Rev. D. D. Currie and the Loyalist Idea.

Année
1882
Mois
6
Jour
4
Titre de l'article
Rev. D. D. Currie and the Loyalist Idea.
Auteur
----
Page(s)
2
Type d'article
Langue
Contenu de l'article
Rev. D. D. Currie and the Loyalist Idea. Longfellow in one of his best known short poems speaks of one thing as a degrading influence. “The hardening of-the heart, that brings Irreverence for the dreams of youth.” It may befall a nation as well as an individual, that the strongest and best ideas that went to make up the character of that people are ignored and lightly spoken of by unworthy sons of noble ancestors. So it once happened to Rome. Nations may harden their hearts and get mercenary and forget that, as to get rich is not the whole duty of man, neither is it the only thing for a country. Such being the temptation, it is well that there is planted in us that peculiar sentiment that nobody can analyze, loyalty, patriotism, spread eagleism, whatever you like, that makes us praise and love our country and remember gratefully the men that made it. And whether that feeling be a sentimental one or not, whether it be a weakness or no, this is true, that the moment a nation has found itself without that influence and has become forgetful of its ancestors and the ideas that gave shape to its destiny, that moment disorganization has commenced, and the state has ceased to be a nation and become a collection of people only. The students of Mount Allison have done well to get Rev. Mr. Currie to call the attention of the Sackville people to the Loyalists. What the Pilgrim Fathers are to New England, the Loyalist Fathers are to us; and it is not less fitting, as the lecturer well said, that their deeds should be embalmed in song and oratory than those of the heroes of Massachussetts Bay. Of the lecture itself a good deal might be said. First, the lecturer explained, what many did not know, and few knew well, the distinction between the Pilgrim Fathers and the Puritan Fathers, and rapidly sketched the history of each branch down to the revolution, showing that the Puritans were disloyal from the beginning, bigoted and intolerant, while among the Pilgrims it was a root idea to fear God and honor the King. The arbitrary measures taken by the disloyal colonists, at the outbreak of the war, to quench whatever feeling of loyalty there might be among some of their people, were detailed, and the flight, exposure, sorrows and ultimate triumphs of the little band, who preferred leaving their homes, to yielding up their principles, were eloquently portrayed. The early settlement of St. John, and afterward of the neighboring country, the forward march of the nation since, and her bright prospects for the future, were depicted. Mr. Currie is a good speaker. He has an excellent voice, and was listened to with great attention.