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Show H Friday, November 28, 1947 A great American tradition was born when the Pilgrims and the Indians sat down to- gether in New England to give thanks and enjoy the fruits of their long months of toil and privation. The Pilgrims gave thanks for the little they had attained. . . we give thanks for the greatness that is America. . . . For what we have . . . for our familiess for sympathy and affection,, for the fun of meeting all the years to- gether. For our homess for the peace and comfort, for the rights and privileges of .J' or ownership. ..our ..achievement ss ..for wealth and security, for art ever-increasi- ng enlightenment. F or our pleasures for laughter and enjoyment, for the chance to win happiness. For our personal freedoms, for freedom of thought, of speech, of for relegion. For our national libertys strength and integrity, for freedom from oppression . . . yes, for all these . . . the things we love and hold dear above all others . . America, 4 . for what we have, we, in bow our heads in humility and 4 offer a prayer of thanksgiving to God Almighty coupled with the plea that these things we have shall be preserved for future generations always. r Thanksgiving By Dr. N. A. Pedersen r Once upon a time some children were at a May-da-y (,?arty in a stately house. They had music to dance to; i the library was open and full of amusing books; the fnuseum was full of curious shells, animals and birds; there " vas a work shop with good tools for the boys ; there were fantastic dresses for the girls ; there were microscopes And kaleidoscopes and every toy a child could fancy; and a, table with everything nice to eat. I Suddenly a couple of practical children hid in a comer qfiildren decided they would like pised some of the brass headed nails and tried to get a little quiet that studded the chairs, and so with a book in the midst of the ones But the practical ifiey set to work to pull them noise. out. Then the others who were thought of nothing else but i jading or looking at shells took counting nail-heaall afternoon I a fancy to do the same; and, in although they knew they would i a little while, ail the children, not be allowed to carry .one brass nearly, were spraining their fing- - nail away with them. It was, I ers in pulling out brass headed Who has the most nails? out a have have hundred and ail you With they pulled , nfils. ev-- ! fifty. I have a thousand and they were not satisfied and some- you have two; I must have as some of wantefi embody body elses. At last the really many as you before I leave the declared that house or I cannot possibly go ones practical At last they worth was doing at the home in peace. nothing -. made so noice much to that John y plenget except Mfy-daparty was Ruskin for this a that and nails woke, headed brass of ty micro- - dream of his, and said to himand cakes and books s th$ scopes were of no use at ail ex- self What a false dream. Childfor hail heads. ren never do such foolish things cejrt, to change last Ut they began to fight for only men do, ' Like Buskin I wish this were I heads. Only one or two I ds I just a dream story of and far away I wish have so much truth in fortunately the story is long ago it didnt WHY-Thanksgi- it. Un- ving a mirror of mankind, distorted for emphasis, but still too true for comfort. Men and nations are selfish consequently we are cursed with national and inter- By Leon Fonnesbeck national strife the world over. The other day while walking along the sidewalk, F As a result atom bombs may What, then, is heard a young man ask his friend, destroy us all. Why have Thanksthere to be grateful for? We How does giving Day? it differ from other days, if you. have time, at least, to take an off leave the turkey and the spread? inventory of our blessings. At first was I rather startled. You will recall that not all the Such seemed questions When we have acknowledged! thoughtless children in Buskins dream May-da- y were pulling the brass stud- and irreverent. I felt I should God, and rendered our thanks unded nail heads from the chairs. speak to teh young man and ex- to Him, then our hearts and! Some were interested in the cur- plain to him. But on second souls have been renovated and. I found I was not quite purified. The spiritual value ot ious shells, in the microscopes, thought the books' of the library. Likewise prepared to do so. Why? Be- humility and thanksgiving untoj some men and women in the real cause I had probably been too God for his blessings is the real! world, quite a few in fact, have lazy to think about the real value to us. For the spiritual always been 'interested in real purpose and value of Thanksgiv- connection between God and Ilia values, in what the book and the ing Day. How many of you children has thereby been reand their folks are willing to make the stored. We are made fined and. microscope represent, devoted labors have brought us same confession? better. thus now comforts. I Have you ever thought why it, Having confessed, great desire to answer the young man. is that we insist on teaching our Think of Pain! Childbirth was once the valley I hope everybody will think that little children to say. Thank of the shadow of death. Ampu- question through for himself. you, for little things yet we I think one reason we have adults too often forget to say. tations , were horrors. Dipthena out Thanksgiving Day is that God Thank you?' to God for His. families; wiped pneumonia was almost always fatal; plagues wants His children to acknowl- many blessings to us. In order to be really destroyed populations. Mental ills edge Mim and give thanks. We were visitations of the Devil. read in the Bible where God we should carefully think through, What suffering 'the human race says, I, the Lord, thy God am and confess to God the things we has endured. Pain is today a jealous God. God requested are thankful ' for. How the children of Israel to offer up I am thankful that my parents gradually losing mastery! to sacrifices Him. on (Continued page 12) (Continued on page 12) . Day? tha-nkfi.i- |