Thanksgiving
Kin cs Business
THE REALLY FIRST THANKSGIVING By Martha 5. Hooker
T T was the Sunday before Thanksgiv- -*• ing Day. The world outside was white with freshly-fallen snow, but that did not keep the Junior boys and girls away from their cozy Sunday school classroom and their faithful teacher, Miss Carolyn. After the usual greetings, and prayer to the Heavenly Father for His special blessing upon each boy and girl, Miss Carolyn introduced the subject upper most in the minds of the entire group-— Thanksgiving. “What does Thanksgiving Day mean to you?” she asked. While the thought ful ones were pondering the question, Willie, one of the liveliest, said in a loud whisper, “ Turkey!” Miss Carolyn smiled “ Yes, that’s what many people think. Isn’t it too bad?” By this time Tom’s hand was raised in answer to the ques tion. In a clear voice, he said, “ Thanks giving is a day in which we should thank God for all of His goodness to us.” The class seemed to agree with Tom’s an swer. Next they turned their attention to Mary’s report on the first Thanksgiv ing Day when the Pilgrim Fathers feast ed with the peace-loving Indians, and thanked God for His mercies. “ That was our first Thanksgiving Day in America, Mary,” Miss Carolyn ex plained, “ and how glad we are for it today. As the Pilgrims set aside a spe cial day on which to thank God for His many blessings, we do the same thing now. But, do you know, boys and girls, God’s Word tells of a Thanksgiving Day of long, long ago, hundreds of years be fore the Pilgrim Fathers set sail in the Mayflower ?” The Juniors really looked surprised at this information. Their teacher went on: “ The story of this Thanksgiving Day is found in Nehemiah, chapter eight.” At the mention of the reference, the boys and girls began to turn the pages of their Bibles to the chapter. Then, with their aid in reading verses and answering questions, Miss Carolyn told this story of that very first Thanksgiving: Nehemiah was cupbearer to Artax- erxes, King of Persia. One day, while he was serving, he heard of the dreadful
state of his own Jewish people and of the broken-down walls and gates of his be loved city Jerusalem. In answer to his prayer to “ the Lord God of heaven,” the King sent him back as a governor. Un der his direction, the walls and gates of the city were soon repaired. How happy the people were to return to their own land! How thankful they were that their home city, Jerusalem, had been repaired. How could they show their gratitude to God, their Heavenly Father?
T riumph (2 Cor. 2:14) H oliness (Psa. 30:4) A 11 Things (Eph. 5:20) N earness (Psa. 75:1) K nowledge (2 Cor. 2:14) S alvation (Rom. 7 :24,25) G race (1 Cor. 1:4) I nfinite Mercy (Psa. 136:1) V ictory (1 Cor. 15:57)
I mmutable Judgment (Psa. 119:62) N ever-failing Goodness (Psa. 100:4,5) G ift of Christ (1 Cor. 9:15) sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sor ry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength” (Neh. 8:10). So those happy people went to their homes and not only feasted upon the good things they had prepared, but shared their abundance with others who had nothing. They kept a real Thanks giving Day, hearing first the Word, then feasting happily, and afterwards divid ing with others. “ Shall we not, boys and girls,” con cluded Miss Carolyn, “follow the exam ple of these people of long ago on this our Thanksgiving Day? Shall we not with thankful hearts listen to the read ing of God’s Word before we feast, and when we do eat, shall we not remember others?” She knew by the happy re sponse on the faces of her class that they would do it. How to Join the K. Y. B. Club To become a member of» the Know Your Bible Club, read through the Gospel according to John, using either your own Bible, or a Gospel of John which will be sent upon request. When the Gospel has been read and a statement to this effect, signed by parent or Sunday school|teacher,l has been sent to the Editor ofthe Junior King's Business, a K.Y.B.C. pin will be mailed. Sunday school classes or clubs desiring to order ten or more Gospels or pins may wish to share the cost of these supplies, as#the Lord directs; Gospels, postpaid five cents each— in quanti ty, three cents; pins, without postage, two cents each. However, no one is to do without a Gospel or pin because of lack of money. Address: Junior King's Business, 558 S. Hope St., Los Angeles 13, Calif.
This is what they did. They all gath ered “ as one man” in front of the water gate. There they asked Ezra the scribe to bring forth God’s Book. They were longing to hear the Word of God, be cause no one had read it to them for a long time. A pulpit N O V E M B E R , 1 9 4 7 Page Twenty-seven
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