The Puritans and Special Days

[Pergamum]

The Puritans, I read, kept (celebrated/observed) Guy Fawkes Day, so says Howard Davies, The Worship of the American Puritans (page 50). Is this true, and if so, is this not a little inconsistent?


Also, in America, it seems that many Puritans celebrated Thanksgiving Day… and also Election Day in spring/early summer. Also, Davies claims that they kept Harvard College Commencement, too (page 50).

Also, it seems that governors and councils in New England declared many special days of fasting and thanksgiving. Also, there seemed to be “days of humiliation” set aside as well, when disasters hit.

What right do city councils and civil magistrates have for calling for such days, and what part should the church play in them?

Is Howard Davies book correct?

Also, in light of these should we still consider the Puritans “anti-holiday” in their sentiments?

 

[TimV]

I think it was more a sphere thing again. For instance in our OPC church we don't have special worship services on Christmas or Easter, but we do have Memorial Day and Reformation Day activities that aren't worship related. So, Guy Fawkes Day would be a good excuse to socialise but it wouldn't be incorporated into a church service.

 

[NaphtaliPress]

Cf. The Religious Observance of Christmas and ‘Holy Days’ in American Presbyterianism

 

[Pergamum]

Thanks!

---------- Post added at 12:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:09 PM ----------

Chris,

So fasting and thanksgiving days are not holy days and can be celebrated and set by the church?

 

[NaphtaliPress]

It was Westminster's position which I think reflects the Puritan and Presbyterian pov contra Anglicanism at the time, that the church could call for fast and thanksgiving and that these are not the same as holy days of the so called Christian calendar (see the Westminster Directory for Public Worship and WCF 21.5). See Gillespie's arguments at the link (argued some 7 or 8 years prior to the drafting of the directory).
See George Gillespie, A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies, part one, chapter seven, section 6. Extract here:
Part 1: Holy Days take away our Christian Liberty Proved Out of the Law (EPC 1.7 31-36) | Naphtali Press

 

[Pergamum]

Thanks. Would some of the Puritans seen Guy Fawke's Day then as an appropriate day of Thanksgiving at God's deliverance?

 

[NaphtaliPress]

I have no idea.

Thanks. Would some of the Puritans seen Guy Fawke's Day then as an appropriate day of Thanksgiving at God's deliverance?

 

[Willem van Oranje]

WCF 21:5 WCF 21.5 The reading of Scriptures with godly fear;(1) the sound preaching,(2) and conscionable hearing of the Word, in obedience unto God, with understanding, faith, and reverence; singing of Psalms with grace in the heart;(4) as also, the due administration and worthy receiving of the sacraments instituted by Christ; are all parts of the ordinary religious worship of God: besides religious oaths,(6) vows,(7) solemn fastings,(8) and thanksgivings upon special occasions,(9) which are, in their several times and seasons, to be used in an holy and religious manner.(10)

In my mind the thing that separates these solemn fastings and thanksgivings upon special occasions from the Romish calendar is that they are triggered by extraordinary providences of God working in the world, not merely by human invention or imagination. And as far as the church is concerned, they would be only upon those special providential occasions, i. e. not recurring anually on a church calendar. However I do think it can be appropriate for the civil magistrate to declare recurring public holidays in a civil (but not religious) sense. And it may be in order for churches and families to remember various historic providences on the calendar, though not to observe them religiously year to year.

 

[Pergamum]

Chris, ha, okay thanks. Your article Rocked (with a captial R).....