The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-11-21
DAYS OF PAST THANKSGIVING
History Proves that There Always Has
Been q Time Set Apart for
Festivities.

Thanksgiving is generally believed
to have commenced with the advent Of
the Pilgrim fathers, and therefore .
legacy to us from New England. But
when the true facts in the case come
to light we find that Thanksgiving day
was first celebrated by Popham colon
lists at Monhegan, who joined in Civ
ing God thanks" for their safe arrival
and many blessings in the ritual laid
down in the Thanksgiving service Of
the Church Of England prayer book. It
Is known with what antipathy the
early Puritans regarded any and all Of
the holy days of the English church,
and the celebration of such was stern
~ forbidden in New England.
How many Of us know that days for
giving thanks were set apart in Europe
long before the reformation and were
observed by the Church Of England
many years before the Pilgrims land
ed?
The first Thanksgiving in this coun-
try was not set apart Is q day Of re-
ligious observance, but for recreation.
On December II. 1921, Edward Wins
low wrote home to England the follow
ing very quaint account OF the weeks
program:
Our harvest being gotten in, our
governor sent four men out fOwling SO
We might In a special manner rejoice
together after we had gathered the
fruits Of our labors. The four killed
so much fowl that with q little help
served the company about a week.
Among other r~ecreations were exer-
cises with our arms. Many of the In
dams came amongst US and among
them their greatest king Massasoit
with some ninety men, whom we for
They went out and killed five deer.
which they brought in and bestowed
on u governor, upon the captains and
others"
So we get a good idea Of the hos
pitality offered in those days. We
learn, too, from Governor Bradford.
that wild turkeys were plentiful, SO we
feel a reasonable assurance that the
turkey has a long and ancient lineage
and prestige not to be usurped by any
other bird on our Thanksgiving day
platter.
Only ffty-five English speaking peo-
pie sat down to the first Thanksday
feast, but the addition Of the Indians
made a goodly company for whom the
poor, lonely and homesick women pre-
pared the dinner. There were only
four of them, with one servant land
a few young meidekins." There is no
record to be found of any religious
worship during this week Of feasting.
In 1923 the second Thanksgiving day
vas ordered and observed by the Pill
grim fathers. Early Thanksgivings are
not always celebrated in November
nor upon Thursday, and it is not until
1877 that we find the first printed
Thanksgiving proclamation, now owned
by the Massachusetts, Historical SO
ciety. 1t is interesting to note that
since 1862 the president of the United
States has set the last Thursday in
November to be observed as a day of
thanksgiving. And barking back to
Pilgrim days, what a vast difference.
Compare the harvest then and the har-
vest now. Whether our forefathers
were ever actually reduced to the ira
ditional five grains Of corn each, Is a
fact not decided by history, but 1t Is
true that they returned thanks for the
most meager fare and endured the
most grinding hardships without a
murmur. Like our forbears we make
of the day a great time for feasting
and games and not so much Of church
going. 1t is a day for family reunions
and a day OF abundant opportunity for
making a cause Of Thanksgiving In the
"other fellows" heart.