The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-17
FOR F%OREFATHERS' DAY
APPROPRIATE SERVICES HELD AT
PLYMOUTH CHURCH.
Rev. H.. &. deserves Interesting Ser
mona Church Reopened-Sery-
ices at Other Churches.

Forefathers' day was observed at Ply
mouth Congregational Church yesterday
with appropriate services. In his morning
sermon Rev. H. C. Meserve talked elo--
cuently and interestingly of ''The Con-
tributions of the Pilgrims to Our Modern
Life" taking as his text the thirteenth
verse of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews:
These all died in faith, not having re-
ceived the promises, but having seen them
and greeted them from afar, and having
confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth" Mr.. Meserve said
in part:
The martyrs of the world are those
whose keen vision sees beyond their own
brief day far into that future whose shores
they may not tread, but for whose explora-
ton they must prepare their children, and.
having seen, resolutely turn their eyes to
all the weary way that lies between the
place wherein they stand and that glorious
future. and. bearing all the drudgery, all
the disappointments that follow the vision,
build character for the strengthening of
those who are to reap where they have
sewn. Ii is reserved for the martyr to
leave his home land. to cross many a
wlntry sea, to wreSt a livelihood from
many a rood of sterile earth, that when
he Is called away, all unconscious that he
has been a martyr, his children may rise
up on the spot he has made fertile with
his toll and inter into the realities of which
he dreamed.
'While the revival of learning in Eng
and under Elizabeth was going on, a re-
vIval of religion began in the bosom of the
church itself. The renaissance of letters
grew prosperously while the clouds of re-
ligious revolution gathered. 1t was in vain
that the Established Church sought TO lay
the rule of conformity upon all who bore
tho N a m of nOliGhrnp an . fhora Wa i'm thor
very name that which stood for liberty,
civil and religious. So the, little company
OF those who would read and would think,
not along the lines OF a corrupt church,
but as God gave them wisdom, grew in
spite of persecution and made Roadway
against the laws of the realm. The revolu-
ton which was to throw upon the shores
of bleak America "a band of men conse-
Grated to God and TO liberty of thought
and life prepared the way for the evolu-
ton which was to call into being a new,
nation. When the Puritans, who sought
To reform the abuses in the Church of
England, mad gone to the logical conclu-
sion of their efforts and become separat-
lists, there must of need be a place of meet
ing, where, in secret, for fear of the au-
thorities, those Of like mind and commit
ted to the like desperate scheme, might
meet. To this end the historic church of
modern Congregationalism was formed at
Scrooby, England, in 1906. Going back
some four years we find a church out Of
l1 lillo dtAC 1AHdL1a VI lAC DlA6A HIS
sprang-the church at Gainsborough, which
afterwards divided, a part becoming the
church at Scrooby. This primitive church
covenanted together, Ito walk with God
and with one another in the enjoyment of
the ordinance of God, according TO the
primitive patterns in the word of God" The
next year. the persecution continuing un-
abated, the Separatists became pilgrims,
and the church removed to Amsterdam.
Holland, and the next year TO Leyden. Here
they resided some thirteen years. striving
almost continually during the last three
years to overcome the difficulties put in the
way of their attaining land over seas where
they might found a colony which should
in all purity preserve, not only the re-
hgous truths which they held. but also
their national unity, which a permanent
residence in Honand might forfeit to them.
So IL was that finally they set sail. with
their dear pastors words ringing in their
ears, exhcrting them to follow him no
further than he followed Christ, and If
God should reveal anything To us by any
other instrument of His, to be as ready
to receive it as ever we were to receive
any truth by mis- ministry; for he was very
confident the Lord had more truth and
light yet TO break forth out of His holy
word"
MIR. Meserve referred at considerable
length 10 the gradual growth and develop
ment of the Congregational Church. and
of the part played by the pilgrims in this
great work. in conclusion he said:
Far be il from me TO hold the pilgrim
in unreasoning veneration. / do not look
upon his life as miraculous, as a violation
of all the laws of development, but I do
regard his work as the beginning of an
evolution in life, civil and religious, which
IL continuing to-day under the same di-
vine light which he saw and acknowledged
II seems q little thing TO us, the truth for
which he fought, but it is i'm reality a ire
mendous thing, and little to us only be-
cause it is a familiar ideal to us, which
we may realize without opposition"