The Republican journal., 1878-11-28
Thank sglving.

"Beggar that | am, am even poor
in thanks" said the melancholy Hamlet
In no such case are the people of this
country who feel that not only have they
thanks to render, but that there is album
dant occasion for them The proclama-
tons of the President, and of the Govern
ors Of the states, 90 out to a people rich
in all temporal blessings, exempted in
marked degree from the evil vicissitudes
Of life; and who have abundant reasons
for giving expression to the joyful scnt-
ments pertaining to the occasion.
The popular idea that the observance
Of Thanksgiving is custom having its
origin with the Puritan settlers of New
England is erroneous 4 like observance
may be traced back through the centu-
rlcs, IN the customs of many nations, even
to the early times of the Jewish people.
who among their many holidays institute
ed the Feast of Tabernaclcs. in which
they specially recognized the goodness
Of God at the gathering If The harvest,
and the care Of Providence over the peo-
pie during the Soiourn in the wilderness.
1t Is in a degree strange that the custom
should have commended itself to the Iur-
itanS, whose gloomy Views Of life and PIE
valing ascetlcism were So ayersc to all
forms Of Teasing and merrymahng, Still,
the Purtans were men Who believed
themselves not only 10 be specially favor
ed of God, but to be in direct communion
with Him. Seeking to make all pos>i Die
contrasts between themselves ana those
OF other beliefs, whom they habtually
called the heather, they searched the
scripture for unaccustomed obScryanccs
and phrases, which they introduced On
all possible occasions To offset the
churchman's Joyous festivities of Christ
mas, which they looked upon with con
tempt, they protessed 10 bring themselves
face to face with the Being who created
and overruled all, and to thank Him in
their uncouth way for the alterations of
seed time and harvest. They had small
regard for the festivities of 1hanksgil-
ing. but loved with enthusiastic devotion
the long prayers and nasal psalm singing
Of their rude worship. The sullen gloom
of their domestic habits made what we
call rational enjoyment scarcely possible.
The descendants OF the men of Crom-
wells time after being transplanted to
America, were wont 10 regard special
lr0vidences in whatever conduced To
their immediate welfare. and ont Of that
grew the custom of Thanksgiving az
pOlntments for events So recognized. Onc
of the most marked occasions of this
kind, was the public Thanksgiving that
about 100 years ago, grew out of the de-
struction of the French fleet despatched
to rayage the New England coast and
capture Boston, in revenge for the taking
Of LGulsburg.
The English Government received the
news Of this movement only when the
man war had set sail and the ships
she then sent to follow were driven back
to the channel by succession of gales.
The first news of the threatened danger
OF the coloniSts came from fishermen who
We're pursuing their calling on the Grand
Banks, and who speedily set sail to warn
the people at home 1t was the most for
midable array Otmen- of war our folks had
heard of, and mems souls We're tried. 4
dayoftasting and prayer was held through
out the Massachusetts colony. 1t was
on that occasion that the Rev Mr. Prince,
pastor of the Old South. plead 50 earnest
~ with the King of kings for their deliv-
ance. The day was stormy and the wind
shook the steeple Of the church and rat
tied the window sashes as he prayed The
parson said he would offer no counsel.
but if the gale would beat off the armada,
Thine would be the glory forever and
ever, amen" The ships We're beating
about OF Cape Sable, and by and by came
the news that some Of them had founder
ed and the whole armada dispersed.
They had seen in this the strong hand Of
the King of kings and they recognized in
Him their never falling ally. Pious men
saw the hand of Divine Providence in
this relief, and Governor Shirley called
the people to assemble in the house of
the Lord to give thanks. 1t has been
claimed that this was the foundation of
the regular observance Of Thanksgiving,
since become an annual national custom
To-day we deal not with the vanished
past, or the musty records Of history
We welcome the living and Joyous pres
ent. The Earyests of the year have
crowned US like henediction. The
plenitude yielded by kindly nature fill
our larders to repletion, and our hearts
with rejoicing. The absent come home,
it may be from over oceans and across
continents. Happy gatherings are held
under the old roof, and about the print
tive hearth. Stories of old times are re-
hearsed, and new experiences related.
The father beholds with pride his chill
dren grown to useful men and women, and
the mother leans upon the arm of her
stalwart son, as they go up once more to
the old church. SO passes one more of
our annual festal days, and so we glide
by yet another of the miIestones on the
road of life
In addition to the numerous failures OF
Greenback papers, we see that one Fox,
an agent of the Granite State, Green
back organ in New Hampshire, is before
the courts, charged with embezzling the
dc of Bo 4