and crushing toil, to stir them up to seek a permanent settlement in the New World. Even "their children, sharing their parents' burdens, bowed under the weight, and were becoming decrepit in early youth."

God would thrust them out, but not under the patronage of Holland. Englishmen were to found the great governing colonies of the New World. Persecuted, and exiled from their native land, the "Pilgrims" were yet loyal English patriots, and would seek reconciliation with their government, so as to go out in search of a new province for James, their bitter persecutor.

John Carver and Robert Cushman made the attempt, in the name of the Church of the Pilgrims, in 1617. They took over "the Seven Articles;" proposed to have "liberty to settle in the most northern parts of Virginia," "to live in a distinct body by themselves." They would consent to the Thirty-nine Articles, of course with their own Calvinistic interpretation; and "towards the king, and all civil authority derived from him, including bishops, whose civil authority they alone recognized, they promised, as they would have done to Nero or the Roman pontiff, obedience in all things,— active if the thing commanded be not against God's word, or passive if it be.'"

The Virginia Company and the London Company thought favorably of so good a prospect of adding new resources to their colonies by such accessions of industry and persistent energy as these men represented; but they must refer the matter to higher authority. The great Lord Bacon was to be consulted before their petition could be granted by "the king, for liberty of religion, to be confirmed under the king's broad seal." Bacon was an active patron of the colonists everywhere, and, from the necessities of philosophy, inclined to free toleration. This, however, was theory merely. Practically he was "a crown courtier and an intolerant statesman." He therefore answered, "Discipline by bishops is fittest for monarchy of all others. The tenets of separatists and sec

taries are full of schism, and inconsistent with monarchy. The king will beware of Anabaptists, Brownists, and others of their kinds: a little connivancy sets them on fire. For the discipline of the Church in colonies, it will be necessary that it agree with that which is settled in England, else it will make a schism and a rent in Christ's coat, which must be seamless; and, to that purpose, it will be fit, that by the king's supreme power in causes ecclesiastical, within all his dominions, they be subordinate under some bishop and bishopric of this realm. This caution is to be observed, that if any transplant themselves into plantations abroad who are known schismatics, outlaws, or criminal persons, they be sent for back upon the first notice."

Let the reader mark, that Providence did by no means intend to release his people from the strengthening power of severe discipline. He therefore, in this crisis of their struggles for self-emancipation, brought them into direct collision with the most stringent and vicious forms of oppressive bigotry. Still they were to be allowed to go. James, the Pharaoh of his country and times, must think the enlargement of his dominions "a good, an honest motive; and fishing was an honest trade, the apostles' own calling." He would refer the matter to the prelates of Canterbury and London, and go on with his persecutions against the Puritans of Lancashire. In the mean time, a "promise of neglect" was all the anxious Pilgrims could obtain, and all the plans of God would allow. Discipline cleared up their vision, and they reasoned well. "If there should afterwards be a purpose to wrong us, though we had a seal as broad as the house-floor, there would be means enough found to recall or reverse it. We must rest herein on God's providence." Thus they were brought to the most perfect renunciation of dependence upon man, and to the simplest forms of trust in God.

They were, however, to be reached by another temptation. The want of means turned even the iron-willed Robinson to the Dutch; but this unwise expedient was overruled.

At last, in 1619, "the Virginia Company" "in open court demanded our ends of going; which being related, they said the thing was of God, and granted a large patent."

Resolved now not "to meddle with the Dutch, or to depend too much on the Virginia Company," relying upon God and their own endeavors, they made ready to depart.

Only a part of the community could embark at a time in "The Speedwell" and "The Mayflower:" so the pastor remained with those who were to be left behind, and Brewster went forward with "such of the youngest and strongest as freely offered themselves."

God must be solemnly recognized in fasting and prayer. "Let us seek of God a right way for us and for our little ones, and for all our substance." Read now the lofty breathings of liberty from the consecrated soul of Robinson, in his farewell address:

"I charge you, before God and his blessed angels, that you follow me no farther than you have seen me follow the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has more truth yet to break forth out of his Holy Word. I cannot sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come to a period in religion, and will go at present no farther than the instruments of their reformation. Luther and Calvin were great and shining lights in their times; yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God. I beseech you remember it, -'tis an article of your church covenant, that you be ready to receive whatever truth shall be made known to you from the written word of God." These farreaching instructions may well be deemed equivalent to the suggestions of inspirations.

"When the ship

One scene more before the departure. was ready to carry us away," writes Edward Winslow, "the brethren that staid at Leyden again solemnly sought the Lord with us and for us; feasted us that were to go at our pastor's house, being large; where we refreshed ourselves, after tears, with singing of psalms, making joyful melody

in our hearts as well as with the voice, there being many of the congregation very expert in music: and, indeed, it was the sweetest melody that ever mine ears heard. After this, they accompanied us to Delfthaven, where we went to embark, and there feasted us again; and after prayer performed by our pastor, when a flood of tears was poured out, they accompanied us to the ship, but were not able to speak one to another for the abundance of sorrow to part. But we only, going aboard, gave them a volley of small-shot and three pieces of ordnance; and so, lifting up our hands to each other and our hearts for each other to the Lord our God, we departed."

It would seem very strange that any sifting or reduction of this small force for the founding of free institutions in the New World should be required or even allowed, But God sees not as man sees. He who, for an important military undertaking, reduced the army of Gideon, made choice of one of the two vessels chartered to bear the Pilgrims to America. "The Speedwell," unseaworthy, could return to England, "and those who are willing return to London, though this was very grievous and discouraging;" while "The Mayflower," freighted with "one hundred and two souls," could move on to her providential destination. "On the sixth day of September, 1620, thirteen years after the first colonization of Virginia, two months before the concession of the grand charter of Plymouth, without any warrant from the sovereign of England, without any useful charter from a corporate body, the passengers in The Mayflower' set sail for a new world, where the past could offer no favorable auguries."* They propose to make the mouth of the Hudson; but, under the guidance of Providence, they are sailing toward "the rock-bound coast," named years before, by the gallant Capt. John Smith, New England.

See that frail" pilgrim craft afloat upon the waste of waters"! Will not she go down amid the surges of ocean as

* Bancroft, i. 308.

she" leaps madly from billow to billow"? No: these are the chosen of God. No surges of ocean can overwhelm them, from which they will not emerge; no weapon formed against them can prevail. In the land of oppression, they had sighed for liberty. They had tasted its sweets, and seen its golden light, until at length, as God ordained, in comparison with it, property and home and friends lost their power to charm; and they would go to a wild and savage land in pursuit of one object alone, -"freedom to worship God." There was no danger to "The Mayflower." She was "the ark of a deluged world." She would bear proudly and gallantly her precious burden to her predestined haven. "The model Republic was in 'The Mayflower.'"

THE PILGRIMS HAVE FOUND LIBERTY.

The ocean was very boisterous, and the voyage one of extreme peril; but, after sixty-five days of sailing and praying, "The Mayflower" rounded the hook of Cape Cod, and cast anchor in a quiet harbor. The landing, however, must not be made until they had determined the fundamental form of their government; and thus they wrote and covenanted :

"In the name of God, amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign, King James, having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do, by these presents, solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and, by virtue hereof, to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most convenient for the general good of the colony. Unto which we promise all due submission and obedience."