Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-05-25
A CARD FROM REV. MR.. CAR
PENTER.
To the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette.


After reading the communication from
W. II. S. in your issue Of May 22ad,
nv first intention was not to reply.
don't think much good comes from
controversy, and / believe had the
gentlemen been present at the service
there wonld have been no need OF his
lengthy remarks.
The speech TO which be refers was
fifteen minutes long and not from manu-
script, and the report of 1t was Il pre-
sume) n II in shorthand.
Allusion to the theme which stirred
his ire is made by the reporter before a
record of any Of the speeches is given,
and venture that the phrase, as used
by him, was not so used by any OF the
speakers.
In prefacing my remarks on the oc-
casion | said that had been very
much pleased and edited recently by
an article in a weekly periodical BY
Thomas Nelson Page.
| refer him to "The Outlook" OF
May IL, 1907-the subject is, "The
jamestown settlement and its fruits
Civil Liberty" l don't know what his
church afiliation is, il any; bat l can't
think that he is an Episcopalian. And
like many others. heis slow to give
! credit where it is due. Everybody
knows, and certainly q minister should
know, that the form of religious wor-
ship brought TO this country by the
first permanent settlement was accordings
to the English church, and 1t was the
desire OF those in that settlement to
establish, maintain and teach that form
of worship. The colonists we're gentle
men, and not failures fleeing from their
country. They did want to better their
fortunes, and the gentleman does not
dispSrage that endeavor, but they also
took good care to start under the pro-
lection of God and brought their chap
lain, and they took possession OF James
town Island on the 18th of May, 1907,
"for the Kingdom of God and the King
dom of England" What l say In this
paragraph was not 10 my speech, be-
cause it is a long sidetrack tie gentle
man has wandered into, but as to the
"warriug against all dissenters" OF that
sge. Is the English church the only
one that has "warred2 ;"
He must remember that the Eliza
beban period had just closed (l6OS),
The most brilliant up to that time that
haj ever been in England. Just one
instance:
Does he know that IN archbishop in
1882 had granted license to Presby-
terian divine to officiste in the English
church? Had he been present at the
time of my speech, he would have
heard my honest liberality and charity
o all those who are IN the service OF
Christ, aud as | am ever wont to say.
lie must never forget that the Episco-
pal church gave the translation OF
the Holy Scriptures four years after this
ilfant settlement at jamestown and
they we're read there and preached from
and it was called by old writers "the
mother christian town." What l did
say was that when the Pilgrims started
| from England, in the hope of building
up land where they might have relig-
ious etdOm, they obtained their char
ter from the Virginia Company In Lon
don, and they started for the Virginia
settlement, but were driven by wind and
| tide to the coast of Massachusetts and
landed at Plymouth l620--thirteen years
after the English Virginia settlement, al
though our school children are often
taught to sing "Lsnd OF the Pilgrims
pride" | did say that the jamestown
settlement sounded the clarion notes OF
civil liberty in 1919, and that was before
the Pilgrim landing. He failed to say,
but to which did not allude, that the
meu wi ose illustrious names he mentions
as using their influence, over $50 years
after the first settlement, for religious
freedom, were Episcopalians, aud not
dissenters or iudiferents.
Hemsy think that he knows the
facls of history, but he Is not up on
modern history when he dosen't seem Ia
know that the Episcopal and other
Protestant churches have places of wor-
ship in Mexico, and they are not chat
ing either, but are doing their work.
Yes, We must teach the younger
generation the facts of history. And
there are many who who are just al
anxious to be accurate as some OF those
who champion the cause in public print,
although at the time Of their teaching
they may have no idea that their words
are to be printed and require correction
Please pardon this already too long
article; as far IS l am concerned THU