The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-11-19
Thanksgiving Day in New England

sivr of all good blind every gift. as
distinguished from those who see the
fruits OF the ground as coming from
the rains. beyond the rain nothing:
from the soil and beyond the soil
nothing: from nature that they car
hands and beyond nature nothing. \
New England community in the early
days of my youth saw behind every
form of nature ten work Of Him
who made and sustained all things
Here is where they got a great good
from that peculiar and rugged faith
of the old Pilgrims. When they
clear and distinct faith that tho
thanks to be returned We're to so te
Him who was unseen hut who Is N,
giver OF all good. They believed
with an intensity and conviction thai
was shared With no doubt. tina He
opened his hand and satisfied h de-
sire of very living thing.
This faith permeated the home.
permeated the community. l think it
of the members of that community
We're in happy accord with that faith.
There were those who did not SO be-
lieve. l can we'll remember how that
such members in d New England COM
munity were regarded as occupying a
Very low social plane. They were not
prosecuted except so far as a public
ence upon those who are no approx
ed Of.
The second element which entered
into the preparation for Thanksgiving
was the element of Joy. The old New
E.nglander was no. an austere man.
He was rugged in his physique and
strong in his mentality. While he was
~,., So I:- r-1:~,,. NC h. haI
also a strong sense OF the human ele-
ment of JOY. He hated intensely. He
loved as strongly and whe: y came
to him he gave expressio' it in a
most emphatic manner. VI IL think
of them l can think of them AS being
like the great lsainist David. who is
said to have danced before the Lord"
Now the New Ens!ander had a decided
objection to dancing. but he a other
, ways of expressing his great Joy. One
Of the days in which he made known
his 10Y was upon his great Thanksgiv-
ing day.
What Preparations Were Made.
1t goes without saying that the
religious service was not omitted.
This was the work of the pastor. 1t
vas an eventful day with him. In
those days the country churches (for
I write in particular of them). were
Well by the people at large.
But on this special day there would
be an addition of some Of those who
would not attend the ordinary SER
vices of the Sabbath although the
public opinion was decidedly against
them because Of this omission. So the
pastor had a special are t do his part
we'll upon this national holiday.
I have before briefly referred to that
old New England church and l will do
so now again. for it is a worthy men,
Dry to he preserved. There was no
architectural beauty about this old
meeting house. for SO it. was called.
1t was built upon a hill as a rule. I
think that location was based upon
the literal Interpretation of the words
found in Scripture. "A city set upon a
hill that cannot be hid" These coun-
try people did not build cities but they
did the best they could to have build
ings upon a high altitude and SO they
put their meeting house there.
The meeting house was always
rectangular in form and had a steeple.
Sometimes in the earlier days this
building was not painted. but as a rule
New England thrift would see to it
that it was painted n glazing white as
soon as they could provide the means
for it. The pcws were boxed in and
each pew had a door. The boxes were
Thigh so that a child could barely look