Rocky Ford enterprise., 1913-11-21

originate entirely with the Pill
grims at Plymouth for Thanksgiv-
eGSas ing days mentioned in the BIZ
&fBNSfSSe ble-days set apart for giving
H \ VI thanks to God for some special
nv W mercy These days of fast and
8 prayer 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 para-
ment house the 9Th of November. the first
day of the session. Great quantities of gunpow-
der and infammable material were found con-
cealed in the vaults underneath the building The
plot discovered and the traitors
cuted. In concequence of this deliverance the
day was ordered to be kept "a public thanks
giving to Almighty God" every year that "un-
feigned thankfuness 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 provided This annual thanksgiving,
together with one established later on May 20,
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 account of
its place in their church calendars. England
continued to have special days appointed for CIV
ing thanks, and recently 1872 there
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 the American CONT
nent held by English minister named
Wolfall, and celebrated off the coast of New
foundland. This pious 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 rs, 1878. aboard
the Ayde. the men received communion. and how
Minister Wolfall in 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
waters Again in 1907 there similar
service held at Sagadahoc-a little village
the coast of Maine There is little record of
this thanksgiving except that it 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 day
for prayer and rejoicing the plenteous har-
vest Of that year. The Englishmen recalled their
Guy Fawkes thanksgiving, and the Dutch remem-
Id hearing their ancestors speak of the great
Of praise and prayer held at Leyden. Hol
Land in 1873, when that city was delivered from
a siege. So. the entire colony began their pious
preparation for what proved to be the gayest
Thanksg giving 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 little ceremony and that
feastng should play part in the occasion. His
tory tells that he sent out four men, who
We're to search for game for the feast. Many
fowls shot-n fact, enough to meet the
wants of the colony for week wild turkeys
predominated so It seems that the turkey made
its appearance early in the history OF Thanks
giving. The day selected was December 13 told
STYLE. At the dawn of that day a small cannon
was fired from the hill and a procession
formed the beach, close to where the
Plymouth Rock rests. Elder Brewster,
ing his ministerial garb and carrying the Bible
led the procession 1t moved solemnly along
the street. The men walked three abreast, with
Governor Bradford in the There
long service in the meeting house. and after it
there dinner-and such din
had been known in the colony. for
apart from the savory turkey and other wild
fowl the women had done their share in pro-
viding good things from the limited supply at
their command. The most dramatic incident
CURED when the dinner in progress for
II by magic 80 friendly red men, under King
Massasoit, appeared, carrying launches of ven
addition to the feast Thanksgiving
day heightened into days. for the psalm
singing and feasting, Interpreted with
dances, were continued several days.
After that Thanksgiving days took a dfer
ent aspect and occurred at any season; some
times twice year. or sometimes year or two