Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-11-30
TH.ANKSGIVU,5G.

Raise the song of Hsrvest Home;
All is safely gathered IN,
Ere the winter stOr ms begin;
God, Our Maker, doth provide,
For our wants to be supplied;
Come to Gods own temple, come,
Raise the song of Harvest Home"
This morning. dawn ushered in the Amer
can annual Thanksgiving day. Nothing
AN be moro appropriate than for people
supreme. banefcent su-
to set aside an especial day
% rejoice in, and give thanks for divine
,avors. The custom of observing an an
aual Thanksgiving day, originated in the
ferveut piety, and unfaltering trust in an
Ruler, of our devout Puritan
fathers.
"Robbins' history of the Puritan Faith
ers" gives the following interesting, and
touching account OF the first Thanksgiving:
'sFrom the third week in. May, 1923, to the
middle of July, there was no rain. The corn,
for which they had made their utmost exertions,
withered under the heat of a scorching sun, and
the greater part of it appeared irrecoverably
lost. The Indians, seeing their prospects,. OBJ
served that they would soon be subdued by
famine. when they should find them an easy
prey. A public fast was appointed and OBJ
served with great solemnity. The morning and
most of the day was clear and hot, but towards
evening, the clouds collected, and, like the gra-
cious influence of God, the rain descended in
moderate, yet copious showers. This revived
their expiring crop, and produced a plentiful
harvest. After which they observed day OF
public thanksgiving, the origin Of the annual
Thanksgiving which is now observed in New
England"
In following years the people solemn
lied day of thanksgiving unto
the Lord after they had gathered
in the fruits of their labors.
Eight years after the day spoken of in
Robbins history, lin 1881. occurred the
first recorded formal thanksgiving, ap-
pointed by the governor of Plymouth COL
ony. The observance has been regular in
every year in New England by guber.
material appointment, and this state re-
ligious observance gradually spread into
other states, until at last at has received
national adoption, and the last Thursday
in November has become permanently set
tied as the day for this annual religious
and social festival.
Early in the history of Plymouth colony
when the colonists depended for supplies
by shipboard from the mother country
they were reduced by scarcity and famine
to the very point of starvation. Under
these trying circumstances, the 22d day
of February afterwards to be so distiu.
guished as the birthday of Washington, the
father and saviour of his country was ap.
pointed as a day of solemn fasting
aud prayer to Almighty God
for the mercifCl interference of his benign
providence, to save them from starvation
Day by day, the anxious watchers scanned
the dreary waste of waters, to descry the
long overdue and hoped for ship. Before
the day appointed for the fast arrived, The
glad cry of "a sail, a SAIL" rang through
the colony, and the. grateful people &C
knowledging the divine interposition
changed their day of fast iuto day OF
thanksgiving.
The following compilation of thanksgiv
ing day observances will be of interest, al
showing how the practice steadily grew
upon the people:
In the Dutch settlement of New Netherland
(Albany, N. w. Gov. Kieft proclaimed publ,
Thanksgiving in 1914, on account of victory
over the Indians: and again in 1916, because O.
the conclusion of peace. Early in the war fo
independence the Continental Congress adopted
the practice. The days appointed during tn,
revolutionary war were as follows: Thursday
other, to be fixed by the several states, ordered
by resolution of Dec. IL, 1776; Wednesday, Apri
%, IT'S; Thursday, May 6, 1878: Wednesday
April 6, 1880; Thursday, May 8, 1881; Thursday
April Is, 1882. These eight appointments fo
Thanksgiving days were madeby the Continental
Congress in the form of recommendations to tn,
executive heads of the several state governments
With only one exception, congress suspended
business on the days appointed for Thanksgiving
Washington issued a proclamation for genera
Thanksgiving by the continental army on Thurs
day, Dec. 18, 1777, and again at Valley Forge
May Z, 1778. As president, Washington ap
pointed Thursday, Nov. 26, 1889, day for gen
eral Thanksgiving throughout the Union; also
Thursday, Feb. 10, 1895.
Since the Thanksgiving day appointed
by President Lincoln, following the battl,
and Union victory at Gettysburg, the ma
tional executive has issued his annua
proclamation appointing and recommend
ing the last Thursday in November as
day of thanksgiving and praise to Almight,
God, for his protecting care and benef
cence to the people. The custom now il
for the governors of states to follow tn,
president in recommending the same da,
for religious and social observances, so tina
it is equally national and state obser
vance.
Thus the influence of the devout piety @
the founders of the old Puritan common
wealth still lives to benefcially effect tn,
habits and customs, and to mold the re.
igious and social life of the great and ex
panding republic.
Cutter.
Buy your cutter at A. Nippolt's, corner Sew
enth and Sibley. y.