The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-11-25
ITEMS FROM The PILOT FILES.
FIFTY YEARS AGO

apart particular day in the year for
the public worship of Almighty God, by
thanksgiving, praise and prayer, our
temporal Governor, by public proclama.
tion, appointed this day (the 24th) for
that purpose. 1t is. therefore, becoming
in us, erring creatures to properly OBJ.
serve the same; that with hearts of graf
itude to the great Giver and preserver
to us of every good-civil or religious,
temporal or spiritual individual or ma
tional-we 'enter into His gates with
praise; to be thankful unto Him and
bless his name" for His abundant good
ness to us through the past year-be'
seeching Him for the continue nee of
the same, that especially rs a people and
as a nation, He would protect US in the
successful enjoyment of ''goodly her
itage,' preserve to US our national indie,
pendence and continue US a great, united
and happy people.
Who can fail to see the hand of Provi.
dence in guiding the Pilgrim fathers to
this new world, rs yet unpolluted by the
wrongs and expressions of the old, to
procure a free and happy home for
carrying out on earth, those divine
truths which belong to no nation or sect,
but are the property of the world? Here
all was new and Uniformed, and those
man made edicts which had construct
ed hell of ignited oak" for those who
dared assert that belief was not the
mere voliton of will, and which had
come down with the awful hoar of ages,
was unknown and unheeded. The nit.
red form which had enveloped in its
mystic robe the power of kings and prin-
ces, and under which Laud and a
Torquemaeo dealt out nation by caprice,
here lost its power to damn or bless and
God alone was acknowledged Lord of all.
His doctrines fell like heaven rain,
His words refreshed like heavens dew.
Before the day of our freedom from
king and tyranny, sore were the trials
| to which were subjected our forefathers
in the wilderness; He withdrew not the
| pillar Of cloud by day, nor the pillar OF
fire by night to guide them to their final
delivery 70 show that He was no re-
spector of persons, and regarded not the
forms of worship which ''graceless yea
lots" mistake for pure religion, He
brought together the various sects and
united them in one common cause. lie
made distinctions of church and religion
to be fotgotten in the patriotic strife.
The Notire Episcopal Washington WAS
the companion of the Foreign Catholic
LAFAYETTE. French and Irish Catholics,
German Lutherans and Connecticut
Puritans fought like brothers for civil
liberty, and the unmolested right to
worship God rs each saw proper; and
the smile of Hi- appreciation was on
them as it was of old in Ajlaons vale,
when the kings of the earth trembled
before the manifestations of his pres
ence. Their crowning truimphs were
the establishment of civil government
recognizing no form of religious opini
ons as necessary to procure place and
promotion. Thus was new Eden pre-
pared for the family of man, and we
were enriched in everything to all
bountifulness which causeth to us
thanksgiving to God"
TWENTY. FIVE YEARS AGO.
Thanksgiving Day for long time was
wholly New England festival until the
civil war gave it nstioDal prominence.
1t needs not executive proclamation to
secure its observance, as it derives its
charter from custom. 1t comes at a
time when the years work is done, and
before the rigors of winter have Danish
ed the recollection of the dreamy beau
ties of the Indian Summer. The holiday
| had it's birth amid scenes Of suffering and
| despair when the God of the friendless
was invoked to stay the hand of Famine.
But its character undergone change
and it no longer hears the anguished
voice of prayer wrung from the lips of
woe.
The heart which does not throb with
quckened impulse to feeling of joy
on this day, must long have beat time
to sorrows measure. 1t is purely Sec
ular holiday, borrowing no feature of
solemnity from fears of what is to be"
1t may not knit new friendships" but
it thaws the frosts of selfshness from
the heart and quickens sluggish life with
the instinct of good will 1t crystallizes
prayer into good acts, happy thoughts
and generous promptings. The busy,
bustling, cruel world is shut out from
the family group; truce is called and
the soldier in the battle of life, every
where, enjoys the brief respite.
Why should not this pleasurable feat
ure be an element of all holidays At
what higher purpose can religion aim
than to bring joy to the heart OF a child,
rest to the troubled soul of the anxious
parent, and the elevated sentiment of
kindly feeling, regard and charity which
always attend pleasant companionship2 2
The prayer which agony rings. which
fear inspires or selfishness dictates,
might have an intensity of earnestness
but does not gladden. the heart Make
| 4