, 1881-08-21
\ EW EN- NGLAND PURITANISM
IT'S c1:rsu1SG FORCE IN THE OLD COLONIAL.

y EW EN- GLAND PURITANISNI
| IT'S CRUSHING FORCE IN THE OLD COLONIAL.
DAYS.
4 From Charles Eliot Sorton'x AdtTess at Hin2aar,
il Ihe system of theology then generally ac-
| ceptcd was one of the most complete and
] elaborate bodies Of doctrine that has ever
been devised by the ingenuity of subtle and
| vigorous thinkers III the attempt to frame Il
creed that should account for the existence
| OF the universe, the nature Of the Creator,
and the destiny Of man. Based upon the as
sumption Of the absolute authority Of the
Scriptures of the Old not less than Of the
New Testanlens as the Word Of God. and
their complete sutiiciency as Il theory of the
| universe and u guide to conduct, the creed
attempted to embo'iy the doctrines es-
sentiai to salvation in Il series of
mutually dependent logical PROPOSE
| tlons. In its practical application to life
it was probably the most art!ticiai and the most
oppressive creed that has ever exercised last
| ing influence upon civilized Christian COM
lnunitr- The fallen nature of man through
sin, the cnmitY Of cd toward the human beings
lie had created. the responsibility of man aud
his hc1plesness to free himself from the curse
denounced upon him, the daunation OF infnp1s,
the eternal duration Of the torments Of He'll, to
which the vnst majority OF mankind were
doomed, weighed with unrelieved gloom upon
tho soul- There Was nothing to break the force
Of the tyranny exercised In tho name OF religion
over the spirits Of the men. and women, and
children in these regions There was delir-
cry from i :, The strong we're supdued, tho weak
were crushed by it. In his diary, under date Of
Jan. IL, l6EJ-'96. Judre Sewal makes this entry
CONCERNING his little daughter Betty, girl of II:
me in Tie entry and told nc Betty had surprised
them. was surprised with tha abruptncss of
tho revelation. 1t seems that Betty Sewut had
given some signs Of detection and sorrow. but
little after dinner she hurst out into an amazing
cry, which caused Ill the family to cry too. Her
Mother sId askea @ the I she gaye af aSe
her Sins were not partlon'd. She was first
wounded by my reading sermon of Mr.. Nor
IL. 'Yc shall seek me and shall nor find me ;:
and these words in the sermon, Jno., Z, p, tYe
shall seek me und shall dle in your sins: iu
lns ut home Jan.l2 she read out Of Mr. Cotton
Mather-Why hath Satan filled thy heart?
sp s1Ha hs hlbsE her, sns ear Her Mother
answered. Yes. but feared her prayers
were not henri because her Sins we're not
pardon.d.; Mr ~: Willard 1.-THE minister: though
came cam home. Hs discoursed with Betty. vi who
could not give distinct account, bur was con-
fused rs his plrnsc was, and ia he had expert
euced in himself. Mr.. Nitlurd pray'd excellent
Is. The Lori bring Light and Comfort out o.
this dark and dreadful cloud, and grant tnat
the Issue Of these painful paugs."
Such Il domestic picture, impressive as 1t Is. is
agohies.
False, oppressive US the creed of New En-
gland had been. and then was, VIC arc not to
forget that 1t nurtured precious virtues. From
the rock itself spruug living waters. The creed
WIS the production OF men Of independent souls,
M bred men Of ike tenn TEMPER. it % was the creed Of
political independents and of repu hcau insritu-
i1ons: The seed Of liberty lay in i The
men on a level. King. priest, the noble, the
rich, were sinners in the eyes Of tho Lord no |
less than tne poor and the humbs: M e. God is no
WIS no creed OF mere authority to be believed {
because incredible. Irrational as it was, 1t ad- !
1t required discussion and discrimination. it |
Bible, tho Word Of God. w;,s its source; but tho |
Of TINT word Many. false premises |
were taken for granted. many false conclusions |
o Of , 5eee ns sh9 Wts as
in theological disputatlon for use in !
other debates. Thought slowly won It's free
dom; and freedom led to truth. Freedom OF
mind Is the prequisit OF free institutions. The
olu@y was closely nsn TO politics. History as
well as doctrine was studied in the Old Testa-
When. III 1856. Edward Randolph. tho arch
enemy Of Nassaclusctts, was departing for Eu-
to srS MS qa nd aares ma ne
Governor, Thomas Danforth. addressed him a
brief letter Of warning. with references to ap-
Acts. 1t was characteristic of the 1notle of |
Thought and argument Of the times. The faith
of the New England Puritan. while dcbnsng him
before the Lord, gave him virtue TO stand before
tyrants-
From the beginning, their religion, their man-
oeilesl to conquer. the institutions which they
established and maintained. were preparing the /
colonists to become tho founders Of the might
est empire of sef-goycrncd men that the world
n /