The Raymer enterprise., 1913-11-20
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~ thanksgiving DAY has long
and curious history and did not
originate entirely with the Pill
grims at Plymouth for Thanksgiv-
GSsGSA ing days are mentioned in the BIZ
IHp ST"Sp ble-days set apart for giving
" I thanks to God for some special
~ mercy. These days Of fast and
G.SN prayer were 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
a scheme had been formed to blow up parlia
ment house on the 5th OF November the first
day Of the session. Great quantities OF gunpow-
der and iniammablc material were found con-
cealed In the vaults underneath the building The
plot was discovered and the traitors we're exc
cuted In consequence OF this dcverance the
day was ordered to be kept as "A public thanks.
giving TO Almighty God every year that "un.
ieigned thnnkfulness 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
iorms were provided This annual thanksgiving.
together with one established later on May 90
was abolished in 1898 in England for both had
fallen into disuse. For several years afterwards
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 recently as 1872 there was a
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
Wolfall, and was celebrated off the coast OF New.
ionndland This pous man accompanied the
Frobisher 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 Monday May 2S 1875 aboard
the Ayde. the men received communion and how
Minister Wofal 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 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 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 n day
Tor prayer and rejoicing over the plenteous har.
vest OF that year. The Englshmen recalled their
Guy Fawkes thanksgiving. and the Dutch remem.
bered hearing their ancestors speak OF the great
day OF praise and prayer held at Leyden. Hol.
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 ever knew. for after
thn
Puritan Thanksgiving 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
fcasting 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 were shot-in fact. enough to meet the
wants OF the colony for week Wild turkeys
predominated so II seems that the turkey made
Its appearance early In the history OF Thanks.
giving. The day selected was December l3 (old
Style. At the dawn OF that day small cannon
was fired from the hill and a procession was
formed near the beach. close TO where the
Plymouth Rock now rests Elder Brewster, wear.
Ing his ministerial garb and carrying the Bible.
led tho procession as II moved solemnly along
the street. The men walked three abreast with
Governor Bradford in the rear. There was q
long service In the meeting house. and after II
was over there was dinner-and such din.
ner had never been known In the colony for
apart from the savory turkey and other wild
fowl. the women had done their share In pro.
vidng good things from the limited supply at
their command The most dramatic Incident 90
CURED when the dinner was in progress, for as
n by magic 30 friendly red men, under King
Massasoit. appeared, carrying launches OF veni.
son as an addition to the feast Thanksgiving
day soon heightened into days, for the psalm.
singing and feasting interspersed with war
Dances wero continued several days
After that Thanksgiving days took on a differ.
ent aspect and occurred at any season: some.
times twice year. or sometimes year or two