Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-12-21
CELEBRATION OF WASHINGTON DAY.


Washington Day, commemorative of
the death of the Father OF His Country,
was observed in fitting exercises at the
New Century Club Thursday under
the auspices Of Caesar Rodney Chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolu.
ton. The drawing room was decorated
in the national coloTS. Over the
proscenium of the drawing room stage
was portrait of Washington, and ON
the stage was an engraving OF him.
Chief Justice Char les b. Lore presided
and the Invocation was made by Bishop
Leighton Coleman. 4 double quartet
from the High School sang Our Coun-
try Flag and .'Tenting on the Old
Camn Ground;'i the singers were Miss
Matelle j. Winner, Miss Ruth Tolt,
Miss Madee Il. Price, Miss Alice Lewis,
j. Hazel Fopwel, Ralph b. Kyle,
Howard r. Hartman and Leonard X.
Hail. Miss Mabel Haley was accom-
PIANIST. Miss Edna L. Bradfield played
violin solo: Miss Kathryn Garrett
sang STARS and Stripes and Miss
Emma Lore Star Spaneled Banner,
the pocaiists, being accompanied by
Mrs Charles Griffith.
Archdeacon George g. Hall delivered
an address on Washington, the Chris
tian. ~ He said in part: Like Column
bus, Washington was man OF faith;
possessed the power of vision. tbe
ability to grasp ideals and translate
them into deeds, and in Jesus, which
is called Christ, he recognized his
King. He indeed was SO revereutiai,
so serious, and devout in the house OF
common PRAYER that he strongly i'm
pressed all who worshipped wi th him.
Washington as Christian did some
things that persons in this age consider
| antiquated. Ills conception of tho
Lords day and what BELTS it was an
instance. During the Revolution even,
he insisted on due observance of the
day, excnsing the soldiers from fatigue
duty so that they might 90 to church.
But it did not follow that he was a
| perfect Christian character, as Wash
| ington's own confessions showed.
| Archdeacon Hall thought the charge
that Washington, under great provoca-
| ton, swore was Must and il lacked
corroboratiop. His opinions about
| Christianity were not indefinite, but
decisively positive. We might as we'll
question Washington patriotism, his
heroic and disintei ested fidelity to his
county, as question the depth and
| force of his convictions that religion is
the safeguard of men aud nations.
| Since the death OF Washington the
| ject. from the highest to the lowest,
has an equalschance in the pursuit of
well being.
William S. Hilles spoke on Wash
ington, the Patriot and Soldier" He
said that Carlyle has called Washing
ton Bloodless Cromwell :" Although
few have written more that has been
preserved, no man who ever wrote has
written less of himself After speak
ing of his victories in tho Revolution,
Mr.. Hilles continued: History offers
few examples of such ienown. Great
from the outset of his career, patriotic
before his country had become nation,
his fame is today imperishable. Every
one has conceded his claim to great
ness, still the prosperity of a people
destined for grand achievements is the
best evidence Ct fame ever to increase.
The men who, amid the decadence OF
modern ages, first dared believe that
he could inspire degenerate nations
with courage to rise to the level OF
republican virtues lived for all nations
and for all centuries. Such was George
Washington, the soldier and patriot
and such will he remain as long as mer
shall respect those things in which he
believed, and hold dear those things for
which he fought and Suffered
City Solicitor Henry G. Conrad dis.
cussed Washington, the Statesman. y
He said that it is marvellous in this
republic for citizens to gather together
100 years after the death of man tc
Fay tribute to his memory. 1t is
republic, in some things, has made
| a6
into a world power, with possc sessions in
almost every cline. Our wealth il
colossal. We have invented and per.
fected conveniences of civilization until
We can almost say that ours in these
respects is the golden age as com,
pared with 1893. But have we adj.
vanced in the great essential things
There, for instance, is the science Of
government, the field of politics, the
theatre of patriotism. Can we truth
fully say we hare not declined where
the fathers were SO prominent9 We,
as nation, will 60 to our fall, il we,
on days like this, do not take heed
lay our hands on the open Bible as die
the founder of our institutions ,,nt
swear that we. like him, will be faith
full to duty; serve our country lis
interestedly; serve it because we love
it and believe that we are called al
God to perfect it into the glory of the
whole earth, making it in very decd
the land of the fires, the home Of the
brave-the republic where every sub
generally recognized that Washington
had the qualities that would fiji hin
for high public position rather thar
for a general. He was more OF a states
man than a soldier.
At the close of the Revolution he
went to his home at Mount Vernon anG
really hoped to spend the remainder o.
his years there He was at that tim,
the foremost man in the country, anc
every courtesy was paid him. 1t wa;
! in the eternal fitness of things thai
Washington was to be chosen President
at the convention in 17SS, over which
he tittinely presided. With fear anc
trepidation the constitutional con
venticn had been called The aEles-
men were sent from every State, apt
they gathered in Philadelphia to frame
the first Constitution Of the United
States. In all probability the Consti
tuition would not have been framed hat
it not been for the quiet and deter
mined stand of Washington in its favor
For four months the convention sal
and during that time Washington die
not raise his voice in the convention
What influence he exerted vas mo-
through his ability as public speaker
Washington was heartily in favor O
ratification; his heart and soul wer,
in it. Delaware, be it said to hel
credit, was the first to ratify and con
firm the Constitution. at TIL
After the singing OF America tn,
exercises came to close.