Evening star., 1935-11-24

proclamations naming the same day.
In the passage of the years hun
dreds of Thanksgiving proclamations
have flowed from the pens of Presi-
dents and Governors, and there has
been evident in many worthy am
bition to make the document in hand
an outstanding one. But it may be
doubted whether the one written in
1889 by George Washington ever has
been surpassed.
CERTAINLY the true spirit Of the
festival has never been more hap
PLY expressed than in the following
words of the first Chief Magistrate,
written In New York a few months
after his Inauguration:
Whereas, it is the duty Of all
nations to acknowledge the provi-
dence Of Almighty God, to obey His
will, to be grateful for His benefits,
and humbly to implore His protection
and favor; and whereas both houses
of Congress have, by their joint COM
nittee, requested me to recommend
to the people of the United States
day of public thanksgiving and
prayer, to be observed by acknowl.
edging with grateful hearts the many
and signal favors of Almighty God,
especially by affording them an op-
portunity peaceably to establish a
form of government for their safety
and happiness;
Now, therefore, I do recommend
and assign Thursday. the twenty-sixh
day of November next, to be devoted
by the people of these States to the
service of that great and glorious
Being who is the beneficent Author Of
all the good that was. that is, or that
will be; that We may then all unite
in rendering unto Him our sincere
and protection of the people of this
country, previous to their becoming
a Nation; for the signal and manifold
mercies and the favorable interposi-
tions Of His providence in the course
and conclusion of the late war; for
the great degree of tranquility, union
and plenty which We have since en-
joyed; for the peaceable and rational
manner in which we have been en-
abled to establish constitutions Of
government for our safety and hap
plneSs, and particularly the national
one now lately instituted; for the
civil and religious liberty with which
we are blessed, and the means we have
of acquiring and diffusing useful
knowledge; and, in general, for all
the great and various favors which
He has been pleased to confer upon US;
And, also, that We may then unite
in most humbly offering our prayers
and supplications to the great Lord
and Ruler of Nations, and beseech
Him tc pardon our national and other
transgreSsions; to enable US all,
whether in public or private stations,
to perform our several and relative
duties properly and punctually; to
render our National Government q
blessing to all the people by con-
Stantly being a Government of wise,
just and constitutional laws. diScreetly
and faithfully executed and obeyed;
to protect and guide all sovereigns
and nations especially such as have
shown kindness to us), and to bless
them with good governments, peace
and concord; to promote the knowl-
edge and practice of true religion and
virtue and the increase of science
among them and us; and, generally, to
grant unto all mankind such a de-
gree of temporal prosperity as He
alone knows to be best"
A THOUGH the habit of observing
Thanksgiving has spread through
out all the territory over which the
American flag now flies, and upon it
has grown the custom of foot ball
game watching, theater-going, golf
and bridge, all of which would have
met the stern reproof of the original
Puritan celebrators of the festival,
the flavor of old New England will
ever cling about the day.
THE customs which have clustered
round the New England Thanks
giving are most interesting" observes
LII. Love. All Autumn harvest les"
tival has relation to social life which
generates them. Since the Pilgrim
Fathers celebrated their feast at Ply
mouth the same forces which then in
spired it have been at work. gradually
creating festival peculiarly adapted
to preserve the SAVIOR of early New
England life. In this respect it Is
unique among our holidays.
Others are of later date. They do
not reach back INTO those adventurous
experiences in the wilderness, nor in
troduce us to the households of our
simple. hearty, pious forefathers as
this does. Here alone do we meet
with customs which can claim origi-
nality and antiquity more wholesome
if less fantastic than those which have
made Englands holidays a blessing to
her people.
THE harvest festival was developed
by home life. Its power is social
rather than religious. The feast has
been from the first the sustaining ell
ement, not so much on its own ac-
count as because it furnished the oc.
casion for family gatherings"