Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-04-30
COLONIAL NEW ENGLAND.
Puritanism In America Before the War
for Independence.

for Independence.
Into New England had come select
cd class, picked out of the general mass
of Englishmen at home by test of creed.
"God sifted whole nation" one Of
their own preachers had told them, at
election time, in the year 1868, "that
He might send choice grain out Into
this Wilderness" But the variety of
the old life in England had been lost in
the sitting. The puritan, for all he
was so strong and great figure in his
day, was but one man among score
in the quick and various English life.
His single standard and manner of liv.
ing, out of the many that strove for
mastery in the old seats where the
race was bred, had been transferred to
New England; and he had had sep
arate and undisputed ascendency there
to build new commonwealth as he
would. The puritan commonwealth
in England had been the government OF
o minority. Cromwell had done his
work of Christening with u might and
fervor which he found, not in the ma
ton, but in himself and in the stout
nen-at-arms and hardy reformers who
stood with him while he purified Eng
land and brought upon all her foes q
day of reckoning. The people had
stood cowed and uneasy while he lived,
and had broken into wild excess of Joy
at their release when he died. But In
New England an entire community con-
scented to the puritan code and mastery
with q hearty acquiescence. TWAS for
this liberty they had come over sea.
And the thoughtful, strong-willed
men who were their leaders had built,
as they wished, polity that should
last. Time wrought its deep changes
in New England, as elsewhere, but the
stamp set upon these puritan settle
ments by the generation that founded
them was not effaced. Trade made
it's characteristic mark upon them.
Their merchants had presently their
own fleets and markets. Their hardy
people took more and more to the sea,
living the rough life of the ocean ways
with n relish, beat in their small craft
tinent, drove bargains everywhere, and
everywhere added a touch to their rcpu-
tation as doughty sea-dogs and shrewd
traders. The population that after
awhile came to New England did not
stay to be sifted before attempting the
voyage out of the old world, and the
quaint sedateness of the settlements
began to be broken by novel variety.
New men beset the old order; rough
democracy begun to make itself felt;
and new elements waxed bold amidst
the new conditions that time had
wrought. The authority Of the crown
at last made a place of command for
itself despite every stubborn protest
and astute evasion. 1t became neces-
sary TO be trihe less observant of sect
and creed, to cultivate, as far rs might
he, temper of tolerance and modera-
ton. But it was slow change at best.
The old order might be modified, but
could not so soon be broken. New
England, through all her jurisdictions,
remained body of churches, as well
ms body of towns, submissive to the
doctrine and discipline of her learned
clergy, keeping the old traditions dis
tinct, indubitable, alike in her schools
end in her meeting-houses. Even in
Rhode Island, where there had from the
first been such n diversity of creed and
license of individual belief there was
little variety of type among the people,
for all they counted themselves so free
10 be what they would. There was
here a singular assortment, no doubt,
Of the units of the stock, but it was Of
the puritan stock, none the less,
through all its variety.-Woodrow Will
son, in 1arper's Magazine.