Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-21
PILGRIMS LANDING
DAY IS OBSERVED.
Descendants Of Mayflower Pio-
neers Celebrate at
Plymouth
SENATOR LODGES EUL0GY
Nv the Associated Press

shore Of Plymouth bay. where ''the
breaking waves dashed HIGH" when the
Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock
on December 81, 1920 their descend
ants Joined with other distinguished
men Of this generation in America
Great Britain and Holland in observ
ing today with due solemnity the ter
centenary of their landing The orator
was Senator Henry Cabot Lodge. He
said:
The underlying and the lasting
causes which made the action Of the
| Pilgrims decisive event in history
seem to me TO be not what they did with
! their ships and farms. their trade and
their fisheries. but with their minds and
with their thoughts. Il matters not
whether we agree with their theology
or with their forms Of Christian wor-
ship. That which counted then and has
counted ever s'nce was that they set the
spiritual above the material.
They never for moment thought
that life and its mysteries could be ex-
pressed in economic terms, which
seems. IL not actually avowed. to be the
tendency among all classes today. They
set character first. They sought to give
men freedom both in body and mind.
They tried to reduce the sum of human
misery. As we think of them our
reverence and our admiration alike grow
ever stronger. While the great re.
public is true in heart and deed to the
memory Of the pilgrims of Plymouth, it
will take no detriment even from the
hand Of time"
Governor Coolidge's Tribute
Governor Coolidge in brief address
paid tribute to the little company Of the
Iayfiower and said no ike body ever
Cast so great an influence on human
history.
They came not merely from the
shores Of the cd world" he said. 1T
will be in vain to search among records.
maps and history for their origin. They
sailed up out of the infinite.
There was among them small trace
of the vanities of life. They came un-
decked with orders of nobility. They
were not children Of fortune. but of
tribu'ation. Persecution. not preference,
brought them hither, but it was pcrse-
Cution in which they found q stern
satisfaction. They cared little for titles,
still less for the goods Of this earth,
but for an idea they would die. Mas
ured by the standard of men Of their
'ime they were the humble of the earth.
Measured by 'ater accomplishments they
were the mighty.
mo like body ever cast so great au
influence on human history. CiviIiza-
tion has made of their landing place a
shrine. Plymouth Rock does not mark
q beginning or an end. 1t marks
revelation of that which is without be.
ginning and without end. purpose
shining through eternity with a re-
splcndcnt light. undimmed even by the
imperfections of men. and response,
an answering purpose from those who,
OBJ bivious. disdainful of all else. sailed
hitheer seeking only. for an avenue for
the immortal soul
Dean Briggs Reads Ode
In stately measures Dean Briggs, OF
Howard University set forth the vision
of the Pilgrims and their prayerful de.
termination:
Freedom Thy newborn nation here shaIi
cherish;
Grant US Thy covenant. unchanging. sure.
Earth shall decay: the armament shall
perish;
Free9cm and truth. immortal, shall en-
dure.'
The answer Of their descendants to
this challenge came in these words:
The Pilgrims faith, the Pilgrim courage
grant Us:
stu shines the truth that Tor the Pilgrim
shone.
We are hls seed; nor NE nor death shall
daunt US,
The port is Freedom Pilgrim heart. sail
on!'
The official party came from Boston
on a special train and proceeded i'm
mediately to the old Colony Theatre,
where the exercises were held. In their
number, in addition to the speakers of
the day, were official representatives of
Great Britain and Holland. several New
England governors, members of the New
England judiciary, Senator Oscar w.
I Underwood, Of Alabama, and members
Of patriotic societies. including the
Society Of MayAowcr Descendants. The
presiding officer was Louis X. Liggett.
Of Boston, chairman Of the Massa
chusetts Pilgrim T"rcentenary Commits
sion.
After the formal exercises the guests
Of the day were entertained at luncheon.
The remainder of the day they gave
over TO pilgrimage to Plymouth Rock.
the Coles Hill burying ground and
other parts of the town intimately con-
npctcd with the Pilgrims history.
Plymouth Rock Splits Again
The famous rock upon which the
Mayilowrr passengers set foot when
they landed in 1920 sustained its
second mishap in its history when on
Saturday an attempt was made to re-
store it TO its original location, from
which it had been removed to the Ply
mouth town square in 1775. On the
latter occasion the rock spit on being
sr"arated from it's granite base.
The split was repaired with cement
at that time, but it again separated
when the workmcn undertook to restore
il TO its native spot.
When the rock is again repaired it
will be- "nc'osed by an iron railing,
the shore line being re'ored as nearly
Is 20 .sible to it's aspect Mt the time OF
tbo pi'uriUS' arrival 200 years ago