Marble Hill press., 1921-10-20

I'uritans could aa,, framed that document of 20.
utleaI freedom
One fundamental difference between the Puri.
iHns and %" Pilgrim, was their attitude toward
the church of England. while the Puritan did
not Hgrpe With ali the forms and rituals ~ the
established church he steadfas,y refused TO leave
Il His attitude was that the church could hc r..
formed more quickly from within than from with
out Even that sturdy old master Puritan John
Winthrop, on the eve Of sailing FOR America, IL
sued the Yarmouth declaration swearing his last
ing allegiance TO the dear mother church. The
Pilgrim. the other hand first separated himself
from the established church and then rather Han
worship contrary 10 his conscience was compelled
t1 leave Dis native land
Tho term "Scparatsts," which was so contempt
uous.y applied to the Pilgrims. literally true
Il {, also true that his FIRST thoughts Of democracy
grew out Of this church dSsensiou. While still
liyus To- England the Pilgrims gave expression 10
the broad principle that the people did require
a bishop " the established church 10 select the.r
preacher hut, the other hapd, they were per
fectly capable u choosing their own. This doc.
trine startled King James that he exclaimed,
NO bishop would soon mean king p"
Not only did the Pilgrims mad ruri,aus differ In
the fundamentals " church but In matters "
state HS well FOR the Pilgrims held that church
and state should bee separated Any respectable
man IN Plymouth could be free man and vote
whether he was a member ot the congregation or
not Cnpt Miles Standish, one " the most promi-
nent men of the colony. never member Of
the church The Purifans of Salem aud Roston,
however, vigorously held that only members ot
the church had the rights Of freemcn and the pow
or Ia vote In their minds the church and state
were one The result that the Pilgrims had
a liberal form OF government while the Purtons
developed theocracy sternly de>potc.
Tie liberal spirit ~ Plymouth never better
demonstrated thau during the witChcraft frenzy
which for a time completely prostrated its more
poycrful ncchbor. While Salem and Boston We're
hanging witches Plymouth would have none Of H..
The pilgrims were a simple country folk. Gov
ernor Bradford the one great authority OF these
ra,nle saws of them: They were not acquainted
vim trades nor traffic but had been used 10
Main country life and the innocent trade OF huS-
handry" For u long years they had Iahored TO-
rethcr IN Holland Without means TO carry for
ward their exodus into the American wilderness,
they turned 10 a company ot London merchants
for mid Their only collateral was the pledge ot
tho labor Of their hands for seven wears in the
forests After many grievous disappontmenS
they sailed on one ship, Most OF them were with
out arms and their poverty SO pressing they
di5 not even have extra leather soles for thelr
shoes Yet It fell 10 the lot Of these men, Whe
lived In log huts and fed upon the bread Of corn
TO found nation
On the other hand, the Puritans Included many
Of the gentry. Some even were pers"nages OF
wealth and influence. When Gov. John winthrop
and his Puritan associates sailed for Massachu-
setts hay from Yarmouth. April i6'n' there were
ten vessels In the feet Ample food was abroad.
There were numerous shep, swine, cattle ana
horses Everything had been provided to make
the coInnists comfortable and contented In the
new country II John Josseyn, who was In the
colony In IeS5 is to he believed. the total value
Of the cargoes of this Puritan feet was upward
of one million dollars--immeasurao'e wealth com
pared with the bankrupt yoyagers Of The May
flower.