The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-12-23
LANDING OF
THE PILGRIMS
Was Commemorate at Ban
quet Last NIGHT.
PILGRIM SPIRIT IN MEN
Was Theme Talked on by
Prominent Men.
PILGRIM SPIRIT IN MEN

The annual Forefathers' banquet, given
by the members Of the Plymouth Congre-
gational church. was held in the big
hall Of the church last night About
eighty-fve guests were present to par
take OF the feast. Three long tables were
spread In the big room. Festoons OF ev-
ergreens hung in graceful lines along the
wall and from the chandeliers. The Ia
bles were decorated with punches OF holly
end from the chandeliers hung punches OF
mistletoe. Lighted candles graced the
tables. The mattresses were dressed In
the old colonial garb, with the white
neckerchief and white cap. Great plates
heaped with turkey and other good
things to eat were brought In Every
thing was bounteous and plentiful.
After the feast speeches were in order.
DR.. Sargent as POSTMASTER opened the
speeches by a few well chosen words. In
part, he said: We have eaten, but the
best part OF the feast lie yet to come. But
there are plenty Of doctors at the tables.
So there need be no danger from the
first part. Will ask Professor Ellingsburg
to sing solo for US so he can eat. as he
never sings after he eats. / can never
talk after l eat, and / know he is the
same way
Professor Ellingburg then rendered a
selection which was very highly appreci-
ated- AS an encore he sang "A Four
Leafed Clover
DR.. Sargent then spoke a few words
o. tribute to Virginia, the home of the
greatest number OF great men, AS an In
PRODUCTION TO the first speaker he said:
We have with US tonight a man, law
yer, one whom we trust. one whom we
can look TO and one who will speak TO us
on the Pilgrim Fathers, Their Laws
Mr.. Holmes
Mr.. Holmes said: 1T has occurred TO
me that in every case you can Judge of
laws which come from any people by the
Characteristic Of that people and their
environments. In order 10 know the
laws passed by our forefathers we must
know of the hardships endured by them
in England and the spirit Displayed by
them in coming TO this barren country.
If they had landed on the coast of Cali
fornia instead Of the coast OF New En-
gland, events would have been materially
changed. They passed laws that would
DE very aCCeptdOle IN our own tir1S-
think / can say that ii was only the
people OF character that they were who
could have evolved results that we see
everywhere. They were the diamonds in
the rough who were polished by the hard
ships of that strenuous life"
The next speaker introduced by DR.. Sar-
gent was Mr.. II. w. Darling. superin-
tendent OF the Sunday school. He spoke
on THE Puritan Spirit in the Family"
He said: What was this spirit a. the
family? The pilgrim spirit was that word.
Duty short, easily pronounced and in
this day easily forgotten. What duty did
they teach? First duty 10 children, duty
tc God" He illustrated this by num-
Der of different stories. and drew the con-
clusion that IL children understood who
God really was. and that He was really
a friend to them. there would be more OF
the pilgrim teaching displayed. He paid
a tribute to Senator Beverage by quoting
a portion Of his speech in support Of his
statement
DR.. Sargent answered In a short reply
and then introduced DR.. Bowers. who |
spoke on 1.-THE Puritan Spirit in the Ply |
sician." He said: Nearly four centu- |
res ago that little weather-beaten vessel |
landed on the cold. bleak shores OF New |
England and for the first time the pill |
grim fathers landed on the Plymouth |
rock which has been in reverence ever |
since. Since then the descendants have |
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