New-York tribune., 1902-12-14

of America. At the beginning of the last century.
in common with many Of the churches of Massa-
chusetts, it separated into two branches, one be-
coming Unitarian, and the other continuing in the
faith and fellowship of the evangelical Congrega-
tional churches"
Then came the protest the ground that 'the
Importance Of the First Church in Plymouth in
the history of the commonwealth and of the coun-
try calls for emphatic protest against claims that
seek to dispute its unique title and to assail its
1 integrity The protest reviewed the history Of
the churches, and signed by President Charles
w Eliot Of Harvard, Charles Francis Adams.
president Of the Massachusetts, Historical Society;
! Dr. Edward Everett Hale. John D. Long. Arthur
| Lord president of the Pilgrim Society and Myles
Standish and Winslow Warren, officers of the Sc
ciety Of Mayhower Descendants.
fun Of interest 1t begins in 1906 with its foundation
by, by William Brewster at Scrooby, England. The
warm for these followers of heresy was exciting
y the teF little eooh2 IN tns eg s
aGaGenic Leyden the year being 1903. There
They excited the praise OF the Leyden authorities
great contrast to the behavior of the other religious
fe ferageeS from European States In loo poverty
anG the Mayfower voyage was the result.
The iirst s1 ehild of the Plymouth Church
gafllzeQ IN 1858 in PImpton which the still a
part OF Plymouth. This is still orthodox church
# + in deciding the oldest church faith alone
Oldest. say the Unitarian faction.
The original church continued to prosper and
a 6faaches TO the number OF FIVE were organized in
second iG
located in Plymouth and in point of time precedes
the Church of the Pilgrimage more than sixty
1t in 1900 with the ordination of the Rev.
aes henda m that the began The
bers went out This was far from half the parish,
'ratable polls contributing members under the
old parish law The number withdra wing. however.
was nearty hali the membership of the church.
At the time there little hard feeling, and
dissatisfaGti9n with Dr. KendalPs teaching. but it
IecelFe1 Lttle conslderation- One reason cited in
congregation made il tnconvenient worship under
one one root, The frst church continued in orthodox
fellowship for many years. and drfted gradually
into the other denomination. 1910 the Congrega-
erected place OF worship Its present name-The
Snurch OF the Pllgrimage-was formally adopted in
The CongregationaIist the official organ of the
the claim of the Society to the
first church in a recent editorial, which reads in
In the Congregational Year Book for 1888 the
calling Itself the Church OF the Pilgrims arpears
Tor the first time as 1906 The pastor al that time
church was and is the original church of the Pill
date is given in each year book until 1890 when
dne me correct @ date lSel reappears 1t was changed
If this this last date date were the true then It should
been organized by members of the First Church lrc
before the Church of the Pilgrimage began to be
nation, For example, the second Church in Plynn-
rom rom & lsS- But our Year Book does not assume to
GATE the beginnings rs OF the doctrines held by
claimed would be in the first century.
There are good and sufficient reasons why Con-
Eregationalists should aid in building a suitable
memorial t for t3; the church M @ in Plymouth which
@ HE %hch hh2ss fRe FeTima s6asRa
brought with them to this country. The Gate of
the organization Of that Trinitarian Is 1901
Now that the matter of date of birth settled,
Plymouth viii probably Join forces in an effort TO
raise funds for n congregational memorial There
are oenomInatfonal reasons for such a building,
and IL Will be Of historic interest. before In
1870. in the pastorate OF the Rev Mr. Tuxberry,
who is now living in Concord Mass, q similar
claim was made doetrinal grounds At that
time a tablet dating 1906 placed the church,
but il later removed.
Ihe Old First Church to which the Brooklyn
society has contributed its memorial windows has
received many valuable gifts The General Society
OF Mayfower Descendants gave beautiful win
dow, The Signing OF the Compact which will
OF the church is the Edward L. Walker memorial
window, Robinson Taking Leave OF the Pilgrims
al Leyden.'
There is an interesting story concerning the old
bell OF the church. 1t presented in 1884 by
Colonel Thomas Russell who shortly before had
married one Of Plymouth's most beautiful daugh-
Il have taken from Plymouth a belle he wrote.
therefore il Is my desire to return to Plymouth
In 1901 the bell recast at the works Of Paul
Revere in Boston, and when the church which 'nre-
ee0ea the present memorial edifee was burned it
Ieh In the ruins -Four years later to the very
hour, the bell, recast In the Revere shop peaIed
again In the unfinished steeple of the memorial
,b over thousand citizens rad gathered in
CT the church sang America" '
FOR q century and half nearly the hell has
sersea the town as the crIrfew bell In the spring
as soon as the herring begin TO rum 1t is ans at
o'clock IN the morning, of the few old Gus
IONS Ions 10 which up-to-date Plymouth clines The
mean be nhsTeh Is appEoaehing its and
whole country. ~Ss ~ s'Ao