The Red Cloud chief., 1913-11-20

~ THANKSGIVING DAY has y long
and curious history and did not
J: !" !: !: !: J !
originate entirely with the Pill
grims at Plymouth, for Thanksgiv.
sS1N ing days are mentioned in the b.
GpT% ble-days set apart for giving
G u W thanks to God for some special
mercy. These days of fast and
~ prayer we're customary In England
before the Reformation. and later
the Protestants appointed certain days OF praise
and thanks for various blessings. The discov.
cry Of the Gunpowder Plot in 1906 in London
brought the common sentiment Of Thanksgiving.
scheme had been formed to blow up para-
ment house on the 9Th OF November. the first
day Of the session. Great quantities OF gunpow-
der and infammable material were found con-
cealed In the vaults underneath the building The
plot was discovered and the traitors were exc
cuted In consequence Of this deliverance the
day was ordered to be kept as "a public thanks
giving to Almighty God" every year that 'un.
feigned thankfulness may never be forgotten and
that all ages to come may yield praises to Gods
divine majesty for the same" All ministers
ordered to say prepers thereon. for which special
forms we're provided This annual thanksgiving
together with one established later on May &c.
was abolished in 1893 In England for both had
fallen into disuse. For several years afterwards.
however. these days recognized In New
England by the Episcopal church on account Of
its place in their church calendars. England
continued to have special days appointed for Civ.
Ing thanks. and as recently as 1872 there was q
day selected for the public to offer prayers Of
thanksgiving for the recovery Of the late King
Edward. then prince OF Wales. from typhoid
fever.
The first thanksgiving on the American conti-
nent was held by an English minister named
Wolfall and was celebrated off the coast OF New.
foundland This pious accompanied the
Fr0bisher expedition which brought the first Eng.
lish colony to North America. The log Of the
ship gives the record OF the days observances
and tells how on Monday, May 2S, 1873. aboard
the Ayde. the men received communion and how
Minister WOlfall In a sermon gave humble and
hearty thanks to God for his miraculous deliver
ance in these dangerous places. This was the
first Christian sermon preached in North Ameri-
can waters Again In 1907 there was a similar
service held at Sagadahoc-a little village on
the coast of Maine. There Ia little record Of
this thanksgiving except that II consumed only
. few hours Of the day. after which the people
returned to their labors.
The great American Thanksgiving day had its
origin in the Massachusetts colony In 1921. and
Gov. William Bradford, the first governor Of that
little band Of sturdy pilgrims, sent out the first
Thanksgiving proclamation. setting apart q day
for prayer and rejoicing over the plenteous har-
vest Of that year. The Englishmen recalled their
Guy Fawkes thanksgiving. and the Dutch remem.
b0red hearing their ancestors speak OF the great
day Of praise and prayer held at Leyden, Ho
land, in 1873, when that city was delivered from
. siege. So. the entire colony began their pious
preparation for what proved to be the gayest
Thanksgiving the colony knew. for after
the first one, which lasted several days. the
Puritan Thanksgiving meant long sermons. long
prayers and long faces. Governor Bradford de
termined that the initial Thanksgiving should bs
celebrated with no little ceremony and thai
feastng should play part in the occasion. His
tory tells us that he sent out four men, who
were to search for game for the feast, Many
fowls we're shot-in fact. enough to meet thu
wants of the colony for week. Wild turkeys
pred0minated, SO II seems that the turkey made
It's appearance early In the history Of Thanks
giving The day selected was December l3 (olt
style). At the dawn of that day a small cannon
was fired from the hill and a procession wa
formed near the beach, close to where tn
Plymouth Rock now rests Elder Brewster, wear
ing his ministerial garb and carrying the Bible
led the procession as 1t moved solemnly alon
the street. The men walked three abreast. wit
Governor Bradford in the rear. There was
long service In the meeting house. and after
was over there was a dinner-and such q dir
ner had never been known In the colony. fol
apart from the s9vory turkey and other will
fowl the women had done their share in pro
viding good things from the limited supply q
their command The most dramatic incident o,
Cured when the dinner was In progress. for q
II by magic 80 friendly red men, under Kin
Massasoit. appeared, carrying launches of ven
son az an addition TO the feast Thanksgivin
singing and feasting. interspersed with wa
dances. were continued several days.
After that Thanksgiving days took on dine
ent aspect, and occurred at any season; SOM
times twice year. or sometimes q year or tw