Those who have a curiosity to see the first Republican compact of the new world, will find it in the Memorial, p. 37; in Belknap, 2 vol. p. 190; in Prince's Chrono. p. 171. The Pilgrims were not Fanatics, nor exclusive sectaries. Least of all were they men of low and narrow minds. Common sufferings had made for them, a common character, and this had been moulded by the ministry of Robinson, who was respected by his countrymen at home, and on the continent; and among the people of Holland, to whom the fugitive Christians were known, he was highly esteemed and beloved. Robinson was much in advance of the age; and so were all his flock. It is surprising that Robinson, and his people, should be claimed, in this age of the world, under whatsoever impulse, as intolerant exclusive sectaries. The Pilgrims were far superior in liberality of sentiment, to those emigrants who settled in Massachusetts Colony. Roger Williams, the great apostle of liberty of conscience, resided two years among the Pilgrims, unrestrained in the expression of his sentiments, and enjoying entire esteem and respect, though he was actually expelled from the Massachusetts Colony, merely for his religious opinions. He settled Rhode Island, obtained a charter, and was Governor, (there is an interesting notice of this person by Savage, in his 1st vol. of Winthrop's New England, page 41.) In 1641 the Plymouth Colony passed an ordinance in these words: 'No injunction shall be put on any church, or church member, as to doctrine, worship or discipline, whether for substance, or circumstance, beside the command of the Bible.' The Pilgrims did not persecute the quakers. They were not infected by the delusion of witchcraft, which afflicted their neighbors. By wise management they avoided general war with the Indians for half a century. Among the Pilgrims were men of good education, and of some property; some of them had been wealthy, but their sufferings and sacrifices had impaired their estates. John Carver, is spoken of by Belknap, as a man in high esteem among the English in Holland; a grave, pious, prudent, judicious man, and sustaining the office of deacon in the Leyden church. William Bradford was a man of learning, versed in six languages. There is a manuscript of his, of 1652, of singular beauty of penmanship, by which his knowledge of English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, is proved. Belknap says he had read much of history, and philosophy, but that theology was his favorite study. He left many manuscripts, which existed till 1775, when they were lost by the British taking possession of the Old South church, in Boston, in the tower of which, they had been deposited. William Brewster was educated at Cambridge, (England.) He was under secretary to Davison, who signed Queen Mary's death warrant ; for which Davison was disgraced and imprisoned, by the afflicted Elizabeth; and Brewster, of course, ceased to be employed. He left (in 1644) a valuable library of which a list is extant. It comprised only a part, he having lost many volumes in the hurried escape from England. Gov. Winslow, Gov. Prince, (who came in 1623, and who was the founder of free schools) Samuel Fuller, Isaac Allerton, (who was much employed as agent for the Colony) Miles Standish,* John Alden, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins, Francis Eaton, Gilbert Winslow, and John Howland, were all well educated men. Gov. Winslow was an accomplished gentleman, and had travelled much on the continent. There were others-but there is not room to mention them. Within a few years the first comers were joined by others of like character. Josias Winslow, the son of Edward, was educated in England, and was one of the most accomplished men of that age; and highly esteemed in peace, and in war. If great designs; if perseverance in them through all difficulties and perils; if complete success; if the intellectual and moral worth of the agents, are of any value, what class of persons can recur to the character of their ancestors, with more commendable pride than the descendants of the Pilgrims? 8 Page 43. The Washington Monument, at Baltimore, is a Doric Pillar, surmounted by a figure of WASHINGTON, fifteen feet high. The Monument stands on a hill 100 feet above the level of the tide. The whole height of the Monument, including the statue, is 176 feet. The Bunker Hill Monument, (which has risen 50 feet) is to be, a simple granite obelisk, 30 feet square at the base, 10 feet square at the summit, and 220 feet high. When completed, it will be the highest monument in the world. 9 Page 43. The following is copied from the Memorial, page 48. 'The place of the first landing at Plymouth is satisfactorily ascer *The Rev. Dr John Thornton Kirkland, President of Harvard College, and Dr E. Wheelock, President of Dartmouth College, descended from Miles Standish. Belk. A. B. Those who have a curiosity to see the first Republican compact of the new world, will find it in the Memorial, p. 37; in Belknap, 2 vol. p. 190; in Prince's Chrono. p. 171. The Pilgrims were not Fanatics, nor exclusive sectaries. Least of all were they men of low and narrow minds. Common sufferings had made for them, a common character, and this had been moulded by the ministry of Robinson, who was respected by his countrymen at home, and on the continent; and among the people of Holland, to whom the fugitive Christians were known, he was highly esteemed and beloved. Robinson was much in advance of the age; and so were all his flock. It is surprising that Robinson, and his people, should be claimed, in this age of the world, under whatsoever impulse, as intolerant exclusive sectaries. The Pilgrims were far superior in liberality of sentiment, to those emigrants who settled in Massachusetts Colony. Roger Williams, the great apostle of liberty of conscience, resided two years among the Pilgrims, unrestrained in the expression of his sentiments, and enjoying entire esteem and respect, though he was actually expelled from the Massachusetts Colony, merely for his religious opinions. He settled Rhode Island, obtained a charter, and was Governor, (there is an interesting notice of this person by Savage, in his 1st vol. of Winthrop's New England, page 41.) In 1641 the Plymouth Colony passed an ordinance in these words: No injunction shall be put on any church, or church member, as to doctrine, worship or discipline, whether for substance, or circumstance, beside the command of the Bible.' The Pilgrims did not persecute the quakers. They were not infected by the delusion of witchcraft, which afflicted their neighbors. By wise management they avoided general war with the Indians for half a century. Among the Pilgrims were men of good education, and of some property; some of them had been wealthy, but their sufferings and sacrifices had impaired their estates. John Carver, is spoken of by Belknap, as a man in high esteem among the English in Holland; a grave, pious, prudent, judicious man, and sustaining the office of deacon in the Leyden church. William Bradford was a man of learning, versed in six languages. There is a manuscript of his, of 1652, of singular beauty of penmanship, by which his knowledge of English, Latin, Greek and Hebrew, is proved. Belknap says he had read much of history, and philosophy, but that theology was his favorite study. He left many manuscripts, which existed till 1775, when they were lost by the British taking possession of the Old South church, in Boston, in the tower of which, they had been deposited. William Brewster was educated at Cambridge, (England.) He was under secretary to Davison, who signed Queen Mary's death warrant; for which Davison was disgraced and imprisoned, by the afflicted Elizabeth; and Brewster, of course, ceased to be employed. He left (in 1644) a valuable library of which a list is extant. It comprised only a part, he having lost many volumes in the hurried escape from England. Gov. Winslow, Gov. Prince, (who came in 1623, and who was the founder of free schools) Samuel Fuller, Isaac Allerton, (who was much employed as agent for the Colony) Miles Standish,* John Alden, Richard Warren, Stephen Hopkins, Francis Eaton, Gilbert Winslow, and John Howland, were all well educated men. Gov. Winslow was an accomplished gentleman, and had travelled much on the continent. There were others-but there is not room to mention them. Within a few years the first comers were joined by others of like character. Josias Winslow, the son of Edward, was educated in England, and was one of the most accomplished men of that age; and highly esteemed in peace, and in war. If great designs; if perseverance in them through all difficulties and perils; if complete success; if the intellectual and moral worth of the agents, are of any value, what class of persons can recur to the character of their ancestors, with more commendable pride than the descendants of the Pilgrims? 8 Page 43. The Washington Monument, at Baltimore, is a Doric Pillar, surmounted by a figure of WASHINGTON, fifteen feet high. The Monument stands on a hill 100 feet above the level of the tide. The whole height of the Monument, including the statue, is 176 feet. The Bunker Hill Monument, (which has risen 50 feet) is to be, a simple granite obelisk, 30 feet square at the base, 10 feet square at the summit, and 220 feet high. When completed, it will be the highest monument in the world. 9 Page 43. The following is copied from the Memorial, page 48. The place of the first landing at Plymouth is satisfactorily ascer *The Rev. Dr John Thornton Kirkland, President of Harvard College, and Dr E. Wheelock, President of Dartmouth College, descended from Miles Standish. Belk. A. B. tained. Unquestionable tradition has declared that it was on a large rock at the foot of the cliff, &c. In 1774 an attempt was made to remove this rock, to a more central situation. The rock was split in the operation, and the upper part removed, and placed near (where) the court house (then was.) The rock from which the abovementioned part was split, has a flat upper surface, three or four inches above the level of the ground. It lies in a passage way to a wharf; and is daily passed over by carts. The part which is visible, is about 20 feet in circumference. There is nothing on it, or near it, to show that it is THE rock. It is hardly to be expected that the Plymouth people should do all, which it concerns ALL to have done. 10 Page 44. The person intended is Mrs Experience Clapp, who now lives at Marshfield on, (or near) Peregrine White's farm, on which there is now an apple tree planted by him. He was born in Cape Harbor in Nov. 1620; and died at Marshfield, in 1704. Mrs Clapp, who retains her memory, and faculties very little, if at all impaired, is in her 88th year. She is descended from Peregrine; and knew his daughter and attended her funeral. Among the descendants who were present at this anniversary, was the venerable John Alden, Esq. now in his 73d year, who is the fourth generation from John Alden of the Mayflower, and who now lives on the estate in Duxbury, which his ancestor redeemed from the wilderness. The President of the Society stands in the same remove, from the same ancestor. It is a remarkable circumstance in one family, that the birth of Peregrine White; the decease of his father; and the marriage of his mother with Edward Winslow, are the first birth, death, and marriage which happened in the New World. |