Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-11-23

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Ard for the cossing Of "the rain"
when hope and JOY shine forth again.
-Nary D. Brine.
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THANKSGIVING DAY
HISTORY OF THE DAY IN OLD pRoCLA.
MATIoNs-PURITAN, DUTCH,
PATRIOTIC
Thanksgiving days are sCquents Of
past welfare. They become retro
spective periods during which the di.
vine bestowals Of private and public
blessings is gratefully recognized.
Their history in this part Of America
begins as carly as the year 1921. The
peculiar Circumstances which led to
the setting Of a period of thanksgiving
by the Pilgrims are described by Ed.
ward Winslow in letter dated Plym.
outh, December II, 1921. or tho 1O2
cmigrants who had landed on the 11th
| (old style) of December, 1920, on the
bleak coast Of Cape Cod bay, almost
half OF that number had sickness and
died, and nearly all Of tho remainder
had physically suffered from dostruc.
tion and the rigors of the first Winter
in the new country. The prudence
and industry Of the few persons that
were not disabled were so greatly
blessed as to call forth tho thankful
ness Of the favored people din a special
manner"
"You shall understand that in this
little time that q few OF US have been
hero we have built seven dwelling
houses and four for the use Of the
plantation and have made prepare,
tions for divers others We set the
last Spring some twenty acres Of bar
ley and peas; and according to the
manner of the Indians, we manured
our ground with horrings, or rather
shads, which we have in great abund
ancc and take with great ease at our
doors Our corn did prove well and,
God be praised, we had good increase
of Indian corn, and our barley indiffer-
ent good, hut our peas not worth the
gathering, for we feared they were too
late sown. They came up very well
and blossomed, but the sun parohed
them in the blossom.
"Our harvest being gotten in, our
Governor sent four men on fowling
expedition, that we might, after a
special manner, rejoice together after
We had the fruit Of our labor, They,
four, in one day killed as much fowl
as, with a little help beside, served the
company almost a'week. Attbat time,
among other recreations, we exercised
our arms, many Of the Indians coming
among us, and among the rest, their
great King, Massasoit, with some
ninety men, whom for three days we
entertained and toasted and they went
out and killed FIVE deer, which they
brought TO the plantation and bestowed
on our Governor and upon the captain
and others. And although it be not
always so plentiful as it was at this
time with us, yet, by the goodness of
God, we arc so far from want that we
often wish you partekers Of ourplenty."
The great abundance Of wild turkeys
abounding in the neighboring forests
no doubt supplied the Puritans with |
the fowl sufficient for their hospitality. |
The turkey which now is so highly |
priced by the people OF the United |
States for Thanksgiving dinners may |
have in this way obtained It's peculiar
prominence among the viands of the
table.
The people of New Nethcrland at a
very early date observed days Of
thanksgiving, Among the Dutch rec.
ords at the Office of the Secretary Of
State are preserved proclamations Of
Thanksgiving days in 1915 and 1857
Of the council of New Netherlanl
William Kieft was Governor in 1915
ofthe colony, and the Director General
Of the council. On the thirty.frst Of
August 1915, tho council, sitting at
Fort Amsterdam New York;,
ReSo'Dei in council TO proclaim a
general Thanksgiving, which Thanks
giving shall take place on the sixth of
September next in all the Dutch and
English churches within the limits of
New Notherland
Tho proclamation reads:
WHEREAS, 1t hath pleased Almighty
God, in His unbounded clemcncy and
mercy, in addition to many previous
blessings, to suffer us TO reach a long
wished for peace with the Indians;
therefore is it deemed necessary
to proclaim the fact to all those Of New
Netherland, TO the end that in all
places within the aforesaid country
where Dutch and English churches are
established God Almighty may be
thanked, praised and blessed
on next Wednesday forenoon, being
tho sixth Of September the text to be
and the sermon TO be AZ.
plicnble thereto.
"Your reverence will please an
nounce this matter to the congregation
next Sunday, so that they may have
notice on which we rely"
This proclamation, as set forth in
the text, was issued on the ratification
of treaty of peace between the Dutch
and the Indians. The forenoon Of the
day was set apart for the religious I
services, and it is likely the afternoon
was given to social pleasures. {
The proclamation Of Petrus Stuyvc. {
SAINT, or rather Of the council of New
in 1867, is longer than the {
ono of 1915, and is more particular in {
expressing what shall be the manner {
IF the observance Of tue day and in
orbidding certain secular and worldly
activities and pleasures. I
On the possession Of New Neither ,
and by the English, Edmund Andros =
,eing Governor, the council sitting on !,
Iune Z, 1875, ordered
"Tbat Wednesday, ye 23d Of this
instant month, be appointed through.
iut We Government day Of Thanks !
living and Prayers TO Almighty God d
al 4 ~ I }