The impiety of many of our country's present leaders makes it easy to forget that the United States was once governed by devout men who acknowledged the one true God and their debt to Him in everything. These statesmen were courageously unafraid to give public thanks to God. It is refreshingly edifying to review the role our founders played in establishing Thanksgiving Day.
The holiday we celebrate now has its roots in Massachusetts Governor William Bradford's proclamation of the first Thanksgiving Day on November 29, 1623. He ordered a public ceremony to "render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings." However, that was not the first thanksgiving on our nation's soil. Long before, on September 8, 1565, Spanish explorers celebrated Mass in gratitude for their safe arrival at what is now St. Augustine, Florida. Another Mass of thanksgiving was celebrated by Spanish explorers in...
Dr. Joel Beeke | 11/27/2014
