The Portland daily press., 1894-12-20
FOREFATHERs' NIGHT.
Modern Views as to Catholic and
Protestant Unity.

Judge Baldwin of the Yale Law School
Urged United Effort by All Followers
Analogy Between the Law and Religion
of Rome.
Forefathers night was celebrated by the
Congregational club at their regular Decem-
Der meeting at the Preble house last eve-
ming. A goodly company of both ladies and
gentlemen sat dow. to the tables. Divine
blessing was invoked by Rev. J. B. Saer of
Cornish.
After supper there was brief business
session. The following officers for the ensu-
ing year were elected:
President-Rev. }. l.. Jenkins, D. d.
vice Presidents-Rev. Dwight NJ. Pratt,
Secretary-Fred v. Matthews.
Treasurer-Joseph H. Chute.
Auditor-H. W. Shaylor.
Membership Committee-Rev A. H.
Wright, Byron NJ. Edwards. Woodbury. K.
Dana.
j. W. Stephenson, Leroy S. Bean. Fred c.
Malone and Rev. J. B. Saer of Cornish.
were elected members.
The names of Rev. Rollins T. Hatch,
Sterling Dow and Philip Borden were pro-
posed for membership.
President Jenkins in his usual charming
manner spoke of the guests of the evening.
Judge Baldwin of New Haven, and Judge
Symonds of Portland, and introduced
Judge Baldwin, the subject of whose dis
course was. 1.-THE Church of Rome as it
Looks today to the descendants of the Fill
grims.''
He quoted the proverb that call roads
lead to Rome,'' and said that SO this Fore
fathers night lead to the discussion of the
Church of Rome. For centuries before and
after the Pilgrims came to America the
Church of Rome was the only missionary
church in this country. Its interest In
missionary work is based upon the promise
that severy baptized child becomes a
Christian by it's baptism alone. And we to-
day. might be unable to answer If asked
Just why we baptise our children. he re-
ferred to the early centuries of the church
when under Papal supremacy, the church
was one and the people were one as never
before nor since. There was great inter-
national brother hood. The men of culture
felt as il they belonged to one great family.
They all wrote and spoke in Latin.
The Puritan scholar was forced to give up
all this and go out alone. He planned to be
a reformer. however. and not revolution
list. He hoped to save the Holy Catholic
church and the Communion of Saints.
The English Puritan was the outcome of
81 eat socialschange. The middle classes
were coming to the front and furnished the
power of the Reformation. Such men as
these came to America. Against the su-
premacy of the Pope their fathers had
| fought and so did they. but not against the
supremacy of the Christian faith. The
separation of church and state We owe to
Voltaire rather than the Puritan.
| Our country's great dangers today are
anarchy, ana the influx of foreigners who
| co not know the Necessary restrictions OF
| liberty. Against these nothing is more
potent than the Roman Catholic church.
Judge Symonds was introduced with the
assurance that he need not be embarrassed
| and that there were no limitations placed
upon him. He spoke with much eloquence
| and compliment of Judge Baldwin's adj
| dress. He said that he was out of his lists
| in this field of discussion and felt as If he
| must extend. the Macedonian cry to some Of
| the more Orthodox, to come over and helI
| him, and he was quite sure that some o.
| their forefathers would certainly do so
| Laughter) He spoke further of the analogy
| between the Roman law and the Roman
| church, and traced with his splendid
| eloquence the development of the law ant
| the church side by side, through the centu