Show thanksgiving DAY A TIME HONORED institution in american history Is ie thanksgiving day it extends back to the very cradle of our nationality after the first harvest of the new england colonists in 1621 governor bradford made provision for their rejoicing specially together with praise and prayer the circumstances that led up to this event were those these james the first was on the english throne in england religious excitement ran high the reformation as far as that island was concerned in its relation to borne ro me was complete but protestantism itself was now torn by feud and faction sect and party there was great excitement about the wearing of vestments flemions flex ions and the making of signs of the cross crom in service A large party demanded the abolition of these popish sym symbols bRia 11 the party is known in history as the puritan prom from these spring the or separatist par ty puritan presbyter episcopal and armenian joined hands to persecute the separatist in scrooby there existed a congregation of the obnoxious sect presided over by a mr brewster the insults outrages and indignities these people were subjected to forced them to leave th the country their first attempt in 1607 failed they were betrayed and the kings troops prevented them from leaving in 1608 they tried a second time and succeeded jh in getting away to holland there they remained until in 1619 john robinson reformed the doctrine and modified the political views of the sect in 1620 there was a kind of peace maude made with ahe be king and the established church whereby persons of the robinson congregation now known as independents sailed from plymouth on september br 6 they reached new england december 21 and settled at a place which was naturally called plymouth that they bad great difficulties to surmount and serious obstacles to overcome no one will deny in the spring they put in a crop and after harvesting it we can imagine the earnestness the fervor and the intensity with which these few colonists gave praise and thanksgiving to god for his providence in 1623 a great drought draught prevailed A day of fasting and prayer was appointed in order to invoke the almighty for relief the people gathered and joined in prayer to the most high in the midst of their earnest eions rain came and the day of fasting and prayer was changed into one of thanksgiving then gradually the custom of observing a day of thanksgiving annually after harvest was adopted the appointments point ments of these days were made by proclamation of the governors of the several new england colonies during the ri revolution a day dai of national thanksgiving banks hanks giving was annually recommended by congress Con gresa after the adoption of the consal constitution tu washington recommended such a day many subsequent presidents followed his example during the war lincoln recommended the observance anew of thanksgiving day after vio victories in 1863 he made a proclamation for its national natio ial observance since that time a similar has been annually issued and custom has fixed on the last thursday of november as the time the governors of states and territories now usually appoint thanksgiving day by proclamation and making it a general holiday it is 18 as much a national institution at present as congress itself this year the day falls on thursday november and it is to be hoped that all will duly observe it and remember the circumstances under which it was born it is a day that can be celebrated by atheist and agnostic infidel and heretic armenian and puritan mormon and gentile alike the energy the bravery the perseverance the tenacity and indomitable will of its first institutors should command the veneration of all lavere of freedom program proe reea and religious development |