Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-11-23

Go, our great American holiday OF
thanksgiving we are indebted to the
~, Pilgrims Of New Eng and,
Inch the idea Of setting apart day
r,rsral thanksgiving was far from
..as original with them.
NOSE families with the history Of the
,.,uaering people are aware that the
,'.eutions which they endured in
.t,nd under Mary Elizabeth and
80 l. caused number OF them to
late in i6o7 to Holland, where they
',,sli,bsd themselves in the city OF
,.rd,n and where they were joined by
~, remaining brethren in zoos. The
.-,o,,upily Of Thanksgiving day for
wv special blessing had long been a
,,,,om among the Dutch as well as
eng other nations Of Europe, and
40 general gratitude TO heaven for
ere great war victory, for the proc.
,-,,,ion Of peace or for deliyerance
i,or, o,stilence or famine often found
',,r,.son in this way. They after fully
.,,,,iyipg themselves that their princi-
n, could never take root in Holland
IA ,ba, their number instead Of in
r,,sing was greatly diminishing there
49, Puritans abandoned the country
I'D when they had landed on Plymouth
vo,k and had found a home In a new
vo,d they retained the old Dutch
,geom OF a general thanksgiving for
B.eial blessings. An unusually boun.
bal harvest was always deemed fit
Ink occasion for the appointment OF
thanksgiving day by the governors of
me colonies Of Plymouth and Mass
,,bu,e,,s Bay, and as the earth began
reward more abundantly the labor
rhitb the colOnists bestowed upon II,
NJ h5ryesls became so uniformly plen-
,.ia that an annual Thanksgiving day
6Ioved as a natural sequence.
This Observance was always both
f,lrious and social one. The early
Palians attic dcd meeting" rs they
1ll,d their church services twce on
tytU Thanksgiving day. and this pious
e,lom has been continued In many
sirs OF rural New England down TO
he present time, though the most
tsb,eous dwellers In the cities and
5Ye towns now deem attendance upon
one service sufficient opportunity for
eaedng their thanks,
What a quaint appearance rural
ysa England meeting house pres.
,aled at a Thanksgiving service sew
snBfye years agoi The pulpit tow
utd high and was surmounted by a
huse sounding board which seemed
la5e to TALL and crush the minister at
iny moment Upon an elevated seat
% lfonl OF the sacred desk sat the ruling
oder facing the congregation. Upon
ifoihsr seat less elevated than his, sat
be deacons. while the plain seats In
he body OF the house we're occupied
By the fathers and mothers OF families
siih their children and hired help.
The pastor opened the service with a
payer Of az least fifteen minutes
l.1glh, and followed II with the reading
nd exposition Of a chapter Of holy
Mt lnen the ruling elder gave out
psalm In WHICH all the congregation
oned, and when II had been sung the
mlnSler preached for one hour, meas
ing the time by means OF an hour
Ei,s. Prior TO the contribution which |
: slowed, one OF the deacons would rise |
ind say, brethren OF the congregation, |
TOW there is time remaining for |
thanksgiving and contribution TO he |
Lord, whefyfore, a. the Lord hath pros
pred you, freely offer" Collection |
pies OF baskets were not passed from |
seat 10 seat but large box OF wood |
"a placed upon a stand OF table near
hspuIplL " hen the deacon had re.
Ened his seat. the whole congregation
rose and proceeded to the contribution
oeG First came the magistrates and |
eali gentlemen" then the elders,
zen The deaoons, and after them the
'5uie assembly. They deposited their
.lsfings one by one and then passed to
Asi seats again. These contributions
soasiled not only Of money, but OF
lNa Of hand and any article which
wud DC 'old or otherwise proftably
.lPopnaied to the benefit OF the
ullcni thus making up strange. mis-.
WAaneous collection of goods and
Nluels Of various descriptions.
Twas tle custom in the old Puritan
T.'es 10 enueavOr to reconcile upon
. 'lanASs Nlhg day any dispute which
h' nave occurred among the mem
80 whether arising from the affairs
y me church itself or from private
a.nAAeuons. In the former case when
lus was division upon any question
Doctrine, church policy or disci.
pune was often customary 10 cali in
n, "o'uat9Ts' some wise and good
Unusually n.y.. a clergyman or elder
n anoIhet church. The Rev. Mr..
i,s OF Colchester, Conn, dis
.s1.ueu furllan ancestor OF mine.
AZ. Hmous IN his day as casuist and
Seo9nselor. A church In his neigh
v, 'sOoa hsd fallen into unhappy di.
n and contentious which they
unable to adjust among themselves
80 was appointed a committee
~ members laid the case before
~ buckley and desired him TO com.
-a'y4ss his Judgment in writing that
4Htu' DC read to the assembled con-
sssauoh AZ the close OF The morning
Ve On Thanksgiving day.
" u happened that on the out.
ny. ny q town, Mr.. Buckley owned a
s. 1 winch he had entrusted 10 the
s,., hfed man. In dispatching a
nm hls iarmer. at the same time
.s, w. letter OF advice to the church
\. Me question submitted to MN,
ma pptpel3 we're Inadvertently mixed
rod Ie document intended for inc
fr.J slue'a and ueacons was sent to the
Nm , aial, while the letter intended Tor {
,rn, Sa, handed 10 the pastor at the
IIaoIIsslu.o.hi OF the morning service on
,s',NAasNlng day. Imagine The
e4stlent II the good man ana Lis