The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1885-11-28
THANKSGIVING.
BY JOHN r. BRAY.

n
On fair New Engands sterile soil,
In sixteen hundred twenty three,
would-be race of ffeenen t Ill
And face grave dangers to be free;
Far from their homes in England dear,
Far from the scenes of childhoods morn,
On Ply mouth Rock so bleak and drear,
Behind them, wilderness forlorn.
Before them, oceln--near and far;
All round at night, the Indian strange;
Their lot is neither peace nor war,
But constant watchfulness and change.
In Merrie england tyrants ruled;
Here, freedom was, but o what gloon;
Yet here, in trials we they schooled
For Freedoms glores to make room.
Here had they fed, their God to serve
In freedom from o'eruearng power,
And desolation tries their nerve
At near approach of Autumn's hour.
The ground is parehed-long want Of rain
The blades of maize and wheat have sered;
Starvation gazes in their eyes; again
Earth's powers upon them weigh, and many
are afeared
But faith with them is gospel true,
And God father ever kind;
In prayer and tears, they seek anew
His love and mercy to incline.
| And lo while yet in sorrow kneeled,
| The rain descends- joyous sound;
| Their sorrow now to gladness yields,
And deafening thanks to heaven resound.
| Thanksgiving then and there had birth
| although twas called two years before);
| The crops revived, the sterile earth
| Brought forth hundred fold, or more;
| Then, from the woods the turkeys wild,
And praise and feasting were supreme;
All to their homes were reconciled.
| For God their country would redeem
| '"Tall oaks from little acorns grow"
Those people few, in ages gone,
Knew not how wisely they did SOW
| Knew not their influence was so strong;
In universal concord, now,
| A nation celebrates the day; s
In thankfulness some truly bow,
| While others feast far more than pray.
| Fail we for reasons TO give thanks?
Have blessings unto US not sped?
Through four great wars, in victory's ranks,
Our arms in honor have been led;
| From hamlets on Atlantic's shore,
What strides in empire have we gained.
But few years. and we are more
Than Roman greatness eer attained.
Our various blessings should we treat,
Would higher mount than Pelion
On 0ssa piled. In corn, in wheat,
In hay, in beef, in cereals,
In literatures refined light,
In schools, In churches, public health,
In fuel found. in metals bright
Who can enumerate our wealth?
Der all the globe our vessels ride,
And, as they sail the oceans DER,
They sing to men, on every side,
This legend fair. to every Power:
''The men who planned our nation great;
Who braved the perils of the sea
To shape our noble keel of State;
In all its wild and savage glee,
| Who dared to face the wilderness,
To bring il under mans control;
Who scorned to live in mean duress;
Or purchase peace at price of soul
Those men, in times Of war or peace,
Mid JOY or under want so grim,
| Left not their God, nor sought release,
But truly, meekly followed Him.
| Their children, zoe, wherever born,
In North, or South, or East, or West
And through them, under God, we re borne
And rocked on Liber.y's fair breast
Shall we desert the God they owned?
Shall we to Manmon converts be-
Forbid 1t. Heaven Let earth resound
And make such impious spectrss fee."
Mind we the fates of nations grand,
! Which fiourished in the ages gone.
Where are they Why, upon the sand,
| Their footprints only Ruins, one,
And ruins all In prosperous time
Their God they left, and Mammon served.
| Sad fate Shut out from life sublme!
Sad warning Be it thus preserved.
AS to the Jews, preserved with care,
| The Passover, symbol from above,
| Mid all their Joys and sorrows rare.
Is still token Of Gods love;
| In perilous days, to them God came,
And saved them from the spoilers power;
His angel at each door did pause
They We not forgot that signal hour.
c. L. ks lax