Evening journal., 1908-06-08


can. and who carried the power OF
Sweden 20 a dazzling height. Only fve
years after his death. the Swedes made
their settlement at the Rocks, on the
stream they called the Christiana. Had
Gustavus survived. the Dutch would
not In 1856 have conquered the Swedish
colony, but more likely would have
yielded to the Swedes. and We would
have had on this continent strong
Scandinavian state. intervening be-
tween New England and Virginia
Sweden was Lutheran, Holland.
CalvRnist: both tolerant. During the
short tenure OF their power here. we
find no evidence Of religious persecu-
ton by them. They were not preten-
tious, nor overbearing they were sim
ple-minded and Straightforward. but
few as were their numbers, and the
years OF their sovereignty, they laid
their lines deep In the character and
future OF this community. / have al
ways attributed 10 their initial infu-
ence upon the protoplasm, that the peo-
pie of Delaware have never been other
than simple and unpretendng. Herr
simple honesty has carried with II no
distinction; on the contrary. as I said
on an occasion similar 20 this, II has
been properly looked upon as that
commonplace quality, which It Is not
particular credit TO have, but simply a
disgrace 10 want
LAS was pointed out by the late
James a. r. Delworth In his instructive
address before this society a few years
ago, the Dutch settlement at Reedy
Island was at least as early as that at
New Castle, II indeed not earlier; hence
within the bounds Of this congregation
there was at the outset OF It's settle
ment a large Dutch infusion.
Mr. Foot, speaking on May 10, 1S42.
saids
This day completed one hundred
and thirty-one years since this spot
was chosen as the site OF the house
OF God. On the 10th of May l7ii,
Isaac Vigorue. Hans Hanson. An
drew Peterson and Francis King
purchased Of John Peterson one
acre Of ground for this purpose.
During the same year, house Of
worship was erected on this spot.
Church Had Noble Founders
"The names OF the founders tell IN,
story Andrew and John Peterson were
undoubtedly Swedess Hans Hanson
Dutch; Isaac vigorue, Hugenotl,
French; Francis King might have beer
either English Scotch or Scotch Irish
but certainly four out OF the five names
were Of what even then had become
foundation stock. To which Of th'
three English-speaking peoples Francis
King belonged, who can tell, for since
the Dutch sway ended. much histor,
had been made; many things had hap
lpened. The English in 1864 had cap
tured New York, carrying with It tn
dominion Of the Dutch; not only owe
New Jersey but afso over the settle
ments on what they called the South
river, now 20 be called by the Englisl
the Delaware. and so we came q
ibe part Of the province o
New York; and 10 be governe'
by the Duke OF York laws. and thi
continued for eighteen years, until goo'
William Penn came in 1882 with
grant in his pocket from King Charlie
II. turning over TO him the proprietor
ship Of this colony, which even tine
had been organized into three countie.
/ New Castle. 81. Jones and Hornkilr
the latter to be changed by Penn 1
Kent and Sussex after his old home
in England. ! will not say I trusl
but I do hope that sore Delawarea
VIII be raised up. with the lelsur'
capacity. and his historical instinc
large enough TO lead him to explore
as never has been done, the sources O
our history. and among other thing
to ascertain in what year, under wha
statute. and what Governor. these coun
ties were organized. The period O
these eighteen wears Is very obscure
Little, apparently, Is known about then
beyond some statutes and what Is con
) tanned in such of the records of tn
courts as have escaped destruction.
= "But much. very much. had happen
ed on the other side Of the water, an
: at least movement. a very grea
movement was 10 happen on this sid'
and right here. for William Penn,
September Of 1852, came by virtue Z
, his grant from the King, and afte
, stopping day at Port Penn. receive
, at New Castle the cloi and the wat'
! from John Noll. the Governor, by whic
the lordsip of these counties was turr
' ed over to him and became a part ,
I his new province of Pennsylvania. TT
/ black cloud of religious persecutio
e which had hung so long over Chris
s tendon was at last 10 break. an
through II. and on these shoes. relil
= ious liberation was TO cast its iir
9 bright effulgent ray
u Persecution Of Christisns.
q 1T is not for us Of this generatic
to pune or pride ourselves that we a.
free from the fault. q was the eS
| 80 tba time We can on1v saw thar
y God, It has passed away. No OF
church or sect can. on this groun
= criticise any other. except the Quaker
: they all sinned. They differed only
n degree. Professionalism never reachs
r. the pitch of the inouisiticn, but Calv
u had servetus burned, and coleridI
e was no more than right when he sa
e it was not:
Il Calvin's guilt especially. but tho
II common approbrium Of all Euro
e pean Christendom.
% "The Quakers were severely pers
II cuted in England, and Mary Dyer WI
" not the only Quaker hanged for OPT
n IONS sake in New England. BY IN
J. time the conflicts wagei and victori
! won for Professionalism nv Gustavus
the Continent. and for Puritanism
Cromwell In England had been succee
= ed by reaction.
- 'In France, Louis the 14th, in 16i
- renewed the persecution of the Protes
= ants. and on October 18th. 1856, revolS
= the famous Edict of Nantes. by whi'
Ie Henry the Nv. of blessed memory, HI
n granted federation Of reformed religio