The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-29
Abstract OF FOrefather's Day Address by
Rev. s. l.. Ii. Speare.

| N'N' NNiNPhpHlO
with the past. Tonight the last 2G2
years vi h all its vicissitudes arc bridpcd
We stand en the shores of Plymouth
Bay, and look out upon "A small craft
with battered ard bIackeucd sails.
and broken rigging. in her cabin one
hundred men, women and children
AS we looa upon this vessel, how swift
our reflections aud tender our emotions
in the light Of later DAYS and years
We do well to give voice 10 some of
these reflections. We can not but note
the favoring Providence that formed
and prospcred their way. Visited by
Cabot 1875 years before, their future
lone remained substantially unoccu-
pied. A recent pestilcnce had removed
iearly the whole of the aborigines.
The pilgrims were the elect of three |
kingdoms, wirnowed and toughened
by severest exposure. Themselves es.
tablished two decades, persecution at
home drove more than 10000 to follow |
in their TO >tsteps. Then for century
and quarter these elect souls were
left TO develop the ideas and principles
for which they came, undiluted and un.
obstrncted by unsympathizing immi-
grafton.
With their career before us we are al
80 impressed with the difficulty and
honor of starting new ideas. The
truisms of to-day everywhere acknowl-
edged and needed were born in strug-
giles. What ideas comforted the pill
grims al home? Privileged orders and
classes IN church and state at the ex-
pense of individuals. They saw and
defended the rights of persons. They
found the worship of God numbered
with misleading ceremonies. They
brushed away every obstacle between
the soul and its Maker to whom it must
give account. They found the church
one enormous ecclesiastical organization
They established Independent churches.
They found the church part of the
state, richly endowed in perpetuity.
With the field before them they declined
all ecclesiastical establishments. In
self-seeking age they practiced all
self abnegation in the interests of pos
terity.
, We also have impressive illustrations
Il of the unexpected success that comes to
s those that follow the best light they
y have. They were humble artizans OF
!; rural origin themselves. They did not
i know that in two decades they would
D. be followed by as many thousands Of
;. Eugland's noblest and most cultured, but
SO it was. They never dreamed that ir
that humble compact signed in the May
Flowers cabin OH the 18th of Novem
Der, all our civil and religious institu
tons lay capsulate, but in it were thu
forces equal to their support in all colo
NAL struggles that were in due time t
wrench from the British crown it
brightest jewel, to organize our grow
ing republic Of states, and reach arount
the world, startling the hermit nation
from their sleep of ages and lift thei
feet out of well worn grooves into new
paths.
,Aopin pc na~as Of histn"v ehnw mor
plainly the Transforming power ant
heroisms of religious convictions
Why so much beyond their timer VIII
equal to such sacrifices, twelve year
cr of weary mental toll in Holland, tn,
~ terror of forests, wild beasts and NOR
co cruel savages, pestilence and death
n What held the remainder from leaving
i. in the Mayhower four months after
5, when forty -four, nearly half their mum
=; Der, were dead2 We have greater hero
W ism yet to mention. They acknowl
e. edged their errors and led the world il
a abandoning them.
IT To be equal to our Pilgrim Father
n; we must be better than they. Thei
CT faults are beacon light for us. but let II
er not mistake their virtues for faults
o. Like them our faces must be toward
the dawning light. We must believ
. in progress, social, political and relig
ious. We mnst cling to the Bible a
b they did, or abandon the principles for
native of their success and the founda
ton of our existence. such the father
of pilgrim days. Being dead they ye
speak. Nay, ye are not dead! w
gladly hallow your memories airesh
n we bow in obcisance TO your ideas a
increasing stars of the worlds hope
we will not forget that we are in til
4 midst of abundance, because yorf- chos
poverty and hunger. We are in home
! full of loving ministries, because vo
put the then Atlantic between You an
the firesides of youth. Our native Ian
is strong and honored among the ms
i ton because you were self-cxiled. w
have an open Bible and rights of col
science guaranteed, because you foun
this liberty as fugitives Gladly do W
build monuments of marble to yor
~. memory. but we will please yon MOI
IS. than by such costly offerings. 90
n helping, we will put into our live
70, more Of your singleness and purity I
s' purpose, your courage of conviction
&. and II need be, your sacrifice for prime
N. pie. We turn from your presenc
Precious the soil find pressed by yor
" weary wandering feetl
- "Aye. call II holy ground.
The soil where first they trod;
- They have left unstained what there they found
. Freedom to worship God"
/ GRAIN CRoPs.-Farmers and the pul
llio oanarolly estimata fhe viel6 nor acl