12: On Thanksgiving

The Podvig with Joel Dunn

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! In this episode, I’d like to tell you about America’s actual First Thanksgiving.

In the spring of 1618, four gentlemen met in London, England, to negotiate the formation of a new company, The Berkeley Company, and to start a town and plantation in the colony of Virginia. They had received a grant from King James I for 8,000 acres there.

On September 16, 1619, at 8:00 in the morning, the “Good Ship Margaret” set sail. The vessel weighed 47 tons and was 35 feet long and carried 55 souls, Captain John Woodlief, 19 crew members, and 35 settlers.

The Margaret arrived at the Chesapeake bay on November 28, 1619, which was on the Lord’s day. They proceeded up the James river and finally dropped anchor at their destination on December 4, 1619.

Back in England, The Berkeley Company provided a list of 10 instructions. The very first instruction was upon landing that they give a prayer of Thanksgiving for their safe voyage and to do so annually and perpetually thereafter.

As soon as they disembarked the Margaret onto the Berkely Hundred they immediately were called to prayer by Captain Woodlief, who proclaimed:

“We ordain that the day of our ship's arrival at the place assigned for the plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

America’s first Thanksgiving occurred one year and 17 days before the Pilgrims landed in Massachusetts and almost 2 years before the pilgrims held a 3-day Harvest Feast, commonly considered to be the first Thanksgiving.

But in Virginia, the annual day of thanksgiving was strictly a religious observance, dedicated to prayer. It was a solemn affair, not a harvest feast.

When Christ instituted the new covenant, he initiated it by first giving thanks, which in Greek is "eucharist." This was not a harvest party at which Christ or the disciples made merry. No, this was a ceremonial institution of Christ’s sacrificial offering for the salvation of mankind.

Christ's voluntary sacrifice was neither sweet nor sensual. The bitter cup of death did not pass From Him. And though His death brought forth salvation, for some it brings forth condemnation.

What exactly does all this have to do with Thanksgiving?

Well, hopefully, it will help us reorient our minds so that we may truly understand how and in what context God wishes to receive our thanksgiving. As he is loath to receive offerings marred by sin and sensuality, so we must strive to offer thanks to Him in purity, which is wrought through the fire of tribulation.

Thus, in all things, we can truly give thanks because according to St. Paul:

To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. (Titus 1:15)