Bridgeton pioneer., 1908-11-26

HISTORY OF THANKSGIVING

piete histories of Thanksgiving Day is
thus presented by Francis s. Lee. a
Well known historian of Trenton:
Ihe observance of THANKSGIVING
days in North America carries us to
the beginnings of settlement. Special
days commemorating special events
were observed by the Spaniards and by
the French, whether beneath the palms
OF Mexico and the West Indies or under
the pines of Canada. 1t is claimed.
ndeed, that the first Thanksgiving SER
vice held in North America was cele-
brated upon the barren shores of New
foundland in 1878, the service being
held by an English minister, Walfall.
who was connected with the ill-fated
Frobisher expedition. Another service
was held on the coast of what is now
Maine in August, 1907, by members of
the Popham colony.
10 Governor Bradford, of Massa.
chusetts Bay colony must be given the
credit for the establishment of a day of
American Thanksgiving more or less
permanent in its nature. For several
years previous to 1921 the settlers had
not been blessed with abundant crops.
But that year was bountiful, and Gov
ernor Bradford proclaimed December
l3 told style, as day of Thanksgiv.
ing. Wild turkeys were shot, the In
dians made gifts of venison, and a
feast followed the religious services.
subsequently, until 1854, when Thanks.
giving became an annual festival in
Massachusetts,, Thanksgiving days
were held at uncertain times, but with
comparative regularity.
"The strong New England influence
that characterized the settlement of
East Jersey, after 1904, was unques-
tionably authorized by civil authority
within the limits of what is now the
State of New Jersey. 1t is true that
the early Dutch and Swedish settlers
had observed days of Thanksgiving
upon the banks of the Hudson and the
Delaware, but not in the sense of
generally recognized occasion. So it
was that 232 years ago the legislature
of East Jersey, sitting in October, 1876,
at Woodbridge, officially declared that
upon the second Wednesday of Novem-
ber next ensuing all people in the prov
ince should give God the glory and
praise thereof and oblige us to live in
His praise because there had been
signal demonstration of His mercy and
favor in preserving and continuing the
peace of the colony in the midst of sur.
rounding wars, together with many
other mercies.
I'm 1879 we find that the legislature
of East Jersey set the goth of Novem-
ber as a Thanksgiving day because of
deliverance of the Protestants from the
so-called Papish plot. and for Gods
mercy in delivering the colonists from
smallpox and other diseases and trouble
of the Indians.
~hSoAi AL lOJU, OON6IuOI
Andrew Hamilton appointed day of
Thanksgiving for East and West Jersey
because of the failure OF a design. to
murder the English king.
During the later colonial period in
New Jersey we find a number of in
stances of Thanksgiving days being Sc
lected Thus the 23d of November,
1749, was proclaimed by Governor
Belcher as day of Thanksgiving for
preserving the life of the royal family,
restoring European peace and the ces-
sation of a prolonged drought. The
governor prayed for blessings upon
the royal family and the continuance
of the Protestant succession, subject
close to the hearts of New Jerseymen
in those times of religious bitterness
and unceasing controversy. Upon this
day Governor Belcher attended church
in Burlington, where he listened to
sermon delivered by the renowned Gill
bert Tennant, the texts for the occasion
having been selected by the governor
himself.
In 1850, October "a was appointed
as Thanksgiving day in New Jersey
because of the Glorious Successes of
His Majesty's Arms in the Conquest of
Canada. Thanksgiving days had been
proclaimed for similar reasons during
the years 1853 and 1859, the latter year
commemorating the capture of Quebec.
Under our present form of State
government New Jerseys first Thanks
giving proclamation was issued by
Governor Livingston, setting aside the
18th of December, 1777, as a day OF
thanksgiving. The Continental con-
gress and recommended this course,
advising the people of each state to ac-
knowledge God and to ask that He
smile upon the prosecution of just
and necessary war for the defense and
establishment Of inalienable rights.
Governor Livingston recommended the
acquiescence of the ministers and that