Shadows of Change
Deut. 6:10-12, Jeremiah 2:32, Nihamiah 8:14-18, Psalm 19
It was the Autumn of 1607 that religious principles of conformity began to change the lives of many Englishmen. John Wycliff had much to do with independence that agitated the currents of England. Henry VIII added to the fires of Independence by becoming head of the Church of England. The Puritans held that the Bible was paramount higher than any man even though that man be King. They believed in the responsibility of the Individual conscience. They placed all men equal before their Creator. They denied the claim of any power to prescribe in matters of the soul.
In 1606, James V determined to break the Puritans or run them from the land. William Brewster led in 2 attempts to flee Holland, and most of them got to Holland after 2 yrs. of planning. Led by Brewster and Rev. John Robinson, plans were made to go to America. Their only request was for 11 yrs. of religious freedom. They started from Holland in two ships: the Speedwell, and Mayflower. The Speedwell had to turn back with 102 people. The Mayflower was not in the best of repair, but they set sail July 22, 1620. The small Mayflower was overloaded by its 180 ton burden. They had to turn back, and finally left for America on Sept. 9, 1620. Each day, as they sailed into the West, they began the day with prayer. Among them was Miles Standish, a soldier. He was not a Puritan, but had pledged himself to their protection.
Mid-ocean, they were hit by a storm and was so badly damaged they were making plans to try to return to England, but even this looked hopeless. The Mayflower was almost broken in two. A main beam was cracked and the storm showed no sign of letting up. One of the Pilgrims had brought along a great screw and this was used to fasten the cracked beam. “Through the uncharted waves, they bore their way toward the setting sun and a raising hope.”
November came with chilling winds, and rough sea, yet no sign of land. Nov. 9, they sighted land, finally landed at Cape Cod, far north of their intended goal. They looked for a place with it harbor, wood, and sweet water. On December 16, the Mayflower was in Plymouth Harbor. The East Coast was an almost unbroken wilderness from Florida to the Arctic Ocean. They landed and planted their feet on a soil they hoped would be a land of liberty to worship as they felt God would have them to. Winter was already underway. Provisions were few, and they had no shelter. They found a large abandoned Indian Village with much stored corn. They began immediately to fall trees, and build long houses, stopping the cracks with mud.
The whole colony was divided into 19 families with single men choosing a family to live with. Illness afflicted them. Almost daily death visited the settlement. At one time, there were only 7 men able to move about and care for the sick. Four families comprising 12 people were wiped out. Of the 18 wives who came on the Mayflower, only 4 remained alive. Governor John Carver died on April 5, and William Bradford himself ill, became governor. They were untroubled by the Indians and soon Spring came. Squanto, the only Surviving Indian of the tribe at Plymouth, returned and lived among them.
When Autumn of 1621 came, the harvest was bountiful. The rafters of the log cabins were hung with corn, there were plenty of beans, barley, and peas. With the abundance of wild game, the humble wants of the Pilgrims were satisfied.
1. Let thou forget.
2. Thankfulness the day rat of the soul.