Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-11-26
CBY STANLEY DU BoIs1

without giving some thought to the
matter we are not apt to realize that
Thanksgiving day for blessings re-
ceived was among the first acts of the
first family of which we have any
record. 1t is told in the third and
fourth verses of the fourth chapter
of Genesis. The reasons which called
it into being are the same which actu-
ate the hearts of the human race to-
day-adoration to the Giver of all
good.
There was no doubt in the mind of
Abel as to the power and benificence
of God, and so it was when he
brought to Him of the first fruits of
the grouHd and in the firstlings of
his flock he created the first Thanks
giving day.
And on what piteous tragedy did
the sun go down on that first Thanks
giving day. All through the ages
since, both sacred and profane his
tory is replete with the records of
celebrations for real and fancied
good. Some of these are craven in
stone, some are stamped in clay.
some are painted in color, and some
are written on papyrus and on skins.
From individual givers of thanks the
custom widened to the family, the
clan, the tribe, till now it embraces
the whole nation.
The United States is the only nation
which observes the day with regular
recurrence. The proclamation of the
president followed or not, as they see
fit, by the governors of the different
states, they usually appointing the
same day, though i'm no manner bound
to do so. 1t is also the privilege of
the governor to appoint any day in
the year as Thanksgiving day. for
any reason which may seem to him
good.
BY no means is the celebration of
Thanksgiving day confined to chris
tan lands; but of this we may be
quite sure, christian or pagan, the
motive is the same, and the method
will be according TO the light and en-
vironment of those who make thus
of the day. From the very nature of
things the day is one of joy, though
the causes for joy are exceedingly di-
verse, and sometimes curious.
There is Il tradition afioat that the
New England Thanksgiving day,
which is the venerated parent which
we honor at the present time. had its
origin in this wise: a day of fasting
and prayer had been ordained by the
powers that be, in which to bemoan
with walls and tears their manifold
sins and shortcomings, but some
cheerful soul suggested that they give
thanks to God instead, for His mani
fold blessings vouchsafed to them.
The idea seemed good and so thus
Thanksgiving day came into existence
"a very pretty legend, but the truth
of it is misty uncertainty.
The fact must be acknowledged
that Thanksgiving day has not always
been in the most select company inn
aginable; there is ample evidence of
its pagan celebration. In the seventh
Idyl of Theocritis, Simichidas says:
Now is our way to the Thylasia, for
our friends in sooth are making a
feast to Ceres of the beautiful robe.
offering the. first fruits of their album
dance, since for them in bounteous
measure the goddess has piled the
threshing floor with barley"
Under the Hebrew dispensatfon. the
feast of Tabernacles, or the ingather-
ing, was a Thanksgiving celebration.
Earlier in the season there being the
festival of the First Fruits, in CON
nection with which the people were
reminded of the giving Of the law.
The close analogy between the He
brew and the pagan festival of
Thanksgiving was always similar and
significant. Coming down across the
centuries of the dark and forgotten
peoples of their cycles, to the fiji
teenth of the christian era, we find it
filled with fasts and feastS, especially
during the reign of Queen Elizabeth.
In good, faith they had much need
to be sad, and yet much more for
which to be glad in that birth-time
of liberation and freedom. season
which brought to you and me what
we have of liberty and freedom in this
new world.
Before the Pilgrim fathers landed,
special Thanksgiving services had
been incorporated in the book of
common prayer, and sermon enti-
tied, ''Virginias God be praised" was
preached by one DIR. Copelend, long
before the Mayfiower set out for the
new world with her precious load of
humanity.
August Q, 1907, company of Church
of England men, the Popham colo
nists, landed where is now the city of