The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-11-29

Apry of every nation of which records
ure preserved contains references TO
lays of thanksgiving from the Hebrew
Feast of Tabernacles, Of which mention
n made in the Bible, through the Greek
festival of Demeter god of the harvest,
he Roman feast Of Ceralia, goddess OF
Slenty, to the Saxon Harvest-Home and
Dur own Thanksgiving, now universally
observed as a national holiday.
The history of Thanksgiving IN
America begins prior to the landing
" the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth
Rock in 1920 The first service OF this
character ever held in this country
was celebrated on the bleak Newfound-
land coast in 1878 by an English clergy
man named Wolfall, who was connect
I'd with the Frobisher exploring party.
erobisher brought the first colony to
bettle on those shores; and to the Rev.
Mr.. Wolfall, otherwise unknown to
lame, belongs the credit of the hrst
Evangelical sermon and the first eele-
bration of the communion in North
America. 1t was service of grateful
brayer and praise for their safe arrival
Ind escape from the dangers of the
aeep.
OF similar character was the next
recorded Thanksgiving service, twenty
nine years later, when the Popham col
cny 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
nag 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
6rst 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
Erlms. anchoring in Massachusetts Bay
on Saturday, December %. s.. They
deferred landing until Monday; despite
their long sojourn on the sea. and we
may well believe that their last Sab
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 Mayflower, their
graves being leveled that the Indians
might not become aware Of their di-
minishing number. Hopefully the rem
hant toiled through the summer, gath
ering fair harvest. The old chronicler
tells of Indifferent barley and 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 r-of-fact
Miles Standish, the military chief of
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 nineteenth century congrega-
tion say to discourse two hours
long?
And then came the feast, at which
were displayed the fine napery and
household treasures brought from Old
Ern nd
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 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
30 grow 30 grand a nation. Suddenly
the peaceful night was broken by the
sentry's peremptory challenge the rat
tie Of drum, mingled with an Indian
about, 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-
soit's braves, but on pacific errand
bent. They came to 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 un-
expected guests, who entertained them
by performing their dances amid wild
yells and menacing gestures. It 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