The Portland daily press., 1885-10-21
Interesting Papers Read at Last
Evenings Meeting.


the Society:
Capt. A. W. corliss, U. s. A, box of books and
papers.
Memorial, ,,Poore Family, Fowler Family, Wet
w. H. smith, ancient manuscripts.
Jerome B. Fiekett, through w. II. Smith, an
cent legal documents on parchment.
DR.. Chas. E. Banks, Alexander Rigby papers.
Luther +. Pingree, Pingree Family.
Hon. Cyrus WOodman, records OF Church OF
Christ in Boston, Buxton Centennial, Narragan-
sett, No. 1, History of Bristol Brewer and Penn
aaqud History of Bowdoin College, Memoirs of
Wheelock Ripley, letters etc.
Shells have been received from the Falmouth
Shell Heap.
On motion of Mr. Sargent, it was voted to have
properly engraved cards of acknowledgement for
gifts prepared and Mr. Sargent was appointed a
committee for the preparation of such cards
MIR. sARGENT's PAPER.
Wm NJ Sargent read valuable paper on "Old
and New Style, and How to Compute the Diff
ference Between Them" We print it entire as
follows:
There was, before the birth of Christ, great di-
yersty among the nations OF earth, not only as to
the time when each year should begin, but also
to the epoch or eras from which the years should
be numbered.
building of their city; and their years began with
the yernal Equinox, which in the reign of Numa
fell on the 25th of March, making that their first
month, and in proper succession the seventh,
eighth, ninth and dtenth months became September,
October, November and December, nominations
The civil calendar of all European nations, in
cludng that of England, was borrowed from that
of the Romans.
the civil year was left eleven minutes longer than
the tropical solar year. equal to one fuli day IN
one hundred and thirty years % inns was knoS IN Se
length of each year, in the aggregate displaced
the eqIlinoxes and sOlstices more and more, until
in A. d. 1882 the discrepancy amounted ~ 10 ; Ten
, DAYS and in order TO restore the yernal Equinox
to the 25th of March. Pope Gregory XIII, IN that
year again remodelled the calendar introducing
the Gregorian or New Style, by dropping out ten
DAYS and making the 5th of October become the
10Th, and decreeng that the Christian year should
begin with January 1st.
This change was Immediately adopted by all
Catholic nations; but was not accepted by Eng
land until the act of Parliament OF 1751, when
the divergence had increased to eleven days pro-
vded that these eleven days should be dropped,
to take effect in A. d. 1852, and the Sd Of Septen
Der should become the 14th. By the same statute
the legal year which IN had before M begun with sde
to commence in the middle of Winter, on January
1st
Before this legal change was enacted, many
writers, perhaps anticipating the correction that
was to come, perhaps to conform to Continental
usage, adopted style of double yearly dating
for the days falling between January 1st and
March oath only, as January Is: 1854" OF
March 20: 1884, / say for those days only,
Il u
double dating being used after the latter date. II
should be noted that in rare cases after the date
A. d. 1852 instances may be found where this
double dating was still adhered to, by those toe
old and set in their ways to accept the Innovation
and occasionally because of carelessness.
In all cases like those cited above the modern
reader should adopt the later year 1862 and 1884
to conform TO new style; for the days he should
add ten or eleven days.
For curious anachronlsm IS presented py tnese @
as shown above, the year being 10 days too long
in A. d. 1882, and eleven days too long in A. ID.
1852 if they had added ten or eleven days respec-
tiyely which would be virtually shortening the
year by those amounts at Its end, or If they had
dropped out that number of intervening days, and
and March 20 and 81" the latter figures would
have been the proper day by new style.
The minutia Of the rule are too long to give, but
it does the difference in time between the old and
new styles for past dates, and the allowance that
must be made In the future:
From 1882 to 100 the difference was 10 days.
From 100 to 1900 the difference was IL days.
From 1900 to 1900 the difference:wass and will
From 1900 to 1000 the difference was and will
be Is days.
After September 14th, A. d. 1852, the English
and their Colonists dated their time by new style;
but Russia and Greece still use old style, and a
letter from ST. Petersburg or Athens would in
all probability bear the dates October and Is
1885, it being the practice Of the educated letter
writers of those countries TO give dates by Dotn
styles when writing to foreigners.
10 recapitulate the rule: To reduce old style to
new style; If the date be between 1882 and 100,
add ten days. if between 1700 and 1900, add
eleven days.
A vote of thanks was passed to Mr.. Sargent.
MIR. SMITHS PAPER.
Mr. w. H. Smith read feeling tribute to the
late Edward A. Jordan, the paper concluding
with some alluson to the ance stry of the deeeas
ed. in the history of which are to be found the
names of many who played prominent and import
ant parts in the early history of the country.
The following extract is taken from Mr.. Smith,
paper:
ssHe was much misunderstood man. Those who
thought that his love for music and his musica
gifts made up the man were mistaken. He was
Keen student of human nature, a deep thinker anC
thoughts upon paper He had views of his own
and ciung to them in a way that at times made
him appear & pus aa sdel te u ocome a 81 r
fined mind. His fidelity to the Preble Chapel Sun
day school is evidence enough OF his adherence to
gave his time and talent without hope Of fee or
reward How much good he has accomplished
none but He who is Infinite can tell. To my mind
he has exemplfed the true Christianity taught by
its master. This school has been a seminary
wherein have been taught those vital principles
that underlie good government IL From ON it. have
But for this noble work their faith might have
been of an entirely different character. Our
friend saw these results and his keen insight di
rected him to continue in this field of labor. How
well he did his work his colleagues will testify
He possessed love for historical research, and 1t
was this that brought us together. We are aware
that people who have taste in this direction are
looked upon by many as but little better than luna
tics But none can steer the barque of futurit,
safely without consulting the log book of the past
| Sheer as men may they must look back as well a
| forward The toilers in the lore of the past are
being better understood every year; I'D ..,,,.,
He was human being; to some he was mystic
| ry; by those who knew him he was understood
and esteemed"
Mr. Smith moved that a committee be appointed
to draw up resolutions expressive of the Society,"
| feelings toward the late Mr. Jordan On motion
Mr. Smith was constituted as that committee. The
thanks of the Society were voted to Mr.. Smith fol
his interesting paper.
MIR. HULLs PAPER.
Mr.. John T. Hull read the first of his series o
papers entitled "Walks in the Eastern Cemetery
we take the following extract from the paper:
| For nearly two hundred years the Eastern Gem
| etery has been the only common burylng place 0
| the territory now comprised within the limits o
| Portland. From the time Of the first settlement
| made on this peninsula, it has been place 0
sepulture; Here, undonDtedy, altef ms trouble @
/ manent occupant of Machigonne (now Portland.
| His grave is surrounded by others, his contempc
rares in the establishment of civilization in thi
| former Wildnerness Unhonored and unknow
| are the graves of our rude forefathers.,
| Here are also the monuments and tombs Q
| town. who have been prominent in its affairs dur
| ing two centuries of its history.
| This venerable cemetery is well worthy OF IN
| study of our historians and antiquarians, for
| ssthiS hallowed spot where our departed 1rlend
| reD0se'' the fathers of our hamlet are buried
Some of them have had their names 1mmortallze
in the history of our country, as It's defenders o.
| land and sea; and of others their lives and chal
acters are unknown or forgotten py the presen
Among the most ancient grayestonel that ha
any legible inscriptions thereon is the following
Of can't. Nathaniel and Mrs. Mary Green {
BOSTON. aged "a years. Decd May ye 23d 1717.
The earliest maps in existence, of the territor
| now Portland show this place designated as tn
abnryine ground" 1t was thus probably apprC
nriated by George Cleeve as it joined his HON,
Stead lot on the north side, although no title OF
was ever given the town. After the re-settleme1
Of the town in 1719 and the coming of Parse
Smith to Falmouth, he by some means obtained
fitIe to the land on the south side OF Smith (no
Congress) street, which included the Scho
House lot, and the present Eastern Cemeter
This was undoubtedly one of the titles whic
caused him great yexation of spirit, for althoug
portion of It was in use as the common buryiT
| ground, the town had a doubtful claim to 1t. The
| laid out street or passage way to the yard fro
| Congress street over the land owned by M
| Smith, which was called Funeral Lane" I'll
| people and authorities were urging the Parson
| give them good deed to this burysng ground, "
| he held on to this old grave yard with
| mouldering remains of our forefathers, with
tenacious grasp. AT length when on his dea
bed, and when he had become unable to sign
| name, he made conveyance to the town of 81
| land which now comprises the School House
and the Eastern Cemetery. A clause in his de-
is as follows, viz Meaning to convey all Il
| land now own, possess or claim, on the sout
| of Cff,ffh (nnx hofxx