Dakota Beacon

Hard times tend to drive people back to basics, to their roots, to something more meaningful than temporal prosperity.

Our first president and members of congress shared such an attitude. This attitude differed markedly from America’s older sister across the Atlantic and her revolution. Historians, in their attempt to explain the savagery of the French Revolution, point in part to the secular disposition of French society. American colonists, on the other hand, embraced deeply held beliefs shaped by the recent Reformation in Europe. Beliefs about mankind and the world influenced their attitudes, actions, and the way Americans governed themselves. These views found their way intrinsically into our early documents.

On September 25, 1789, Elias Boudinot of New Jersey introduced into the US House of Representatives a resolution that requested President George Washington 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 Constitution of government for their safety and happiness.”

George Washington accepted the congressional request as a cultural consensus regarding the prevailing Christian precepts. On October 3, 1789, President Washington issued the first Thanksgiving Proclamation. Had the American Civil Liberties Union or a media obsessed with anti-religious bias existed at that time, they would probably have condemned the Proclamation as a bigoted, right-wing conspiracy.

Giving thanks presumes there is Someone to whom thanks is due. To avoid intellectual schizophrenia, we must acknowledge Washington’s context of Biblical Christianity. Here are excepts from Washington’s Proclamation with comment. He recommends:

“...a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God....”

For what should Americans give thanks?

“...for His kind care and protection of the people of this country...;”

We have been blessed with essential security.

“...for the...manifold mercies...of His providence...;”

Nations, like people, do not always exhibit the best behavior. The difference between what America deserves and what America receives we call “mercy.”

“...for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have...;”

People from around the world recognize America as the embodiment of these qualities and are attracted to our shores.

“...for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have...established constitutions of government,...particularly the national one now lately instituted...;”

Others may imitate our Constitution with beautiful language. But, no other Constitution is so rooted in Reformation thinking as is the US Constitution.

“...for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed...;”

Other religions did not play such a foundational role in the fundamental precepts of our nation as did Christianity. But, all are beneficiaries enjoying the tolerance and protection found in compassionate Christianity as understood by our knowledgeable forefathers.

“...and, in general, for all the great and various favors, which He has been pleased to confer upon us....”

Amen!

Soon after issuance of the Thanksgiving Proclamation, the document disappeared for over a hundred years. In 1921, Dr. J. C. Fitzpatrick discovered the document at auction. He procured it for the library of Congress for $300 where it now resides.

With our drift toward progressive secularism, many people are uncomfortable with the language and tenor of Washington’s Proclamation. Even schools would prefer superficial stories of turkey, pumpkin pie and strange folk in queer costumes to the Christian precepts and convictions underwriting a great nation.

Benjamin Franklin uttered one of his famous quotes at the close of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. When queried by a lady, “Well, sir, have we got, a republic or a monarchy?” Ben Franklin replied, “A republic, Madame, if you can keep it.”

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at P. O. Box 337, Stanley, ND 58784 or (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).