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Show cor' 3f C0U&'"'wi UNIVERSITY CP LIBRARIES THANKSGIVING EDITION DEC 5 UTAH 1977, SERIALS ORDER uc. ic Dedicated To The Constitution, Liberty, Morality, and Truth '&tii1rif'tr',tc,'k1c'kirirtrtr'fciririr'irtrirfr'fic1r'A'rir'ir'r'irtr'iHr'irfr'ir'ir'6rtirfr'tr A A irirttfr Vol. 8, No. 47 In 1623 after two years of hunger and starvation, our Pilgrim Fathers decided to end their communist regime and to adopt the policy of every man for himself. This called forth a such great outpouring of energy that' hunger and scarcity were soon replaced by an abundance, of food The first Thanksgiving in 1623 was in reality a joyous appreciation that the collectivist experiment had ended and that individualism and self reliance had ushered in an era of plenty. Early in 1623, the Pilgrims (in Governor Bradfords words). ..began to think how they might raise as much corn as they could and obtain a better crop than they had done, that they might not still thus languish in misery. At length, after much debate of things, the Governor, with the advice of the chiefest among them gave way that they should set corn, every man for his own particular and in that regard, trust to themselves... This decision having been made, the Governor assigned to every family a parcel of land, according to the number of persons it contained. This had For God UTAH INDEPENDENT 57 E. Oakland Lake Salt City, Utah 84115 SECOND CLASS POSTAGE PAID AT Salt Lake City, Utah 7 1 -- I .. . c H rJ in, CO o -- i i , . i experiment 't-' shows the falsity of the belief, ...that taking away of property and bringing in community into a commonwealth, would make them happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser than God. communist The experiment, says Governor Bradford, ...was found to . . . breed much confusion and discontent and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For the young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other mens wives and children without any recompense. The strong, or man of parts, had no more in division of victuals and clothes, than he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the others could; this was thought injustice. By the autumn of 1623, six months after the end of the communist experiment, individual enterprise had brought prosperity. In Governor Bradfords words, By this harvest come was and time, instead of famine, now God gave them plenty, and the face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God and the effect of then particular Planting was well seen, or all had. one way and other, pretty well to bring the year about, and some of the abler sort and more industrious had to spare, and sell to others, so as any general want or famine hath not been them since this amongst day. In the summer of 1623, ship had arrived from England, bringing 60 new settlers and a small store of food. Apparently, Governor Continued on page 10 a Thanksgiving Day is the one day Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." Psalms 33:12 Praise God 0. Henry There is no country on the face of the earth with a heritage as rich as ours, because our heritage was plucked from every country in the world . . . from the four corners of the earth. It is something of which to be truly proud, because it was brought to these shores, planted and grown to maturity by men and women with the intestinal fortitude, the strength of character, and the willingness to face overwhelming privation and hardship, to establish a new way of life. The weak, the undecided, and the doubtful, stayed behind. But the strong of heart and soul brought their convictions and beliefs to a new land. What they brought was, for the most part, the best of what their past had offered. Thus our American heritage and our beliefs are the combined thinking and truths of many races, many origins, and many countries that merged to provide our country with its past, its present, and its future. So, as 0. Henry so cleverly put it, come every November, with the multiple backgrounds, cultures, and countries from which we draw to make America strong, we have our own day, our very own day to stand up and be counted, and to humbly give thanks, as Americans, for the. goodness and wealth that have been bestowed upon us, and for the trust that we carry into the future. John F. Gorman 5?.lVY;Y ::: . i - and disability; whom to have compelled would have been thought great tyranny and oppression. Governor Bradford goes on to explain that this weakness -l 3 .i : r- before would allege There is one day that is ours that is purely American. and Country 1. very good for it made all hands very industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means, the Governor or any other could use and saved success; him a great deal of trouble, and gave far better content. The women now went willingly into the fields and took their little ones with them to set corn, which November 24, 1977 25C Salt Lake City, Utah 84115 From Whom All Blessings Flow! GEORGE WASHINGTON Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in 1789 Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God. to obey His will, to begratefulforllis benefits, and humbly to implore His protection, aid and favors. ..Now. therefore, do I assign and recommend Thursday, the 26-t- h day of November next... .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, and for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us." |