Morning journal and courier., 1881-07-28
A Large Gathering.

The State Excursion of the Sons of Tenn perance-Over Seventeen Hundred PeO- ple-Over Five Hundred From New Haven-A Grove Meeting G-SPeeches. Song and Poem-Interesting Excursfon. The State picnic of the Sons of Tempe rance yesterday at High Rock Grove was in all respects highly successful affair. the weather favoring and all the arrangements being carried out in 8 manner rehecting credit upon the management. This was the third annual picnic held, each of them at High Rock, and at the meeting yesterday a vote was taken to secure the grounds, if pos sib1e, for the picnic of 1882, and MT. Beach, of the Naugatuek railroad, was called upon and assigned date,-Thurs- day, July 20th, being fixed for the affair. Seven car loads of people went to the picnic yesterday from New Haven, and 150 more. were at the station to go, but the cars were full. From Bridgeport there were six full car loads, and two car loads came from Hart ford via the New York and New England and the Naugatuck railroads. There were also about 100 people from Danbury, also the order was represented from Naugatuck, Key holds Bridge, New Canaan, Norwalk, ssStam- ford, Waterbury and other places. The day was spent in the happy manner customary on such occasions, andwith the many opportunities and facilities of High Rock for wholesome recreation and pleasure every body was pleased to 8 high degree. A grove meeting was held in the early part of the af- ternoon, Henry E. Batchelor, of Bridgeport, chairman of the State committee, presiding The first speaker was John G. North, Esq, of this city, Grand Worthy Patriarch of the order in this State, his official position and long and prominent identification with the order making his presence specially welcome and appreciated. His speech was an enter taining and instructive off-hand talk, much enjoyed. Following, the meeting was ad- dressed by Mrs. Minnie Kellogg, one of the leading ladies of Eagle Rock Division of Reynolds Bridge, who, in behalf of the di- vision, presented the Grand Worthy Patri- arch, MT. North, with a massive and elegant bouquet finely arranged, consisting of choice wild and cultivated flowers, in token of the high esteem of her division and the order. Response was made by MT. North in appro- priate words, in which he alluded to Key nolds' Bridge and the fame of it's cutlery. The programme was varied several times by fine singing by members of Living Spring Division, Bridgeror and Eagle Rock and the New Canaan Division a fine poem was given by Rev. John G. Davenport, for 13 years past prominent pastor of Bridge port, and whom Waterbury has recently cap tured for fine church there and other speakers were Rev. W. c. Steele, of Dan bury, Past Grand Worthy Patriarch in eastern New York; Capt. F. M. Grant, attor- ney of Illinois, formerly of New Haven, a Connecticut officer in the late war, and by Sylvanus Butler and the venerable Deacon Smith of this city, who is now " years of age, and though age is creeping space upon him, is still active for one of his years and lastly by H. W. Brown, of Danielsonville, editor of the COntaict. The entire programme was highly spoken of and a great addition to the occasion. MT. Davenport left on the up train to tie in hymeneal bonds a Waterbury couple. Extracts from the poem by the gentleman are given below. The State com mittee in charge of the affair were: Henry E. Batchelor, Bridgeport; George R. Bill, New Haven Theo. Raymond, Danbury; H. H. Quintard, Hartford; Mrs. Wm. A. Kel logg, Norwalk Mrs. Robert Guthrie, Silver Mine, Norwalk; Fred. M. Hawley, New Can aan. From Living Spring Division, Bridgeport, the committee were H. E. Batchelor, H. R. Chaffee, s. M. Conger. From Harmony Di- vision, New Haven, George R. Bill, W. A. Lincoln, Dr. George F. Peterson, A. w. Weld, Mrs. A. Ballou, Mrs. Strong Among the visitors from Hartford were many from Capitol Division No. S9, a new and already very promising division, including w. P. Miss Bertie F. Jameson, and past officers Village and Beador; also, from Lafayette Lodge, Past w. P.'s Luther and Camerer :; also Mr. J. S. Forsyth, a popular member of the old Fifth Conn. Vols, and Dr. Charles Teller, for thirty-fve years past at Case, Lockwood & Brainard's, and an ex-oficer of Good Will Division, worthy and esteemed gentleman. The affair was reunion occa- sion to scores of friends long associated in the work.
 Hol ye good temperance folks,
 Sons and fair daughters
 Thrice welcome to-day
 To thess woods and these waters.
 High Rock towers nobly
 As if it were proud
 Of gathering beneath it
 So comely crowd.
 This stream seems to say,
 AS it hastes to the sea,
 These cold water folks
 Are the people for me.
 Fen the boats on the river
 Are bidding good cheer
 To those who prefer them
 To "schooners" of beer.
 The trees nod greeting
 To shades" that are sweet
 With a balm that is healing,
 glorious treat.
 Fine trees are here gathered,
 But pardon the speech,
 The grandest of all
 Is one marvellous beach.
 The Glen bubbles over
 With laughter and song,
 As welcoming hither
 cold water throng.
 Then take the cup
 And fill it up
 At the brim of the bright cascade
 And drink to the place
 Where the Temperance race
 Full honored guests are made.
 speak for inc Division
 That stands No l,
 And bears the stately title
 Of glorious "Washington."
 speak for Concord rightly named
 For Franklin" wise and true,
 For Harmony" and Liberty
 "Good Will' and Friendship too.
 speak for Wilton" '.Isaac c,
 And "Eagle Rock' as we'll,
 For "dartford" and for Lafayette"
 That by the State House dwell.
 For Living Spring." so fresh and full,
 Excelsior" looking higher,
 For Friendly Greeting" kind and true,
 For 'Cold Spring" running drler.
 For Hand in Hand," which ought to live
 Nor live from hand to mouth,
 For that "Fraternal" band that lifts
 It's standard in the South.
 These all have sought to labor
 For the cause of God and man,
 And know their hearts warm purpose
 Is to do whats'er they can;
 And meath this sky pledge them
 While the hills stand listening round,
 And the trees all wait to write 1t
 In shadows on the ground, Al
 To frmer stand for Temperance,
 To an effort heartier still
 For a manhood shaped in all things
 By the Holy Masters will;
 To influence sweeter, stronger,
 On 8 world that lies in sin;
 To an earnest Christian struggle
 To bring the Wanderer in.
 So shall the love of heaven
 And its purity descend,
 And it's unchanged fidelity
 Give blessing without end
 The other day from Washington
 Came tidings sad and strange;
 Our sorely wounded President
 Had suffered sudden change;
 And it feared the shadow
 First driven from the door,
 To darken all the nation
 Had thither come once more.
 The surgeon heard the tidings,
 And ha hrOnk nkad mol 6n1