The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01


THE Puritan as Colonist and Ref0rmer. f"
by Rev Ezra Hoyt Byington. is intended
1 to be a companion volume TO The Puri-
tan in England and New England by the
same author. 1t describes the settlement
! Of the Massachusetts, and Connecticut colo
MES. and the history of the Puritans in
| New England.
! The book is a spirited defence of Puri-
| tanism. as well as a record, and on the
whole, the author makes out very good
case. without ignoring any of the facts
| on the other side. While acknowledging
that the Massachusetts Bay settlers were
in some respects narrow and ungenerous,
he claims that they were no more so
than others of their time (which is quite
true) and that they conducted their bust
ness on principles OF strict justice as far
as they could. One point elucidated here
Is worth some attention. Particular care
is given TO describing the work of Eliot,
the apostle to the Indians, and explaining
that the disposition of the Puritans was
at frs. to civilize and Christianize the saw
ages, and. whether this plan succeeded or
not. 20 reimburse them for all losses suf-
fered through the colony of any members
of it One instance is recorded Of 4 man
who because of some depreciation upon
an Indian community. was sentenced TO Ie-
store what he had taken, and have his
house burned by the Indians as measure
of vengeance; and several other cases of
the punishment of Englishmen for injus-
tice to Indians are recorded.
The author then takes up the work Of
Jonathan Edwards. and explains the Gif-
ference between this leader of later New
England thought and others OF his day. II
is Mr.. Byineton's view that Edwards
preached a more vivid and live doctrine
than others did at that time. that the
people of Northampton, where ne was set
tied, and other large towns. had fallen
into q state Of apathy believing outward
ferns TO be sufficient for salvation, and
that Edwards laid the emphasis on spir-
itual life rather than the means OF
grace" and preached Stirring and search
ing sermons. 1t is also stated that his IN
fluence put a quietus on various irreiigious
practices which were becoming common
among young people, and that he generally
raised the tone of the community. All this
is probably so, for the great men Of every
age must be judged according TO their sur
roundings, and Jonathan Edwards prob
ably did good in his day, though the mod
ern world has outgrown many Of his ideas
and It is very good thing that it has.
The last chapter in MIR. Byington's took
is given TO discussion of Shakespeare's
relation to the Puritan, and ii is difficult
to see any possible reason for his inserting
it, 1t has nothing to do with the subject
and it is anything but logical or literary in
quality.
In this discussion the author gravely
proceeds TO give us a sketch OF Shake
speare's life-with which most people of
ordinary education are familiar-and then
to wonder at some length why Shake
2peare took no more notice OF the Puri-
tans than he did. Mr.. Byington seems 10
think 1t exceedingly strange that the mas
Ter of the drama did not write pay with
q Puritan for hero, or. at any rate, put
into his plays some stirring encomiums of
the sour- faced gentlemen who abused play
houses with all their might and main. If
Shakespeare had done this he would have
been uncommoBly saint-like. especially
considering the fact that his patrons
would no: have liked il. and the audience
in the average EliZabethan playhouse
would have howled it down with a vim
due to political. social. and religious ami
mostly. The Bard of Avon was shrewd
for poet, and he was also a playwright.
and successful one He knew how to
suit his public without sacrificing the
buoyant exuberance OF his own wizard
Imagination, and that is all that his pub
lie, or succeeding generations. have ever
wanted him 20 do. As for the quotations
which Mr.. Byingtol makes TO show Shakes
peare's mental bias in this, that, or the