Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-12-24
FOREFATHERS' DAY.
HOW IT WAS OBSERVED IN MIDDLE
BURY, TUESDAY EVENING.

The audience was larger than on any
similar occasion of late. President
! Brainerd of the college presided. The
exercises began with an organ voluntary
by Mrs. Miner and the singing of the
anthem, praise the Lord, by the choir,
which was made up of Mrs. j. w. Pitts
of Burlington, Miss Lizzie Cady, Miss
Emma Dorsey, Mr.. NJ. \. Munroe, Mr..
Coolidge, Mr.. Dana and Mr.. Thomas.
The invocation was by Rev. 5. l.. B..
Speare, pastor of the Congregational
church, who also read the 2Sth chapter
of Deuteronomy. The singing of Mrs.
| IIemans' ode, "rhe breaking waves
dashed high; prayer by Prof. Granville
Wager, and the singing of another an
them followed. Rev. Chandler y. Thomas
of Port Henry, n. Y, was next intro
duced and spoke for about three-quarters
of an hour. The address was able, clear
and comprehensive and received the
closest attention to the end. More than
a score of years ago, said the speaker,
DIR. j. g. Holland remarked, in a lecture
in this church, that art is tested by its
power; and the same law attaches to
higher things, even to the creations of
the Divine hand. SO of striking histor-
ical events their Importance is measured
| by the outcome. This is true of that
event which we celebrate tonight. 1t
was the beginning of the Puritan influ-
ence on this continent. Plymouth Rock
stands for Puritansm in America Mr..
Thomas then briefly sketched the pro-
gress of the Reformation from the time
of Luther accommodation up to the de-
parture of Pastor Robinson and his flock
from England. He showed that from
the outbreak of the revolt in England
against the authority of the Pope two
parties had grown up-one composed of
those who were for the establishment of
who wished to worship God in accord
ancc with the dictates of their consciences.
and would worship in that way only.
That was not permitted them in England,
World. They were animated by a love
of the largest liberty. Their coming led
the way to larger emigrations of Puri
tans, who built upon the same foundation
principles as their predecessors. What
ever be the estimate placed on the out
come of the settlement of America bv
the PuritanS, it all resulted from the
coming of the Pilgrims. The powerful
influence upon this country which the
Puritans cXerted was due to two causes
first. the strength of their character.
and, second, the fact that they aimed to
build wholly upon Gods eternal truth as
revealed in the scriptures. 1t was an al
lance of the human and divine that was
bound to succeed. TO obey Gods word
meant, with them, that they must have
His word taught and that they must be
able to read and study the word. And
so they gave literally for the support of
churches and institutions of learning.
Within II years after the landing of the
Pilgrims there reached these shores more
than 1000 families of Puritans. While
the speaker disclamed any intention of
belittling the other elements which COM
pose our nation, he thought it true, new
ertheless, that to the Purtans we owe
those characteristics which make the
country what it is. In every part of this
broad domain their power is still felt.
can be found nowhere else. and our great
systems of charity and social reform
how surely are they seen to be the fruits
of the Fathers teachings. The speaker
went on to trace the principles of the
Puritans as manifested during the strug-
gle against slavery, which nearly rent
the nation in twain, and in closing
brought out fOrcibly the idea that the
future prosperity and the highest welfare
of this country in all its varied depart
ments of activity will be found in fol-
lowing closely the paths marked out by
the Puritans.
The exercises were brought to an end
by the singing of the doXology, and the
benediction, pronounced by Mr.. Thorn
as.
THE LADIES SOCIAL PARTY,
which was held, at the close of these SER
vices, in the lecture-room of the church,
was, as it always is, a very pleasant af-
fair. More than $50 persons sat down to
the well-loaded tables. Among those
present were a number from out of town,
among them Hon. Columbus Smith, wife
and daughter of Salisbury, Hon. George
w. Grandey of Vergennes, Mr.. Henry X.
Dorr of Rutland and others. Grace was
said by Rev. NJ. C. Stebbins of Cornwall.
After the good things which the ladies
had so abundantly provided had been dis
cussed to the general satisfaction, Presi-
dent Brainerd called the guests to order.
A quartet composed of DIR. Sheldon and
Messrs. Munroe, Coolidge and Thomas
sang a song. President Brainerd smoke