The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-21
PILGRIMS DAY.


ago dating back from today, the Phi
prims landed at Plymouth rock. This
common. almost insignificant incident
was the beginning of an empire. The
Muse OF History looking upon it saw in
it the romance of human progress. She
saw these plain, unromantic, severe
men, bigoted perhaps, scatter in the
crevices of New England rocks the
seeds of religious liberty" popular
government and popular education.
They, unconsciously, fashioned wand
out of their intelligent thrift, and 10y
atty TO principle, and with its magic
called them into life, and growth and |
fruitfulness Under the shadows of the
trees thereof, standing in Astounding |
and limitless forests between two
oceans, the plants of religious prosecu-
ton. political tyranny and ignorance
cannot thrive.
And the Muse of History stands to-
day silent, watchful, hopeful, as she
docks upon the marvellous evoiutloh'
and the spectacle of nation greater
perhaps, than all other nations, In It's
physical resources, institutions ana
eaDacity for good and evil, and she
writes across the Star of Empire, THIS
sober word Responsibility.
Is it not singular that while the hur-
rah of the nation, rejoicing in It's VIC
tory over a decrepit nation, fills the
land that sober and warning voices
come from Bunker Hill and lexington
the homes of elder Pilgrims and Pur1-
tans? Have their descendants become
weak and querulous and tlmld anu
fajthIess? Have Harvard and fale, anu
Dartmouth and Williams, and Am
harst and Brown, and Andover ana
Exeter. and the High school thlnned
the blood of this noble stock ana iei'
a decrepit crowd to stand around the
cradle of liberty?
IF these men "the heirs of all the
ages" are weak and falthless' anu
shrink from the duties imposed py des-
tiny, New England should pause anu
ask herself if it is not better to SWEEP
those institutions out of existence.
We who have an everlasting faith IL
tho safety of the Pilgrims principles
see that these guardians OF the Craole
of Liberty, see the word Responsible
itv'. in the sky, with the naked eye
and not through the errlng lenses u
Telescopes. To them the day ana the
hour. in the flush of victory, are grave
and momentous. 1t IS the day o
thought and resolution, the day for de
v;sine with wisdom the means of dis
charging the duties, which Destlny Mas
nut upon them; the duty OF even limit
ing the scope Of those political prln
ciples that have been held sacred since
the Founders cast the seeds INTO the
lodges of New England. Whenever the!
have discovered the true and the JUS
way OF modifying those principles o
nonular government, which have beer
for two hundred and fifty years d
sacred as the writings upon Sinai, AM
have applied them we'll in distant part
for the good of mankind, they TOO VII
rise and shout over conquest, no
over a decrepit nation, but over lgnof
apce and cruelty and arrested progress
The exiles from New England an
the descendants OF the III ihii1' "
puritans. now living by the waters {
this tropical Babylon, today take DOW
their harps and sing their song III Ill
distant land. What shall II De! "hi
the snow lies deep on the shores
Massachusetts bay, these eXlies stflh
their harps, under the royal palms,
touched with the softest winds, an
with their souls dwelling on the nome
of the Founders, sing as it was sun
in the ages past: IF | forget thee, G
Jerusalem, let my right hand 1ofs
her cunning. If l do not rememo'
thee. let my tongue cleave to the ro'
OF my mouth.
Well. indeed, was it said by one
the most distinguished sons OF the r
rifans. when he contemplated the dc
pair of thinking men at what Ihey
Iieye is the failure of good governmel
.na the rise of the boss and the pol1t
clan:
."There is a disappointment when
full of inspiration, which sehuS u
disappointed man deeper into the hea
and soul of the thing he mas begun
distrust and in regard to which he n
had misgivings, and which makes III
study it more deeply; which makes III
believe it with deeper faith and mo
and more. so far as in him lies, prll
IT to its fullest application.