Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1893-12-02
From Fasting to Feastins.

From EaSt1nE TO Fe3srfnS.
Of all our national holidays none is
more universally or more joyousIy cele.
brated than that of Thanksgiving Day.
Though of New England origin and
for many years confined almost exclu-
Bively to that section, it has slowly but
surely extended itself al over our great
country.
We are indebted for it TO the Pill
grim Fathers, who may be said TO have
celebrated it for the first time upon the
completion of their first harvest at
Plymouth in 1921, when Gov. Bradford
sent out four fowlers in search of game,
that they might after more special
manner rejoice together" But fasts
were much more common among those
hardy Puritans than feasts, and though
they occasionally observed a general
thanksgiving day for SINE specially
propitiOus occurrence, such as some
action favorable TO them on the part Of
the mother country or the arrival of a
Bhipload of provisions, they devoted
much more time to deploring their
miseries than they did to rejoicing
over their blessings.
Il Is said that their adoption of the
custom of annually appointing a
Thanksgiving Day was due to sensi-
bic old farmer-whose name tradition
has unfortunately failed to preserve
who rose up when it was proposed in
the Assembly to proclaim another fast,
and plainly told them that he believed
God was weary of their complaints, in
view of the fact that He was causing
the earth to reward their labors; that
He had filed the seas and rivers with
fish, had made the air sweet and the
climate healthful. and was permitting
them the full enjoyment Of civil and
religious liberty. The speaker there
fore proposed that instead of fast
day OF feasting and thanksgiving
should thereafter be annually pro-
claimed, which sensible suggestion was
unanimously adopted. Whether or not
this Is true account Of the origin of
that practice, it is thoroughly estab-
hshed fact that by the year 1880 it had
become a fixed custom for the Gov
Srnors of the colonies of Plymouth and
Massachusetts Bay to appoint a
Thanksgiving Day late in the autumn
OF each year-a usage that soon extend
cd to all other New England colonies.
The adoption of this custom outside
OF New England was very slow. How
slow will be readily understood from
the fact that as recently as 1855 it was
considered a remarkable event in Vir-
ginia when Gov. johnson recommended
the observance of q Thanksgiving Day,
and that Gov. Wise refused to appoint
one In 1867 on the ground that he had
no authority to interfere in religious
matters. Thanksgiving Dav was not
regularly appointed by the Governors
Of New York until 1917.
During the revolutionary war Con-
gress annually recommended a general
Thanksgiving Day. Washington pro-
claimed one in 1889, on the adoption of
the Constitution. and another in 1895
for the suppression of the whisky in
in Western Pennsylvania,
while Madison proclaimed one for peace
with England in 1915. After Madison,
Abraham Lincoln was the first Presi-
dent to proclaim Thanksgiving Day,
and he did it in 1862 and 1863 for war
victories. In 1854 he proclaimed q
Thanksgiving Day in November for
general blessings, and his example of
that year has since been annually fol-
lowed by every one OF his successors
and by nearly every State Governor
down TO the present time.
But popular as Thanksgiving Day
now is throughout the length and
breadth of this land, it is in New Eng
land that it still continues to be what
II has been for more than two centu-
ries-the greatest and most eagerly an
ticipated holiday of the entire year.
The old Puritans and their descend
ante -hn lonny
On Christmas-which,i indeed, many Of
the latter still continue to do, refusing
20 give 1t any recognition whatever
found an excellent substitute for its
cheerful hilacity, peace and goodwill
In Thanksgiving Day. For at least a
week before the important occasion all
was activity in an old-fashioned rural
New England household. A bushel or
more of the best wheat was sent to the
mill to be converted into -four. Great
rounds of beef were chopped up into
Carloads of yellow pump
kins, with an abundance of milk,
spices, ginger, mola sses and sugar,
were made up into pumpkin pies. An
abundance of turkeys, chickens and
geese were killed and made ready for
roasting. A pair of immense plum
puddings were baked in the largest
sized earthen pots, with Indian pud-
aings and custard puddings to match,
while there was baking of pound cake,
plum cake and sponge cake from morn
ing till night.
For the following quaint account of
an old colonial Thanksgiving church
service and dinner am indebted says
Godfrey Christine, to letter written
IN the year TIA by an ancestor of mine,
the Rev. Lawrence Conant, of the old
South Parish in Danvers, Mass, and
still preserved as q most precious heir
loom in my family:
Ye Governor was in We house. and her Maj
esty's Commissioners Of ye Customs, and they
at teRether In q high seat by ye pulpit stairs.
Ye Governor appears very devout and attent-
I've. although he favors Episcopacy and toler-
ntes re QuAkers AID Baptists. he was dressed
IN black velvet coat bordered with gold lace, ,
md bun breeches with gold buckles at ye
knees. and white silk stockings. There was Q
In We galleries, where IL was filled !
with divers negroes, mulSttoes sud Indians. |
and negro cSlfd Pomp Shorter, Belonging to |
Mr. Gardner. was called forth and put In We
broad aisle, where he was reproved with great !
and solennity. He was then put
n ye deacons' seat between two deacons. in |
view OF ye whole congregation: but ye sexton |
was ordered by Mr.. Prescott to take him out. !
o. couutenance giving grave scandal TO
ye grave deaconsl, and put him in We
lobby under We stairs; some children and
lnulAtto woman were repremanded for laughing (