The New York herald., 1877-01-07
.BOSTON'S HISTORIC LANDMARK.
THE OLD SOUTH CHURCH-ITs HISTORY IN THE
PAsT-THE MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE OLD
REVOLUTIONARY STRUCTURE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

PAST-THE MOVEMENT TO SAVE THE OLD
REVOLUTIONARY STRUCTURE.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
BosTox, JAN 6, 1877.
Tho matter Of the salvation Of Boston's Old South
Church attracting tho attention Of brains and
intellect than tho Presidential question. meeting
this afternoon to devise means to tho ancient
Revolutionary structure attended by such as
Hon. George Lorng, Hon. F.. r. Honr Rev. Il. f..
Hale, President Eliot, OF Harvard College; Rev.
George +. Pentrost George o. Shattuck, Rev.
f. b. Webb, Samuel Bowlcs and others. Tho
meeting was called to order by Judge Hoar aud
organized by the choice of President Eliot chair
man aud George A. Goddard as secretary. Mr.. Roger,
secretary OF tho Committee Nominations, submitted
long report Of progress, SYNOPSIS of which has al
ready been published tn the HERALD.
Henry Lee, treasurer Of tho preservation fund, 70
ported that he able to say that $780, hnvo
promised for tito preservation Of the building, pro-
viicd that iurthcr sum OF 500 900 rs contributed
before tho LIST day OF April next
THE LAST OF THE PURITAN MEETING HOUSES.
Accompanying the report "a special appeal to
the people oi America, which recountod that this was
the last OF the Puritan meeting houses upon his PENN
sua, and hero over two centuries ago. in Nine. Nor
ton pasture, Captain Thomas savage and his
atcs built the meeting house OF the Third church. 1t
in tins building that Chief Justice sewal,
ior mercy on the LORDS Day, IN open
congregational meeting, Tor having, under tho
Salem witches. 1t hero tba. Franklin was bap-
ized the day OF his birth, and II here he wor
shipped with his parents The present meeting house
associated with stormy town meetings OF PATRIOTS
wrought to indignation by tho massacre uf their
townsmen or driven by the exactng tyranny OF
blind rulers. TO revolutionary deeds. At its
door the band OF Mohawks sounded tho
whoop MS they rushed To the wharf where
Law tbe tea ships Here Hancock and Warren nm
daunted rehearscd the horrors OF that dreadful nsht
the 7ih OF March, 177O, and here for hundred
years eloquent orators and reverend divncs have ad
slr 1t0ntf fuptno fnvvn and
ground historical. II is tho oldest historical spot
upon our peninsula for IL formed part OF the home
stead Of our pairiarch-our first Govcrnor--thc wise
and patient and Interested Winthrop
BiRTNPLAcE or PURITAN COMMONWEALTH.
IT. as John Adams has sad, the old Stale House Is
the birthplace OF American Independence, surely this
is the birthplace OF Puran commonwealth, and in IT'S
tower, which wc gaze at as We pass to marx the pas
OF time, were collected tho annals OF those early
days until Burgoync turned III, meeting house into a
riding school for his dragons. and these precious
records wcrc stoicn or wan,only destroyed by
ignorant soldiers. IL is an ancient land
mark OF last ana most historical.
Remove owe It not; , Its presence e., dsnies yn1, our
we New EngIandcrs 20 admire elsewhere Its absence
would reproach us and disgust The stranger who
NGSEEs THE APPEAL.
To the appeal alta, he'd OF the commit
tee comprising william Gaston Henry W. Longfclow,
Robert G. Winthrop, Charles W. Eliot. Oliver Wendell
Holmes, Rcnard fro,h,ngha%, Wendell Phillips,
H. Dana, Jr, Brooks Adams, Edward ). ToDy, Jonn Il.
fitzgerald, Ralph. Waldo Emerson, +. Lockwood
Hoar, William NJ Eyarts OF New York Charles Talbot
Dncrica; T. Wentworth H'gginson, ol Newport; f. =.
Mudrc, Royal NJ. i'ulsifer. 81. y. Dickinson. Jr sam
uel X. Lathrvp, james Freeman Clark W. g. Eliot OF
81. LOUIS Oakc, Ancs, cf North Easton; William Is.
washburn, Of GrecnncId; H. Clark scoiyc, OF North
amplon Samuel iowics, Of Springfield; James g.
Whittier, OF Amcsbury; Mrs LOUIS Agassiz, Mrs.
Chaflcs Francis Adanr Mrs. y. r. Hooper, Mrs WILL
ian, Cafin, npd nearly i5O others.
PRESIDENT Hfior's ARGUMENT
President Elliot, Harvard College upon being called
out, said that he had been cndcavoring to find good
reasons why the Old south church should be sivcd,
but had not to any logical conclusion except that
he wanted TO the building because he loved 1t and
because has stood for l50 years IL has said great
deal TO He had missed the old clock How should
wc feel 10 have the whole budina removed I?
We ncod TO cultivate historical science We
are apt TO forget the lessons OF tho past.
ruercai buildings but they cannot under any con IL
tons have an Old South church. The reasons gwen
why tho building should not remain are Tho very
reasons why II should DO allowcd 10 stand.
MIX. HAL.'s opFER
Rev. H. u. Halo called attention II tho company to
the large interest the subject Ot saving the Old
south church that exists throughout The whole coun-
try The education OF the country the history Of tho
one.tth OF the suffragcs ct the country arc tho
hands OF people who aro not American born. Mr Hale
closed by saying that hc placed himself tho disposal
OF tho trcasurer raise 81 900 IN any IN tho
Union that he may choose to assign hin.
Other speeches and simcr pledges wcre made by
Rev. George r. Pcntccost, George .. Shatuck, Dr. y.
B Webb Curtis Guild OF the Commercial Buef,n and
Professor Meade of Andovcr Mr, Guild expressed tho
would bo money making thing for the city. nnsnuch
asst had Inc muserm such a building people
would be induced TO remain IN Boston and leave
money In our hotels, and IN vorious other ways. lie
conciVcd by referring TO the general interest tbs
subject In tho country.