13. Elder Brewster, with the tastes and habits of a gentleman, a
rapidly diminishing property, and a large family of children, looked
about for work, and presently obtained pupils whom he taught English
after an original method. Later he set up a printing-press, and in
printing Puritan books, forbidden to be published in England, found
plenty to do. Mr. Robinson visited his people and was busy for their
welfare, preached, studied, wrote books; he was a kind friend and
helper, and a scholar besides, and proud of him were his devoted
flock.
14. Leyden Dutchmen looked with curiosity upon the knot of plain
foreigners, sober men, quiet women, children named after all the Bible
saints and heavenly virtues. Bibles they brought and evidently read.
It was rumored that together every morning and before each meal each
household held service of prayer, and long sermons and various
devotions wholly filled the Sabbath. Queer people, meditated the
Hollanders. But they soon found that it was safe to trust the Bible
readers. Though they were peculiar about Sunday, they were
surprisingly certain to keep their promises, and for all their
propensity to pray without ceasing they made most faithful workmen.
Superintendents sought them for laborers, merchants willingly gave
them credit; and with the passing years they became settled and
quietly prosperous. The Bibles were not neglected, the daily prayers
and weekly sermons were methodically attended.
15. The unpretentious people were not unobserved. Many from England
came to enjoy like freedom of worship, and far outside of Leyden John
Robinson's learning was known. When Arminians and Calvinists fell into
hot disputes, and Leyden ministers and university professors held
public meetings twice a week to settle knotty points of doctrine, John
Robinson was always there, listening eagerly to both sides. Many a
famous talk he bad with the ministers and professors. We must have Mr.
Robinson confute the Arminians, cried his friends among themselves.
16. So on a day the Puritan pastor, somewhat demurring because he was
a foreigner, yet withal not loath to ride a tilt with the enemy,
confronted Episcopus, the Arminian professor; and it is reported by
the Calvinists that his overwhelming arguments utterly nonplussed and
put the great Episcopus to rout. Oh, those theological debates! About
the paltry affairs of this world it was not right to quarrel. When
personal considerations were at stake, Puritan worthies could bridle
the tongue; but when was called in question some keenly felt phase of
the truth, some doctrine their precious Bible seemed to teach, then
the repressed fire burst into legitimate flame, and righteous
indignation with magnificent effect hurled back and forth the
thunderbolts of prophecy and psalm.
THE DEPARTURE FROM LEYDEN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account