Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 November 1917 — THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION [ARTICLE]

THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION

President Wilson Calls Upon Nation to Observe Custom. President Woodrow Wilson issued the annual Thanksgiving proclamation on Wednesday, and designated Thursday, November 29, 1917, as Thanksgiving day. The proclamation is as follows: “It has long l?een the honored custom of our people to turn in the fruitful autumn of the year in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for His many blessings and mercies to us as a nation. * That custom we can follow now even in the midst of the tragedy of a world shaken by war and immeasurable disaster, in the midst of sorrow and great peril, because even amidst the darkness that has gathered about us we can see the great blessings God has bestowed upon us, blessings that are better than mere peace of mind and prosperity of enterprise. “We have been given the opportunity to serve mankind as we once served ourselves in the great day of our Declaration of Independence, by taking up arms against a tyranny that threatened to master and debase men everywhere and joining with other free peoples in demanding for all nations of the world what we then demanded and obtained for ourselves. In this day of the revelation of our duty not only to defend our own rights as a nation but to defend also the rights of free men throughout world there has been vouchsafed us in full and Inspiring the resolution and spirit of united action. We should especially thank God that in such circumstances in the midst

of the greatest enterprise the spirits of men have ever entered upon we have, if we observe a reasonable and practjeahle economy, abundance with which to supply the needs of Those associated with us as well as our om. A new light shines about us. The great duties of a new day awaken a new -'nd greater natioml spirit in We shall never again be divided or wonder what stuff we are made of. "And while we render thanks for these things us r r»v Ahnfrbfv God that in all humbleness of spirit we may look always to Him for guidance: that we may be kept constant in the spirit and purpose of service; that by His grace our minds may be directed and our hands strengthened: and that in His good time liberty and security and peace and the comradeship of a common justice may be vouchsafed all the nations of the earth." "Whereas, I. Woodrow Wilson. President of the United States of America. do hereby designate Thursday, the twenty-ninth day of November next, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, and invite the people throughout the land to, cease upon that day from their ordinary occupation? and in their several homes and places of worship to render thanks to God, the great ruler of naticms. "In witness whereof. I have hereunto set my hand and caused the sea] of the United States to be affixed.

"Done in th* District of Columbia. this seventh day of Novemberin the year of our Lord 1917. and of the independence of the United States of America., the 142nd. < Seal > "WOODROW WILSON. "Br the President. "ROBERT B_ LANSING. "Secretary o' State.”