Give Thanks to the King of Kings This Thanksgiving
If gratitude follows repentance, America has much to be thankful for.
"Bad men cannot make good citizens. It is impossible that a nation of infidels or idolaters should be a nation of freemen. It is when a people forget God that tyrants forge their chains. A vitiated state of morals, a corrupted public conscience, is incompatible with freedom.
"No free government, or the blessings of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue; and by a frequent recurrence to fundamental principles."~Patrick Henry
This Thanksgiving, we celebrate God's mercy upon the United States of America. No nation has ever been blessed with so much light, the source of our prosperity, security, or liberty. And as such, no nation has ever found itself so lost—or in desperate need of a change of heart—as our own. We pray that this election marks the beginning of America's return to its founding convictions: An unshakeable trust in God, unquenchable thirst for righteousness, and a fearless devotion to King Jesus.
As Americans, we are alone in the world in setting aside one day each year as a national Thanksgiving, a tradition inherited from our Pilgrim fathers. They had much to be grateful for in 1621, the year of America's first Thanksgiving, which they celebrated with the Indians who had saved them from starvation. That was divine providence, Governor William Bradford wrote, "a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond expectation."
168 years later, President George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving Proclamation to the new United States of America in 1789 as one of his first acts in office. For Washington, a quietly pious Anglican, nothing was more important than honoring the God Who had blessed his people with independence and a new constitutional government that would respect the rights of all citizens.
Washington knew that success depended on the blessing of the Almighty. That remains true today. In that spirit, we've reprinted Washington's proclamation in full below.
On behalf of the Restoration News team, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.
"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 shewn kindness unto 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."
President George Washington
