The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1901-11-28


from all the .perils and miseries there
of, again to set their feet on. the firm
and stable earth, their proper ele-
ment."
The Puritans had much to be thank
full for, as they had journeyed over the
deep blue sea IS days and were pretty
glad to set foot on the bleak and bar
rem coast of New England. With the
freedom from the prayer book and
rigid ritual of the church of England,
and plenty of license to follow the die
tates of their own conscience in all
matters religious and political as we'll,
the little colony of English separatists
planted on New England soil the seed
of American liberty, whose cry of free
dom rang from Bunker Hill, Concord
and Lexington to Valley Forge and
Yorktown. It was not alone in New
England that the cry of liberty was
heard. for away down in Virginia,
where the Established Church $50
much hated by the Paritans) was sup
ported by tax the voice of Patrick
Henry was heard crying "Give me lib
erty or give me deathn' But it was
the saucy Puritans who threw the tea
into Boston harbor, and it was in Fan
uel hall where liberty had it's BIRTH
place.
The Puritan fathers were what
might be termed in the present day
and generation blind eligious fanatics,
and the pages of New England history
are covered with their records of severe
and sumptuary laws, which measured
the value Of a mans labor and governed
the style of dress for men and women,
imposed the death penalty for democrat
izlng, though common offences, put a
premium on prudishism, eschewed
everything that tended to detract from
the stern soberness and extreme Puri-
itanical orthodoxy. They believed
they were in religious sense 1.-THE
whole thing'' while in reality they
were unwilling to grant freedom of reli-
gious thought to others, nor would they
tolerate it. It was the Puritan spirit
that hanged innocent people for witch
craft, banished Roger Williams, and
did a lot of other nonsensical and very
unreasonable things. But with all
their blind zeal they possessed those
elements of character and that desire
for a high degree of citizenship and
they carved deep in the foundation
stones of the republic mighty record
OF staunch citizenship, justice and
loyalty. From their rigid and unbend-
ing religious observances and from
their strong individuality and strict
observance of severe forms and laws
has sprung race of people that has
given the country legacy of brave
and valorous deeds, OF rich thought
and true christian devotion. The pages
of American history are rich with the
deeds of the descendants of the Puri-
tans, and the battlefield, the pulpit
and the rostrum, the pages OF fiction
and of poetry, and music and art, all
are testimonials to the grand inherit
lance OF the Puritan fathers. The New
England town meeting in March, which
has been transplanted to the west,
originated from the yearly "court-day"
of the Puritans when they met to dis
cuss matters relating to the law, reli-
gion and to local affairs.
In the development of our country
the Puritans are perhaps not entitled
to any more credit than some other
early colonizers from Europe who
sought our shores to escape religious
persecution, and punishment for debt.
as we'll as to seek wealth, honor and
distinction. The Quaker was about as,
fine type of a citizen as ever came to
the shore of this country, though one
wouldn't think so to look at municipal
Philadelphia to-day. But then Boston
to-day has in some respects pretty we'll
discarded traces Of Puritan principles.
BE this as it may the spirit of the
Puritan and the early New Highlander
has made an impress on our countrv,sj
history that never will be effaced. The
spirit as embodied in flesh and blood
may gradually lose it's identitv and
perish, but it's contribution to our
country's history will endure as long
as the nation itself.
The south may have it's chivalry and
HI to- . -