National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1871-02-10
Pilgrim MEMORIAL, No n?

MONIES, social ne, privileges, every
thing almost, to plant IN this will
lerness a community where they
could worship God according to
their Judgment and conscience, and
train up their children to the same
christian principles without annoy
AZ &c or hindrance from others
They bought their land, and framed
their institutions as they desired,
and held it by a title as complete
and exclusive as that by which any
man holds his dwelling house or his
farm. Suppose, to secure their own
peace, harmony and prosperity, they
refused to sell a dwelling place with.
III their dominion to one who would
oppose their faith and order, was
that persccutiOns Suppose they
were troubled because one came
among them to SOW discord, and told
him to leave them, that he might
build house of his own and rule il
to his liking, but not on their free.
hold; was that persecution! Sup.
pose one came among them and per
sisted in going into their religious
meetings, and there contradicting
the minister, disturbing the worship
10y loud talking, harangueing those
near him; was it persecution to car
~ him ont, and, when he persisted
in returning, to prison! and if he
would not promise to dcsist from
such conduct, to tell Inn to leave
the colony! When christian com
munity has established itself in a
new country and by heavy sacrifices
built place of Worship, provided
instruction and ordinances accord
ing to their mind, and are dwelling
in harmony, it can be easily seen
that good men would dcplore the
coming in Of "a new sect to provoke
to acts the remembrance of which
eXcites regret.
The pilgrims of Plymouth have
left a record, in this respect, nearly
if not quite without a stain. The
higher principles of liberty claimed
by some rival sects were first taught
them by the Pilgrims, while the tol
erance of the Pilgrims they have
hot Litatcd. The first church or.
ganized in Vermont at Bennington
in 1863, at its organization careful.
" recorded its vote against using
the civil power to support the Cos
pei" and all our churches were eli.
Their founded upon, or soon come
upon. the same platform.
We cannot claim to have entered
upon the preparation of these arti
cles with mind unbiased, but we
have attempted to give the impair
tial testimony of history. From
our earliest years we have esteem
ed and rcvercnccd the Fathers of
New England, and the free inStitu
tons they planted and defended
with so much sacrifice and blood
We have listened 20 reproaches
aimed ut them with indignation.-
W it'll sadness unspeakable have We
seen a portion of our fellow citizens
not deriving their blood and their
principles Of civil and relieiousliber.
ty from the Pilgrim Fathers, rise up
in arms to make slavery universal
or perpetual in this land, or to dl
vide our glorious inheritance. BY
the favor Of God they were not per
mitted to do either, but otherwise
they are compelled to see the free
dom for which our fathers contend
ed triumphant over all the land.
Our respect for these Fathers is
increased with every increase of our
knowledge of their principles and
their history. With Gods blessing
they have impressed their principles
upon the character aud institutions
OF our country. AS we honor our
beloved country we must honor
them. The Congregational church
es of our land have come down by |
regular and legitimate descent from
the Plymouth church. Whatever
of freedom there is of religious opin-
ion and religious worship i'll any of
our churches, has been learned from
the Pilgrims, or practiced in imita-
ton of them.
1t belongs to us to be worthy SONS
of worthy sires; to keep and to en-
large, and improve the inheritance
they have left us; to advance in the
in which they started, ev>
er gathering up and utilizing the
new light which God may enable us
to bring forth from his word; but
never breaking away from that word