Published: November 21, 2007 10:43 pm            

Thanksgiving at Plymouth Rock with an Oklahoma shine

EDMOND — In September my wife and I had the privilege of being in a group of 40 Oklahomans on an eight-day American Heritage tour, centered in and around Plymouth as well as Boston. One of Oklahoma’s finest private schools, Christian Heritage Academy of Del City, has been taking its senior class on this tour for the past 30 years. However, September was the first time they planned an extra tour, which was open to the general public.

Though we had two men from Edmond serving as our primary guides, while in Plymouth on two occasions we had the opportunity to have Paul Jehle guide us. Many consider Jehle to be the foremost historian alive today regarding the locations, events and historical significance from the time period of the Pilgrims landing through our War of Independence.

Jehle is the executive director of the Plymouth Rock Foundation, which sponsors America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration each year, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Preserving and celebrating accurate history isn’t always easy. There was a period of time the celebration was under the influence of the homosexual community who turned the celebration into more of a secular event. Not only was the event moving toward debauchery and desecration, one year they left the city of Plymouth on the hook for a sizable debt. The city fathers were about to decide to cancel future celebrations.

During another year some of the re-enactment participants were surprised when walking up Burial Hill they were accosted by a group of American Indians who were unhappy with the Thanksgiving celebration. In the darkness of night, some of the Indians had erected a stone with a historical rendering somewhat different from that which we hold to be true.

Our understanding of the gathering of the Pilgrims and Indians is based upon the written account given to us by a participant, Edward Winslow, sometime in the fall of 1621. Many American Indians still are bitter over the arrival of white Europeans, much to their detriment in my opinion. Virtually all Indians are better off today to the extent that they have adapted to Western culture.

Jehle persuaded the city fathers to allow the Plymouth Rock Foundation to be responsible for the preparation, expenses and clean-up if the foundation could control the content of the celebration. Since that time the Thanksgiving celebration has been pointed toward an event to properly remember our rich Christian heritage. A remembrance of the faith, trust and hope in the God of the Bible that brought our most significant ancestors through the many trials and tribulations in the founding of our nation.

Another aspect of each year’s celebration is the recognition of the westward spread of our nation and the Gospel. This year three families from Edmond — Ralph and Starley Bullard, Ike and Peggy Burress as well as Don and Cherie McNeill — will be on hand to participate in the parade, which will in part, honor Oklahoma’s 100th birthday. Ralph Bullard and Ike Burress both serve on the board of the Plymouth Rock Foundation.

While on the trip with all of these folks in September, I became even more cognizant of two particularly important truths. First, God providentially had his hand upon the Pilgrims regarding his plan for this great nation. Second, our forefathers were a people who made a covenant with God. They understood covenant and they were determined to keep their end of the covenant.

I would suggest that today, few people understand covenant. And that the majority of us in this nation have become covenant breakers. It is my hope for this Thanksgiving season that Americans will hunger more to know the importance of a covenant relationship with the God of the Universe, than they would hunger for turkey, football or early shopping for Christmas gifts.



CHARLIE MEADOWS is chairman of the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee.

        

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