New Britain herald., 1926-01-22
DEFENDS BURNS AS
 LOVER OF NANKINL
Scotch Poets Birthday Observed
 by His Admirers Here

U uIp AelLlp!s IVlV Don't condemn Robert Burns {, poems as drinking songs don't cou- demn Burns Tor ~gung thru as such" ugsal Rev, Ncti NacIAgrgon, Ma, u.p, p0s.cr ol .hc First Coa- gres4l.oual church ot Springfield, f. AaSs. at Tho 18th annual banquet ot the BGras club held last night ut . the Bugritt hotel. "B0rus WAS not . fond ot liquor su much as hl VAS of l company. ot men and wOmgu. Drinking was uyt thought wrong tAen Uor is t thought SO even HON in scotland. A ScottHnau would thlnh il an insult 10 tv.4t hls friends to anything but the best. ,o anything tess than scotch N.!skeE, DriGkug tn scotland Is an expression Of good Will and kindness &e,cIthrlr.z hope prohibition vii. come there.
 Robert Burns drank lht had that weakness. but 1 would I4i,o io see the man who hasn't Judge a man by his best, not by his worst, not by hls basust urt nor by hia most selfish deed, As tor Burns loyeA he didn't mean anything wrong he was just Scotch lover. . mean ne wasn't st!ngy with lis . love"
 Outsiders are just beginning to !. understand and appreciate the 1, Scotch. Dr. MacPherson declared, saying; The jokes about us are due . 10 the fact that we have something |. they haven't got. Americans are Sending agents up and down Inc 1. country 10 teach thrift. but we were taught t by our fathers and m0tA- ! CTS. Americans think they have dis | covered q new thing in brothcrhood | and good will. But, l5g years ago, Burns wrote; The day will come when man 10 man, the world OCT, shall brothers be for 8 that
 T take 1t that Burns has written some lines as fine as anything in Browning, Longfellow Milton, or Shakespeare, and he is finer than Wadsworth along lyrical lines. He writes down beautiful thoughts and touches human hearts. The man who writes on the scenes Of youth, as did Burns, is asgreater poet than cne like Shakespeare, who had to go abroad for Hamlet, 10 Italy for Desdemona or an Othelo.
 Burns is simple because he is true 10 human experience. He loy- cd the common people and placed honesty above royalty. In everyday life he saw the great truths of na- ture, and he touched somo Of the most profound truths that man has ever touched" Dr. MacPherson also asserted that, contrary to general belief, Burns was religious, claiming that otherwise he could never have written A Cotter's Saturday Night with it's picture Of simple prayer and worship" He quoted freely from Burns poems to illustrate his points.
 Following dinner, at which about 1GO covers were laid, W. G. Gibney. the president Of the Burns club, struck the keynote Of the eve iing by saying that the guests were Assembled to bring greater love for the songs and poems of Robert Burns. He then introduced az toaalmaster John Sloan, the dean of the club. Mr. Sloan, in1crsporsing his few remarks with Scotch jokes, Asserted that Burns star was ever growing brighter. The following musical program was then rendered by the South Congregational church quartci. with Joseph C. Bccbe as accompanist:
 "Thare Was a Lad Was Born in
 Kyle" ............ The Quartet Bass solo-"Scots wha Hae" "..... r .....,........ Burton Cornwall Duet--"O Vert Thou in the Cauld
 Blar"M Mrs, Mabelle Ryder Stevens
 and Mabel Finley Armstrong.
 Alto solo--"Afton Water ......
 ..,............ Mrs. Armstrong Tenor solo "Ye Banks And
 Braes" ...,....., Russell Etsser Soprano solo-"To Mary in Hcav- CT" ........,...... Mrs. Stevens Aud Lang Syne" ..............
 .......... Quartet and everybody
 4 program Of dancing was enjoyed until after midnight. Music for the dancing and during the supper was tGrnahed by Henry 'ord's Rin-Tin Orchestra Paw Ramago, chauf- fer"
 The officers and committees in charge Of the banquet were as fol- lows: President, ". Carried Gibncy; vtce-preydent, James MacArthur; Secretary, John Pat'ison; treasurer, Edward R1nago PoceU'ion com nittee, Nr, and Mrs, William EIair Mir. and Mrs. Alexander Gordon, Mir. and Mrs. Edward Eamage. Banquet committee, Jamcs MacAr- thur, chairman: Mrs, James Mac Arthur, chairlady, Mir. and Mrs. 4. Gordon, Mr. and Mrs. ". laair. Mir. and Mrs. A. Tomkirz. N. and Mrs. 4. D, Clifford >'r. and Mrs. F. E. Ramare. Table ar..l arr~ fn~ Misses Florence T0nl.a. Im nt Pattison, Bab McpuG.a, Gn"a IacArthur, Mary SAarp,- L.g5a McDougau, Ruth C.luc~ Kate Me- Niker and E'zahctb Giba,y.
 Only Two .tut0 Deaths
 Tt1 Sfato Dt;ri,r I'ooI-