THE VERY FIRST THANKSGIVING FESTIVAL
The Pilgrims are well known today for their association with the first Thanksgiving festival. The Pilgrims were “Separatists,” a group of Protestants who believed that they would be unable to reform the Church of England and so, therefore, they felt that they needed to SEPARATE and form their own church. Following persecution from the Church of England, they migrated to Holland, and from there then eventually to America.
By the way, the Puritans, on the other hand, were those who believed at first that they could reform/purify the Church of England, but it turned out that they were wrong. And so also following severe persecution from the Church of England, some 20,000 of them followed the Pilgrims to America, and eventually had an even greater impact upon America than the Pilgrims.
At any rate, the Pilgrims had obtained a land grant for Virginia and set sail on the Mayflower on September 6, 1620. But after a rough ocean crossing, they landed about 200 miles north of Virginia in what became known as Massachusetts, and on November 11, 1620, they finally dropped anchor and came ashore.
By this time, the harsh New England winter was already underway, and they had no homes or shelters of any kind to protect them when they landed. And before the next spring arrived, half of the 100 settlers had died! But that first year also brought some unexpected blessings as some of the Indians in the area were willing to help the Pilgrims by showing them many of the things that they needed to survive, including how to plant Indian crops such as corn, and how to hunt and fish in that area. The Pilgrims’ first harvest was bountiful—enough to fill their needs and help them through the coming winter. So even though it had been a harsh year, they still had reason to celebrate.
William Bradford, the first governor of Plymouth Colony, therefore, called a three-day festival, inviting ninety Indians to join the 50 Pilgrims. This feast included times of thanks to God, as well as athletic competition, and is commonly thought of as the first Thanksgiving celebration in America. Edward Winslow, who himself would also eventually serve as an early governor of Plymouth wrote the following:
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 as, with a little help besides, served the company
almost a week. At which time, amongst 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 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.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, let’s remember the history of this holiday and the hard work of these early, pious Christians as we, too, have time to thank God for our blessings.
Devotedly your pastor,
Bill Blanchard