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We who are living today may learn a valuable lesson from those who celebrated the first Thanksgiving Day.

The Lord has shown time and time again His love for us.

We have only to compare the liberty and high standard of living we enjoy in this great country with the oppression and frugality of other nations to realize with humble gratitude that God's Providence has been with us since the very beginning of our country.

And yet, accompanying our gratitude is the realization that we are living in a crucial time.

With world peace constantly being threatened, most of us regard the future skeptically, and even with fear.

It is at this time that we should imitate the Pilgrims by accompanying our prayers of thanks with the conviction that we shall continue to be in dire need for the Lord's protection in the future, if we are to have peace ; ;

now, therefore, do I, John A. Notte, Jr., governor of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, proclaim Thursday, November 23rd, 1961, as Thanksgiving Day,