The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1905-11-23

@O
tow ~ .vorv nation of which recorus
arc nroserved contains references "
days of thanksgiving from tne ot,o,,
Feast of Tabernacles, OF WHICH, I,,ol-
is made in the Bible, through Tue o1 ~.
festival OF Demeter. god OF the nai 49, -
the Roman feast of Ceralia. gouuess
olentv. to the Saxon Harvest-Ho"e on" ~,
our own Thanksgiving, now uniVersa''
observed as a national holiday.
The history of Thanksgiving III
America begins prior to the lanuins
OF the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymou:n
Rock in 1920. The first service OF ulis
character ever held in this country
was celebrated on the bleak Newtouno-
and coast in 1878 by an English clergy
man named WolfalI. who was cohiiect-
ed with the FrobisEer exploring parry
Frobisher brought the first Colony ~
settle on those shores: and IT, me rev
Mr.. Wolfall. otherwise unknown ~
fame. belongs the credit OF the nrst
evangelical sermon and the hrst ceie-
bration of the communion IN Nortn
America. 1t was service OF grateIul
PRAYER and praise for their safe ARRIVAL
and escape from the dangers OF the
deep.
OF similar character was the next
recorded Thanksgiving service. twenty
nine years later, when the Popham col
ony arrived at Sagadahoc, on the coast
of Maine, in August of 1907, and on
the nineteenth of that month laid claim
to the territory, unfurled the English
flag and observed the day as one OF
praise and thanksgiving. This was
three months after the landing of the
colonists at Jamestown, in Virginia.
The Popham colony not only held the
first thanksgiving service on territory
now comprised within the United
States. but also held the first popular
election and chose the first officers to
govern an American community.
Thirteen years later came the Pill
grims. anchoring in Massachusetts, Bay
on Saturday, December 9 GO. s.. They
deferred landing until Monday, despite
their long sojourn on the sea. and we
bath service on shipboard was eloquent
with gratitude and praises to Him
who hath the steerage of our course"
During the cold and cruel winter that
followed almost one-half of the little
band were laid at rest on the bluff that
had frowned upon the Mayfiower. their
graves being leveled that the Indians
might not become aware Of their di-
minishing number. Hopefully the rem
nant toiled through the summer, gath
ering a fair harvest. The old chronicler
tells of Indifferent barley and a failure
in peas, Offset to some extent by twen-
ty acres Of good corn. But meat Of
deer and wild fowl was abundant, the
pestilence was stayed and they were
comfortably housed for the winter
Therefore, on the twenty fourth of Oc-
tober Governor Bradford proclaimed a
Thanksgiving feast. Carrying their
muskets they marched in staid pro-
cession to the little meeting house, the
Governor leading the way, with Elder
Brewster reverently bearing the Bible
on his right. and plain. matter-of-fact
Miles Standish, the military chief of
the colony. at his left-Law, supported
by the church and the .,rmy. 1t was
worthy of MERTON in the old annals
that the elders sermon was unusually
short, not quite two hours! What
would a nineteenth century congrega-
ton say to a discourse two hours
long?
And then came the feast, at which
were displayed the fine napery and
household treasures brought from Old
England-those precious relics whose
possession in these days is the patent
OF American birth and nobility. 1t was
an al fresco dinner. in the mild Indian
summer; and at this time and place
the American turkey, since sacred to
the day. made his first appearance as
the piece de resistance of n Thanks.
giving dinner
ana after the solemn service in the
little church and the decorous feast.
served with Puritan sedateness. the
people returned to their homes and
the early darkness settled down upon
the little settlement, from which was
to grow so grand a nation. Suddenly
the peaceful night was broken by the
sentry's peremptory challenge, the rat
tie of a drum, mingled WITH an Indian
shout, and every man grabbed his
trusty musket and rushed out. while
the souls of the women and children
Quaked with fear. A hundred saw
ages poured down upon them-Massa-
soits braves. but on pacific errand
bent. They came t. share the white
mans feast and brought deer and
other game as their contribution. So
the fires were lit again. ard the good
wives baked and boiled for their un-
expected guests. who entertained them
by performing their dances amid wild
yells and menacing gestures 1t was
thought prudent to show the fierce in
truders that the infant colony was not
without defense, so Captain Standish
ordered out his soldiers. drilled them.
and finally ended with a vOlley from
their muskets into the treetops and the
discharge of the great cannon on the
hill and the smaller one at the Gov
ernor's door. The Indians were proper
~ impressed and begged the great Cap
tain not to make it thunder again.
Thus the first Thanksgiving of the
Pilgrim Fathers was strange blend
ing Of godly psalms and savage dances.
the rattle of firearms and Indian war
whoOps, with prayers and benedictions
typical, perchance, Of the vicissitudes
to be encountered in their New World
home.
In November the ship Fortune ar
rived bringing thirty-five colonists,
and much-needed supplies of clothing
and ammunition, with news of the dear
ones at home. Another THANKSGIVING