The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1912-11-21

The idea OF Thanksgiving day goes back to
remotest antiquity 1t is part of natural religion.
and is probably old the human race. In
written records have ample evidence that the
Festival was celebrated in connection with "the
sruits OF the earth by the ancient Egyptians the
Jews, the Greeks, and the Romans. Long before
iuthers revolt from Rome in the sixteenth
fury IL had been observed by the Christians and
after the reformation, thanksgiving days were
In frequent by the Professionals especially
those of England
IN old Egypt. when the harvest had been gath
creed it the custom to observe day OF
feasting, and to lay offerings upon the affairs OF
Isis, the goddess of agriculture The Jewish fes-
tval was the "ingathering" the feast OF the
tabernacle mentioned In Exodus and other parts
OF the Old Testament. This partcu-
tarly a Thanksgiving for the fruit harvest and as
IL came at the close OF the entire harvest il prob
ably was intended also q general thanksgiv.
ing FOR the bounty OF nature in the year that
had passed.
This festival appears early in Jewish history
and as it connected with the land and its
possession, may have had Canaanitsh proto-
type. Its celebration annual and each festi-
val continued through seven days. At the begin
ming two vessels OF silver were carried in q
ceremonious manner to the temple full Of
water, the other of wine which were poured at
the foot OF the altar of burnt offerings, always
the seventh day of the festival"
Plutarch describes this ceremonial which he
Il
Jews celebrated two fcasts to Bacchus. In the
midst OF the vintage they spread tables. spread
with all manner of fruits, and live In tabernaces
made especially of palms and Ivy wreaths to-
gether. A 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 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 was n feast to Demeter the
goddess OF the harvest. 1t lasted nine days and
consisted OF sacrifices OF the products of the soil
with oblations OF wine. milk and honey" Theo-
crtus refers to 1t in the Seventh Idyl, where 81
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
I'm 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
called Ceralia II 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-
nces that were offered in the temples and aludes
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. 1t occurred
at Martinmas. 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. Is. 1415 q public thanks
giving held on Sunday. the feast OF st. Ed
ward, the king and confessor Such day, too
was observed In Leyden Holland. Oct 5. 1875 the
FIRST anniversary of that city from the siege by
The Spaniards.
Many instances OF thanksgiving days can be
pointed out Ia England during the sixteenth and
seventeenth centuries In 1859, the second year OF
Elizabeth's reign Thanksgiving day entered Roga
ton day. Then il 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
Tuesday Nov. 10. 1858. and in commemora
tion OF the great victory over the "invincible
armada" 1t had been described by Nico I'm his
progress Of Queen Elizabeth" by Stowe and by
some other contemporary writer's We are told
chat the day was kept holy throughout the
realm. with sermons singing Of psalms. bonfres
etc, for Joy and Thanksgiving unto God for the
overthrow OF the Spaniords. enemies the
sea: and the citizens of London In their liveries
that day had O sermon at st Pauls tending
TO that end.
: One legal and annual thanksgiving day be-
cause Of tho long time II was such deserves spe-
cs,l mention After the traitors IN the g'iupowder