“Where did Thanksgiving go?”

As autumn approaches every year we are seeing at an alarming rate the transition from October Halloween to December Christmas. As the retailers look to establish financial gains at the expense of consumer attitudes toward costumes, candy, parties and meeting the gift expectations of others. Unfortunately in the confusion the celebration of Thanksgiving has gotten lost. Why are retailers and more importantly the general public not interested in Thanksgiving? I am going to discuss this from the perspective of history and the impact it has on our future.

First lets explore the truth behind Thanksgiving and what the first one actually meant to the this country and those who celebrated it. Pilgrims were a group of English dissents that felt it necessary to separate from the Church of England. The separatists moved from England to Holland in 1607 and 1608 where they settled and organized. While there are not a single definition for pilgrim those we give that name to comprised Separatists and non-Separatists and Separatist sympathizers. Religious freedom was there goal, the privilege to worship as they felt led by God.

"[They] as the Lord's free people joined themselves... in the fellowship of the gospel, to walk in all His ways made known, or to be made known unto them."

William Bradford

Since their separation was considered illegal by English Crown standards the separatists were sought out for arrest by England. Their move to Holland was successful and for a while they were out of reach of the grasp of England. While in Holland the separatists began a campaign to raise money for their journey to America, their spiritual direction and destiny. The Bible that traveled with the pilgrims was the Geneva Bible and one of the passengers John Alden had with him a King James Bible. The Church of England did not accept the Geneva Bible and in 1611 King James ordered the translation of Scripture to create a translation that could be utilized by everyone, the King James Translation. Typically the version we use today is a 1769 re-write of the 1611 translation, very few people today can accurately read the 1611 edition of the King James translation.

The separatists secured enough funding to make their trip to America, on September 16, 1620 the Mayflower set sail for America. There were 102 passengers on board, who were willing to endure a 66 day voyage. The conditions were no where close to comfortable. There was frequent storms and crowded conditions but the separatists were willing to endure this for the freedom to worship without persecution.

The separatists reached Provincetown Harbor in November 1620, the 21^st day of the month they signed the Mayflower pact. Here is a copy of that pact.

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony, unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod, the eleventh of November [New Style, November 21], in the year of the reign of our sovereign lord, King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth. Anno Dom. 1620.

Signed by

John Carver William Bradford Edward Winslow William Brewster Isaac Allerton Miles Standish John Alden Samuel Fuller Christopher Martin William Mullins

William White James Chilton John Craxton John Billington Richard Warren John Howland Steven Hopkins Edward Tilly John Tilly Francis Cook

Thomas Rogers Thomas Tinker John Rigdale Edward Fuller John Turner Francis Eaton Moses Fletcher Digery Priest Thomas Williams Gilbert Winslow

Edmond Margeson Peter Brown Richard Bitteridge Richard Clark Richard Gardiner John Allerton Thomas English Edward Doten Edward Liester John Goodman George Soule

Notice the opening line, to further the Christian faith. America was settled to advance the Christian faith. Why have we abandoned this? More importantly why have turned our nation over to faiths that are not Christian. Why do we not celebrate Thanksgiving anymore, because it is so closely attached to the Christian faith. God help us to be true to our faith and the foundation we have been given by those brave men and women in 1620.