_In which we find that the blessings of liberty and prosperity are
the true causes of Thanksgiving._
Instead of a make-believe story I am going to tell you a true
story about some people who were called “Pilgrims.” Pilgrim means
wanderer, and before long you will see why they were given that
name.
The Pilgrims lived in England and were ruled by a king who wanted
them to do just as he said in everything; he even wanted them to
worship God in the same way he did.
The Pilgrims objected to this; they did not think he had any right
to interfere with their religion. They thought that every man had a
right to worship God in his own way. So they left England and went
to Holland. It was a long voyage, and they endured many hardships
on the way. The Dutch people were very good to them, but after a
while the Pilgrims grew restless. Their children were growing up
with a knowledge of the Dutch language and customs only; so once
again they made ready for another voyage.
This time they sailed for America. The name of their ship was the
_Mayflower_. The trip was a rough one indeed. Many of the children
were sick and many of the fathers and mothers were sick also. But
at last they landed on Plymouth Rock in the New World.
It was a queer country that their eyes fell upon. There were no
houses, and the only people were the Indians. At first the Pilgrims
were very much afraid of these Indians, but they soon became good
friends. The Pilgrims were not idle. They went to work, cutting
down trees and building log cabins so that the women and children
would have some place to sleep.
Before many days had passed, they had plowed the fields, planted
corn and other grains and erected a little church. The following
year they had a splendid harvest. So they decided to have a feast
and to invite the Indians who had been kind to them, and to thank
God for His goodness to them throughout the year. They called it a
Thanksgiving Feast.
The white men and the Indians went hunting and killed wild turkeys
and deer for the feast. The women cooked the meat, broiled the
fish, baked the bread, and the young people waited on the tables.
Under the trees the tables were spread. Around them sat the
Pilgrims and their Indian friends. Jokes were passed, stories were
told, and the old times in England and Holland were talked over.
Then followed games and shooting matches, and by night the Indians
danced and sang war songs.
That was our first Thanksgiving Day, but ever since then we have
set apart the last Thursday in November to give thanks to God for
His goodness to us.