Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-11-24
THANKSGIVING.
BY Rev. 2. q. sTURaIs.

Inc annual recurrence or this tmo, hon
orsd festival calls up with new and specia
interest the times and associations of it
first observance in this country. It wa
originally instituted by tho Pilgrim Father
of the Plymouth colony of Now England
as everybody knows. They were Just ovel
here, and were in a desperate condition
The first year they suffered untold deprivs
tions and hardships Disease had decims
ted their numbers and their supplies had run
low. But kind and watchful Providence
mercifully favored them with an sbundan,
harvest at the end of this first year. With
out this it seems they must have persisted
of absolute starvation, as the cold northern
winter was upon them and they were poor
ly housed, and no possible timely supplies
could have reached them from any source.
In coInmemorstiena af this bountiful first har-
vest in the new world the Pilgrim settlers
appointed day of general thanksgiving to
almighty God. As soon as the harvest was
al gathered in, Governor Bradford sent out
four mon into the woods to hunt for game
with which to celebrate the feast They
killed enough to last the company = whole
week
In gloomy wilderness, on q rock
bound shore, sa~ages and wild beasts all
around them, three thousand miles from
home, an unexplored country behind them,
and the cold winter sea in front of them,
poorly sheltered, poorly clothed, they sat
down to the first Thanksgiving dinner ever
eaten on this continent, and kindly guests
too, they had at that first grateful harvest
festival. The Indian sachem, Massasoie
with some ninety men, visited them,
and WAS Hospitality entertained, and
feasted for three consecutive days They
killed and contributed to the general enter
tainment four deer, which they brought on
their shoulders and presented to the gallant
Miles Standish and others. Not a wide
range of good things loaded the tables of
that first Thanksgiving in the New England
wilderness. But hunger and bread and a
few vegetables and four stalwart deer went
great way, with gratitude and humility
No mention is made Of tho turkey i'll the
accounts given US of that festive day. Still
as the turkey is not a native of Turkey, as
was early believed, but is an honored native
of this country, being carried to
England in the early part of the
18th century, We have no doubt
that this stately fowl regaled the palates of
hungry red men and white men alike on
this festival in the fall of 1921.
Benjamin Franklin thought the turkey,
all Indigenous and national bird, should have
been selected as the symbol of American
sovereignty instead as he said the tyrsnnous
and cowardly old bald-eagle, and the great
Ornithologist, Audubon, thought so too,
and always insisted. But as some one has
said it would look rather disrespectful and
sacreligious to eat every year the emblem Of
nations sovereignty. No doubt, the
soaring eagle looks better on the waving
bunting, and the strutting gobbler dressed
in celery on the festive board.
Those early pilgrim settlers were very
thankful set of people. If unexpected sup
plies came from England; if plentiful rain
came after long delays if new colonists ar
rived to reinforce their dying numbers if
any s. ecialdeliverance or turn of providence
blessed them, they at once appointed day
for general thanksgiving, at the same time
keeping up the regular harvest Thanksgiving
in the fall of the year.
This Festive Day is fast becoming national
and no commemorative day is worthier of a
nations observance
For more than hundred years its obser-
seryance was confined to the New England
colonies, and the New England States
being annually recommended by the various
governors, and the time differing considera-
bly, in the different States 1t was kept
almost universally with religious services in
the churches. 1t was not regularly recon-
NEEDED by the the Governor of New York
till 1917. In 1855 the Governor of Virginia
appointed day of universal Thanksgiving
In 1858, eight Governors OF the southern
States, united III issuing Thanksgiving procla-
nations. The naturalization of the day oc-
CURED in 1863, the President that year
calling upon all the people of the land to
unitedly offer public general praises to God
IN recognition of his mercies and gifts
Since that time the President has
issued similar proclamation every
year, the various State Governors concur
ring in like requests. And the day now in-
varlably appointed by Presidents and Gov
ernors is the last Thursday in November
Thanksgiving day our annual Feast of
Tabernacle, can hot be kept better than in
the old time honored way. Public
religious services in the churches,
suspension Of business, homo gatherings
and reunions around cheerful fires, games
and merry making, feasting and rejoicing,
Then, if ever, parents and children and the
old folks should be together. Thanks
giving day should be anticipated with de-
light and remembered with joy and graft
tude by old and young alike. 1t should be
a day sacred to tho best affections and
memories of the household. Let the tables
groan with the good things of life. In all
homes let there be music and gladness.
Soon enough our households will be silent,
and the loved ones scattered and gone.
Dear old Thanksgiving day How its memo
ries come back to me. How We children
used to hail it, and how We ate till we could
eat no omore-innocent surfeiting, surely, and
how in our hearts will forever inger faces
which used to meet US around grandmother 6
loaded tables, faces now no more on earth.
God bless Thanksgiving day to all the peo-
pie, and as they meet IN annual reunion all
over the land to-day, may it be to them all,
north, south, east, west, as it was to the
Jews of old and the Pilgrim Fathers, the
feast of Tabernacles, the greatest feast of all
fhs year.
AS THOUSANDS DO TESTIFY,
So does Thomas Roberts, Wholesale Grocer,
Philadelphia, who says: "BURsR1r's Co.
COME allays all irritation of the scalp, and