St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-08-08
Gbe CALIFORNIAN.
81. ! ohn-bury, Thur-day, Aug. $, 1883
PLYMOUTH,S CELEBRATION.

=
honor of the Pilgrims, was dedicated
last Thursday.
The weather of the early morning
was unpropitious, and it was neces-
sary to view the parade from beneath
umbrellas a heavy shower prevailing
The exhibition began at sunrise
with salute by Battery A and the
ringing of the bells. The morning
trains brought vast numbers OF
strangers, and a great throng sur
rounded the new monument at $50
O'Clock, when the dedicatory exer-
cises were carried out by the Mason
&c Grand Lodge according to the
ritual of their order.
The exercises concluded with a
proclamation by the grand marshal,
benediction by the grand chaplain
and the Pilgrim chorus from Tam
hauser by Carriers band.
Meantime the procession had been
forming and at II O'Clock it moved
as previously announced.
At the completion of the parade
the officers and members of the par
ade the officers and members of the
Pilgrim society, with the orator,
poet and invited guests, took their
places in the great dining tent, and
the feast provided for the occasion
was discussed for an hour. Then ex-
Gov. Long arose and briefly intro
duced the orator of the day.
Mr.. Breckenridge arose and amid
appreciative applause began his ora
ton.
Mr., breckenridge speech was a
careful and thoughtful historical eff
fort. His address was devoted
to tracing the influence of the Pill
grims upon America, in ennobling
character and faith, and broadening
our citizenship. 1t was extremely
laudatory in tone. Each period was
developed in a most rhetorical man
ner,-the brilliant phrasing and turns
oflanguage being after Mr.. Brecken-
ridges familiar style.
Following Mr.. Breckenridge came
John Boyle O'Reilly, the poet of the
occasion, who read the poems of the
day
The Grafton and poem were follow
ed by speeches from His Honor J. Q.
Bracket, Hon. George F. Hoar,
Henry Cabot Lodge, Hon. Frederick
Greenhalge, DIR. George E. Ellis, Chief
Justice Durfee, Hon. William Coggs-
well, Hon. Nathaniel p Banks, Hon
E A Morse and other distinguished
gentlemen.
Among the short and eloquent adj
dresses was that of Senator George
F. Hoar. In opening he spoke of the
difficulty of speaking on the Pilgrims
on account of the famous orators in
years gone by who had addressed
large assemblies on the same theme
He mentioned Daniel Webster and
his far-famed Grafton, delivered at
Plymouth 20 years ago. The Sena-
then said:
In coming here to honor the Pill
grim Fathers, we do not come to
honor men whose virtues persisted
with them. The generations of
whom it can truly be said that their
descendants are degenerate are the
failures of history. The glory of men
who lay the foundation of states is
that the states they build endure up
on their foundations. The glory of
the founder is the finished building.
The glory of the patriot is the coun-
try he has saved. The glory of the
ancestor is his posterity. Children's
children are the crown of old men.
The history of New England to this
hour, so far as it has been directed by
the descendants of the men who
founded it, has been the result and
outgrowth of Puritanism as applied
to the changing circumstances which
the centuries have brought with
them.
Puritanism is something far more
than a capacity to encounter and en-
dure the sufferings and hardships of
life. 1t is something far more than
an austere and Spartan disdain of
pleasure, or luxury, or mirth. That
would be a most imperfect and one
sided character which should shine
only in storm and persecution and
and have no blossom of
grace when God, in His kindness.
leads it through green pastures and
by still waters. The wisdom of Puri-
tanism is a wisdom that can dwell
alone in a forest.
Puritanism is not particular form
of religious faith. The five points of
Calvinism are as consistent with a
despotism as with republic, if the
despot happens to be a Calvanist
himself. Puritanisn, whatever else
may belong to it, involves three es-
sentiai things:
L Obedience to the voice of con-
in the soul, as the voice of God.
2. The demand that this obedience
shall be the rule of conduct for states
as well as individuals.
g. Reverence for the individual
soul of each man, as entitled to an
equal share in the government of the
state, and its right to commune with
its Maker III its own way, without
the interference of any other human
whatever.
Faith, Law, Freedom. These three |
principles are the essence of New
England Puritanism. From this |
root has grown what we call New |
England.
Senator HOar then spoke eloquent
" of the New England men who have
won fame in all walks of life, and
concluded as follows:
I'm thirty years the people of Ply |
mouth will be getting ready to cele-
brate their third centennial. Ny |
ewes, | suppose, will not see it. But |
the eyes of many who are here will |
see it. 1t will be no cycle of Cathav
that they will celebrate 1t will be
no half a year of Europe. 1t will be
no cycle of Europe. 1t will be three
of America 1t will be three
which are still but the early
childhood of the life of that nation
born at Plymouth, which shall abide
so Tonga God shall abide. so long as
Sod shall give faith, law and freedom
to endure among men,"