Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1920-11-23
WILLIAM BRADFORD,
STATESMAN, PILGRIM
Third OF Series OF Sermons Al
First Church On Landing Of
Mayhower Pilgrims
RELIGION AND THE STATE

The third sermon Of the special
series of Pilgrim Fathers" sermons
vas preached in First Methodist
Episcopal Church. this city, on sun
DAY night by the minister, Rev. Fl
Wilson Burgan. These discourses are
in connection with the Tercentenary
Of the Landing of the Mayflower Pill
grims in America The topic Sunday
evening was William Bradford,
Statesman" or Religion and The
State" AS it happened to be the Sun
cay preceding Thanksgiving Day, the
minister dwell quite a while on the
origin Of Thanksgiving among the Pill
grims. The text was taken from
Joshua XII, verses 6 and Z, and DIR
Rurgan said In part
THE Hebrews and the Pilgrims
were alike III that they both came
from lands OF bondage. TO the He
brew Ii was physical bondage. to the
Pilgrim, spiritual bondage Both be-
lieyed their leadership was divinely
inspired, and that the lands TO which
they went we're promised lands Alike
did they believe that their prosperity
md success depended upon their
loyalty to Gods law.
Early History In America
Early in thor history in America
they selected William Bradford as
their governor He became also his
torian for them All through his Off
cial life was the presence Of God with
His people recognized, and no move
was made without seeking Divine
guidance. He served the colony as
governor fer 4 period Of 81 years, and
great was the service he rendered. II
was Bradford who called for week
OF Thanksgiving to God because OF a
bountiful harvest. Wild turkeys,
geese. ducks, waterfowl, fish. barley
loayes, corn bread, and vegetables,
formed the first Thanksgiving dinner.
Massasoit. the Indian chief with whom
a treaty had been made, was invited.
and he with his friends brought five
deer to tho feast II was a week Of
Irejoicing and religious service
COlonists Great Sufferers
THE following year found the
eolonists in great suffering. Food was
Increasingly scarce. They longed for
he spring when they might plant and
reap crop Early in May drought
came which lasted until July. Their
crops were whitening and dying In
desperation they set apart day of
prayer They tasted, and after nine
hours of prayer. amid great rejoicing,
hey discovered cloud which grew
larger as the evening passed. The,
next DAY saw plenty sof rain. Their
crops revived as did also their own
spirits. At the same time Captain
Miles Standish returned from an ex-
petition with lots of provisions.
Origin OF Thanksgiving Day
Governor Bradford saw the hand
Of God in all this and at once a
Thanksgiving day was ordered. This
was the origin OF our Thanksgiving
Day Under the administration of
Bradford the colony felt concerned for
the morals and the religious, education
of its people; It dealt justly and gem
erously with all its neighbors; it con-
Quoted its affairs economically and
wisely, so that in spite of the many
hardships il was free from debt; III
held treaties sacred and not as scraps
OF paper The treaty was signed with
the Indian Massasoit was religiously
kept by both parties for "a years, in
fact, it was never broken Statesmen
of today will do well 10 follow the Pill
grim fathers and give large recogni-
ton to God in the affairs OF State, re-
SnembeTing that holiness of life, and
this alone. wins recognition at the
hands of the Almighty God will lead
America so long as America is true.
but God will forsake America even as
the Hebrew was allowed TO become an