Thanksgiving Thoughts

Pilgrims, Indians and turkeys are the hallmarks of our Americana tradition of Thanksgiving; but, many have no idea of what a "Pilgrim" stood for in the context of religious freedom. The "Pilgrims" were known as "Separatists" as they had separted themselves from the Church of England. William Bradford, the narrator of the history of the Plymouth colony, writing of the early Separatists, states: "The truth is their condition for the most part, was for sometime very low and hard. It was with them, as it should be related, would hardly be believed. And no marvel. For many of them had laid long in irons and then were banished into Newfoundland, where they were abused, and at last came into the Low countries, and wanting money, trades, friends or acquaintances, and languages to help themselves, how could it be otherwise."

The English crown was more concerned about what to do with the stubborn Separatists than it was about disposing of the Catholics or Presbyterians. The Separatists were the real radicals. They considered themselves wholly independent of the state in matters of religion. They felt impelled to resist the state's intervention in religious affairs. The authorities regarded the Separatists as social radicals who were subversive and deluded. The stern Act of 1593 called for imprisonment, banishment, and even death for anyone persisting in this obnoxious course of action after the first offense. There was no toleration for their point of view in England. As a result, many migrated to Holland in search of freedom for their beliefs. Henry Ainsworth, a Separatist leader in Holland, stated: "We are but strangers and pilgrims, warring against many and mighty adversaries"; and, from that time on the Separatists thought of themselves as "pilgrims".

On September 16, 1620, 101 passengers with little or no money, some indentured servants and a crew of 48 sailed from Plymouth, England bound for a new world. Miles Standish came as a soilder, and John Alden, who later became a Separatist, boarded the ship as a cooper. When the ship made land in New England, they had to face the fact that their land patent was for settlement south of 41 degrees North. But, they could not round Cape Cod to proceed south. Therefore, they put ashore and founded the Plymouth colony on Cape Cod.

The "Mayflower Compact" was drafted by the Separatists before they disembarked to assure their retention of power over those who joined them, as they were not all Separatists. It was not intended to be a constitution for a new type of government, but was rather "a perfectly simple extension of the ordinary form of church covenant". The Pilgrims chose their governors as they chose their ministers, by vote of the whole body of qualified persons. Those who began this venture felt they were to be a city set on a hill which was to become a light to the nations. Their calling was to be the "body of Christ" on earth, while recognizing that this world was not their home. But for their desire to find a place to worship as they felt the Bible instructed them, America today would be a different nation. This Thanksgiving we need to remember the hardships they suffered for the sake of their faith.
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On a different note; but, not entirely unrelated, check out the blog of Josh Graves at: http://joshgraves.blogspot.com/ for a powerful witness on helping those who are in need. While many of us sweating the extra caloric intake of the day, this makes for sobering reading.