The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1956-11-24
Editorial
THANKSGIVING DAY

To the people of Cambridge and New England,
Thanksgiving Day is unique among the many holidays
of the year. It here in that Thanks
giving Day first observed by grateful Pilgrims.
Thru the years. the day has been embellShed with
family reunions the traditional turkey dinner and the
no less traditional football game
Yet it remains truly as a day of thanksgiving.
Governor Christian A. Herter in his proclamation
ably conveys the true spirit of Thanksgiving Day and we
submit it as follows:
AS we gather to celebrate the ioyus festival of
Thanksgiving we are gratefully mindful of the many
blessings which God in His infinite goodness has be-
slowed upon and pray that shall always prove
worthy individuals and nation of His gracious
bounty
1t in this spirit of gratitude and humility that
the Pilgrim Fathers, having endured with wonderful
patience many losses and extremteS during their first
hard winter Plymouth Plantation, observed day of
Thanksgiving latter they had gathered the fruit of
their labors"
who cherished and prepared to bear it's high cost
In order to secure it, they had gone into exile from
their native land braved the hazards of crossing an
lnhosptabe ocean and settled the rugged and bar
rem coast of land yet to be DEVELOPED whose inhab-
tants to constitute threat to their very survival
Fortified with those inner resources which are
rooted IN profound faith in God these pioneers were
able through sheer strength of spirit to confront the
difficult circumstances which surrounded their living
and to say in the face of adversities T is not with
as with other men whom small thinoS discourage
or small dscontentments to wish ourselves home
again"
In reality the difficulties which they experienced
wiz SGVGIG
However their confident attitude in copng with them
reveals the remarkable dimensions of their spirit and
reflects the affirmative philosophy which governed their
approach to life
1t was the philosophy which animated and sus-
tanned the character of early Americans as they
made stride after stride in their determined efforts to
CONQUER the wilderness settle and cultivate the land
build stable and establish united republic.
This positive response to the manv challenges en-
countered bv nation in the of its historical
DEVELOPMENT is precious component in the American
heritage and under its influence people and our
countrv have grown and prospered both spiritually and
materially
In our own age, as and nations contemplate
the future in the face of perplexng problems the
example OF the creative American adventure might well
serve TO inspire human beings everywhere with deeper
faith in the possibilities for DEVELOPMENT and progress
inherent IN the individual and collective capacities of
mankind -
Moreover, it is within our power because of our
GOOD fortune to serve of added strength and
courage TO multudes of destitute people throughout
the world bv sharing with them at this season of the
blessings which we amply enjoy AS we offer thanks
10 God for His abundant goodness NAV we be moved
10 respond generously to the call issued by the leaders
OF the religious bodies in country to extend help
mo hand to those of feowen overseas who suffer
from munger and want and in doing bring into their
lives much needed measure of hope and happiness
NOW, therefore, I, Christian A. Herter Governor of
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts,. do hereby pro-
claim as day of THANKSGIVING and PRAYER THURSDAY
November % and request the citizens of the Common
wealth m COOPERATE in it's observance