Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-11-29
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Thanksgiving Day.

No more beautiful custom of our re-
publican form of government exists,
than the spirit of appreciation and
thankfulness manifested in the celebra-
ton of our national holidays. There
are only two distinctively national fes-
rivals in this country, Independence
Day and Thanksgiving Day. Christmas
and NewYear's, though as heartily hon
ored, are exotics. OF these, Independ-
ence Day, though contemporary with,
and commemorative of our national
natal day, boasts only respectable an
tiquity. But Thanksgiving Day carries
US backward more than two centuries
and half back to the days of bluff
Governor Bradford, and to the first
struggling colony of stern and heroic
Pilgrims springing full grown, Minerva
like, from the very cradle of our com
monwealth,
when Freedom spread her banner wide
And cast her soft and hallowed ray
The first Thanksgiving day was kept
amid surroundings most unpropitious,
and with gaunt famine lowering over
the rude and cherries dwellings of the
little colony. The summer of 1921 fol-
lowing the landing of the pilgrims at
Plymoth, yielded but a scanty harvest,
and unless speedy supplies came from
Europe, thesturdy colonists foresaw that
they would be reduced to the point of
starvation. Yet, amid such surround
ings as these the colonists found reason
to be thankful, and Governor Bradford
issued the first Thanksgiving proclama-
ton. How well they builded they
knew not. From that day till now
successive generations of devout, patri-
otto and generous men and women have
gathered together from year to year and
with hearts attune in praise and thanks,
have rendered thankfulness to God for
his provident and protecting care, and
bountiful blessings. as a means of fost-
ering and perpetuating the memories
and love OF the home and firesidc.
From the little band of Pilgrims,
whose ranks had been decreased to
mere handful, who gathered together
in praise and devout worship to the
Giver of all Good, the custom has
broadened into q national one, and
with each recurring year is looked for
ward to with more reverence and re-
spect by the people of this land And
well they may. Where in all this world
is there land or nation whose blessings
have been so replete and Providence has
smiled on so beneficently in the years
that are past? Might it not, this day
be called the fifty-thrd Sunday in the
yearP Is it not day of rest and wor-
ship? Probably no more will assem-
BILE in their respective places OF wor-
ship on this day than usual to worship
God, but who is there. whose heartstrings
are so cold, or senslbilities so blunted,
that sometime during the sacred hours
Of this day some tender chord will not
be touched and beatin harmony with the
spirit of the occasionp Still, in grovels |
Of filth and misery and the squalor
Ind ignorance of city tenements are
jhe poor and friendless tor whom our
hearts should reach out, in that Charity |
which is but another name for the re-
igion of our souls, in lending substan-
tial aid.
Let our heartfelt and happy thanks
ascend on high, for unnumbered per-
sonal, public and national blessings.
so shall the people with thankful devotion /
Praise Him who hath saved them from peril and |
sword
shouting in chorus, from ocean to ocean,
Peace to the nations and praise to the Lord