Hobomok/Chapter IX

I seek divine simplicity in him, Who handles things divine.


 * Cowper

Such a settlement as Salem during the summer of 1629, would seem insignificant enough to modern eyes; but compared with what it had been, it seemed rich and populous. Instead of the six miserable hovels, which it presented in June, there were now to be seen a number of comfortable dwellings, and a respectable edifice which served for various public uses. To Mr. Conant and his three solitary associates, were now added a large number of robust men, with their sober matrons and blooming daughters. And the place which a few months before had only echoed the occasional sound of the axe, or the shrill whoop of the hunter, was now busy with the hum of industry, and the clear, loud laughter of youth. With a decorum which characterized all the New England villages, they early began to arrange matters for the regular organization of a church. Two silenced non-conformists, Mr. Francis Higginson and Mr. Skelton, had arrived in the same vessel with my ancestor. Since that period they had been engaged in a controversial discussion with the Plymouth elders respecting church discipline, and at length, their jarring opinions being carefully balanced, on the 6th of August one was ordained teacher, and the other pastor of the church in Salem. Numerous were the preparations, both important and minute, for the solemnities of that day. Governor Bradford and his assistants, together with the clergy, were invited from Plymouth. Birds were brought down from their flight, and beasts slain for the occasion. The loaded fire-places sent forth a savory incense; and despite of the admonitions of their parents, there was as much "outward adorning, plaiting of the hair," &c. as the slender wardrobe of the maidens would permit. The day was rich in cloudless, autumnal beauty. It seemed as if radiant spirits were gazing from the battlements of heaven upon a bright and happy world. It is astonishing with what facility we accommodate all the scenes of nature to our own state of feeling; so that beauty seems almost like an ideal outline, changing beneath the capricious hand of association,---meeting the eye, but to take its coloring from the heart. The feelings of the young bride involuntarily danced in sympathetic buoyancy with the season, though she saw nothing in it save promised abundance. To Mary, its full maturity seemed but the shadow of coming decay; and her dark eye rested upon Brown, as he walked before her in manly elegance, with a chastened tenderness that partook of sadness. Many a stolen glance was exchanged between the young men and maidens on their way to church, and with many a low courtesy and reverential bow, were the gentlemen in black saluted as they passed along. The assembly were at length collected, and with serious, staid deportment, awaited the commencement of the services. The Plymouth elders, detained by contrary winds, had not yet arrived, and there was a long pause of expectation, during which nothing was heard except the occasional movements of the sentinel, as he stood at the open door of the building. It was, indeed, a strange sight to see men in the house of God with pistols in their sword belts; but alarms from the Indians were then so much to be dreaded, that the protection of the Bible needed the aid of dagger and firelock. However, the expected brethren arrived not, and wearied with the delay, Mr. Higginson arose and made a solemn and impressive prayer. A psalm was then read by Mr. Skelton; and though in the music which followed there was no deep-toned organ to dive down into the recesses of the soul, and carry from thence man's warmest aspirations after heaven, yet there were some fine tones, which struck upon the ear in their bold harmony. And now every one was preparing to give earnest and devout attention to the reverend speaker, who was about to name his text; for in those days a sermon was an exhilarating draught, though converted by the impious chemistry of modern times into a soporific drug. Notwithstanding it was loaded with some dozens of doctrines, and more uses than twenty sermons of these days will ever arrive at, and an improvement at the close, and a finally at the end of that, yet the manuscript asserts, that "the eies of men slumbered nott, neither were they wearie with hearing." Indeed the appearance of the learned and pious minister predisposed the mind to attention. His manner was dignified and simple; and as he rose to speak, he seemed bowed down with a humble and conscientious sense of his own unworthiness. Encumbered as I have mentioned, it cannot be supposed that the whole sermon would be interesting even to the antiquarian; but as a specimen of the eloquence of those times, I cannot forbear a few extracts.

"My text," said he, "is in the 105th Psalm, 43d verse. `He brought forth his people with joy, and his chosen with gladness.' And who, my hearers, hath more need than ourselves to bring to remembrance this passage? Surely he hath brought us out `with a mighty hand and a stretched-out arm.' And shall we not find the wilderness sweet, fed as we are with the manna of his grace? And is there not abundant cause to fill the vessels of our affections daily therewith? Yea, though God hath brought us out from among the horsemen and chariots of Pharaoh, though he hath sweetened the waters of Marah, and given us Elim wherein to encamp, yet may not the name of Jehovah be forgotten in the desert, as well as in Egypt? Yes, even in these days when heaven and earth are trembling at the voice of Almighty wrath, I fear there are many drowsy souls among us. Oh, awaken, I pray you; lest Satan have a commission from God to rock you, and you be lost forever! It is fearful to think how you may fall asleep on the brink of a precipice, and dream that you are created a king, and guarded with a goodly train of ancient nobles, and stately palaces, and enriched with the revenues, majesty, and magnificence of a mighty kingdom,---and after all, the thunder of divine vengeance may sound in your ears, and starting up at the terrible noise thereof, you may fall into the raging sea of fire which burneth forever. There must be no halt, between christians among us. We must be zealous. But look unto thine heart, set a watch over thy tongue, beware of wildfire in thy zeal. There is much need of this caution in these days, when tongue is sharpened against tongue, and pen poisoned against pen, and pamphlets come out with more teeth to bite, than arguments to convince. This is but to betray the truth, and do the devil's service under God's colors. There are some among us, (and he looked full upon Brown, as he spoke,) who are violent and impatient in matters of religion,---given to vain forms, and traditions of men; adhering with a blind, pertinacious zeal to the customs of their progenitors. Of such I would have you beware. Nor would I have you roaming about, giving your ear to every new doctrine. Liberty of conscience is the gilded bait whereby Satan has caught many souls. The threshold of hell is paved with toleration. Leave hidden matters with God, and difficult texts of scripture with the elders of the church. I cannot, if I would, tell you the value of a godly, exemplary ministry among you. May we prove to you `a savour of life unto life, and not of death unto death.' God, in his mercy, hath brought us out of England, which I fear is becoming sadly degenerate, and planted us among his heritage here; and the first use I would make of the office wherewithal I am honored, is to say to you, talk little about religion, and feel much of its power. Follow the light which is given you. `Commune with your own heart, and be still.' Be constantly preparing something for others to copy. `Nulla dies sine lineâ.' The more of heaven there is seen in your daily deportment, the more is God glorified. Carry yourselves as if your business was with eternity, your trade and traffic there; like the citiizens of the New Jerusalem, `having your conversation in heaven, looking for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ.' But what shall I say to you who have lusts too strong for your light, and corruption too strong for your convictions,---who go to hell just by heaven? I do humbly hope that I may so discharge the duties of mine office, that my hands may be washed of your damnation. But I beseech you to think in time. Consider if all your idle talk and wicked thoughts were written, what volumes of vanity and blasphemy it would make. However, angels take note, and conscience books them all. As for you who are careless and profane among us, who had rather dance round the May-pole of Morton, bedecked with ribbons and lascivious verses, than be hearing the wholesome and lion-like truths of the gospel,---you might laugh at me, were I to charge you not to meet me out of Christ; but I do charge you not to do it, and let him laugh who wins."

As Mr. Higginson drew toward the close of his discourse, shadows were noticed on the sunny threshold of the meetinghouse, and the honorable gentlemen from Plymouth walked in, and took their seats beside the speaker. The charge was given by elder Brewster, in which he principally dwelt on the awful responsibilities of his office, and the high honor Christ had done them, in sending them forth as laborers in his vineyard. Governor Bradford gave the right hand of fellowship with the dignified formality which was said to characterize him on public occasions.

"Well, what do you think of the sermon?" said Mr. Conant, as they mingled with the departing throng.

"Why, I think his tongue will never owe his mouth a penny's rent, if he never preaches such another," answered Mr. Oldham. "I trow that any godly man would be willing to lend his ears, scotfree, to such a sermon as that, seven days out of a week."

"I am suspicious some ears did not receive it very well," quoth another. "Didn't you see that Brown and his seditious company were vexed therewithal?"

"It's wosome to think," rejoined Mr. Oldham, "that there will so soon be difficulties among us. Here is Mr. Brown, now, whom I take to be a very comely sort of a personage in other respects, encouraging his people to chew the ratsbane of Satan, in that he privately readeth unto them the book of common prayer."

"Those were very savory words, which Mr. Higginson addressed to him," observed Mr. Conant. "I marvel that the Lord doth not send forth his javelin, and hurry such fellows from the earth."

"He is not given, like some people that I know of, to the abominable heresy of falling off from grace," interrupted Mr. Graves; "and he seemeth not to meddle with other people's matters."

"I tell you," returned Mr. Conant, "that whosoever is willing to tolerate any false religion, or discrepant way of religion, that his own may be tolerated, will for a need hang God's Bible on the devil's girdle. And as for other people's matters, I should like to know if God's glory is other people's matters;---and therefore to be given into the hands of the heathen and the papist? I should like to have Mr. Higginson hear such like sentiments."

"It is a small matter to me who heareth my sentiments," replied Mr. Graves; "forasmuch as I and my people are about to remove to Shawmut. They say the shipping hath far access into the land in that place; and that the woods are well stored with white oak, not a jot below our English timber."

"A new broom sweepeth clean," answered Mr. Conant; "but there is one thing I can tell you,---ours wore to a stub very quick. The Lord's work will go on at a grand rate, carried on as it is by a race of wandering Jacobites, taking dislike at every little difficulty. The ploughable plains, forsooth, are too dry and sandy for them; and the rocky places, although more fruitful, yet to eat their bread with toil of hand, they deem it insupportable; and so away they hie to their new possessions. I tell you, Mr. Graves, bad as you found us, you know nothing at all, as it were, of the terrors of a new plantation."

"I think I have had some occasion to remember sickness and hard labor, though I have known but little concerning scarcity of bread," replied the man of dolorous countenance. "But though the Lord putteth his people to some trials, he upholdeth them in time of danger, and comforteth them in time of need. After all, it maketh but little difference what part of this wilderness a man chooseth. It all seems dismal enough to a body from the old countries."

"Yes," rejoined Mr. Oldham. "I often think of what a witty man at Plymouth once said. Quoth he, `it may be said of the two Englands, as our Saviour said of the wine, "no man having tasted the old straightway desireth the new; for he saith the old is better."

All this while, Mary, who had taken a cross path with Mr. and Mrs. Collier, found means to linger behind, and hear many kind things from Brown. It was likewise observed, that Hopkins dined with his rival; although, as some said, Sally's eyes sparkled with malicious exultation when his stentorian voice was heard far out of time and tune in his favorite Old Hundred. Buildings were not numerous enough to give shelter to all their visitors; so tents were erected in the fields, and the multitude were furnished with provisions, plentiful enough, though coarse, and homely in the preparation.

Various were the discussions which were held that day. Some sat apart and talked of state policy, in dark hints and mysterious insinuations; while others loudly and boldly deprecated the high-handed course of the second Stuart. Some dwelt on the great goodness of God in raising them up from their low estate, to the enjoyment of outward comfort, and gospel privileges; or entered into theological controversies, in which a penetrating eye might discover the embryo forms of Familism, Gortonism, and divers other long forgotten sects, which in their day and generation had a reason for the faith that was in them. Many a rough, untutored swain paid his blunt compliments to a rosy cheek, and many a ruddy damsel "whispered, in biblical phrase, her soft words of encouragement and welcome."