Evening star., 1942-11-26
THANKSGIVING

Trouble sends men back TO their
Maker. 1t follows that occasional
distress strengthens the bond be-
tween the people and Divine Provi-
dence. The first thanksgiving service
in North America was one held on
the bleak shore of Newfoundland in
1878. 1t is written in the annals Of
the Frobisher expedition: Here we
highly praysed God and altogether
upon our knees gave Him due humble
and hearty thanks, and Master VOL
fall, learned man appointed by
her Majesty's Council to be our min
lister, made unto us godlye sermon,
exhorting all especially to be thank
full to God for His strange and
miraculous deliverance in those dan
gerous places"
In similar tradition and to like
purpose the members of the Massa-
chusetts Colony, after "a period OF
great depression" celebrated the first
Thanksgiving Day within the present
boundaries of the United States in
December, 1921. The pioneers from
England had not expected so painful
an ordeal But "the strenuous work
and cruel exposure of those first
weeks, which wearily heightened into
months ere spring came, and the
poor and insufficient food eked out
from their scant supplies, brought
upon them agues, fevers, scurvy and
all the other distempers that want
and exposure bring, and they saw
what the settlers at Jamestown had
seen of the pitiless power Of the
wilderness. Before that dreadful
season of suffering had passed full
half their number were dead" The
survivors logically attributed their
earliest harvest to the benefaction
of the Deity, and Governor William
Bradford, "of their own humble
sort" proclaimed public testimony of
their gratitude. Then the thrifty
housewives took the matter in hand
and made all the goodies possible"
to supplement the wild turkeys
brought in for the feast by -four
sportsmen" Constant retelling of
the tale has not decreased its peren-
nial attraction. It is an important
part in the folklore of America.
The custom thus established was
observed throughout the era of the
struggle for independence. Eight
separate times the Continental Con-
gress recommended Thanksgiving,
and twice at least George Washing
ton called for common recognition
of the favor of the Almighty. One
of the most impressive of these Revo-
lutionary appeals was issued at Valley
Forge after the frightful winter of
1777-1778. President Roosevelt in his
proclamation for today repeated the
words of his most remote predecessor
when he petitioned God to keep the
United States in Thy holy protec-
ton" Abraham Lincoln asked thanks
"to our Heavenly Father" for signal
victories to the land and naval
forces" and begged divine guidance
for our national counsels to the end
that they may speedily result in the
restoration of peace" and Woodrow
Wilson with the same reverence sin
the midst of sorrow and great peril"
invited his countrymen to return
thanks for Gods help against a
tyranny that threatened to master
and debaSe men everywhere"
Never before, however, has the
challenge to the civilization repre-
sented in those utterances been so
compelling. This year the people of
the American Republic are engaged
in contest which, were it to close
In defeat, would retard human prog
ress by a millennium. Nothing need
be said to increase the understanding
of the average citizen concerning the
danger. He knows we'll enough the
fact that the prevailing war is con-
flict in which every individual must
do his utmost for victory, and he is
abundantly aware that even his best
will not suffice without providential
aid. So, thanking God for His
mercies, the whole Nation joins in
the plea that soon the triumph of
freedom may be achieved Millions
are toiling, thousands are dying that
His name and His kingdom in this
earth shall not be Knocked.