The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-26

absorb the tale Of the struggles and
privations OF those who had settled
and developed their country for them.
Later. they were gathered in the church
to hear the spiritual side OF the les
son, which eliminated In the reading of
prayers of thanks.
This was regarded as a solemn duty:
and as solemn spiritul duties could
not in those days. be performed with
any but empty stomaehs. the younger
generation came out with a rush when
the services ended.
II meant thar the preparat ton OF the
feast was 10 begin sturdy. robust
fathers had, the few days before, In
weighed from the waters Ground An
napolts- Royal big. silvery- sided mack
erel and had wrung and dressed
chestnut Favored eobblers, while
buHom housewives had rounded out
ana stored away fat, luscious pies,
douKhnuts and. cakes
IN the afternoon the atmosphere Of
Annapolis Royal contained the most
appetizing OF odors. Just as dusk fell
ana the lights shone from the wind ows
OF the little town came the family re-
unions, big groups that gathered about
long tables that held enough to feed
I'VE times us many.
The historical causes Of Nova Scotia's
Thanksgiving Day are still one of It's
methods OF celebration have long ago
disappeared. Each year the younger
generation are told OF the great sncri-
flee OF their forefathers. There are
services In the churches and schools,
and in the speeches the past and pres
ent are held up in contrast The re-
minders of prosperity come with the
feast In the evening.
The footing of Plymouth Rock was
mr. ~
gratitude of the Pilgrims and the ac-
knowled sment of divine aid in ac-
curing their first harvest, brought out
the second. This, however. was not an
annual event. for there was constant
Offering OF thanks for protection from
Indians and the completion of any
particular piece OF work.
Several years after the establishment
of their nrst colony a long drought
seriously menaced the crops. The re-
ligious disposition of the Puritans re-
sponded at once in supplications for
relief. and In the midst of n day of
fasting and prayer the drought was
broken By the coming of rain and the
service changed to one OF thanksgiv-
ing
The harvest which God thus gave
TO this pious people" writes Cotton
Mathcr. in mentioning this event In his
Magnalia Christi, caused them TO set
apart another day Tor solemn thanks
giving to the glorious Hearer OF Pray
ers."
|, became an annual event after that,
extending to the Dutch In New York.
The War of Independence was the
cause OF one or more official offerings
OF thanks during that struggle, and at
the surrender OF Lord Cornwallis the
Continental Congress, after Its public
ecknowled cement. Immediately return
ed 10 Ind ependcnCe lfall and recon-
mended TO the executives of the various
states that da: for that purpose be
set apart each year. The first national
proclamation on the subject was not
Issued until 1889. and the second did
not follow untIl 1895.
War was again the inspiration when
the wnc OF 1912 terminated. President
Madison recommended to Congress that
the day be made a national holiday,
but II brought out such opposition from
some of the Representatives, on the
ground that II smacked too much OF
Puritanical bigotry, that II was aben-
twenty-five of the States officially
adopted the measure. setting apart the
last Thursday in November.
Again was war the incentive during
the War OF the States There were
some to whom a day OF thanks giving
during that period seemed like
mockery, but the general impression
that II should be recognized by the
general government and made a nat
ional holiday began to grow.
The final suggestion which resulted
in this came In 1861 from Mrs Sarah
Josepha Hale. editress OF Godey's Lady
Book. 1t gained the appreciation OF
President Lincoln at once, but since
that first proclamation the general
thanks thus recommended have been
devoted to no particular object.
The Episcopal Church in Scotland.
during the latter part OF the summer
OF 1877, ordained special prayers for
use on The Oh daN of NnYhnher of