If there ever was a time to discuss faith and politics by cheerful hearts with those close to you during the holidays, may it be this Thanksgiving! But instead of looking to today's politicians, let us first learn from those in the past, about how Thanksgiving became a national holiday, and how we should each personally be involved in this celebration of God's goodness and grace.
If there ever was a time to discuss faith and politics by cheerful hearts with those close to you during the holidays, it’s today! In what is now rare political form, both houses of congress once agreed on something historic and of good nature! What was it? They requested the President to implore the nation to separate a special day of the year to give thanks to God for His many blessings - in particular the gift of being a sovereign and free nation with a constitutional government elected by and for its citizens.
On October 3rd, 1789, (just thirteen years after the Declaration of Independence was written and one year after the Constitution was ratified) President George Washington wrote the short 469 word Proclamation and instituted the holiday that we now call Thanksgiving. A few things must be noted and indeed cannot be overlooked.
The Proclamation was all about the greatness of God, asking for forgiveness, and bestowing our many blessings to others.
Most undeniably, God is the center of the Proclamation. He was described by Washington as the “Almighty God”, “great and glorious Being”, “beneficent Author”, and the “great Lord and Ruler of Nations”.
Secondly, Washington gives witness to the goodness of God. He was “the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.” Thanksgiving was then to be humbly made to God, not just for the freedom to gorge ourselves on fattened bites of tryptophan-ed turkey, and watch football, but for His “many signal favors”, “manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence” that led the United States “an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for [our] safety and happiness.” We must remember that the pleasure we have from feasting with friends and family on Thanksgiving is only possible from a government that pursues its people’s happiness and safety.
Odd as it may seem, one way to celebrate our freedom and happiness is to confess sin. Washington also asked us as a nation to beseech God “to pardon our national and other transgressions.” Much can be said about this, but it should be sufficient to wonder how good it would be to have a federal government acknowledge their fallen state by imploring God to forgive both their personal and national transgressions.
Lastly, Washington wanted the many blessings that the United States enjoyed like virtue, faith and science to be given to others. Today, in a time where science and religion are falsely pitted against each other, Washington reminds us that there is no gulf between them. He ends the Proclamation hoping “our national government [would be] 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 government, peace, and concord -To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease 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.”
So, even though our senses might be slightly dulled from over consumption this Thanksgiving, may we not forget to raise a glass to give true thanks to God for our nation, our prosperity and the many freedoms we share. May we consider our faults as individuals and as a country and seek pardon from God all while seeking to be a blessing to both neighbors and strangers.
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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 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 favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced 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 hath 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 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 shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease 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
https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-sources-2/article/thanksgiving-proclamation-of-1789/