Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-24
THANKSGIVING.
A Historical Resume-Thaniksgiv.
ing I'm the Past

Hew IL Is Celebrated.
A Historical Resume-Thanksgiv
ing I'm the Pass.
In accordance with time-honored Gus
tom, to-day has been set apart by the
President as one of Thanksgiving to the
Supreme Ruler of the universe, for the
unnumbered blessings he has SO bounte-
ously showered upon us. All nations
have had their memorable days; days of
festivity and rejoicing. Rome long after
her invincible eagles had been carried
across the world, and her gods had been
reared on high olympus, gathered her
people in the seven-hilled city once a
year in honor of its foundation. The
mountain Swiss come down into the val
leys and have annual merry markings yet
in honor of William Tell The heroic
Scots fer long years rejoiced from the
Firth to the Clyde, and made old Ken
nilworth Castle resound with wild acclaim
in praise of the deeds of Wallace. Eng
land, and France, and Spain, have their
festivities and their rejoicing days.
And this is well. But the American An
nual Thanksgiving Day is one of deep
significance and replete with many men,
cries. Back through the long dim vista
of the past, the thoughts of all viii go
to-day and linger among the pleasant val
leys "where rest like sweet dews of
morning the gentlest recollections of our
early lives" when in young years every
day seemed one of Thanksgiving. Then
in the rosy morning of life, everything
seemed true and beautiful, and we peo-
pied the future all with halcyon delights.
The return of Thanksgiving, though mel
lowed into little more sombreness with
us now, has yet for us its enjoyments and
its pleasantries. 1t is day for prayers
and for smiles, for reunions and social
ties. 1t is generally observed in this
| country by the people but its manner of
| observance is diversified with the section
| and the hsbits and customs of the times.
The first Thanksgiving Day in America
] was proclaimed and observed in the Col
1 ony of Massachusetts, in an early day
and in peculiar circumstances not unmix-
ed with deep distress. 1t was in the hard
winter of 1881. The Colony was wrap
1 ped in snow and ice. The country was
sparsely populated, and even the birds
died. The inhabitants were poor, and to
add TO the miseries of the unexampled
and sprotracted cold weather, famine pre-
1 vailed. The restitution was universal.
There was no food and none to be had.
1 Christmas came; the month of January
opened darkly and drearily for the suf-
fering colonists. The year 1881 had
dropped into the calendar of the past.
February, 1882, came, but brought no re-
lief. The rigorous severity of the winter
was undated. The stores of provisions
were almost entirely exhausted. Death
and grim starvation stared the distressed
inhabitants in the face. The sullenness
of despair was settling on their faces,
and hope had fled from their hearts.
Characteristic of the sublime virtue of
those early Puritans, they resigned them
selves to their fate and their trust
to their God. Gov. John Winthrop,
the Colonial Governor at the time,
appointed the 9th of February as
day of humiliation, fasting and prayer.
The day was close by, and with Christian
| resignation not expecting relief, the peo-
pie were going to observe it. Gov. Win
throp, according to the colonial records of
the times, chad his last corn in the oven. !"
The 9TH of February came. Beyond the
9th there was no hope entertained by
these hardy pioneers. On the 18th of
February sail was seen in the distance.
On she came, like messenger of mercy,
and dropped into port. Wild shouts IF
joy burst from the hearts of those men.
The vessel had an abundant supply of
provisions aboard. The people threw
their arms around each others necks, as
tears of gratitude streamed from their
eyes. They fell upon their knees and
poured forth their thanks to the Most High
God Tor snatching them, as it were, from
the grave. They psrtook plentifully of
the food so OPPORTUNITY sent. This was
on the 9th, and in the fullness of his
heart, Gov. Winthrop proclaimed the 9th
day of February, which was to have been
one of fasting and deep humiliation, as a
day of Thanksgiving. Provisions were
distributed, the people Toasted, and OBJ
served it as the first Thanksgiving Day.
1t has been observed once a year ever
since. In the course of events it was
changed to November, as the season when
the grain has been garnered, the harvest
ended and the vintage over.
ITS OBSERVANCE IN oLDRN TIMES.
In the early days of New England his
tory il was undoubtedly more sustere
than at present. It was necessarily tine
tured by all the severity which then
marked the Puritan character and train
ing. In the Puritan creed idleness was
set down as 'the worst form of original
sim" and frivolity did not hold much |
higher rank. Hence Thanksgiving Day
was about the busiest and the soberest of |
all the year; and its main feature in the |
days of the Mathers consisted of doc
trinal sermon of from two to four hours |
duration. But this was compensated for,
in some measure, by the royal feast to |
which all the members of the family cir |
Gle sat down upon its conclusion. AS |
Bancroft has aptly SAID:
GA lovely picture of prosperity, piety |
and domestic happiness was presented. |
Every family was taught to look up to |
God as the fountain of all good; yet life |
was not sombre. The spirit of frolic |
mingled with innocence; religion itself |
sometimes wore the garb of gayety, and |
the annual thanksgiving to God was, from |
primitive times as joyous as it was sim
cere."
ITS HISTORY.
The festival, as originally established, |
was almost distinctly of religious char |
acter. But this was soon changed. The
occasion, even in early times, was consid-
cred an appropriate one for family re-
unions-a custom which has long pre-
vailed in New England and in other por-