Amazing answer to the Pilgrim's prayer:

A Day of Thanksgiving

An excerpt from "Of Plymouth Plantation" by William Bradford, 1647

 

Our wise God had led the pilgrims to Plymouth and brought them through their first harvest with help from their Indian friends. But with the new year came new trials that would once again test their faith. William Bradford's testimony documents the wisdom, mercy and bountiful provision of our sovereign Lord:

I may not here omit how, notwithstanding all their great pains & industry, and ye great hopes of a large crop, the Lord seemed to... take away the same, and to threaten further & more some famine unto them, by a great drought which continued from ye 3 weeks in May, till about ye middle of July, without any rain, and with great heat (for ye most part) insomuch as ye corn began to wither away, though it was set with fish, the moisture whereof helped it much.  Yet at length it began to languish sore... 

Upon which they set a part a solemn day of humiliation, to seek ye Lord by humble & fervent prayer, in this great distress.  And He was pleased to give them a gracious & speedy answer, both to their own & the Indians admiration, that lived amongst them. 

For all ye morning, and greatest part of the day, it was clear weather & very hot, and not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen, yet toward evening it began to overcast, and shortly after to rain, with such sweet and gentle showers, as gave them cause of rejoicing & blessing God.  It came, without either wind, or thunder, or any violence, and by degrees in abundance, as that ye earth was thoroughly wet and soaked therewith. 

Which did so apparently revive & quicken ye decayed corn & other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made ye Indians astonished to behold; and afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather, as, through His blessing, caused a fruitful & liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing.  For which mercy (in time convenient) they also set apart a day of thanksgiving."

"Our fathers trusted thee: they trusted,

and thou didst deliver them.

They called upon thee, and were delivered:

they trusted in thee, and were not confounded."

 

Psalm 22:4-5 (Geneva Bible)

 

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Notes: The Pilgrims used the Geneva Bible (1560). See The Pilgrims, the Bible, Persecution and Thanksgiving

Find more information here: http://www.americanchristianhistory.com/ChristianHistory20.html