Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.Bradford, William
History
Governor Bradford's first dialogue : $b A dialogue, or the sum of a conference between some young men born in New England and sundry ancient men that came out of Holland and old England, anno Domini 1648.
Bradford, William
Pilgrims (New Plymouth Colony) -- Early works to 1800; Separatists
_Ancient men._--Truly there were in them many worthy men; and if you
had seen them in their beauty and order, as we have done, you would
have been much affected therewith, we dare say. At Amsterdam, before
their division and breach, they were about three hundred communicants,
and they had for their pastor and teacher those two eminent men before
named, and in our time four grave men for ruling elders, and three able
and godly men for deacons, one ancient widow for a deaconess, who did
them service many years, though she was sixty years of age when she was
chosen. She honored her place and was an ornament to the congregation.
She usually sat in a convenient place in the congregation, with a
little birchen rod in her hand, and kept little children in great awe
from disturbing the congregation. She did frequently visit the sick and
weak, especially women, and, as there was need, called out maids and
young women to watch and do them other helps as their necessity did
require; and if they were poor, she would gather relief for them of
those that were able, or acquaint the deacons; and she was obeyed as a
mother in Israel and an officer of Christ.
And for the church of Leyden, they were sometimes not much fewer in
number, nor at all inferior in able men, though they had not so many
officers as the other; for they had but one ruling elder with their
pastor, a man well approved and of great integrity; also they had three
able men for deacons. And that which was a crown unto them, they lived
together in love and peace all their days, without any considerable
differences or any disturbance that grew thereby, but such as was
easily healed in love; and so they continued until with mutual consent
they removed into New England. And what their condition hath been
since, some of you that are of their children do see and can tell. Many
worthy and able men there were in both places, who lived and died in
obscurity in respect of the world, as private Christians, yet were they
precious in the eyes of the Lord, and also in the eyes of such as knew
them, whose virtues we with such of you as are their children do follow
and imitate.
_Young men._--If we may not be tedious, we would request to know one
thing more. It is commonly said that those of the Separation hold none
to be true churches but their own, and condemn all the churches in the
world besides; which lieth as a foul blot upon them, yea even on some
here in New England, except they can remove it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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