The national Republican., 1868-11-26
THANKSGIVING.


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THANKSGIVING.
To-day, BY proclamation Of the President Of
the United States, 10 set apart as an occasion
to rive thanks to Almighty God for all his
bOun,ies and blessings. In writing upon this
tonic We cannot we'll resist an inclination TO
recur to csrtais "reminiscences which crowd
unon our mind in connection with this good
old New England festival. Thanksgiving had
n, origin in Yankee land, and came to be an
in,titution and religious festival In this wise:
In the early days Of the Massachusetts, and
Plymouth colonies, or on or about the year
1910, there was drought in that land, and as
q consequence q great scarcity Of provisions.
So great was the immediate and prospective
distress that the entire community were upon
the very boundaries Of . famine. They had
made an appeal to the mother country for aid,
and were 10 anxious and hourly expectation
Of relief. But such was the distress and the
peril which awaited the psople-famine staring
them in the fscs-thst the Governor was In.
duced to make proclamation for fast.
on or before the coming Of the day desig.
mated for a fast, the vessels brought provisions
and consequent relief arrived; and the fast
was changed to Thanksgiving, rejoicing and
praise. The occasion was made one Of festiv-
ity and rejoicing, and the whole land was
filled with gladnsss, Joy, and praise to God.
There are several traditions with respect to the
origin Of this festival, but We believe what ws
have briefly stated above to be the truth a. 10
the setting apart Of this day As time to give
thanks
Another account or tradition is, that the
day was set apart by gubernatorial proslama-
tiOn on account Of an unprecedented crop Of
corn and an immense and abundant harvest
1t will be seen that, whichever story be true,
there was good reason then, as now, to recog-
nirs the goodness and the mercy Of an over
ruling Providence, and to make suitable pub.
lie and becoming recognition Of His many
blessings.
Having been born and raised 10 Yankee
land, our readers, wherever born, will pardon
US II we indulge in some rseollectiOns Of those
early days when the New England thanksgiv-
ing was an Institution peculiar to that land
alone.
Let US note some Of its characteristics in
the oden time. In those days the Governor
who Issued the proclamation, and tho minis
ter Of the gospel who read 1t from the pulpit
were both, 10 the estimation OF all the people,
awful great men. Their voice was heard In
all the land, and their mandates were i'm.
plicitly obeyod. What the Governor said
wa, law lie was the magistrate, the minis
ter Of God; because 1t was believed In those
days that the powers that be are ordained
by God" The magistrate then did not bear
the sword in vain. His word was potential
and had the force Of law. The minister Of
the gospel was also 4 power In the land, and
even those unregenerAte sinners, known as
the worlds people, duly respected his high
Office, and bowed to bis dictates and his
teachings.
But to the little people of those days the
great feature Of Thanksgiving was pumpkin
pie, roast turkey, plumb pudding, Gran.
berry sa', and great fair red apples. AL
these came in Immediately after the long and
not unfrsquSutly tedious services In the cold
and cherries church, where without ares IL
the late November days some three hours wer'
spent in divine worship and in the giving o
thanks. This over, the aged grand father and
grand mother, the full grown and mature
men and matrous, and the children all gath
cred around the festive board, and often the
prOdigal son, who had returned to his father
house and had been forgiven was there, and
not unfrsqusntly the long time enemy VA
also there, and the poor were gathered in and
fed and some even fulfilled the scriptural 70
quirement, and went out into tho highway
and hedges and compelled them to come in
This old time festival, from having been sI
clu'ivoly New England institution, has nov
become national, and the Chief Magistrate o
this great nation SO recognizes 1t. Let u
then to-day observe it, DO thankful for all tn
blessings which our Heavenly Father ha
vouchsafed to US, and rejoice In our ma
tional prosperity, growth, and peace. 9TH
lines are fallen to US In pleasant places; yes
We have goOdly heritage"