From A Northwoods Fireside: Fall

Tuesday, November 24

Thanksgiving

I was looking up the history of Thanksgiving, trying to find Governor Bradford's proclamation of the first Thanksgiving. I did not find the proclamation for the first year, 1621, but I did find the one for two years later. I thought the history was interesting. They had a dry summer that year, and were facing a crop failure. Governor Bradford called the people together for a day of prayer and fasting, and soon after that the rains fell, saving the crops and the settlement. So, after the harvest was gathered that fall, Governor Bradford issued the following proclamation:

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams; and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the daytime, on Thursday, November 29'th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.

--William Bradford

Ye Governor of Ye Colony

I thought it is interesting to read, especially in light of the last year, with the rocky economy and the H1N1 virus and other things we face in our personal lives. We still have a lot to be thankful for, food, shelter, health, and the freedom the worship God. May we always remember to be thankful.

(I tried to find a few thanksgiving pictures, but didn't have much success)