The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-08-10

millennium does not lie behind US, Dut
before. We know that every human VIC
tory for truth and righteousness eGal9eUn
a nation as truly as 1t does the lhulVluu
al, and brings US nearer Ohe na a,oSllo,' ~
universal happiness. We should renen
Der that every good deed, every noble acg,
every high purpose, adds to the glory Oh
God, ami increases the dignity anu nap
p1ness of man. In the words OF a dlsClh-
guished citizen: "IOday is DeDOor uSay
than yesterday, but tomorrow is Cne 1anu
of promise. I" A Quaker minister once
said: II desire to do thee all the good
l can, for cannot expect to pass Unls
way again." Each day balances your
account for good or evil, and IN SO uolng
takes care Of itself; and the year also
will take care OF itself. Listen 20 Une
voice OF the poet:
f'Think that day lost, whose low de-
scending sun
Views from thy hand no noble action
done"
Such was the instruction that we re-
ceiVed at the hearthstOne OF the OLD holne'
from sermons In the meeting mousse, anu
from our lessons in the school. ~ ~
therefore, source OF pride and graOl0uu9
to us all that we were born in the goou
old town OF Gorham, with its relnarkapie
history, so filed with instances OF Ioyalty
sacrifice and Christian faith, supplement-
ed by energy, frugal1ty, and all inc VII
tues or true manhood and noble woman
hood.
l could illustrate my words by recital
of the heroic deeds of the earliest settlers
of our town. when the Indians surround
ed their dwellings, / could speak OF inc
prlVat1ons they endured, when Tor SIX
long years they were confined within the
walls OF fort, ON the very spot Where
we today honor their memory by raising
11QO n O111,n wit
stars. l could speak of services rendered
by our ancestors in che colonial wars, L
might dwell upon the courage ana paOrlr
Ot1sm manifested by an enrOIlmenI OF
one-thlrd OF the male population OF Ohe
town during the dark and trouDlous
days OF the American Revolution, When
Gorham SO nObly did it's part in the es-
taDllshment OF free and independent
nation. might speak of the dlsGln
gu1Shed quota our town cOn6rl Dubeu 10
the American army in the War OF 1917
ana OF their participation In JhaC SERIES
OF glorious Victories by land and by sea-
which aided SO much to give our nation a
free ocean and unrestri eted com merce.
l might recall the remarkable deVOIlon
and loyalty OF GOrham at the time OF Ine
Civil War, and comment upon the braV-
cry and sacrifices of individuals among
the scores of our brave boys who Joined
the Union army and went to the 1rOn6
grace who rescued our government
constitution and laws from treason, ano
thereby contributed to the liberty anu
happiness of mankind, l might cal
your attention to the enlistment OF the
Gorh am boys in the war with Spain,
which added to our public domain the
rich islands of near and distant oceans
l might speak at length Of the early
families Of our town who have made
their names 1llustr1ous in It's history,
and now are represented by worthy de-
scendants We have very properly decor
ated their graves with flowers in token
of our love and reverence for their memo
ries
Lasting honor to the Ph1nneys, Mosh-
7rs, McLellans, WatsOns, Whltneys and
their contemporaries, who laid the Toun'
dat1ons OF G0rham; ana to the many
families who have since followed the1I
example, and contributed so much &c
our States advancement! Nor can we
forget, for we are in close touch with,
the Watermans, the HinkIeyS, the
Emerys, and Others who have passed
over the river a little in advance OF this
great gathering of warm and devoted
friends. We bring today our profound re-
spect, and the highest tokens of gratitude
AMI love, for the lives they lived, and the
example they set for US. God bless their
memOriesl
Again, might call your attention to
the great improvement in the appearance
of our homes, our oI-houses and OuI
places of worship, and to our advanced
system Of public education; to the pro-
gress that has been made in social culture
and the rehnements OF life; to our i'm
proved financial condition; to the Cor
ham Savings Bank, with its four hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars of depOs-
its from the savings of our own people.
L might speak OF the first appearance OF
our Academy one hundred years ago, and
Of its continuous noble work; and of the
more recent appearance and development
of our Normal School, which so beauti-
fully crowns one of our prominent hills,
and ILLS so important place in the edu-
cat1OnaI system of the State of Maine.
In 1856 John Adams, who afterwards
became the second President of the Unit
ed States, was asked by a distinguished
Virginia statesman what it was that
gave New England its great superiority
over every other section of the Republic.
Adams replied, Il can give you a recipe,
which ii you diligently follow it, VIII es-
tablish New England's progress IN the
State OF Virginia. His QueSttOners earnest
ly desired to know what it was Mr..
Adams's reply, according to his diary CT
July 10, 1886, was as follows There are
four factors which have made New Eng
land civilization and progress superior to
that OF any other enlightened people,
they are the military training, the school
house, the town meeting, and the Chris
tiaD church, All these factors have
been prominent in the history OF our
tow II.
The military trainings in Gorham are
among the traditions Of the past, but
their influence in those early days devel-
Oped loyalty and love of country. that
was put to the test when the strong arm
OF the people was needed to preserve our
free republic from the foul attack OF
treason. The town meeting has always
been one ofEOur most cherished 1nstitu
lions, where important political and
financial questions have been discussed,
and the destinies OF The great republic
determined by the free ballots of an in
telligent people. In the little red school
house on The corner of the road leading
to the village green the children Of the
rich ana of the poor have had an equal
opportunity to enjoy the blessings OF edu-
cation. And from its earliest days to
the present time the town has supported
q strong and talented ministry, and can
point with pride to the churches that