Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1890-11-22
THANK SGlNING.
Something of tho Origin and History Of
the Day.

IISINFN
Something of tho Origin and History OF
the Day.
OF all our National holidays, we have
only one that is unique. Christmas and
New Years we celebrate in common
with the bulk of Christendom; Wash
ington's birthday finds its counterpart
in many countries, AMI we are not the
only nation, by long odds, tina cele-
bratos an independence day. But, so
far as we know, no nation has day set
apart for the giving of thanks for the
mercies and blessings received from the
Giver Of all good.
In other countries thorc are Thanks"
giving days, but they are celebrated at
irrog ular intervals and owe their origin
10 peculiar causes,
Some years ago, England had a
Thanksgiving day over the recovery Of
the Prince of Wales from a severe ILL
ness, and similar tha%nksgiyings have
been held in all European countries.
In Russia, when tho Gar escapes one of
the numerous attacks on his life, a
Thanksgiving day is appointed to give
thanks; and in Oriental countries it is
usual to appoint days of Thanksgiving
to celebrate such weighty events as the
coming of age Of the rulers eldest son,
the marriage of his daughter, the birth
of an heir, and SO forth, But these
days have nothing in common with our
Thanksgiving day.
The first Thanksgiving day of which
we have any record was held in
Plymouth Colony when Governor Brad
ford was at the head of affairs.
In the autumn of l62l-the exact date
is uncertain-the Governor sent out
four men to gather game, so that the
whole colony might rejoice together
after they had garnered tho fruit of
their labors, The following year (l622),
at the same season, after the abundant
harvest was collected, the c~olonists as.
sembled, and, according to an old chron-
icle, ''solemnizcd a day of thanksgiving
unto the Lord"
At this celebration, according to ira
dition, Massasoit and his court attended
and Toasted with the whites.
Then THANKSGIVING day seems tc
have been forgotten until 1881, when II
was revived under peculiar circum'
stances. The harvest of the previous
year had been very poor, and during tht
winter provisions of all kinds were Sc
scarce that the colony was in actual
danger of starvation. The I'D of Feb
ruary was appointed to be observed Al
a fast day, but, before that day came, Q
vessel arrived from Europe, laden will
provisions. Governor Bradford wa,
quick to take advantage of the changed
state of affairs, and issued "a proclama
ton changing the day of fast to one o
feasting. This was the first T~hanksgiv
ing day by regular proclamation,
New Netherland (afterward New
York; observed Thanksgiving day oc
casionally, and Governor Kieft pro
claimed a public thanksgiving to b.
held in February, lGii, on account of a
victory over the Indians; and again il
1915, because of the conclusion of peace
There were occasional thanksgiving
in the several colonies for the mex
hundred years, but no general obsery
ance until the time Of the Revolution
} In those gloomy days, when one nigh
suppose that the struggling colonies ba
little to be thankful for, the Continents
Congress issued an annual Thanksviy
ing proclamation, from IT'S to 1883, in
' elusive.
. But there was no fixed date, varyin
: from as early as April 6 to as late a
December II. The later date occurred i
1776, when there were two Thanksgiv
| ing days; the first being on May 10.
Washington, as General of the army
issued a proclamation for Thanksgivin!
l by the Continental army on Decembe
: Is, 1i77, and again at Valley Forge, Ma.
7, IT'S; and during his Presidentia
r term he appointed two Thanksgivin
days-Novcmbcr 20, 1889, and Februar
. 10, 1896.
r This custom was followed by su,
~ccssive Presidents, from time to time
but President Lincoln was the frs
President to issue a Thanksgiving pro,
lamation on two consecutive years.
Gradually the State executives fe'
into line, so that the custom is now ger
eral in all parts Of tho Republic, an
3 Thanksgiving day is now a legal hol
day.
The observance OF Thanksgiving, {
first a day Of rejoicing, gradually b,
h came a religious ceremony, especiall
Q during the Revolutionary period, Thel
with more prosperous times, 1t dove
" oped into a day Of rejoicing and famil
reunions, and in New England almo.
entirely supplanted Christmas.
At the present day 1t is u mine
ID Christmas, wherein religious obser
ances are combined with sports an
d jollity.
The giving Of presents has never Or,
}" vailed on Thanksgiving day, but it
vt mono the less day OF pleasant reunion
and family gatherings. We have n,
ID all harvests to BIO thankful for, but v
all participate in tho general prosperit
y of the country. Indeed, it is doubtf
1t II there is n person, young or old, WI
ID can look back o twelvemonth and n,
see many events to BIO thankful for.
IN Nation We have very few holida,
and we can not afford to ignore tho
O. we have. So to young and old we s;
" keep Thanksgiving day with all 70,
ir might, return thanks for tho blessing
d, OF the past and pray for the blessing
rs yet to come,--W d. Holden, In Gold,
ID ] Days