66 



the mainland now known as Labrador. This name owed its origin 

 to motives far different from that of San Salvador, having been 

 some years after its discovery bestowed upon it by the Portuguese 

 slave merchants on account of the strength and endurance of the 

 hardy "labourers" whom they kidnapped on its coasts. Of that 

 powerful federation now known as the United States of America, 

 the smallest in point of size is the State of Rhode Island. Its 

 capital, "Providence," is the second in size and importance of all 

 the cities in the New England States. The name furnishes a 

 curious commentary upon the spirit in which religious toleration 

 was viewed two hundred years ago by men who had themselves 

 become voluntary exiles for conscience' sake, for daring to proclaim 

 the great principle that the "doctrine of persecution for cause of 

 conscience is most evidently and lamentably contrary to the 

 doctrine of Jesus Christ," and that "no man should be bound to 

 worship against his own consent." Roger Williams, a minister of 

 the gospel, was banished from Massachusetts, and compelled to 

 seek refuge upon an island at that time unsettled by the white man. 

 The site of the city marks the spot where his canoe first touched 

 the shore ; and, when in scanning the map of America, we come 

 across the name of "Providence," let us think of its founder, Roger 

 Williams, to whom justly belongs the honour of having established 

 the first political community in which perfect religious toleration 

 was admitted. The mere enumeration of the hundreds of names 

 inscribed upon the map of the New AVorld, to which interest of a 

 varied kind is attached would, I fear, be a tax upon both your 

 time and patience this morning. . . . The name "Virginia" 

 as surely points out that a Queen was ruling the destinies of 

 England when that State was founded; as the name "Queensland" 

 will point out to generations yet to come that a Queen was again 

 holding sway at the time that colony was carved out from the 

 Australian Continent. Such names as Jamestown, James River, 

 Cape Charles, the Carolinas, the Rapid An, Georgia, and a hundred 

 others, possess no small interest for the student of the history of 

 the colonization of America. Similarly, the share taken by other 

 European nations in the exploration and settlement of the 



