Abraham Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863. This was at the depth of the Civil War when, “harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict,” the proclamation reads, as if to say, except for this war, there would be peace. Among other “gracious gifts of the Most High God,” are that the population is growing, farms are fruitful, commerce is healthy, mines are productive. At the end, Lincoln’s proclamation turns from counting blessings to asking for more. Americans, while you’re at prayer, he suggests, “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows,” and implore “the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation” and to restore peace. It is a model we can emulate at our tables, with “thank you” and “please.” –Fletcher Farrar, editor
This article appears in Winter Guide 2022.
