Signs of the Times

From an article in the Teachers World and Schoolmistress London, England

Whatever changes there may be in the composition of the House [of Parliament], the beautiful prayer with which each day begins will remain unaltered, as it has done since 1660, when the first Speaker's Chaplain was appointed.

In the words of this prayer, the Members of the Commons ask that: "... the result of all our counsels may be to the glory of Thy blessed Name, the maintenance of true Religion and justice, the safety, honour and happiness of the Queen, the publick wealth, peace and tranquillity of the Realm, and the uniting an knitting together of the hearts of all persons and estates within the same, in true Christian love and Charity one towards another."

From The Link Nashville, Tennessee

Lest we think that we Americans have a monopoly on gratitude, it is good for us to know about the many other thanksgiving holidays celebrated throughout the world throughout the ages.

The early Hebrews were called upon by Moses, their leader, to "keep the feast of booths seven days, when you make your ingathering from your threshing floorand your wine press; you shall rejoice in your feast, you and your son and your daughter, your manservant and your maidservant, the Levite, the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow who are within your towns" (Deut. 16:13, Revised Standard Version).

Throughout mythology there were many thanksgiving celebrations. The early Romans had a yearly festival ... in honor of Ceres, goddess of corn. The Greeks held their harvest festival in September and dedicated it to Demeter, goddess of fertility. ...

So, though Thanksgiving is our oldest holiday here in America, it is natural that it should be so. Gratitude is a very old feeling.

From the United Church Observer Toronto, Ontario, Canada

When you find yourself stuck with a bad coin, there are three things you can do.

You can race around to find out who gave it to you.

You can keep quiet and pass it along to some other unsuspecting pilgrim.

You can accept it, absorb the loss, and say to yourself: "This thing ends with me, and nobody else is going to get stuck." ... You can decide that the wickedness you have encountered comes to the end of the line when it meets you.

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November 26, 1955

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