The Penn's Grove record., 1921-11-25
SOME PILGRIM FATHERS
John Garner
By Marion B. Knight

one representing the signing of the
compact in the cabin of the May
flower.
Five men drew up the compact
John Carver, William Brewster, Will
liam Bradford, Myles Standish, and
Edward Winslow. They signed it first
themselves and then called on the
other men of the company to sign.
They did this because as the ship
LnNared land the whisperings were
overheard among some of those on
board-men servants and members Of
the ships crew, perhaps others who
were not entirely committed to the
project. The patent for the colony
was for d settlement within the
boundaries of the London-Virginia
Company, but the storms had driven
the Mayfower north of those limits,
and if the passengers settled on the
shores in sight they would be within
limits of another company, the Ply
mouth-Virginia and would, therefore,
be without the authority of a charter.
The whisperers knew these facts, and
also knew that if any chose to be dis
Hoyal no one could prevent them. vi
course, if any number should take a
fancy to shirk the arduous tasks be-
fore the colony in the building. OF
houses from the green trees of the
forest in Winter-time and chose to go
Of adventuring by themselves, their
desertion would seriously weaken the
colony and expose it to greater dam
ger of attack from the Indians, some
of whom probably be met with before
long.
To meet this difficulty the Compact
was drawn up and thus the Pilgrim
Fathers obtained for themselves a
form Of government with power to
enforce obedience to it; for the sign
ers "solemnly and mutually in the
presence of God and of n another
| did covenant and combine them
Z selves together into a civil body
politick." This Compact has been
called the germ root of our great
republic" 1t was the first charter
of a government for the people, by
the people known in all human his
tory.
John Carver was chosen the first
Governor. This fact reveals the
esteem in which he was held. Little
is known about him, but everything
recorded shows that he was a discreet
and able man. He it was who accom-
panied Robert Cushman from Leyden
to England to obtain from King
James a charter for the proposed
settlement in America and also to
get financial support for the under
taking.
When the Indian sachem, Massa-
- soft, paid his first visit to the colony,
Governor Carver received him with
such style as his slender resources
afforded and made with him a treaty
which was to insure friendly relations
between Massasoits tribe and the
plymouth colony. 1t was the first
treaty ever made between the white
men and the red men. And it proved
no "scrap of paper" for it was never
broken, but sacredly kept by both
26rties, though trying occasions arose
at times.
The Governor was among those who
suffered from illness brought on by
the exposure and deprivation of the
winter Of 1620-21. One day while he
lay sick in bed in the common house,
its roof of thatch caught fire, and we
are told that chad not John Carver
ran with good speed, he had been
Y blown up with powder for their mus
kets were charged All the ammuni-
ton was stored in this house at the
time. The strain of the hard life
4 proved too much for Governor Car
'ver's strength. In early April there
came, as there often does in New
England, a very hot day fit only for
a midsummer picnic; but the Pilgrim
fathers, their Governor with them.
were at work planting their fields.
Overcome by the heat, the Governor
"fell sick and within a few days after
he died" His death was a heavy
blow to the colonists.
John Carver was not among the
Z original party from Scrooby, but
probably joined them later during
their stay in Leyden. The historians
say he had some property and used
nearly all of it in this enterprise. SO
very dear to the hearts of these men
4 was the purpose to find a place some
how, somewhere where they could
worship God according to their own
conscience. How odd it seems to us!
You and | can scarcely realize that
men gave all their property and their
very lives to secure the privilege
which is free and open to everybody
in the United States! if next Sunday
any of us wanted to try it, we could
worship with Greek Catholics or
Roman Catholics, with Presbyterians
or Lutherans, or Congregationalists,
of Methodists, or with any of a score
of other Churches, and neither the
President nor the Governor of our
State would concern himself with our
choice of a Church or form of wor-
ship. Were a man a member of any
of the congregations he could cast his
vote at the polls unchallenged and
hold any civil office to which his fell
low-citizens might elect him. For in
our country no one has to conform
7 to any special Church. There is no
State Church. The State demands
that only you keep its laws and prove
yourself a worthy citizen. 1t does
not demand any special form of re-