Happy Thanksgiving from Landmark Events!

omorrow, families around the country will be gathering together to celebrate Thanksgiving. Having just returned from our Pilgrims & Patriots tour in “America’s Home Town” — Plymouth, Massachusetts — we wanted to offer a bit of perspective from those hearty souls that traversed the Atlantic, landing in December 1620.

The Embarkation of the Pilgrims

The First Winter

William Bradford, signer of the Mayflower Compact and longtime governor of Plymouth summarized the deadly first winter for the Pilgrims in his book, Of Plymouth Plantation:

“...But that which was most sadd & lamentable was, that in 2. or 3. moneths time halfe of their company dyed, espetialy in Jan: & February, being ye depth of winter, and wanting houses & other comforts; being infected with ye scurvie & other diseases, which this long vioage & their inacomodate condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed some times 2. or 3. of a day, in ye foresaid time; that of 100. & odd persons, scarce 50. remained.

And of these in ye time of most distres, ther was but 6. or 7. sound persons, who, to their great comendations be it spoken, spared no pains, night nor day, but with abundance of toyle and hazard of their owne health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome cloaths, cloathed & uncloathed them; in a word, did all ye homly & necessarie offices for them wch dainty & quesie stomacks cannot endure to hear named; and all this willingly & cherfully, without any grudging in ye least, shewing herein their true love unto their friends & bretheren. A rare example & worthy to be remembred. Two of these 7. were Mr. William Brewster, ther reverend Elder, & Myles Standish, ther Captein & military comander, unto whom my selfe, & many others, were much beholden in our low & sicke condition.”

What a striking picture of manliness portrayed by Brewster and Standish! Two of the strongest and most influential men in the plantation, humbling themselves and lovingly caring for their sick neighbors! By the grace of God and the efforts of those few healthy folks, about half of the pilgrims survived that first winter and went on to have a very productive spring and summer.

The Signing of the Mayflower Compact

Harvest of 1621

When fall arrived in 1621, William Brewster described what has become known as the “First Thanksgiving” in his book, Mourt’s Relation:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.”

This Thanksgiving, we give thanks for your support and encouragement as we seek to recount the great works of our Lord. May your day be full of joy and your heart overflow with gratitude. Let us all join the Psalmist in celebrating all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us:

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever.” —Psalm 136:1

—Your friends at Landmark Events

Pictures from the Tour!

Image Credits: 1 William Bradford (Wikipedia.org) 2 First Thanksgiving (Wikipedia.org) 3 Myles Standish (Wikipedia.org) 4 Embarkation (Wikipedia.org) 5 Mayflower Compact Signing (Wikipedia.org) 6 William Brewster (Wikipedia.org)