Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1912 — SHOW KINDLY FEELING [ARTICLE]

SHOW KINDLY FEELING

ENGLISHMEN hfAKE GIFT TO NEW ENGLAND TOWN. J v Resident* of Hingham Have Sent Old Stepping Stone to Massachusetts Namesake—Presented by the British Ambassador. - “-a: The old stepping stone which for 70Q years stood in the public square at Hingham, England, was presentedto Hfiigham, in this state, on he hair of the citizens of the English village by James Bryce, the English ambassador, the Springfield (Mass.) Republican says. The stone is' to W used as a corner stone for a bell tower to commemorate the landing at Hingham 275 years ago of a band of pilgrims from Hingham, England. Mr. Bryce said that he was glad to be privileged to express on behalf of the people of old Hingham in England, whence came the settlers of the new Hingham here, the sentiments with which they had sent this stone from their village green to the descendants 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 its 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 l town after all that lapse of time. Looking through the list of settlers: who had crossed the sea to this Massachusetts town in 1633 to 1639, he i 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 American of the nineteenth century, Abra-i ham Lincoln. There was, however,, something more and something deep-: er than a mere continuity of famines. There was a continuity of institutions! and traditions. “The settlers,” said Mr. 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 belief*' 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 l God and ; to conscience. It was for the sake; of these things that they left their* quiet Norfolk homes to face thp sterni winters of a new and almost unknown* land, in whose forest* lurked unknown dangers from wild beasts and t wild men,? And. it was on the founda-t ’ tlon of these principles thatthey built* up their Institutions here,- set up their self-governing towns, legislated: in 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 hive grown to a greatness and prosperity* undreamed 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, but largely also to the faith that has never’ faltered tn' the principles and belief: which the early settlers of the Bay state brought with them, and in their loyalty to which they and their descendants have never faltered. The history of American freedom is a continuation Of the history of English freedom and both countries have alike given an example to the world of what these principles can accomplish.”