Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-11-27
PEOPLE GIVE THANKS
ObserVanceof Custom Handed
Down by Forefathers.
FOOD FOR DESTITUTE
EDIBLES DONATED BY A BENEVo-
LENT PUBLIC.
The Day Made Memorable in the
Various Charitable Institu-
tions of the District.

tons of the District.
A day of festival and thanksgiving to
God,
More than century and a quarter has
passed since this country took it's place
among the nations of the earth, said the
President of the United States in his recent
proclamation, and during that time we
have had on the whole more to be thankful
for than has fallen to the lot of any other
people. Rarely has any country enjoyed
greater prosperity.
In compliance with the recommendation of
the executive, the people of the national
capital generally rendered heartfelt and
solemn thanks today to the Giver of Good
they ceased from their ordinary occupa-
tons, and in their several homes and places
of worship rendered thanks unto Almighty
God for the manifold blessings of the past
year.
Appropriate services were held, beginning
at IL o'clock, in nearly all the churches Of
the city and District. In certain instances
the congregations of several churches COM
bined in union praise meetings
In keeping with the prevailing spirit Of
good cheer the weather conditions proved
to be all that could be desired. After two
days of almost continuous and disagree
able inclemency, this morning opened with
the sun shining brightly and the tempera-
ture mild.
Comfort of the Unfortunate.
Never before. it is declared by those in
a position to know was such generous pro-
vision made for the unfed and the -unfor-
tunate. The deserving poor, having been
sought with discriminating care, were not
with cranberry sauce, and all the other
tempting viands that are a feature of
Thanksgiving day, in sufficient quantities
to meet all demands. The Central Union
Mission and the Homeward Bound Mission,
in accordance with custom, provided din
ners for many people, while last night the
Central Union Mission secured and attended
to the delivery of more than 500 well-flled
baskets to as many homes, which otherwise
would have been dreary instead of pre-
Senting scenes of contentment this after
noon. Every effort was made to avoid
possible embarrassment to those who re-
Ceived the holiday offering. AS cold weather
has not yet put in an appearance, no hard
ship was felt today by reason Of the al
most universal lack of fuel
Services in the Churches.
The holding of religious services and the
providing of special dinners was the rule
at the Home for Incurables, the Govern
ment Hospital for the Insane, the Gospel
House, the reform schools and other insti-
buttons. Nothing out of the ordinary was
arranged at the jail. but the prisoners were
permitted to see their friends and to accept
gifts in the way of edibles.
Nothing was lacking in the way of sports.
Foot ball games at Georgetown Field and
at Van Ness Park attracted large throngs
while the races at the Benning track con-
stituted a sort of gala occasion, and had
n q ono IN 10 roc
ton of the community. The devotees Of
golf put in the greater part of the day
at the shrine of their hobby. The theaters
gave special matinee performances.
Meaning of the Observance.
At certain of the FOCAL institutions the
meaning and history of the observance of
Thanksgiving day was explained to the
inmates. 1t seems to be probable that the
sentiment of thankfulness for the bounties
Of nature found a place in the human
breast early the idea of a super
natural power or powers that rule the
world found lodgment in the mind. Down
thu ough the ages the occasional and periodi-
cal expression of thanks to supernatural
rulers the part of masses of people has
taken various forms and has persisted and
greatly developed With much reason an
effort has been made to trace the Puritan
tradition of Thanksgiving in some degree
to the practice of the Netherland reform
ers One of the earliest public solemnities
in the Plymouth colony on Massachusetts
bay was a general Thanksgiving proclaimed
by Governor Bradford in 1921.
The governor appointed beforehand four
fowlers to go forth into the wilderness and
kill birds to supply the tables, and of these
they brought back many. The wild turkey
then abounded, and was the. bird most
sought for food. This may be taken as the
institution of the practice of sacrificing the
fatted turkey as the victim most fitting the
day of general thanksgiving.
Law of the Plymouth Elders.
The Plymouth elders adopted in 1896 q
law empow ering the governor to designate
a day for thanksgiving, and the general
court of Massachusetts, in 1889 set apart
the 10Th Of December for Thanksgiving 1t
became gradually settled that the month
most suitable for general Thanksgiving was
November, and a Thursday was usually
appointed for that purpose. Thanksgiving
became fixed in the New England colonies
as an annual occasion about the year 100.
During the revolutionary war the Cont
mental Congress recommended the general
giving of thanks on more than one occl-
sion. 1t did not become the unwritten law
that the President should issue proclama-
ton of national thanksgiving annually until
the second year Of the civil war President
Lincoln appointed special days of general
thanksgiving IN 1862 1863 and 1864 I'm
"itten law mas come TO require that each
governor of a state shall second the an
nual Thanksgiving proclamation of the
PRESIDENT with one of his own, naming the
same day to be specially observed by the
people of his state
The Hungry Made Glad.
The various charitable institutions in and
around Washington sud those which have
as their object the care and aid of unfor-
tunate people have today been scenes of
great enjoyment. Hundreds of people went
to the institutions hungry, and left with
their appetites satisfied and in most cases
with hearts filled with gratefulness and
thanksgiving. Many needy families have
been cheered in their little homes today by
the receipt of baskets filled with ham, tur-
key. chicken and other .edibles incident to
thanksgiving dinner, which have been
donated by philanthropc citizens and sent
out by the charitable institutions
The dinner at the Central Union Mission
began at i clock this afternoon, and the
pleasant odors of turkey, sweet potatoes.
cranberry sauce. and other accessories of