THE .SUNDAY OREGOMA.N, rORTLAiND, NOVEMBER 2G. 191G.
PASTOR NAMES BLESSINGS FOR WHICH AMERICA IS GRATEFUL
Prosperity, Peace, Growth of Humanity and Advancement of Religion Are Some of Reasons for Thankfulness, Says Rev. W. O. Shank.
Pa. 1:11 Offer tTnto God Thanksgiving."
BY REV. W. O. SHANK,
Pastor Bant Side Baptist Church.
THE season' of Thanksgiving is upon
us. Our President has designated
November JO as a National holi
day. Let us observe it in offering' our
thanks to God for the many blessings
we have, received in the past year.
Perhaps never since our Pilgrim
fathers first offered their thanks as a
token of. appreciation of divine provi
dence has there
been a more auspi
cious occasion for
observance -of
Thanksgiving day.
When we think of
the ominous clouds
that hunt? heavily
over us during the
past year, threat
ening to plunge us
Into war, dissension
and starvation, but
now see those same
clouds rapidly dis
pelling", we heartily
offer our s 1 n c r e
thanks to God who
so mercifully spared
us. America, more
than any other Na
tion, has great rea
sons for being lle. XV. O. Shank.
thankful. When we survey our present
conditions and compare them with our
sister nations we find .that we really
have many thimra t n K. tnni,ri r -
j-ei us -name some of them.
Tho past year has been a wonderful
one in point of production and wealth
accumulation. Our harvests are abun
dant, our granaries overflowing, our
warehouses crowded and our banks
filled with gold and silver. .So rich
is our country in fruits, in vegetables,
in grain, in minerals, in wool, in lum
ber, in cattle and manufactured poods
that we cannot get freight cars, steam
boats and other conveyances sufficient
to remove these products.
Our Portland banks report an in
crease In deposits from September 2,
1916. to September 2, 1816, of $7,151,
2K2.93. The banks of the state of Oregon
have had a large increase in deposits
durinc the past year. On September
12. 1916. the total resources of all banks
and trust companies in the state were
$178,561,327.95, an increase of $16.L)il,
Tfil.71. as compared with September 2,
1916, and a gain of $11,087,711.29 over
the combined resources two months
ago.
The total deposits, including the
"mount due banks and bankers on Sep
tember 12. lust, were $140,049.03, an
increase of $17,704,755.27, as compared
with September 2, 1915.
Loans and discounts on September
12 amounted to $97,362,675, a gain of
$10,437,236.16. bf compared with Sep
tember a year ago.
Per Capita UrnKh la 'J00O.
Tn 1S30 the wealth of the United
States was $61,459,000,000. At one time
we could have purchased Russia, Tur
key. Sweden, Norway. Denmark, Italy,
Australia. South Africa and South
America.
We are told that America now is esti
mated to be worth 200.000.000,000 ex
pressed In land, ores, lumber, banks.
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factories and the like. This divided by
the 100,000,000 people in America would
give each man, woman and child the
neat sum of $2000 each. It is estimated
that America's income this year is $25,
000.000,000. This would mean an aver
age of $1250 to each family were It to
be equally divided.
America is not only rich in natural
resources, but she has no National debt
of any consequence. For this unusual
prosperity the American people should
be thankful.
There have been times In the his
tory -of peoples, wflen rabid diseases
swept over the country leaving millions
of dead. In the years 1334 to 1351 the
bubonic plague spread over China, In
dia, Persia, iTussia. Germany, Italy,
France, England and Norway, causing
the death of millions of people.
In the 16th century typhus fever
broke out in France, Italy and Hun
gary, and In the early part of the 17th
century it spread over all Europe, kill
ing thousands upon thousands of peo
ple. In the 17th century yellow fever
started in Central America, doing much
harm.
In the 18th century smallpox became
epidemic in France, Prussia and Rus
sia. It Is estimated that 10,000,000
deaths resulted.
Smallpox is prevalent even now and
Is uncontrolled by vaccination in parts
of Asia and Central Africa.
From 1817 to 1875 cholera broke out
in Europe and millions of peo'ple suf
fered and died from this fearful disease.
It Is said that owing to the splendid
hygienic conditions In the European
trenches there Is little likelihood of
epidemic disease, peculiar to war,
breaking out. .
In America infantile paralysis ap
peared, but fortunately our medical
fraternity sucrceeded in stamping it out.
There are at the present time 1,000,
000 people in America suffering with
tuberculosis. This Is a dreaded dis
ease. It kills 200,000 persons each year
in America, or one every three minutes.
But the percentage of deaths in pro
portion to, the Increased population Is
decreasing. With the present war be
ing waged by the nrodical fraternity,
such as building adequate hospitals,
dispensaries, sanatoriums, open air in
stitutions and hygienic schools of in
struction, together with lectures, ser
mons and the dissemination of litera
ture, we will eventually conquer this
awful disease.
Tt is fair to presume that with the
advanced methods of roping with func
tional and organic diseases, together
with right living and faith In God, all
manner of human ailments will be en
tirely eliminated.
Honor eceary to Peace.
The word peace was never more sig
nificant to the American people than
now. .Look at Mexico, torn to tatters
with strife. Look at China, with her
internal dissension. Look at conti
nental Europe in that awful conflict.
How beautiful Is the word peace. How
terrible Is war.
Much has been said of late regarding
peace. Some have said that America
may have international peace by pa
tiently waiting. This means peace at
any price.
Others maintain that peace may be
secured with world powers by demand
ing our rights and forcing an observ
ance of international agreements, such
as the Monroe Doctrine and other
WITH EDGING OF MALTESE LACE AND
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right hand prong of staple (leaving
loop loose enough to bring the knot Into
center of hairpin), holding staple in left
hand, place thread over fingers of left
hand as in other crocheting, turn staple
so as to make a loop around the second
prong, which now is at the right hand
agreements. But where - there is no
regard for national honor there can
be no hope of peace.
Still others believe that the only
way to obtain peace is by war. Thus
all Europe is plunged in the throes of
war. But this is demanding peace by
brute force.
The only true way to have perma
nent, universal peace Is to observe the
golden rule. "All things, therefore,
whatsoever ye would that men should
do unto you, even so do ye also unto
them." Not until men emulate the life
of Jesus Christ can we hope for abid
ing peace. This means more than the
acceptance of Christianity; it means
we must express it and live it In our
daily lives. When all nations are wil
ling to be ruled by love, love that
comes from the Father above, then the
dove of peace will sit serenely above
the portals of every nation.
Let us all pray for a peace that will
make us friends, not enemies; that will
cause us to love, not hate; that will
Inspire us to extend the glad hand of
brotherhood, not the sword. fuch a
peace will make "the whole world kin."
We have been kept from the ravages
of war. Thank God for this fact. Mil
lions of American people are saying
this with me. Students of the recent
European war marvel at the fact that
America has escaped being drawn into
war. And truly, does not America owe
something to our sister nations across
the seas?
JVhen America was struggling In
1778 for national liherty did not France
send us Lafayette with his soldiers
and the French admiral with his ships?
Do we not owe France something?
During the Spanish-American war in
1898 did not England place her navy
at our command? Twice she lent a
helping hand Do we not owe Eng
land something?
During our own civil war over the
slavery question It looked as though
Great Britain and Europe were going
to recognize the Southern Confederacy
and maintain slavery, but Just at the
crucial moment did not Russia send a
battleship to our shores and drop an
chor in New York harbor? Do we not
owe Russia something? These nations
are asking the question, wliy Amer
ica's attitude in the present war.
War Evaded Deiplto Disputes.
Now, on the other hand. In the pres
ent European war we have had our
troubles with England, forcing her to
remove her embargo from American
shipped goods. We have had trouble
with Germany, demanding that she
cease sinking unarmed vessels upon
which American people, travel. We
have had our troubles with Mexico,
requiring her to protect American
property and life within ner borders.
We have antagonized Germany by fur
nishing arms and ammunition to war
ring nations.
i'et. in the midst of all these perplex
ing problems, what a marvel we have
evaded war! And what a blessing!
Look at the devastating work of war!
Homes are gone: property is destroyed;
families are scattered: men are crip
pled; literary, industrial and financial
progress is retarded; famine and dis
ease are rampant: hatred engendered,
and a heavy debt incurred, running into
hillions of dollars, which will hang
like a millstone around the necks of
the people. Again, let us all say, thank
m i't?flwji. m i j . .
side. Put hook into left hand loop, draw
thread through, making a loop on hook,
turn staple making a loop on other
prong, make a chain stitch by drawing
thread Ihrough loop on hook. . Put
hook into left hand loop (always pick
ing up the top or front h op), and make
God that we have been kept out of
war.
When our pilgrim fathers landed on
American shores in December. 1620.
they entered into a covenant, agreeing
to maintain a form of government in
which the people might have a voice.
. In the year 1776 a Declaration of In
dependence was drafted by Thomas
Jefferson, declaring America to be an
independent republic. From that day
until this our Uwb have been formed
"by the people, for the people, of the
people."
We have no Kaiser to force us into
war. We nave no Czar to rule with
an iron hand. We have no King as
a mere figurehead in government. We
have our beloved Presidents, chosen by
the people. And what a glorious line
of men they are! Washington. Jeffer
son, Lincoln, Grant. Garfield. McKinley.
and last, but not least. Wilson. .
There are two evils in the political
world which mean ruin to any nation.
One Is authority invested in the handu
of a few; the other Is democracy run to'
excess. The solution of a happy me
dium will insure a successful form of
government for any people.
But 'I would not have you think,
frlenis, that our country is ruled alto
gether by man power; it is not. tjod
has a large place In our governmental
affairs. Our Constitution provides a
place for him. We date all our court
records from the birth of his son. We
compel our witnesses to be directed hi
their testimony by his help. We take
him into our business by putting the
words. "In God we trust" on our silver
dollars. We Invoke his blessings upon
the lawmakers in Congress. We pro
vide chaplains for the armies and min
isters for the penitentiaries. God has a
large place In the affairs of the Amer
ican people.
For this reason let us offer our
thanksgiving to him for his manifold
blessings.
Industrial Condition Improve.
In the year from 1914 to 1915 a great
financial depression nad settled upon
our people; especially was this true on
the Pacific .'oast. Our lumber mills
were shut down; our factories were
closed; wages were low: men were idle;
and a. stagnation in business was felt.
Truly we were on the road to a panic
of hard times which seemed calamitous.
But during the year 1915-16 a marked
improvement has been experienced. Our
lumber mills are running:vur factories,
many of Ihem. are working double
shifts: men are at work, and hard to
get in places; wages are increased; the
laboring nun'; dinner pail is full; prices
on farm proiiucts are good in fact, a
wave of prosperity seems to have
struck us.
Our future is bright. America must
feed and clothe the world for years to
come. This will mean homes paid for.
mortgages lifted, bank accounts In
creased, factories humming and mil
lions in reserve for charital.le and mis
sionary work. God bless our laboring
men. our Industrial institutions and our
great financiers.
Does the American boy or girl real
ize his or her wonderful privileges and
opportunities in educational advan
tages? Go anywhere in this fair lanfl
of ours and there the little school'
house will greet you and invite you to
enter.
When we think of the Illiteracy of
other countries It is appalling. The
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Make one row plain hairpin lace for
around top of collar.
Make lace edging for lower edge of
collar as follows:
Make one row plain hairpin lace for
following Is a ta.le, taken from the
World's Almanac, giving a few coun
tries where the percentage of illiter1
acy is highest:
Country Yer. PerCt.
Argentine Hl .VI. 5
Austria J!mm .VI
;t.o
Inilia ...... !H.S
ltniy J '. 4 ." J
Mfsi'-o Is!.-, SJ.70
Kuitia t Jsn? 7-U
servia IwuU M.o
In America there are 5.500,000 over
10 years of age who cannot read r
write. This means 10.7 per cent.
But America has the best system of
schools of any nation in the world. We
have our public schools, our high
schools, our academies. - our colleges,
universities, seminaries; we have our
polytechriic, our law, our medical ami
business institutions. Surely no one
need want for a place and opportunity
to fit himself for the duties of life.
May God bless our schools and the
great corps of teachers who are givlitg
their lives to the training of our chil
dren. Ought we not "to be thankful
for the good educational system of our
land.' t
Home la I'nlt of Government.
What a wonderful institution is the
home! The home Is sanctioned by God.
legalized by the state, and honored by
men.
The home is the unit of power In a
government. No state, no republic,
where the voice of the people rule.
can have greater power than emanates
from the homes.
Tt Is in the home where obedience to
authority is taught. Children learn to
obey their parents and to respect au
thority. Children who will not sub
mit to parental authority In the home
win not obey the laws of the land
Statistics show that the greater per
cent of lawbreakers and criminals come
from that class. How necessary It Is
for parents to govern their children
from babyhood up, that they may be
law-abiding men and women. The di
vine injunction is: "Children, obey your
parents that your days may be long in
the earth.
The home Is the standard of the
moral and social life of a community.
Not one single home, but the aggre
gate. How much time, money and en
ergy are wasted on moral and social
reforms? The state is compelled to do
what the home neglects to do in these
matters. .What a transformation there
would be in our moral and social life
if there were higher ideals and finer
principles taught in the home!
But. alas! the American home Is in
jeopardy today. No other institution is
being undermined like. It. Birth con
trol, free love, divorce and other evil
forces are working insidiously to break
down the home. Note the following
table, which shows an alarming in-
crtase in divorces in Multnomah Coun
ty. These figures were compiled In the
Multnomah County Clerk's office:
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LesMona on Marriage Suggested.
What can be done to stop this en
croaching evil? Teach the religious
sanctity of marriage vows to children.
Encourage church and home weddings.
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the upper edge of lace. Into th'. net six
rows plain over smallest mesh stick.
Seventh row Net ten loops plain,
then net three loops over mesh stick
at one time, repeat from to end of row.
Eighth row Nt plain.
Ninth row- Net 8 loops, then net 2
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Empower the minister only to perform
marriages. Require a rigid examina
tion mentally, morally, physically and
financially of boih the contracting par
ties. Enact stringent laws making It
Impossible to divorce except for rea
sons given on Biblicul grounds. Forbid
remarriage, at least one year from the
time of the divorce.
If such laws, and more, were made.
there, would be more homes preserved.
rewer children thrown out upon the
mercy of the state and a lesser num
ber of broken-hearted wives and dis
appointed husbands.
1'he home la a haven of rest to many
weary souls. Many & tired husband.
many a disappointed boy. many u heart
broken daughter, many a sad mother
has been cheered. encouraged and
blessed by the comforts, sympathy and
love that abound in the home
How beautiful for members of the
family to gather around the fireside
and tell euch other their secrets, their
sorrows, their ambitions and their joys.
The sweet memories ot early home life
abide forever.
Friends, let us aft stop for a mo
ment on Thanksgiving day and give
thanks to God for our American- homes
that we love so dearly. Let us remem
ber there is some dear mother there,
some kind-hearted father, a brother
or sister whose love and sympathy
through all these years has not wa
vered. "How dear to my heart are the scenes
of my childhood.
When fond recollection presents
them to view;
The orchard, the meadows, the deep,
tangled wlldwood.
And every loved spot that my infancy
Knew."
Spirit of Brotherhood Growing.
There is a growing consciousness on
the part of our American people" that
It Is a grand thing to play the part
of a nig brother. W e are told by
sociologists and students of psychol
ogy that never in the history of the
world was greater emphasis placed on
the value ami importance of the indi
vidual. Man Is coming to see his real
worth In the true relations to self, to
society and to God.
This splrjt of brotherhood is not only
confined to our own American people.
but it is seen in behalf of other peo
ple. When the Titanic went down, with
her human freight, thousands of dol
lars were raised lor the widows and
orphans. When little Belgium was dev
astated by the ravages of war car
loads of flour and other food products
were sent to them. Mil'ions are now
being raised for the Jews, the Poles
the Persians, the Armenians and other
sufferers in the war zone.
Look at the sacrifices made by physi
cians, our nurses and our Red Cross
heroes and heroines who are now at the
battle front administering to the needs
and comforts of the maimed and dying
soldier boys. -
It is said that the present European
war will set those nations back 100
years. It is also said that savagery in
stead of civilization is gaining ascend
ency. But whatever may be said for or
against the present war this is mani
fest, that underneath and through it
all is seen some of the finest traits and
principles of man's humanity to man
that were ever excmpljf led before. Does
it not require the crushing of the
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4
2
loops over mesh stick at one time, r
P4Kit from across.
Tenth row Net plain.
Eleventh row Net 2 loops over mesh
stick at one time just below the first
cluster of 3 loops of seventh row.
Twelfth row Net plain.
Thirteenth row Now, lnste -.d of using
quartz to obtain the precious metal. Is
it not necessary to break the honev
comb to partake of the sweet honey?
Is not the perfume of a rose enhanced
when the flower is crushed under the
heel? Does not the sandal bush kiss
the blade that cuts into its fiber? Are
not the finer, grander traits of man.
portrayed in times of crises?
The world Is not growing worse. It
Is growing better. Man's conception of
wrongdoing may be more hiw-hly de
veloped and magnified, until sin looks
blacker than it formerly did. but the
sin itself is no more heinous. The more
powerful the searchlight the plainer
we can see objects in the distance. So
the nearer man approaches the great,
divine light of God the more hideous
sin appears to him.
May the searchlight of man's soul
be so powerfully magnified by the
Holy Spirit that he can discern the
good In humanity from the bad and
having once seen tt devote his strength
of manhood to the development and
nurture of that good, until the uni
versal spirit of brotherhood has como
to stay.
Chnrrh Has Greater Plaee.
Next to the home the church Is the)
greatest institution. It has a perma
nent place in the affairs of men. Tha
history of the church shows man's
varied experiences in his relations to
It. The church stands in greater fa
vor with man today than ever before.
Witness the large sums of money given
to its support. Note the men's mis
sionary movement which has gripped
millions of men in America.
Hear what the great statesman says.
Taft says regarding the influence of
the church in favoring republics: "No
man cat) study the movement of modern
civilization from an utterly Impartial
standpoint and not realize that Chris
tianity and the spirit of Christianity Is
the only basis for the hope of modem
civilization and the growfh of popular
self government. This was said in be
half of the Philippine Islands. Regard
ing China he said: "China is to bo
guided by whom? It Is to be guided by
the young Christian students and schol
ars, who exercise Influence at the head
of their government."
Japan is railing for our Christian
educated missionaries to mold the mor
al, educational and governmental con
cepts of her people.
India is begging for our missiona
ries to tell her people more about tho
Christ.
The soldier boys In the trenches are
eager for tho l'.ible: they read it in
preference to any other work.
Soon the world will honor the Church
of Jesus Christ.
Words cannot tell the wonderful in
fluence the Christian church has had
on American life. But. above all. it
disseminates love, truth, honor, purity
and Godliness. How we love the church.
In her mission of mercy!
Thanksgiving day! What does It
mean? It means that the American peo
ple should thank God for the privileges
of life, for the opening of the store
houses of his riches for our goo1 ; for
his benign love and favor; for the di
vine hand that overrules and protects;
for the provision of man's redemption
from sin and death, and for the star of
Immortal hope which he has set In hu-
man hearts. "Thanks be unr God for
his unspeakable gift."
NETTING
netting needle, use a long eyed sewing
needle, using as long a thread as you
can work with, so as not t have to
join on any more thread lengths than
necessary. Pick up on needle on bead
each time before making a mesh. Re
peat across tha lower edge of lace edg-
ia.
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