The Indianapolis journal., 1884-10-25
HONORING A QUAKER POET.
A Portrait Of John G. Whittier Pre-
sented to a New England School.
An Grafton by President Thomas Chase
Letters from Mr.. Whittier, John Bright,
and Other Distinguished Men.

PROVIDENCE, r. L, Oct pat the board
ing-school of the New England Yearly Meeting
of Friends, today the Whittier anniversary was
celebrated by presentation of portrait of the
poet by Charles F. Coffin, of Lynn, Mass, Mr..
Coffin was a pupil at the school, fifty years
ago. later teacher, and then a committeeman,
which office he still holds. The portrait is life
size, representing Mr.. Whittier sitting in an
armchair in attitude of peaceful thought.
The picture has been hung in Alumni Hall,
where the exercises to-day were held.
Upon the platform, beside the donor Of the
portrait, were number of prominent citizens
and Friends. After prayer, Thomas Chase, LII
D., president of Haverford College, was intro
duced and delivered an oration. Speak
ing of Quakerism, he said no other
system of Christianity reconciles better
The conflicting tendencies of Hellenism and
HebIaism, Accepting and revering the Bible, it
respects and reveres also the voice of God
within the soul. The letter of the book guards it
from vagary and mysticism, and its freshness of
spirit shields it from narrow interpretations
The Society of Friends has always shown a love
of mental culture. Its spirit, if unhampered
would show that tendency in a much greater
degree Puritan Quakerism has not always
smiled on art, but genuine Quakerism welcomes
every form of art whose influence is wholesome
and through which breathes the effulgenee
of the great Spirit, who speaks TO His
creatures in beauty as well as in might.
Who, then, is better fitted for the sacred Office
of bard than a true son of that society, who
recognizes in the Allfather the ever-present
friend of His children, speaking to them i'll all
lovely forms of nature, inspiring all lovely pro
ductions OF art, whose spirit is always lying close
to our spirits, whom we serve in renouncing
self, defending the oppressed, or helping the
wretched, and whom we honor when we point
out the beauty of His creations whether in the
outward universe or in the mind and heart and
soul of mang
J. R. Lowell, minister to England; Oliver
Wendell Holmes Thos. NJ Clark, E. P. Whip
pie, George Vim. Curtis. Piny Earle Chase,
Robert C.. Winthrop, Geo I. Hoar, j. B.
Thayer, James Freeman Clarke, John Bright,
John Boyle ORielly. MatthewArnold, President
Eliot of Harvard University, James E. Rhoads,
D. III. Tuke and John G. Whittier himself,
sent letters regretting and explaining their alb
sence. Mr.. Whittiers letter is as follows:
OAK Knoll DANvERs. Mass,
Tenth month"; Is, 1884.
ToAugqstine Jones Principal of the Friends School,
Providence, r. l.
Ny Dear Frend-T have received the kind invitation
to be with you the Oath inst but hardly posi-
bic that avail myself of it. otherwise than by
proxy. Ny double or counterfeit presentmen, will
of course be there and the party most interested
may fifty supply my place. The position assigned it
between the busts of the great English Friend and
statesman and noble woman who like the Master
visited "the spirits in prisons seems so far beyond
the deserts of the original that if the portrait had
the miraculous power of locomoton attributed to
medieval pictures it wou feel constrained to walk ont
of its frame and seek humber place have reached
age when tatery to deceive and nOtoriey is
burden, and faint shadow of literary reputation
fails to hide the solemn realities of lfe but genuine
token of love and good will has limitations of time,
and is never out of place scarcely need therefore
say highly appreciate the generous compliment paid
me by my muchvalued friend in placing my portrait
in the old and honored institution under my charge
confess heard the first intimaton Of his purpose
with some surprise and nnisgiving as looked back
upon life not indeed without honest endeavor, yet
marked by many weaknesses and errors If however
this gift Of my friend shall testify inter
est IN the Friends school, and faith in the prin-
cples and testimonies of its founders and if it shall
worthy of commendaion in the life of its original
is due not to himself but to that divine Providence
which surrounded his youth and strengthened his
manhood, shall be more than satisfied.
need not say to thee, my dear friend that although
am Quaker by birthright and sincere conviction,
am sectarian IN the strict sense of the term. My
sympathies with the broad church of humanity.
Nevertheless if one has to be hung in efigy he may
have some choice as to the place Of execution and it
goes far in reconciling me to my own fate to know
that the ceremony in which must be a passive par
tcpant will be performed in the hall of learning of
Society of Friends. am, very truly, thy friend
JOHN G. WHITTIER.
John Bright, the British statesman, in his
letter WIRES:
'1The Virginia Slave Mothers Lament has
often brought tears to my eyes. 1t is short,
but is worth volume ON the great ques,
ton which was settled twenty years ago by
your great conflict in which so much treasure and
blood expended to make freedom the heritage of
your continent Those few lines were enough to
rouse whole nation to expel from its midst the
odious crime and guilt of slavery. In the poem of
"Snow-bound" there lines the death of the
poets sister, which have nothing superior to them
in beauty and pathos in our language. / have read
them often, with always increasing admiration. |
have suffered from the loss Of those and dear
me- and can apply the lines to my and feel
if they written for The Eternal Good
ness is another poem that is worth crowd of the
that spoken from the pulpits of our
sects and churches which do not wish TO under
value. 1t is great gift to mankind when poet is
raised up amongst us who devotes his great power to
the sublime prose of spreading amongst the prin
eiPes of mercy and justice and freedom. This our
friend Whittier has done in degree unsurpassed by
any other poet who has spoken to the world In our
noble tongue. feel it great honor that my bust
should stand in your hall the portrait of your
great poet,
In the afternoon, Alumni Hall, as well as the
library, completely filed The exercises
opened with singing MARK the Merry Elves of
Fairyland, by members of the school,. Angus
tine Jones, principal of the school, delivered an
address on receiving the portrait
Decision on the Iowa Liquor Law.