Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-07-03


The PILGRIM FATHERs.-We find
the following just historical apPrecia-
ton oEthe "Pilgrim Fathers" in the
Saturday Review, in a notice. of the
"Llfe OF Robert Pike" recently pub
lished by his descendant, Mr.. James
Pike, and issued from the press Of the
Harpers. Mr.. Pike calls his book "The
New Puritan New England Two
Hundred Years Ago" The Review
finds il difficult TO understand how any
man OF the present day, who respects
his ancestor, can be willing to call him
a Purtan--old or new. However this
may be, there is no manner sof doubt
that the once popular and traditional
idolatry OF the MayHower emigrants,
their contemporaries and immediate
descendants. IL fast ceasing to exist,
outside Of the historical societies which
radiate from Plymouth Rock. II is
quite refreshing, TO those Of US who
have rebclled 50 long against ''the false
history of New England textbooks and
Thanksgiving-day orations," to find that
it is so well understand on the other
side of the water also. History is very
apt to get right, at last, although the
process is sometimes painfully Slow
Happily, in the present case, IL is be-
ing greatly hastened by the non-Puri-
tan literature of New England itself, to
which Mr.. Pixies book Is doubtless a
valuable contribution.
The Saturday Review deals with the
subject as follows:
"Mr. James Pike has chosen q some
what strange title for his biography Of
an ancestor Of whom he IS justly proud.
When we come 10 read any truthful
history oil the celebrated Pilgrim Faith
ers, the founders and canonized heroes
Of the State Of Massachusetts,, Il becomes
somewhat difficult 10 understand the
pride with which they are remembered
by descendants who have repudiated
every doctrine, political and religious,
that they held dearest. II is true, in-
deed, that many OF the greatest houses
and noblest names OF Europe are traced
back TO men little better in their day
than pirates or robber chiefs, generally
rebels and often traitors. But their
crimes are credited 10 the darkness OF
the ages in which they lived; and the
lapse OF centuries dignifies their re-
corded deeds. The Pilgrim Fathers
owe their honors TO systematic mis-
representation Of their characters and
purposes. The most stupid and relent-
less OF prosecutors; the most malignant
and inquisitorial of petty tyrants: cham
pions of expiring superstitions in a Pc
riod Of rapidly spreading enlightenment
they have been gioriied as the cham
pions of civil and religious liberty, and
our iorerunners in all the reforms on
which the Americans of the nineteenth
century most plume themselves. Ro-
bert Pike was no Puritan, new or old.
Ills practical common sense, his con-
tempt for the usurped sacerdolal author.
ity Of schismatic preachers, his qwiet.
but very decided, protection of alleged
Quakers and accused witches, kent him
in incessant hot water, which was made
more than once TO boil over BY his pre-
sumPtuous criticism of acts passed by
the General Court. which anticipated
James ii in treating petitions as libels;
and, but for the steadfast support OF has
immediate neighbors and his own mill
tary fame, il is probable that he would
not have escaped with fine and censure.
He was IN intimate friend of Thomas
Macy, the founder ofthe settlement at
Nantucket, and was himself, like Ma
cey, called in question for harborlng ru-
gitive Quakers. The original docu-
ments which form the principal part of
this brief biography are very telling and
interesting: and this timely publication
may, IL u fail 10 correct The false histo-
ry Of New England textbooks and
Thanksgiving-day orations, serve as a
check upon the concessions made by
grave historians to popular tradition" !"