Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1897-11-25
THANKSGIVING,

When, in the year of grace 1880,
sturdy Gov. John Winthrop and
the Puritan coIonists of Massa.
chusetts proclaimed and duly ob
served a "pubIic Thanksgiving"
they probably had little idea of the
Importance which that festival was
destined to obtain in the history of
America.
The first Thanksgiving differed
very materially from its successors,
in that it was proclaimed as fast
and not as a feast. Supplies had
run short, the ships expected from
England were delayed, and extinc
ton threatened the "governor and
company of Massachusetts bay in
England" Winthrop and his council
decided to hold day of prayer and
abstinence, $50 that ye Lorde be
propitIated and locke upon His SER
wants with favor, in that they have
humbled themselves before Hin"
According y, a crier was sent abont
the primitive settlement of Charles
town, and the colonists were each
and all invited to take part in the
fast. Their sacrifice met with speedy
reward.
Scarcely had the noon hour of the
allotted day arrived when the long
hopedfor ship made its welcome ap.
pearancc in Massachusetts, bay, the
cargo was landed and the fast was
succeeded by banquet of sort
which must have seemed sumptu
ous indeed to the eXiIes so recently
plunged in hunger and hardships.
On the threshold of dreaded win.
ter Winthrop and his followers
found what had been prospect OF
fear and peril changed into one of
happiness and hope. Such was
,, Americas first Thanksgiving, AZ
celebrated 2G0 years ago. There
after each succeeding November
was marked IN the annals of the
colony by a similar festival of graft
tude.
But Thanksgiving in the early
days of our history was not contin.
ed to the New England pioneers
alone. just fifteen years after Win.
throp's proclamation, i. e., in 1915,
Gov. Kieft, of the Dutch colony.
then known as Nieuw Amsterdam.
but now as New York, ordered the
observance of a day of rejoicing and
thanks, "f0r the rest and peace
which God had been pleased to be
stow upon his servants" Thus we
see that the feast of Thanksgiving
is not, as generally supposed, a pc
cnI'arly Puritan institution, but Is
equally derived from the stalWart
OurgherS of Manhattan Island.
The next notable Thanksgiving
day in history fell In 1853. On thai
date the British and Colonial army
numbering 5000 men, and com
manded by Gen. Forbes, attacked
md captured from the French, after
a fierce struggle, Fort Duquesur, al
the Junction Of the Allegheny and
MonongaheIa rivers. The name Of
the place was changed to Fort Pitt
and was the nucleus of the CITY OF
Pittsburgh. Thus, III special sense
the history of the great capital oI
the coal and iron industries IS con
nected with the celebration of
Thanksgiving day.
AT the same time as the British
were cooquering Fort Dequesne,
Whlte6eld, the famous Methodis
preacher, called upon all his adher.
ents IN London to,joln a "service o.
praise and thanksgiving for the
victories Of the English arms on
land and sea-" THIS British Thanks
| giving was, we are told, widely OBJ
served, and awakened intense enthu
siasm, not only among the Metho
dist, but throughout all the diiferen
sects. Whitefeld's idea was after
! ward on several occasions revived
in England. For instance, in ISL
the Government proclaimed gen
eml thanksgiving for the victory 0
Waterloo. Again, two years later
in 1907, proclamation was made of
popular thanksgiving for the restora
ton of peace. After the Crimeal
war n third iubiIation Of this nalnr,
took place.
But meanwhile, in New England
what had been begun as M occa
Sioual day Of pious rejoicing, ha,
assumed the proportions Of ike,
national holiday. In MasuarIusett
and New Hampshire it WAS especial