Take FDR For Example
Going back to the beginning, the first Thanksgiving, was actually more of a fast than anything else. We have that account from a guy named Edward Winslow in 1621...but the letter was lost almost 200 years and rediscovered in the 1800s by a Boston publisher, Alexander Young. And he published it in 1841.
"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."
Throughout the beginnings of this country, many founders gave their value in words to a day of 'thanks' to God for giving us this colony...and later nation...
It being our indispensable duty as a people, in a
public and
religious manner, to acknowledge the preserving and
Governing providence of Almighty God, and more especially to
celebrate the Divine Goodness in the various blessings
conferred upon us in the course of the year past.
John Hancock (1784)
religious manner, to acknowledge the preserving and
Governing providence of Almighty God, and more especially to
celebrate the Divine Goodness in the various blessings
conferred upon us in the course of the year past.
John Hancock (1784)
As it hath pleased Almighty God to continue to
the
people of this Commonwealth great and unmerited
Favors in the course of the year past; it is highly
becoming, that after the example of our pious and
renowned ancestors, a day should be set apart, at this
season of the year, for the special purpose of rendering
to the Father of all mercies the just tribute of gratitude and praise.
Samuel Adams (1794)
people of this Commonwealth great and unmerited
Favors in the course of the year past; it is highly
becoming, that after the example of our pious and
renowned ancestors, a day should be set apart, at this
season of the year, for the special purpose of rendering
to the Father of all mercies the just tribute of gratitude and praise.
Samuel Adams (1794)
Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men
to adore
the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with
gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore
such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased
Him in His abundant mercy not only to continue to us the innumerable
bounties of His common providence, but also smile upon us in the
prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defense and establishment
of our unalienable rights and liberties; particularly in that He hath been
pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the
support of our troops and to crown our arms with most signal success.
Continental Congress (1777)
the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with
gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received, and to implore
such farther blessings as they stand in need of; and it having pleased
Him in His abundant mercy not only to continue to us the innumerable
bounties of His common providence, but also smile upon us in the
prosecution of a just and necessary war, for the defense and establishment
of our unalienable rights and liberties; particularly in that He hath been
pleased in so great a measure to prosper the means used for the
support of our troops and to crown our arms with most signal success.
Continental Congress (1777)
By the President of
the United States of America.
A
Proclamation.
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 to 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 and 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 26th day 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 signal and manifold mercies and the favorable
interpositions of His providence in the course 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 lately 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 stations, 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, discreetly 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.
Given under my hand, at
the city of New York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord one
thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
G. Washington.
Fast-forward...A few years later, right after the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln decided that he needed to have another Thanksgiving. George Washington declared one day of Thanksgiving...but Lincoln said the following...
Issued, October 3, 1863
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to invite and provoke the aggressions of foreign States, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
The needful diversions of wealth and strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship. The axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people; I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Prayer to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to him that, for such singular deliverances and blessings; they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth."
Abraham Lincoln
The thing is, while we did celebrate this day, it was not a day that people took off from work. Vacation was a term not many knew, let alone could afford, and working was a natural value that men and women honored...even on days of celebration...even Christmas...believe it or not...but eventually the 'Progressive Era' caught up to devalue and 'change' the values of government...and individuals...President Theodore Roosevelt.
The Pilgrims and our Founders thought it would be crass to take the day off and make it a day not of work for either holiday, either Thanksgiving or Christmas. We worked on Christmas. But the Progressives wanted to cease working on these days.
You’ll notice it’s our national life now. Woodrow Wilson did the same thing...
"I, Woodrow Wilson, president of the United States of America do hereby designate Thursday, the 27th of November as a day of Thanksgiving and prayer and invite the people throughout the land to cease from their wanted occupations."
Now we’re at the go at the beginning of the depression, 1931.
Things are bad.
Herbert Hoover...
"I therefore, Herbert Hoover, president of the United States, do hereby designate Thursday, November 26th as the national day of Thanksgiving and recommend that our people rest from their daily labors and in their homes and accustomed places of worship give devout thanks for the blessings which a merciful father had bestowed upon us.”
While most people wanted to work, he’s saying rest from your labor.
But here comes the big change in 1939. FDR.
It was always the fourth Thursday of November that was the annual day of Thanksgiving.
From 1863 to 1939, it was the fourth Thursday of November.
Why did it change in 1939?
Well, as all good Progressives know, as all good lefties know...because after all, the left is the one that hates business.
The Democrats are the ones who hated commercialism.
The Democrats are the ones who absolutely despise the fact that big business ruled the world.
At the tail end of the Depression, Franklin Roosevelt, hoping to boost the economy by providing shoppers and merchants a few extra days to conduct their business between Thanksgiving and Christmas, moved Thanksgiving to November’s third Thursday.
So the only reason why we changed the position of Thanksgiving is because we officially, in FDR’s term, third term, disconnected it from God and connected it to shopping.
A Gallup poll at the time showed 59% of Americans disapproved of the date change.
22 states decided to go along with Roosevelt’s plan.23 said, no, the old date should stand, and we should not be connecting this Godly 'thanks' with shopping. We should be connecting this with the Lord.
November 30th was referred to as the Republican Thanksgiving, because it was connected to God, connected to the founding and connected to Abraham Lincoln....but the 23rd, the one that we still celebrate today, was known as the Democratic Thanksgiving, or as the Atlantic City mayor Thomas Taggart dubbed it, 'Franksgiving', after FDR.
In 1941 the Wall Street Journal took a whole bunch of data and declared that the move was a bust. It provided no real boost to retail sales...but that’s because most American's still had a problem with shopping on Thanksgiving...because that’s not what it was ever to be about.
Our history can easily lose it meaning, when another agenda comes into play over the standards established.
I imagine this aspect of our true history of why we celebrate Thanksgiving, as well as Christmas, become more about profit than providence of God in our lives....so, as we reflect tomorrow on what we are thankful for, may we reflect on those who changed what Thanksgiving Day really is...Either a day to celebrate what the Pilgrims did....or what Progressives do. It reminds me, in many ways, in the fouling of the temple Jesus met with anger towards those that mocked His Father...as Progressives really mock God, in many the same way.
God Bless.
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