receive them. For
their care and support the orphans are depend
ent upon the liberality of God's people. Some
times those in charge are hard pressed to find
the means to provide food and clothiagr This
is not due to any inability on the part of God 's
people to supply the needs, nor is it due to a
lack of sympathy with these helpless ones, but
usually it is due to a lack of information on
the part of those who ought to be well in
formed, and because so many do not realize a
personal responsibility in the matter. At this
time of the year, when we have our attention
specially directed to the many blessings that
God has given us, we cannot do better than to
think of the wants of these fatherless ones, and
divide with them some of the blessings we have
received.
UNTON of the Presbyterian, Methodist and
Congregational churches of Canada,
which has been under consideration for a long
time, is still verv vigorously opposed. Recently
a meeting of 700 Presbyterians gathered from
all over the Dominion was held in Toronto in
opposition to the union. It seems that the union
cannot become effective until it has been acted
on by the Canadian Parliament. A strong ef
fort is to be made to prevent such action.
The "fruit of the Spirit" means another
honest man in the market place, another long
filled life in the workshop, another man with
the sin of the city under his feet, another
breath of prayer and reverence and godliness
going forth to sweeten the life of the factory,
the school, the homee, the study, and the street.