Norwich bulletin., 1909-03-27
BIG MISSIONARY CONFERENCE.
Four Addresses by Prominent Men the Broadway Con-
gregational Church Listened to by Large Congrega-
tion-Drs. Stunts, Clifford and Adams Heard-Dr.
Davis Paper Read by Rev. MIR. Bacon

ell Of New Britain, and it was heard
with marked interest.
Rev. Mr.. Bacon brought greetings
from DR.. Davis and read his address
which was highly interesting. He said
the American people of today are the
result of an assimilation of different
elements such as never has been
wrought out before in the history OF
humanity. There Is such a thing as
an American people, and they feel they
form a unique entity and are to be so
regarded. There is, however, a marvel
Gus mixture Of varying elements. After
the redskin. the real American is the
man in whose veins flows the blood OF
different and often antagonistic races
from the old world. In less than a
century has come the American type
and people, due to the flowing together
of continuous streams of immigration
We must reminder that immigration Is
nothing new here, and it is well to con-
slider what has been done with the
immigration of the past.
A radical change has come over the
character of recent immigration, which
greatly mobiles the problem. There
is a greatly increased difficulty of as
slmilation owing to the character OF
the races now seeking our shores. This
is shown at the ports of entry, show
iAA6 tAlctA lAAC SAtdAtl part " TIE
grafton comes from southeastern Eu-
rope, in one port practically all of It.
Drawing a lint in a continental may
of Europe from Genoa to St Peters
burg, and it takes but a glance to show
the change in the geographical source
Of immigration supply. In the north
west Europe is the fatherland where
modern Americans trace their origin
the home of the Scandinavian and leu
tonic 80 81
and peculiar moral sanctions which
have been wrought in our political in
stitutions, the home of the religious
systems that grew out of the reforTna-
ton and survived with the greatest
vigor and effectiveness. In the south
eastern section we find difficult and
strange languages, despotic govern
ments and institutions of middle ages,
! We are tempted to nisiudge these
people at the outset, and call them the
off scourings of Europe. Some of these
are representatives of races that boast
ed civilization when our ancestors had
passed scarcely out Of barbarlsm. but
they may be backward now. lit is
more important to know that we can
give them something than that they
can give something to us. They are
an economic and social asset to us as
a people as they thong Ellis Island
hD 5AiA Aolietll dlLiLuut AOMdIu LuGIl II
never that. of contempt or scorn.
The Russian Jew comes to us in
great numbers, having been under an
arbitrary form Of despotic government
unjust punishments and imprison-
ments. After years Of that It is easy
to understand their position. The same
may be applied to the Slavic and SIM
liar races and to the Italian multitude
representing a people who have filled
Ant dar~ a. 20 a
and Black Hand
The great difference is not political
so much as religious. In general we
discover that these people belong
mostly to the Greek and Roman Cath
Ollie churches, their religious ideas be-
ing distinctly ecclesiastical rather than
vital, consisting of institutional. loyal
ty. Let US never be unjust to the
genius religious life and activity of
these churches. On the other hand,
let US not forget that it is possible
to give credit for all this and still
appreciate difference between the I'M
changed institutions Of the old church
es and the newer forms which the
modern truth and spirit have revealed
and that the religious motive and idea
is the supreme factor with which we
have to deal in the problem of politi-
cal assimilation.
30 the cHuEcn nous the KEEP 10 the
situation. What the American church
es do in the matter will determine in
the end it's issue. In this work pat
riotism and religious motive are knit
together in a tie that cannot be brok-
en- If the problem be solved at all.
This is illustrated in the way atheism
and anarchy are united in the teach
ings of the Bohemian infidels. He told
of the two doctrines as taught in Illi-
nois and Ohio. The political bearing
of these doctrines is shown in the an