_Sonnet 56._ The Compact, entered into by the Pilgrims, was signed on board the Mayflower Nov. 11, 1620; on which day they anchored in Cape Cod harbor. More than a month afterwards they landed at Plymouth. They had in view "the glory of God and the advancement of the christian faith." Forty-one men signed the paper, forming themselves into "a civil body-politic," in order to enact, constitute, and frame "just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, and offices." _Sonnet 57._ When Jesus said, John 10, "I and my Father are one," the Jews accused him of blasphemy, for making himself "God." He replied, "If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; say ye of him whom the Father hath sanctified and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest, because I said, I am the Son of God?" _Sonnet 58._ In the providence of God I am the oldest living member in Massachusetts of the American Board for Foreign Missions, which was established by a vote of its General Association in 1810, the year of my settlement in the ministry. Multitudes of missionaries have died; and the missionaries living, scattered over the world, are 170 with 230 assistants: native laborers are 500, of whom 222 are preachers: in all 900. The churches 153, and members 23,500; free schools 313. _Sonnet 59._ Milton, in a sonnet, speaks of submission to God in his blindness, when of three years' continuance:―― "Yet I argue not Against Heav'n's hand or will, nor bate a jot Of heart or hope; but still bear up and steer Right onward." _Sonnet 62._ Mr. Robinson, born in England in 1585 and educated at Cambridge, becoming a protestant minister, was driven by persecution with his people into Holland. His church at Leyden consisted of 300 communicants. He zealously promoted the emigration under elder Brewster to Plymouth in 1620, intending to follow; but he died in 1625. It was his memorable remark――"I am very confident the Lord has more truth yet to break forth out of his holy word." _Sonnet 64._ When Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life," he announced to us the infinite value of truth as the path-way to immortal life. Truth is immutable and eternal; it is most pure and purifying, the source of joy and the foundation of hope; and the denial of truth is more or less perilous and implies more or less of guilt. All falsehood is injurious. As the Bible reveals to us divine truth, how can we doubt, whether we are bound to study it with our own eyes? For otherwise we must accept for the teachings of the holy word the faith of some one of the authors of a hundred different creeds; and we may perchance have for our great teacher and master some bewildered lunatic, or some hungry impostor, or some proud and boastful promoter of the purposes of the father of lies.