Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-22
..LAhD|NGAT LyMOUTH
Two Hundred and Eighty
Third Anniversary.
TRIBUTE TO PURITANS
CONGREGATIONAL CLUB HOLDS
ANIMAL MEETING.
Heroism Of Forefathers Recited in Song
and Story-List Of the
Guests.

true builders of a new country; these were
the themes that evoked enthusiastic applause
from the 200 members OF the Congrega-
tional Club who listened last evening to the
stories Of their ancestors who lanoeo on
historic Plymouth Rock and hewed tnelr
way into the wilderness or an unexpioreo
continent to set up there the flag OF
manumitted people and mako it the nucleus
of the grandest republic the world has ever
seen.
The occasion was the thirty-eighth meet
ing Of the club and the two hundred ana
eighty-third anniversary Of the landing OF
the pilgrim fathers, observed as Fore
fathers day, and the scene Of the song and |
story that followed the dinner given by
the members Of the Ladies' Aid Society OF
the Congregational Church was the Sunday
school room of the church at 10th and u
streets. From 6 until II o'clock the cele- |
bration continued, and not a dull moment
marked the hours. There were speeches.
anecdotes and songs, and good fellowship |
reigned. DR.. Bischon presided over the |
music and the Columbia Quartet furnished
some beautiful numbers. The members of |
this musical organization are Mrs. elsie |
Bond Bischoff, soprano; Mrs Adelaide Lyn- |
ham Humphrey. contralto; Douglass G.
Miller tenor, and Herbert D. Lawson, |
basso. The last named rendered the eX-
quiste song THE Breaking Waves Dashed |
High with fine effect and received much |
applause and each number sung by the |
quartet was heartily encored.
Tribute to Forefathers.
The president Of the club. Rev. John L.
Ewell, DID,, presided. and introduced the
speakers, himself paying a brief but elo-
quent tribute 20 the forefathers and their
works that had made this country what
it is today. Senator Perkins of California,
a Yankee born addressed his fellow mem
Fla he
cific Coast Major John Tweedale, U. s. A, |
read from Governor Bradford's History
of Plymouth in which are related the |
incidents of the trip across the Atlantic |
and the setting up of the new home of the
Pilgrims on the soil of ssachusetts; A.
r. Spofford of the Library of Congress read |
an account of his boyhood days in New
England before he went to Ohio, and pic |
tured In well-chosen phrases the character |
istic Puritan household in which he was
reared; Judge Henry %. Rowland of New
York spoke on Our Pilgrim Legacy" and |
Thomas 8. Hopkins. governor of the
Washington Mayfiower Society," told of the |
making of the new country by the blend |
ing and welding of the men and women |
who penetrated the virgin continent and |
set up their homes in the wilderness, and !
Ellis H. Roberts. treasurer of the United |
States, spoke to the guests of the evening |
from the standpoint of the native Yankee |
and true descendant of the pilgrim |
fathers.
Senator Perkins said the pilgrimage he
every year made from his adopted home |
In California to his real one in New Eng
land was an experience to which he looked |
forward with feelings of the greatest emo
ton and rride~> He paid tribute to the
teachings of the New England ancestors
OF the company present and said that 1t
was that sort of teaching that made the |
real men and women of the nation
The New England Schoolma'ms.
MANY of those who crossed the CONT
nent to California" he said, carried there
with them these precepts and teachings of
the old New England schoolma ms and
you will see that the work Of those kindly |
teachers has had its effect in the onward
march of the golden state. We Americans
can boast today that the sun never sets on
our dominions. and that such Is the fact
is largely due to the love Of freedom, the
truth, pride and patriotism Of the pilgrim
fathers"
In speaking of the trials Of the pilgrims.
Judge Rowland was especially happy in
his theme, illustrating his remarks by IN
teresting and witty stories of the New
England fathers and pointing a moral with
every word. He said:
HE is no true descendant of the pilgrims
who. although far from the scenes of their
struggles, does not delight in talking Of
the deeds of his forefathers. There is no
need to go into all the details of this pic
ture Of desolate grandeur. but we will al
ways hold 1t up and take off our hats be-
fore 1t, as the Romanists do before the host
"The Puritans' brave, sad story unrolls
itself before us, showing their love Of truth,
! trust in God. eagerness for indep endence
and struggle for freedom. 1t was the thirst
for religious freedom that brought our
ancestors across the sea from england TO
this country; no love of conquest prompted
| them. but the search for the lighr. The
| things that followed were sadly heroic the
deathbeds, the sickness, the cold and the
| fighting against the Indians. Ali these
| Affections accompanied the pilgrims on
! their approach to the American shores.
A More Finished Service.
'Since that time conditions in NV Eng
| land have come to demand a more finishes
| service in all lines than was demanded in
| the time Of our forefathers, but the ability
| to fill these requirements today comes from
| the present generations descent from the
| Puritans of old. Today we pay less atten-
| ton to conscience, and am afraid we en-
| deavor to show our affluence instead of
| proving the quality Of our charity. Sucn
| things cannot be cured at once; let no man
| think they can. We must view them rather
| as stage foreordained in the progress of
| our country. and in the meantime we must
hope for the triumph OF the forces of
| good
| Welsh; he was therefore by tradition
Puritan and proud of the fact.
II rejoice he said. that all of the talk
| here tonight has been Of the broad type
| rejoice because that broadness has made of
our citizenship today comp osite of all the
grand elements that were the possessions
| of our forefathers.'
| The singing of the Congregational Hymn
| and pronouncement of the benediction
| brought the evening to close.
List Of Guests.
| The guests included Mr.. and Mrs. j. L.
Ewell. Henry e. Rowland. Ellis H. Roberts,
Helen Nicolay. A. R. Spofford. Maj. and
| Mrs. John Tweedale. Thomas g. Hopkins
| Mr.. and Mrs. G. A. L. Merrifeid. Florence
| P. Spofford, Justice and Mrs. David J.
Brewer Rev 8. NJ Newman, Mrs. Newman,
| Charles s. Clark, Mrs. Clark Mrs j. r.
i Gibson. Miss Maybe Bayley. Mr.. and Mrs
| p. c. Clafin. Mrs. Faith HI. Montague, the
Rev. Edward H. Clark. Pontiac, ILL.,. An
son H. Clark, Wausau, Wis; Mr.. and Mrs.
NJ. d. Lindsay. Alfred Wood. Mrs. George
T. Carter, Clara Prescott Morrill, Water
Vile. Me-; Miss Belle c. Merrifleld, Miss
/ Tinnie Merrifeld w. W.. Kinsley and
son. Mrs. w. W. Kinsley, Mrs. Rand,
Miss c. B. Rand. George BaileyN Miss
| T,ttta NJ Fro ,lrlip Nnbf