During the Pilgrim’s first harrowing winter in Massachusetts food dwindled one day to a single pint of corn—enough to provide each man, woman, and child with five grains. From that time on, it is said that they placed five grains of corn on each plate at Thanksgiving to remind them of God’s faithfulness even in times of extreme want.
In William Bradford’s history Of Plymouth Plantation he wrote of how, though the people had worked hard to produce crops, “the Lord seemed to blast, & take the same, and to threaten further & more sore famine unto them, by a great drought which continued till about ye middle of July without raine, and with great heat (for ye most parte), insomuch as ye corne begane to wither away, though it was set with fishe, the moysture whereof helped it much. Yet at length it began to lanquish sore, and some of ye drier grounds were partched like withered hay, part whereof was never recovered.”
Then they designated “a solemne day of humiliation, to seek ye Lord by humble & fervent prayer, in this great distrese.”
The Lord answered with “such sweete and gentle showers as gave them cause of rejoicing & blessing God. . . For which mercie (in time conveniente) they also sett aparte a day of thanksgiving.” (From Pentecostal Evangel, Springfield MO, Nov. 23 1975, used by permission.)
It might be a nice idea to put five kernels of corn at each place on your Thanksgiving table.
This excerpt was originally published in the November/December 1988 Elisabeth Elliot Newsletter.