The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-29
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING.
A Bit of History which Is Appropriate
at This Season of the Year.

at This season OF the eur
New York Sun.
Incidentally remarked the man with
basket on his arm as he came into the pres
ence of the editor, II might mention the
fact that If you want the finest and latest
turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner, my
store is the place to get it,: but that is not
what came here for | came in to bring
you an item of interest You may not
Know, Notwithstanding an editor knows
more than anybody else on earth. that the
first proclamation of Thanksgiving day
that is TO be found in printed form is the
one issued by Francis Bernard, Captain
general and governor-in-chief in and over
his Majesty's province of the Massachu-
sets Bay in New England la and vice adj
The editor admitted that it had not oc-
CURED to him previously.
Tn glad I'm giving you something new"
continued the turkey man, land now let
me read it to you so you may compare it
with the modern style. 1t is headed:
"A Proclamation for Public Thanks
giving
AS the business of the year is now
drawing toward a conclusion, we are re-
the Province, to join together in a grateful
acknowledgment of the manifold mercies
of the Divine Providence conferred upon
Us in the passing Year: Wherefore, ! have
thought ii fit to appoint and do, with the
advice of his Majesty's Council, appoint
Thursday, the Third Day of December next,
to be a day of public Thanksgiving. that
we may thereupon with one Heart and
Voice return most Humble Thanks to
Almighty God for the gracious DISPENSE
tions of His Providence since the last re-
ligious Anniversary of this kind and es-
pecially for-that He has been pleased to
preserve and maintain our most gracious
Sovereign, King George, in Health and
Wealth, III Peace and Honor. and to ex-
tend the Blessings of his Government to
the remotest part of his Dominions; that
He hath been pleased to bless and preserve
our gracious Queen Charlotte, their Royal
Highnesses the Prince of Wales, the Prin-
cess Dowager of Wales, and all the Royal
fTpQnant
Royal Issue to assure the Continuation
of the Blessings which we derive from that
illuStriouS House; that He hath been pleased
to prosper the whole British Empire by
the Preservation of Peace the Encrease Of
Trade, and the opening of new Sources of
National Wealth: and now particularly that
He hath been pleased to favor the people
of this Province with healthy and kindly
Seasons, and TO bless the Labour of their
Hands with a Sufficiency of the Produce
of the Earth and of the Sea.
And ! do exhort all Ministers of the
Gospel with their several Congregations,
within this Province, that they assemble
on the said Day in a Solemn manner tore
turn their most humble thanks TO AL
mighty God for these and all other of His
MercleS VouchSafed unto us. and to beseech
Him Notwithstanding our Unworthiness, to
continue his gracious Providence over u.s.
And command and enjoin all Magistrates
and civil Officers to see that the said Day
be observed as Day set apart for religious
worship, and that no servile Labour be per-
formed thereon.
Given at the Council Chamber in Bos-
ton the Fourth Day of November 1867 in
the Eighth Year of the Reign of our Sow
ereign Lord George the Third by the Grace
of God, of Great Britain, France and Ire
land King, Defender Of the Faith. sc;
BY His Excellency's Command
g God Save The King -
Remember what / told you about the
turkey man, laying the paper on the desk
and walking out