The Washington herald., 1911-11-19
IN GAYETIES OF
HOLIDAY SEASON
Don't Forget the Spirit Of
Thanksgiving.
BY JULIA CHANDLER MANI.

u -
THANKSGIVING is distinctly an American
holiday, hut the idea of setting aside a
special period during which to offer
thanks dates back to the children of Is
rael. who held a feast of thanks at the
end OF each harvesting. Years and Years
ago the Hebrews celebrated the feast OF
the tabernaCleS. and in the month of No
Vember the ancient Greeks, held the feast
of Demeter, offering sacrifices to the god
dess of the harvests. In the Cerelia the
Romans celebrated a like holiday. The
Cerelia occurred in October. and is the
most beautiful. perhaps. of all the
thanksgivings handed down to US through
history.
The idea was the same with our an
Cestors who landed on Plymouth Rock
December i, IG2o, in the middle of a
most severe winter God blessed the
earth for them in the following summer
with pleSte0us harvcstS for which their
hearts We're so devoutly thankful that
Gov. Bradford ordered a three days
feaSting and Thanksgiving to God for His
mercy and goodness to the lonely little
cClOnN. Even the Indian friends of the
newcomers were invited to the feast, at
which the THANKSGIVING turkey was first
introduced.
For many years Thanksgiving was ceIe-
hrated only in the Massachusetts Colony
1t was not until 1854. when President
Lincoln issued a proclamation naming
the fourth Thursday in November AS a
day {" he observed in "A general thanks
giving throughout the country that the
holiday became - national ono.
The young folks look forward to the
day as Special holiday set aside for
them to attend football game or a
special matinee, and in all this joIIifica-
tiUn forget the real purpose Of the sea
son.
Remember Spirit of Day.
Where it is possible. families should
arrange reunion on the last Thursday
in November and in the home merry
making should remember the spirit Of
the celebration.
II during the next ten DAYS, mothers
of families will dig out their histories
and read up "A little on the early Thanks
givinGs they will 1nd that they will he
able to make tie meaning of the holiday
clearer to the small children Of the house
hold.
In a certain family I know the chill
dren are all gathered around a big open
fire on THANKSGIVING night. when the
gayetleS are ended. and the brave men
and women who We're the early settlers
OF our country are talked about: the men
and women who found cause to he
thankful even in the face Of the most
bitter hardships; work that was all
drudsery, mourning for their dead. and
facing shortages Of food. and every pIi-
walton possible 10 them in raw and
unsettled country that was little short
of gigantic Wilderness
The older children are given tn" inter
eSting task of CUlliUg facts concerning
these early settlers for days before the
feast day, so that they can Join in the
Notwithstanding talks. Father and
mother make il point to draw vivid
contrasts between the b0untirs with
which the Pilgrims were blessed and our
preSent-day comforts and luxuries so
that not a child in the family goes to bed
on Thanksgiving night without being
deeply impressed with his own manifest
blessings
This beautiful. devout hour is ended
with the recitation by the family of
Ralph Waldo Emerson's verses:
WE THANK THEE
For flowers that hoom ahsrt our feet:
For tender lTa~> fresh. sweet:
Fnr song IT bird and hum Of bee.
For all things fair hear spC.
Father in Heaven, think Thee!
For blue, Of stream and blue Of SKY:
For Ileasaut shade If branches high:
frr fragrant air and cooling hrerzr:
FIR bcautH of the blaming trees
Father in Heaven. thank Thee
This seems to me very beautiful way
to end Thanksgiving.
Don't you think so?