The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1851-11-12
The First Feast and Thanksgiving Day
in Massachusetts

is customary for the Governor OF Massachu>
setts TO appoint day of Fasting and a day
of Thanksgiving. Fast day now commonly
comes in April, and Thanksgiving day in No
vcmber In most of the other States day
Of Thanksgiving is oppoincd-in but few
Of them day of fasting and prayer.
propose now to give you an account of
the first fast day that was held in New Eng
land 1t was in the year 1923. Our pill.
grim fathers, you know, landed at Plymouth,
near the close of the year 1920. They suf-
fered the severest hardships SO that during
the first six months one half Of tie liltlo com
pany were consigned to tho grave. Their
snnerings were far from being over when the
return of the third spring after arrival called
them to prepare their ground TO plant their
corn. The following is an account Of their
situation it was written by their excellent
Governor, William Bradford.
by the time our corn is planted our vict>
usls is spent ; not knowing at night where TO
have bit in the morning, and have neither
bread nor corn for three or four months to-
goiher yet bear our wants with cheerfulness,
and rest on Providence, Having but one
boat left, we divide the men into several
companies, six or seven in each, who take
their turns TO 90 out with net and fish, and
return not till they get some, though they
may be five or six days out, knowing there
is nothing at home, and to return empty
would be great disco couragement. When
they stay out very long, or get but little,
the rest 90 digging sheiiish."
1t was thus, you see pretty hard times with
them, OF course they looked forward with
great interest TO their corn crop They were
mol likely to have any bread from planting
till harvest time but a great drought came
on soon after planting, For more than six
weeks not a drop of rain fell; the corn did
not grow, and did not promise &c yield at
ALL says WinsIow, both blade and stalk
hanging the head and changing color in such
a manner, as we judge it utterly dead. Our
beans also run not up according to their won't
cd manner, but stood at stay, many being
parcbed away, az though they Ind been
scorched before the fire. Now were our
hopes ovcrihrown, and we discouraged, our
joys turned into mourning"
To add 10 their dscouragements, the ship
which they expected would bring their pro-
visions from England did not arrive. Signs
of wreck were seen on the coast and they
concluded il was the wreck of the vessel that
was to bring them aid; so all their hopes
seemed to be cut off," THE most courage.
ous," says Winslow, were now discouraged,
because God who had hitherto been our only
shield and supporter, now seemed in his an-
ger 10 arm himself against us. And who is
there can withstand the firccness of his
wrath I"
Amid these discournging circumstances
what did they do No; only did every man
examine himself, and humble himself before
God hut by public authority, day was sci
apart for fasting and prayer. They felt the
extremity of their need they must perish,
and the settlement cems 10 an end, if God
did not interpose.
The morning of the appointed day was
without cloud there was not the sightes,
appearance OF rain. For augb, that appear
ed. " the drought was as likely to continue
as ever it was. And yet before the close of
thni ,li,.. tba cloud, .tatharaI
all sides, and there was promise of an abun>
dance OF rain. 1t is true, their public oxer,
cses were not as short as they are now in
our days, for they continued eight or nine
hours.
The next morning The rain came, and to
use the language of one of their number,
" distilled such soft sweet, and moderate
showers of rain, continuing some fourteen
days, aud mixcl with such seasonable wealth
er, as made it hard 10 say whether our with,
ering corn or dropping affections we're most
quickened or revived such was The bounty
and goodness of God.
One of the Indians was in the town. and
asked what the meeting meant, seeing i, was
only three days since the Sabbath. When he
was told what was The object of their meet
ing together, and SAW the effects OF which
so soon followed he greatly admired the good
ness of God in sending so speedy and favor
able an answer 10 their prayers
Soon after the feast, Captain SIandsh, who
had been sent eastward 10 purchase provi-
sions, returned with supply and they very
soon afterwards heard that the vessel which
was to bring them aid, and which they had
given up for lost was safe, and very soon
might he expected. After having received
SO many signs Of Coils favor, they thought
1t would be great ingrntitude, il secretly We
should smother up The same, or content our
selves with private Thanksgiving for lha,
which'by private prayer could not be obiain-
ed. So they appointed day of public
Thanksgiving, when they returned "glory,
honor, and praise, with all lhankfiness," TO
God This was the first Thanksgiving that
was ever held in New England. 1t was not
kept in fasting ant excess, but in exercises
beftting the occasion.
II has sometimes been said that The first
Thanksgiving was held by the pilgrims in
1921, after they had harvested ihoir corn
1t is true that they had display of rojoic,
ing, but they did not call it day Of Thanks
giving,nor was it attended with any peculiar
religious exercises. The following is an sc.
count of that day. taken from letter writ