River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-12-02
Origin Of Thanksgiving
Day. vs.. ssE'. d."

/
Eos. JOURNAL, -"Origin ofThanks-
giving Day" from the pen of the Rev.
"F. D." in last weeks paper, surprised
me aud seems almost childish attempt
to east odium upon she Pilgrims and
their time.honored Thanksgiving. 1t
matters much in certain quarters from
whence originates a feast, OF fast wheth-
er from Kings, Popes, or robed dlgini-
tarles of "The Church, or from the
spontaneous recognition of kind Prov
idence, by people vino by the might
OF their virtue, the diligence of their
hands, and by the blessing of God, could
found in a wilderness Church
without Bishop, aud a State without
a King" My father was a staunch
English Puritan. This is largely a
New England community, and | think
before they will feel much contempt
for their parentage they will require
reasons based upon better authority
Our friend must have found his
'Chroniclns" with which he would IN
tighten us aud which he endorses as "the
true origin of Thanksgiving" in the
archives of a certain institution whose
authorities have never been very care.
full in their chronicles concerning the
Puritans
This relilble chronicle makes the
Iudian feed the Plymoth colony in time
Of famine, and then after a good harvest
aud they have sung "psalms through
their long Pilgrim noses, aud listened
to four hours sermon by Cotton
Mather"-who by the way never belong
ed to Plymouth colony, nor, ia 1922,
had never seen Plymoth Rock. The
Pilgrims for nine years had no relig-
Gus teacher but Elder Brewster, and he
not even an ordained minister Then
the Indian shoots the turkey and the
spious Pilgrims eat it aud worship God
according to the dictates Of their own
conscences "a s. , crime that worship
and then in return for this kindness
Of the Indian, they mastered thousands
Of them and sold other thousands Int
West Indian slavery what a chronicle
The Pilgrams made a treaty with tn,
Indians in 1921 and were a! peace with
them for the first fifty years-uDtil the
wars Of King Philip. | also have q
chronicle Of Thanksgiving.
Cotton Mather says: I'm one of the
first summers a drought threateled the
ruin of all their husbandry. From
about the middle of May to the middle
Of July, hot sun beat upon their fields,
without rain.
Ia this distress they set apart day
for lasting and prayer Before evening
the sky was overcast with clouds and a
gentle yet plentiful shower revived a
great part Of their corn for comforta-
bic harvest The harvest thus given
caused them to set apart another day for
thanksgiving to the Hearer of prayer"
DR.. Franklin gives another tradition,
lie says that, ''In time Of great des-
pondency among the first settlers of
New England, it was proposed in one Of
their assemblies to proclaim fast. An
old farmer arose, aud spoke Of their
provoking heaven with their com
plants, reviewed their many merces,
showed that they had much to be thank
ful for, and moved that, instead of ap-
pointing a day Of fasting, they should
appoint day Of thanksgiving The
motion was carried aud this was the
origin Of Thanksgiving day which has
been custom ever since" Whatever
its origin IL is evident il is not of GER.
tain ecclesiastical origin aud so---.---
1t has, however, liSe the Pilgrims
themselves, proved its fitness to be, and
conquered recognition by great nation,
aud we are rot much troubled concern
ing its illegitimate origin.
WM Gill
ss------=--
ORR clerical brethren have been try.