America’s national “Thanksgiving” holiday is
rooted in the nation’s radical Christian origins
and the custom of its first immigrants to set aside special days for giving thanks to God for His goodness
and blessings. This custom was carried on by succeeding generations and eventually
found its way into the national consciousness and calendar.
The Pilgrims Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude
The Pilgrims who landed on Cape Cod in November of 1620 were
devout followers of Christ who had left the comforts of home, family and
friends to pursue their vision of a renewed and reformed Christianity. Although
facing insurmountable challenges and much suffering they maintained an attitude
of gratitude through every trial.
They were a thankful people. They never wavered in their
faith even during their first winter in the New World (1620-21) when sickness
ravaged their community and half of them, about fifty in number, were taken
away in death.
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims the
following fall of 1621 after they had gathered in their fall harvest. Although
their hearts were still heavy from the losses suffered the previous winter, there
were at least three areas for which they felt particularly grateful to God.
1) With the arrival of spring the sickness that had immobilized
the community and taken many of them in death had lifted. Their health returned,
and although sad from their losses, they were able to apply themselves to
carving out a home in the New England wilderness.
2) With the arrival of spring God providentially sent to them
an English speaking Native American, Squanto, who became their interpreter and
guide, helping them establish friendly relations with Massosoit, chief of the
Wampanoag, the nearest and most powerful tribe in the region. In March of 1621
they had signed an agreement of peace and mutual aid with Massosoit, which
resulted in both peoples moving freely back and forth in friendship and trade.
3) Through hard work and Squanto’s advice about farming and
fishing (they were mostly townspeople and craftsmen) they experienced abundant
harvests during the summer and fall of 1621.
After gathering in their fall harvest, which was abundant,
Governor William Bradford designated a Day of Thanksgiving during which they
would pause to offer up thanks to God for his mercy and blessings. They were
not whiners. They were not complainers. They were the ultimate optimists
because of their faith in God and their firm belief that He had called them to
this New World.
Englishmen and Native Americans Celebrate
Together
The first Thanksgiving was attended by an approximate equal
number of English Pilgrims and Native Americans. After Bradford announced the
Day of Thanksgiving, word of the event soon spread to their Native American
friends. So when the day arrived, not only were there individual natives on
hand, but Massosoit arrived with ninety of his people, and five dressed deer to
add to the meals the Pilgrims had prepared.
The Pilgrims did not seek to force their faith on the Indians
but neither did they hide their faith. After all, in the Mayflower Compact they
had stated that they had come to the New World “for the glory of God and the
advancement of the Christian faith.” Their approach was what some modern
missiologists would call “friendship evangelism.”
One can only imagine the emotions that filled their hearts as,
in the presence of their new Native American friends, they joined Elder William
Brewster in lifting their hearts in praise and thanksgiving to God.
The day turned out to be more than they could have imagined. Not
only did they enjoy meals together with thankful hearts, but they engaged in
shooting matches and other friendly forms of competition. It was such an
enjoyable time that the one Day of Thanksgiving was extended for three full days.
The Nationalizing of a Day of Thanksgiving
Special
days of Thanksgiving continued to be observed by the Pilgrims and new immigrants,
especially those who settled in New England. As the colonies began to form
themselves into a nation, these days of Thanksgiving began to be nationalized
and made part of the national consciousness and calendar.
For
example, during the fall of 1776, when the morale of the Revolutionary
Army and the American populace had sunk to an all-time low
because of poor harvests and hardship on the battlefield, Congress proclaimed
December 11, 1776, as a Day of Prayer, Fasting and Repentance.
After
this National Day of Prayer, there was an amazing change of circumstances with
successes on the battlefield and the reaping of abundant harvests. There was,
in fact, such a turnaround that in 1779
Congress issued a proclamation setting aside a Day of Thanksgiving
because “it hath pleased Almighty God, the father of mercies, remarkably to
assist and support the United States of America in their important struggle for
liberty” (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots,
124).
The Congress then listed seven different accomplishments
of God on the behalf of the nation, including “many instances of prowess
and success in our armies” and “so great abundance of the fruits of the earth
of every kind, as not only to enable us to easily to supply the wants of the army,
but gives comfort and happiness to the whole people” (Hyatt, Pilgrims and Patriots, 124).
This
Day of Thanksgiving was observed throughout the newly formed nation with people
gathering in churches and other public venues to give thanks to God for His mercy
and help in their time of need.
George Washington Continues the Tradition
Shortly after being sworn in as president,
George Washington issued a proclamation designating November 26, 1789 as a Day
of Thanksgiving wherein all citizens should offer gratitude to God for His
protection, care and many blessings. It was the first Thanksgiving Day
designated by the new national government of the United States. The proclamation
reads in part;
Whereas it is the duty
of all Nations to acknowledge the providence 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 Committee
requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public
thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts
the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an
opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and
happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th 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.
Given under my hand at
the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Abraham Lincoln
Proclaims a Day of Thanksgiving
A Day of Thanksgiving to
be observed on the last Thursday in November was proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln
in 1863 in the midst of the Civil War. In spite of the fact that the nation was
at war, Lincoln enumerated the many reasons the inhabitants of America had for being
thankful to God. He wrote,
No human counsel hath
devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the
gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for
our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and
proper that these blessings should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully
acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do
therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and
also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set
apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving
and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
The final Thursday in
November, set by President Lincoln, continued to be the observed “Thanksgiving”
until December 26, 1941 when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a joint resolution of Congress changing the national Thanksgiving
Day from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday.
Concluding Thoughts
This national holiday
that we know as Thanksgiving was brought forth by people of faith who knew the
importance of nurturing a thankful heart in every situation. It was their faith
in God that enabled them to be thankful even during the greatest of trials. They
maintained an attitude of gratitude through it all.
This Thanksgiving let’s
remember our heritage and determine that we too will be a thankful people, as
were the spiritual foremothers and forefathers who brought this nation into
existence. Let’s follow them and the words of the old hymn that says,
Count
your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
This article is derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt's book, Pilgrims and Patriots, available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com. Dr. Hyatt is an author, historian and Bible teacher. His passion is to reconnect America's severed Christian roots and he does this by conducting "America Reawakening" events, which is a PowerPoint presentation that documents how America was birthed out of prayer and spiritual awakening. He can be reached at dreddiehyatt@gmail.com.
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