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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
IAT0BDAY. NOVEMBER no.
II
PRAYER, THE PATHWAY UP TO GLADNESS
By REV. RICHARD ORME FLINN,
PASTOR NORTH AVENUE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
A Real Good Time,
r WONDER If our friends to whom
we apeak each week through The
1 Georgian’s page were as happy
last Thursday as the friends who gath
ered with us at our church for our
eighth Thanksgiving service there?
Well, we cordlaly hope they were, for
we. at North Avenue, had a genuinely
joyous time. Let me tell you about It.
At 10:30 o’clock Thursday morning we
,5.«embled In our lecture room, and
then, after a song, a prayer, a respon
sive reading from the Psalms and a
few words of introduction from the
leader, the testimonies began, and the
meeting was In the hands of the peo
ple. For an hour and a quarter these
testimonies continued. Interspersed
with prayers and songs of praise.
Joyous Fellowship.
As one after the other opened their
hearts and told their Heavenly Father
an d their brethren about that* which
was to them of such Intimate concern,
we found, through kindred confessions,
how very much alike we were and
how much of sorrow and of joy we had
j n common. The statements were so
frank, so tender, so genuine and so
human that they touched responsive
chords and so sometimes we laughed
and sometimes we cried and sometimes
wv» gave, thanks or prayed—but all the
while we felt our sympathies were
broadening and our love was growing
greater.
Written Confessions.
Quite a number of our members who
were away from the city or hindered
from attendance by their sickness sent
a written message to be read during
the meeting, and so also did many of
t;*p women who were present. These
written statements were most Interest-
ine.
of course,, as In the rase of the per-
n'innl testimonies, the themes for their
thanksgiving varied. But after the
meeting was over and as In the evening
we sat quietly In our study thinking
ever what had been said, and reading
over what had been written, we were
pn.uk with this: More than one-third
,r those who wrote their grounds for
gratitude agreed.
Testimonies Concerning Prayer.
Their conditions were quite differ
ent nnd several of them had but recent
ly emerged from heavy sorrow, but
t py were al agreed and were full of
thanksgiving, and the reason they as-
r’gretl for gratitude was prayer. Yes.
tnev all thanked God for prayer. Some
st*«ke of Its privilege, some of Its com
fit!. sonw of Its power, and some of
the Joy Its answer gave: but they nil.
d?«pite the trials the year had brought
them, agreed In attributing to prayer
their ability, with sincerity, to unite
th'h- praise with those who. out of a j
glad heart, gave thanks to God. As we
upon this our thoughts ran
MB 1 K ° you who » th °ugh unknown to
F* *y name or face, are loved and
longed for In the Lord.
Our Unknown Friends.
Recently we have been surprised by
assurances from the most unexpected
sources to realize how many we are
reaching through the columns of The
Georgian. In places where we had never
thought to reach. And as this has been
impressed upon us. and as we have
reeognlzed how different; not only were
the varied states and stations but as
well the needs and the conditions of
tne many members of this Vast and un-
aU( M? nc ® *’e address, we have
lifted our hearts to God in prayer that
He would make us true to this great
which we feel so Insufficient,
and that He give u*,* by His grace, the
power to really help you.
And thus, I say, as I quietly reread
these written statements of thanks-
g ving and realized afresh how large a
place prayer held in the making of
life s gladness. I felt that this truth
might prove a help to you as It has
been a help to me.
But since these written testimonies
have suggested this, suppose we look
at some of them. Here Is one from a
man who at this season of reunion is
separated from all he holds most dear.
He has suffered much, but he does not
blessings, but especially for His answer'
to our prayers.” and then an instance ;
in point Is cited. • •
And still one more I will show you, 1
from one who faced, not long ago, an ;
almost overwhelming sorrow, whichI
she bravely bore ami overcame upon j
her knees:
“A mother’s heart Is overflowing with ‘
love and thanksgiving to her God for;
His mercy in restoring her son. ‘More !
things arc wrought by prayer than this i
world dreams of.* ” • j
We read and re-read these testl-j
monies, and now, my dear friends, as i
we thought of all that lay behind them 1
and of what they meant to those who}
made them, and then, as we thought of*
you who were. It may be. sitting song- !
less in the night, while others were re
joicing In their dawn or noonday, our
heart went out to you in unfeigned :
sympathy, and we longed to point you:
to this pathway back to gladness. S
The Path to Praise.
If, albeit through the blessed gos
pel you have been made acquainted!
with your Heavenly Father, you can
not. with the multitude, sincerely sing,
“Praise God, from whom ail blessings
flow,” then something Is amiss, nnd you
have cause for serious concern. This
sense of gloom and Joylessness Is nei
ther norma] nor healthy, and, however
grieve. He writes? '*1 want to test!- may have come about, no one should
fy that God Is good and makes me su- be to continue in such a state,
premely happy all the time I often' of cour "«. there are reasons for such
feel that my dear friends in North! a c °B**lt!on. and if you will examine
Avenue church are praying for me. and' wl| l And them to b* three:
am so glad and thankful. I am'
thankful that, while absent from you,
I may yet meet once a week In a
church with some earnest. Christian
brother, and Join In a circle prayer for
the outpouring of the spirit upon you
al home.”
Here is another, written from a san
itarium, where he who wrote It has
Just come back from the dark ‘Valley
of the shadow” and the borderland of
death. He Is but now convalescing
from n serious sickness that carried
him very near the brink.
In the beginning of his note, he i
First, Your soul’s eclipse may come
about through a state of spiritual In
sensibility.
. .Or, second, It may be due to an over
whelming sorrow.
Or else. It may be caused by sin.
These are the three ways in which
a Joyless darkness falls, but from
them back Into the day and God’s
blessed sunlight there reaches out the
path of prayer.
The Sadness of 8in.
Sin we have named an the third
i reason for our tYoom of soul, but let
first consider it; for the other two.
speaks of his gratitude for the Shep- alas, both our sorrow and insensibility,
herds psalm (Psalm 23). which he j may at last too oft be traced back
repeats, and then continuing, he says: | to sin.
I thank Him for t) many prayers
that followed me through the valley
of the shadow. I was conscious of
them all the way. nnd It Is In answer
to prayer that my recovery has been
so remarkable and no rapid.”
The Powor of Prayer.
Here Is another:
’’The greatest blessing that has come
Into my life Is that 1 have been able
to realize, as never before, the mar
velous power of prayer.”
And here Is n similar statement:
”1 want to thank God for numerous
The sin that has made you songless
may be cold and passionless. The sin
of intellectual pride that leads you to
doubt God’s word, or to decline to ac
cept Its testimony concerning the Deity
of Christ, nr the necessity of the atone
ment. or the need of the new birth, or
the eternal consequences of a lack of
faith, or of a full surrender.
Sin That Scorches.
Or. your sin may be hot and defiling,
throbbing In your blood, burnldk like
an evil fire In your heart, and flaming
In your mind, while It enkindles your
REV. RICHARD ORME FLINN.
imagination, blisters your soul, seers
your conscience and melts down all your
moral manhood.
Or, again, your sin nfay be colorless
nnd unaggresslve—a negative sort—one
of omission rather than of commis
sion. but however It may be, all sin
brings gloom nnd sorrow. Sin makes
the isoul cease singing and paralyzes
praise.
Now, this Is known to some of you.
too well. But do you know as truly
that prayer Is tho pathway up from
sin Into God’s sunlight?
A Testimony.
The other day. In Chicago, at a so
cial gathering of the Young Men’s
Presbyterlal Union, where 200 of the
3,000 representative, aggressive and
successful business men who represent
the very best life of the city nnd who
are members of the various Brother
hood Bible classes, were assembled and
were discussing prayer, an old man
who was present arose and said:
”1 don’t know whether you young
men will count it an Intrusion, hut I
•..ant to bear testimony to the reality
of the power which God gives me
through prayer. I am 42 year* old. I
prayed once when I was a boy of 12.
I was In a police station then and I
prayed, but after that I never prayed
again until I was 40 years old. I had
wasted and wrecked my life. The doc
tors said that there was no escape for
me from the habit that enslaved me,
except death. But there was. I was
sitting In a newspaper office when I
saw In a paper a testimony offered by
.onefof the Voli%ntfeers,of America. He
! salfl he knew' that God would hear a
i man's prayer, and that God cvmld save
‘ him. I made up my mind thal I would
try. I cried out to God In agony, and
I tell you he heArd me. In one Instant
he broke the habit which the doctors
said I would be freed from only by
, death. I have never had a taste for
i those, things since. You may be sure I
‘believe In prayer.”
To thief testimony we could add many
more, and, with them, we could give
our own for we, too, have learned
through prayer to know the Joy of vic
tory over alp that once enslaved.
Tas Hope and Pray.
O, my dear friend, far, far from
those Joyous days of innocence; far.
far from home and love and purity
and peace, and lost to hope, take
cheer! Just now'—Just where you are
—dare to look up to God! And pray!
And He," whose ear is ever bent to
catch .the faintest cry of faith and
penitence will help. Deliverance
you may seem impossible. But It is
not. No, nothing Is too hard for God.
Then try Him. Trust, I say* nnd pray.
Reliof For Sorrow,
Sin always brings sorrow, and none
can cease sorrowing w'ho will not
cease sinning. But there are sorrows
that do not come from sin—that Is
from our own sin, or from any sin
known to us, with w'hich they may be
directly associated.
The best of God’s Saints know, with
the rest, the weight of sorrow: yes,
and .these sorrows are so great at
times as to well nigh stagger faith.
Brave Words.
If we could only in the brave words
of the blind Scotch bard, George Math-
eson, amid all sorrow, say:
"O joy that seekest me through pain
I canot close my heart to Thee.”
—then with him we could sing:
“I trace the rainbow through the rain
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.”
But, sometimes, our sorrows over
whelm us and that which our Heav
enly Father has sent upon us to min
ister to our perfection nnd an a mark
of favor, we mistake as punishment, as
fear, ns n hurtful thing. We forget
that it Is the forge and tho anvil
strokes that give the beauty and the
value to the basest metal. And so we
brood and fear and faint and selfishly
repine and nurse our sorrow and loose
our song.
Selfish Sorrow.
But, my dear friend, this Is not right.
Nor is It wise. Instead of dark dis
tress, even amidst your grief, you may
have peace; yes,
“Peace, perfect peace, viith sorrow's
*■ surging round:
On Jesus’ bosom naught but calm Is
Recall that sweet and true old song
of Hugh Stowell’s, “The Mercy-Seat.”
which you have heard since childhood:
"From every stormy Wind that blows.
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat,
'TIs found beneath the mercy-seat,”
Do you act wisely, then, to thus se
clude yourself? Nay, to sorrow linger
thus were sin.
Up! Put aside your selfish Idleness.
Cease your complaint. Affirm your
faith. Begin again your task. Advance
upon your knees. And this midnight
hour will pass, or. the stars will nhlne.
The sighing of your soul will change to
song and you will find your Father’s
face.
Spiritual Insensibility.
And now a closing word concerning
this great mystery of the Christian’s
life. It Is a pledge of “The Book” that
“The path of the Just la ns the shining
light, that shlneth more and more unto
the perfect day." (Provy 4:18.) And
Jesus said .(John S: 12)r ”1 am the
light of the world: he that followeth
Me shall not walk In darkness, but
shall have the fight of life.” And yet,
at times, those who do follow Him are
In the dark. Now, why? What does
It mean?
First, let us say the secret may be
sin—some neglected means of grace;
some compromise of conscience, or
some sudden temptation before which
we have fallen. Ir this be the reason—
and this is usually the reason—then
we must go back to where we left the
Master and His path to wander In the
dark. Yes, we. must repent, return
and seek His grace, and we shall find
the light.
Why God It Hidden.
But sometimes sin Is not the reason
for this strange eclipse. Hometitnes
while we are trusting Him and are obe
dient our Father leaves us, for a mo
ment. and hides His face, even as He
did from Christ upon the cross. In or
der that He may test us or that He may
teach us. He carries us Into the durk
little while that He may show us
some sacred secret which He bids us
make known for Him when we have
found the light again (Luke 12:3).
We are fold that “ clouds nnd dark
ness are around about Him” nnd so when
He would draw us very near to Him
self lie must take us Into the dark nnd
cloud. How, then, shall we do when
this strange experience occurs nnd we
find all the glory leaving the way we
are taking with the Lord? Why, turn
to your Bibles and read Isaiah 50:5-11.
Pause on the tenth verse and consider
Its teaching. “Who Is there among you
that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth
the voice of His servant, that walketh
In darkness and hath no light? Let
him trust In the name of the Lord and
stay upon his God." Here, then.la our an
swer when we have examined ourselves
and can find no tolerated sin: when
we are sure that we are one of those
who “fear the Lord" nnd who “obey
the voice of His servant.” and vet are
"walking In darkness and have no
light.” then let qs "set our faces like a
flint” and be sure "the Lord will help
us” and "know that we shall not be
ashamed.”
God Will Hear Us.
Yes, though we' be but as—
"Children In the light.
And children crying for the light.
And with no language but a cry’’—
it Is enough. Our Father will not
leave us In the dark. He will come to
our call nnd comfort us In His great
arms.
A Story.
It !s told of Spurgeon that once, sud
denly, he passed Into' such a spiritual
eclipse in which, despite his mighty
faith and rich experience, he remained
for a number of days. Finally he was
forced to preach in his great taberna
cle. There was no alternative. In
agony of soul he took as his text the
cry of our Lord upon the cross, “My
God! my God! Why hast Thou for
saken me?” After the service he went
quickly Into his study nnd In despair
flung himself Into his chair, deter
mined never to preach again. Suddenly
ho heard a knock. The door opened.
A man entered, and laid upon the table
the implements of his self-destruction,
as he said: “Mr. Spurgeon, I was pass.
Ing the tabernacle this morning on my
way to commit suicide. Hearing the
singing, 1 came In and stayed to hear
you preach, and now I have come to
speak ?ith yoiL for in your sermon I
saw there was at least one man la
London more miserable than myself.
Springing up. Mr. Spurgeon hastened
to point the man to Christ and to tell
him of His compassion and His power;
and It Is *ald ns he sough* to bring
this brother back to joy, he found the
light himself and fell upon his knees
In glad thanksgiving.
And so. o, friend pf mine, unknown
and yet beloved, may you by trust and
waiting on the Lord, by quietness and
confidence along the path of prayer,
pass out again front darkness into the
glory of your Father’s conscious pres
ence.
A THANKSGIVING ADDRESS
D.llv.r.d at th. Jewish Tempi, at
Union Thanksgiving S.rvie. und.r tho
auspices of Unity Club, Nov, 29, 1907.
By REV. EVERETT DEAN ELLENWOOD,
PASTOR UNIVERSALIST CHURCH
I T IS particularly appropriate that
ue should gather for our Thanks
giving festival within theaccustom-
f 5 place of worship of those who repre
sent In their race the great mother re-
r*!»»n which originated and Instituted
« ppcdal and official day of thanksgiv
ing. For wc must not forgot that when
civ pilgrim ancestors, endeavoring to
tf;wr their altar upon the Inhospita
ble shores of a new land, *et apart a
* la! day of thanksgiving for the
r.iarif .Id mercies of Almighty God, they
iM but establish for a nation yet un-
b -n n religious rite as old ns the He-
Irv. law. and gave to our own be-
i'Ved land the proud distinction of
**tag the only Gcntilo people to copy
nnu rnak' continued use of the beau-
t'Lil, grateful, joyous. Feast of Tab-
And ye; it was not In conscious im
itation of Israel, but rather hs the nat
ural product of that Instinctive rellg-
l us nature given to him by Israel’s
that the genuine nnd productive
Jirty of the*early pilgrim bended down
t * us this beautiful custom, now be-
*'»nm a national festival which grows
smrr precious with the passage of
each year.
And so it Is with a happy sense of a
spiritual home-coming that we gather
’ itbln this beautiful temple ns a great
uni grateful family that with united
!>'uts we may render thanks unto the
“•mm-m Father who hath loved us all
,nt:j being, and whose boundless mercy.
and providential care, awl guiding wis
dom extends freely and impartially to
Jew and Gentile, bond and free.
Truly our thanksgiving should be
genuine and spontaneous. Every heart
should be able to echo the adoration
of one of old. “how manifold are thy
mercies unto us, O, God!” for certainly
the people of this community hav<
been signally blessed and prospered,
both in prevention of overwhelming
misfortune and In possession of in
creasing comfort and happiness and
righteousness, during the year that Is
passing. One year ago, when we met
together here, we were still shuddering
from the recent shock of a tremendous
social catastrophe, a most discourag
ing moral anachronism which seemed
for a time to turn back the onward
sweeping tide of human brotherhood,
und render but a ho!lo\* mockery our
frequent proud boast of our own era
as the most civilized century of human
history. But our God, who unfailingly
hears and answers the sincere prayer
of every contrite heart, has been moved
by the penitential tears of Hla people,
who have eagerly brought forth fruit*
meet for repentance, and the shme skies
which a few short months ago re
ceived, with herror the sickening In
cense of a momentary carnival of sav
agery, now smile In loving benediction
upon a community whose members live
In peace nnd concord one with another,
whose laws aie administered promptly,
unfailingly and impartially so that Jus
tice is os certain for the weak as for
the strong, protection ns adequate for
the rich as for the poor, and prosperity
nnd happiness are within the grasp of
all who pray for them by the combina
tion of works with faith. No longer
are we a hissing and a by-word among
nations, but our legislative and execu
tive activity are become eagerly rend
text-books for other municipalities and
commonwealths, who, seeing our good
, works, not only glorify God, but ;are
[hastening to obtain for themselves the
.benefits td be gained by following our
examples. We have Indeed redeemed
the times which were evil and are set
ting our facs steadfast^, toward that
higher righteousness which Is possible
only through the unswerving allegiance
to that God-given Instinct In every nor
mal human heart, which unfailingly
proclaims the doctrine of the universal
Fatherhood of God and the all-embrac
ing Brotherhood of man.
It is meet and proper at this time
that we should return oixr thanks for
the manifold material blessings which
have come to ua aa. individuals and as
a people during the year. Monstrous
Indeed would It be if we shbuld fall
to hold gratitude In our hearts, for life
and the very' joy of living in so beau
tiful and comfortable a world, for
homes and friends, nnd the tender love
which proves Itself stronger even than
death, for the wooing warmth of the
sun and the unceasing wonder of the
starlit heavens, for the songs of the
birds and the fragrance of .the flowers,
for all of the things which arc so good
to enjoy, and for the full power to en
joy them, let us hasten to give hearty
thanks.
And let us not fall to give thanks In
our hearts and by our lives for the
land In which we live and for the gov
ernment of which we form a part, for
a ruler endowed with foresight, right
eousness and unlimited courage, and
for legislative regulations allowing the
largest degree of genuine freedom, with
the greatest possibilities for the devel
REV. E. D. ELLENWOOD.
opment of the Individual, commensu
rate with national, ns well as individual
hnpplness and progress. Truly It Is an
occasion for genuine thanksgiving that
we are citizens of this most favored
land.
We are grateful, also, at this time,
for the many Indications of an Increas
ing liberality and tolerance In religious
thought and belief. Fifty years ago,
such n gathering as this, nnd such an
organization as the Unity Club, repre
settling, as they do, so many different
shades of religious faith, would have
been practically Impossible, so certain,
apparently, was each special brand of
religionist that he hail taken hln own
pitiful little theological ttneup and
dipped the whole mighty ocean of God’s
truth dry, leaving nothing upon which
a brother of differing credal conception
might float his own bark of faith nnd
hope. But, today, the enlarging thought
of God Is taking possession of the
hearts of men and we are not so ready
j to limit His love and care and guid
ance to any nation or people. In the
sincere worship of every sect we are
able to recognize an acceptable path
to the life nnd the love of the Infinite
Father, and In this Increasing sym
pathy and mutual respect we may see
the cheering prophecy of the world's
long dream of human brotherhood, that
"far off divine event, toward which the
whole creation moves.”
For our Increasing sense of the divin
ity of man and the consequent grow
ing belief In the gospel of self-respect,
we are truly grateful. No longer do
we seek to flatter God by defaming His
creatures, but, filled with the con
sciousness of the Indwelling of the Holy
Spirit, we are no longer wllllngto pro
claim ourselves “worms of the dust”
and depraved and worthless creatures
of earth, but with hearts overflowing
with gratitude we welcome the thrill
ing sense of infinity which possesses
us and which urges us on toward
nobler thoughts and grander achieve
ments, with that splendid aspiration
hlch attempts even the unattainable.
But let us not neglect the obllga-
tlons of our gratitude. It Is well that
the thanksgiving of our hearts should
be viral in praise, nnd we are truly
grateful to those among us who are
able to clothe beautiful thoughts In
such sweet and comforting nnd cheer
ing music, for this Is truly nn accept
able method of living and acting our
gratitude to the Giver cf all good.
And, as we endeavor to give thanks
for the privileges of citizenship wnlcfi
we enjoy, let us remember tho cbllja-
tlcns which these privileges cntmi id
register anew our pledges of < agbr and
loyal service to tba* p-.vr-r-
through which we enjoy such large lib
erty and boundless opportunity,
us see t.i it ihai In our schools the
youth shall be trained for citizenship
as well ns being fitted for making
money. More Important even than the
making of a living Is the making of a
life.
And let us always make haste to
discharge our duties of bravery, cheer
fulness. confidence and faith. In these
day's of inct'easing affluence und un
stinted prosperity we face the danger of
allowing ourselves to fall into the spir
itual habit of directing our worship to
ward the bounties of God rather than
toward their Author. All of the ex
periences of life are sent to us from
the same source, and It Is designed that
all of them shall be used, that thereby
we shall Ipcrease In spiritual wisdom
and stature, nnd In favor with God
and man. Therefore, the actual de
mands of our gratitude require of us
that we shall not repine or lose our
faith In the goodness of God when we
have occasion to “walk through the
valley of the shadow',” when the clouds
of disappointment and privation lower
above our hfAds, when the storm cf
temptation and trial bents fiercely upon
us, when fancied friends prove false,
when life seems a tremendous mistake,
and the vistas of the future open be
fore us, dark and uninviting. We must
always remember, as Ruakln reminds
us, that, while the rests In the music
are not played, yet the music is worth
less without them. Never a matchless
symphony cheered and Inspired or
lulled nnd soothed the needy heart of
humnnltv but held Its full measure of
minor chords and threnodlc cadences.
The sun Is not dead merely because tho
day chances to be dark and cloudy.
Elder Brewster, the first religious
trader of the Intrepid little band of
God fearing pioneers who established
Thanksgiving Day for us op the shores
of New' England, was wont to call upon
his people, durlrg the aw'ful months of
their "starving time.” when they gath
ered to partake of a meal of parched
acorns and roasted mussels, to "offer
thanks unto Almighty God, who had
thus graciously permitted them to feast
on the fat of tho land and to suck of
the abundance of the seas.” Wo are
prone to offer thanks to God today
that we have so many things of which
the Pilgrims knew nothing, and truly,
as compared with theirs, “our lines
have been cast In pHTasant places.” But
let us reverently seek a full measure
of that genuine pfoty and abiding faith
and trust In God which was the saving
strength of those lives which laid the
foundation of our country; let us train
ourselves to worship God with grateful
hearts, under whatever conditions and
in whatever circumstances the chang
ing experiences of life may find u», so
that we, too, i.tsy be able to say with
the prophet Habbnkuk. "Although the
fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall
fruit be In the vine: the labor of the
olive shall fall, und the fields shall yield
no meat; the flock shall be cut off
froth the fold, nr.d there shall .be no
herd In the stalls; yet will I rejoice In
the Lord; I wilt joy In the God of my
salvation.”
LET US GIVE THANKS
Ter»t Comments’on the Uniform Prayer Meeting Topi6 of the Young Peo-
ple’e Societies—Christian Endeavor, Baptist Young People’s Union, Ep-
worth League, Etc.—For December 1 Is, “The Beauty end Utility of Grati
tude.” Pe. Ill; 1-10. (A Thankegiving Consecration Meeting.)
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS
ore great days In which to l»e ellv».
t*r ami ferment of society may trouble
but to the person who wants to count
• these things spell opportunity. In
Inctic Roriai and politics! condition of
it there exists s rare chance for men
ideals nnd altruistic itluiR to lm»
themselves upon their time. If
ltful men, patriotic men. (iirtstlna
rate this occasion, nnd do not abandon
the demagogue or to the mnn of Hi
ed views, this generation mnf aceom-
wonder* for the progress of bnmun
Aim snrely this Is a profound ren-
r thanksgiving.
•fitde seems the more grnefous be-
of Its rarity. Whoever ceaselessly
inhere his mercies” is a marked mnu
hosts of h»*nren.
••ting Is a blessing. The fins nets I
member the little tnken snd forget to re
turn thanks for the much that Is given.
World nelgbborllness Is on the Increase.
The ties tnnt bind nations together np»
steadily growing stronger. Distances ore
being annihilated more and more; and all
of us are being drawn nearer. In under
standing and sympathy, to the uttermost
parts of the earth. This Is a deep reason
for thanksgiving. The oneness of the world
ennobles man and glorifies (jod. That so
nut nr people are concerned for the whole
world’s welfare Is a token of the Increase
of the Divine Spirit In human hearts:
"or God so loved the world.”
••Let the redeemed of the Lord say to.”
The voice of such,praise nud testimony is
heard os chid music In the courts of hea ven.
If vou hove been redeemed from sin. from
daily difficulties, say so Into tljo listening
A godly life is the best psalm.
A surrendered heart makes music la
heaven. For Hod’s gift to us He asks the
gift of ourself to tlfni. Nothing less will
satisfy Him. Ills every gift Is n repetition
of Ills Invitation: "My child, give Me thy
heart.”
tlon In Toronto where the selected
company of denomination representa
tives gathered to consider this subject.
All the offerings are to be made
through the regular church channels
and for regular denominational mis
sionary objects. I«nnt year. It was
found, Toronto gave one hundred and
_ _ _ fatty-on* thousand dollars for foreign
Our pleasure pleases God. Onr Father Is; * U J,* r*
content to know- that He has made HI*I tho situation the men nave under-
cblld happy. taken to Ipcrease this amount to half
• • • a million dollars. Toronto’s population
God has never stinted Ills giving. HI*: i«« three hundred thousand persons,
bounty hat been measureless since the bf* This means one and two-thirds dollar*
XHf o!5l TO -very man. woman nml child In the
lnTglT?»^ BlVtaf.'lml to SSp he <wafnf »>"» money I, h. come nlmo.t
III, girt, 1. part of the very nature of Uod. wholly from the communicant Protest-
for (Us name la love.
somethTng DOING
AMONG THE LAYMEN.
ant church membership. Following t!\e
example of Toronto, Brantford, Ont.,
with a population of twenty thousand,
which last year averaged two dollars
nnd thirty cents per church member
for missionary purposes, has agreed to
l> HICTIIHI. *u»* »»•»«••»•«• flnny lllllll-llltm. ru; CO — - "i
»cy which lately lias affected the ear tbnt waits for every note of gratitude,
cin! world has (teen by no means * » •
'sed evil. It has proved the good. I -nnutle’s rule for a royal life Is this:
ns revealed tne imu. II nas set
*o n careful accounting of their ro-
Msu. as w«U as banks, have been
well to their assets. Things really
"bile Ive taken on a new value. So
slide to lie grateful for what seemed
like catastrophe.
nre in some degree great who rc-
to be grateful. . *
Ives much and tnkea little; men re-
1URESCO
trry all shade. In packages and
RGIA PAINT & GLASS CO,
40 Peachtree Street
and the Father l>»
mippese l*k» th-.. sTMt words Into
yonr own heart a. your rule also.
thauka to tliul
Suppose “
Th* selfish nnd beggarly soul Is never
thankful. The professional mendicant Is
,ln"ere y grateful. A ••use of grstltnds
TtliVusidrtOT the large and generous heart.
It takes a cable mln.l to ap|irrriate ] merry.
If «, peter praise (loti for ills goodness. If
"r jriyera ?re not winged by pralse. then
we niny serlonsly question the depth nnd
largeness of our nstnre.
Religious clrelen are being stirred by - „ , ,,
the remarkable times of unprecedented Increase A" L a, „"LJf.?
Interest among the laymen of the ' r.'.enibrr. Hamilton. Ont, with A popu
chureh In the matter of mlasiona. The
offering at ihe recent Protestant Epis
copal convention otthree-nuarters of a
million of dollars from the church's
men for foreign missions was In Itnelf
without precedent. The convention of
men Intely held was marked by the
same strain of resolution to assume the
financial burden of Christian extension
throughout the world.
Jnst to be glad Is praise.
Hod's dealings nre not on a
take bo sis. lie does not give to ;
the sake of getting gifts fn™
iiothtog In the nstnre of '
st.... .t disks! at r*iail»ni
give and I
i Just for J
». There
'* .'iV.Tiod'Vr^i.Cns'to'^nilI
Ifni mcium n | IV -bnmiaul mer*
lotion of one hundred thousand, aver-
nged last year three dollars and fifty
cents per church member to purely
missionary purposes. The men of the
churches have undertaken to double
this amount. London, tint., which has
a population of fifty thousand, last year
gave two dollars and seventy cents per
church member. The men are under
taking to make the amount five dollars
per church member thl* year. These
Vow from several w idely separated ! meetings were .held under the auspices
points It is reported that the laymen of j *> f the Isay men’s Missionary Movement,
the churches have undertaken the un- J an organization of laymen which re-
unual. At n recent banquet at Topeka, ce ve. no money for Itrelf and under-
Kane.. one hundred picked men of the :*■*•<** no ml««ionnry work on lt» o«n
cltv derided that the city's annual gift account. Its repreeentatlves are liold-
of between seven and eight thousand ,n * mens meetings throughout the
dollars to foreign mleelon* Is entirely j country.
Inadequate. They resolved to raise the
sum to twenty thousand and to en
deavor to secure-It by aubscrlption
within sixty days.
St. Joseph, Mo, similarly decided to
Increase Its offering from twelve thou
sand to fifty thousand dollars, and ul-
readv one congregation In St. Joseph
has pledged Itself for one-llfth this
total amount.
touuhrt all *a» prompted by almartaat W Even more striking was , demonstra-
DS. E. E. BRAGG,
OSTEOPATH
and
PHYSICIAN and SURGEON.
Office 324-25 Century Building,
Hours: 9 to 5—Bell Phone.
SEVEN SENTENCE 8ERM0NS.
We must answer for our actions; God
will answer for our powers.—Phillips
Brooks.
If I live the life He gave me.
God will turn It to His use.
—Bayard Taylor.
Great trials make great saints; de
serts and stone pillows prepnre for an
open heaven and an angel-crowned
ladder.—Horace Bushncll.
Holiness Is Infinite compassion for
others; happiness Is a groat love and
much serving.—Dummond.
Might Is right; so It Is; It Is the
right to bear the burdens of the weak,
to cheer the faint, to uplift the fallen.—
f.'Bpier,
Bhali we say. "Thy will be done,”
| And nn our own errands run?
Teach us how to live thl* prayer,
Kererently Thy plans to share,
—Lucy La room.
It Is, the glory of our age that the
modem hero 'stands forth armed not
with awords and spears, but weaponed
with love und kindness, with service
and sympathy.—Newell Dwight Hillls.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY
CHANGES SCHEDULE.
Elfectlve December't. train No. 131
from Brunswick and Jacksonville will;
arrive Atlanta 5:3S a. m„ end leave for;
Chattanooga and Cincinnati at S:43 a.’.
IK No. If from Cincinnati and Chatta-1
nnoga will arrive Atlanta 13:30 mid-!
night and leave for Brunswick and,
Jacksonville 13:40,. m. Effective same I
date, through sleepers between Chicago;
and St. Augustine will be Inaugurated;
on there trains. No. 10 for Macon and!
Brunswick will leave Atlant, 6:03 a. j
m. instead of 6:13 a. m.
-a.MKH FREEMAN, I
District Passenger Agent.
Southern Express Co«.
To all points accessible by Express.
Operates on over 30,000 miles of first-class
routes, having 4,000 offices.
The Southern Express Company- operates offices in Alabama,
Arkansas, Bahama Islands, Cabo, District of Columbia, Florida,
Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missis
sippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Virginia, West Virginia.
Transports all kinds of merchandise, money, valuables, jewelry,
bonds, valuable papers, etc., in connection with other Express
Companies, to all parts of tho United States, Canada, Havana,
Nassau, etc.
Collections taken with or without goods. Deeds and Mort
gages taken to be recorded and returned. Baggage checks taken,
and baggage shipped.
Low rates made on samples of merchandise, printed matter,
cuttings, plants and many other articles. ’
Matter forwarded to European points.
C. L LOOP.
SeearJ Viet Prefect.
Ctuu>Mt|>. Ten.
V/. W. HULBERT.
Stfirateatfut,
At Urn a, 3a.
H. y SMITH,
Atlanta. 6a.