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Posted: November 26, 2003
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1:00 a.m. Eastern
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© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
Thanksgiving, to me, is one of the most important and meaningful
holidays on our calendar.
There's a rich tradition for this holiday that dates back, not just
through American history, but thousands of years through the history of
the Hebrew people.
It's true. That's where the Pilgrims got the idea for the feast – from
the Bible.
I count 28 references to the word thanksgiving in the King James Bible –
all but six in the Old Testament. For the ancient children of Israel,
thanksgiving was a time of feasting and fasting, of praising God, of
singing songs. It was a rich celebration – and still is for observant
Jews today.
Bradford himself studied the Hebrew scriptures. The Pilgrims took them
very seriously. The idea of giving thanks to God with a feast was
inspired by that knowledge of the Bible. In a very real way, the
Pilgrims saw themselves, too, as chosen people of God being led to a
Promised Land.
At the table, they acknowledged "God's good providence" and "blessed the
God of Heaven who brought us over the furious ocean." For "what could
sustain us but the Spirit of God and His grace?" asked Bradford. He
then quoted Moses, "Our fathers cried unto Him and He heard their voice
and looked on their adversity" (Deuteronomy 26:7).
In addition to proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, like the ancient
Hebrews did before them, Bradford and his flock also praised God's
loving kindness, the famous refrain of Psalms 106 and 107 and Jewish
liturgy ("Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for His kindness
endures forever").
The "thanksgiving" idea took different forms in colonial America. It
wasn't until George Washington, the republic's first president,
proclaimed Nov. 26, 1789, as a day for thanking God for bringing
America through its trials, that an official holiday was marked.
Washington, too, was a student of the Hebrew scriptures. He believed
with all his heart that America would be blessed only if it acknowledged
the source of all blessings.
Here's what he proclaimed Oct. 3, 1789:
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 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 twenty-six 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 single manifold mercies, and the favorable
interposition's of His providence, in the courage 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 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.
And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and
supplications to the Great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to
pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether
in public or private institutions, 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 governments,
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.
(By the way, some revisionist historians have tried to suggest
Washington was not a Christian, but a deist. You need only read this
one proclamation to put to rest such fanciful ideas.)
Later, in 1863, with the nation torn asunder by the War Between the
States, Lincoln re-instituted the tradition for two years. Again, in
1941, with a global war threatening, Congress established the fourth
Thursday of November as the day for Americans to thank God.
That's right – I said to thank God.
That's what it is all about. That's what it has always been about. It's
not about Indians. It's not about turkey. It's not about squash or
sweet potatoes or pumpkin pie.
It's about celebrating all that God has done for us. And He has surely
blessed America for more than 200 years.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35828
My best wishes for You and Yours!
Art
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art fougner, md
ich bin ein New Yorker
