The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-13
PILGRIMS.
.heGOd-Fear-
ing Fathers
OF OUR COUNTRY.
Congregational Club Lis
tens to Dir. BehrendS.

Over 200 members of the Copgrega-
tional Club and their ladies observed
''Forefathers' night" at the Hath regu-
lar meeting, in Association Hall, last
evening.
Rev. A, J. F. Behrends, d. D., of
! Brooklyn, N. Y, was the guest Of the
evening, and his topic was THE gov
erning principles and controlling pur-
poses of the Pilgrims" Previous to and
during the splendid dinner which Reb-
boil served at $50 o'clock, Truda's
Orchestra furnished music.
After dinner, James Logan was elect
ed president of the club, in place Of
Rev A. Z. Conrad, Phi. D., D. D., whose
term expired.
Rev. Willard Scott, D. D., Rev. David
HOWE, c. w. Fisher, Charles r. Hill
dreth and W H. Adams were elected to
membership.
Rev. DR.. Conrad introduced Rev. DR..
Behrends, who began by asking those
present who could claim a direct line
Of desCension from the Pilgrim faith
ers. to rise. About O dozen responded.
The speaker then remarked pleasantly
that he was as well off as the majority
of those present. L am a Dutchman,
born in Holland, but my forefatherS
saw the Mayflower off, even if they
didn't come over in it. They also were
victors before your Puritan forefathers
whipped them in the war with Spain,
which led to the foundation of the
Dutch republic.
Continuing, Mr.. Behrends spoke Of
the different methcd of studying his
tory today as compared with the meth
cd used when he was a boy. Then 1t
was something that made one shudder,
q collection of facts, dates and the like,
but now 1t is studied for the spirit of
it. The facts are the same but a great
deal of difference exists in the way it
is studied. 1t is ordered, classified and
put together and the laws of progress,
the spirit of the nations is read out of
it.
History is made by men and we must
know the men to understand it.
Through 1t all the eternal purpose of
the living God is seen.
am to speak on the Pilgrims. The
external story has been told again and
again. 1t is of the inner being, the
living immortal principles that I am
to speak. We can't remind ourselves
too often or ponder too seriously on
the principles and purposes by which
the Pilgrim fathers were animated.
The principles and purposes which
they cherished, laid the foundation for
the American republic. They buiIded
better than they knew.
There are two or three things I de-
sire to say simply so simply that they
may be taken away with you.
First of all, these men We're liberty
loving. They were not all of English
blood, but they were Joined by Scotch,
Irish, Scandinavian, German and 9TH
ers. They were not even all of one re-
llgion. There We're some Presbyter-
ians, some Methodists, some Baptists,
some Episcopalians and not even all
Protestants, for there were some Ro-
man Catholics. But all national and
religious differences gave way in the
lace OF one common purpose-personal
liberty.
After all, however, in building the
American state, it was a Protestant
glo-Saxonism that assumed control
from the beginning. This has always
meant progress and the ability of eV-
cry man to take care of himself not
being dependent on officialism, govern
mental patronage; not relying on
inheritance of name or fortune. Every
boy and girl has it instilled in their
hearts and minds from first that it is
their duty to cultivate every gift that
God has engrafted to the utmost Self
reliance in the great struggle for exis-
tence is the keynote. That is the key
note of the rapid ascendancy and SOW
ereignty of the Anglo-Saxon in all lines
That was the temper of the Pilgrim
fathers and others who came after
them, They relied on God only and
in the strength of their own right arm.
They were liberty loving. The vic
tory of Manila, Of Santiago, was simply
the victory Of Plymouth Rock. Cap
plause)
The men who came over in the May
flower were not only liberty loving,
they we're law abiding. The two must
go together. They framed and signed
q compact on the ship before they set
foot on land. 1t was not arbitrary or
conventional, but deep laid, the found
alton on which the republic was built
They traced liberty and law to the eter-
nal source. Liberty is never liberty
1nless 1t obeys the mandate Of reason.
The fullest liberty is the most univer-