The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-11-28

evolution OF long line Of predecessors
both pagan and Christian, II dates ~
an annual national holiday from the fal
OF 1888, In that year President Lincoln
sent a message TO congress recommend
Ing the observance OF national day OF
Thanksgiving, not only on account Of the
Victories which had followed tho Union
arms, but also for the plentiful harvest
Since then tho custom has taken deer
root In many parts OF the United States
where II did not previously oSlst Now
II stands unique In history as day on
which great nation, without respect %
political party or religious creed, 40.
knowledges with thankiulnem tho con,
tlnued prosperity which dod has been
pleased 10 shower upon II,
Over 5000 years ago tho Iraeltes
wandering In tho desert were instructed
by Moses 10 observe q holiday similar In
character 10 tho modern American
Thanksgiving day, when they came 20
tho Promised Land, II was called tho
Feast Of tho Tabernaolei and took place
about the end Of harvest time
Later In tho worlds history feast
answering tho same purpose was held by
the ancient dreeka In honor Of Dpmeter,
tho deity who owned the earth In their
eyea The rallying point for this feast,
which lasted nine days was Ot Athena
All except murdorera and harbarIana
took part In H.
About the same time OF year tho Ro.
mans held q feast In honor OF tho god.
deaa Cores, who, though Of feminine
gender 0eema 10 have presided oyerthelr
department Of agriculture The Romans
had no turkeys, and could not, OF course,
kin and eat the sacred geese, but man.
aged 10 get along very well on fat capons
and Palernlan wine for all that
More direct In tho llno OF ancestry Of
tho American Thanksgiving day was tho
Saxon harvest home II began 90 soon
~ the crops were saved aud lasted iii
tho moon wa0 at IL full, Barbecuea Of
oxen roasted whole, homo brewed ale,
bonlrea and dancing made up pro.
grammo not 10 DO nneezcd NJ even by
Nineteenth century folk. But this feast
was rather ono held by individual fam.
llios than the orealm Of England as whole,
Tho first Thanksgiving held on'Amer.
lean soil was by the Pilgrim Fathers, In
tho year 1921, shortly after they landed
nj Plymouth rock. II was not very much
Of Thanksgiving, for they did not fool
that they had very much 10 bo thankful
for, but was athera revival Of tho Eng.
llsh harvest home. Matte0 wcro about
the eamo In 1929, and with much about
tho same result In giving thanks, In
1923, however, an expected ship failed 10
arrive with provisions when they woro
likely 10 DO most wanted, and tho pros.
pcots Of famine wero no bright that Gov,
Bradford, acting In the undoubtod exor.
ciso Of his prerogative ordered q day 10
DO sct apart for fasting, humiliation and
prayer.
But before tho day appointed had
come, provialona turned up all right, and
tho day was turned into ono OF th0nlJa.
giving. Mr.. Wipslow, one Of tho pill.
grlms, In q lcttor gives an interesting ao-
count Of this memorable day IN Amerl.
can history. The celebration was held
with "glory, honor and praise, with all
thanlsfuncss to our good God which
deals 80 graeiously with u.s." Ninety In.
dians, headed by King MasGasoit, ar.
rived ut tho settlement In tho nick OF
time and shared In tho feast, This colo.
bration was somewhat previous, for not
long after tho pilgrims were down 10
plain Holsters without bread, and spring
water, (which, said Governor Bradford,
"somowhat impaired tho freshness OF
our compilations" AS well II might
Tho Puritan settlers at Nanta9ket Jared
little better than tho Pilgrims some years
later. On Fob, 0, 1881, provisions had
reached vanishing point Tho last
hour In tho colony was baking in Gov.
ernor Winthrops oven. It was the day
appointed for q public fast, At tho last
moment tho ship Lyon was sighted. Tho
fast was Immediately changed into a
feast This "a generally held as tho first
regular Thanksgiving day In New Eng
land.
Aftor this date thanksgivngs were
held every now and then, 40 the occasion
for them arose, Ageneral day OF thanks
giving was held In all tho churches In
New England on Juno 10, 1887 TO cello
brato the signal victory over tho Pcquot
Indians at Fort Mystic. The success Of
the synod In settling the religious creed
Of all Now England was also celebrated
In special Thanksgiving on Oct. IL Of
the same year.
Forty years later Governor Andres at-
tempted TO mako tho New England colo
nists give thanks In obedience to his COM
mands. He appointed the first day Of
December, 1887, as u day Of thanksgiv.
ing. Peoplewore about tired Of tho gov
ernor's arbitrary ways by this time, and
nobody thanked worth q cent Several
OF those who would not dance TO Gov
ornor Andros' piping were hauled before
the courts to answer for their contempt
One sturdy old Puritan answered that
'ho was above tho observation Of days
and tines
This was not tho last of tho high
handed governors attempts to make tho
oolonlsts give thanks for thlngssthey
didn't want. When james II expected
an heir In. direct succession TO the Eng
lish throne the stubborn Puritans OF New
England were told to be thankful on
April is, 1888, that they were to be ruled
by race OF Catholic kings They
seemed to appreciate tho prospect 30 lit
tle that Aug. "a in the samo year was