The citizen., 1914-11-20
OUR THANKSGIVING DAY.
Its Origin and Adoption Through
out the Country Early Colonial
Dates.
BY CHARLES L. sHIpLEY.


observance of our Thanksgiving festival.
causes a revival of tender and sweet as
socialions throughout the length and
breadth of our republic.
Thanksgiving Day is the only one of
our holidays that is unique in its char
acter. Every Christian nation observes
Christmas and Easter, and New Year 5
Day is also generally observed by the
same, and our Independence Day has its
counterpart in number of colonies, but
we have no record of any other nation
that annually appoints day for its peo
pie to give thanks to the Supreme Ruler
of the Universe for the blessings receiv
ed at His hands.
There have been Thanksgiving Days
in other countries, but they were ap-
pointed at irregular intervals and owe
their origin to different causes and
events Thus, such day was observed
in Leyden, Holland, October Sd, 1878,
the first anniversary of the deliverance of
that city from a siege. England also
had Thanksgiving day over the defeat
of the Spanish Armada in 1888, in the
reign of Queen Elizabeth. and several
others have been observed in the same
country for certain events Several such
days have been observed in Russia to
celebrate the escape of the Gar from at
tempted assassination.
In number of Oriental countries it
has been the custom to set apart day
to celebrate the birth of an heir. the
birthday of the rulers, the marriage of
daughter, or the celebration of victory
in battle. Our Thanksgiving Day,
however, has nothing to do in common
with any of these foreign holidays. 1t
is distinct feast day of our people and
the American nation alone observes the
annual festival that was born amidst the
sorrow and adversely that swept over the
snow bound little infant settlement of
Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts,. nearly
three centuries ago.
1t was on the l1th of December, the
2lst according to the new style, that the
first little band of Plymouth fathers,
numbering onlyl0l souls set foot on
Plymouth Rock and commenced the
first permanent settlement of New Eng
land.
Scarcely however, had the labor of
providing habitations begun before the
struggling colonists were smitten with an
epidemic of sickness, the result of ex-
posure and insufficient food. Within
the space of the next three months, 40
of their number, or nearly one-half of
the whole perished. John Carver, who
had been chosen governor before they
landed, lost his son; shortly after he
himself slept in the same grave, and his
widow was soon laid beside her husband
aud son.
At one time during that terrible win
ter there were only seven of the whole
number that had strength enough to
tend the sick and bury the dead The
dead were buried at night to prevent the
Indians from knowing their loss, and the
graves were made level with the sur
rounding ground. 1t was winter never
to be forgotten by the desolate survivors.
There was not family but what mourn
ed the death of member either faith.
er, mother, sister or brother-the hand
of death had stilled the voice of many
loved one.
But the sublime faith that caused
them to break the fondest ties and
brought them to the wilderness of new
world, sustained with Spartan fortitude,
and We find them in the bright sun
shine of an early April day in 1921,
bidding adieu to the little Mayhower.
the last bond between them and the Old
World as she sailed away for England.
Spring had now returned and the
spirits of the forlorn little band received
new impulse to put their sorrows be
hind them and theirs, with uneomplain.
ing endurance and brave courage, they
planted their seeds and watched and
guarded their first crops in the New
World.
A Supreme Being answered their
prayers and their first crop was most
liberal one, and We find them with the
advent of the warmth and purple haze of
an Indian summer, with their crops
gathered in, their houses prepared
against winter, and ''all being well re-
covered in health and strength and had
all things in good plenty
Then remembering their prayers of
the springtime, Governor Bradford issued
proclamation that they should COM
memorate the first harvest in feast of
thanksgiving that they might all rejoice
together for the great GOOD received