by
Bradley Richardson
(Everyone should pay close attention to the following paragraph,
from "We Gather Together - The story of Thanksgiving" by Ralph
and Adeline Linton, 1949).
Quote:
"The Pilgrims undoubtedly brought memories of such English
harvest-home celebrations with them when they came to the new
world. They had also witnessed 'thanksgiving' ceremonies during
their sojourn in Holland .... The Pilgrims themselves would have
denied that the Thanksgiving feast in honor of their first
harvest in 1621 was evoked by memories of the profane practices
of the old world; however, all revolutionaries, political or
religious, once their goal is accomplished, turn back to the
patterns of the society in which they have been reared, and the
Pilgrims, at the time of the first Thanksgiving, were no
exception"
(When will we learn, if God doesn't say it, don't do it. Keep
Satan and his lies and copies out of our lives.)
"Quote from Lincoln's address on October 3, 1863, when
Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday, after he discussed
the many gifts we received from God (mines of iron and coal,
industry, defense, population increase, etc.).
'They are the gracious gifts of the most high God, who,
while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath never the
less remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper
that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully
acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole
American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens
in every part of the United States, and also those who are
at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set
apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a
day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who
dwelleth in the Heavens.'
With the Lincoln proclamation, Thanksgiving became a legal
holiday on which the whole nation closes its shops, offices,
schools, and banks, and offers its thanks to the Deity for the
blessings of this free and bountiful land."
End Quote
Who gave him the right? Did you notice the words? It seemed to
him (Lincoln) fit and proper to set up a religious holiday. Was
Lincoln even a member of God's Church? Only God knows. However,
he believed in ghosts, his wife had seances in the White House.
By all rights the man, no matter how great he was as a President,
was apparently a pagan. And it is he, a heathen, who officially
set up the day everyone just keeps like sheep to the slaughter,
even members of God's Church. Truly Satan has deceived the whole
world, not most, all, even the Church of God. Can we ever come
completely out? Maybe, maybe not, but we sure should try!
(And that is the key to this whole issue. Man, of his own mind
was never given the right to decide which days of the year are
HOLIDAYS, days to officially stop work, close the doors to our
businesses, attend church services, and worship God in a national
official way. Lincoln did not look into the Bible to see IF GOD
had already established a Harvest Festival. Oh, yes, he may have
been sincere in calling for a national worship towards God
Holiday of thanksgiving, that is not in question, but the fact is
people can be sincere and be sincerely WRONG! The evil and sin
behind all this is that Satan has substituted God's harvest
festival for another day and so he has successfully blinded the
minds of millions to the truth of God's Feast of Tabernacles.
Mankind, even the Christian religions of mankind, are in the
main, teaching that God's Festivals of Leviticus 23 are
abolished, while at the same time they are declaring their OWN
worship festivals, even while they borrowed them from the heathen
nations. Just put yourself in the Eternal's shoes and you will
see that all this is NO SMALL matter that we can wink at - Keith
Hunt).
Notice the following, taken from a most unusual source, but even
this writer knew the truth! From "Organic Gardening and Farming"
November 1975, page 132, article entitled 'Thanksgiving Day.'
"The day is fixed by proclamation of the president." It is "an
annual festival of thanks for the mercies of the closing year,
celebrated by prayers and feasting."
"The earliest harvest Thanksgiving in this country was held
by the Pilgrim fathers at Plymouth Colony in 1621.
But long before the Pilgrims held their first Thanksgiving
dinner, harvest festivals were observed in this country.
Among the North Dakota tribes, the corn spirit was known as
the 'old woman who never dies.'
In Peru, the ancient Indians worshipped the 'Mother of
Maize,' and tried every year to persuade her to bring in
another good harvest.
In Europe, the Austrians also had a 'Corn Mother' doll
fashioned from the last sheaf of grain cut in the field and
then brought home to the village in the last wagon.
(Notice Satan's poor attempts at copies, so obvious; the last
sheaf instead of the first sheaf, done at the Fall festival
instead of the Spring festival.)
In Upper Burma, the friends of the household are invited to
the barn for a feast when the rice has been piled in its
husks on the threshing floor. After a prayer, to the 'father
and mother,' for a good harvest next year, then, much as we
do, the entire party celebrates this year's harvest with a
feast." (End of quotes from this book.)
There are indications in history books that the Indians of our
early country, when invited to that 'Thanksgiving' in 1621,
thought they were coming to the pagan feast they were used to
keeping at that time. That's why they came! (This is not just an
indication, it is a fact, as was mentioned in part one, by the
Indian chief I listened to as he brought a message to white folks
one Thanksgiving Day when I lived in Florida - Keith Hunt).
There are also indications that the Pilgrims, out of shame,
invited the Indians to that feast, for the corn they harvested
was stolen from the Indians earlier that year (the seeds for
planting).
A substantial portion of our ancestors in 1621 came from England.
Let's look into English history to see if we can determine what
festivals they were used to, etc.
From the book, "A Year of Festivals - A Guide to British Calendar
Custom" by Geoffrey Palmer and Noel Lloyd, 1972.
"Thanksgiving for the harvest is one of the oldest and the
most joyous festivals that man has created.
Most of the pagan customs that gathered round the harvest
season have either disappeared or have sunk under the weight
of Christian disapproval and have radically changed. Today,
the climax of the season is the picturesque but genteel
harvest festival celebrated in churches.
(I grew up observing this "Harvest Festival" on a Sunday, as all
churches in England did at that time - Keith Hunt).
However innocuous harvest rites are today, they are a relic
of the great drama of the season when the fruits of the
earth were collected and the means of life ensured for
another year, and the thankfulness had a hidden stratum of
cruelty.
The leading role in the drama was taken by Ceres, the Roman
Corn goddess. In Britain she was later known by several
names; the Maiden, the Harvest Queen, the Kern or Corn Baby,
the Kern Doll, the Ivy Girl, the Neck and the Mare.
Sometimes she was simply the stalks of corn; sometimes she
was represented by a sheaf dressed in many-coloured clothes
which were decorated with flowing ribbons and the finest
lace. Whatever her form, she dominated the banquets, harvest
suppers, and merry-making of early times.
(Even though we may not have the exact physical items in our
homes, how many homes around Thanksgiving have at least pictures
of wicker 'horn' baskets holding vegetables, fruits, etc., stalks
of corn, etc.? Where did these come from? We just read part of
it. Also, it is a custom for the ladies to dress the table up
with a lacy tablecloth. Could this be related to 'the finest
lace' on the corn doll?)
The Kern Baby," (an image!), "was made either from the last
of the corn left standing,...or from the biggest and ripest
ears to be found in the field.... The spirit herself dwelt
in the corn, and mere mortals shirked the responsibility of
cutting her down. So, often the act was left to chance. All
those present threw their sickles at the lone sheaf from a
respectable distance, thus no one could be said to have
deliberately performed the act. In
the depths of folk memory there was still the awareness of
the death and resurrection cycle. The vegetation deity of
the remote past needed to be propitiated by a human
sacrifice.
When the feast was over, the Kern Baby was taken to the farm
house and kept there until the next harvest supper. The
symbol of the previous year's harvest was ceremoniously
burned in the farmyard.
The Kern Baby is by no means extinct, and can be seen in
some churches as part of the harvest festival decorations,
though she has been divested of her divine powers. At Little
Walthem in Essex and Whalton in North Umberland, for
example, Kern Babies are attached to one of the pews, 'the
custom of crying the neck,' once prevalent in the west of
England, is still observed here and there, though now it is
incorporated in the harvest festival held in the church. The
origin of the word 'Neck,' or 'Nack,' is obscure. It may
come from an old Norse word for sheaf of corn, or it may
have a connection with 'Nix,' a water spirit that is
supposed to be from where we get Old Nick, one of the
Devil's names."
Crying the neck -
While the labourers were reaping the last field of wheat,
one of them went to each group of sheaves and selected the
best of the ears, which he then tied up neatly, 'plaiting
and arranging the straws most tastefully.' When the
labourer's work was done, and the last of the wheat cut, the
entire company of reapers, binders and gleaners would form a
circle round the man with the neck. He then stooped down,
grasped the neck with both hands, and held it near to the
earth. The people surrounding him removed their hats and
held them downwards, too, a gesture of homage to the soil
which had nurtured the crops.
Most countries had their own special way of celebrating the
'ingathering,' but they all sprang from the same
pre-Christian impulse," (pre-Christian is earlier than
1621!), "the act of sacrifice which had to be performed at
the end of the harvest .... The cries when the neck was held
up were originally the wails of death, and the shouting and
dancing which followed captured the joy of resurrection."
(End of quotations.)
Now, we are aware most Americans do not follow the above
described rituals. Yet, does that make it alright? Is it
acceptable for me to celebrate Christmas, as long as I don't have
a tree, a yule log, etc., etc.? We would all say a resounding NO!
So, why would Thanksgiving be acceptable?
We who have come out of so much, out of Babylon, do we cling to
this Thanksgiving Day? At best a copy of God's fall festival,
at worst, pagan through and through. Should we be keeping
something like this? We are to be like Christ. Did He keep this
day?
You have obviously noted that this study has not quoted extensive
scriptures from the Bible, concerning wrongful practices, etc. We
all have studies on Christmas, Easter, etc., etc. The references
from God's Holy Scriptures concerning those pagan practices, not
adding to His word, not following the ways of the world, etc.,
are just as applicable here. It is assumed the reader knows of
these scriptures.
However, there is a most important part of the Bible that must be
considered when one is searching for God's will concerning the
appropriateness of Thanksgiving. Since these verses are not
quoted in most pagan holiday studies, it seems appropriate to
make the special effort to list them here.
The question at hand is, can man set up days on his own, or is
that up to God only? Even if Thanksgiving isn't thousands of
years old (which it is), it is at best a COPY of God's fall
festival of thanks, the one He did command to be kept, the Feast
of Tabernacles, the 15th to the 21st day of the 7th month of
God's sacred calendar.
Read 1 Kings 12:26 to 13:5. Here we have Jeroboam, the King,
setting up golden calves as gods. He institutes a SUBSTITUTE
feast in the 8th month, on the 15th day, and offers sacrifices on
the altar. Obviously, God was displeased, and sent His signs
signifying this displeasure.
The standard teaching is the punishment was solely for setting up
calves as gods, and sacrificing to and worshipping them. And
indeed, this is so, but not the only reason!
What about other reasons? ***Notice 12:33, God specifically chose
these words. God does nothing in vain, therefore, these words
have a meaning, also. So, what was another reason God was not
pleased? From the King James version, Jeroboam set UP a FEAST in
"the month which he had devised of his own heart." From the N.I.V
"a month of his own choosing." Lamsa says, "in the month which he
had devised of his own heart." Notice Jeroboam instituted a feast
"like the festival held in Judah" (12:32 NIV).***
Why would God specifically use the words "own choosing," unless
it was to show us we do not have the right to set up dates?
Continuing with 12:33, from the New English Bible, "In a month of
his own choosing." The N.A.S., "In the month which he had devised
in his own heart." The Amplified, "A date which he chose
individually."
The picture seems clear. We should NOT, cannot, ignore the
additional words God chose to be written concerning this
SUBSTITUTE Fall festival (just like Thanksgiving is); the words
are there. Man, no man, has the right to set up days of thanks to
God to be continually kept. Do we dictate to God? NO! He tells us
what His will is, and we either follow or not. The choice is
ours. But the Scriptures sited above seem pretty clear, man
cannot set up substitute days. There are only the times God
ordained, all else are days of tradition, which Jesus himself
said was worship in VAIN.
The question demands repeating. Do God's servants NEED a
SUBSTITUTE, second Fall festival, that at the very best is a COPY
(who is the great copier?), and most likely pagan in addition?
The choice is ours. May God guide us, and lead us all to the
truth.
Do not change God's days, do not add to them, do not keep
duplicate days. Notice Jeroboam's day was the 15th day of the 8th
month, around mid-October to early November, which is when
Thanksgiving was originally kept in the U.S., and possibly the
very beginnings of Thanksgiving, and pagan.
It is Satan who copies, who seeks to change times and days.
(And has used a great religious church and some individual
persons, down through the centuries to change the Holy Worship
Festivals and days of God's ordaining to the days of man's
devising. All this should remind you of the proverb, "There is a
way that SEEMS RIGHT unto man, but the end thereof is the way of
death" - Keith Hunt).
... He is all that matters, along with His Son, our glorious
Savior. If it wasn't an acceptable day to God 1,000 years ago
(due either to non-existence or pagan beginnings), if it won't be
acceptable to Him in the world tomorrow (after all, it's not
mentioned anywhere in the Bible), then by what twisted logic do
we say it is pleasing to God now?
My God does not change, and does not let man set up, or dictate
to Him, which days are acceptable days of permanent thanks or
worship.
What about your God???
Bradley D. Richardson 5322 S.E. 97th Avenue Portland, OR 97266
Permission is granted to reproduce and distribute this study.
................
(The above address was at the time Mr. Richardson wrote his
study. It may not be where he lives today - Keith Hunt)
Here is a reference list that will show you if you are wanting to
research it for yourself. You will be able to find a link with
the ancient harvest pagan/heathen festivals and Thanksgiving,
guaranteed! This way you can see for your self, no color added,
a research method we've all learned to use over the years. If you
live in an area of a good library, they should be able to help
you with some of these references. I own some of them, but not
all.
1. THANKSGIVING, Robert Haven Schauffler, Dodd-Mead, 1957.
2. THE BOOK OF HOLIDAYS, J.Walker McSpadden, Thomas Y.Crowell,
Co.,NY,1958.
3. ALL ABOUT AMERICAN HOLIDAYS, Maymie R.Krythe, Harper and
Brothers, NY,1962.
4. THE BOOK OF FESTIVAL HOLIDAYS, Marguerite Ickis, Dodd Mead and
Co., 1964.
5. THE GOLDEN BOUGH, THE ROOTS OF RELIGION AND FOLKLORE, John
Frazer, Random House, 1981. (Full of information)
6. THE BOOK OF FESTIVALS, Dorothy Gladys Spicer, 1937.
7. THE YEARBOOK OF ENGLISH FESTIVALS, Dorothy Gladys Spicer,
1954.
8. OUR WONDERFUL WORLD, by Grolier Incorporated, NY, Vo.17.
9. ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, 1980, Vol. 5.
10.THANKSGIVING, AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY, AN AMERICAN HISTORY, Diana
Karter Applebaum, 1984.
11.CELEBRATIONS: THE COMPREHENSIVE BOOK OF AMERICAN HOLIDAYS,
Robert J.Myers, 1972.
12.THE AMERICAN BOOK OF DAYS, Jane M.Hatch, 1978.
A final quote:
"A day of Thanksgiving was not an idea unique to the early
settlers in America. The Pilgrims were well acquainted while in
England with Thanksgiving celebrations, which had been known
throughout history as an ancient and universal custom.
In fact, the first Thanksgiving was more like a harvest festival,
with none of the accounts mentioning any giving of thanks in
solemn, religious piety as it is usually imagined. In keeping
with long-standing English custom, Thanksgiving was filled with
revelry, sports, and feasts" ("Myth Information Extraordinary,
Collection of 590 popular Misconception, Fallacies and
Misbeliefs" by J. Allen Varasdi)
History basically reports:
Together with the 90 brightly painted male warriors of chief
Massasoit, with whom they had concluded a peace treaty allowing
them to hunt for food in the surrounding woods in safety, the
pilgrims celebrated this 3 day festival by gorging themselves on
various foodstuffs, including wild turkey and geese, and amused
themselves with target shooting using guns and bows and arrows,
in addition to games of skill and chance. The Indians entertained
with some of their dances. A military review was staged by the
tiny force of pilgrims.
Entered on Keith Hunt's Website, September 2003
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