Posted on 11/27/2008 9:51:53 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
In September 1789, Congress asked 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.”
Washington complied, and in early October sent a proclamation to the governors of the states.
The proclamation asked the governors to make Thursday, November 26 a day of Thanksgiving, saying 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.”
Here is the full text of President George Washington’s congressionally-requested Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1789:
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 shown kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase 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.
Our heritage bump.
This fellow. . .this Washington fellow. . .obviously has not been brought up to speed with the separation of church and state clause. . .I’ll have Barry Lynn give him a call.
Thanks for posting this! It’s obvious why America is in so much trouble. People have turned their backs on God. We have become the modern day Sodom and Gomorrah, and I fear we’re going to meet with a fate similar to the one they met. We may be past the point of no return.
Cool. Thank you for the post.
We did not read Mr. Washington's words to make Americans out of Chinese, but since these wanted to be at our table (many invited themselves, actually), they got the dose of Washington. Thanksgiving is not a Chinese holiday, obviously, but there are now many many Chinese Christians who have learned of the observance, can well appreciate it, and seek to emulate it in their practice.
Chinese Christians do not have a direct heritage via the United States, or do they? Many of them believe that they have such an heritage as a result of American (an other Western) missionary endeavor which has led to them knowing and loving the same God and Saviour, Jesus Christ, as was known to the English and European Puritan, Anglican, Congregational, Baptist, and other Christian movements which settled the American which settled the American Colonies in the seventeenth and 18th centuries.
Such a continuing heritage was present in China from 1750, and the peak of it occurred in the early twentieth century. It has been under a pall of anti-God socialism for decades, but never extinguished.
There is a renewed study of Christian Church History and Heritage in China among believers. This is one of the reasons some invited themselves to our observance. We had not announced our plans to the Chinese, but only to other American believers. Some were aware of the date and that Americans typically observe Thanksgiving, and asked us about it.
Anyway, we located two turkeys, and every one of the dishes and deserts that might come to your mind were in abundance. Besides, some of the Chinese brought jiaozi (water dumplings) and some Chinese style deserts, which we also enjoyed, and for which we are also very grateful.
Those of you who have a heart toward God are asked to pray earnestly and fervently for believers in China.
How many people turning their backs to God does it take for us to have gone beyond the point of no return? Maybe if we can get some of those folks to turn around, we’ll all be OK.
bkmk
bump
In September 1789, Congress asked 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.”
Upon learning of this the ACLU has contracted scienists to build them a time machine in order that they may go back in tome and sue George Washington and the Congressman that mentioned God in connection to America.
How many people turning their backs to God does it take for us to have gone beyond the point of no return? Maybe if we can get some of those folks to turn around, we’ll all be OK.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land
I wish our founding fathers understood what they meant when they wrote the Constitution. Good thing we have liberal judges to help explain what they really meant.
Amen.
I personally think it's too late. Just look at all the terrible things that are happening in America. When Obama was elected, that was the signal to me that God had removed His hand of Blessings and protection from America.
As far as numbers go, I don't know, but perhaps it was when abortions reached a certain number, or maybe it was the ACLU suing to remove Christ from Christmas displays from any government buildings, etc. Who knows. Maybe it was when a certain number of murders, rapes, child abuse took place, or adultery and homosexual acts, or people strung out on drugs and alcohol. We resemble exactly what it looked like in the days of Noah before God destroyed the entire world. Good luck trying to get people to come to God, or back to God. America has proved time and again that we only cry out for God when something terrible has happened and we need Him. The rest of the time, we put Him back into the box until we need Him again.
Bookmark.
How appropriate on this day after Thanksgiving to be reminded of the humility, integrity, and respect our Founders had for our God (by name) and Creator, and of our collective appreciation for the gift of this blessed Republic....
....Now as Benjamin Franklin questioned, "IF we can keep it." The clock appears to be ticking backwards.
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