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Show LONG SERMONS, AND LONG FACES i Early Thanksgivings Were Not Festive, But Solemn, Occasions Modernized by Circumstances,. mott JUL lPROCLAfWIO1 . . 8o strong was the spirit of our ancestors that when the detected! Gov. Andros Issued his Thanksgiving proclamation they refused to eat turkey, just to spit him." Notwithstanding u quite prevalent opinion to tho contrnry. for which certain historical writers aro largely large-ly responsible, Thnnksglvlng Is a day for family reunions, feasting nnd social enjoyment, is practically a modern Institution, owing to Its present Importance- in tho main to tho conveniences of travel that came Massachusetts for generations, woro , solely religious observances, while , that famous Plymouth celebration of 1021 wns a harvest festival, never designated de-signated as Thanksgllvng by Its pro-motors pro-motors and having- no religious significance sig-nificance whatever, so far ns known. ; Moreover, It comprised not merely a single dny of feasting and uiorrynink-, uiorrynink-, Ing. but a wholo week of It, nnd wns designed solely for relaxation after many months of privation and; nrdu-I nrdu-I ous toll. There Is no record of a similar Joy-I Joy-I ous celebration In our nnnnls Tor gen-! gen-! erntlons afterward. thoThanksglvIngs j referred to In subsequent years until 'after the I evolution having been nearly near-ly as strictly religious affnlrs as Sun-1 Sun-1 day Itself, and so far as we have any I existing evidence not greatly given to gastronomy. No mention of Thanksgiving Thanks-giving Is found In a contemporary list of holidays for merrymaking an lata as 1700. ( t'ntll as Into us the war- of 1812, or later, ThunkB'AlvIng was not a regular ' annual affair, either. Its appointment being In recognition of special bless- ' Ings, either spiritual or mnterlal, and usually deferred until such nu oxcubo for Us appointment offered, even 1 though It might bo for two or threo years, as was frequently tho case. It usually came In the autumn, howover, and generally a bountirul harvest was mentioned as an Incidental cause. For more than 00 years after tho arrival of the Pilgrims Thnnksglvlng was appointed by the legislature, and Its respectful, religious observance wus quite ns obligatory as was obedience obedi-ence to utiy law of tho commonwealth common-wealth that i-arrlen with It a legal l penalty. |