"Measured by
the standards of men of their time, [the Pilgrims] were the humble
of the earth. Measured by later accomplishments, they were the
mighty. In appearance weak and persecuted they came -- rejected,
despised -- an insignificant band; in reality strong and
independent, a mighty host of whom the world was not worthy,
destined to free mankind." - Calvin Coolidge
Cold and sick,
fighting snow and sleet, a motley band of English men and women
struggled through their first winter in the New World. Fewer than 50
of the 110 pilgrims and crew that had stepped off the Mayflower
survived until spring. On their own, the Pilgrims would have likely
all perished their first year on the coast of New England.
God had better
plans for them.
In March of 1621, a
loincloth-covered native stepped out of the woods and said,
"Welcome" in clear English. Samoset, the chief of the Algonquins,
had learned English from the fishing ships that occasionally put
into the coast of Maine. A few days later he returned to the little
Pilgrim village with another English speaking native named
Tisquantum (aka "Squanto").
When the Pilgrims
arrived in late 1620, they settled on cleared land that belonged to
nobody. Squanto's entire tribe had been wiped out while he was in
England after having been taken as a slave in 1605. After returning
to his native homeland with Captain John Smith in 1614 , Squanto was
again kidnapped and taken to Spain, where he was bought by local
friars and introduced to Christianity. When he returned home, he
found his tribe gone and the land that had belonged to them shunned
by other tribes. He wandered until he found the Wampanoags who lived
about 50 miles to the southwest.
And so, Squanto
proved to be a literal God-send for the Pilgrims. He stayed with
them and taught them how to stalk deer and catch eels and plant corn
the Indian way. He showed them how to refine maple syrup and to
discern which wild plants were edible and which were poisonous. He
introduced them to trapping beavers, the pelts of which were in high
demand in Europe. Without his help, few of the Pilgrims would have
survived.
By the autumn of
1621, the Pilgrims were well-prepared for the coming winter and
extremely grateful to God, to the Wampanoags, and to Squanto.
Governor Bradford declared a day of public thanksgiving to be held
in October. They invited Massasoit, the Wapanoags' chief, to a feast
to celebrate their bounty. The Wapanoags taught the Pilgrims the art
of making popcorn and the Pilgrims introduced the Indians to fruit
pies.
The Pilgrims had
additional days of thanksgiving for God's provision during the next
years of difficulty and hunger, but we remember these days of
feasting and games and competitions in our Thanksgiving
celebrations. God had shown He cared for this little band of
persecuted Englishmen in search of religious and civil freedom.
There have been several days of
thanksgiving since the time of the Pilgrims.
1777:
Samuel Adams made a thanksgiving day proclamation that was
adopted by all 13 states:
"It is therefore
recommended... to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of
December next, for solemn Thanksgiving and praise, that with
one heart and one voice the good people may express the
grateful feelings of their hearts and consecrate themselves
to the service of their divine benefactor..."
October, 1789:
President George Washington proclaimed Thursday the Twenty-sixth
day of November to be a day of national thanksgiving to Almighty
God.
October, 1863:
President Abraham Lincoln announced that the last Thursday of
November would be dedicated "as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise
to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."
Finally, an act of
Congress in 1941 dedicated the fourth Thursday of November for the
purpose of thanking our Creator.
Even as our
forefathers acknowledged the provision and goodness of God, let us
also make this national holiday a very special time to thank Him for
our own provision - our families, our sustenance and, above all, our
redemption in His Son!
