We Should Give Thanks To God This Thanksgiving Day

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#27777 11/21/07 10:01 AM

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Russ

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We Should Give Thanks To God This Thanksgiving Day
By TVC Chairman Rev. Louis P. Sheldon
<img src="http://traditionalvalues.org/images/thanksgiving_112007.jpg" width="300" height="266" hspace="5" vspace="5" align="left" />This Thanksgiving Day should remind us of the Christian heritage and political freedom that we have in America. 
This heritage was handed down to us by the first settlers to the New World in the 17th Century. It began when the Pilgrims anchored the Mayflower in Plymouth Bay in November 1620. 
Before going ashore, 41 of the men on the Mayflower drafted up a governing document known as the Mayflower Compact. In it, they described why they had come to the New Land and how they were going to govern themselves. Among those signing this historic document was Edward Winslow, a man who penned one of the few existing descriptions of the first Thanksgiving in Massachusetts. 
Thanksgiving Day is inextricably linked to our nation’s founding by Christians. The Pilgrims had come here to worship God in the way He had shown them. They came to serve God and to establish a government based upon biblical principles. The basis of our system of government is founded upon the Mayflower Compact. It is a legal document with a strong Christian emphasis. 
The Mayflower Compact 
<blockquote>
In the name of God, Amen.
We, whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc.
 Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the 11th of November, in the year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini
1620.
 Source: William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647 (Samuel Eliot Morison, ed., 1952), 75-76.
</blockquote>
An Eyewitness Description Of The First Thanksgiving
 In a letter to a friend in England, Edward Winslow described the first Thanksgiving in these words: 
<blockquote>
 Our corn did prove well, and, God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom.
 Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.
 Edward Winslow, December 11, 1621, in A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymo... adventurers both merchants and others.) Dwight Heath, ed. New York: Corinth Books, 1963, p. 82. 
</blockquote>
William Bradford, a signer of the Mayflower Compact and second governor of Plymouth Plantation, described the fall harvest gathering in the New World: 
<blockquote>
 <img src="http://traditionalvalues.org/images/thanksgiving_112007-1.jpg" width="199" height="143" hspace="5" vspace="5" align="left" />They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwelling against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about about a peck a meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many
afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports.
 William Bradford, Of Plimoth Plantation. Samuel Eliot Morison, ed. New York: Knopf, 1952. p.20.
</blockquote>
 In his journal writings, Bradford continually gives thanks to God for protecting Plymouth Plantation from famine and destruction. The Pilgrims rested upon God’s providence, said Bradford “At night not many times knowing where to have a bit of any thing ye next day.” 
During a three-month drought, the corn withered and the ground cracked. According to Bradford, the settlers set aside “a solemn day of humiliation, to seek ye Lord by humble and fervent prayer, in this great distress.” The rain soon came and soaked the crops. 
According to Bradford, the rain “which did so apparently revive the quicken ye decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made ye Indians astonished to behold; and afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather, as, through his blessing caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing.” 
In gratitude to God for the rain and harvest, the Pilgrims established a day of Thanksgiving to the Lord. 
Let’s Thank God For Our Freedoms In This Great Land

On behalf of the TVC staff, I want to wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving Day – and urge you to recount the blessings that God has given us in America this holiday season. 
The blessings of Christian and political freedom began with the Mayflower Compact. Let us continue to defend this heritage of freedom for future generations! 
God bless you and the United States of America!
(Consider reading this to your family on Thanksgiving Day.)
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Traditional Values Coalition is an inter-denominational public policy organization speaking on behalf of 43,000 churches. For more information, call (202) 547-8570. TVC 139 “C” Street SE, Washington, DC 20003. Web site address: www.traditionalvalues.org</td>
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