The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-23
FOREFARTHER'S DAY
IS OBSERVED HERE
Memory of Pilgrim Fathers
Honored in Birmingham
THE Pill GRIM SPIRIT
Or. jenkins of Atlanta Speaks Of
Its value-clergymen of Other
Churches Assist the congre.
eatlonaIist Minister.


Pilgrim was the subject of an address
made in the Cumberland Presbyterian
church at Eighteenth street and Fifth
avenue last night by the Rev. Frank
e. Jenkins, D. D., pastor of The Congre-
gational church of Atlanta.
Dr. Jenkins was the principal speaker
in the exercises held to observe. for the
the first time in Birmingham, what is
known as "Forefathers Day." an ami
versary fixed to commemorate the char
aeter and achievements of the Pilgrims
who landed in the year 1920, at the town
OF Plymouth in the state of Massachu-
sets.
The Services.
The exercises were directed by the
Rev Arthur S. Burrill the pastor of the
Pilgrim congregational church. Assisting
DR.. Burrill were the Rev. Quincy Ew-
ing, the rector of the Episcopal Church
OF the Advent; the Rev. DIR. J. w. Stage
the pastor of the First Presbyterian
church; the Rev. DR.. Sterling ]. Foster,
the pastor of the South Highlands Pres
~ t1AAdu 1hhi1hs ciiit the new III. isaac
d. Steele, the pastor of the Cumberland
Presbyterian church.
The services consisted of responsive
readings from the scriptures, prayers by
Mr. Burrill, Mr. Stagg and Mr.. Foster,
the reading of a lesson from the old tesla
ment by Mr.. Ewing, a few exceedingly
brief yet happy Introductory remarks by
DR.. Steele and an extremely interesting
address by DIR. Jenkins.
After expressing his qualification with
the reception given him In Birmingham
and delight with what he had seen Of
Birminghams progress and prosperity,
DR. Jenkins harked back to the rock
bound coast" Plymouth Rock, Delfs-
haven and the men and women who
braved the storms of the ocean, the for
est and the savage to rescue religious
it in the new world.
The Pilgrims Privilege.
To the Pilgrims, said DIR. Jenkins was
given a great priviege-the privilege Of
making enormous and bitter sacrifices,
and of making them in order that the
WOIIu Hight DE uplllltu anu SAltli6Nntlltd
by his example. The speaker sketched
wildly the sufferings of the of the pio-
neer Pilgrims-their perils and privations
In the early winters after their arrival.
He pointed out how the spirit Of the
little band who landed at Plymouth Rock
had quiekened the life of New England
and through New England the life Of
the western world. 1t was not his pur-
pose, however, to glorify New England,
though he admitted, the inclination to
do so was strong.
After all, however, New England-its
culture, its power and the potentially of
its moral rigor-was only one monument
carved out by the Pilgrims hand. From
Plymouth, he said, the spirit of the Pill
had radiated throughout the continent,
had fought the savage, felled the forest
and. supplemented by the spirit of the
cavalier, had won the western section of
the country into the circle of civilization.
Though the New Highlander and even
the Pilgrim, In some cases, might be
provincial the Pilgrim spirit was cath
Ollie, all embracing universal. 1t at once
sons who desired to live worthlly and
to contribute something to the enrich
ment of the earth.
Not Born to Die.
The Pilgrim spirit, DR.. jenkins con-
tinued, was mot for an age, but for all
time" 1t was one of the few things
that are not born to die.
The speaker then emphasized the i'm
portance of persons who live nowadays
to conserve into their modern industrial
life the plans. aspirations, hopes and
even emotions Of the early Pilgrims-the
controlling purpose Of the Pilgrim spirit.
His idea was that new occasions teach
men duties and that time makes ancient
good uncouth. To be as good as their
fathers the present generation must, he
said, needs be, in the very nature of
things, better 1t was the duty Of the
living to transmit the torch, in undimin-
ishing glow, to the hands of their de-
seendants, even as 1t has been entrusted
to their own hands by their forefathers.
Character, life, civilization itself was a
cumulative process. Those to whom
much had been given should understand
that from them much would surely be
required.
DR.. SteeIe's Tribute.
In the course of the exercises DR.. Steele
took occasion to pay an earnest tribute
to the influence for good exercised by the
Congregational church, and especially by
its famous pulpit orators, among whom
he mentioned Henry Ward Beecher Of
Plymouth church, Brooklyn. and DR..
Parker of London. He cordially well
coined Mr.. Burrill and his congregation
to Birmingham, and spoke of the pleas
ure that was his in placing the Cum
berland Presbyterian church at the dis
posal of Mr. Burrill's congregation on the
occasion of the first observance of Fore
fathers Day" in this city. DIR. Burrill
sincerely thanked DR.. Steel, and through
him the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
for their gracious courtesy.
rrTcn DD1nTuTD