The Penn's Grove record., 1920-12-24
PILGRIMS AND PURITANS PRO-
GRESSIVE
Political and Religious Liberty Has
Given Men the Right to Think
and Advance Civilization

grims made a covenant to govern
themselves and abide by the laws the!
made. That was the beginning, thu
foundation of constitutional govern
ment in the United States.
John Carver was elected the first
Governor of Plymouth, before the
Mayflower landed. That was the be-
ginning example of the people elect
ing their own governor instead of ap-
pointment by the King.
These are the beginnings of democ-
racy in America which is spreading
all over the world.
Rev. John Robinson was n of the
founders of the P~uritans in England.
His religious teachings led to religious
independence which is the foundation
of all liberty. Because of this the
Mayflower is the most interesting
emigrant ship in all history.
Rev. John Robinson's pastoral letter
read to the embarking Pilgrims at
Southampton is n of the most re-
markable V e penned. Two quotations
are as follows:
"We are not over another. We
are with one another" Windows re-
port of his farewell address.
Robinson's Address To The Pilgrims
He charged US before God and His
blessed angels, to follow him no fur
Their than he followed Christ, and if
God should reveal anything to us by
any other instrument of His to be as
ready to receive it as eve we were to
receive any truth by his ministry.
For he was very confident the Lord
had more truth and light yet to break
forth out of His holy word.
Here also he eXhorted US
to take heed what we received for
truth; "For," saith He, sit
is not possible the Christian world
should come so lately out of thick
anti Christian darkness; and that full
perfection of knowledge should break
forth at once."-Winslow's Report OF
John Robinson's Farewell Address.
Bradford's History says: "a great
hope and inward zeal they had of lay
ing some good foundation, or at least
to make some way thereunto for We
propagating and advancing the gospel
of We Kingdom of Christ in those re-
mote parts of the world, yea, though
they should but be but ever as step
ping-stones unto others for the per-
forming of so great a work"
Council of Trent
From 1915 to 1863 the leading re-
ligious teachers of those times held
Councils, in Trent, Italy, and agreed
a code of religious dogmas which
has not been changed since. 1t un
doubtedly was fit for the times and the
people, but it has been held by those
who control the system to be as I'M
,hangeable as the laws of the Medes
and Persians. The Modes and Per
slams with their Interchangeable laws
,eased to exist centuries ago, but the
loqmas of transubstantiation and ODE
to the pope of Rome continues
be believed by millions who believe
here has been no revelations to mar
~ God since the days when there
vas no printing press and education
vas solely in the cloisters.
Gods Revelations-Right To Think
Note John Robinson's declaration:
He was confident the Lord had more
ruth and light to break forth out OF
His holy word and it is not possible
hat full perfection should break forth
1t once"
Surely the minds of millions had
,evealed to them much since 1860 n
more since John Robinson's advice IN
500.
Foremost In Education
The freedom of the right to think,
speak and publish the thoughts re-
5ealed to men promotes the progress
If the human race. The Purltans IN
yites each one to read and think for
themselves, hence education is one
their foremost principles. The
Puritans founded Harvard College IN
4 wilderness in 1886.
The Pilgrims were followers OF tie
theological teaching of John CALVIN,
who founded his religion on st. PauFs
conversion and justification by faith
and not by works.
The early colonists prohibited the
teachings of the followers OF st. Peter
and the doctrine of salvation by works
as very expensive and unnecessary;
The religious and political principles
which the Pilgrims and the Purltans
planted grew to the mightiest govern,
ment of the people and has savored
the whole world. 1t was the insplra-
tional spirit of the Puritans that re-
turned to Europe in 1917 to win the
World War and make the world safe
for world constitutional democracy by
establishing a code of principles
known as the League OF Nations
It may have been predestinated,
f~oreordained, or only a chance incl
dent in the worlds history that a
Calvanistic Puritan, Lloyd George, a
Baptist, should be at the mead OF tn the
British government and that a Cal
vanistic Puritan, Woodrow Wilson,
Presbyterian, should have been the
leader in the Pilgrims nation, the
United States, the two greatest world
leaders. -
It may be only a world incident, but
probably predestinated, that the home
seat of the League of Nations Is
- IL. Io~o of TOhn CALVIN. who