The Dolores star., 1921-11-18

Nevertheless, Plymouth began relatively TO lose
ground. Whole communities came over in body,
bringing all classes from laborers to physicians
and clergymen; but few went to Plymouth. The
flfrlms had no constituency. Their bitter op-
position to the established church and to the Puri-
tahs and their desire to be let alone, enectually
Isolated them from their sister colonies.
IN the next two decades Bradford, Brewster and
standlsh died and Winslow returned to England.
Inc creation OF thriving towns all about Massa.
chusetts bay and to the west as far the Con-
necticut river. on the Sound, and over on
Long Island. powerfully reacted the little group.
Up to 1850 Plymouth the dominant force
IN the New World. After that men and events
swept past her and around her until in 1891 she
was swallowed up by Massachusetts.
Ihelr absorption into the Massachusetts colony
was easy and natural. In 1891 their creed did not
dler materially from that Of the churches founded
In Salem and In the later colonies. All the New
England churches were completely separated
could have wished
The political extinction of Plymouth was really
a triumph. The Pilgrims had conquered spiritual
y. The New England churches were ruled by the
congregations. What they called popish practices
were everywhere ended
Plymouth losing her civic independence became
first general possession Of all New England and
then a tradition of the nation.
The little Mayfiower band had become q mighty
host steadfast always in the maintenance OF
individual rights. and latterly stout defenders of
religious liberty.
There are now more sons of the Pilgrims in the
Mississippi valley than in Massachusetts, mora on
the Pacific coast than in Plymouth.
The revolt at Scrooby so unimportant thst IT
was scarcely noticed by the authorities, at frst
registered merely protest against established er-
and power. Then with little conception Of
the Significance of their acts the men who led
that revolt became the most successful Adventures
In all history.
Europe generally regarded America much as
the Greeks regarded all the world beyond the FL
lars Of Hercules-as unnhabitable, except by btr.
barlans. and full of terrible monsters Coloniaa.
ton had previously been a failure because il hsd
lacked knowledge and a right purpose The ul-
charted western and the unexplored western
world were almost as mysterious In 1920 as they
had been In 1892 The economic success of Pyra.
Outh dissipsted the mystery and made the CONT
nent a land for citizens rather than for adyentur.
ers for workers rather than for profgate peern
Europes attitude was Immediately changed and
the New World was slowly transformed from {,
Botany bay into place of ilimitable opportunItf
The Pilgrims were politically impractcabe ani
remained economically unimportant to the end
They were spiritually. brave but as a body apart
they were impossible to live with They agreed
with few, and few agreed with them; but they
made the great demonstration, they and not COL
umbus made the great discovery
An ancient legend tells us that the two great
rocks standing one on the southery point Of
Spain the other over against 1t OH the northerlv
point Of Africa. were torn asunder by Hercules
to admit the Atlantic and form the Mediterranean
sea. This beautiful old myth. as is the habit OF
myths, htted itself to existing facts and explained
a mystery BY creating greater mystery
The Pilgrims did not mystfy They answered
the riddle over which Europe had graveIy non.
dered for more than a hundred years They lifteh
the curtain which for six hundred years had con-
csaled the great mystery. With their feeble hand.
they erected pillars that marked the entrsnc. IN
a new continent through which speedily pours6
the flood Of hfs that has givea America to III.
world