Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1888-11-29
Thanksgiving Day.

The custom of observing yearly day
of thanksgiving for the ingatherlng OF
the fruits of the earth. has prevailed from
the earliest times, and We know Of no
custom that is in itself more seemly and
worthy of perpetuily The grateful heart
of man Acknowledges the benefits be-
slowed from the hands Of the great Crea-
tor and Sustainer of thc universe, and
goes out in thankfulness to Him who has
promised that while the earth remaineth'
seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat,
and summer and winter, and day and
night, shall not cease. The completion
of the ingathering OF all the fruits has
during the ages seemed to man pecul-
iarly appropriate time for rendering spec
ial praises to the great Giyer OF every
good thing.
The Feast of Tabernacles among
the ancient Jews; when, for eight days,
the people who had gathered 10 Jerusalem
dwelt in booths made of olive, myrtle,
palm and pine branches. adorned with
fruits and flowers, is the oldest Harvest
Home festival of which we have any re-
cord. Il was then that the pious He
hrews raised their songs of Thanksgiving
to God. who had given the increase
Doubtless it was at such tine that the
sweet singer of Israel brote nth III the
sublime melody which AFT lis a fitting
motto for our Thanksgiving number
But not the Hebrews alone, Of ancient
peoples. celebrated the season OF in
gathering. The grandest feast of the
year with the Greeks was that in honor
of Demeter. the goddess OF the harvest
The Romans. too. who borrowed many
of their customs from the Greeks, held II
grand annual festival in honor of the
same goddess, known to them by the
name of Ceres. During this celebration
they marched in long procession to the
field, where after engaging in rustic
sports, they crowned all of their house
hold gods with flowers. In more mod
ern times customs mere or less Tesem-
bling those of old have prevailed among
almost all civilized races.
The first American Thanksgiving dates
back to 1881. when the Pilgrim Fathers,
after ten weary months of sickness and
suffering, gathered in their first harvest,
consisting of twenty acres of corn. and
six of barley and peas. Having enough
to keep them in food for the coming year,
they returned ieir deyout thanks to
God. the Giver. and set about preparing
for their Thanksgiving dinner. -Four
men were sent out hunting by Governor
Bradford in order that the colonists
might. after more special manner, re-
joice together" and with the wild tur-
key, water fowl and venison which the
hunters brought back, the Pilgrim Fa-
theirs sat down 10 their Thanksgiving
feast. at which Massasoit and ninety of
his warriors were present. In 1923 there
was such a Grouth that famine stared
the colonists in the face, and true to
their religious instincts, the Pilgrims held
a day of fasting and prayer. For nine
hours they prayed without ceasing. AT
evening the sun set in clouds, breeze
Of wind sprang up, and ere morning there
was an abundance of rain. The parched
and dropping crops revived; there was a
bountiful harvest, and Governor Brad
ford ordered the celebration of a day of
Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day was a national in
stitution during the Revolution After
the general thanksgiving for peace in
1884, the custom lapsed for five years.
but in 1889, on request of congress, Pres
ident Washington issued a proclamation
recommending the observance of Thurs
day, the Goth day of November, as a DAY
of Thanksgiving, TO be devoted by the
people of these states 10 the service of
that great and glorious Being, who is the
beneticient author of all the good that
was, that is, or that win be- Wash
ingtons second proclamation designated
Thursday, November 90, 1875, to be OBJ
served as general thanksgiving by the |
people of the United States. During the
civil war President Lincoln issued procla- |
nations recommending special thanks |
giving for victory in 1859 and 1853. and |
in the later year and in 1864 he issued |
national proclamations OF Thanksgiving |
Day.