American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-02-17
froH. the Bersa,.
THE PILGRIMS.

THE PILGRIMS.
observe in one of the public Journals that the
25Oth anniversary of the landing OF the Pilgrims
upon the rock at Plymouth was celebrated at New
YORK on the 2ed ut. Among many toas.s drank
on this religious occasion was the following
!" The Pitrrims--May an impartial review OF
their religious zeal warm and regulate our pety,
and the remembrance Of their enterprise, sufferlngs
and perseverance make Us worthy OF the inheritance
they have left u.s."
REMARKS
How an inpnrtiut review of their religious zeal
ought 10 regulate our piety, appears TO me difficult
10 reconcile with the enlightened views OF the pre-.
sent age Their religious zeal was manifested by
the mos, intolerant bigotry tina, any age has pro-
duced, They had hed from persecution, and hav-
ing known the bitterness Of the spirit oil Intolerance
we might suppose they would have borne an erem,
pl1rv testimony against it, But what was the fact
No sooner were they settled and invested with tenn
poral power, than they turned their hands against
every man who could not subscribe to their religious
Greed "A scene ensued that is shocking to human
|ity. They immured dissenters into loathsome dun
eeons-cut off their ears-whpped. fined, banlshed
and hung them lis this the religious zeal, when
impartially reviewed that should warm and regu-
late our pety ?-Heaven forbid Their religious
zeal and its awful consequences, should DC held up
to survivors as Beacon to warn every religious
community, and every individual, to avoid course
so fatal to The beat interests Of Society, and SO dis
graceful 10 the religion OF benign and compassion.
ate Redeemer
Can i, be possible that those who celebrated the
anniversary Of the landing Of these pilgrims could
intend tina, the piety Of the present age should be
warmed and regulated by review of such religious
zeal? Do they desire that the spirit OF the Pif rims
should be infused into the minds OF the present gen.
Grafton Do they wish 10 see persecution revived /!
Do they pray that the kind OF religious zeal which
produced such deplorabe consequences should ami
mate us, and yet hope the tree will now produce
better lrus-While like causes produce like effects
this is impossible The hope is vain. Such a
I" Religious zeal as animated the pilgrims is OF all
things most to be deprecated.-It was zeal with
out Charity 1t would arm one part OF our popu
lation against the other 1t would scattes fire.
brands in society 1t would raise storm which
nothing short of divine power could allay II would
heap disgrace upon the profession OF the most be
nevolent-the most tolerant, the most forbearihg
religion that was ever promulgated
Under these impressions would suggest to those
who celebrated the anniversary Of the landing of
the Pilgrims upon the rock at Plymouth, the fol.
lowing toast, to be considered at the next annual
festival, as much more appropriate than the one now
under review.
The Pilgrims May an impartial review Of their
religious zeal, and its dsplorabe consequences,
warn us to beware how we follow n their foo steps
MAY we learn from their history to abhor the spirit
Of perse cution, and steering opposite course come
to understand hat the best evidence Of true faith in
Christ is to Keep his commandments, doing unto
others as we would they should do unto us
PELERIE.