On October 3, 1863, Pres. Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation, saying, "The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that, they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible."  Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, celebrated that year on the last Thursday of November.

The proclamation, actually released by William Seward, Sec. of State in 1863 by orders of President Lincoln.  

Actual opening line  reads.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm 
If you read the rest you could see the ACLU having a cow over this if it was released today

Quoteninfiction - 11/25/2015  9:22 AM  I think I'll memorize that to recite before dinner tomorrow.

QuoteCfickter - 11/25/2015  10:44 AM  

The proclamation, actually released by William Seward, Sec. of State in 1863 by orders of President Lincoln.  

Actual opening line  reads.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm 
If you read the rest you could see the ACLU having a cow over this if it was released today

  Yes, the entire proclamation might stir up a little trouble these days as it sounds more like a Sunday sermon from a preacher...........

October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States
A Proclamation

The  year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the  blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties,  which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source  from which they come, others have been added, which are of so  extraordinary a nature that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften the  heart which is habitually insensible to the ever-watchful providence of  Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude  and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and  provoke their aggressions, peace has been preserved with all nations,  order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and  harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military  conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the  advancing armies and navies of the Union.

Needful diversions of  wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the  national defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship;  the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as  well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more  abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased,  notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege, and  the battlefield, and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of  augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of  years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath  devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They  are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who while dealing with us  in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has  seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently,  and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole  American people. 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. And I recommend to them  that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such  singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence  for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender  care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers  in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and  fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the  wounds of the nation, and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent  with the Divine purposes, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony,  tranquility, and union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United Stated States to be affixed.

Done  at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of  our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the  Independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

Mr. Seward was a fine gentleman but his tirade smacks of ‘divine intervention’ and ‘manifest destiny’, which Lincoln rejected.  My post was intended only as a simple remembrance of the three-day feast enjoyed by the Pilgrims and their Wampanoag allies in 1621 and a wish for the same to all Geeks on this fine day.  This should not be a political discussion, but just historical perspectives.  Amen

PS: The right to practice religion, or no religion at all, is among the most fundamental of the freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights. The ACLU works to ensure that this essential freedom for every individual is protected by keeping the government out of religion.

"Separation of church and state" is a phrase used by Thomas Jefferson and others expressing an understanding of the intent and function of the Establishment Clause and Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Anyway, back to the kitchen.

But since you also brought up the separation clause let's make sure that it is historically and accurately represented   There is nothing in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that reference separation of church and state. In fact the words separation and Church are not even used in the Constitution. The term "separation from church and state" was never used by Thomas Jefferson. In fact at the time of the signing of the declaration of Independence nine of the  13 colonies had official state churches

The amendment in reference to the government not establishing a religion was to avoid a Church of England situation which they were fighting to free themselves from. 

 The idea of a separation clause comes from a 1947 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States where the judge referenced the letter by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist church in Virginia using that as his interpretation of Mr Jefferson's intent.  The actual intent of Thomas Jefferson was to separate, he actually used the term "wall"' the pronunciation of religious beliefs in the town square from those of the government news. This was compounded by the assumption that Thomas Jefferson wrote the First Amendment where it was actually written by John Quincy Adams (according to many authorities)

just trying to keep everything in an historical perspective

QuoteCfickter - 11/26/2015  6:50 PM  My comments were meant to be historical also. To accurately represent the actual wording used.  But since you also brought up the separation clause let's make sure that it is historically accurately represented   There is nothing in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights that reference separation of church and state. In fact the words separation and Church are not even used in the Constitution. The term separation from church and state was never used by Thomas Jefferson. In fact at the time of the signing of the declaration of Independence nine of the  13 colonies had official state churches   The idea of a separation clause comes from a 1947 decision by the Supreme Court of the United States where the wind judge reference the letter by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist churcih in Virginia. The actual intent of Thomas Jefferson what's to separate the pronunciation of religious beliefs in the town square from those of the government news. This was compounded by Thomas Jefferson actually wrote the First Amendment wearing it was actually written by John Quincy Adams  just trying to keep everything and historical perspective

 School is in session