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Show Pilgrims Were the First "Forofnthors' Day" was observed at tho First Unitarian church In Onk-land, Onk-land, Cal on tho evening of Dec. 20. Col. John P. Irish prosified, and related re-lated In brlof tho causes which led tho Pilgrims to forsako tholr natlvo land nnd cast tholr lot In a now and strange country. Tho acting pastor of tho Dorkclpy Unltnrlan church, tho Itov. Oeorgo W. Stono, who was formerly tho Historian Histo-rian of tho MnsRuclniBOlts Socloty of Mayflowor Doscondttnts, delivered tho address of tho day, which took tho form of a study ot tho Pilgrim cm. Ho defined nt longth tho dlfforonco between tho Puritans nnd tho 111- grlras. In part ho said: "Uear in mind that tho 'Scroohy' congregation was tho last organization organiza-tion of Separatists that existed In Eugland nt that time; that It lied to Holland in 1C07, and after thirteen yoars' rosldonco thoro it camo In tho Mnyflowor to America and founded tho Pilgrim llopuhllc at Plymouth in 1C20. Notice that it was thlrteon years after tho Pilgrims loft England nnd eight years nfter thoy plantod tho Scrooby church ut Plymouth that tho Puritans loft England. Tho Puritans landod nt Snlom, nnd thoro tho tlrst Puritan church In Amorlca was estab llshcd, In 1028. "This church wns nt first nn Epls copal church, but, under tho Inlltionoo of Surgeon Fuller of Plymouth, who wns sent to Salem to assist during tho provtilonco of what Is called In tho records 'a plaguo," tho Congregational Congrega-tional systom wns adopted. This was accomplished undnr the lend of Gov. EndlcoU, lit 1029. Tho Pilgrims, thoroforo, were tho pioneers In tlio sottlemont of this country, nnd to thorn, rather than to tho Puritans, do wo owo what Is best In our national life, and I might add, most of thoso principles and prncilces which dlffor-ontlato dlffor-ontlato us from tho other nations ut tho earth. Lot us remember, nlso, thnt tho Pilgrims, and not tho Purl-tans, Purl-tans, wero tlio founders of Congregationalism Congrega-tionalism In Europo and In America. San Francisco Chronicle. |