Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1901-11-22

is nearest and dearest TO the hearts OF
the American people. Especially is
this so in historic old New England
where family ties, associations and
memories, together with the day-by-
day life Of the hardy sons and daugh-
tiers of this prosperous and picturesque
region. are tempered and nodded even
to this day by the traditions OF their
Puritan ancestry, writes Rev. John
Hall.
Nearly three centuries ago little
band of brave, adventurous pioneers
celebrated the first appointed day Of
Thanksgiving. Governor Bradford, at
Plymouth, Mass, in the autumn fol-
lowing the landing of the Pilgrims, set
apart day to be devoted to thanks
giving. prayer, praise and incidentally
to various and sundry demonstrations
of good will, good fellowship and a
general good time for young and old.
1t was day of bounty, Of openhanded-
ness, day when the latch-string was
not only altogether out, but the door
was wide open. It is said of certain
venerable Puritans that after the feast
was over, after the hangers-on and the
few poor of the neighborhood had been
fed, that they gathered into baskets
the scraps and bits that remained and
went out through the highways and
byways looking for hungry dogs and
cats, that they also might be filled on
placed the food on some rock or tree
trunk, that the birds and wild beasts
might eat thereof. There are many
holidays around which pleasant memo
ries cluster, but among them all
Thanksgiving Day presents to our view
the most Kaleidoscope pictures. This
day for family reunion, this milestone
on the pathway of human life, this day
from which many households date
their pleasures and their griefs, the
red-letter days in the calendar of the
aged and infirm, hoped for, waited for,
prayed for, because it brought once
more the smiling faces of loved ones;
because it furnished one more delight
heads were laid away in their last long
home. There is one most delightful
feature of this altogether happy occa-
sion: Blessed be the roof under which
an unbroken family circle gathers.
Then it is that the day can have it's full
significance of Thanksgiving and praise.
It is hard indeed to accept the DEGREES
of Providence when they remove from
us those to whom our hearts are close
ly united. Try as we may, profess as
we will, up from the depths of our
souls comes the cry for the beloved
who have been taken from US. But
when we come, one and all, IN unbrok
en- band and take our places at the ta-
bic filled with the good things Of life,
then in the fullness OF our hearts we
can give thanks not only for the plenty
which has been showered upon US, but
for the presence Of those without
wnom our lives would be incomplete
and full of sorrow.
1t is meet that before we enjoy the
delights of a table laden with the deli
cacies and dainties with which the sea-
son has furnished us, that we should
render our tribute Of praise and
thankfulness to the great Provider who
giveth at the proper time the harvest
Of field, orchard, meadow, forest and
stream. 1t is but common justice that
we would do this even to friend who
has bestowed favors upon US. How
much more, then, to the great Creator
who gives not oniy the simplest, but
also the greatest, gifts Of our lives!
For the gift Of life! What is life?
Lie is the spirit of God Himself. When
God made man He breathed into his
nostrils His own breath and with it
fragment of his own spiritual and
immortal being.