Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-11-21

plot had been tried and punished in 1905 it was
ordered that because of their deliverance the
English people should keep the 5th of November
every year as a public thanksgiving to Almighty
God that unfeigned thankfulness. may never De
forgotten and that all ages to come may yield
praise to Gods divine majesty for the same
The 18th Of November continued a legal thanks
giving day for more than two centuries, but in
later years it fell Into disuse and in 1888 was
abolished by parliament
Long before the advent of the pilgrims in
Massachusetts, all rituals contained expressions
of gratitude to God for his mercies In that of
the Church of England special prayers were pro-
vided for the Sunday service. This service, how
ever must be carefully distinguished from the
Thanksgiving day of the pilgrim fathers. Failure
to make this distinction has led to thee groundess
claim that the Popham colonists were the first
to keep Thanksgiving day" in America. The
service at MOnhegan which this claim is based
was the regular Sunday service Of the Church of
England and while it had element of thanks
giving the day can in nOwise be regarded as a
Thanksgiving day as that term is understood.
Contemporary evidence refutes all claim to the
contrary.
From "A Relation of Voyage to Sagadoc" we
read as follows: "Sundaye beinge the 9Th Of
August in the morninge the most part of our holl
company of both shpes landed this Hand,
whear the cross standeth: and thear heard
sermon delyvred unto US by our preacher, gyvinge
God thanks for our happy metinge and safe aruall
into the country. and returned abord again"
Massachusetts Historical society proceedings.
xvii 1927
The record made in his 'Breeches Bible by
William White who came over in the Mayfower.
has far more significance in determining the
origin of cur American Thanksgiving day than
the event at Monhegan. The record reads: will
lam White married on We Sd day of March. 1920,
to Susannah lilly. Peregrine White born on
board We May7ower in Cape Cod harbor, some.
Born to Susannah White December 18th ye six
O'Clock morning, Next day we meet for prayer
and thanksgiving This meeting for prayer
and thanksgiving was not on Sunday, but on
Tuesday. The fact that it not a part Of the
regular Sunday service makes it more nearly &C
cord with idea of Thanksgiving day than
does the NOnhegan event But this similarity
is not sufficient to warrant our regarding it the
origin of the American custom.
The prototype of our present Thanksgiving day
is found in the harvest festival at Plymouth in
1921 The long winter that followed the estab-
Hshment Of the colony had been one of great NOR
tality and suffering. Scarcely half of the colony
had survived it. at one time during the winter
ones were we'll enough to get about" In the
spring and that followed their fortunes
improved, and by autumn they had cleared TWEEN
ty-six acres and made 1t ready for cultivation.
This industry, too had been rewarded by boun-
the needs OF the approaching winter were laid in
the first in America.
This first Thanksgiving was not for day only
It continued week. IN letter to friend in