The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-11-28

God Thanks" They were very re-
ligious people, and their "Thanks-
giving Service" was of the Church OF
England. Their unique meeting took
place at the Island of Monhegan.
They finally settled at the mouth of
the Kennebec.
The "Monhegan Thangsgiving"
was in no sense the historic source
of our present annual day of public
worship. At recent date has been
found the family Bible of William
White, in which Is recorded "William
White married on ye third day of
March, 1920, to Susannah Tilly. Per-
egrine White Born on Board ye May
flower in Cape Cod Harbor. Some
born to Susannah White, December
10, 1920, ye six o'clock morning.
Next day, we met for prayer and
Thanksgiving. We find that the
twentieth day OF December was not
Sunday, but Tuesday. The Sunday
previous, however, they had rested
and held "Divine Worship" One
narrator speaks as follows:
$50, in the morning, after we had
called on God for direction, we came
presently to this resolution, to go
presently ashore again. and to take
a better view of two places we
thought most fitting for us; for we
could not at this time now take time
for further search or consideration,
our victuals being much spent, espe-
cially our beer; and 1t being now the
goth of December.
The season was a most critical one.
The day was very cold, and in their
midst was disease and starvation.
For the curious reader we quote Cap
tain John Smith as follows: "After
having been pested nine weeks In
this leaking, unwholesome ship, lying
wet in ye cabins, most of them grew
very weak, and weary of the sea. T"
They had been on the sea nine weeks.
In the following autumn there was
held "Grande Thanksgiving, the
most condensed account of which can
be found in letter by Edward Wins
low, dated at Plymouth, and written
to friend in England. in which he
said: "Our harvest being gotten In,
our Governor sent four men on fowl
ing that so we might after a special
manner rejoice together after we had
gathered the fruits of our labors.
They killed as much fowl as with a
little help beside served the company
about a week. At which times among
other recreations we exercised our
arms, many of the Indians coming
amongst us, and among the rest their
greatest king, Massasoyt, with soma
ninety men, whom for three days we
entertained and feasted, ana they
went out and killed five deer which
they brought and bestowed upon our
Governor, and upon the CaptainG and
others" In several ways 1t repre-
sented feast of Biblical renown
The indians were warmly welcomed
The savage of America greeted the
Anglo-Saxon OF Europe. The five
deer killed by the natives. together
The Puritan Thanksgiving Day Band
with the fowl killed by the -four
good shots from the Colony" fur
nished food for the festivities that
lasted nearly week. Games were
played, athletic sports were enjoyed,
and some little time was spent in
military feats. The natives were
much amused over the games of
-stool-ball" and "pitch-ye-bar, as
taught by Governor Bradford.
The year 1922 brought distress
and misfortune to the Pilgrims
Crops We're poor, the winter exceed
ingly cold, ani they prayed "long
and often" for their "dayly brade. I"
The Thanksgiving of that year was
also attended by several of the "most
Wise" Indians. We find 1t recorded
mat "a day was appointed by publlck
authority and set apart from all other
employments" to pray to God for His
iaVor upon an Inflated people. The
morning was most beautiful one.
The skies were clear. The whole day
was spent In fasting and prayer. It
then ralned with soft, sweet mod
crate showers. mixed with seasonable
weather, az It was hard 10 say
whether our withered corn or droon.
Ing affections were most quickened
and revived, such was ye bounty and
goodness Of God" II was amid these
xains that Captain Myles standIsh
went northward to secure provisions
Vi the Friendly Indians" Upon his