The Julesburg grit-advocate., 1913-11-20

Jures up visions OF roast turkey and plum
pudding and pies and all that go to max.
it annual occasion of feasting; his
~ torically one sees pilgrims a rock
h I'll bound coast" and. invariably, 1t is regard
~ ed as about the Oldest national holiday o
the land As matter of fact 1t is tn,
youngest! Practically every yearly observance Of
patriotic nature is ancient than the celebrat
ing of Thanksgiving day a regular official
ceremony.
1t is customary in America for person
to do the pioneering and another to get the
credit that It 10 no surprise to learn that even
the Mayfower band were really not entitled to
all the praise original thanksgivers. which
they have been receiving ever since 1920. Not
that there is anything dsparaging to be uttered
about those stern moralists-who seem to have
been adopts in loading cargo of furniture that
would tax ocean liner into a little sailing
ship!
They were brave and they deserve the ma
tion's remembrance. But 13 years before they
landed at Plymouth group of future colonists
had stood on American soil and given thanks at
their deliveranco from the perils of the
This was on Sunday. August 9, 1907. at the Is
land Of Monhegar and English minister and
. priest jointly conducted service OF thanks
giving. The twin ships Mary and John, and the
fly boat, Gift of God, found their way to the
island after long. terrible voyage Of storms
and heplessness. They had neither turkey nor
cranberry sauce but there a more
genuine Thanksgiving day.
This was along the coast of Maine and yet
Massachusetts has. through all the years. been
honored among states the home Of the first
Thanksgiving service.
OF course the Bay state may be said to have
taken the idea and in the words of capitalist
developed it and put it on paying basis In
Massachusetts such day set apart for
pecial services. continued fasting and rigorous
giving Of thanks almost from the time the Pill
grim Fathers first landed. But without meaning
to be facetious 1t is obvious that these common
sense folk never believed in giving thanks unless
they had something to be thankful for.
Thus in 1633 13 years after the landing at
Plymouth, the governor of that state officially
appointed day of thanks and another in the
year following. But then there jump of
three years during which the colonists did not
celebrate. Why? Certain historians insist it
was because they lean" years. If so. they
must have been followed by three fiat" ones
as the day was observed regularly until 1899
Again an interval Of fateful 13 years and then
In 1851. the governor more declared in
favor of Thanksgiving. In 1850 the day was set
apart as an annual state holiday and has been
since.
But only New York adopted the practice of
having such day until well into the eighteenth
century! AS early as 1914 the Dutch governor
of New York issued official proclamation for
q day of thanksgiving. but it was not followed
each year-varying probably with the governors
ideas or the conditions of the crops Like the
famous pagan feast Of autumn. 1t originally was
meant chiefly as public offering OF PRAYER in
gratitude for the bountiful output OF grain and
fruits which would the settlers through the
winter
The other states were being more slowly set
tied and in Maryland and Virginia there was not
much of q strong religious atmosphere notice.
able as debonnaire enthusiasm for whatever Of
the good things Of life could be had
The day was observed but not ofacally And
always, in the SOUTH 1t a day Of feasting.
From the time slavery entered the land the
Maryland or Virginia colonist pictured Thanks
giving dinner ~ a scene of expectant waiting
diners and round grinning black face to the
rear Of the huge roast turkey on a platter.
About the time Of the struggle Of 7e It came
into its own ~ \ regular holiday and in 1883
was, for the. nrst time declared holiday by
congress and 30 observed So that, really. It ia
quite q youthful immature holiday after all!