The Wilkes Team

Early Thanksgiving morning, the mouth watering aroma of Cinnamon Rolls and Egg Casserole drifted through the house. Mom had risen early to prepare a special Thanksgiving breakfast. Before eating, Dad gathered everyone together on the back deck for a unique family devotion.

The first part involved a treasure hunt. Scampering through the house, the quick eyes of Sarah soon discovered a quaint little box entitled, ThanksLiving Treasures from Family Life. Retrieving it to our before mentioned location, we began to explore its contents. 6 pictures featuring scenes from the Pilgrim era were laid out on the table. From the Mayflower to the signing of the compact to the first church service in America (January 21, 1621) to the first Thanksgiving Feast (October of 1621), these portraits capture some of America’s most important moments. Each family member then voted on the sequential order the pictures were to be arranged in. As we looked on intently, Dad discussed the Providential hand of God, the suffering, and the multi-generational vision of our Pilgrim forefathers.

Soon after breakfast began helping prepare the Thanksgiving feast. Can you imagine what it must been like 386 years ago as the men hunted down wild game, mothers prepared pies and vegetables, and probably the children set large tables? For us, there was turkey to slice, potatoes to mash, salads to mix and chill, stuffing to stir, and more.

Mom’s niece and her family joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. As we gathered around the table for a prayer of gratefulness, Dad recounted what it must have been like in the 1620s. We also read two excerpts from George Washington and Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamations (1789 & 1863). 5 kernels of corn were at each plate in remembrance of the 1623 starvation period. We really don’t realize how good the Lord has been to us. It is truly hard to conceive the hardships the Pilgrims encountered. Nevertheless, they willingly suffered unto the preservation of a Godly seed and the ultimate birth of a Christian nation.

Though this concludes our section on Thanksgiving in Project Remember, may we not forget that to whom much has, is and continues to be given, much is required. Stand fast, ready yourselves, and willingly follow the hand of the Providence.

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John Howland (1599 – 1673) was born in Fenstanton, Huntingdonshire, England. At the age of twenty-one, he was employed by John Carver and shortly thereafter made the 66 day trip to America aboard the Mayflower. As many will recall, Rowland was the one who ventured above deck amidst a horrific storm,  that lasted well nigh 2 weeks. Peeking aboved the rancid room below, the boat, which was riding up a large wave, came crashing down leaving pour John in midair and within moments the raging ocean. Despite evident disobedience, the Providential hand of God was upon him and a trailing topsail halyard from the boat came fluttering by to which John quickly grasped.

John Rowland was one of 41 men to sign the Mayflower Compact. Sadly, the original copy of this document was lost and the sole reason those fundamental words were not loast is due to the journal of William Bradford (never underestimate the powerful potential of journaling). After the establishment of the new government, John went ashore with a small group of men to explore the shores of Cape Cod.

Through what can only be attributed to diligence and dependability, Howland rose to a position of great respect and responsibility in Plymouth. He was called upon to be assistant to the Governor, served as a member of many Plymouth committees, was placed in charge of the Colony’s fur trading post at Kennebec, Maine, and was an influential member of the Plymouth Church. Seeing a need to owe no man anything and to be free from future problems, the pilgrims asked Howland for assistance in buying out the businessmen who had bankrolled the settlement of Plymouth. Howland was a ready, willing vessel through whom God was able to work powerfully.

In 1624, John (age 25), described as a ‘plain good-hearted Christian,’ married 17 year old Elizabeth Tilley. They went on to raise 10 children  (4 sons & 6 daughters) through adulthood. Rowland understood the responsilibity of passing on the baton to the next generation. This is seen in the positions of leadership that his sons took in Plymouth. 400 years later, the influence of Rowland continues to affect the United States through his direct decendents: President George Bush, George H.W. Bush, Barbara Bush, Jeb Bush, and many more. He also assisted his brothers (namely Henry & Arthur Howland) in coming to New England. Their direct decendants include Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Winston Churchhill.

Howland died on February 23rd, 1673, and was “with honour interred”. This was given only to the leaders of the Colony, and meant that a squad of soldiers fired a volley over his grave. He is described in the records as a “godly man and an ardent professor in the ways of Christ.”

Was he perfect? By no means. However, herein was one who chose to follow the principles and paths of Christ. In 1620, 41 Pilgrims willingly climbed aboard the Mayflower, leaving left behind fortune, fame, and comfort to insulate themselves and posterity unto the increase of Jesus Christ.

We have a similar decision before us. The world we live in continues to embrace evil. I do not believe God is calling us to physically leave our wicked culture, but rather to willing climb aboard the Mayflower of separation and to prepare to be leaders and possibly martyrs. Let us not see how close we can come to the world but chose rather to be Godly and ardent professors in the ways of Christ. God has called us to be different. We are pilgrims on a heavenbound journey. And remember, you may be an influential John Rowland or a seemingly insignificant John Tilley, but both were used by God to impact our culture because of faithfulness.

See this article and more in Project: Remember.

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O Come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with Psalms. For the Lord is a great God and a great king above all gods (Ps. 95:1-3)

Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise (Is. 60:18)

We have a call upon us to Thanksgiving. Unto the One who has given us manifold blessings, may we not forget to render the thanks due unto His name. May this be a day of great rejoicing in each home across the nation. As our founding fathers below remind us, this is to be a day of prayer, praise, and penitence. May the simple realization of how greatly the hand of Providence has blessed us draw us to cleanse our hands and purify our hearts. Happy Thanksgiving all! The below excerpts from Thanksgiving Proclamations would be a wonderful addition to your Thanksgiving celebration.

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…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, tranquillity, and union….

Excerpt from President Lincoln’s official Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863. This was given shortly after Lincoln’s salvation.

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;….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….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;….and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

President George Washington, October 3, 1789

Read the entire proclamation here.

Whereas it is the incumbent duty of communities, as well as individual persons…. to recollect the innumerable blessings conferred upon them by their all gracious Father and Benefactor; and as the season of the year is now approaching when – in imitation of the example of our venerable forefathers – a day has been invariably set apart for this laudable and religious purpose:

I … accordingly appoint Thursday, the twenty-fifth day of November next, to be observed as a day of public thanksgiving and praise throughout this Commonwealth, hereby calling upon ministers and people of every denomination to assemble on the said day and … render to God the tribute of praise for His unmerited goodness towards us: in favoring us with so great a measure of health; in preserving us from desolating judgments; in so far smiling upon our trade, our liberty, and the works of our hands; …[and] in continuing to us the innocent enjoyments of social life, the means of religion, the right of private judgment, and the Holy Scriptures – which are able to enlighten and make us wise to eternal salvation…
And… it is highly becoming that we present our humble and penitent supplications to the God of all grace that He would be pleased mercifully to forgive our manifold sins., and through the sanctifying influences of His Spirit, correct our heart and manners and make us a holy and happy people; that He would be pleased to preserve to us our invaluable rights and liberties, civil and religious; to prosper the administration of the government of the United
States, and of this and other States in the Union;… to smile upon our university and all seminaries of learning so that streams may issue from them to make glad the city of our God; … to put an end to civil and religious invasions on the rights of men; and to cause the benign religion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to be known, understood, and practiced among all the inhabitants of the earth…

John Hancock, Governor of Massachusetts and Signer of the Declaration of Independence

See this article and more in Project: Remember.

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Soon after dinner, the night of November 16th, the Wilkes Team men began scurrying about the house, gathering piles of gear. Much planning went on as each one prepared the things they would need for the following day. A day of excitement, adventure, and anticipation.

Beep, beep, beep! Alarms clock began to go off at 4am. Springing out of bed, each man grabbed their gear. Everything had to be ready for departure at 5am. Grandpa was to be expected at any time now. Jumping into the car, we paused for a moment of prayer asking for God’s blessing and safety and then began our expedition.

The morning light was just beginning to glow through the darkness as the van rumbled to a stop on our land in Culpeper. Day one of the regular hunting season had begun.

Moving quietly through the quickly departing darkness, each hunter advanced to one of 4 locations. Kenan and I were assigned to the tree stand. Sitting quietly with great anticipation, our eyes and ears searched to and fro for movement. Not more than 30 minutes after situating ourselves, Kenan spotted a herd of does heading straight toward us. He prepared himself, took aim, and fired his very first shot at a deer. Barely missing but now full of deer fever, Kenan and I began looking diligently in every direction. All went quiet for about 45 minutes.

A distant rustle in the woods roused my attention. Turning my focus, I laid eyes upon a 6 point buck heading straight our way. In slow motion, I raised the gun. Moments later the buck was lying still, on the ground. What excitement came upon us both as we looked at the harvested deer.

Later as stories were shared, we realized that just about everyone had prayed for a deer to be harvested. The Lord blessed us by both answering our prayer and giving us another memorable hunt with Grandpa. We appreciate Grandpa’s hunting tips and look forward to many more hunting trips with him.

4 Comments » | posted in Family News, Outdoor Adventures

The Thanksgiving season demands a twofold response from us Americans. First, a response of gratefulness; Gratefulness to what God has given us and what he has done in and through this nation, the United States of America. The second response is remembering. Remembering what God did in our past, His Providential Hand working in the lives of individuals, and what those individuals had to go through to make what we have to day possible.

Let us now enter into the spirit of the thanksgiving season by gratefully remembering what our forefathers accomplished, endured, and sacrificed.
 

During the early 1600’s, Living in small villages about the borders of Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire, England, was a small band of Christian reformers. The majority of them were yeoman; owners of small parcels of land which they diligently farmed and worked on. To the world at large they were insignificant. But God was preparing them to be the foundation blocks which future generations would build upon.

They had a true desire to, live their lives biblically and godly, follow Christ commands, and have true unity one with another. These desires implanted in them by God, caused them to separate from England’s state church. For it was downright impossible to fulfill their desires and still attend a church which they perceived was full of evil and hypocrisy. This resulted in much persecution. For you see, the King did not perceive their action from the same perspective. Consequently he utilized harsh measures to try forcing them into obedience to his laws.

These Christian reformers, also called separatist (because of their separating from the state Church), and later called Pilgrims, were divided into two different assemblies, each shepherded by a different Pastor. One, as time went on, fell apart and never recovered. The other, however, Pastored by John Robinson, continued on, meeting in Elder William Brewster House every Sunday for worship. This went on for years until persecution reached such levels that William Brewster lost his house, and the other Separatists were being watched incessantly. Consequently, they resolved to leave their native country as soon as possible and head to the Netherlands. Where they aniticipated, according to what they heard, a land in which there was religious freedom.

See this article, including Part 2 of 2, and more in Project: Remember.

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