Radio Station WRLC
Toccoa, Georgia
November 23, 1941

Good afternoon friends and members of the Radio Bible Class. Since this is our Thanksgiving broadcast, I want to take this opportunity to ask you to stop for a moment and ask God to show you at least three things for which you are grateful. I know from reading your letters that many of you are facing hard times. But yet, God is faithful and we must never forget this. He has a plan for our trials and we can be sure that it is a good plan. Trust Him and ask Him to show you the things that He has given over this past year that have made a remarkable difference in your life. We have been given so much—the love of family and friends and our freedom. And He has even more to give if we will seek Him. Look for His goodness not only in life’s big things but also in the simplest of joys. There you will find His goodness revealed.

The psalmist writes—

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
Psalm 136:1-4

The following is the first Thanksgiving proclamation ever issued by a president of the United States. It was issued on the 3rd day of October, 1789, by George Washington.

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor: and whereas both houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me ‘To recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

“Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of the states, to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be: that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation, for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war: for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed: for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted: for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge: and in general, for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.

“And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions: to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties, properly and punctually; to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, directly and faithfully obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us), and to bless them with good government, peace and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best. “Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, One Thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.” —George Washington

The Institute [moved to the Toccoa Falls location in 1911], which is thirty years ago. This year’s graduating class—from three different departments high school, commercial course, and Bible College—is the largest in the history of the Institute, ninety-three, I believe.

Like the woman of old, I would say to all of you: “Come and see!” what the Lord is doing at Toccoa Falls. Tonight at 8 o’clock Dr. R. A. Forrest, co-founder and president of the Toccoa Falls Institute, will deliver the Commencement address to the Bible College graduating class and confer degrees on each of the four graduates as they receive their diplomas. Please join me in praying for the school, for our students, and for those who will soon enter God’s kingdom work here on earth. Praise the Lord for what He is doing!

(Taken from Mrs. Forrest radio program broadcast on WRLC – May 25, 1941)

1941 Graduates, left to right — Jimmy Rich, Richard Scoggins, Dr. Forrest, Mrs. Forrest, Flora McLean, and Tom Burns

Click here to see photos of graduates through the years