Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-08-21

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mainland of Europe; but it was tne
| Enclishman who settled in Virginia
and the Englishman who settled Ill
Massachusetts who did most IN S',ap-
| ing the line of our national develop
| mcnt.
| We cannot as a nation be too pro-
| foundry grateful for the fact that the
puritan has stamped his influence so
deenlv on our national life. we heeu
800 hut scant patience with the men
,.ho nov rail at the Puritan's faults.
They we're evident of course, Tor IL Is
o,,olitv of strong natures that their
to iiings like their virtues, should
stand Ont in bold relief; but there is
Thing easier than to belittle the
great men of the past by dwelling only
On the points where they come short of
tho universally recognized standards
l. If tho present. Men must be judged
with reference to the age in which
tbv dwell. and the work they >have to
do The Puritan's task was to con-
nrar n continent: not merely to over
RIM II hut to settle it, to till it, to
buiId ,,pon it high industrial and So
ciaI life: and, while engaged in the
rouph work of tanning the shaggy
wilderness, at that very time also to
Law deep the immovable foundations
of orr whole American system OF civil,
,olitical. and religious liberty achleNed
through the orderly process OF law.
Thie vas the work allotted him to do;
This is the work he did; and only
moster spirit among men could have
done it
We i,ave travelled far since his day.
That liberty Of conscience Whlch ne
demanded for himself. we now realize
must be as freely accorded To "tiicrs
as i. is resoutely insisted upon LOT
ourselves. The splendid qualities
which he left to his children. we other
Americans who are not of PURITAN
blood also claim as our heritage. You.
sons of the puritans. and we. WHO are
descended from races whom the full-
fans would have deemed alien-wc are
all Americans together We all leei
the same pride in the genesis. III the
history. of our people; ana thereloie
this shrine of Puritanism Is one at
which we all gather to pay homage
no matter from what country our an
ceStorS sprang.
We have gained some things that the
Puritan had Motive of TINS genera
t;on we of the twentieth century, here
in this great Republic; but we are also
in danger of losing certain things
which the Puritan had and which we
can nv no manner Of means afford TO
lose. We have gained q joy Of liv-
inc which he had not. and which 1t Is
good thing for every people to nave
and to develop. Let us see 10 IL Una
ra do not lose what is more important
still: that we do rot lose the PURITAN
iron sense of duty. his unbending' UNI
0inching will to do the right as II Wa
given him to see the right IL Is d
good thing that life should gum Al
sweetness. but only provided that l.
does not lose in strength. Ease am
&c, and Measure are good things. bu'
oily ;f tbcy come as the reward Oh
work we'll done. of 4 good fight wei
wnn. Of strong effort rcsolutely maut
and crowned by high achievement.
The life OF mere pleasure. OF mere FL
fortress ease. is as ignoble Tor ii't'''
os for an Individual. The man Is ou
q moor father who teaches ms T'i,'
that ease and pleasure should De 'iivi
chief objects in life; the woman ~
| 10 n more pcttcd toy, incapable Oh ser
QUO nurpcse. shrinking from effort ah'
,rtv ie more pitiable than the VefieS
o,,.rv.or,;cd drudge. So he Is put
| moor leader of the people. but Po"
national adviser, who seeks 10 man
| tho nation in any way Suhordiliate
| Govt tn case. who would teach the PEG
| nlo not to prize as the greatest 'i'9
! inc the chance to do any WORN "
Voter how hard. if it becomes 'hei
1,.y 70 do II. To the sons OF IN
n,,ritone If is almost needless to 81
49,. a., ,oecon above all others Whlci
! puritorism can teach this nation
IN i,,rortancc of the reSOlute per
fnrm,ince of duty. If we are men
will rass by with contemptuo"S w.
doin alike the advisers WI"
sock TO lead us into the pains VI -
| noble ease and those VINO Woulu 80"
nc to admire successful Wroiis
| our ;dcals should be hlSh' an"
+nov should be capable of achleNeii'e''
in practical fashion: and we are u
r;ttio to no excused if we permit gu
;anoIs r. he tainted with what IS sol
d;a and mean and base. as II we d
| low ON power of achleVelhch'
| a,ro,,bv and become either lncapaoi
of effort or capable only of such IAN
4oetic effort as to accomplish h"tiii'''
~ nermanent good. The true aoc
trine to preach to this nation a. y
tho individuals composing TINS nd'''''
is not the life Of ease. but the me o."
effort If it were in my power =
nromisc the people Of this land any
thing. 7 would not promise them p'r''
IRE would promise them ina
stern happiness which comes from ',i'
sense of having done in rractlcai laSi
ion n difficult work which was W"r'i
| doing.
the Puritan owed his cxtraordinar,
success in subduing this continent am
making il the foundation Tor y Socla
life Of ordered liberty primarily Y" III
fact that he combined in a very r.
markahle degree both the power OF IN
| diyidual initiative, of individual sell
help. and the power Of acting in com
bination with his fellows: ana th''
furthermore he joined to hlgh neal
that shrewd common sense when save
a man from the bcsetting sins OF III
visionary and the doctrinaire. lie W