Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-11-28

Goes Way Back.
Thanksgiving day is the American
evolution of a long line of predecessors,
both pagan and christian. 1t dates as
an annual National holiday from the
Fall of 1868. In that year President
Lincoln sent a message to Congress
recommending the observance of a
National day of thanksgiving, not only
on account of the victories which had
| followed the Union armies, but also for
the plentiful harvest. Since then the
Gus tom had taken deep root in many
parts of the United States where if did
not previously exist. Now it stands
unique in history as day on which a
great nation, without respect to pOliti-
cal party or religious creed, acknowledge
es with thankfulnessth the cor tinued pros
perity which God has been pleased to
shower upon it.
Over 5000 years ago the Israelites
wandering in the desert were instructed
by Moses to observe holiday similar
in character to the modern American
thanksgiving day, when they came to
the Promised Land. 1t was called the
Feast of the Tabernacles and took place
about the end of harvest time.
Later in the worlds history a feast
answering the same purpose was held
by the ancient Greeks in honor of De-
meter, the diety who owend the earth
in their eyes. The rallying point for
this feast, which lasted nine days, was
at Athens, and all except murderers
and barbarians took part IN it.
About the same time of year the RO-
mans held feast in honor of the god
dess Ceres, who, though of feminine
gender, seems to have presided over
their department of agriculture. The
Romans had no turkeys, and could not,
of course, kill and eat the sacred geese,
but managed to get along very well on
fat capons and Falernian wine for all
that.
More direct in the line of ancestry of
the American Thanksgiving day was
the Saxon harvest home. 1t began as
soon as the crops were saved and last.
ed until the moon was at its full. Bar
becues of oxen roasted whole, home
brewed ale, bonfires and dancing made
up program not to be sneeZed at ev-
en- by nineteenth century folk. But
this feast was rather one held by indi-
vidual families than the realm of En-
gland as whole.
The first Thanksgiving held on
American soil was by the Pilgrim Fa-
thers, in the year 1921, shortly after
they landed al Plymouth rock. 1t was
not very much of a Thanksgiving for
they did not feel that they had very
much to be thankful for, but was rath.
er revival of the English harvest
home. Matters were about the same
in 1922, and with much about the same
result in giving thanks. Tn 1923, how
ever, an expected ship failed to arrive
with provisions when they were likely
) to be most wanted, and the prospects OF
famine were so great that Gov. Brad.
fo d, acting in the undoubted exercise
of his pTerOgative, ordered day to be
set apart for fasting, humiliation and
prayer.
But before the day appointed had
. come, provisions turned up all right
and the day was turned into one Of
thanksgiving. Mr.. Winslow, one of the
pilgrims, in a letter gives an interest
ing accout of this memorial day ir
American history. The celebration
was held with glory, honor and praise
J and al! thankfulness to our good Goo
which deals so graciously with u.s.
Ninety Indians, headed by King Mas
sasoit, arrived at the settlement in thu
nick of time and shared in the feast
This celebration was somewhat pre-
vious, for not long after the Pilgrim!
, were down to plain Holsters withou
bread or spring water, which," sale
; Governor Bradford, somewhat impair
ed the freshness of our compleXions.'
AS well it might. .
The Puritan settlers at Nantaske
, Jared little better than the Pilgrim!
p some years later. On Feb. 8, 1871
provisions had reached a vanishing
7 point. The last flour in the colony wa!
baking in Governor Winthop's oven
/ 1t was the day appointed for u public
fast. AT the last moment the shiE
Lyon was sighted. The fast was inn
r mediately changed into feast. Thi
is generally held as the first regula
thanksgiving day in New England.
After this date thanksgivings wert
5 held every now and then, as the occa
sion for them arose. A general day o
thanksgiving was held in all tn,
, churches in New England ON June Is
: 1887, to celebrate the signal victor,
, over the Pequot Indians at Fort Mys
tic. The success of the synod in set
, tling the religious creed of all New En-
gland was also celebrated in specia
thanksgiving on Oct. IL of the SAM
, year.
Forty years later Gov. Andres at
p tempted to make the New Englan'
colonists give thanks in obedience t.
: his commands. He appointed the frs
day of December, 1857, as a day Q
thanksgiving. People were about tire
. of tue Governors arbitrary ways b
! this time, and nobody thanked worth
cent. Several of those who would no
dance to Governor Andros pipin
were hauled before the courts to ar
swer for. their contempt. One sturd
old Puritan answered that "he wa
: above the observation of days ant
s times.n s.,,s,....,.. .r.s. ....
This was not the last Of the higl
J. handed Governors attempts 10 max
:, the colonists give thanks for thing
J they didn't want. When James III el
r pected an heir. in direct succession
{: the English throne the stubborn Pur
v tans ofNew England were told to b
thankful on April Is, 1888, that the
J, were to be ruled by race of Cathol
] kings. They seemed to appreciate til
u prospect SO little that Aug. "a in til
, same year was also ordained as a da