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Show Page Eigh t The Midvale Journ al Thur sday, November.3, 1927 EDITORIAL PAGE- TEI{SE AriD TIMELY COMMENTS The Midvale Journal I • P. S. Robert s --------------------·-········--····------ ·----·--····-----·-····--· Editor P11blished eYery. Thur!d ay ?Y the Jordan Publish ing Co.mpany, 142 N. Mam Street, Midvale, Utah. Subscr iption p.nee $1.00 a year. P:1one Midvale 178. Our Job Depart ment uses the Frankl in Printin g Price List. Entere d at the Postoffice in Midvale City Utah as second class m&il matter . ' ' EOPLE OF THIS DAYS ~f TH~NKS LAND OF. PLENTY fOR C~D'S MERCY LACK HUMILITY? ENGliSH CUST~M Comnarison of Our Ours by Adoption Times and the Pilgtims'. Thnnksg lvlng day has become nsrodated, ln a natural enough m:mner. with thE' Idea of plenty- an ld<>n that • trans In ted Into the roncretP nn all AmE'rlcan tnhles that day. OnrF I~ the tand of plenty, a fat land. a rich land. :.and on that day of the year A mPt·lran~ oommem orate and celebrat e the fact by partakin g of goorl cheer. The custom comes down to us, as we all know. from a generati on of Americans- which old not havP plenty and had thP hP~t of rP-a~ons for being thankful and te~tlf~·lng their grutltud e •hen the lPnn ~nt=:on wns past nnd a fat one came. There have been vast changes tn .our land since the Pilgrlm8 tnnugu'l'ateo this practice which their det'Cendants still follow. The early gi'\lers of thankR were thankful for tbe little that came to them ttfter faithful labor and harsh struggle. We who have much, and have It without hard struggle. al~t• are thankful for what we have, but prohaloly are a trlfte too cowplacent about It ttnd a little too lil•ely to Imagine It comes wholly through our deserving. Hav· lng much, and regardin g whnt w~ have chlefi~ as means of aclminister· lng to our pleasure and cnmfm·t. we rather curiously tP!'itlfy our thankful · ness for it by adn•in!stering to our pleasure and comfort In extra fn!'ihlon on the day of thanksgiving. WP suppose tt really would be more nppr(} priate lf we should fast on that day. Some Cause for Thought . But all this Is to consider only one base of our plenty, the plenty represented by a full table. Thi.s i~ a symbol of our material prosperi ty.' and perhap~ ls not the one we should too fixedly r!mtemplate. What \ve should do. probn bly . on this dn.y. i111 to .look about and inquire a littlP to see whether~ our plenty exists ·In oth.er forms. If w~ find It 1'1oe~'n't, perhaps we shalf have occasion some time to .make r~anksgiving day wh.at It Mlglnally fJt . a commemoration of our success ~ supplyin g by o'!lr o\vn· latior atld struggle what we havE> tacked. . Then we would have a little hetter understn llding of the meaning of 'I'hnn ksgiying. Most of us will agree. we think, tbat Americ·a 's plenty is not as well rounded out as it should be. Our fatness Is- a little too mncl'l In our tnt•key, so tu speal\; our richness m the mnt~rial tokens that are useful only in givir.F us po SPl'lsion of material thing.. Our plenty does not ex· tend to our educatio n. ,,ur patriotis m, our culture, ju::;tlce, toleran ce or nub· tic Intelligence. In these possf'ssions Ameril'a is rleticient. and for tlw very sutlicient reason that we have not labored and undergone sa<'rifi<'e and hard~hip to get them. Nor can we get them in any other way. We can· oot buy them with our wealth a~ we do turl.;e~ ; a1Hl If we coul<l. we never would ha,·e occasion to lle thankful for them. ThnnUulnes::> implies some humbleness o1 mind, and that can come only through a sense of sac.ri· ~re. Nobody can be truly thankful for anything that has come without personal effort. That's why the BritIsh hnve created sucb a tremend ous social and Industria l ~roblem by Instituting the dole system. Nobody is thankful for It, lea!'!t of all those who receive lt. > . Made a Stated Instead of Special Day Is Only Change That Has Taken Place. Thanksg iving day, like most of what we have, Is not our own, beln~ Enl'!llsh in tts origin and rPf'elvlng merely new significance from Its adoptlon. En~llshmen have always followed the cnstom of setting aside days to commem orate public bless· logs, The discovery of the Gunpow· der plot was marked so and. similar· ly, special events have been marked. We have made It a stated instead of a special dny and that Is all of the American chararte r that it has. and it was not untll New England had been settle<l el~hty years that tt became a stated day, ano there ft was a stated, annunl day for a long, long time berore tt obtained national adoption in any shape. The first publfc thanksgi ving observed by the Plymout h colony was In the autumn of 1623. A long drought was met hy a day of fasting and prayer. The drought ended, abundan t rains came. ~ood crops followed and the Puritans rE>memhered the event ln a thanksgi ving day. Oliver Cromwell's victories they similarly markE>d. From that time until the union wfth the Massach usetts Bay colony In 1691 seveo thanksgi ving daY9 wera ob· served. Flret 11tankag4vlng. The _Massach usetts Bay colony kept lts first thanksgi ving day as soon as the last or Governor Winthro p's ship$ arrived In Boston harbor. 11So now,.. says the chronicl er, "all the whole fleet being safe.ly come to their port ·they kept a public day of thanksgl v· lng, July 8, 1630, to give thanks to Mmlghty God for all His goodness and wonderful works which they had see!\ on· the voyage." Here was the old English custom of thanksgi ving for a special thin~. Nearly every year after that a &imflar public day of thanks was observed ln this colonv for some special thing. In 1633 it was for "bountif ul harvests and a great arrival of persons of. special use and quality." Since 1700 the aunual thanksgi ving tas been Jhserved in all New EngIan(), and the clergy with commend· uble zeal have In proved the occasion to "get in their wo•·k" on topl-:s which the Sunrlay sermon would not admit of. It is said a collection of. New England Thanksg iving day SPrmons arranged chronologl<'ally would be a cvmplete inde~ and dmotnti on of the social and political questlun s that have en_!:{ag-ed attention for the last two centuries . When Dutch Gave Thanks. But New England did not monopolize the custom. The Dutch In New York gave public thanks on extraor· The East Jordan Sta.ke M. I. A. Conjoin t meeting will be held in the Sandy Amusem ent Hall, Sunday Nov. 6th at 7:30 p. m The Stake Y. M. M. I. A. officers will dramati ze the Book of Mor mon Scenes. Bearing of the Slogan for this year. The public are cordially invited to atte.nd. The second quarterl y conferen ce of the West Jordan Stake was held Saturda y and Sunday in the Riverton ward chapel. Stake Presiden cy in charge. Pres. Joseph M. Holt, pre11iding. Congreg atio;n singing. Zion is growing : opening prayer was offered by David Bills of the High Council Sing-ing. Did you think to pray? · Talks were given during the ses~ sion by Pres. A. T. Butterfi eld, Armund F. Ru.ndquist, Joseph Crump, Bishov Wm. J. Leak, Zacharia h Butterfie ld. Musical numbers were rendered by Gladys Rundqui st. "It is my task'' and "I come to thee." lAHSAS AHD FWCE - 1\e Differe aa- _.f South Jordan, Bishop Wilford "jfyers of Riverto.n, 2nd ward, Elder Benjami n. F. Merrill. Returne d Mission ary. David Watkins was sustaine d as Superin tendent of the Stake Sunlay School with Royal V. Beck~tead 1st A~st. and Lancelo tte Bills 2nd Assista,n t. W. W. Malstro m was released as Sunday School Supt. to conduct the work of the lesser priestho od in the Stake. Elder Joseph Fielding Smith addresse d the Saints upon the re<:ponsibility of the Latter Day Saints. Choir san_g- "The NEW Song." Opening a:nd closing prayers by member s of the high council. Sunday afternoo n Riverton 2nd ward choir with K. William s conduct ing furnishe d the music. Though Deepenin.~.r Trials. An Angel from on High, The Seer, and the male chorus sang "See the Mhrhty Angel Flying-. Bishop David C. Lyon of Bingham ward, Dorius Thomas , of the Lark branch, gave brief talks. W. W. Malstro m gave an outline of the work he is to supervis e. Elder Joseph Fieldi.ng Smith of the Council of the Twelve gave a ma~rful address on science and relig-ion. Pres. Joseph M. Holt P:~ve a brief apprecia tive talk. Choir sang. Beautifu l Zion for me, and the opening and closing prayers were offered by Joseph S. H. Boriell and Reuben S. Hamilto n. The Su.n day evening meeting unrier the dir('ction of the M. L A. was well attended . Professo r Kien ke of the L. D. S. U. being the prin dDal speaker. Subject "Obiecti ve of the Book of Mormon ." Golden and Rosamo nd Holt of South J orrlan sang "God Bless Our Mountai n Home." Alta Cra.ne of Riverton rendered a saxapho ne solo and the male chorus of Riverton 2nd ward sang "Lead Kindly Light." Opening prayer was offered by Conrad C. Dahl and the closing prayer by Pres. Joseph M. Holt. NOTICE Home Mission ary meeti:ng Sunday Nov. 6th at 9 a. m. in the So. Jordan ward chapel. At the South Jordan ward chapel Sunday at 4 p. m. the executiv e officers of the Stake are to meet with the Stake Presiden cy and the high Council. On either side of the Sarta Fe apress, in which. this is writt~ the com fields and farmhou .es of Kansas fly past It is a country unlike that through which the writer drove a few weeks ago in France on the way from Paris to see Oemenceau in his little cottage on the Atlantic at ~jard, not far from Mr. Vawdre y of DTaper and Mrs. Bordeaux. Peterson of Riverton rendered two The trip ~hrough Fn.nce1 made i.n violin selection s, the congreg ation an automobtle, was as rap1d as tlus . , trip by train. ~ France you drive sa:ng " We are all enlisted Prayer your automobile as fast as you like Wm. C. Crump. but TAKE CARE YOt! HURT 1 Saturda y Afterno on NOBODY. The congreg ation sang "Hope of French roads are wide and straight Israel." ·P atriarch Gorden S. Bills gave the car used by this writer came from Nice to Paris, 900 kilometers, 540 the opening prayer. Singing "We miles, in one day and did easily the Thank Thee, 0 God, for a Prophet " 400 miles from Paris to Lejard be· Talks were given by John Richard s t"·cen breakfas t and dinner. French drivers go rapidly, but are- of the high cou,ncil, Geo. J. Miller, fully;' if they hit anybody the law r-eprese nting the Y. M. M. I. A. Emma Holt, represen ting the Y. hits them. A member of t~e Cham· 0 ) year, bcr ah f Dthe lpu:ies went of to h1s ~ailfnenJs !or ' L. M. I. A.. Ella M. Newbold repremfl.uence c 0 uld not save him. He struck a senting the Primary . cl>ild. B. Forman, of Rochester, Douglas M. Todd and Bishop Ver~ Y., can tell you of 11. French nal C. Webb. Mrs. May and two chauffeur ac{;used of intoxication, daughte rs sang -Mothe r of Mine. sent to jail for ten years. He killed a child. Mr. Forman saw the· thing Chas. Smith and Douglas M. Todd, ' sa:ng the duett ''The Morning happen. Breaks'' Singing "Put Your ShouldHere in 1\.at: sas you see ~eat trac· tors providing power, machmery cut- er to the Wheel. ting and binding corn, great engines Prayer -Reyno ld Bills. binding, threshing wheat, and tying Sunday Morning the grain in sacks, all in one oper· Joseph Fielding Smith of the ation. In France occasionally r,ou would Council of the Twelve represen ted see a peasant and hill Wlfe cutting the General Authori ties. their grain with sickles in small fields Riverton 1st ward choir furnishof irregular shape. Fields were harvested with scythe~. Here and there ed the singi:ng. Orrin Crump, was teams of horses drew mowing ma- choister . Singing "Praise to the rhines. Power driven agri<:ultural Man" and "Let the Mountai ns shout nachiner y was not seen between for joy." Speaker s during the i 'ari s and Lejard. morning sessions were Pres. David ~ -re mowers had passed you T. Dahl. Bishop Hyrum Stocking , :~ht see old grandmo ther and her t tle grandchild bending over, pl.ckFrench ki.ngs and made life easy for ng un wisps of grain with the right three- ·luclcY- classes, · royalty, clergy ,~nd ~utting them in aprons held by and nobility. It was death to the peasant escape "La Gabelle" by, ladla' •• a r • . _ taking ·histo salt £rom tht. ocean. .. • dar'• drive. Tt.q ~e lc:M fortnnatt " than Rutla. their g1caningl Conditions are now. Tho meagTf' . •There was no Bou to com- kings are sleeping better Saturda y evening the Feed Dein St. Denis, the mand hia young men, saying, "Let her few whose bones were not scatt~red eJean even among the sheaves and during the Revolution. There are partmen t of the Draper Poultr:v reproach her not· and let fall also more schools than chateaux, more Associat ion entertai ned at a massome of the handfuls on purpose for public libraries than gallows. rtuerade dance. A large crowd enher and leave them that abe may peasant is no longer forbidden to The joyed the affair. Many good kill char· glean them, but rebuke her not." • animals that ate his crops because acters were represen ted. Prizes ' With hand rakes the old grand- lords and ladies- wanted the pleasure mother and the little ~rl could have of riding ¢ver those crops to kill the were given to Mrs. Alma Smith who took the part of a witch and Mr g4tbered all the gleamngs in a short animals themselves. time, but that evidently was not al· But in every French family there Atwood and Mr. Fairbou rn ~f Creslowed. Gleaning must be done by in mourning. Each earnest hardhand, the old body must stoop and faced French woman tells you how cent who took the part of two hoGtoop all day long to pick up 'stn.v many sons or brothers she bad "left.• .bos, straws. • When the grain had gont from the field an old shepherd wouW ~~Uld- ~iic th;ough the· stubbl;- ~ t· ing the over-ripe grain that bad fallt:!l from the ears.•Ot her bands of sheq• led by an old man or woman witk dogs to help, ate the grass alon'g tk highway edge. No sheep ever strayed onto the road before the automobik~ Dogs prevented that, and the sh~:rj) seemed trained. Beautiful anim~. admirably kept, they waste nothini ir. France. I Dlt>'Nt WAt·iT HERE 15 A Ntw BASE~All THAT POP. TAKE Here in rich America ,.,.a rlr.!.~ GLOVE ANt> A 5AT AND A IT BACK AND miles t~rough unending fields of eor.t DAU.: THAT PAPA BROU6HT .5E t lf '(O U CAN or gram, pass great herds of hea•:v HOMt fOR fRAf'lKlf steers, deep in grass and tens of CHANGE IT fOR thousands of acres not used. .SMlTH'S 1\RilHME.llC In France they use every foot c: '---~- ~---- ·--ground, waste nothing, not food human labor, men and women wor~: long hours, work hard with patience. I ,.,.. -- .,'e);!t Use White Lily Flour THINGS THA T NEV ER HAPPEN or The peasants' houses are beautiful and old, their animals well cared for. Along the coast of Brittany and the Vendee, men and women and chil· dren work side by side. Men repai~ at low tide, their fish nets colored light blue. The fishermen say "fish like color." On the flat lands you see little mounds of salt taken from the ocean by imprisoning waters iA shallow pools for evaporation. • • Once "La Gabelte," a heavy tax on Salt. _dresaed the miltresa a of ,. |