St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-08
CHANGED FROM TIE OLDEy TIME

outgrown its derisive imputaton.
| "
| CHANGED FROM TIE OLDEy TIME.
Time works great changes in institutions
and ceremonious observapces. The chsrac-
ter Of the annual Thanksgiving festival is
greatly changed from that given TO It by its
origins tors. 1t has now grown in some sort
into national festival, holiday with com
paratively slight, superficial religious observ-
ance, devoted to various amusements and so
cial hilarltv and indulgeuces. It retains,
however, the great and distinguishing fea-
ture Of genial family reunions, the benign
and harmonizing influences of which
siren CITIZEN the cords Of affection and family
attachment.
In the midst Of the gay festivities aud IN
limited abundance Of the present period, but
slight thought, If any, is taken Of the solemn
and distressing and destitute circumstances
out of which this observance grew. The
heroism, the faith, the pious endurance Of
the Pilgrim fathers and mothers, can
scarcely find a parallel in the worlds his
tory. Coming out from religious perse-
cuiions they left all of civilization that then
existed in their native land 10 seek home
in wilderness world, greeted by no hospi-
tality, but the bleak and frowning winds
and storms of a barren, frozen coast, and
! by the wild savage OF the forest.
Their great, their only dependence,
in the exercise Of a sublime, unfaltering
faith, was in the Supreme Ruler Of the uni
verse, and when mercies multiplied they ac-
knowledged them with thankful hearts, and
set ap IT day for religious observance and
devout thanksgiving and praise to Almighty
God, for his superabounding goodness. The
day with them was not one OF gay festivity
and hilarity, but one of strict, religious, con-
secrated service.
The Mayfower bore TO the bleak New Eng
land coast one hundred aud two self-exiled
religious pilgrims, and landed them on Ply
mouth rock, in the bleak and wintry month
of December, 1920. But for their mistaken
faith, their devout, believing prayers. dlsmay
would have overwhelmed them, aud
hope would have fed Bat
with a courage, greater than their circum-
stances would seem to allow, they addressed
themselves to the telling of trees and the
construction of rude nuts to shelter them
| selves and their delicate women and children
from the inelemency and rigors OF a New
England winter. Their hardships and ex-
posures brought sickness and death and at
one time during the winter only some half
dozen persons were able to work aud before
the spring came one-half of the entire COM
pany were in their graves. What could be
more disheartening, more appalHingl
But strong faith still abode with the
survivors, and when the warm season came
their dropping hopes revived, they addressed
themselves TO work, to the raising OF crops.
They planted and sowed the seed they
had brought from England and a
friendly Indian taught them how to
raise the Indian corn. Their agricultural
work proved successful, and the autumn
brought them harvest which was carefully
aud thankfully garnered, and in grateful
recognition of the Divine Providence that
had watched over them and blessed them, in
imitation of the Hebrew feast of ingathering
aud probabyin remembrance Of the old
England harvest home, they set aside day
in October, as day for Thanksgiving and
praise, social reunion and devout festivity
Edward Winslow wrote to a friend in Eng
land: Our harvest being gathered in, cur
Governor sent out four men fowllng, that so
we might, after special manner, rejoice to-
gether after we had gathered the fruit OF our
labors. They four killed as much fowl, rs
with little help besides, served the company
almost a week. Governor Bradford records iu
regard TO the good cheer enjoyed: "Aud be-
size water fowls there were great sture Of
wild turkies Of which they took many, beside
venison and other game"
Thus is traced the origin Of the Turkey. as
the chief preparation that graees and crowns
the Thanksgiving board.
So, in October, 1921, the first Thaukseiy-
ing service was observed, and it has never
since ceased to be observed, and its obsery.
ance has gradually spread throughout most
of the states OF the Union.
In the year 1921, Immediately after seed
ing time, fearful drought Of many weeks
duration threatened to destroy the crops OF
the neeessitous Pilgrims. In divine
dependence Cay was set apart in
the month of July for fasting
aud prayer for rain-while they vet prayed
the clouds gathered, the rain descended. the
dropping crops revived, and gentle rains
fell every two weeks thereafter until harvest
long delayed vessel, which was thought to
have been lost, arrived with supplies, and
thus threatened famine was averted, the
fainting hopes of the Pilgrims were revived
and they were enabled in still stronger
faith TO lean on the Divine arm. Edward
Winslow again records: .."Haviug these
many signs Of Gods favor and accepiation,
we thought it would be great ingrstitude If
We should secretly smother up the same, or
content ourselves with private thanksgiving
for that which, by private prayer, coul d
not be obtained, and, there
fore, another solemn day was set