The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-01-28
BRAFlON.
TMAN BARD HON.
WARNER HALL.

iered-Speeeh by Chief John G.
orton and Eloquent Tribute by the
REV. Arthur j. Gammack of West
Haven.
Robert Burns, born January %, 1853.
Can Scotland e'er forget her plough
man bard,
Or Scots the world DER his deathless
fame?
Nay, deep within their rugged hearts
his name
Is grav'n in love, the poets best re-
ward.
The 146th anniversary of the birth of
Scotland's. national bard Robbie
Burns was fittingly celebrated under
the auspices of the New Haven Caledo-
MAN club at Warner hall last night.
There was large attendance and the
utmost enthusiasm prevailed all
through the evening. The celebration
of Burns natal day is not merely To-
cal custom, arising from some incident
or tradition or superstition connected
with some limited part of the earth. 1t
was grown out of the national mind
and resembles in some measure those
great historical festivals THAT have
been Instituted to commemorate, if not
TO worship some great hero. Hence the
reason that so many outside the poets
own countrymen attend his anniversa-
~. The proceedings at Warner hall
opened in true Scottish fashion by
Piper Cameron of New York, playing
sterling selection on the pipes. Chief
John G. Morton then arose and spoke
as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen: On behalf of
the New Haven Caledonian club I well
come you to its thirty-ffth annual Gel
ebration of the anniversary of the
birth OF our national poet, Robert
Burns. All over the civilized globe,
wherever Scotsmen are gathered to-
night, they will be celebrating in some
way and manner the birth of that
ploughman bard. And tonight in New
Haven we may be pardoned if for two
short hours we forget the land of our
adoption and let our thoughts be car
ried back to that little land of crag and
heather, that land that has given to
= the world so many great and brilliant
snen-that country that produced the
Immortal Robert Burns. The star that
arose in that little thatched cot in the
auld toon Q Ave 1855 years ago, has ne'er
grown dim, but as the years roll on is
growing brighter and brighter, not only
to Scotsmen, but to all iiberty-loving
people the world DER. For Burns was
a man OF the people: his songs and
poems have been the great factor of in
culcating in the hearts of men, be they
peer or peasant, that feeling of brother
hood that man to man the world DER
shall brothers be for a. that That is
why we meet here once a year under
the auspices Of the New Haven Gale
donion club to Derpetuate the memory
of one-Who has done SO much for hui
seSnity and although that brilliant
mind was often clouded with risfor-
tune we must not forget that he had
heart that beat warm and true for The
land that gave him birth.
He'll have misfortunes great and sma',
But aye a heart aboon them a.;
He'll be a credit tae us a.
Well a be prood O. Robin.
In closing | wish to say few words
in behalf of the New Haven Caledonion
club. Organized thirty-five years ago
by number Of Scotsmen, some of
whom are with us this evening, the So
ciety has grown in numbers and infiu-
ence and at the present time is in the
front rank of social organization. It's
aims and objects are the preservation
of the ancient literature and costumes
eand the encouragement and practice of
u the ancient games of Caledonia; also to
foster and enlarge those impulses of
&c. heart and bind Scotchmen together
bonds Of brotherhood and I
ID extend cordial invitation to all
Ehmen who are not affiliated with
club to do SO. Thanking you, ladies
gentlemen, for your kind attention,
Id wishing you a pleasant and enjoy
Die evening with us. ~. .
Rev. Arthur J. Gammack delivered
he annual address, his subject being
What We Owe to Burns Mr.. Gam
mack said that one naturally hesitates
ito speak on a subject treating of such
a theme, but that in doing so one is
i compensated in many ways. He said
that it is impossible for any one who
has not lived in Scotland to appreciate
the debt owed to Burns; his spirit, he
said, is felt in many walks of life
Among other things that Scotland owes
to Burns is the discovery of Scotland
to the Scots themselves. for while the
Scots were proud of Scotland. they were
without national pride of their native
land until Burns suddenly kindled the
fires of patriotism that burst into flame
in some of his native poems, as well as
in other Scotch poets from Walter Scott
ito Stevenson; also the realization of the
glorious common things which he would
instance in his two poems, '"ro the,
Mouse and the Mountain Daisy" The
pathos of common life we also learn
from Burns His political influence was
undoubtedly influenced, not by any par
ty affiliation, but on insistence Of the
dignity of mankind and the value of the
Individual life.
Mr.. Gammack concluded by saying
that the influence of such men as Burns
with the people was higher than any
laws.
The musical part of the programme
of the evening was a pronounced sue
cess In fact, seldom has a company of