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

The idea of THANKSGIVING day goes back to
1emOest antiquity. It is part Of natural religion.
and is probably old the human race. In
written records we 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
ury it 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 a day OF
feastng, anG to lay offerings upon the affairs of
Isis, the goddess of agriculture. The Jewish fes-
uvaI was the "inga herring" the feast of the
tabernacle" mentioned in Exodus and other parts
Of the Old Testament This was more particu-
.arly a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest and as
it came at the close Of the entire harvest it prob
ably was intended also as general thanks Civ
ing for the bounty of nature" in the year that
had passed.
This festival appears early in Jewish history.
and as it was connected with the land and its
possession, may have had a Canaanitish proto-
type. Its celebration was annual and each f4sti-
val continued through seven days. At the bagin-
ming two vessels of silver we're carried IN
cerGmOnious manner to the temple one full Of
water, the other Of wine, which were poured at
the foot of the altar of burnt offerings always or
the seventh day OF the festival
Plutarch describes this ceremonial which hG
believed was a feast to Bacchus. He says: "Thr
Jews celebrated two feasts to Bacchus. In th3
midst of the vintage they spread tables, spreai
with all manner Of fruits, and live in tabeTnacles
made especially of palms and ivy wreaths IT,
gether. few days later they kept an
other festival which openly dedicated 10
BaCchus, for they carried boughs of palms IN
their hands. with which they went into the TEN
pie. the Levites going before with instruments of
music"
Analogous to the Jewish festival and possibly
borrowed from it was that of the old Greeks. the
ThesmOrphia This a feast to Demeter, the
goddess Of the harvest 1t lasted nine days and
consisted of sacrifices of the products of the soil
with obatOns of wine milk and honey" Theo
crttus refers to it in the Seventh Idyl, where ST
nicholas says: Now, this is our way to the
malaysia for our friends in sooth are making
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 was 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 aludes
to the joyousness of the occasion.
In enc way or another Thanksgiving day had
been observed in Christian Europe for centuries
before its celebration in New England, On the
continent, and for a time in England, it occurred
at Nartinmas, which was day of feastng 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. %, 1915 public thanks
giving was held on Sunday the feast of St. Ed
ward. the king and confessor. Such day. too
was observed in Leyden, Holland. Oct, 8, 1875 the
first anniversary of that city from the siege by
the Spaniards.
Many instances of thanksgiving days can be
pointed out in England during the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries. In 1859, the second year of
Elizabeth's reign Thanksgiving day entered Roga-
ton day. Then it was ordered that thanks should
be given to Almighty God for the increase and
abundance of his fruits upon the earth" In this
reign. too. there was great national thanksgiv-
ing day that is worthy of note. This occurred on
Tuesday Nov. 10. 1858. and was in commemora-
ton of the great victory over the 'invincfbIe
armada" It had been described by Nicol in his
Progress of Queen Elizabeth" by Stove and by
some other contemporary writer's. We are told
that the day kept holy throughout the
realm with sermons, singing Of psalms. bonfires,
etc, for Joy and thanksgiving unto God for the
overthrow Of the Spaniards. our enemies. on the
sea: and the citizens of London in their liveries
that day had a sermon at St. PauIs cross tending
to that end"
One legal and annual thanksgiving day be-
cause of the Ions time it was such deserves spe-
cial mention After the traitors in the eunpowder
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