Publication information |
Source: Truth Seeker Source type: magazine Document type: editorial Document title: “Thanksgiving Postponed” Author(s): anonymous Date of publication: 21 September 1901 Volume number: 28 Issue number: 38 Pagination: 597 |
Citation |
“Thanksgiving Postponed.” Truth Seeker 21 Sept. 1901 v28n38: p. 597. |
Transcription |
full text |
Keywords |
William McKinley (recovery: religious response); McKinley assassination (religious response: criticism). |
Named persons |
William McKinley. |
Document |
Thanksgiving Postponed
Only a few days ago the religious public were
determined on having a day set apart for national thanksgiving, when the people
should meet in their accustomed places of worship to return thauks [sic] to
Almighty God for the recovery of President McKinley. The only detail not settled
was the manner of of [sic] its appointment. National thanksgiving days being
unwarranted by the Constitution or law, and their appointmeut [sic] being a
usurpation of priestly authority by the executive, there was a question whether
the proclamation should be issued by the vice-president, the presideut [sic]
of the Senate, the speaker of the House, or the secretary of state. The death
of the President left the problem unsolved. The day of national thanksgiving
will not be held. But why? Does not God, in the belief of his worshipers, do
everything for the best, and is not the best good enough for them to be thankful
for? Does not the tacit declaration that the thanksgiving is “off” contain an
implied censure of the course the Almighty has taken in this matter?
The ways of God are past finding out. He also
is himself past finding out. It is not for men to sit in review upon his acts,
for the reason that those acts, or the acts attributed to him, are often of
such an atrocious nature that to judge would be to condemn.
When the devout Christian beholds the discomfiture
of his euemy [sic], or some fate befalls an evildoer more terrible than human
hand would inflict, he is wont to say, “Just and righteous are thy judgments,
Lord God Almighty.” If he is sincere he must repeat these words by the form
of the murdered President.