11/19/50

Scripture: Deuteronomy 8 : 7-14a; 17, 18a.

My earliest recollection of Thanksgiving Day is that it was a season of excitement and joy. In the family of my childhood it was our family custom to spend Thanksgiving Day some 70 miles away, by slow travel, with my Mother’s parents and family. Christmas Day, on the other hand, was spent with my Father’s parents and family, all of whom at that time lived close by.

Thanksgiving Day involved the excitement of the trip and a visit of usually 2 or 3 days away from the family’s usual daily routine. We met again and played with the cousins whom we saw less often that those cousins of our near neighborhood. Grandmother, aided by some willing younger hands, always had prepared a sumptuous dinner for the whole clan. It was a time of excited happiness and joyful expression of family affection.

I wonder how it would be to contemplate Thanksgiving in a somewhat different setting sometime. Another experience, less exuberant, but just as precious, might be to look into the blaze of a fire place with the family gathered around -- perhaps toasting marshmallows together; perhaps singing songs together; perhaps just meditating on life’s satisfactions and demands.

A man once wrote on his holiday greeting to a friend words like these: "An open fire brings near far places and friendly faces. Lost loves and faded hopes all come trooping back idealized and beautiful, for an open fire is a place for romance and beauty."

One might gaze into the open blaze of a comfortable fireplace sometime this week and meditate on all of that which blesses our lives. We have so much to be grateful for! By tradition, we think of the harvest in our land - for it means life-assuring food for us and for some of those in other lands. Once again, the harvest in our nation has been plentiful, despite some drought. There is food and there is material for the comfort of all the folk of our nation, if equitably distributed. And there is still a surplus, which we must be getting to those who so desperately need it abroad.

I suppose it is fair to say that our material prosperity mounts in this land. The earnings of people are high indeed in America, with no immediate prospect that it is to be otherwise. Where else in the world is it possible for so many people to keep as comfortably warm in winter as we do; to eat their fill of nourishing food as we do; to get the good clothing that we have; to travel about as we can and do; to fill our houses with comfort-assuring and labor-saving devices as we may.

There is so much more to be grateful for. Where else is it possible for so many to secure a good education and to continue, if they will, some study in the fields of their special interest? Where else has one such freedom to seek the truth as he sees it and to disagree, openly and honestly, with opinions and policies and practices which he believes should be changed? How dare we take such blessings for granted when they contribute so much to the cup of our gladness? a cup denied to half the world?

There is yet so much more to be thankful for. We may recall other reasons for gratitude that we live in such a land as this, where liberty has been preserved in loyal struggle. And with our thanksgiving should be mingled the earnest prayer that we, and all nations associated with us, shall make full, generous, and responsible use of the liberty we cherish.

26 centuries ago, a prophet drew a noble picture of what every nation needs when he said: "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children; and in righteousness shalt thou be established. Thou shalt be far from oppression, for thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come nigh thee." [Isaiah 54: 13-14]. Let that be the hope of our striving in this "sweet land of liberty." It is a joyful thing to be an American.

(German traveler to Honolulu before the war. Met a man of German birth; now an American citizen. They went to a ball game; before game, "I want you to look at that team. Pitcher - Chinese; catcher - Japanese; first baseman - Puerto Rican; 2nd baseman - native Hawaiian; 3rd baseman - Korean; and so on. Only 1 or 2 are what you would call Aryans."

The German -- "Why, we couldn’t do that in Germany." "I know ... that’s why I’m glad I’m now an American." What a blessing to live in a fellowship where one may say, with pride of ancestry and pride of citizenship, "My ancestors were so-and-so, but I am an American" and mean it!)

Surely we should, like the worshipper of old, "take the cup of salvation and be glad in it;" [Psalm 116: 13], and "pay our vows now unto the Lord in the presence of all his people." [Psalm 116: 14]. Each of us has, in his personal life, strong reasons for thanks --- for health; for the love and welfare of family; for the accomplishments of friends and loved ones that bring us our pride and joy in them; for strength to meet life’s exacting demands; for work that is significant and important; for the encouragement someone has given us!

Yet life is not all sunshine. It is altogether likely that, in gazing into the fireplace many a one remembers disappointments and griefs and losses and even present anxieties that tower so high that their shadows mingle freely with our mercies. Life can be hard, bitter, cruel -- and we know not why. But we do know that storms come as well as fair weather. Some are concerned about those who are far away -- facing hardship and possible danger. What can we do with these shadows at the season of Thanksgiving? A few months ago we recalled the Scriptural verse that goes, "I will take the cup of salvation." There is also in Scripture reference to other cups. One was to our Lord’s last meal with his friends when "He took the cup and blessed it." [Matthew 26: 27]. Later that same night he prayed in an agony of earnestness, "Let this cup pass from me" - yet, "Not my will, but thine be done." [Matthew 26: 39].

Look yet more closely at this reference. Do you remember how Paul described it? "Our Lord, Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took the cup and gave thanks." [I Corinthians 11: 23-25]. Think of it! Jesus gave thanks over that cup in a moment when one knows the bitterest of experiences -- betrayed by a beloved and trusted friend or companion -- and yet "He gave thanks."

We take a shallow view of life when we give thanks only for the bright and pleasant things and experiences. Sunshine seems more delightful than clouds and rain. Yet both are an essential part of nature’s growth and the seasons. The earth flourishes with life, with flowers and fruit, with life and beauty. The moon is believed to be quite barren. The sun shines on both the earth and the moon. But on earth there are clouds and rain and snows while the moon lacks these things. It may be hard to believe, and harder to realize, but our spirits are infinitely richer for the clouds and darkness that come, we know not why, from the goodness of God. For, "as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and watereth the earth, and causeth it to bring forth and bud, so shall my word be, saith the Lord."

The center and glory of our religion is that it has the insight and courage to see and declare, as no other religion has done, that God is in our sorrows and hardships no less than in our joys. "The darkness and the light are both alike to him." And he uses both for blessing his children. Some other religions declare blankly that evil does not exist, or counsel passive resignation to fate. But the Christian faith boldly declares that out of grief and pain and hardship may shine the glory of God and of eternal life as it could not shine out of perpetual cloudlessness.

(Man in Japanese city - a Christian minister -- unusually good and successful work in his neighborhood through church and Sunday school, daily kindergarten and other neighborhood services. --- Question: "Have you always been a Christian?" Answer: "No; I was a Buddhist. When I went to America my mother made me promise that I would not become a Christian. But, after some months in America, I wrote home that I had become a Christian, but it was not my fault -- I couldn’t help it!" Question: "What did you find in Christianity that you hadn’t had in Buddhism?" Answer: "I might call it joy of life. When I was a Buddhist, if something hard faced me, I would lower my head in resignation and say, ‘I accept it; it is fate.’ That was good. But now that I am a Christian, if something hard faces me, I say, ‘God has sent me a chance to fight and overcome,’ and that is better."

Give thanks to God and for the knowledge of Him, and of ourselves, that has come through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Just as Jesus lived and died, so must his Christians face life and death at its fairest and its hardest, giving thanks to God who gives us grace to "trace the rainbow through the rain." (Air flight -- Switzerland to England. -- Sky overcast -- stewardess: "O, we shall soon be above the clouds." Sure enough!)

This season ought also to be one of consecration. Look --- See --- democracy and freedom are strongest only where free religion is strong and persuasive. There is a vital, necessary connection between our freedom and our religion. The former does not flourish, nor survive, without the latter. There is a real connection between free Christian faith and strong, popular government. Everyone of us ought to ask of himself: "What am I doing to keep the church strong and active? Am I really tasting the joy of self-sacrifice for my church and my country?"

We ought -- we must -- offer to God our best in spirit and effort for the cause of a right world order. There must be a spirit of good will, ever in the face of contempt for it. There is a thing which people of India call "soul force." Christians ought to know what it is, and put it to use until all may sing as if with angels, "Peace on earth to men of good will." So let this season be one of joy, of gratitude for so many blessings -- blessings of strength, health, happiness ready success; blessings of stern demand and challenge, and great faith in the face of hardship and adversity; blessings of confidence and consecration.

The martyred Chrysostom said just before his death at the hands of cruel soldiers: "Let us praise God from whom all blessings flow."

"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." [Romans 8: 38-39].

"Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift!"

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Delivered in Wisconsin Rapids, November 19, 1950.