Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-07-07

learning the lesson of liberation; that,
disgusted as they were, with everything
in Church and State, they took narrow
and partial views of some things But
such was their spiritual heroism, and SO
noble their character and deeds, after all
deductions to be made, that one of the
most eminent of Episcopal writers has
acknowledged that their record is one of
permanent glory aud but transient shame !;
and other writer's not over friendly to
Puritanism, have given like testimony.
Now what are the elements that made
Puritanism the force it confessedly was
/. The pilgrim was characterized by an
intense desire to do the will of God.
Duty, not pleasure-duty, in spite of the
wiles of Satan and all adverse Influences
combined. was his guiding idea. To the
Puritan, God was not a shadow far off; He
was at hand, the Captain of the host in
which ranged himself. He knew in every
fibre of his being that God does indeed
rule on earth, that it is good to fight on
the Lords side.
2. He had profound conviction that
the will of God was made known i'll his
Word. He was Bible man. He heard
the voice Of God sounding out of the
Bible as from Heaven. What tn him
were tradition, the opinions of fathers,
the DEGREES of ecumenioal councils, the
dogma of theologians? He went himself
to the fountain-hend, he drank from it
day by day; and it shaped his own life
and the life of the nation.
3. The Puritan loved simplicity OF
church worship and polity. In his wor-
ship he aimed at lofty spirituality, He
would have the eye beguiled by no sight,
the ear seduced by no sound that should
remind him of the Anglican church from
which he had broken. From the first the
Pilgrims were Independents and 80 were
the Puritaus from the time they set foot
on New England soil. In Holland the
Pilgrims fruternizcd with other religious
communities and the Puritans, once es-
tablished in this country, followed their
example, as may be seen in the Cambridge
platform. rs words worthy of being adopt
ed by all Christian churches.
The Puritans in some way cherished
thu seeds of civil liberty. Even Hume
expressly says that the spark Of liberty
wa kiudlrd and preserved by thar -.'at
alone and Motley, never disposed u he
stow undue praise on the Purit1ns, makes
likewise acknowledgement. Later writ
ers may have assigned to them more
sharply defined ideas on government and
social organization than they had attain
ed to. Their chief aim in coming to this
country was doubtless religion. But it is
beyond all dispute that it was the inde-
pendence of the Church which gave rise
to the independence of the State. 1t was
this small seed which grew into the over
shadowing tree of our republican govern
ment The civil administration of Ply
mouth even was based on aristocratic
ideas. Men were elected to be freemen.
But there was no basis in their organiza-
tion for an aristocrAtic government Its
only condition was membership in the
Christian church, whose principle break
down and eliminate all tendencies TO aris-
tocracy and restriction. They appro ,ch-
ed civil government from the religious
side, opposing the wicked measures of the
ruling power because Of their wickedness.
| Their democratic training and habits in
III alters ecclesiastical led them to see that
the dJuocratic form of government was
the only one for this country. And Con-
gregationAlista may well consider that
this principle of their policy has still
something to do for the United States in
this 10Th century.
9th. He believed in the diffusion of
education. The first example in all his
tory in which the representatives. of the
people appropriated the peoples money
for purposes of popular education occur
red in Puritan colony. But Pnritanism
was logically compelled to secure the full
est develDpement of every power of the
mind. Wherever it has been planted,
schools and colleges have sprung up. The
Puritans have been called hard names,
but never fools or ignoramuses. They
have been criticised for many real or sup
posed f4ilings; but their intelligence has
on nll hands been confessed.
Such being the elements of Puritaniem
it could not fail to produce IA godly aud
steady and intelligent individualism
Each man was to find out for himself
what God would have him do, and do it,
alone if need be, and in spite of all the
powers of earth and hell. 1t has been
asserted that Puritanism went to far in
this direction. Yet it is this kind of in
dividualsm which works out the largest
and most benehcent results. 1t is in
strongest contrast with that egotistic in
dividualism which sets self against both
society and the church. They erred some
times, no doubt, but they acted up to
their belief They made men who for in
telligence and strength of character and
roundabout common sense may challenge
comparison with any race of men that
ever lived. The careful student of history
will be amrzed at their paticnce. They
bore aud forebore with harsh laws aud
unjust treatement. For time they
meekly laid down their lives rather than
rise against established authority. Iu
their whole history what decencyi what
order! in everything they showed the
practical qualities of EnglishInen. They
gave little favor to system-makers their
feet were on the solid earth. The greater
the emergency, the greater their steadi-
the fifth monarchy men excepted -
how steadily have they held to the great
and vital doctrinesl There is more
ground for the charge of excessive strict
ness than of l4xness. Their ministers
were intelligent theologians the senti-
timents may not have been enough cul-
tivated; their preaching in former days
may have been too logical aud IN later
TIMES too rhetorical; but Puritanism has
shaped the course of the whole nation
And 1t has not finished its work lt is
not dead thing, but living thing in
the living present, and bearing promise of
a rich future. Its individualism is the
one human thing which vitalizes and ele-
Yates society. Like Christianity, it ele-
Yates men by elevating man Speculative
schemes have met with failure How bar.
rem of practical results have been the
political schemes of Plato, Moore and
Harrington. Goodness cannot be super
imposed on mankind. The philosophers
of old failed to comprehend Christ's
method of working on individual minds
Philosophy was only for elect spirits, moi