The Holbrook news., 1912-05-10
SHOW KINDLY FEELING
ENoLIsHMEN MAKE GIFT TO
 NEW ENGLAND TOWN.
ResIdents of HInaham Have Sent old Stepping Stone to Massachusetts Namssake-Presented by the
 BrItlsh Ambassador.

The old stepping stone which for
 700 years stood in the public square
 at Bingham, England. was presented
 to Bingham, In this state, on behalf
 of the citizens of the English village
 by James Bryce, the English ambas-
 sador, the Springfield (Mass.) Repub-
 ncan says. The stone is to be used
 as a corner stone for a bell tower to
 commemorate the landing at Hing
 ham 275 years ago of a band of pill
 grtms from Bingham, England.
 MT. Bryce said that he was glad to
 be privileged to express on behalf of
 the people of old Bingham in Eng
 land, whence came the settlers of the new Bingham here, the sentiments
 with which they had sent this stone
 from their village green to the de-
 scendants of their common Norfolk
 ancestors. Used as a mounting block for riders In the old country, it spoke of a time when riding on horseback
 was practically the only means of travel It spoke not only of it's origin, but of all the changes that had passed in 300 years and of the warm good will and affection which those of the old town felt for those of the new town after all that lapse of time.
 Looking through the list of settlers who had crossed the sea to this Mas sachusetts town in 1633 to 1859, he found many of the best known New England names. Among them was one name especially interesting, because its bearer is believed to have been the ancestor of the greatest Ameri- can of the nineteenth century, Abra- ham Lincoln. There was, however, something more and something deep CT than mere continuity of families. There was a continuity of institutions and traditions.
 "The settlers" said MT. Bryce, 'who came from Norfolk to Massachusetts bay to escape the oppressive rule of King Charles I. and Archbishop Laud, brought with them ideas and beliefs and habits already deeply rooted among the Englishmen of East Anglia, one of the most truly Teutonic parts of England. The love of freedom in the state, the love Of freedom in re- ligion, the sense of duty to God and to conscience. It was for the sake of these things that they left their | quiet Norfolk homes to face the stern | winters of new and almost unknown | land, in whose forests lurked un- known dangers from wild beasts and, wild men. And it was on the founda- ton of these principles that they built | up their institutions here, set up their self-governing towns, legislated ln the general court of their self-gov- erning colony and in due time joined In framing the constitution of their state and of the federal republic
 That the American people have grown to a greatness and prosperity of by the little band who came from Old Hingham nearly three centuries ago is due partly to the sturdy spirit of the old race, butt large ly also to the faith that has never Ialtered in the principles and belief which the e"rly settlers of the Bay state brought with them, and in their loyalty to which they and their de- scendants have never faItered. The history of American freedom is a con tinuation of the history of English freedom and both countries have alike given an example to the world of what these principles can accom- dish"