The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1908-12-03
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fore the timber for the Mayfower or the Anna was
planted II had its origin in antiquity when the
ROMANS and Greeks held a fast day In October
which they dedicated to the goddess OF agriculture
aud followed the day OF fasting by one of feasting
and royal frocking day which the chase and
all sorts OF rustic sports held sway.
Going even further back into the remote ages of
not our country alas-but Of the world we find
the early Egyptians setting aside a day for general
thanksgiving and burning OF incense and Offering
sacrifices to their divinity of the crops the Goddess
"YSiE"~
FOR seven or eight days the Jewish Feast OF
Taoernacles was centuries ago, held during the
seventh month, which is November. and after the
completion of Solomon's temple the people that
year held l4-day festival which was a time of
thanksgiving. and during which time they gave
thanks for the abundance of their land Living In
booths they decorated their entire homes with
branches of the palm and OF citron trees and then
showed that II was for the yield of the season as
Wen as for the completion OF The temple that they
wore giving thanks.
Coming forward a century or two we find Thanks
giving day being held In England under the name
OF Harvest Home" This day was usually early In
November and II opened by church service which
Was followed by day of gayety and feastine
Thanks were given in the churches for the dement's
OF the season and then the masses" tocked 10 the
grounds of the Glasses" to which they wers All
invited Here squire and gentry entertained the
peasantry with free and easy dances In the harms
wrestling matches and teats of archery, for which
prizes given
In the evening harvest songs were sung ny tho
light OF the moon, over the beer and ale which
nowed freely. dinner such ms only the early Eng.
ish knew how to prepare was served to these great
crowds of ,hanksgvers. and the Harvest Home day
ended In repetition both OF appetite and merrymak
ing
before the Reformation a special dav was set
apart In England for giving thanks and after the
reformation the custom was continued with added
tervor but after all IL is not from our English an
cestors, as we might suppose that We received the
inspiration for our nrst Thanksgiving day
Neither did the idea originate with the pilgrims
themselves. They merely continued custom with
which they had become familiar and OF which their
natures approved when they were living with their
Dutch cousins
To digress Just little: It has been claimed nv
some investigators who stopped lust a uttle shor,
OF the beginning in tracing backward that the nrst
real thanksgiving day OF true American meaning
was held by the Pupham culonists of Menhevap
but as they we're Episcopalaus and gave thanks
every week In their regular church ritual this mus,
DE- biaekealied and cast out % our calculation.
And nov 10 return to the Pilgrims and the chs
toms they absorbed while protected in Holland Tbs
pious Dutch. before the Pilgrims locked to their
peaceful land had set apar, October ; on which ~
give thanks for their harvest but more especially
for their delivcraUce from spanish authority Tbs