Pres. Hinckley counseled us to be grateful. Gratitude keeps the great sin of Pride from finding lodging in our hearts, leading us to greater evils. I express thanks to God for this land, which he has said is a chosen land above all other lands upon the face of the earth. I am grateful for the government He prompted wise and good men to establish on this land, so that the Rights and Privileges and Freedoms of all men might be laid out for all to see. That single act sounded the death knell of every base tyranny and petty dictatorship on earth. No longer would men be free to oppress their fellow men under the claim of divine right, or the privilege of high birth, or the justification of advanced education. No-one on earth must now simply accept slavery as his lot in life, a destiny established for him before his birth and beyond his control. Now all men may look to the great Constitution of this nation as a Title of Liberty, calling to them to awake and arise, and take upon themselves the mantle of their birthright, which says they are equal to all other men on earth.
Thanks be to God for his preparations in leading our great founders to this place, where they would carry out the work of God in setting forth these great and holy principles. May we never forget.
George Washington’s 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to “recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.
