The Portland daily press., 1884-10-25
WHIrTIER's ANNIVERSARY.
A Pleasant Occasion at she Friends' school
i'm Providence, IL. Il.

A Pleasant Occasion at the Friends' school
i'm Providence, Il. Il.
PROVIDENCE, Oct. 24.-At the boarding school Of
the New England Yearly Meeting of Friends in
this city this m Irning the Whittier anniversary
was celebrated by the presentation of portrait of
the poet by Charles F. Coffin of Lynn. Mass. Mr..
Coffin was pupil at the school fifty years ago and
later a teacher and then committeeman which Of
fee he still holds. The gift of MIR. VIII htliers por-
trait is the result OF desire to give TO the insilu
tion last memorial of the grand old Quaker poet.
The portrait was painted by Edgar Parker of Bos-
ton the artist who painted that of Charles Sumner.
1t is life size representing Mr. Whittier sitii in
an arm chair, in an attitude of peaceful thought.
The picture has been placed in Alumni Hail. where
the exercises If the day were held. Upon the
platform. beside the d0uOr of the portrait, re
ing Ma, or Doyle, Julia Ward Howe Clark Shove of
Fall River, Hon. Jonathan Chase. Samuel K. Buff
fngton # Fail River, Jam 5 H. Chace of this city,
Benjamin f. Knowles of Soath Manchester Conn.,,
Peter NJ. Neal of Lynn, Mass, sylvia q. Rowland
of New Bedford, Esther Jones of DeeriDg, Me-,
Obediah Chace OF warren, Gertrude Cortland of
others The exercises opened with silent prayer
after which, without formally, Principal Jones in
troduced the orator OF the DAY, Thomas Chace,
tors delivery was very graceful At 1l.45 adjourn
ment was taken to 20 p. m.
There was much larger attendance in the af-
ternoon than in the morning, Alumni Hall, as we'll
as the library, being completely flied The exer-
cises opened with the singing of Mark tue Merry
Augustine Jones, principal the school then deiv
cred an address in receiving the portrait Mr..
Jones then read letters from VII ttier. t. ID. Weld
Haverford College j. f. Clarke, Bishop Thomas M.
Clark and John Boyle O'Reilley. Mr.. Whittier's
letter was follows:
OAK KNOLL, DANvERs, Mass,
10 mo-. 18th, 1884. /
Providence, r.. T.:
NV Dear Friend-I have received the kind invita-
tion ha with vou the Oath hut ia ha rtv
possible that can avail myself of it otherwise than
by roxy. MY double or "counterieit present
ment" will Of course be there. and the party
most interested may fitly supply my place. The
position assigned 1t between the busts of the great
English Friend and statesman and the noble
Woman who like the Master, visited "the spirits in
prison. seems far beyond the desert of It's orig
inal thai if the portrait had the miracu power
OF locomotion attributed to med @val pictures it
would eel constrained to walk out OF its frame and
seek humber place. have reached age
when fattery ceases to deceive and notoriety is a
tion fails to hide the solemn eaties OF life; but
genuine token of love and good will has limits-
lions of time and Is never out of place. scarcely
need therefore TO say that highly appreciate the
generous compliment paid me by my much va ued
friend In placing my portrait in the old and hon
ored institution under thy charge. confess that
1 heard the first intimation OF his purpose with
some surprise and misgving as l looked back upon
a life not indeed without honest endeayor yet
ever. this eift of nv friend shall testify to our
common interest in the Friends Of the school and
faith in the principles and testimonies of its rouud-
ers, and If it shall serve to remind those who
see it that whatever may seem worthy
of commendation In the life of its original is due
not to himself but to the Divine Providence which
surrounded his youth and strengthened his man
hood. / shall be more than satisfied.
need not say to thee, my dear friend, that al
though am q Quaker by brthright and sincere
CONVICTIONS, no sectarian in The strict sense OF
the term. My sSmpathies with the broad chui ch
of humanity; nevertheless if one has to be hang
in etigy," he NAV have some choice as TO the place
of execution, and it goes far in reconciing me to
my own fate to know that the ceremony in which
must be a passive participant will be performed in
a hall of learning of the society of Friends.
am very truly thy friend,
(Signed) JOHN G. WHITTIER