Semi-weekly herald., 1909-11-25

CItdatu Nlitil "a EiNhN
draught In 1923 not long after the
spring planting threatened the entire
settlement with starvation and in or
der to avert the terrible calamity, a
day of humiliation and prayer was ap
pointed, and in the midst of the sol
emn observance, the rain descended
and proved real Showers of blessing"
The crops were saved and the colony
was spared the horrors of starvation
And so. as grateful acknowledgment
of their blessings, and TO thank God
with all their hearts for the good
world and the good things in IT," the
first American Thanksgiving was Off
cially proclaimed aud was duly cele
brated. The people with one accord
gathered in the church and listened to
a sermon preached by Elder Brewster
and every heart was filed with deep
thanksgiving.
The little colony had occasion again
for second public thanksgiving, July
8, 1880, after the arrival OF fourteen
vessels, bringing $40 colonists Their
numbers from 1920 to 1880 had in.
creased to only 300 and this welcome
accession to their numbers deserved II
suitable recognition.
In 1881, in Charlestown, fast day
WAS changed to one of thanksgiving
when a ship arrived with supplies
which were greatly needed.
In 1888. upon the recommendation
of Governor Winthrop to his own col
ony and his invitation to the neigh
-hering- colony thera.- was IS, joint oh
servance of a day in Boston and Ply
mouth. Other days officially appointed
as is shown by the colonial records of
the colony of Massachusetts bay, were
in 1894, 1887. 1888 and 1899; and Ply.
mouth colony observed days in 1861
1868, 1880, 1858. 1859 and 1890. One
of the Plymouth laws states that 1t
be the power of the governor and as.
sistants to command solemn days of
humiliation by fasting, etc. Also for
Thanksgiving as occasion shall be of
fered." Beginning with 1880 the proc
lamation was an annual one as is
shown by the form, instead of the
special thanksgiving publicly proclaim
ed in the earlier years of the colony
The Dutch who came to America
doubtless remembered special thanks
giving observances In their own ma.
tive land Holland. for the Dutch gov
ernors of New Amsterdam appointed
occasional days OF thanksgiving in
1864, 1645, 1856 and 1866, and the Eng
lish governors did likewise in 1855
and 1860. The Protestant Episcopal
church In the United States, in its
prayerbook which was ratified in 1889
recommended the first Thursday In No
vember for Thanksgiving day. unless
some other day was appointed by the
civil authorities. Other recommenda.
tions were occasionally made by re-
ligious bodies but the governor OF New
York made no regular annual recon-.
mendation previous to 1917.
1t is probable that the struggle OF
the colonies for independence united
the hearts OF the people In prayer and
thanksgiving as nothing else could
have done for we find from this time
the beginning of general observance
The same congress which prepared the
articles Of confederation to be adopted
by the colonies-the congress OF 1777-
also adopted resolution setting apart
the 18th day of December. l777. to be
observed as a day of solemn thanks
giving and praise throughout the
United States.
Washington, during his first admin.
istration, issued two thanksgiving
proclamatlons. one in 1889 and the
other in 1896, just after the suppress.
sion of the whisky rebellion" which
had threatened to be serious men
ace to the peace of the country. and
President Madison issued one in 1915
upon the declaration OF peace. The
colonial custom, however. was follow
ed in the early years Of the nation and
the proclamations weer made by the
governors. The same rule was later
observed in the western states, the
population of which was largely people
from New England or New York, and
gradually the governors of those states
and also the southern states followed
the Initiative taken by the governor
of New York in 1917, and issued an
nual proclamations. Governor Johnson
of Virginia, adopting 1t in 1865. and
in 1858. a Thanksgiving day was pro
claimed in eight of the southern states
The day had naturally grown TO be