Evening journal., 1901-11-27
History of the DAY

History Of the Day
As we retrace the path of history we
discover that nearly every nation OF
the earth had thanksgiving festival.
The ancient Egyptian husbandman
observed a day of feasting and thanks
giving annually after The ingathering of
the harvests. II was a day OF religious
worship as well as of festivity and
many a precious Offering was cast upon
the altar of Isis, the holy neither who
protected the harvest And many a
procession, crowned with wheat
lsheaves, walked TO her temple. where
they sang praises TO the goddess The
Greek, Thalysis, in honor of Demeter.
and the Roman Cerealia. in honor of
Ceres, were both thanksgiving festi-
walls. observed in connection with The
annual returns OF the fruits of the
earth.
Under the Hebrew dispensation
Thanksgiving was observed as the
Feast of Tabernacles, or of the Ingath-
ering, only instead of one day there
were seven days of the celebration.
During this time the people lived in
/ brOths. or huts made of boughs and
grasses. By day there were thanks
giving banquets. professions to the
temple and costy sacrifices: by night
there were illuminations and the sing
ling Of hymns, by the grandest chorus
the world ever heard.
One of the great fete days of Old
England and the most popular after
Christmas, and Mayday. was the Har-
vest Home, rural festival held at THE
close of harvest time. There were
sports and gambols on the village
green of every hamlet at these times
wrestling matches between young men
feats of archery and dancing. followed
by b0unteous feast where good
deaf of hearty food was consumed and
a large quantity of beer was drunk
after tIhe HEARTY English fashion.
When we go back to the sixteenth
century IL is found to be filled up with
lfeasts and thanksgiving, especially
during the time of Queen Elizabeth
Under that gay and pageant-lovins
sovereign it was expressly ordered tha
on thanksgiving days MO servile laboi
should be performed. and severe penal
ties We're attached to the violation O
THE order
In 1863, Thnksgiving entered int,
lROgation days, and IL was ordered tina
thanks should then be offered "for tn
increase and abundance of His fruit
.upon the face OF THE earth" Early il
the reign Of King James. tine specia
Thanksgiving has been incorporate
unto the prayer book
1t was natural enough therefore
THAT the early settlers Should bring wit
them n traditional respect for days o
thanksgiving.
The first American Thanksgiving ina
become historical. 1t was an even
that bears retelling. The resolute litt.
band of Puritans at Plymouth ha
been on American sol, only te
, months. Nearly half Of their origina
, company. of 102 persons, had died fror
disease brought ON by exposure am
privation during their first terribl
: winter.
The handful of colOnists stood be
tween the ocean they had recent
crossed and the wilderness in whic
. they had gained a precious footholy
: Their first harvest had been scant
u enough. But the return from the twer
4 lty acres of corn, and the six Of barle
and peas, that they had sown, woull
with he game the hunters could brin
in. support tLem until another harves
: Moreover, ighboring Indians unds
Massasoit were friendly and there wa
= little illness among the settlers.
So the colony being, in the words
their Governor. Bradford "all reco'
e erred in health and strength, and hs'
s ing all things IN good plenty" joined
II a festival of thanksgivings mo-
y heartily, feasting n the "foules" thi
e the four gUnners sent out by the Co
a lernnr, had brought in. and acting II
II party OF hosts to Massasoit and N
u tawny mcn.
1--WE exercised our armes." says E'
d ward Winslow quantity. meaning IN.
g the male Puritans went Through tine
'e military drill. with sword and matcl
lock, doubtless with the object of in
q pressing the painted Indians who stoC
wonderingly by with an an enervat'
idea Of the white mans prowess
Gradually the observance of formal
lappointed days of thanksgiving becan
i a custom of the life of the New En-
N Hand pioneers. At first they were n
Iy Iconfned to any particular season. II
ntlnext of which the record speaks. to'
,r place in July, 1923. at Plymouth. M
ne settlers crops, that had been near pc
ss fishing for drought. had been revivih
In by a sudden refreshing fall Of rain, al
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