East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-11-29

F. j. Young has prepared for the
Book of the Royal Blue" the fol-
lowing beautiful sketch of the origin
and early observances of Thanksgiv-
ing Day:
The president has called on the
people to cease from toll on the last
Thursday in November and to assem-
BILE in their places of worship and
give thanks to God for the blessings
of the past year. The governor of
each state will follow with similar
proclamation and the same day will
be observed throughout the country.
All, without regard to sect or creed,
will approve, and so universal has
this practice become, that few ever
think that it is without authority of
law. But one state provides that the
governor shall annually set day for
thanksgiving, and while in several
others 1t has been made a legal holi-
day. the proclamation of the presi-
dent would be only legally binding in
the District of Columbia the terri
Our constitution makes no mention
of God. An attempt to introduce an
acknowledgment of a supreme being
was opposed by jefferson and other
free thinkers" In New England
and especially in Massachusetts, where
the custom originated, this is the great
holiday of the year-the day for the
home coming of separated families
why try to meet under the old roof
tree once a year. We owe the origin
of this day as a festival to the Pill
grims.
During the terrible winter of 1920
21, the little band in the Massachu-
setts colony suffered greatly from
want; the woods and waters supplied
game and fish, but breadstuffs were
scarce, and the scanty remnant of the
grain they brought from Europe
must be saved for seed, No one
knew If the cereals would thrive un-
der the new conditions of soil and
climate, and anxiety was great In
the spring of 1921 the grain was sowed
and fields of the native corn. new to
the settlers, were planted, and dur
ing the summer months carefully
watched and tended. The religion of
that day was a stern one: the belief
in a personal God was strong, and
each true believer felt that any mis-
fortune to a family or colony was a
direct punishment for the sins of
some Of its members. Frequent days
of fasting and prayer were observed
during the summer, as 1t was realized
that a failure of the crops meant a
failure of the colony if not starva-
ton to its members. When toward
the close of the summer satisfactory
crops were assured, the settlers met
to consider another day of fasting, but
one of their number, said to have been
the wife of one of the elders, suggest
ed that instead of a day of humiliation
one of rejoicing seemed more appro-
pirate, and all agreeing on this, the
first general Thanksgiving Day of the
New World was set for August 10. So
many days of fasting had been OBJ
served that it was resolved not to
make this a religious holiday, but one
of recreation; each family was ex-
ing and the rest of the day was to be
devoted to pleasure.
Life among them had been very
dreary, and this attempt to add a lit
tie brightness to it was eagerly en-
braced. The women devoted their eff
forts to making palatable dishes with
the scanty stores at their command,
and when it is remembered that there
were no COWS and but a score of hens
in the colony, some of their limitations
may be understood. The woods
teemed with game-deer partridges,
wild turkeys, squirrels and rabbits
abounded, and four of the best hunt
ers were detailed to secure a supply.
AS the spirit of the occasion spread
a message was sent to the friendly
Indian chief, Massasoit, inviting him
to join the feast with his white friends
and to bring some of his head men,
and so cordially did he accept that
he appeared at daylight on the ap-
pointed day with 80 followers, and for
the first time the Indians tasted some
of the dainties of the white men.
The usual Indian method of cook
ing was to roast meat on sticks or to
boil everything in the same kettle.
Now game of all kinds carefully pre-
pared fish and oysters, corn bread
and pudding, sauces made of wild
fruits and berries, with copious sup
plies OF ale and rum. wild turkeys
stuffed with chestnuts and roasted, so
pleased the Indians that they remained
thre davs.
Captain Miles Standish paraded his
little army of 10 men In honor of the
guests and had few volleys fired,
which showed the superiority OF the
musket over the bow and arrow. This
feast was long remembered and did
much to continue friendly relations
between the natives and the settlers.
Little rain fell during the summer
of 1922 and the harvest was scanty,
but poor as it was day
was devoted to giving thanks
for 1t. From that time the
custom was to hold thanks
giving for any special occasion which
seemed worthy, and sometimes we
find several in a year. However,
these were not festivals, put rather
the reverse, as the exercises generally
consisted Of sermon, sometimes
several hours in length. These days