East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1921-07-16
THE PILGRIM CHARACTER.

Pilgrims to Holland in 1907. There
they had been safer and happier than
In England, for at that time Holland
was more advanced intellectually
than any other country Of Europe and
under the House Of Orange, religious
freedom was granted alike to Protest
ant, Catholic and jew. But though
the Pilgrims admired the Hollanders
and nejoyed their fair and beautiful
cities, flowing with all sorts Of wealth
and riches they regretted that their
own children were destined to lose
the traditions and language If Eng
land II they remained in foreign
land. After long and prayerful con
sideration. the forefathers decided
that their love Of God, their dream
of civil government based on Repub-
lican equality and the preservation to
posterity of their own customs and
ideals were dearer to them than peace
and safety in Holland; in 1920, there
fore. they undertook a second and
greater exile.
How many of US, for the love OF
God and loyalty to an ideal, would
have the courage TO part forever from
the comforts of civilization, leave many
1 Of those who were dearest to US, take
dangerous and seldom tried ocean
voyage, and make home in the will
! derneas,--in short. voluntarily go into
exile?
1 When they arrived in America
they had no friends to welcme
them. nor inns to entertain or refresh
their weather-beaten bodys, no houses
or much less towns to repaire too, to
I seek for sucoure." Five months after
landing, the Mayflower returned to
England, leaving on the American
shores only forty-nine of the one hun
dred and one, passengers who had
landed, the others having died from
exposure to the hardships Of life in
the wilderness
The Pilgrims did all Of these things
and did them cheerfully, bravely, un-
complaining. 1t did not occur to them
that they were martyrs, because their
matchless faith in the goodness Of
God to those who did His will caused
! them to believe that all things would
I work together for their good
i In mentioning the indifference of
the Pilgrims to material comfort and
Prosperity and their decision to cross
the ocean and settle in the wilderness,
Bradford writes. "But they knew they
were pilgrims, and looked not much
on those things but lift up their eyes
to ye heavens. their dearest cuntrie,
and quieted their spirits; for they
had other work in hand, and another
Kind of war to wage and maintain"
We are apt to think Of the Pilgrims
as severe. stern people. strictly vir-
tuous yet lacking in the gentle quail
ties Of the Christian character, but let
US recall a well known instance which
proves that forbearance, patience and
tenderness were their strongest char
acteristics.
In November, 1921, only year after
the Pilgrims had landed, a ship bear
ing thirty-five new colonists arrived.
Not one of them had tools, food or
clothing other than for his immediate
needs. Yet the forefathers shared
with them as brothers. and as a result
there was not a time during the next
two years when they were not in great
need of food and clothing.
The Pilgrims showed what their
standards of character were when they
chose their Elder, Mr. William Brew.
ster. He was Christian gentleman
who had gladly sacrificed social posi-
ton, suffered Imprisonment. and gone
INTO voluntary exile for ''ye Kingdome
of God and RELIGIONS sake -
Bradford's description of his life
long friend is most satisfying. I'm
teaching he was very stirring and
moving the affections; also very plain
and distinct in what he taught, by the
which means he became the more
profitable to his hearers" OF Brew
sters sympathy and kindness, Brad
ii ford fMrifns OLE r,,nr Tandem. !, 49,. . a