The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1893-11-30

~ - hbgf, anu anu pCi5cIu-
tion of a state
church, landing in this country-as ev-
cry intelligent schoolboy can tell--on
Monday, Dec. 81, 1920. The first cele-
bration Of the kind in modern times was
in October, 1915, at Leyden, where there
was Thanksgiving celebration Of the
first anniversary of the city's deliverance
from siege. Forty-six years later, in the
| fall of 1921, Governor Bradford, after
the first harvest of the Plymouth colony
in'New England, proclaimed day Of
| thanksgiving and sent out four men in
search Of game to enable them to observe
it better.
These Puritan fathers, whose suffer
ings had impaired to their devotion d
certain degree Of sternness, were very
thankful for q bountiful harvest after a
| period Of sore distress and looked upon
the first fruits Of their toll in their new
home as a symbol of blessings to come.
The four spUrtsmen came back ssagger-
ing under burden Of turkeys and other
wild fowl enough toprovision the colony
for week. The commencement of the
festival was announced by the roar Of
one C the great guns on the hilltop, and
the day was Thursday, Oct. "a, rather
less than one year after their arrival in
! Cape Cod bay.
There was solemn procession first TO
! the meeting house, the men marching
! three abreast, with the sergeant in COM
mand and Governor Bradford following
behind, while Elder Brewster, in his
! preachers cloak, walked alongside bear
! ing the Bible and looking as grave as
! the occasion demanded. Miles Standish,
the warlike military chief, was there,
and clad in the dress Of the times would
cut a strange figure if present among US
now. No doubt that Thanksgiving din
ner was enjoyed keenly and was the big
| gest thing in the way Of family party
| that has occurred since. Most Of tie
game was cooked in the open air, and
! the thrifty Puritan housewives concoct-
! ed dishes that were tempting and ingen-
| ious. The dinner was followed by the
! singing Of psalms and of favorite songs
that they had often sung around English
| finsides.
In the midst of their rejoicings an In
| dian shout was heard, causing momen-
| tary panic, and every man grasped his
! weapon, but it was only hundred friend
| ly savages, led by Chief Massasoit, who
| had come to thank the white man for
assistance rendered and to share in the
festivities. They brought a contribution
to the test in the way of venison, and
while it was being prepared gave an ex-
| hibitiou of their war dances, causing de-
mure Puritan maidens to scream and
their lovers to look gallant and fearless
| as they reassured them. Captain Stand
| ish in turn gave the Indians a start by
putting his troops through military
| drill, the savages being alarmed by the
rafting of the musketry and the roar OF
| the ordnance. The feast continued three
days amid prayers, psalm singing, In
dian dances and warwhoops and roaring
artillery, after which the Indians were
escorted a short distance from the set
tlement by Captain Standish and his
troops, who gave them parting salute.
Days of Thanksgiving were officially
appointed i'm the Massachusetts, Bay col
| ony for several years prior TO 1859, The
New Netherlands Dutch rulers also set
apart regular days of thanksgiving be-
tween the years 1914 and 1865, and 100
years later on the English governors of
New York followed their example.
The proclamation Of the New Neither
lands council, sitting at Fort Amster-
! dam in 1645, was as follows:
| Whereas, II has pleased Almighty God in his
| unbounded cIemency and mercy, in addition
| TO many previous blessings, 10 suffer us 10
| reach the long looked for peace with the In
| dians,
Therefore is II deemed necessary to proclaim
! the fact TO al those OF New England to the end
that in all places in tho aforesaid country
where Dutch and English churches are estab-
| lished God Almighty may be specially thanked,
praised and blessed on next "Wednesday fore
noen, being the 9Th Of September, the text to
be appropriate and the sermon TO be applicable
| thereto.
Your reverence will please announce this
matter to the congregation next Sunday 30
that they may have notice.
On which We rely.
Throughout the Revolution the annual
observance OF Thanksgiving day was duly
recognized by congress. After peace,
however. it was thought to be no longer
necessary till 1889, when the adoption OF
the constitution was made national
Thanksgiving by the appointment OF
President Washington. Like rejoicings
took place in celebration Of the,suppres-
sion of insurrection in 1795 and the
restoration OF. peace In 1915. The hrst