The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-08-23
HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Mrs. Marie Collins Thomas Advises
Keeping Up OF American Ideals
OF Religion.

For the second time the Atlantic
County Historical Society has the
honor of joining with the Lake Family !
Reunion for the evening session.
Many of these present are members
of both organizations, which is very
right and proper, for only by the CO
operation of these and similar organi-
cations, can VIZ hope to express the
deeper meaning and aims of these
associations.
Let us mention some OF these aims
and the manner in which we are full
filling them.
First, we will mention a by-product,
the delightful association with people
of culture and c%ongenial interests and
ideals. The very fact of your being
interested in and belonging to these
organizations, presupposes belonging
to the best element of a community.
When this country was founded
three hundred years ago, by many of
u direct ancestors, both men and
women braved many hardships that
there might be secured to us a God
fearing, law-abiding, Sabbath-observ-
ing land. Their Puritan ideals have
tended to the highest type of ciyiliza-
ton and culture. AS they passed on,
the torch of light they bore was given
into the hands of their children, and
has been passed on to us to hold aloft
and show to the world the highest
type of American citizenship.
The early influx of new citizens was
composed of those n~ationalities OF
Western Europe that were racially
similar, therefore more easily assimi-
lated into a composite being. a good
American citizen.
Today, our new citizens represent
varying races, religions and c~iviliza-
lions.
While | believe that the philosophy
of Confucius, Mohammed and Brahma
contain many beautiful and admirable
principles, | feel strongly that this
country was meant to be a white
mans country, a Christian country,
and the only way to keep 1t alive as
such is to keep our fathers faith and
ideals, and to instill these into the
succeeding generations.
Let us watch our immigration laws
more carefully, that elements that will
tend to disrupt our country and instill
lawlessness are kept from us.
The idea of Americas being the
melting pot of the world is an erro-
neous idea, for you can not melt up
pure metals and base alloy and obtain
a pure output. Are the moods of i'm
migrants coming to us daily of the
ingredients to form the ideal law
abiding citizen?
If you are a dog ~fancier, and wish
the highest type of bird dog or rabbit
dog, you do not interbreed French
poodle, bull dog, collie, and terrier.
You keep the breed pure and of pedi-
greed stock.
So, while America offers a home to
ali nationalities, let us keep unsullied
our Christian ideals. One way of
doing this has been exemplified today
in this Lake Reunion. The ideals and
faith of the founders of the family
have been made vital TO those attend
ing. In the hundreds of descendants
as shown in the Book OF Lake Gene
alogy, which is on sale for the small
price of five dollars, you will find
scores of Doctors, Lawyers, Profes-
sors, Inventors and Scientists, but no
record of any convicts. 1t is a great
privilege to have the rich inheritance
of great mentality, splendid morality,
and fine spirituality; a solidity, men
tally, morally, and physically.
Not only is this true OF the Lake
Family, but | can look through this
4 audience or the roll book of the At
lantic County Historical Society and
name other old families that have
stood for the same ideals-the Endi-
colts, Souls, Somers, Price, Adams,
Collins, Corson, Risley, Bartlett, Clark,
Steelman, English, Sooye, Johnson,
Bell, Giberson, Frambes, Ryon, Tilton
and many others.
| am not saying this to throw bou-
quets, but | am pointing out to you
the responsibility that these inheri-
tances entail. 1t is your duty to see
that the work begun by your fathers
is carried on in giving the best gov
eminent in your home precinct, ward,
city, county, state and nation.
During the year the Historical Soci-
ETY. has accomplished more than it
would otherwise have done by the co
operation of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. Grand Army of
the Republic, Daughters OF 1912; Sons
of the American Revolution, New Jer-
ton, Gloucester County Historical So
arI Tho IL ~ - H. H9K ~