Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-11-25
THE ORIGIN Or
THANKSGIVING

! toms Is somewhat OBSCURE. "A AloueIH
popular belief ascribes its exclusively
/ 10 our Pilgrim forefathers, but This
| idea is erroneous. 1t is quite pos
| slble that the original idea may have
he labernacles'' or feast Of the in
gathering" at the close of the year.
/ Then families gathered together, dwelt
! in booths and gave thanks for the
bounty Of the harvest.
| European history records several
notable thanksgiving obseryances,
| among which was that following the
battle OF Crecy, when Edward III is
sued orders that all boasting Oh the
! vaIor OF the English army and all
insulting of the conquered should be
restrained for Ito God alone was due
the praise and to him thanks should
be given After the Black Prince
/ had won the decisive battle OF Poi
, tiers, a solemn thanksgiving was
| publicly observed throughou, ali
England for eight days. The destruc-.
| ton of the Spanish armada was an
other occasion for a season of prayer
! and thanksgiving proclaimed by Eng
! lands queen, Elizabeth. Probably one
OF the most notable observances in all
Europe was the great day of rejoicing
on October 3, 1875, when the people
with songs, and yet with tears, gave
| thanks for the relief Of Leyden.
Tho oh 0f ranacihnc
| thanksgiving in their native country
may have suggested the idea tn the
| early colonists. but Thanksgiving
day as 1t is now observed Is essen
TALLY an American institution.
No definite date can be set as the
first Observance of the day in this
country, In 1921 the Pilgrims at
Plymouth observed harvest festival
which. judged by their Puritan GUS
toms, was not In any sense thanks
giving. Several writer's, however,
claim II as the progeniter OF our own
harvest least, and state that Ii was
in reality the first Thanksgiving. 1t
certainly differs from our modern
ideas, in that no religious service Is
mentioned. and q whole week was
given up to festivity. The biblical
Jewish feast Of ingathering already
mentioned Or the harvest home of
England may have furnished the mo-
tive 10 the colonists for their own
harvest festival.
The first recorded appointment of
special thanksgiving day was in
1923. The previous year had been a
gloomy and unfortunate one for the
colonists. the rapid depletion Of their
store of food supplies and the delay
OF ship bearing fresh supplies great
ly intensifying their anxiety Their
condition must have been discourag-
Ing, indeed. for no autumnal thanks
giving was observed and the coming
OF winter increased their sufferings
A great drouth In 1923 not long after
the spring planting threatened the en-
tire settlement with starvation, and
In order to avert the terrible calamity
DAY of humiliation and prayer was
appointed. and In the midst of the
solemn observance the rain descended
and proved real showers Of bless
ing" The crops were saved and the
colony was spared the horrors OF star
walton. And SO. as a grateful ac-
acknowledgement 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 officially proclaim
ed and was duly celebrated, The
people with one accord gathered in
the church and listened to sermon
preached by Elder Brewster and ev-
cry heart was filled with deep thanks
giving.
The little colony had occasion again
for second public thanksgiving July
s. 1880. after the arrival OF IA vessels
bringing $40 colonists. Their num-
bers from 1920 to 1880 had increased
to only 300. and this welcome Access
sion to their numbers deserved a suit
able recognition.
In 1851 In Charlestown a fast day
was changed TO one of Thanksgiving
when \ ship arrived with supplies
which were greatly needed.
In 1888, upon the recommendation
of Governor Winthrop to his own
colony and his invitation to the neigh
boring colony. there was joint OBJ
servance of day In Boston and Ply
mouth. Other days officially appoint
ed as Is shown by the colonial rec
ords of the colony of Massachusetts
bay, were In 1884, 1887, 1888 and 1888;
and Plymouth colony observed days in
1851, 1868. 1880, 1888. 1889 and 1890.
One of the Plymouth laws states
that it be the power of the governor
and assistants to command solemn
days OF humiliation by fasting, etc.
Also for thanksgiving as occasion
shall be offered" Beginning with
1880 the proclamation was an annual
one as Is shown by the form, instead
of the special thanksgiving publicly
proclaimed In the earlier years Of the
colony.
The Dutch who came to America
doubtless remembered special thanks