Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-11-28
Contrasted Thanksgivings.

\ writer in the Boston Transcript
draws an interesting contrast between
the Thanksgiving day Of the Pilgrims
ard that which we celebrate in these
Goth century years. The spirit and
sentiment of the day are much the
same after the almost three centuries
that have passed since it was first cele-
brated, and the day is in no danger of
losing its own peculiar distinction, but
in the manner Of the observance there
has been marked change, a change
as great as in the general character of
the times themselves. Each year our
blessings broaden and deepen, but on
Thanksgiving day we do wen to COM
pare them with the days of our fore
fathers.
To them their mercies were abun-
dant, and they rendered their grateful
thanks to the Lord of life. 1t seemed
so much to have one day Of comfort,
and even luxury, after the kindly old
earth had done her best and the
precious harvests had been gathered
in. The Pilgrim said, God be praised"
at every step, and he kept an open
hearth and generous heart for a less
fortunate neighbor. If one of those
bleak country towns could have caught
a glimpse Of lighted streets and we'll
stocked libraries, of dainty home
fabrics stitched on polished machines,
of grain cut and gathered without hand
labor and of whispered messages of
kindness to friends hundred miles
away--the vision would have been as
hewildering as a sight of the Eternal
City was to st. John at Patmos. and
! the electric cars would have seemed to
them like the chariot of fire in which
Elijah assembled to heaven.
What incredible distance between
their holiday and ours! That graft
| tude for blessings received was mainly
| expressed an an ascetic' way, outside
of the home-in the 'meeting-house."
| Only vestige Of that upward-lo looking
thankfulness remains among the mod
ems. 1t is because we have thought
to enshrine religion in the hone--or
tired to-instead of keeping it apart
in some more formally consecrated
| place: Partly 50, but the prevailing
quality of present-day religious feel
ing is more than ever love-uuality
and heart-sympathy, and in this we
have been gamers. whatever of loss
there has been in other respects. Deny
it as many a descendant of Pilgrim or
Puritan may. our November holiday
is no longer the Thanksgiving Day of
old. Transformed by the latter-day re-
ligion Of humanity, which makes the
most of hearty. kindly fellowship and
sympathy. the festival is now time
for the warming of hearts rather than
the giving of thanks. and doubtless il
is all approved by the Divine Giyer
Summarizing the differences between
the Thanksgiving of old and that OF
our times the Transcript goes on tc
say:
Thanksgiving is a day for gladness
and turn the searchlight even upon
sorrow and suffering for what allevia.
ton it may reveal. The hard times OF
life are so sharp and severe, their ex-
perience is SO vivid that the shortness
OF their duration. as compared witt
length of days. is apt to be overlooked
The hurricane and the storm blot ou
the memory of the long, peaceful day.
when the outline of the hills stood sof
and purple in the distance. The gar
. nered harvests, the trees lorn ant
gaunt. the frosty nights that hay,
made mute the merry crickets ant
: cioadas-all tell of the passing of tn,
D autumn and its wealth of glories. A,
( air Of solemnity pervades the face O
, Mother Earth. for her ascetic an,
alternating time has come. But no
for this shall we drop into the m;no
e key and take on the hue of the leade,
clouds. Not for this shall We lost on
cheer. The outdoor charm depart
only to give place to an indoor rival
the heart-warming within the sacre
precincts Of home"