Thanksgiving is a holiday that reminds us of an eternal spiritual Truth.
As you know, Truth is larger than factual data. Truth, whether theological, social, philosophical, factual or not, is slippery. Research reveals that the illusory truth effect is often used to push people to embrace falsity as if it is truth. The illusory truth effect is the tendency for any statement that is repeated frequently — whether the statement is truthful or even plausible or not — to acquire the ring of truth due to repetition.
Over four hundred years, many stories have developed around Thanksgiving.
Some stories related to Thanksgiving are factual, while other stories transcend facts.
For example, there is a legend of a drought in 1623, two years after the first Thanksgiving.
This drought caused famine among the pilgrims. William Bradford was the leader of the colony. He said their situation was like the Romans who were said to have survived on a ration of five kernels of corn. Due to a lack of grain, the pilgrims were slowly starving. Bradford proposed they would have considered five kernels of corn (or maize) as good as a feast! From then on, the legend says they celebrated Thanksgiving by beginning their fest with five kernels of corn on their plate. Today, many families begin their meal with Five Kernels of Corn on each plate.
- The first kernel of corn represents the Autumn beauty all around us.
- The second kernel of corn represents our love for one another.
- The third kernel of corn represents God’s love and care for us.
- The fourth kernel of corn represents our many friends.
- The fifth kernel of corn represents the reality that we are a free people.
In the 19th century, Hezekiah Butterworth wrote this poem to honor the legend.
Five Kernels of Corn
by Hezekiah Butterworth
‘Twas the year of the famine in Plymouth of old,
The ice and the snow from the thatched roofs had rolled;
Through the warm purple skies steered the geese o’er the seas,
And the woodpeckers tapped in the clocks of the trees;
And the boughs on the slopes to the south winds lay bare,
And dreaming of summer, the buds swelled in the air.
The pale Pilgrims welcomed each reddened morn;
There were left but for rations Five Kernels of Corn.
Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!
But to Bradford a feast were Five Kernels of Corn!
Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!
Ye people, be glad for Five Kernels of Corn!
So Bradford cried out on bleak Burial Hill,
And the thin women stood in their doors, white and still.
Lo, the harbor of Plymouth rolls bright in the Spring,
The maples grow red, and the wood robins sing,
The west wind is blowing, and fading the snow
And pleasant pines sing, and arbutuses blow.
Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!
To each one be given Five Kernels of Corn!
O Bradford of Austerfield hast on the way.
The west winds are blowing o’er Provincetown Bay,
The white avens bloom, but the pine domes are chill,
And new graves have furrowed Precisioners’ Hill!
Give thanks, all ye people, the warm skies have come,
The hilltops are sunny, and green grows the holm,
And the trumpets of wins, and the white March is gone,
And ye still have left you Five Kernels of Corn!
Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!
Ye have for Thanksgiving Five Kernels of Corn!
The raven’s gift eat and be humble and pray,
A new light is breaking, and Truth leads your way;
One taper a thousand shall kindle; rejoice
That to you has been given the wilderness voice!
O Bradford of Austerfield, daring the wave,
And safe through the sounding blasts leading the brave,
Of deeds such as thine was the free nation born,
And the festal world sings the “Five Kernels of Corn.”
Five Kernels of Corn! Five Kernels of Corn!
The nation gives thanks for Five Kernels of Corn!
To the Thanksgiving Feast bring Five Kernels of Corn!
Happy Thanksgiving Beloved.
Next Sunday, Thanksgiving gives way to Advent.
We will highlight God’s hope which we are able to view through an empty tomb in Jerusalem.
This eternal hope is the gift of God who is giver of each kernel of corn.
