The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-22
DESCENDANTS
OF PILGRIMS
Rhode Island Society Of tho
MaytIoWar Met Yesterday.
OBSERVED FOREFATHER'S DAY.
interesting Address Delivered by Professor
Charles S. Chaplin, Principal Of State
Normal School at the Eloiss.
OBSERVED F0REFATHER'S DAY.

"Forefa Tiers Day" was commemorated
yesterday by the Rhode Island Society OF
Mayfower Descendants. a meeting for
the purpose being held I'm the Eioise yes
terday afternoon.
After a social half-hour or more the
members and guests OF the society were
called TO order by Professor Wilfred III.
Munro OF Brown university, who intro
duoed Professor Charles s. Chaplin. prtn-
cipai OF the State Normal school. tho
speaker of the afternoon.
In introducing the speaker. Professor
Munro said that the object ~ the society
Is TO inculcate patriotism among it's mem
bers As a people Americans believed.
however. from n sotourn last summer In
Spain, that the Spaniards are moro pa
triotic than the American people.
II think" said Professor Munro, that
we do not know what patriotism is as
compared with the Japanese" One OF the
features OF the patriotism OF the
inhabitants OF Japan was the respect
with which they treated the memory OF
In his address Professor Chaplin said in
part:
I'm the city of Springfield, Mass, stands
statue known as St Gaudenr 'Purf-
tan The face is stern and severe. the
eyes are OF one accustomed to look into
trouble without flinching. Though ] do
not profess 20 possess the blood or bright
azure hue that flows I'm your veins have
the red corpuscfes Of the Puritan race
who were closely akin TO the immigrants
who came In the Mayfower. As | ex-
plalned TO my little boy my descent from
the Puritan whom st. Gaudens represent
ed by the statue he said after n lengthy
scrutiny. Awful homely. ain't he2
when We come TO the theology or
the Puritan. the ancestors OF you and
mo. find II is hard 10 restrain my inn
patience. We do not relish the spectacle
of our forofathers belief in a Creator
looking over the brink OF perdition and
watching the wr1thing in torment Of the
unregenerate. We do not regard the
human heart as a nest OF wriggling, pol
sonous vipers.
"For so years after the landing on Ply
mouth Rock II was forbidden to celebrate
the festival OF Christmas. We have
brought back the Christmas OF Dickens.
James Whitcomb Riley and Eugene Field.
But, as Macauley says, the Pilgrims
were the most remarkable set OF men
the world ever produced, The Pilgrims
stood for the inherent. right Of every
human soul to approach Almighty God
without the Intervention OF any other
agency whatever. 1t was for that sub
lime doctrine that they set up on tho
shores OF Plymouth bay the state In the
form OF a republic and for that alone
they were entitled 10 the everlasting
gratitude OF the human race.
1T was my ancestors who made Rhode
Island possible by sending Roger VIII
liams down TO the Seekonk. | have al
ways regretted that my forefathers could
not have been little more liberal and
allowed him TO remain and thus have
given Massachusetts the glory OF estab-
fishing the first commonwealth with abso-
lutte religious liberty. But | am glad 10
be able TO announce that the sentence OF
Roger williams banishment has been re-
voked and he is at lberty TO return 20
Massachusetts soil whenever he chooses.
Men who have given TO us a heritage
such as they bequeathed are we'll worthy
OF our honor and respect We have
right to thank God humbly for every
ruddy drop OF blood that finds its way
10 our hearts which connects US with
these men OF great ideas. who were will
ing TO fight or lay down their lives for
their beliefs"
After the address Mrs. Davis OF Boston
entertained tho audience with several
songs She was obliged to respond TO en-
cores. Later tea was poured and refresh
ments served and an hour or more spent
in social intercourse.