The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-11-23
LESSON WAS DRAWN
FROM PURITAN TIMES
Sermon Drawn BY r. W. Whippsr ia
All SOuls' Church.
CAREFULLY PREPARED DISCOURSE
Showed a PainstakinS Research OF
HistOry..Out Of Puritan Gloom
and Aspiration, He Said, Came the
Strength and Glory Of the Gre atcst
Of Rcpublics..Pilgrim.' Sorrow is
Present Joy.

In All Souls Universalist church last
night the discourse of the pastor, Rev.
Frank w. Whinuen. was on Pilgrims
and Puritans." His remarks were based
upon painstaking research of history
and offered lesson from the aspira-
tions and fOrtitude of the Pilgrim fore
fathers. He introduced his subject by
saying:
However remote and far behind the
Protestant reformation seems to us
now, it must be looked to as the cause
of those settlements on our eastern
shore which have made Massachusetts,
and New England and our whole land
what they are. 1t perhaps is not too
much to say that just as the acorn con-
tains the oak. 50 when Luther nailed
his protests on the door of his
church, then were driven the first
nails in the structure of the Amer
lean republic The house was long in
building indeed. Many Il deep cut was
to be made, and many a heavy blow
was to be struck before 1t should be
finished. Those who wrought did not
know the magnitude of what they built,
did not know that their work was
toward the greatest republic Of the
earth"
Mr.. Whipple referred to the grave
theological crises of the times of Lu-
ther, Henry VIII. Edward vi, Queen
Mary and Elizabeth. He then referred
to the autumn. when the MayfiOwer set
sail. His discourse from this point con-
cerned a general rehearsal of the land
ing of the little band, their privations
and faith. Continuing. he said:
AMERICA WAS OPEN.
"All America was Open-their man.
ner domain they claimed for them
selves. Their religion was their life.
They welcomed none but its adherents.
They could not tolerate the scoffer, the
infidel or the dissentor. Their whole
people meet together in their congrega-
tions. The reformation was not fin
ished beyond the sea then. Must ii
have another champion on this side
the water? To supply one-Providence
furnished such an one in the person
of Roger Williams. He was a Puri-
tan-a fugitive from English persecu-
tion, hut somehow he saw farther and
thought deeper than his fellows. In
his mind was matured a doctrine which
makes his manner immortal and gives
religious peace to America. We, like
many other men had looked upon in
tolerance, he like others had pondered
its evil, but unlike others, he had seen
clear through it.
THE announcement of his thoughts
was simply enough. He insisted on the
sanctity of conscience. The civil mag
strate should restrain crime but never
control opinion; should punish guilt,
but never violate the freedom of q
soul. The doctrine contained an entire
set Of theological jurisprudence. Nom
Il I,tt l.. y, ,tyNs
to be punished. The doctrine would
quench it's fires their persecution had
50 long kept burning, would repeal
every law compelling attendance on
public worship.
ACTION OF PURITANS.
1.-THE Puritans had not yet renounced
its use Of power in religion. OF course
they did not receive this wild extrem-
ist with open arms. Indeed they did
not receive him at all. BE 1t said in
justice to the Puritans and the soil of
Essex, the Salem church for a time
insisted on his being their minister,
but at length they, with all the rest,
stood against him. Even the church
at Salemn would not avow his great
principle Of the sanctity of conscience.
Even his wife for a time deserted him.
I'VE are prone to say eXtravagant
things about such men as Williams,
but facts place this man almost be-
yond the possibility. AT the time"
| says Bancroft, when Germany was
the battlefield for all Europe in the de-
| plorable wars of religion: when ever
Williams was bleeding with the anger
| OF revengeful factions, when France
was still to go through the fearful
struggle with bigotry; when England
was grasping under the despotism of
| intolerance, Roger Williams asserted
| the great doctrine Of intellectual lib
erty. a
| No d hbt the Puritans had much
to learn, but after all there is danger
that we with the breadth of nineteenth
century thought judge them too harsh
| ly. They We're a peculiar people. Out
wardly they seem cold and austere.
They indulged little in the graces OF
manner and of life. In every respect
they were formal and precise. But il
| is only the superficial who sneers at
this outward appearance of Puritan
ism. Those things We're merely outward
| Underneath were noble principles
Those principles might need broaden
ing, but as they were they reached to
the lofty skies.
JUDGING MEN AND NATIONS.
| we Judge men ana nations some
what by contraries. Let me close by
giving our historians estimate of Pur.
itnism by the side of chivalry. His
torians have loved to eulOgize the man
ners and virtues, the glory and the
benefits of chivalrv. Puritanism ac-
complished for mankind far more. 1,
had the sectarian crime of intolerance;
| chivalry had the vices of dissoluteness
The knights We're trained from gal
lantry of spirit the Puritans from the
fecr Of God. The knights were proud
of loyalty; the Puritans of liberty. TIL,
knights did homage to .mOnarchs In
whose smile they beheld honor; whose
rebuke was the wound of disgrace;
the Puritans disdaining ceremony
would not bow at the name of Jesus
nor bend the knee to the King of Kings
Chivalry. delighted in outward show
pursued pleasure. multiplied amuse-
ments, and degraded the human rae.
by an exclusive respect for the priv.
iliged classes.
Such are the people out OF whom
godliness on the one hand. and aspira
tions on the other. has come the
strength and the glory of the western
world. Rejoicing that our day has
come after theirs. we must ever look
back to them with gratitude. They
had thought for posterity. They
| Sowai in sorrow We rpon in inv "