In those terribly dark and difficult days God was faithful as always, and His grace proved sufficient. In their wildest dreams, probably none of the Pilgrims expected the appearance of natives who spoke English, yet Samoset and Squanto came to teach them how to sow and reap from the fertile land and to fish from the bountiful coastal waters.
Squanto even lived with the Pilgrims until he died in 1622. The faith that he witnessed lived out in their day-to-day actions impacted him so much that his last request was to ask Governor Bradford to pray that he might go to the Englishman’s God in heaven.
Bradford’s writings continued to convey their trust in Providence, and He sustained them:
“Squanto continued with them and was their interpreter and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation. He directed them how to set their corn, where to take fish, and to procure other commodities and was also their pilot to bring them to unknown places for their profit, and never left them till he dyed.”
Squanto’s lessons had made a huge difference to the Pilgrims’ success in their new land. Finally they harvested an abundance of food and enjoyed bountiful blessings. Governor Bradford knew Who deserved thanks and proclaimed a Day of Thanksgiving (which extended beyond a day).
Perhaps the following words have been preserved for us to recognize the reasons for their attitude of gratitude for the “goodness of God”:
“Our harvest being gotten, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week.
At which time, amongst other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation, and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others.
And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God we are so far from want that we are partakers of plenty.”
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