home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
-
-
- THE 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 Warr
- 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 soulds as a
- living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."
-
- ------------------------------------
-
- The First Thanksgiving Proclamation (June 20, 1676)
-
- 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 unamimous vote they instructed
- Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of
- thanksgiving, our first. That proclamation is reproduced here
- in the same language and spelling as the original.
-
- ------------------------------------
-
- Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
- Distributed by the Cybercasting Services Division of the
- National Public Telecomputing Network (NPTN).
-
- Permission is hereby granted to download, reprint, and/or otherwise
- redistribute this file, provided appropriate point of origin
- credit is given to the preparer(s) and the National Public
- Telecomputing Network.
-
-
-
-