Lest We Forget …

Of all the officially observed American holidays Thanksgiving is the one which obviously reveals our nation’s Judeo-Christian roots. Proclamations issued by our founding fathers American presidents and other leaders definitely repudiate the idea that America was founded entirely as a secular nation.
 
Usually when we think of the religious heritage of Thanksgiving we think of the Pilgrims’ Thanksgiving of 1621. But Thanksgiving as an official observance in the United States came much later.

In 1777 the 13 colonies joined as one in observing a day of thanksgiving for the American victory over British forces at Saratoga. The Continental Congress issued a proclamation that said:

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 to 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:

It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive Powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart THURSDAY the eighteenth Day of December next for SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE.

Even though revisionist historians would like to convince us that the Founding Fathers were deists or secularists this proclamation indicates otherwise.  Fortunately for the Continental Congress there was no ACLU to take them to court for such an obvious violation of separation of church and colony. Otherwise by declaring that it is the “… duty of all men to adore the superintending Providence of Almighty God” they might have been in serious trouble.

The first Thanksgiving established by the government of the United States was proclaimed by President George Washington. On October 3 1789 President Washington issued a proclamation that declared:

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 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.

The official U.S. Thanksgiving holiday that we celebrate today as a nation was proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln during our nation’s sternest test.  On October 3 1863 during the War Between the States Lincoln issued a presidential proclamation “… to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

In the midst of the bloodiest of all our wars Lincoln wrote of the blessings of God for which the nation should be thankful declaring “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.”

These proclamations speak volumes about the importance of religious faith to the people who founded our nation and guided her through times of crisis.

The acknowledgment of God and our reliance on His protection and blessings have not been limited to Congress or presidents. On Thanksgiving Day 1945 just over three months after the end of World War II General Jonathan Wainwright who spent four years as a Japanese prisoner of war offered a Thanksgiving prayer that is worth remembering today.

Oh God our Father today we give Thee thanks for the things we take for granted for freedom for security of life for food and shelter and the presence of loved ones ….

We thank Thee that once again men may have hope opportunity to work and plan for a better future a chance to secure peace and an ampler life for themselves and their children.

Keep us humble in the day of victory make us wise in the presence of great problems strong and brave in the face of any danger and sympathetic and generous as we face the appalling need of a war-torn world.

In gratitude for all those who paid the price of victory we now ask Thy guidance as we dedicate ourselves to that cause for which they gave their last whole measure of devotion. Lord of Hosts be with us yet lest we forget!

All that needs to be said to that is “Amen.”