The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-12-05

'vvorthington Advance.
wo.r1,z.ror. n,rx. D.cl,.pxn $. l.sa.

WoarAlHsron. NInN. DIcEABkR s. lssa.
UNION THANKSGIVING SERVICE.
The Union Thanksgiving Service ut
the Congregational Churci, was attend
ed by u large congregation, almost ey-
cry pew being filled. A union choir
led flttingly in the service OF song.
Rev. F. l. Fisk presided, Offering the
Invocation and reading appropriate
Scripture Lessons. Rev. s. B. "Goetz
offered the prayer Of Thanksgiving.
The Sermon was delivered " Rev, n,
]. Harrington. The following is fhe
discourse, which WAS impressivsiy de.
livsred and heard with Interest:
-: SERMON. ~ ~l
THxr:-"O Give Thanks unto the Lord"
The first Thanksgiving day recorded,
was held in Leyden, Holland, Oct. :,
1875, because of the dslivsrahce from
stwo years siege by the Hpanixrds.
j. such obssry.nass hsvs uot been un-,
sual In European i isaory. ~ .s z..' :
- Nut the Thankset to which l.
wish specially to call your attention
this morning. is that Of Oct. ~. 1921,
A little less than one year before, Dec,
81, 1920, after q tempestuous voyage Of
many weeks, 4 tired. and worn, but de-
voted band of Pilgrims, landed at Ply.
mouth, Mass. Only one hundred and
two souls. All that they suffered by
famine, pestilence. and fear Of the In.
di.ns,, only lie who ruleth all things
knoweth.
The first harvest of corn had been
gathered, and rs they looked on their
heaped up stores. their hearts swelled
with thankfulness that the Lord had 90
mercifully cared for them; and though
sorely smitten with pestilence, they
were now blessed with health. peace,
aud freedom from the dread Of famine,
Mindful of the kind Providence from
whom those blessings came, for those
stern men we're very devotional). Gov.
Bradford proclaimed u solemn Thanks
giving feast; and ordered that prepara-
tion should be made for celebrating it.,
with such festivities US were in their
power,
-Four men were sent into the woods
to shoot wild fowl; they returned in
the evening staggering under their
load Of wild turkey, geese and other
game. enough to last the entire settle
ment a whole week. The next morn
ing the roar of one great gun on the
hill, proclaimed the commencement Of
than ksgiving.
1t was Thursday, October "a, 1921, \
little less than a year since tile May
flower cast anchor, in Cape Cod Bay.
The Puritan maidens, and among
them there were none fairer than the
lovely Priscilla, were early busy pol
ishing the tin and pewter table services.
brought from England and Holland;
pounding corn, and dressing. boiling
and roasting the wild fowls.
When all were assembled, the ser.
Reaut stepped forward, and the men,
lnree abreast, with firearms shuuldefed,
marched, orderly aud silently, toward
the meeting-house.
Following. CAME Gov. Bradford, III
his long robe Of Office. On his right
hand walked the venerable Elder
Brewster, In his preachers cloak,
bearing rev-rently the Holy Bible III
lis hands. On tre Go, ernor's left,
was The military chief Of the colonies,
Miles Standi>h, his heavy armor laid
aside, wearing only his sword, rs u
mark of office. Proudly he watched
the firm tread of his .inv vinciblts AS they
marched before linn. looking half re-
gretfully that among the subjects for
the days thanksgiving, there were not
some reb+l'ious Indians that needed
his attentions; for the sturdy little
captain was, rs he said. man OF war
fighter of Indians, rather than a
wooer Of maidrns, and one half W his
thirty seven years had been spent
Knocking about the world as a soldier
of fortune.
Elder Brewster was never known tt
preach better nor a shorter sermon
Perhaps the sweet smelling sav"ry
from the gridirons helped him-fOl
even down to this day, there is some
thing in the anticipation of a Qoot
dinner that reminds us that life il
short, and whatever is done must b1
done quickly.
That wusa Thanksgiving dinner ant
no mistake. To he sure the table
were rude, and there was not the dis
play of silver, that may often be see!
to-day, but the turkey WAS there in ri
his glory Of brown skin, rich gravie
and pal:ltable dressing; and 80 we're
number of other birds, great and small
roasted and boiled and baked over tn
embers. There was corn bread an
honiny and puddings and many othe
things necessary 10 the subsistence
of life.
This first Thanksgiving dinner ovel
the Pilgrims turned to the homes the
had left. AS the day closed, and dark
ness came creeping in from the pin
woods around Plymouth, they ono
more, in fancy, trod the green lanes {
England, or the busy streets of Leydel
They sang the Psalms and songs tbs
had been sung around their Euglis
fire.sides, and mingled memories of IL
past with thankfnlness for the presen
and bright hopes for the future. =:
But bark an Indian shout followe
by challenge from one Of the guar'
At the rattling of the drum every ma
grasps his 6re-lock and rushes ont
meet foe. Nearly one thousand ga
ages were pouring into the villag
with shouts and cries. But there ":
and his braves, coming to contribu
their part to the feast. They br0ug
five deer, and good supply of 9th
game.
So the feasting was continued q
other day; and while the feast was b
ing prepared, the Indians entertain
the villagers with war dance; a,
in turn Capt. Standish ordered out /
soldiers in full arm0r, and put the
through the military exercises, win
ing up with a volley of musketry and
salute from the great cannon on t
hill; which so frightened the India
that they begged the great captxin
thunder no more, lest they should d
After another day of feasting q