General Washington prays for success in the impending Battle of Trenton.
Today we celebrate Thanksgiving Day, a day which originated as a special day to thank God for the many gifts He gave us as Americans. Sadly, many of us today enjoy the great meal, the fellowship with family and friends and the pageantry of football games. But, and this is so often the case in an advanced secular society, we forget the central role that God has played in our nation's creation. I remember as a boy, one of the most important things we did on Thanksgiving morning was to attend a Thanksgiving morning worship of prayer and today that is so often out of vogue. Yet, when you read the words of George Washington, God is certainly the central point of what we must recognize today. And that is why the following words are so important on this day.
The Thanksgiving tradition is claimed as its starting point to be the Massachusetts Colony following a long and brutal winter with the grace of God. As a native Virginian, I instead celebrate its beginning with the Jamestown Colony, founded before Massachusetts and like her northern Colonial brethren, has a similar story about the land on the banks of the River James a number of years previous to the Massachusetts experience. but that isn’t really what’s important. Oh, both groups of settlers were aided by local Indians in surviving those early harsh winters, but they knew that the ultimate reason for their survival was due to the guidance of Divine Providence, God, from above. In the ensuing years as the colonies grew and prospered, their will for freedom from taxation without representation by the oppressive Crown led them to initiate the push for independence and a bloody war ensued. Again with the guiding hand of God, they survived against the preeminent military of the world at that time and gained independence, yet even then there were problems in formulating a government that would show the world that reasoned men and freedom could join together in the greatest experiment in self-governance in the world, the United States of America. It was with this in mind that the first President, George Washington, the Commander of the successful Continental Army against the British, penned and presented a Declaration of Thanksgiving with the approval of Congress as well. While the official national holiday didn’t become official until it was directed by President Abraham Lincoln, it became a tradition toward the end of the harvest season as a way of thanking God for the bounty he provided. Like the Declaration of Independence earlier, it made it clear that this new nation, this United States of America was a Nation of God and was always indebted to his love and grace for making this land possible. We should all read and ponder the following words of Washington, words which were eloquent and clear in their message. God bless the United States of America on this Thanksgiving Day and may she ever be free.
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
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 favor, able 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 trangressions; 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 1789.
Go. Washington
The Thanksgiving tradition is claimed as its starting point to be the Massachusetts Colony following a long and brutal winter with the grace of God. As a native Virginian, I instead celebrate its beginning with the Jamestown Colony, founded before Massachusetts and like her northern Colonial brethren, has a similar story about the land on the banks of the River James a number of years previous to the Massachusetts experience. but that isn’t really what’s important. Oh, both groups of settlers were aided by local Indians in surviving those early harsh winters, but they knew that the ultimate reason for their survival was due to the guidance of Divine Providence, God, from above. In the ensuing years as the colonies grew and prospered, their will for freedom from taxation without representation by the oppressive Crown led them to initiate the push for independence and a bloody war ensued. Again with the guiding hand of God, they survived against the preeminent military of the world at that time and gained independence, yet even then there were problems in formulating a government that would show the world that reasoned men and freedom could join together in the greatest experiment in self-governance in the world, the United States of America. It was with this in mind that the first President, George Washington, the Commander of the successful Continental Army against the British, penned and presented a Declaration of Thanksgiving with the approval of Congress as well. While the official national holiday didn’t become official until it was directed by President Abraham Lincoln, it became a tradition toward the end of the harvest season as a way of thanking God for the bounty he provided. Like the Declaration of Independence earlier, it made it clear that this new nation, this United States of America was a Nation of God and was always indebted to his love and grace for making this land possible. We should all read and ponder the following words of Washington, words which were eloquent and clear in their message. God bless the United States of America on this Thanksgiving Day and may she ever be free.
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
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 favor, able 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 trangressions; 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 1789.
Go. Washington
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