The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1912-11-21

and we must look elsewhere TOT IT.
The idea of Thanksgiving day goes back to
remotest antiquity. 1t is part of natural religion.
and is probably as old as the human race. In
written records have ample evidence that the
festival was celebrated in connection with the
fruits of the earth by the ancient Egyptians the
Jews the Greeks and the Romans. Long before
Luther's revolt from Rome in the sixteenth cen
fury 1t had been observed by the Christians and
after the reformation. Thanksgiving days were
in frequent use by the Professionals. especially
those OF England.
In old Egypt, when the harvest had been gath
creed, it was the custom to observe day or
feasng, and to lay offerings upon the affairs of
Lis the goddess Of agriculture The Jewish fes-
tival was the "ingathering," or the feast of the
tabernacle mentioned in Exodus and other parts
Of the Old Testament This more parcu-
Iarly thanksgiving for the fruit harvest, and as
it at the close OF the entire harvest 1t prob
ably was intended also as a general thanksgiv.
ing "for the bounty OF nature In the year that
had passed
This festival appears early in Jewish history,
and as 1t was connected with the land and It's
possession. may have had Canaanitish proto-
type It's celebration was annual and each festi-
val continued through seven days. At the begin
ming two vessels OF silver carried In q
ceremonious manner to the temple, full Of
water the other of wine which poured at
the seventh day OF the festival"
Plutarch describes this ceremonial which he
believed a feast to Bacchus. He says: The
Jews celebrated two feasts to Bacchus. In the
midst OF the vintage they spread tables, spread
with all manner of fruits and live In tabernacles
made especially OF palms and Ivy wreaths to-
gether few days later they kept an
other festival which openly dedicated to
Bacchus. for they carried boughs of palms In
their hands. with which they went into the tenn
pie the Levltes going before with instruments OF
music"
Analogous to the Jewish festival and possibly
borrowed from It that Of the old Greeks the
Thesmorphia. This was feast to Demeer the
goddess of the harvest, II lasted nine days and
consisted OF sacrifices OF the products OF the soil
with oblations OF wine. milk and honey" Theo-
crtus refers to It In the Seventh Idyl where 81
nicholas says: Now this is our way to the
malaysia for friends. in sooth are making a
feast to Demeter of the beautiful robe, offering
the first fruits OF their abundance since for them
in bounteous manner the goddess has piled the
thrashing floor with barley"
The goddess of the Roman harvest was Ceres
Her festival celebrated annually and was
called Ceralia 1t was a day for worship and
rustic sports Men and women formed process
sions and went to the fields with music Virgil
refers to this festival He mentions the sacri
fees that were offered In the temples and alludes
to the joyousness OF the occasion
In one way or another. Thanksgiving day had
been observed In Christian Europe for centuries
before its celebration In New England. On the
continent, and for time In England, It occurred
at Martinmas, which was day OF feastiug and
drinking Occasionally, too. civil authorities
recommended the observance OF some fixed day
To celebrate the victory of King Henry V of Eng.
land at Agincourt. Oct 25, 1915 a public thanks.
giving was held on Sunday the feast of St Ed.
was observed in Leyden. Holland Oct g. 1875, the
first anniversary OF that city from the siege by
the Spanards
Many instances OF thanksgiving days can be
! pointed out in England during the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. In 1859 the second year OF
Elizabeths reign. Thanksgiving day entered Roga.
| ton day Then Il was ordered that thanks should
! be given to Almighty God Tor the Increase and
! abundance Of his fruits upon the earth" In this
| reign, too, there was great national thanksgv.
| Ing day that is worthy Of note This occurred on
! Tuesday, Nov 49, 1853 and was in commemora-
| ton OF the great victory over the "invincibe
armada II had been described by Nlcol In his
! Progress OF Queen Elizabeth" by Stowe and by
| some other contemporary writer's We are told
| that tho day kept holy throughout the
realm, with sermons singing OF psalms bonflres
etc, for JOY and Thanksgiving unto God for the
overthrow OF the Spanards our enemies on the
sea: and the citizens of London In their veres
| that day had sermon at St Paus cross tending
10 that end
One legal and annual Thanksgiving day be.
cause Of the long time 1t was such deserves spe.
cal mention After the traitors in the gunpowder