we should take any
lewd men,
enough."

for we may have honest men

The new colonists saw not much that was, at the first view, encouraging. "Some wished themselves in England again; some fell a-weeping, fancying their own misery in what they saw; some pitied the distress they saw their friends were under" in a word, all were full of sadness. Yet some who, at Leyden, had been familiar with penury endured for Christ's sake, rejoiced not only to see their old friends, but also to hope with them that "better days" were coming. By a few homely details, Bradford makes us understand in what extremity of need those Pilgrims of the Anne found the survivors of the Mayflower and the Fortune: "They were in a very low condition. Many were ragged in apparel, and some little better than half-naked; though some," who had brought with them a full supply of clothing, "were well enough in this regard. But for food they were all alike, save some that had got a few pease of the ship that was last here. The best dish they could present their friends with was a lobster, or a piece of fish, without bread, or any thing else but a cup of fair spring water. The long continuance of this diet, and their labors abroad," in the summer sunshine of New England, "had somewhat abated the freshness of their former complexion. But God gave them health and strength in a good measure, and showed them by experience the truth of that word, 'Man liveth not by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." "1

A letter from the Adventurers, subscribed by thirteen of their names, expressed an undiminished interest in the colony as a religious undertaking: "Loving friends, we most heartily salute you in all love and hearty affection; being yet in hope that the same God who hath hitherto preserved you in a marvelous manner, doth yet continue your lives and health

1 Deut. viii., 3. The entire verse is to the point: "He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that," etc.

to his own praise and all our comforts. . . . We would not have you discontent, because we have not sent you more of your old friends, and, in special, him," Robinson, "on whom you most depend. Far be it from us to neglect you or contemn him. But as the intent was at first, so the event at last shall show, that we will deal fairly, and squarely answer your expectations to the full. . . . Although it seemeth you have discovered many more rivers and fertile grounds than that where you are, yet seeing by God's providence that place fell to your lot, let it be accounted as your portion; and rather fix your eyes upon that which may be done there, than languish in hopes after things elsewhere. . . . If the land afford you bread and the sea yield you fish, rest you a while contented; God will one day afford you better fare. And all men shall know that you are neither fugitives nor discontents, but can, if God so order it, take the worst to yourselves with content, and leave the best to your neighbors with cheerfulness. Let it not be grievous to you that you have been instruments to break the ice for others who come after with less difficulty. The honor will be yours to the world's end.

"We bear you always in our breasts; and our hearty af fection is toward you all; as are the hearts of hundreds more who never saw your faces, who doubtless pray for your safety as their own—as we ourselves both do and ever shall-that the same God who hath so marvelously preserved you from seas, foes, and famine, will still preserve you from all future dangers, and make you honorable among men and glorious in bliss at the last day. And so the Lord be with you all, and send us joyful news from you, and enable us with one shoulder so to accomplish and perfect this work that much glory may come to Him that confoundeth the mighty by the weak, and maketh small things great-to whose greatness be all glory forever."

In a few days, the Anne sailed homeward (Sept. 10-20) with a cargo which was likely to encourage the Adventurers

in their part of the work. Winslow was at the same time sent as agent for the colony, to confer with its patrons, and to procure either from them or by other means such things as were indispensable to its progress. "By this time harvest was come," the yellow corn began to be gathered into the granary; "and instead of famine God now gave them plenty. The face of things was changed, to the rejoicing of the hearts of many, for which they blessed God." The experiment on which they had ventured contrary to the letter of their contract with their partners in London-the allotment of lands for that year to families or to individuals, so that every man might work for himself, instead of putting his labor into the common stock-had been successful. There were few, if any, who had not enough, "one way and another, to bring the year about, and some of the abler and more industrious had to spare." Thenceforth there was no more general want or famine in Plymouth. Instead of buying corn from the Indians, they had corn to sell for beaver and other peltry.

Once more the apocalyptic vision,' so often illustrated in the progress of Messiah's kingdom, was translating itself into history. The woman, after her birth-pangs, had fled from the dragon into the wilderness; and the earth had begun to help the woman. Manifestly, the Pilgrim colony, so devoutly imagined and planned at Leyden, had become a fact. Christianity had obtained in New England "a place prepared of God." The Church of Christ was here in the simplest possible organization, separating itself alike from the great apostasy ruled by the Roman pontiff, and from the anomalous institution set up in England by the imperious will of Elizabeth Tudor, and was building itself "on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone." 992

It disowned the claim of the princes of this world to rule in that kingdom which is not of this world. It permitted

1 Rev. xii.

2 Eph. ii., 20.

no priestly intervention between the redeemed soul and its divine Redeemer. It was simply "the communion of the saints;" the free and loving fellowship of those whom Christ had made "kings and priests unto God;" the spontaneous association of believers for united worship, for mutual helpfulness in holy living, and for strength to labor or to suffer in the service of God.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ATTEMPTS OF NATIONALISM AGAINST THE PILGRIM CHURCH.

THE success of the few exiles who had migrated from Leyden to America was beginning to take effect in England. For a long time there had been in English minds the hope and the scheme of a colonial empire beyond the ocean. Capital and labor had been lavishly expended in Virginia; and the settlements there, after many disasters, were just beginning to have some appearance of prosperity. But the attempt, simultaneous with the founding of Jamestown (1607), to establish a colony in North Virginia, afterward named New England, had failed in less than a year, though magnif icently patronized. Weston's more recent attempt had been more ignominiously unsuccessful. Such failures made the success of the settlement at Plymouth more conspicuous.1

Sir Ferdinand Gorges, who had always been the life of King James's "Council for New England," was encouraged to hope that the dominion which the royal charter had given to that council might soon become something more than a Hitherto the imperial powers of that august body had been chiefly productive of fruitless attempts to impose tribute on the fishing vessels which resorted to the coast; but while Plymouth was struggling through its third sum

name.

1

Captain John Smith, in his "New England's Trials," 1622, had briefly described the beginning and already hopeful progress of the Plymouth colony. The same year there was published the invaluable document commonly cited as "Mourt's Relation," but identified and republished by Young (“Chronicles of the Pilgrims,” p. 109, sq.) as "Bradford and Winslow's Journal," with a preface by George Morton. Cushman's "Sermon," with a glowing preface, descriptive of New England and inviting emigration, is of the same date. Winslow's "Good News from New England" was published in 1624.