The Benson signal., 1920-04-17

yers-and by the best thinkers of
Holland. the trained sons of her an
cient schools of learning.
The English celebrations begin at
the conclusion of the Dutch congress
and last week They will be held
in part at Southampton and Plymouth
and in part at Scrooby, the cradle of
the Pilgrim community, Thus the two
series of meetings are closely co-Ordi-
mated.
No event in the memory of the pres
ent generation, it is thought, will so
move Holland as this historic festi-
val. While it is in the main and pri-
marily, religious, it appeals to the
imagination of all readers of history
and all who know what the Pilgrims
stood for. All American citizens who
are in sympathy with these principles
are cordially invited to be present.
The speakers and the delegates will
be the special guests of the Leyden
commission at the houses of private
citizens, and they will be received
with enthusiasm and their visit held
in high honor. 1t might be we'll for
intending visitors to the congress to
write at once to the office of the
"Holland Commission on Pilgrim
Fathers" Heerenstraat, As, Leyden,
Holland
Amsterdam was the great mission
ary centre for the world from the
year 1850 for a century onward. 1t
planted and kept vigorously alive the
Dutch Church of America, and 1t
subsequently fostered the Reformed
Church in the United States by sup
plying the ordinances of religion, train
ing her ministers, supporting her by
handsome gifts. All this will be. and
ought to be, borne in mind when
Amsterdam asks memorial windows
to be placed in the Bagynhof church
in memory of the Pilgrims and as
token of appreciation from those Re
formed churches of America that are
indebted for their very existence to
the munificence and sympathy OF
ancient Amsterdam.
Rotterdam's Special Claim.
But it is Rotterdam that needs the
more distinctive memorial of the
present hour. For Delfshaven, the
classic spot from which the Speed
well started, is now the most -four
ishing part of the Rotterdam port;
and in Rotterdam within the next few
years there will be an enormously in
creased percentage of American Ves-
sells. The present trying condition of
affairs has only to right itself to
small degree and that Dutch port will
be filled with American shipping. For
wears America must feed Europe, and
the vast commercial relations which
this will bring about will remain for
generations and grow, long after the
initial necessities Of the situation
have passed away. For the American
sailor in Rotterdam there must be a
| Sailors Rest, with modern equip
ment. 1t is proposed to call it the
Pilgrims Rest, "Speedwell."
This will be the most worthy me
mortal that America can raise. 1t will
keep alive the story Of the Pilgrims; !;
show how the great republic appre-
ciates all that Holland has done; and
! 1t will provide for the social and spir-
itual well-being of Americas young
sailors, giving them q home and safe
guarding them amid the allurements
and perils Of foreign port. If the
Pilgrims could come back to Delfshav'
en- and look around them, if they could
be interrogated this tercentenary year
on what they might consider their
most fitting memorial, 1t is safe to con-
lecture that they would say, Build
house of rest and of prayer for our
own children, the seafarers from the
West who throng the streets of this
Dutch city without knowing the ways
Of its people, without speaking its
tongue" It is not certain they would
say, Build the tombs Of the prophets
if you will but remember the needs OF
the living too. This ought We to have
done, and not leave the other undone."
The erection of a Pilgrims Rest at
Delfshaven will be a work of piety,
philanthropy and gratitude.