Thank you Jared Taylor, for this post
Key events in 1863 changed our nation forever. Since the beginning of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln struggled to keep the States united. His military leadership severely under-performed and the nation was weary of war. The bitterness and bloodshed of the Civil War reached an all-time high in July at the Battlefield of Gettysburg.
Yet during it all, Lincoln remained committed to the Almighty God and His blessings. In October of 1863 he issued the following official proclamation making the last Thursday in November as a Thanksgiving celebration for the entire nation.
“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
A short time later, Lincoln was invited to give the dedicatory comments at Gettysburg on 19 November, 150 years ago today.
Lincoln’s message only lasted a few minutes. He thought they would quickly be forgotten. A local paper, The Patriot & Union,wrote, "We pass over the silly remarks of the President. For the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them, and that they shall be no more repeated or thought of."
But as the actual words of this speech spread throughout the Nation, its profound meaning sank deep into the hearts of all Americans. Lincoln’s speech has been immortalized in monuments, pictures, and memorized by millions of school children everywhere.
Today, our nation suffers from deep divisions. Loud voices call for a a ‘veil of oblivion’ to be dropped over those who love freedom and liberty. The precious freedoms our ancestors fought for seem to be disregarded and ignored by the very people who are entrusted to secure our rights.
This Thanksgiving season is the sesquicentennial anniversary of Lincoln’s visit to Gettysburg. His powerful address has served as a standard of truth and a soothing balm to our nation for many years.
May we live up to President Lincoln’s challenge to “take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion–that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
Happy Thanksgiving,
Jared & Diane Taylor