The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1905-11-30

s GREAT NATIONAL FESTIVAL S
Thanksgiving Day Is Essentially American-The !
g First Prayer in Congress 6


With the exception of Christmas
and New Years celebrations, ! our
United States holidays commemorate
some historical event, the birth of a
few of u great American leaders, or
In more recent years they are set
aside for some public service in def
erence to the wishes of some extern
slve organization, as Arbor day, Labor
day, etc. We have no national holt
day, not even the Fourth. of July.
Congress has at various times ap-
pointed special holidays, but there is
no general law upon the subject.
Thanksgiving, the first essentially
American feast day, is a holiday in
all the States, though in some it is
not a statutory holiday. The first
general Thanksgiving of which we
have any record was that kept by the
Pilgrim settlers of Massachusetts Bay
colony, in the year 1921. The long,
severe New England winters, with
SHOWS from five to seven months, the
short, hot summers, the sterile, sandy
soil-which even to-day is productive
In places only through high cultiva-
tion-1eft these brave forefathers of
ours in almost starving condition. So
low had become their supplies for
subsistence that at last a day. of fast
ing and prayer was appointed, when
all were to unite in supplication for
divine succor. Happily abundant
food and other necessities arrived be-
fore the appointed fast day, so their
fasting was changed, to feasting, and
prayer and supplication to praise and
thanksgiving. This THANKSGIVING
service was often repeated through
the remaining years of that century.
Congress recommended days of
thanksgiving annually during the
Revolutionary War, and in 1884 for
the return of peace.
The following is a copy of the first
prayer in Congress:
20 Lord, u Heavenly Father. high
and mighty King of Kings and Lord
of Lords, who dost from Thy throne
behold all the jewellers on earth, and
reignest with power supreme and un-
controlled over all the kingdoms, en-
pires and governments, look down in
mercy, we beseech Thee, on these
American States, who have fed to
Thee from the rod of the oppressor
and thrown themselves on Thy era.
cious protection, desiring to be hence
forth dependent only on Thee; to
Thee they have appealed for right
%eousness Of their cause; to Thee do
they nov look up for that countenance
and support which Thou alone
give; take them, therefore, Heavenly
tather, under Thy n%urturing care;
give them wisdom in council and
valor in the field; defeat the malicious
designs of our cruel adversaries; con-
vince them Of the unrighteousness of
their cause; and if they still persist
in their %sanguinary purposes, oh let
the voice of Thine own unerring ms
tice, sounding in their hearts, con-
strain them to drop the Weapon of
war from their unnerved hands in
the day of battle. Be Thou present.
o God of Wisdom, and direct the
councils of this honorable assembly.
enable them to settle things on the
best and surest foundation, that the
scene of blood may be speedily closed.
that order, harmony and peace may
be effectually restored, and truth and
justice, religion and piety, prevail and
flourish amongst Thy people. Pre-
serve the health of their bodies and
the yigor of their minds; shower down
on them and the millions they here
represent such temporal blessings as
Thou seest expedient for them in this
! world, and crown them with eyerlast-