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Men　of　the　profoundest　learning；　of　the　sublimest　genius；　and

of　the　purest　integrity；　after　devoting　their　lives　to　the　research；

finally　differed　in　their　ideas　upon　many　great　points；　both　of

doctrine　and　discipline。　　The　main　question；　it　was　admitted　on

all　hands；　most　intimately　concerned　the　highest　interests　of

man；　both　temporal　and　eternal。　　Can　we　wonder　that　men　who

felt　their　happiness　here　and　their　hopes　of　hereafter；　their

worldly　welfare　and　the　kingdom　of　heaven　at　stake；　should

sometimes　attach　an　importance　beyond　their　intrinsic　weight

to　collateral　points　of　controversy；　connected　with　the　all…

involving　object　of　the　Reformation？　　The　changes　in　the　forms

and　principles　of　religious　worship　were　introduced　and

regulated　in　England　by　the　hand　of　public　authority。　　But　that

hand　had　not　been　uniform　or　steady　in　its　operations。　　During

the　persecutions　inflicted　in　the　interval　of　Popish　restoration

under　the　reign　of　Mary；　upon　all　who　favored　the

Reformation；　many　of　the　most　zealous　reformers　had　been

compelled　to　fly　their　country。　　While　residing　on　the　continent

of　Europe；　they　had　adopted　the　principles　of　the　most

complete　and　rigorous　reformation；　as　taught　and　established

by　Calvin。　　On　returning　afterward　to　their　native　country；　they

were　dissatisfied　with　the　partial　reformation；　at　which；　as　they

conceived；　the　English　establishment　had　rested；　and　claiming

the　privilege　of　private　conscience；　upon　which　alone　any

departure　from　the　Church　of　Rome　could　be　justified；　they

insisted　upon　the　right　of　adhering　to　the　system　of　their　own

preference；　and；　of　course；　upon　that　of　non…conformity　to　the

establishment　prescribed　by　the　royal　authority。　　The　only

means　used　to　convince　them　of　error　and　reclaim　them　from

dissent　was　force；　and　force　served　but　to　confirm　the

opposition　it　was　meant　to　suppress。　　By　driving　the　founders

of　the　Plymouth　Colony　into　exile；　it　constrained　them　to

absolute　separation　irreconcilable。　　Viewing　their　religious

liberties　here；　as　held　only　by　sufferance；　yet　bound　to　them　by

all　the　ties　of　conviction；　and　by　all　their　sufferings　for　them；

could　they　forbear　to　look　upon　every　dissenter　among

themselves　with　a　jealous　eye？　　Within　two　years　after　their

landing；　they　beheld　a　rival　settlement　attempted　in　their

immediate　neighborhood；　and　not　long　after；　the　laws　of　self…

preservation　compelled　them　to　break　up　a　nest　of　revellers；

who　boasted　of　protection　from　the　mother　country；　and　who

had　recurred　to　the　easy　but　pernicious　resource　of　feeding

their　wanton　idleness；　by　furnishing　the　savages　with　the

means；　the　skill；　and　the　instruments　of　European　destruction。　

Toleration；　in　that　instance；　would　have　been　self…murder；　and

many　other　examples　might　be　alleged；　in　which　their　necessary

measures　of　self…defence　have　been　exaggerated　into　cruelty；

and　their　most　indispensable　precautions　distorted　into

persecution。　　Yet　shall　we　not　pretend　that　they　were　exempt

from　the　common　laws　of　mortality；　or　entirely　free　from　all

the　errors　of　their　age。　　Their　zeal　might　sometimes　be　too

ardent；　but　it　was　always　sincere。　　At　this　day；　religious

indulgence　is　one　of　our　clearest　duties；　because　it　is　one　of　our

undisputed　rights。　　While　we　rejoice　that　the　principles　of

genuine　Christianity　have　so　far　triumphed　over　the　prejudices

of　a　former　generation；　let　us　fervently　hope　for　the　day　when

it　will　prove　equally　victorious　over　the　malignant　passions　of

our　own。



In　thus　calling　your　attention　to　some　of　the　peculiar　features

in　the　principles；　the　character；　and　the　history　of　our

forefathers；　it　is　as　wide　from　my　design；　as　I　know　it　would　be

from　your　approbation；　to　adorn　their　memory　with　a　chaplet

plucked　from　the　domain　of　others。　The　occasion　and　the　day

are　more　peculiarly　devoted　to　them；　and　let　it　never　be

dishonored　with　a　contracted　and　exclusive　spirit。　　Our

affections　as　citizens　embrace　the　whole　extent　of　the　Union；

and　the　names　of　Raleigh；　Smith；　Winthrop；　Calvert；　Penn　and

Oglethorpe　excite　in　our　minds　recollections　equally　pleasing

and　gratitude　equally　fervent　with　those　of　Carver　and

Bradford。　　Two　centuries　have　not　yet　elapsed　since　the　first

European　foot　touched　the　soil　which　now　constitutes　the

American　Union。　　Two　centuries　more　and　our　numbers　must

exceed　those　of　Europe　itself。　　The　destinies　of　their　empire；　as

they　appear　in　prospect　before　us；　disdain　the　powers　of　human

calculation。　　Yet；　as　the　original　founder　of　the　Roman　State　is

said　once　to　have　lifted　upon　his　shoulders　the　fame　and

fortunes　of　all　his　posterity；　so　let　us　never　forget　that　the　glory

and　greatness　of　all　our　descendants　is　in　our　hands。　　Preserve

in　all　their　purity；　refine；　if　possible；　from　all　their　alloy；　those

virtues　which　we　this　day　commemorate　as　the　ornament　of

our　forefathers。　　Adhere　to　them　with　inflexible　resolution；　as

to　the　horns　of　the　altar；　instil　them　with　unwearied

perseverance　into　the　minds　of　your　children；　bind　your　souls

and　theirs　to　the　national　Union　as　the　chords　of　life　are

centred　in　the　heart；　and　you　shall　soar　with　rapid　and　steady

wing　to　the　summit　of　human　glory。　　Nearly　a　century　ago；　one

of　those　rare　minds　to　whom　it　is　given　to　discern　future

greatness　in　its　seminal　principles；　upon　contemplating　the

situation　of　this　continent；　pronounced；　in　a　vein　of　poetic

inspiration；　〃Westward　the　star　of　empire　takes　its　way。〃　　Let

us　unite　in　ardent　supplication　to　the　Founder　of　nations　and

the　Builder　of　worlds；　that　what　then　was　prophecy　may

continue　unfolding　into　historythat　the　dearest　hopes　of　the

human　race　may　not　be　extinguished　in　disappointment；　and

that　the　last　may　prove　the　noblest　empire　of　time。











End