The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-10-26 00:00:00

DEAN STANLEY IN NEW YORK.

The Dean of Westminster, who has been on a tou
in the United States, was in New York on Sinday,
he 6th inst., after having visited and preached at
on, Philadelphia, and other places. In the even-
ing Dean Stanley preached in the Calvary Episcopal
Church to an immense congregation, his subject being
the history of Job. The Dean, who was a guest of
Mr. Cyrus Field, was entertained on Monday by his
host at a luncheon, to which several of the distinguished
men of New York had been invited. The Rev. Dr.
Adams was called upon to express the feelings of
the company towards the Dean, who in responding,
said,—
"There is one criticism Dr. Adams's kind words
suggest to my mind. That is, that Americans are
inclined to believe that Englishmen have the same
extraordinary fluency of speech that they have them-
selves. I have been struck with the great difference
between us in this respect, with the fluency and
lucidity of utterance which the larger portion of my
countrymen greatly envy, and you must consequently
excuse any imperfect utterances. When on the eve
of leaving for America I said to a young Englishman
who had visited this country that my heart almost sank
at the idea of going there, and I asked him 'What do
you think is the great pleasure in travelling in
America ? ' He said 'The pleasure in travelling there
is being in a foreign country and yet being able to talk
in our own language.' I feel that however dreadful it
is to attempt to make a speech in English to Ame-
ricans, it would he much more dreadful if I had to do
so in French. It is true that the relation between the
two countries has not only been cemented by the
cable, of which there are so many mementoes in this
house, but also by intercommunity of sentiment. As
has been said by Keeble,—

Boston.

'Brothers are brothers eyermore.
No distance breaks the tie ot blood.'

I recall to mind the beautiful classical legend of
Arethusa plunging into the sea and coming up again
in the form of the fountain of Syracuse, which was a
sign that, although the colonists of that city had bid-
den a final adieu to their parent city in Greece, they
were not forgotten, and were the same people under a
different sky. I have already found, while travelling
here, in every city and town I visit, these springs of
Arethusa breaking forth in welcoming me. Your
Washington Irving, whose tomb is among you, is still
we may consider in Westminster Abbey, whose Poet's
Corner comprises not only those whose bodies lie
there, but still has a recess for your great poets
and for our own bard of Stratford-on-Avon,
and I consider Washington Irving was among the
first to create the feeling of filial affection be-
tween England and your own country after the great
separation, and which I feel must still grow with the
growth of years, and make the two nations one in
feeling, in affection, and in hope for future advance-
ment. I feel the necessity of hurrying back to Eng-
land principally to welcome to Westminster Abbey
and tolisten to the sermon there from the Moderator of
the Church of Scotland. There seems to me nothing
more foolish than for strangers to express opinions upon
questions that can be settled better by yourselves. You
are still young and will have all the matters forced on
you that we have. You will, however, have the ad-
vantage of the experience of past ages to assist you in
settling them. The conditions of our two countries
are r different that each must judge charitably of each
other. There are, perhaps, no Scotsmen here; but all
Presbyterian understand Scotch, and I will repeat to
you what an old minister of the Church of Scotland
said to a young Dissenter—' When your hum (chimney)
has reeked as long as ours, perhaps it will have as much
soot.' And I hope that your chimney-sweepers may
be as effective as ours have been. (Laughter.) The
wonderful benevolence and philanthropy which have
been exhibited in the institutions I have visited are
such as remind me of the medival benefactions of
European countries. May God's blessing rest on all
endeavours to bring together the different Churches
with which we are connected!"