By Harold Pease, Ph. D.
Our first Congress wanted a national day of “thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” One of the first acts of Congress, supported by both houses, required President George Washington, the Father of this nation, to select a day for this purpose.
What a statement to the world! The United States, destined in time to become the greatest power in the history of the world, began with this proclamation, pledging a partnership with the creator of the universe for the benefit of mere man. That we at one time universally recognized this relationship is profound.
Of course, this event was preceded by 168 years of an established celebration sometimes called Thanksgiving, the first being with the 53 surviving Pilgrims in 1621 sitting down with about 90 of the Wampanoag Indian nation, who already observed a fall harvest celebration festival in gratitude to God for their harvest. It was no problem uniting with the new comers from across the ocean for a shared three-day celebration, although the attending Indians nearly doubled their numbers. In time the event spread outward thereafter from Plymouth, but its date varied and was not consistent. Congress wanted it standardized by proclamation as a national day of thanksgiving and prayer to God.
In obedience to the will of the people and Congress, Washington selected Thursday the 26th of November as that day of “public thanksgiving and prayer” and established its purpose. This day he said was “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; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks….”
He proceeded to specifically identify some of these blessings: “for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the original and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.”
Washington saw the value and strength of prayer in having a holiday of gratitude and continued, “And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplication to the great Lord and Ruler of nations, ….” He then humbly sought forgiveness for national transgressions as well. We “beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgression; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations,.…” He, himself, humbly implored God for help in performing “our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our national Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discretely and faithfully executed and obeyed; ….”
Then he implored God “to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”
The Thanksgiving Proclamation ended, “Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the third day of October, A. D. 1789.” Signed George Washington
Over the years that followed there were inconsistent observances of Thanksgiving as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln revived the event with a second proclamation defining it as a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” calling on the American people to also, “with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience … fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation….” Lincoln declared it for the last Thursday in November.
This Thanksgiving spend some time and thought, individually and with your family, acknowledging the blessings from His hand this past 12 months. Why would you expect to continue receiving His blessings if you aren’t grateful for those received? Those who reduce this holiday to merely “Turkey Day” or “Football Day” undermine its true and uplifting meaning. Again, it is a day of Thanksgiving and Prayer.
On the national level let us join Washington in taking this moment to thank God for the liberties we still have, and to ask forgiveness for our departures from the core values expressed in this proclamation, and in the Constitution. Let us resolve to restore them to prominence before they are lost entirely, not by an enemy from without, but by our own ignorance, complacency and neglect from within.
And, may we once again recognize, at least for one day, the special relationship between man, this nation, and God our creator. We are the most blessed on earth and in time.
Dr. Harold Pease is a syndicated columnist and an expert on the United States Constitution. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years at Taft College. Newspapers have permission to publish this column. Column # 688. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www. www.LibertyUnderFire.org. Column # 688. Subscribe now for free columns at this address. Help preserve our Republic while we still can.
Thanksgiving: A Day of Gratitude and Prayer
