"Gobbling" isn't all there is to
Thanksgiving Day, really....
What's the meaning of this?
Thanksgiving in Historic American Style
FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION - JUNE 20, 1676:
(click here for WORD doc)
The First Thanksgiving Proclamation: On June 20, 1676, the governing council
of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to
express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely
established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to
proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving, our first. That proclamation is
reproduced herein the same language and spelling as the original.
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FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION - JUNE 20, 1676:
"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive
dispensations in and by the present War with the Heathen Natives of this land,
written and brought to pass bitter things against His own Covenant people in
this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of His
judgements He hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in
the day of His sore displeasure against us for our sins, with many singular
Intimations of His Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our
Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving
us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages
against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have
been sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It
certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any
measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take notice
under so many Intimations of His returning mercy, we should be found an
Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as
lading Him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions:
The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this
instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such His
Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced,
but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflictions, have been as
diligent to espy Him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a
People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend
it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly
and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being perswaded by the
mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and
souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."
http://www.ukans.edu/carrie/docs/texts/thanksg.txt
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