Happy Thanksgiving!

If not for the following Declaration by Queen Victoria, we might never have gotten the holiday!

The Ecclesiastical Gazette

November 8, 1859, p. 114

http://books.google.ca/books?id=oJ0OAAAAQAAJ&pg=RA1-PA114&ci=330%2C35%2C359%2C764&source=bookclip

COLONIAL.

CANADA.--PUBLIC DAY OF THANKSGIVING.

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PROCLAMATION

PROVINCE OF CANADA.

EDMUND HEAD.

Victoria, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen, defender of the faith, &c., &c., &c.

To all to whom these presents shall come--greeting:--

John A. Macdonald, Attorney General.

Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God, in his great goodness, to vouchsafe unto our province of Canada the blessings of an abundant harvest; we, therefore, adoring the divine goodness and duly considering that the blessings of peace and plenty now enjoyed by our people in the said province do call for public and solemn acknowledgments, have thought fit by and with the advice of our executive council of our province of Canada, to issue this proclamation, hereby appointing that a general holiday and day of thanksgiving to Almighty God for these His mercies be observed throughout our said province of Canada, on Thursday, the 3rd day of November next, and we do earnestly exhort all our loving subjects therein that they do observe the said public Day of Thanksgiving.

In testimony thereof we have caused these our letters to be made potent, and the great seal of our said province of Canada to be hereunto affixed: Witness our right trusty and well-beloved the Right Honorable Sir Edmund Walker Head, Baronet, Governor General of British North America, &c., &c. At our Government House, in our city of Toronto, in our said province, this 13th day of September, A.D. 1859, and in the twenty-third year of our reign.

By command, CHAS. AILEEN, Secretary.

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A FORM OF PRAYER AND THANKSGIVING TO ALMIGHTY GOD, TO BE USED

In all the churches and chapels of the United Church of England and Ireland within the province of Canada, on Thursday, the third day of November, 1859, being the day appointed for a general thanksgiving to Almighty God:

FOR THE LATE ABUNDANT HARVEST.

BY AUTHORITY.

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THE ORDER FOR MORNING PRAYER.

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....

O merciful God, at whose bidding the earth withholdeth her increase, or again rendereth her fruits in their seasons; Give us grace that we may learn alike from Thy mercies and from Thy judgments our entire dependence on Thee for the supply of our daily bread, and that being fully persuaded that whatever blessing we receive at Thy hands is designed for our trial as well as for our comfort, we may impart a share of Thy bounty, in dutiful accordance to Thy holy will, to the afflicted and indigent, the widow, the orphan, and the aged, and thus obtain for ourselves that mercy which Thou in Thy word hast promised to the merciful: through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

....

O Almighty God and Father, of whose only gift it cometh that the earth is made to yield its increase for the sustenance of man; vouchsafe, we beseech Thee, to accept this our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, that Thou hast crowned the year with Thy goodness and caused the earth to bring forth abundantly, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. We acknowledge, O Lord, that it is of Thy great mercy that we are not consumed, and that Thou art kind and good to the unthankful and the evil. We might have sown

p. 115

much, and brought in little; the heaven might have been stayed from dew, and the earth stayed from her fruit. But Thou hast dealt graciously with Thine unworthy servants, and hast blessed the labours of the husbandman, and filled our garners with all manner of store. And now, Lord, we entreat Thee, together with these temporal mercies to bestow the inestimable gift of Thy Holy Spirit, that a due sense of Thy goodness toward this land may awaken in us a more sincere repentance toward Thee, and a more earnest faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. Grant that the mercy and preservation, which we have in manifold instances experienced, may lead us to a more active obedience of Thy laws, a more earnest endeavour to conform to Thy will, and to advance Thy glory. Dispose the hearts of those to whom abundance has been given, to use that abundance in relieving the necessities of the poor and destitute: that whilst many have gathered plenty, none may pine in want and penury. Thus may Thy judgments and Thy mercies alike work together for the spiritual benefit of all the people of this land, and tend to graft in their hearts an increasing love and fear of Thee, our only refuge in time of trouble. Hear, we beseech Thee, O Lord, these our humble petitions, and receive these our thanksgivings, for His sake, our only Mediator and Advocate. Amen.

Grant, O Lord, we beseech Thee, that the course of this world may be so peaceably ordered by Thy governance, that Thy Church may joyfully serve Thee in all godly quietness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Grant, we beseech Thee, Almighty God, that the words, which we have heard this day with our outward ears, may through Thy grace be so grafted inwardly to our hearts, that they may bring forth in us the fruit of good living, to the honour and praise of Thy Name, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, the fountain of all wisdom, who knowest our necessities before we ask, and our ignorance is asking; we beseech Thee to have compassion upon our infirmities; and those things, which for our unworthiness we dare not, and for our blindness we cannot ask, vouchsafe to give us for the worthiness of Thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

See you all on Tuesday!