Thankful for Thanksgiving

During the French and Indian War, the area known today as the “Point” was a critical military stronghold due to its strategic location at the Forks of the Ohio River. By 1758, the French controlled Fort Duquesne after thwarting several attacks by the British.

Despite their victories, the French knew British forces would eventually return with a larger army, so they decided to strategically destroy Fort Duquesne by setting fire to it and fleeing before British Gen. John Forbes arrived to capture the site in November 1758.

Following the capture of Fort Duquesne, Forbes declared the following Sunday -Nov. 26, 1758 -“a day of public thanksgiving.”

Rev. Charles Beatty conducted the first Thanksgiving service in Pittsburgh. Nearly 5,000 soldiers, including Gen. George Washington, attended the sermon. Far from a turkey-filled feast, Beatty’s sermon served as the highlight of Pittsburgh’s first Thanksgiving due to the shortage of food at the destroyed fort.

More than 40 years later, during his first year as president of the United States, Washington designated Nov. 26, 1789, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer.

It wasn’t until Oct. 3, 1863 — three months after the Battle of Gettysburg claimed 50,000 lives during the Civil War — that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving Day a national holiday.

We are quickly approaching the holiday of Thanksgiving season. Many American citizens have almost forgotten it and eliminated it from their calendars. If it wasn’t for many companies giving the employees a paid day off, it would be less remembered than it is. The commercialism of Halloween and Christmas has almost pushed aside this time for us to be grateful. Less money can be garnered from this holiday than the others, so stores promote it less.

We live in a country where we should be thankful for each freedom that we have. No matter how little we feel we have, we are so much better off than much of the world. Countries where they aren’t free, the people are near starvation, and they would consider having food at mealtimes a luxury. Shoes and clothing makes them rich, even having clean water at their fingertips and not having to carry it for miles after scooping it from dirty rivers and streams. We are blessed that we were born in the United States of America. Our hearts desire should be thankful a joyful expression for each blessing that we have.

If America follows the paths other nations have traveled without looking to God for direction, we too shall be only a few pages in a history book. When we ignore God and have thankful hearts for His blessings, God will withhold them. If we still ignore Him, then comes judgment.