Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1878-11-28
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Thanksgiving.

that festival at which all alike, Chris.
tian, Mohammedan, materialist or pa
CANAL who worship the Supreme
and by whatever name-may unite i'll
thanks to the Giver of all Goodfor all
that has tended to make life pleasant,
all that has brought comfort in attic.
ton all that has whispered Of hope
in adversely, renewed the strength of
the weary, smoothed the rough places
IN life, Gained the mind in the parox-
ysms of despair, and pointed with fn-
ger of consolation to peace beyond
the grave. Made up as we are ma
ton of every grade of belief in relig-
ion; divided as we may be in secta-
rian belief, we can unite 10 thankful
uess to that Supreme Power, all-the
humble laborer and the potentate, the
weak and the strong, the humblest
citizen aud the most powerful-may
rejoice that day is set aside when,
as members Of q common fraternity,
they may unite in thanksgiving and
praise for what we receive and for
the common heritage to which all as
pire.
Thanksgiving was first instituted
by the Pilgrims at Plymouth, as a day
Of feasting and prayer, in memory Of
Their first great crop in 1921.
Since that time occasional thanksgiv-
ings were held until 1850. Thence
forward it has been an annual custom
in Massachusetts, end occasionally in
other colonies, but ordered sometimes
for different purposes, as Tor instance
victories over the Indians ana the
safe arrival of ships. Thanksgiving
day, however, became quite general
in the North after the Revolutionary
war. Washington ordered q general
thanksgiving tor peace in 1884, and
recommended one in 1889 for the
adoption of the constitution. There
were other official appointments for
national Thanksgiving; in 1885 for the
suppression of an instruction, and in
1915 for the successful termination of
the second great war with Great Brit
ain. The governor of New York has
annually recommended day of
thanksgiving since 1927, Proclama.
tons for the observance of the day
were made by the governor of Virgin
ia in 1856, and in eight Southern
States in 1853. President Lincoln
issued proclamations recommending
days of special thanksgiving for victo
ries in 1852 8, and in 1864 for the
annual observance Of the day by the
nation.
1t is fit that one of the last days OF
Autumn, when the seasons bounties
have been safely stored; when the
earth itself, that unremitting worker
for man, has begun to take partial
rest and is storing up her energies
for fresh exertions when the sun shall
again resume his northward journey;
when the winters frosts shall have
ceased; it is fit that one of these last
lingering autumn days, with lengthen.
ing nights, genial fire-sides, and com.
parative leisure should be set apart,
when all may unite in silent alteration,
in thanksgiving and praise for the
manifold blessings enjoyed during the
year. 1t is fit that, years ago inaugu.
rated by the Pilgrim Fathers in rocky
New England the blessed thanksg,v.
ing day, taking strong root year by
year, in state after state, should have
come to be generally recognized al
over the land as day when a grand
monotone of prayer should swell into
mighty symphony of thanksgiving
and eliminate in universal anthem
of praise by nation composed Of
peoples of every civilized country on
the earth.
The governors of states, unit! with.
in the last few years, have been in the
habit of issuing their proclamations
for Thanksgiving in those states recog'
nizing the day. Year by year it grew
in the affections of the masses, until it
has been recognized by the general
government as q day for the whole
people, not confined to any religious
sect or community, but called fol
spontaneously by those of every re-
ligious belief as day upon which al
might unite in thanksgiving to the
God whom they worship, that
"First Great Cause, least understood,
Ia cline adored
BY saint, by savage, and by sage
Jehova5, Joye or Lord