Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1913-11-21

o@&as ing days mentioned In the Bi
G6TS~ES$SSo ble-days set apart for giving
~ n w thanks to God for some special
INV m mercy. These days of fast and
rs 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 1905 in London
brought the common sentiment Of Thanksgiving.
scheme had been formed to blow up parlia-
ment house the 9Th of November, the first
day of the sesson. Great quantities of gunpow-
der and inhammable material were found con-
cealed in the vaults underneath the building. The
plot was discovered and the traitors
cuted. In consequence of this deliverance the
day was ordered to be kept "a public thanks
giving to Almighty Cod every year that un-
feignFd thankfulness may never be forgotten, and
that all ages to come may yield praises to Gods
divine majesty for the same. All ministers were
ordered to say prepers thereon, for which special
forms were provided. This annual thanksgiving,
together wish one established later May 20,
was abolished in 1888 in England, for both had
fallen into disuse. For several years afterwards,
however, these days were recognized in New
England by the Episcopal church on account of
its place 10 their church calendars. England
continued to have special days appointed for Civ
Ing thanks and recently as 1872 there was
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 CONT
nent was held by an English minister named
WolfaIl, and was celebrated off the coast of New
foundland This pious accompanied the
Frobisher expedition which brought the first Eng
lish colony 30 North America The log of the
ship gives the record Of the days observances
and tells how on Monday, May %, 1878, aboard
the Ayde the men received communion, and how
Minister Wofal in a gave humble and
hearty thanks to God for his miraculous deliver
anee In these dangerous places. This the
first Christian sermon preached in North Ameri-
can waters. Again in 1907 there similar
service held st Sagadahoc-a little village
the coast of Maine. There is little record of
this thanksgiving except that 1t consumed only
a few hours of the day, after which the people
returned to their labors.
The great American Thanksgiving day had it's
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
Thanksgivn proclamation, setting apart day
for prayer and rejoicing over the plenteous har-
vest of that year The Engshmen recalled their
Guy Fawkeg thanksgiving, and the Dutch remem-
bered hearing their ancestors speak of the great
day of praise and prayer held at Leyden, Hol-
land, in 1878, when that city delivered from
q siege 80, the entire colony began their pious
preparation for what proved to be the gayest
Thanksgiving the colony ever knew, for after
the first one, which lasted several days, the
Puritan InankH8lVlng meant long sermons, long
prayers and long faces. Governor Bradford de-
termined that the initial Thanksgiving should be
celebrated With no little ceremony and that
feasting should play part in the occasion. His
tory tells us that he sent out four men, who
to search for game for the feast. Many
fowls snct-in fact, enough to meet the
wants of the colony for a week. Wild turkeys
predominated, 1t seems that the turkey made
Its appearance early in the history of Thanks
giving. The day selected was December Ii Gold
style). At the dawn of that day small cannon
fired from the hill ind a procession
formed near the beach, close to where the
Plymouth Rock rests. Elder Brewster wear
Ing his ministerial garb and carrying the Bible,
led the procession 1t moved soemnly along
The street The men walked three abreast with
Governor Bradford in the rear. There was a
long service in the meeting house, and after 1t
was over there a dinner-and such din
DER had never been known in the colony, for,
apart from the savory turkey and other wild
viding good things from the limited supply at
their command The most dramatic incident oc-
Cured when the dinner in progress for as
II by magic 90 friendly red men, under King
Massasoit, appeared carrying launches of veni
son addition to the feast THANKSGIVING
lay soon heightened into days. for the psalm.
singing and feasting, interspersed with war
dances, continued several days
After that Thanksgiving days took on 4 differ
snt aspect, and occurred at any season; some.
times twice year, sometimes yaar or two