The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-22


llncks, degenerates or decadents. 1t has
brought to the consideration of our national
affairs a mind that is both quickened and
led by its moral sense, and is upheld in its
conclusions by a resolute will and a daunt-
less courage. It's hereditary traits of mind
and character were the strength and stay.
of the movement for the abolition OF human
slavery. The strenuous and militant spirit
of it's ancient Puritanism wrought again for
liberty in the speeches and writings of Gar
rison and Sumner, Parker and Charming
and Phillips well as in the brave deeds
of old John Brown and the armies that fol-
lowed him; and when Webster faitered 1t
sounded note of doom in Whittier's Icha-
bod. 1t has, more recently, STOOD for the
honest payment of public and private debts,
and set it's face like flint against The private
use of public trusts for the l. Jment of
political debts. Wherever it has had full
sway In state or federal politics they were
cleansed of their pettiness and greed, and
invigorated by the sanative influence of
sincere and diSintereSted motives.
I'VE are greatly indebted to- the fnen
whose long and bitter struggle gained 1for
liberty and modern civilization a foothold
on the bleak coast of Massa chusetts, be-
tween an ocean and a wilderness. AS
measured by the material results of their
enterprise our Indebtedness to them is i'm
mense. Our moral Indebtedness to them is
infinitely greater The literary fribbles
who lost their vogue under the Protector
and had it restored to them by that worthy
patron of literature, the second Charles-of
whom his friend, Rochester, wrote that he
never said a foolish thing and never did
wise one-made a grateful return for the
royal favor in gibeS at the psalm-singing
enemies of royalty. Tribulation wholesome
and zeal-of-the-land busy were an mex
haustible source of amusement for these
sycophants and lackeys and became,lUHtthe
restoration of the Stuart dynasty obJefts
of their coarse and brutal viruence. Their
pleasantly was like that of their noble mas
tiers who took the body of Cromwell from
it's tomb and hung it upon a gibbet And
yet Cromwell, typical Puritan III whom
the civil conscience of Puritanism was IN,
nQ 10 iC hn orc
has ever known; while their ideal ruler was
the Merry Monarch, whose corrupt and
lcentious reign, with its poets and philcso-
piers, it's literary attachments and scientific
activity, it's Dryden and Locke and Newton
and its Royal Society its elegance of taste
and manners, its love of the drama and
dramatic art, its Partisan fashions in speech
and dress, it's material grandeur and its
moral poverty is the worst in English his
tory. More scrupulous critics of Puritanism
have been repealed by it's proscriptive spirit,
its intolerance of other religious sects, its
theocratic tendencies its narrow ana SOM
Der theology, its rigorous discipline and
regimen of life; but these are as much the
local accidents of time and circumstance as
the uncouth names and eccentric garb, the
nasal twang and santimonious ways that
were the butt of petty rhymesters and play
wrights. The greatness OF Purltanlsm IN
England and America was manifested in It's
sincerity, its elevation of purpose, its steady
maintenance of it's convictions amidst hard
ships and under persecution and its uncon-
querable fidelity to them. its high standard
of social and political ethics, it's calm and
serious view of life, neither holding 1t
playground nor q game, and its fearless
contemplation of death in its worst aspects,
it's exigent sense of public and private
duties and its zeal and courage and self
sacrifice in the performance OF them. IheSe
are the vital and vitaliZing qualities or true
manhood. it's elemental and Indispensable
attributes in every age ana corner OF sg fle
for which we are most indebted to Puritan
ISM They are just as essential Tor the
maintenance of a state or nation as for the
making of it, and nothing can take their
place No form of government can DIS.
pense with them, They lie at the nase 90; OF
society and uphold the fabric of CIVILIZATION
Society," says Amiel, rests upon conscience
and not upon science. Civilization IS hrst
and foremost moral thing Wlt2 1ont hf fhe
worship of duty, without the love of ones
neghbors-in a word, without yirtue-the
whole is menaced and falls into decay, ana
neither letters nor art, neither luxury nor
industry, nor rhetoric, nor the policeman,
nor the custom-house officer can MAINTAIN am
erect and whole an edlnce OF winch the
foundations are unsound,
John E. Cleland, who's came last t,, on I the
programme replied TO the ia toast O. bap p,
thing to study the "Pigrms Progress
whether in the tinker's dream or in the
story of ancestors. He 6 ia that the Pill
grim was human, but he hao no sympathy
with the spirit that with pick and glass
hunts down his frailties. -,,..u, ,,a.
selfish and self-centered, but he questloneu
the depths of eternity, he, trampled on tne
necxs of kings. Ihey say ne was ilsal 81 f aa
sweefness' and the riddle of the pilgrim Is
unriddled. They say he was narrow
and uncultured but he wrought as shl tL9a
aynoaob when they built the tabernacle and
the ark of testimony, They say ne was an
ME Int he set up better things than ne
had broken-he lifted his hand against ~
Justice and irnpiety and tyranny ana ele-
rbev saw that the pilgrim was
we'll enough in his way, but that
we do not want him TOO IONS.
Times change and life oroaaens w wlt na sne
orv IF the pilgrim empha sizes our own dept,
not alone to the past, but TO the pfesent
and the days to come II the ne Ia raee ,iIerin
fben was the old pilgrimage IN VAIN, anu
the story of the progress is closed. II an
cient wreaths be All our boast we are p NorL
indeed. If we lazily lie in the glory Dor
rowed from dead mems dust ana bones we
have bartered our heritage ana are nope
lessly, pitilessly bankrupt. SUI ~ - SLY say
there are enough watery particles IN the
air If suddenly condensed, to more tnaii
make another flood. The pilgrim idea ana
the pilgrim spirit are still here, and cannot
stay too long When great moral questions
arise the pilgrim is in the advance. When
great national perils come the pilgrim Is az
9the front" When there Is need Inc me
paneless hero will leave his bones on that
Golconda at Cold Harbor. When there is
need the unknown boy will play the man
in the red-stained trenches at Nlchspuls.
There is more need for courage In peace
nm IN closing iit Mr.. Cleland said: Magnify
the pilgrim and let US exalt him together.
in the assembly Magnify the pilgrim and
his progress which men behold, exalt him
as the eagle. set him among the stars.
Magnify the pilgrim, oh, my soul.
The evening closed with the singing of the
national hymn America
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