By Dr. Harold Pease
Some may not know how Thanksgiving Day became our first national holiday, nor its importance as a day of “public thanksgiving and prayer.” One of the very first acts of the new Congress was to pass a law requesting President George Washington “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 and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” He complied and boldly wrote: “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,” establishing forever our national foundation as a God-loving and God-fearing people. He then proceeded to list the national favors, to which he gave credit to God, especially with respect to His help in the Revolutionary War.
George Washington further wrote, “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; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks 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 safely 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.”
After listing God’s blessings to this people he asked that He pardon our transgressions and accept our prayers. He wrote, “And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplication to the great Lord and Ruler of nations, and beseech Him to pardon or national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform 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; 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.” Then he simply signed it.
Those who refer to this day as simply “turkey day” undermine the very foundation of our national Christian heritage upon which every other foundation principle rests. Let us take 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—-resolving to restore them to prominence before they are all lost—-not by an enemy from without, but by our own ignorance and neglect from within. After all, it’s about liberty.
Dr. Harold Pease is 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 has taught history and political science from this perspective for over 25 years at Taft College. To read more of his weekly articles, please visit www.LibertyUnderFire.org.