The Citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1903-1912, 1908-11-28
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fore the timber for the Maynower or the Anne
planted II had It's origin In antiquity when the
Romans and Greeks held fast day In October
which they dedicated to the goddess OF agriculture
and followed the day OF fasting by one of feasting
and royal frocking, a day on 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. 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
Isis.
For seven or eight days the Jewish Feast OF
Tabernaces' was. centuries ago. held during the
seventh month. which is November. and after the
completion OF Soomon's temple the people that
year held a 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 for the yield of the season as
well for the completion OF the temple that they
were giving thanks.
Coming forward century or two we find Thanks
giving day being held in England under the name
OF Harvest Home" This day usually early In
November and II opened by a church service, which
was followed by day OF gayety and feasting
Thanks were given in the churches for the benefits
OF the season and then the masses nocked TO the
grounds of the classes" To which they were all
invited Here squire and gentry entertained the
peasantry with free and easy dances in the barns,
wrestling matches and feats of archery for which
prizes given,
In the evening harvest songs sung by the
light OF the moon the beer and ale, which
flowed freely. dinner, such only the early Eng,
lsh knew how to prepare was served to these great
crowds OF thanksgivers and the Harvest Home day
ended in repetion both OF appetite and merrymak.
ing.
Before the Reformation special day was set
apart In England for giving thanks, and after the
| reformation the custom was continued with added
feryor but after all, II Is not from English an
cestors, we might suppose that we received the
! inspiration for our first 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 II has been claimed by
| some investigators who stopped just a little short
OF the beginning in tracing backward that the first
| real Thanksgiving day Of true American meaning
was held by the Popham coonists OF MOnhegan.
| but as they Eplscopalians' and gave thanks
every week in their regular church ritual this must
| be bIackballed and cast out of our calculation.
| And now to return % the Pilgrims and the Gus.
toms they absorbed while protected in Holland The
pious Dutch, before the Pilgrims nocked to their
| peaceful land. had set apart October on which to
give thanks for their harvest but more especially
Tor their deliyerance from Spanish authority. The