America’s national
“Thanksgiving” holiday is rooted in the nation’s overt 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 continued by succeeding generations and
eventually found its way into the national consciousness and calendar.
The
Pilgrims Maintained an Attitude of Gratitude Even During Great Loss
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 3 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; (2) their new Native American friends who were such a
blessing, serving as guides and interpreters; and (3) the abundant harvests
they had experienced during the summer and fall of 1621.
The
Pilgrims 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.
The
First Thanksgiving Day
An
approximate equal number of English Pilgrims and Native Americans attended the
first Thanksgiving. In addition to the natives who lived with them, such as
Squanto, Samoset, and Hobomok, Massasoit, chief of the Wampanoag, 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 their spiritual leader, 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.
And
yes, it is almost certain that there was turkey at the first Thanksgiving. According to the account of
an unknown Pilgrim, Governor Bradford sent out four men to hunt for “fowl” who
returned with enough “fowl” to last them an entire week.
“Fowl” probably refers to ducks, which were plentiful at that
time of the year. Bradford’s account, however, specifically mentions turkeys in
addition to the fowl. He wrote,
And besides waterfowl there was a great
store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. (Hyatt, The
Pilgrims, 47).
A Day
of Thanksgiving During the Revolutionary War
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 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).
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, which 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 1863, was proclaimed by Abraham Lincoln in the midst of the Civil War.
As in the Revolutionary War, this Day of Thanksgiving came on the heels of a
remarkable turnaround in favor of the Union after a designated Day of Prayer
and Repentance on April 30, 1863.
Although still at war, Lincoln enumerated the many reasons
the inhabitants of America had for being thankful to God and then said,
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 us 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 the books, 1726: The Year that Defined America and The Pilgrims by Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt. They are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
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