Recently I’ve come to know
that “history” as we read about it or think we know it, is not necessarily the
absolute truth, but is a perception formulated when certain “facts” pass
through a person’s thoughts, experiences, emotions, former reactions and
probably other factors as well. One person’s perception of an event can be
totally different from another’s perceived “truth” concerning the very same
event.
I’ve heard different
versions of the original Thanksgiving in America. Here is one version. No
matter the actual truth of all of it, which none of us really know, but God
alone, it is a reasonable story and a good one. No matter what the actual events,
being thankful is essential to living well. That’s in the Bible.
Within the first year,
half of the 102 Pilgrims who landed in America, died. Of the 50 who remained
only 6 or 7 were strong enough to care for the others.
William Bradford was their
leader. He survived the first devastating winter of 1620 and went on to serve
as governor of Plymouth for 33 years. From his book, Of Plymouth Plantation,
comes his perception of what happened; this amazing story of how God intervened
for the Pilgrims’ survival in this new land:
“About ye 16. Of March a
certaine Indian came bouldly amongst them, and spoke to them in broken English,
which they could well understand, but marveled at it… He tould them also of
another Indian whos name was Squanto, a native of this place, who had been in
England & could speake better English then him selfe.
“Afterwards they (as many
as were able) began to plant ther corne, in which servise Squanto stood them in
great stead, showing them both ye maner how to set it, and after how to dress
& tend it. Also he tould them excepte they got fish & set with it (in
these old grounds) it would come to nothing, and he showed them yt in ye midle
of Aprill they should have store enough come up ye brooke, by which they begane
to build, and taught them how to take it, and wher to get other provisions
necessary for them; all which they found true by trial & experience… And
thus they found ye Lord to be with them in all their ways, and to blesse their
outgoings & incomings, for which let his holy name have ye praise for ever,
to all posteritie.”
Bradford added, “Squanto…
was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation.”
How God worked in
Squanto’s life is really amazing. In 1605, a member of the Native American
Patuxet tribe, Squanto was captured by an English explorer and taken to England
where he learned to speak English. In 1614 Captain John Smith brought him back
to America but he was captured again and taken to Spain to be sold as a slave. Local Catholic friars rescued him and
introduced him to Christianity.
He went back to England
and got on a ship to his native America. But when he got home, he found that
all of his tribe had been killed by a plague. The sudden death of the whole
tribe scared the neighboring tribes and so they never went onto the property,
making it available for the Pilgrims. Also because of the odd circumstances of
the tribe’s annihilation, the other tribes didn’t attack the Pilgrims and
Squanto facilitated a peace treaty that lasted over 50 years.
With Squanto’s help, the Pilgrims’
second winter was much better. To celebrate, Governor Bradford appointed a day
of Thanksgiving and invited Squanto’s newly adopted tribe to come and give
thanks to God with them. The chief and 90 of his men came and feasted. They ate
deer, turkey, fish, lobster, eels, vegetables, corn bread, berries, pies and
popcorn that the Native Americans showed the Pilgrims how to make. They competed in games of wrestling, shooting
and running. The chief had such a good time he and his men stayed and celebrated
for three days.
This was the first
official American Thanksgiving.
If you’d like to read more
about this time in America I recommend America’s Providential History by
Mark Beliles and Stephen McDowell and William Bradford: Plymouth’s Faithful
Pilgrim by Gary Schmidt.
Love, Carolyn
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