The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-11-19

Nevertheless Plymouth began relatively to lose
ground. Whole communities came over IN pous'
bringing all classes from laborers to physicians
and clergymen; but few went to Plymouth LIE
Pilgrims had no constituency. Their bitter op-
position to the established church and to the Puri
tans, and their desire to be let alone efectuaiy
isolated them from their sister colonies.
In the next two decades Bradford. Brewster, ana
Standish died and WinslOw returned to Engiahu.
The creation Of thriving towns all about Massa-
chusetts bay and to the west as FAR as the Coh-
necticut river, the Sound and even over Oh
Long Island powerfully reacted on the little group
Up to 1880 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,.
Their absorption into the Massachusetts colony
was easy and natural. In 1851 their creed did not
differ materially from that Of the churches founded
in Salem and in the later colonies. All the New
England churches were as completely separated
from the established church as even Robinson
could have wished.
The political extinction Of Plymouth was really
triumph. The Pilgrims had conquered spiritual
w. The New England churches were ruled Dy the
congregations What they called popish practices
were everywhere ended.
Plymouth, losing her civic independence, became
first general possession of all New Enelahu ahu
then tradition Of the nation.
The little Mayfower band had become mighty
host steadfast always in the maintenance Oh
individual rights, and atterly stout defenders Oh
religious liberty.
There are now more sons of the Pilgrims in the
Mississippi valley than in Massachusetts, more on
the Pacific coast than in Plymouth.
The revolt at Scrooby so unimportant that II
was scarcely noticed by the authorities at nrst
registered merely protest against established er
ror and power Then with little conception OF
the significance Of their acts, the men VINO leu
that revolt became the most successful adventures
in all history.
Europe generally regarded America mucn as
the Greeks regarded all the world beyond the I'll
lars Of Hercules-as unnhabitable, except py par-
barians. and full of terrible monsters Colonial
tion had previously been failure because it had
lacked knowledge and right purpose The I'M
charted western seas and the unexplored western
world were almost as mysterious III lou as .heS
had been In 1892. The economic success OF FVm-
outh dissipated the mystery and MADE the cont'-
nent land for citizens rather than for adVentur-
ers for workers rather than for profigate peers.
Europe's attitude was Immediately changed anu
the New World was slowly transformed from
Rotsnv bay into place of ilimitable opportunity.
The Pilgrims were politically impractlcaDie anu
remained economically unimpOrtant 10 the enu'
They were spiritually brave, but as BODY apar.
thew were impossible to live with Iney agleeo
With few. and few agreed with them; Out tney
made the great demonstration they ana not 0o'
umbus made the great discovery
An ancient legend tells US that the TWO ereas
rocks standing one the southerly point OF
Spain. the other over against 1t on the northerly
noint Of Africa, were torn asunder by hercules
70 admit the Atlantic and form the Mediterranean
soa This beautiful old myth, as Is the haDlt VI
MYTHS fitted itself to existing facts and explained
o mystery by creating a greater mystery.
The Pilgrims did not mystify. They answered
tho riddle over which Europe had gravely pom
dored for more than a hundred years. They lifted
tho curtain which for six hundred years had con-
cealed the great mystery. With their feeble hands
they erected pillars that marked the entrance 70
new continent through which speedily poured
tho Aood Of life that has given America to the
world.