enough; and on a scale sufficiently grand. What is become of the hundreds of happy Churches that once lined the shores of Northern Africa? Gone! Where are the lights that once shone in Asia Minor, in Syria, in Mesopotamia, at Rome? Gone out in a night of a thousand years. And where, in all these times, do we find the true light of the Gospel? Among those poor Churches unblessed with a prelacy of the boasted "succession;" among the Albigenses, who, in the words of Mosheim,* "denied that the ministers of religion (bishops, presbyters, and deacons), were of divine appointment [i. e., that they hold their authority according to the dogma of a jure divino succession], and maintained that the Church could exist without an order of teachers." We look among the Waldenses, who had bishops, not such as boast of a lineal apostolical succession, but bishops of the people's making, and who held, not only that the Pope of Rome is not superior to bishops, but that "there is no difference as to rank or dignity among priests;"† we look to those poor Churches, which the Great Harlot, sitting on the seven hills of Rome, and drunken with the blood of the saints; the great scarlet persecutor with which Protestant Prelacy is now claiming a sisterhood, and a unity of catholicity, to the exclusion of all "Dissenters," we look to the Churches which this Scarlet Harlot was then persecuting to death. History has written the character of prelacy in broad lines of darkness, despotism, and blood; and that over many lands, and for a thousand years! With what arguments, with what honied accents shall the world be persuaded to try the grand experiment again? An apostolical succession! The authoritative interpretations of the Church! We remember who it was that sent his disciples away from the tradition of the elders to "search the Scriptures;" thus for ever establishing the RIGHT and the DUTY OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT. We remember who it was that said "Prove all things;" yes, even the interpretations of the first two centuries are to be proved by the Word of God. Surely those interpretations cannot themselves be the rule of that standard by which they are to be tried! It was a true Apostle, not a pretended successor, who said, "Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." "God's clergy, a state whereunto God's people must be subject! We remember who it was that said, "Call no man master." The same it was who said, "Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them; and they that are great exercise authority upon them; but it shall not be so among you." Long, long, has the world seen the consequences of breaking away from this injunction of the Saviour. And so broadly and plainly are the principles of this injunction writ* Vol. ii., p. 204.

† Jones' Church History. n. 318.

ten in the Bible, that with great uniformity the people of God come to the same conclusions, the moment when, released from ecclesiastical influence and power, they set themselves with diligence to search out the principles of Church polity laid down in the Word of God. Wickliffe and his followers came to the same results with the Puritan founders of New England. Those who worshipped God in secret under the bloody Mary, came to the same results. Those who from time to time left England for the wilds of America, though strongly prejudiced in favor of the English Church establishment, upon searching the Scriptures, came to the same results with their brethren who had gone before. The distinguished orator at a recent celebration of the landing of the Pilgrims, was not quite correct when he attributed the rise of the republican principles of the English Puritans to the time when they found at Geneva " A Church without a Bishop, a State without a king."* Republicanism in the Church was no new thing among the Puritans of England. It was as old as Wickliffe. Too much has been attributed to the influence of the exiles at Geneva. That was a drop in the bucket. Before these principles were known at Geneva, thousands had embraced them and died for them in England. They owe their origin not to Geneva; not to the Puritans; not to Wickliffe; but to the WORD OF GOD; to the principles of Church polity laid down in the New Testament; and to its delineations of the organization and discipline of the Primitive Apostolical Church. The present age may have too little consideration to prize these principles. Light and uncertain spirits may turn apostates. But if the world should once more sink in darkness and spiritual bondage, these principles will once more rise in majesty to vindicate the rights of man and the truth of God. Their might is inherent and indestructible. In the greater spread of light and freedom and pure religion, these principles will ever continue to rise and prevail. What our fathers proved by Scripture and justified by reason, has now been made a matter of experiment for two hundred years; and the spot where that experiment has been tried, though the trial began in the wilderness, and was continued in the midst of difficulties, hardships, and wars; that spot has long stood forth unrivalled by any other spot for any two hundred years in the history of the whole world. In its results to this nation alone, the grand experiment has richly repaid all the toils and sufferings it cost. Future generations will yet appreciate, better than the fondest admirer of the Puritans has ever yet appreciated, the worth of their principles to the cause of freedom and humanity; to the cause of righteousness and of God.

Hon. Mr. Choate.

XVI.

REMOVALS TO AMERICA, AND FOUNDING OF THE PURITAN CHURCHES.

Plymouth a few years after its settlement. Plantation at Cape Ann. Naumkeag. Charlestown. Fleet and Colony of 1629. Tolerant spirit of the Colonists. Salem Church. The Fleet and Colony of 1630 Rapid emigration. Planting of the New England Churches.

THE settlement at Plymouth affording a rendezvous and shelter to adventurers in the fisheries and the trade in furs, such adventurers began immediately to swarm all along the northern coasts of New England. In the year 1624 about fifty ships left England for such adventures upon these coasts. At this period there were at Plymouth about one hundred and eighty souls. The town was impaled about, half a mile in compass. On the hill they had a fort "well built with wood, lime, and stone,"* Health had returned to the colony; not one of the first planters having died within the last three years. This year they had freighted with the products of their trade and industry, a ship of 180 tons.†

The adventurers for trade and commerce had now turned their thoughts to the establishment of some settlements for the furtherance of their projects; when Mr. White, a Puritan minister of Dorchester in England, conceived the idea of making these settlements conducive to the great ends of planting religion in America. A plantation was commenced at Cape Ann; and, soon after, its management was committed to Mr. Roger Conant, a "pious, sober, prudent man," from among the colonists at Plymouth. In 1626 the adventurers threw up their business in discouragement. Mr. White, unwilling that so good a desigu should fail, writes to Mr. Conant, that if he and three others will remain, he will procure them a patent, send them men, provisions, and whatever they need to pursue the trade with the natives.

Mr. Conant had, before this, foreseen that the persecuted Puri† Ibid.

* Prince.

tans in England must soon want a place of refuge. Before the settlement of Cape Ann was given up, he had fixed his eye upon Naumkeag, now Salem, as a convenient spot for such a settlement; and had communicated his views to his friends in England. Upon the reception of Mr. White's letters, he told his disheartened companions, that he "Did believe God would make this land a receptacle for his people; and if they should leave him, yet he would not stir, for he was confident he should not long want company."

Conant and his companions removed to "Naumkeag, a pleasant and fruitful neck of land, embraced on each side with an arm of the sea,"* and awaited the coming of those who, they foresaw, must soon flee from the storm of persecution in England. A year had nearly passed after their removal, when some friends in Lincolnshire, conversing together about their troubles, turned their thoughts to New England. Might there not be a refuge there? Might they not plant the Gospel there? Might they not enjoy there freedom of conscience, and leave the ordinances of religion pure, to their posterity? "We imparted our reasons," says Dudley, "by letters and messengers to some in London and the West country." A purchase was made from the Council for New England, for a patent for a belt of land from three miles south of the Charles River, to three miles north of the Merrimac, extending from Massachusetts bay to the Pacific Ocean. White sought out and secured such associates as could be relied upon for the great enterprise; men of religious fervor, of high character, of enterprise, courage, and unyielding perseverance. Their design was to found a religious settlement; and their determination was to colònize "the best."

On the 20th of June, 1628, Endicott set sail from Weymouth, in England, with a small company, to make way for the settlement of the new colonists. In September, they were welcomed by Conant and his companions to the new settlement amid the forests of Salem. Yet what will not the restless spirit of enterprise and adventure do? It was a curious prognostic of the future character of American pioneers, that of the little band which came over with Endicott, some seven, with leave of the governor, undertook a journey through the woods; and, after a ramble of twelve miles, lighted on the present site of Charlestown. Here they found a lonely English house, thatched and palisadoed; and here, with the consent of the Indian Sachem, they began a settlement. Another company was sent over to Salem, in the fall of the same year, to make further preparation for the expected colony. In February, 1628, Mr. Cradock, at London, wrote to Mr. Endicott, of the progress of things at home. "Our company,"

* Prince.

said he, "are much enlarged: there is one store ship bought, of 100 tons; two more hired of 200 tons; one of 19, the other of 20 ordnance; in which ships are likely to be embarked between two and three hundred persons, and about 100 head of cattle." "It is resolved to send two ministers, at least, with the ships now to be sent those we shall send shall be by approbation of Mr. White, of Dorchester, and Mr. Davenport. I account our ships will be ready to sail hence, by the 20th of next month."*

One of the ministers to whom the company made application, was Mr. Higginson, of Leicester; a man eminent for his abilities, his piety, and for the great success which had attended his ministry. Says Cotton Mather, "Such was the divine presence with, and the blessing on the ministry of this good man" [in Leices ter], "that the influence thereof on the whole town became a matter of observation; many were turned from darkness to light, and from Satan to God: and there was a notable revival of religion among them." The matter of Church order and discipline was then agitating the Church of England: and for some years, Higginson, while continuing a Conformist, had entertained scruples of conscience. Pursuing the study of the Scriptures, and of antiquity, he at length came out a conscientious Non-Conformist. He still retained his attachment to the Church of England, and refused to separate, though he could no longer conform to its rituals. Of course, he could no longer officiate in his parish church. By the favor of the good Bishop Williams and of the people of Leicester, he was still permitted to preach the Gospel, till both the people and the bishop fell under the vengeance of Laud. Even then the authorities of the town chose Mr. Higginson to be their town preacher, to which place there was annexed a large maintenance paid out of the town treasury. Mr. Higginson thanked them, but could not comply with the necessary conditions of conformity. "Offers were made him," says Mather, " of the greatest and richest livings of the country thereabouts." These he declined for conscience' sake. He still endeavored to do good in private. "Many resorted to him for his counsel and advice in regard to the state of their souls, and he did much for the education of scholars going to or coming from the University; some of whom were afterwards among the most eminent ministers of the Gospel in England. But the fury of Laud could not suffer him to rest. Complaints were laid against him, "so that he lived. in continual expectation to be dragged away by the pursuivants to the High Commission Court; where," says Mather, "a sentence of perpetual imprisonment was the best thing that could be looked for."

With Higginson, was associated Mr. Samuel Skelton, another

* In Prince.