48 lines
2.6 KiB
Plaintext
48 lines
2.6 KiB
Plaintext
THE FIRST THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION - JUNE 20, 1676
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"The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive
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dispensations in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of
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this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own
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Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern
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that in the midst of his judgements he hath remembered mercy, having
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remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us
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for our sins, with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compas-
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sion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threa-
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tened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late
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with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them,
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without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been
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sensible of, if it be the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed, It
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certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in
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any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fearing the Lord should take
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notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be
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found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiv-
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ing, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing
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Afflictions:
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The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of
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this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God
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for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might
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be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God's Afflic-
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tions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the
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Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying
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Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders
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and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the
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same Beseeching that being perswaded by the mercies of God we may all,
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even this whole people offer up our bodies and soulds as a living and
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acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ."
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The First Thanksgiving Proclamation (June 20, 1676)
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On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts,
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held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good
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fortune that had seen their community securely established. By un-
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amimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June
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29 as a day of thanksgiving, our first. That proclamation is reproduced
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here in the same language and spelling as the original.
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Prepared by Gerald Murphy (The Cleveland Free-Net - aa300)
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