Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-11-30

Origin of our National Holiday end
How 1t is Celebrated.
A Historical Resume Thanksgiving
In the Past

AA INC EttSt.
''Every good and perfect gift cometh to
us from the Father Of all mercies, and in
aslnuch as He has blessed us in our private
and public relations during the past year,
has preserved to us civil and religious liberty,
and has not scourged us with war or pesti-
lence or fire, but has promised to be with
us in all our generations" Gov. Brown has
appointed this THURSDAY, Nov. 3d. "a
day of Thanksgiving, Praise, and Prayer
to Almighty God, and earnestly recommends
its proper observance by all our people," A
similar recommendation has been made by
the President of the United States.
All nations have had their memorable
days; days of festiyity 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 valleys and have
annual merry maHngs yet in honor of VIII
liam Tels The heroic Scots for long years
rejoiced from the Firth to the Clyde, and
made old Kennilworth Castle resound with
wild acclaim in praise of the deeds of Wal
lace. England, and Spain, have their fes-
Invites and their rejoicing days. And this
is well. But the American Annual Thanks
giving Day is one Of deep significance and
replete with many memories.
Back through the long dim vista of the
past, the thoughts of all will go
to-day and linger among the pleasant val
leys "where rest, like sweet dews of morn
ing, the gentlest recollections of our early
lives" when in young years every Elay
seemed one of thanksgiving. Then, in the
rosy morning of life, everything seemed
true and beautiful, and we peopled the FIJI
ture all with halcyon delights. The return
of Thanksgiving, though mellowed into a
little more sombreness with us now, has vet
for US its enjoyments and its pleasantries.
1t is day for prayers and for smiles, for re-
unions and socialitiss. 1t is generally OBJ
| served in this country by the people, but its
manner of observance is diversified with
the section and the habits and customs of
the times.
The first Thanksgiving Day in America
was proclaimed and observed in the Colony
of Massachusetts, in an early day and in
peculiar circumstances not unmixed with
deep distress. 1t was in the hard winter of
1881. The Colony was wrapped in snow
and ice. The country was scarcely popu-
! lated, and even the birds died. The in
habitants were poor, and to add TO the
miseries of the unexampled and protracted
cold weather, famine prevailed. The desti-
tuition was universal. There was no food
and none to be had. Christmas came; the
month Of January opened darkly and
drearily for the suffering colonists. The
year 1851 had dropped into the calendar of
the past. February, 1882, came, butbrought
no relief. 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. Charac-
teristic of the sublime virtue Of those early
Puritans, they resigned themselves 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 4th of February came. Beyond the
9th there was no hope entertained by
these hardy pioneers. On the 9Th Of
/ February a sail was seen in the distance.
! On she came, like messenger of mercy,
and dropped into port. Wild shouts of 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 graft
tude streamed from their eyes. They fell
! upon their knees and poured forth their
| thanks to the Most High God for snatching
| them, rs it were, from the grave. They
! partoOk plentifully of the food SO oppOrtune-
| ly sent. This was on the 9Th, and in the
| fullness of his heart, Gov. Winthrop pro-
claimed the 9th day of February, which was
! to have been one of fasting and deep humil-
| iation, as a day of thanksgiving. Provis-
ions were distributed, the people Toasted,
/ and observed 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 OLDEN TIMES.
In the early days of New England his
| tory it was undoubtedly more austere than
! at present. 1t was necessarily tinctured by
! all the severity which then marked the Pu-
! ritan character and training. In the Puri-
| tan creed idleness was set down as s'the
worst form of original sin" 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 doctrinal sermon of from two
! to four hours duration. But this was COM
| pensated for, in some measure, by the royal
! feast to which all the members of the family
circle sat down upon its conclusion. As
Bancroft has APPLY said:
"a 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 SOM
bre. The spirit of frolic mingled with in
nocence; religion itself sometimes wore the
garb of gayety, and the annual thanksgiv-
ing to God was, from primitive times as
! Joyous as it was sincere"
ITS HISTORY.
| The festival, as originally established, was
almost distinctly of a religious character
But this was soon changed. The occasion,
/ even in early times, was considered an APP
/ propriate one for family reunions Gus
| tom which has long prevailed in New Eng
| land and in other portions of the country.
| The children of the household who have