South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-26
BY LEILA ROSTISER,

and its origin IS OBJ
secured in the days of myth and
fable.
The ancient Jews solemnly kept
a feast of thanksgiving with great
religious ceremony. Each autumn.
the Romans held thanksgiving
feasts in honor of the Goddess
Ceres, the festival being called Ce-
relia. The Feast of Demeter. was
occasion for thanksgiving TO the
Greeks In later periods thanks
giving days have been appointed for
delivcrance from evil famine,
drought. an enemy or for some spe-
cial blessing.
oct. g. 1875. the Dutch held "a
Thanksgiving Day. the date being
the first anniversary after IT'S siege
by the Spanish Sept. .. 1858, was
a day of thanksgiving in England.
for the defeat of the Spanish Ar
mazda Another English Thanks
giving day was celebrated Feb. -.
1872, to give public thanks for the
restoration to health of the Prince
OF Wales. Occasionally. thanksgiy-
ing days have been held i'm France
and other countries
But the first THANKSGIVING Day
which ia purpose is truly ours. was
founded by the Pilgrims at Plymouth
and differs imme5Surahly from any
Thanksgiving offered by any other
people and which. because of $
very sincerit, Of faith. must clm-
n1and the profound respect OF any
one who reads of its origin.
In the first place. looking back
upon their experiences Of tho first
year spent i'm America during which
forty-siN of the hundred and org
settlers had died. and lad been
buried ON the little bluff overl okins
the landing. one wonders thai their
faith i'm "a Divine Creator had re-
mained entirely intact. All had suf-
ferod from cold. illness. hunger ane
fear. For a time they had liNea
half-frozen for their common refuge
house had burned. Too. death
from the plague had taken nearly
half their number one Of their
company related some Of the minor
trials which were borne. saying the}
had boon lost i'm the woods; had
been terrified by the roar ~
Lyons had mot wolves that ''sat
on their T,yles and grinned' nc
them. and they had been horribly
frightened bv the Wild hoop Of In
dams and the terrible flourish o.
tomabawks Considering all in our
moIern way OF thinking. they had
very little 10 he thankful Cor.
Yet. for all their sorrow, their
worry. their fear. the men Of Ply
mouth gathered their crops from %
acres of corn and six acres Of peas.
Too, the intense cold weather had
brought into the harbor an abund-
ance of game and deer found in the
forests located near the settlement.
Also there was beside water-foule."
according to one COlonist. "a great
store of wild turkies" And so Gov
ernor Bradford gave an order for
tho observance Of n day Of thanks
giving TO be held December Is, 1921.
Edward Winslow described this
event i'm simple but strong language
in q letter lie wrote: Our harvests
being gathered i'm. our governor sent
four mon on a fowling. so that We
might after q special manner re-
joice together after we had gathered
the fruit of our labors. The four
killed in one day rs much fowl as.
with every little help beside. served
the company almost a week. At
which time, amongst other recrea,
tions. we exercised our arms. many
OF the Indians coming amongst as
and among the rest their Creates
king. NassCsoit. with some ninety o.
his men. whom for three days wore
entertained and Toasted; and they
(the Indians went out and killed
five deer. which they brought 20 the
plantation and bestowed upon our
governor. and our captain (StandishJ
and others: and although IL be no.
always so plentiful as IL was AT this
;ime with Us. yet by the goodness Of
Cod we are far from want that We
often wish YOU were partakers Of
our plenty"
There were but 81 English people
20 eat that first. Thanksgiving dinner.
vet with 90 Indians as guests there
was plenty Of work to do There
were ONLY four women i'm tho colony
who. with the help o. one servan.
ana a few vCung -irls. prepared The
GOOD for three days for 100 men.
three fourthS OF whom were Indians
whose capacity for eating was IN.
equaled.
Those Of rs who VIII ST down next
Thursday Is bountfuI table q
roasted turkey. dressing. crGnberry
sauce and pumpkin pie and ali the
other deIicacies Ct q Thanksgiving
dinner need pause IN the midst OF
our blessings and look back i for
just one instant 70 consider theiT
fine spirit OF gratefulnezs ana faith
for which they new bid as celebrate
with so little cause for rejoicing
( the li:tle company o. stern. armed
men surrounded by painted-savage.7
and few homcsick, ovCrworked
women. tried 10 forget tho weary
months OF privation and disapp0int.
ment in the common enjoyment o.
the cifts nature had provided and
for which their hearts gave thanks
Today. have deliberately re-
seemed the feast Of Americas FIRST
I Thanksgiving TO refreshen our mem
cries II their splendid faith ard ci
the trials and anXieties which those
first blazers OF freedom. endured
You and T. ln our comf0rca bic
homes might Well take the time u
review their crosses for IN review
ing -nem. We viii as we approacl
this Thanksgiving day. regard on.
own gifts ard favors IN truel
measure OF their worth and with
thankful, grateful hearts. received
! them