THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving-Brownscombe copy
It is always good to sit back and take an accounting of the things with which we have been blessed and to be thankful for them. Everyday of our lives ought to be a day of thanksgiving for each of us (Col. 4:2; I Thess. 5:18). I wanted to say something about thanksgiving before it arrived but, no matter what I wrote, it seemed to me to be only a feeble attempt to write something appropriate. In looking for insight, I went back to the original Thanksgiving proclamation by President Washington. The original proclamation was so eloquent and so substantive, even from a Biblical standpoint, that I thought it would be appropriate to just reproduce that proclamation here in this column.

General Thanksgiving
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 favour; 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 PUBLICK 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 TWENTY-SIXTH 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 enable 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 favours 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 publick 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 shewn kindness unto 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.

(signed) G. Washington
(source: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/thankstext.html)

It is my sincere prayer that we all, individually, familially, congregationally, and nationally, prostrate ourselves before the Great God and Our Saviour and give Him thanks for all His kindness toward us. May we always be mindful of His blessings.

Eric L. Padgett