Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-11-20

W~T~Se ble-days set apart for giving
~ = thanks to God for some special
NJ ~ 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 1905 in London
brought the common sentiment Of Thanksgiving.
scheme had been formed to blow up parlia.
ment house on the 9Th OF November the first
day Of the session. Great quantities of gunpow-
der and inflammable 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 deverance 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 were
ordered to say prepers thereon, for which special
forms were provided. This annual thanksgiving,
together with one established later on May 80,
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 in their church calendars. England
continued to have special days appointed for Civ.
ing thanks, and as 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
Wolfal and was celebrated of the coast OF New
foundland. This pous man accompanied the
Frobsher expedition which brought the first Eng.
fish colony to North America. The log Of the
ship gives the record OF the days observances
and tells how on Monday, May 20, 1878, aboard
Aud ,,y,trv I'D hnu,
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 is little record Of
this thanksgiving except that 1t consumed only
q few hours Of the day, hitter 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 day
for prayer and rejoicing over the plenteous shar-
vest OF that year. The Englishmen 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 1878, when that city was delivered from
q SIEGE &c. 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 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
feasting 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
warts OF the colony for a 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 IL told
styIe) At the dawn OF that day a small cannon
was fred from the hill and a procession was
formed near the beach, close to where the
Plymouth Rock now rests. Elder Brewster wear.
lng his ministerial garb and carrying the Bible,
led the procession as 1t moved solemnly along
The street The men walked three abreast with
Governor Bradford in the rear There was
long service In the meeting house, and after 1t
was over there was a dinner-and such din
ner had never been known In the colony, for,
apart from the sayory turkey and other wild
fowl. the women had done their share in pro.
Vidihe good things from the limited supply at
heir command The most dramatic incident oc
Cured when the dinner was In progress, for as
\ b. magic 90 friendly red men. under King
llaesasoit appeared. carrying launches Of yeni
uon - an addition to the feast Thanksgiving
lay soon Iengthened into days. for the psalm
IInflng and feastlng. Interpreted with war
lances were continued several days
Amer that Thanksgiving days took on a differ
nj aspoot and occurred at any season; some
lines twice 4 year, o. sometimes year or two