The Puritan Influence III
by F.E. McConvey
Published 25 May 1988
All the early settlers to America exprienced many difficulties. In order to survive, they were forced to clear land, provide shelters and perform other strenuous tasks to which they were unaccustomed. Food was scarce and often did not provide sufficient nutrients to sustain their bodoes. Even the climate was harsher than any they had experienced....and, always present ws the terror of Indian raids.
The inhabitants of Plymouth Colony were no exception. During that first winter the tiny band was reduced to approximately half its original number. With the spring though, help for the Pilgrims arrived from the most unlikely source...the Indians. Unde their direction, these fledglings learned how to survive in this new land. After the harvest that autumn, their new friends were invited to partake in a three-day festival. this celebration was the first Thanksgiving.
Over the years, additional settlers arrived, but many did not stay in Plymouth. They pushed forth in all directons of the compass and founded towns of Duxbury, Marshfield; Scituate, Rehoboth, Sandwich, Barnstable, Yarmouth, and Eastham, all elements within the Plymouth Colony.
Around 1628 the Massachusetts Bay Colony was established. two of the major settlements within its domain were Salem and Boston. By 1640 there were over 10,000 Puritans in this colony alone.
Although the Puritans firmly believed they were entitled to worship freely, this courtesy was not extended to others., They considered their form of worship to be the only correct one and brooked no tolerance to newcomers who practised other methods and they vehemnently abhorred those who embraced different faiths. Many of those who were expelled from the colonies established themselves in New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
These Puritans also refused to recognise the trade laws that had been laid down by England. Because of this, they lose their charter. When they finally agreed to obey these laws in 1691, a new charter was issued. This united the two New England colonies and remained in effect until the Revoluntionary War erupted.
This sets the New England stage.
One authority described the Puritan as "a spiritual athelete, characterized by an intense zeal for reform, a zeal to order everything - personal life, family life, worship, church, business affairs, political views, even recreation - in light of God's demand upon him."
During the years when the Puritans were firmly entrenching themselves in America, England was racked by civil war. The warring factions lined up according to religious and political differences. On one side stood the Royalists or Cavaliers, whil on the other were the Roundheads led by Crommwell. For nearly 20 years the Puritans attempted to establish, " a holy Commonweath" but after the death of Cromwell the monarcy was restored. Religious problems continued to arise until the Act of Toleration was passed in 1689.
"Puritanism in America, however, is generally understood to mean the early Congregationalism of New England." It was not by accident that the Masschusetts Bay Colony ranked above all others in the western hemisphere in "wealth, status, education, or capacity."
The colonists were a selected people (softed grain) with strong clerical leadership and their purpose was to accomplish in the new world that which they had been prevented from accomlishing at home. Their intention was to creat in the American wilderness a new Zion that would become "a city set on a hill" and force by the power of its example, the desired reformation of England."
Only those who become spiritually renewed were permitted to become church members. In turn, only the church membes were allowed to exercise any political rights. In this way, "the Puritan influence was stamped deep into the character of the New England and with the great migration westward it became a major factor in the shaping of the American spirit."
It has been said that the desire for profits contributed more to the harshness of rule, narrow-mindedness and self-satisfaction of these people moreso than Puritanism. Whether this is true or not, I cannot say. However, it is a known fact that New England colonies did prosper.
Sturdiness of character was one of the strongest Puritan attributes. According to Miller and Johnson in The Puritans, New York 1938, "The Puritan mind was one of the toughtest the world have ever had to deal with. It is inconveivable of a disillusioned Puritan; no matter what misfortune befell him, no matter how often or how tragically his fellowmen failed him, he would have been prepared for the worst and would have expected no better.
In spite of their intolerance of other religions and their cruel deeds against the Baptists and Quakers, the Purtians became the "architects who fashioned the principles of religious freedom."
The Puritans have also been accredited wtih the development of demorcracy. In England, this led to the limited or constitutional monarchy. In America they governed themselves according to the teachings of the Bible from their English experience.
Puritans were also strong believers in a sound education. The colleges of Harvard and Yale were established very early and the colonies had a grammar school system.
From this we can understand why they refused to buckle under when King George III attempted to extract taxes from these hardy New Englanders. Those who remained loyal to the crown did not neccessarily believe that the actions of the king were justified, but felt the matter could be resolved without a revolution that would split families and friends.
Because of all of these events, the stauncheness of the New England beliefs spread into the Maritimes and Upper Canada with the arrival of the Loyalists.
QUERIES:
33. Seeking info on the family of JOSIAH GILBERT, Loyalist who had a land grant on the St. John River, west of Fredericton, NB. Son MOSES b. inQueensbury, NB m. MARGARET GREEN and they had 7 children. Theonly dau. ANNE GILBERT m. WILLIAM MANNING at East Machias, ME in 1828. She is bur. in Machias, ME.
Who were JOSIAH'S parents? Where was he born? His wife ELIZABETH died after the birth of MOSES who was brought up by GARDNER/GIFFORD family. Where?
Where were MOSES and MARGARET married? Where were they living when they died? He belonged to the 104th Regiment.
ANNE GILBERT was born on 12 June 1810. Family story says this event occured in St. John. Can anyone confirm this statement?
Note: In-Laws, Outlaws and Kinfolk articles have been published on this site with the permission of the St. Croix Courier. Special thanks goes to the Courier for allowing me to reprint my mother's articles.