As the laws and customs of a people infallibly reflect its life, character, and circumstances, we will here give a few examples from the legislative books of New England. “A fundamental law of Massachusetts enacted that all strangers professing the Christian religion and fleeing thither should be supported at the public charge till other provision could be made for them.” This law, however, did not apply to Jesuits or popish priests, who were subjected to banishment, and death in case of their return. Defensive war only was considered allowable; blasphemy, idolatry and witchcraft, like murder, were capital offences; gaming was prohibited; intemperance and all immorality was severely punished; interest was forbidden on money lent, as well as the wearing of expensive apparel; parents were commanded to instruct and catechise their children and servants; and the Bible, wherever legal enactments were insufficient, was made the ultimate tribunal of appeal. Regarding themselves as similar in circumstances to the children of Israel who journeyed in the wilderness, they governed themselves in many respects by the Jewish law; as for instance, the Sabbath with them, as with the Jews, commenced on the preceding evening, sunset being regarded as the commencement of the day. From the same cause arose the prevalence of Scriptural and significant names in baptism. We have already mentioned such in the earliest recorded baptisms. Even to this day we believe that the Christian virtues, as among their forefathers, furnish prevalent names throughout New England. One unfortunate result of their adherence to the Mosaic code must be mentioned from the important consequences to which in some measure it led. It was provided by their law “that there should be no bond-slavery, villanage, nor captivity among them, excepting of lawful captives taken in war, and such strangers as voluntarily sell themselves for service: none being exempted from servitude who shall be judged thereto by authority.” Hence, Indian captives and negroes might be held in perpetual slavery by the laws of New England, and this before the statutes either of Virginia or Maryland sanctioned the same. Again, the union of Church and State in Massachusetts produced all the ill effects of such a union—bigotry and intolerance. “Orthodoxy” and “piety,” so called, were the rocks upon which the liberty and true greatness of Massachusetts suffered shipwreck. We shall see more of this anon.