Magyar Egyház, 1957 (36. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1957-11-01 / 11. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 MAGYAR CHURCH Thanksgiving Day Proclamation At the autumnal season of the year our hearts move us to follow the wise and reverent custom, inaugurated by our Pilgrim fathers more than three centuries ago, of setting aside one special day for expressions of gratitude to a merciful Providence for the blessings bestowed upon us. It behooves us to dwell upon the deep religious convictions of those who formed our nation out of a wilderness and to recall that our leaders throughout the succedding generations have relied upon Almighty God for vision and strength of purpose. As a nation we have prospered; we are enjoying the fruit of our land and the product of our toil; we are making progress in our efforts to translate our national ideals into living realities. And we are at peace with the world, working toward that day when the benefits of freedom and justice shall be secured for all mankind. For such blessings let us be devoutly thankful and at the same time let us be sensitive and responsive to the obligations which such great mercies entail. Now therefore I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, having in mind the joint resolution of Congress approved December 26, 1941, which designates the fourth Thursday in November of each year as Thanksgiving Day, do hereby call upon our people to observe Thursday, November 28, 1967, as a day of national thanksgiving. On that day let all of us, in accordance with our hollowed custom, foregather in our respective places of worship or in our homes and offer up prayers of thanks for our manifold blessings. Let the happiness which stems from family reunions of Thanksgiving Day be tempered with compassion and inspired by an active concern for those less fortunate in our own country and in other lands; and let us ask God’s continuing help and guidance in our conduct, both as individuals and as a nation. THANKSGIVING, AN AMERICAN HOLIDAY Our great American nation of today is the product of many peoples uniting their cultural heritages in this free land. The very multiplicity of national origins and forms of religious expression lends great emphasis to the unique nature of our first great holiday, Thanksgiving. Although colonization had been attempted at Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, the later settlement at Plymouth in 1620 has captured the imagination of the entire world. Here on the barren Massachusetts shore a colony of religious people began their life in the new world. Their faith determined their destiny and set its mark on all later American life. For, you see, the Pilgrims were Protestants. They had felt the power of religious oppression in Europe and sought a new land. They were not men and women whose religious ideas were vague and undefined. Years of suffering and persecution had forced them into a mold of piety and religion. These Pilgrims were different than anyone else on earth. In their hearts there was tremendous confidence in the power of God. And their first act upon landing was the offering up of prayer (for they knew in Whom they believed.) Then they elected from among their number one man to serve as pastor and another to serve as teacher. The Church and the School were thus established on these shores, not by “fiat” of bishop or king but rather by the free will of the people. It was inevitable that these godly folk would return thanks to God in a fitting manner upon the completion of their first successful harvest. Many of their number had perished of starvation. They were doubly thankful. In their thanksgiving there was a note of rejoicing for the benefits given the soul as well as the body. Through the centuries this day has been more and more a symbol of the founding of our nation. It has remained one holiday relatively free from the commercialization that has made so many purely religious holidays into little more than businessmen’s delights. For at the heart of Thanksgiving there is the witness of simple Protestant people. No pomp and ceremony mark this day, it does not allow any human innovations to take precedence over the needs of the soul. Our nation has changed radically since the days of its founding. Yet our need for offering thanks has never been greater. The return to religion that characterizes post-war America can be a force for good only if we of the Church keep things in focus. We must appropriate the blessings of this day by celebrating it IN THE CHURCH. It is from the time of worship that we gain spiritual power. Let our Thanksgiving begin in our Churches. Let this day be one of spiritual meaning for our community through our united effort as believers. Charles A. Darocy
