The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-11-22
L4UDS SPERRY FOR PARK
GIFT is APPRECIATED
Rev. Frederick T. Persons
Refers to Presentation
in Sermon.

In recent sermon by the Rev
Frederick T. Persons of the Wood
bridge Congregational church, the fol-
lowing reference to the old sperry
homestead was made
The theme of the sermon was senti-
ment and the text was from Mark.
14:4, ITO what purpose hav this
waste of the ointment been made"
He gave several interesting illustra-
! tons including that of Lafayette
standing with barred head at the tomb
Of Washington and the throngs of
sightseers since; the frenzied antics
of foreigners in America when they
hear their national hymns or the fam
liar music of their childhood; Amer
lean tourists who spend valuable time
and much money at literary and his
toric shrines abroad He said we re-
gard utilitarian values overmuch and
neglect sentimental values as is
shown by the difficulty in preserving
! old buildings, natural objects of beau
ty like our noble forests, the falls of
/ Niagara and other American wonders;
and the following in regard to Sperry
Park. Most of you know that our dis
| tingulshed townsman, Hon. N. D.
/ Sperry in behalf of himself and the
other heirs offered to this his native
town the few acres which contain his
birthplace and the famous falls. This
was free gift, the sole condition be-
ing thai the land should be kept for
a public park, the historic spring to
be preserved in proper condition for
use and the property never to be sold
or transferred. The vote to accept
this gift was unanimous. I mention
the matter at this point because 1t is
entirely conceivable that in some
towns in this State objections would
have been raised to the acceptance OF
this gift We should have heard re-
monstrances like these; this property
can be of no use to u.s. why take it?
and further 1t will be source of an
nual expense; what do we want 1t for :?
But we heard no such voices, and 1t
seems clear that the town appreciated
the gift Here is this piece of land
dearer to Its donors thanN any other
spot on earth. There In addition the
place has an antiquarian interest It
was here that possibly the first mill
stones ran in New Haven county. we
are sure that grain ground on this
spot fed the Revolutionary troops. In
the ravine lie the tottering founda-
tons and the old millstenes. Here
the farmers wool was carded and
spun for weaving and some other
manufacturing done. Go over and
sit on the rock shelf and watch the
falls as they rush, tumbling down
into the great dark pool, and as you
linger there gazing up that steep we'll
out of whose side grow lickens and
ferns, crowned above with hemlocks,
ask yourself If this isn't permanently
worth while. This isn't matter OF
dollars and cents to you. 1t isn't a
matter Of money to Woodbridge, It
belongs in a realm that is vastly high
1 err than any monetary consideration.
The community is to be congratu-
lated on this gift, and whenever we
visit this Sperry Park may some of
the influence of the place, take hold
of us and make US better. Therefore
we need to educate the sentimental
side of our natures as we'll as the in
| tellectua1. We need the sentimental
in making the world into the Kingdom
of God. Utility stops short of the
summit discouraged; sentiment takes
up the burden and completes the
work Utility piles up the fuel; senti-
ment applies the torch. Utility collects
the material but 1t takes the senti-
mental side of our nature to put the
stones together and form the walls
of Gods glorious temple.
| r q N