of our colonial history, and the great change in the mode 

 of observance within the past few years. 



PURITAN HOLY DAYS. 



Our forefathers, the Puritans, observed but three 

 classes of holy days ; namely, Sabbaths, Fasts and Thanks- 

 givings. In the observance of the first they differed 

 from the Catholic church and from most of the Reformed 

 churches by devoting them exclusively to religious exer- 

 cises after the Mosaic model. It was on account of this 

 difference between them and their neighboring Protestants 

 in Holland, that the Pilgrims left that country for Amer- 

 ica. Here they enforced, by law, the strictest observance 

 of the Lord's day, and established periodical fasts and 

 days of thanksgiving. 



The first thanksgiving in Massachusetts was observed 

 at Salem, July 8, 1630. Winthrop and his immigrants 

 had arrived about a month before, bringing provisions 

 of which the settlers under Endicott stood greatly in 

 need. Two days before the thanksgiving, Gov. Win- 

 throp's son Henry was drowned in attempting to swim 

 across the North, river, after a canoe ; so that the occa- 

 sion was mixed with sadness. 



The next thanksgiving was observed at Boston, Febru- 

 ary 22, 1631. This was on account of the arrival of the 

 ship Lyon, with provisions, which came the day before a 

 fast which had been appointed on account of a threatened 

 famine. The fast was immediately changed to a thanks- 

 giving. 



The next and first general thanksgiving was kept by 

 the seven plantations then established, Oct. 16, 1633, 

 and was ordered "in regard of the many and extraordi- 

 nary mercies which the Lord hath been pleased to vouch- 

 safe of late to this plantation ; namely, a plentiful har- 



