Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-11-25


4 giving and praise To-
ward the Glver OF
every good and perfect gift. Inc MS
tory of every nation or which reco'us
nre nreseryed contains references "
days of thanksgiving from the hepI.W
feast of Tabernacles, of which mention
ia mode IN the Bible, through the areeA
festival of Demcter. god of the harVes.:
the Roman feast OF Ceralla, GODDESS vi
olenty, to the Saxon Harvesthoine o." 10
our own thanksgiving, now uhiVe's""'
observed rs national holiday.
The history OF Thanksgiving III
America begins prior to the hhulns
of the Pilgrim Fathers at Fyu,outn
Rock I'm 1870. The first service OF 'Ills
character ever held In this country
was celebrated OH the bleak Newfonnu'
land coast in 1878 by an English clergy
mnn named Wolfall. who was conhect'
ed with the Frobisher exploring party
Frobisher brought the first colony 10
settle on those shores; and to the rev.
Mr.. WOlfall, otherwise unknown 10
fame, belongs the credit OF the nrst
evangelical sermon and the hrst cele-
hrntion OF The aoSa M SAIAitaIa Ia Nlartu
America. 1t was a service OF gratelul
prayer and praise for their safe arrival
and escape from the dangers or the
deep.
or similar character was the next
recorded Thanksgiving service, twenty
nine years later, when tie 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 Mt 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
grlms, anchoring In Massachusetts Bay
IN Saturday, December 20. S.. They
deferred landing until Monday, despite
their long sojourn on the sea. and we
may we'll believe that their last Sab
bath service on shIpboard was eloquent
with gratitude and praises to "Hlm
Who hath the steerage of our course"
During the cold and cruel winter that
followed almost one-half of the little
band were laid Mt rest on the bluff that
had frowned upon the Maytlower, their
graves being leveled that the Indians
might not become aware Of their d.
mlnlshing number. Hopefully the rem
nant toiled through the summer, gath
erlng a fair harvest The old chronicler
tells Of Indifferent barley and a failure
In pens, offset to some extent by TWEEN
ty acres Of good corn. But meat Of
deer and wild fowl was abundant. the
pestllence was stayed and they were
comfortably housed for the winter.
Therefore, on the twenty-fou til of Oc-
tober Governor Bradford proclaimed a
thanksgiving feast. Carrying their
muskPts they marched In stald pro-
cesslon 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
the colony. at his left-Law, supported
by the church and the army. 1t was
worthy Of mention in the old annals
that the elders sermon was unusually
short, not quite two hours! What
would a nineteenth century congrega-
ton say to 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 lie tho patont
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 a Thanks
giving dinner.
And 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 nation. Suddenly
the peaceful night was broken by the
sentry's peremptOry challenge the rat.
tie OF 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, and the good
wives baked and boiled for their I'M
expected guests, who entertained them
by performing their dances amid wild
yells and menaclng 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
ly Impressed and begged the great Cap
tain not to make 1t 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 benedlctlons
typical, perchance, of the vlcissltudes
to be encountered in their New World
home.
In November the ship Fortune ar
rived bringing thirty-five colonlsts,
and much-needed supplies of clothing
and ammunition, with news Of the dear
ones at home. Another Thanksgiving
day was appointed. December 10.
In 1892 the little town of Boston was
threatened with famine. Their crops
had failed. and the ship which was
nv naoNad 70 hrfnu p.,nuIgo. &c.,.