The sun., 1900-11-29
Thursday, November 20, 1900.
THANKSGIVING DAY.

10 ackHoWieuBe tut profiuthtc VI ~
mighty God, to obey His WILL to be
grateful for His benefits, and humbly to
implore His protection and favor
So wrote President Washington in the
lamation. 1t is a pleasant thing to do |
upon this day that has been set apart |
by the President of the United States, |
and by the governor of this State, and |
all the other States of the Union, to re-
cnl the fact that the faith expressed by
the illustrious Washington in this first
Thanksgiving proclamation issued by the
official head of the Republic, has always
been and is now characteristic Of the
American people.
The custom of yearly thanksgiy
ing dates from the colonial period,
coming to this latter day as con-
vincing proof Of the faith, reverence
and gratitude toward Almighty God,
cherished by the founders Of this great
nation. The New England colonists .worc
the founders Of The nation. From their
demand for, and determination TO enjoy
religious liberty came the colonial pro-
ject. We recall nothing in history more
sublime than the devotion Of these pill
grms ut Plymoth to this one essential
quality of liberty, tho right TO worship
God according 60 the dictates Of the I'M
dividual conscience Whatever may be
said Of other colonial schemes and Of
other colonists to America, it must hc
admitted that these colonsts who be-
came exiles for conscience sake repre-
sentcd and expressed in the most prar-
teal way possible sublime faith in
God, and an ideal devotion to one of the
highest conception of human right and
privilege. They We're not rebels against
governments and were not mcrcrnary
adventurers seeking release from author
ity and opportunity for personal and
sordid gain. They We're religious enthu-
siasts VINO firmly believed in the caro-
ficulties, dangers and suffering did not
weaken or destroy their faith. When
difficulties We're overcome, dangers past
and suffering mitigatcd, they turned to
God in gratitude and thanksgiving. Onr
civil liberty is the fruit Of this manifcs-
tation of rare courage, high spiritual
ideas and indomitahlc faith. Those
were tho seeds planted at Plymouth ont
of which has grown American civilian
ton, the spirit of which-faith in God
and man--is ndomitahlc. From that
centre it has swept south and west and
conquered the continent. The faith and
gratitude of those colonists still abidcs.
These characteristics have been ap
parent in every crisis Of our history. The
history of the revolutionary period is
full of it. The first Congress was q
devout God fearing body The leader ol
the revolutionary armies, Washington
asked for and believed in Divine guild
ance in the war for liberation. AS tn,
first President of the Republic he an
nounced his faith and gratitude in tn,
proclamation from which we have
quoted, and which he says was baset
upon the recommendation of botl
Houses of Congress- So, too in tina
later ard grander revolution, the Civi
War; Llncoln, the greatest of American
leaders and emancipatorS, believed il
and asked for Divine guidance. And s.
it was from Plymouth Rock TO Phladel
phla and from Philadelphia to Washing
ton, nearly three-hundred years, faitl
ia and gratitude toward God, has bce1
an American characteristic. This is ON
OF the things for which the Americas
people should be profoundly grateful
today. The knowledge Of ii is the kc,
To the whole system of our malvclou
history-this nation is what il is he
cause of ITS faith in aud reliance upol
God.
We tn,nk this introduction of til
theme Thanksgiving Day, if it strike
a harmonious chord in the thought am
sentiment Of the readers of The SuI
will increase their respect for this da
as an American holiday, will also quickc
and deepen their gratitude to .Almight
God for the circumstances and cond
tions, national, local ana individual
Hnder which, and in which wepause for
day to remember our dependence upo
and express our gratitude to Hin
Surely goodness and mercy hath followc
Hs-peace, prosperity and plenty abound'
Only a little while ago the nation wa
full of idle and suffering people
little later it was engaged in wa
shich, however happily it ended. CAV
the curse Of idleness was upon us tier
came the time of one of our civic rev,
iuuuHs. -Ae people were % taaAGe Ii,
personel and policy of their govern