CHAPTER LI. Religious Persecution in New England. 1. WE have seen that it was persecution on account of religious of persecution appeared, in the greatest violence, in their proceedings against the Friends, or Quakers. These people were the followers of George Fox, who believed and taught that we must obey a Divine Light within as superior to all other guides, and that we must think lightly of external forms and ceremonies. He began to spread his doctrines in England in 1647. 3. In 1656, twelve of his followers appeared in Massachusetts. The General Court, believing their doctrine to be hostile to good order and pure religion, banished them from the colony, and passed laws to prevent the coming of any more. The penalty of bringing a Quaker into the province was one hundred pounds sterling, and the Quaker himself was to receive twenty lashes, and be sentenced to hard labor. 4. Still worse than even this afterward happened. In 1657 it was decreed that Quakers coming into the province should have their tongues bored with a hot iron, and be banished. In short, no severities were deemed too great for a people so heretical. CHAP. LI.-1. What can you say of the Puritans? 2. Whom did they persecute? What of George Fox? What was done in 1647? 8. In 1656? What measures did the General Court adopt against the Quakers? 4, 5. What laws were passed in 1657? RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. 117 5. Their books even were prohibited. Any person who spread or secreted such books was to be fined five pounds. For defending their doctrines in any way, there was a fine of two pounds for the first offence, four for the second, and confinement and banishment for the third. 6. The persecution against the Quakers continuing, the king wrote & letter to the governor of Massachusetts, requesting him to send them to England for trial. The governor and the court were so far moved to toleration by this letter, that twenty-eight Quakers, then in prison -some of them under sentence of death—were released, and only banished from the province. 7. But, though the king was unwilling that the colonists should proceed so violently against the Quakers, he suffered them to be fined because they would not take oaths, and, for the third offence, to be banished. Similar persecutions also took place in Virginia, or those rather which were worse; for laws were there made against every sect but the prevailing one-the Episcopal or English church. 8. The truth is, that the spirit of persecution has generally been in the world, and is not confined to age, country, or religion. Mr. Jefferson, in speaking of the persecution of the Quakers in Virginia, observes, that.if no execution took place there, as there did in New England, "it was not owing to the moderation of the church or spirit of the legislature." 9. There seems to be one exception to the general truth of the sentiment that the spirit of persecution has always prevailed. The government of Rhode Island, having passed an act to outlaw Quakers and seize their estates, because they would not bear arms, the people were so opposed to it that the law could not be carried into effect. For this, however, the world is probably indebted to Roger Williams. 10. Even in Massachusetts the persecution was carried so far that the colony lost many friends by it even among its own people. A law, passed in 1677, for apprehending and punishing, by fine and correction, every person found at a Quaker's meeting, had this effect. As a consequence, we hear little more afterward of laws against the Quakers. 11. It may be true-it no doubt is true-that the heretics, as they were called, were sometimes in fault. Ann Hutchinson certainly uttered some foolish things; and the Quakers did that which it was not wise for them to do; and so, perhaps, of the Baptists and Jesuits. This, however, did not justify violent persecutions against them. 6. What did the king do? What was then done by the governor and court of Massachusetts? 7. What persecution did the king allow? 8. What can you say of persecution? 9 What of the government of Rhode Island? 10, 11. What was the consequence of the persecution of the Quakers in Massachusetts? What may be said of those called heretics? CHAPTER LI. Religious Persecution in New England. 1. WE have seen that it was persecution on account of religious of persecution appeared, in the greatest violence, in their proceedings against the Friends, or Quakers. These people were the followers of George Fox, who believed and taught that we must obey a Divine Light within as superior to all other guides, and that we must think lightly of external forms and ceremonies. He began to spread his doctrines in England in 1647. 3. In 1656, twelve of his followers appeared in Massachusetts. The General Court, believing their doctrine to be hostile to good order and pure religion, banished them from the colony, and passed laws to prevent the coming of any more. The penalty of bringing a Quaker into the province was one hundred pounds sterling, and the Quaker himself was to receive twenty lashes, and be sentenced to hard labor. 4. Still worse than even this afterward happened. In 1657 it was decreed that Quakers coming into the province should have their tongues bored with a hot iron, and be banished. In short, no severities were deemed too great for a people so heretical. CHAP. LI.-1. What can you say of the Puritans? 2. Whom did they persecute? What of George Fox? What was done in 1647? 8. In 1656? What measures did the Generai Court adopt against the Quakers? 4, 5. What laws were passed in 1657? RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION. 117 5. Their books even were prohibited. Any person who spread or secreted such books was to be fined five pounds. For defending their doctrines in any way, there was a fine of two pounds for the first offence, four for the second, and confinement and banishment for the third. 6. The persecution against the Quakers continuing, the king wrote & letter to the governor of Massachusetts, requesting him to send them to England for trial. The governor and the court were so far moved to toleration by this letter, that twenty-eight Quakers, then in prison -some of them under sentence of death-were released, and only banished from the province. 7. But, though the king was unwilling that the colonists should proceed so violently against the Quakers, he suffered them to be fined because they would not take oaths, and, for the third offence, to be banished. Similar persecutions also took place in Virginia, or those rather which were worse; for laws were there made against every sect but the prevailing one-the Episcopal or English church. 8. The truth is, that the spirit of persecution has generally been in the world, and is not confined to age, country, or religion. Mr. Jefferson, in speaking of the persecution of the Quakers in Virginia, observes, that.if no execution took place there, as there did in New England, "it was not owing to the moderation of the church or spirit of the legislature." 9. There seems to be one exception to the general truth of the sentiment that the spirit of persecution has always prevailed. The government of Rhode Island, having passed an act to outlaw Quakers and seize their estates, because they would not bear arms, the people were so opposed to it that the law could not be carried into effect. For this, however, the world is probably indebted to Roger Williams. 10. Even in Massachusetts the persecution was carried so far that the colony lost many friends by it even among its own people. A law, passed in 1677, for apprehending and punishing, by fine and correction, every person found at a Quaker's meeting, had this effect. As a consequence, we hear little more afterward of laws against the Quakers. 11. It may be true—it no doubt is true-that the heretics, as they were called, were sometimes in fault. Ann Hutchinson certainly uttered some foolish things; and the Quakers did that which it was not wise for them to do; and so, perhaps, of the Baptists and Jesuits. This, however, did not justify violent persecutions against them. 6. What did the king do? What was then done by the governor and court of Massachusetts? 7. What persecution did the king allow? 8. What can you say of persecution? 9 What of the government of Rhode Island? 10, 11. What was the consequence of the persecution of the Quakers in Massachusetts? What may be said of those called heretics? 12. But persecution began in this country even before 1656, the time of proceeding against the Quakers. John Wheelwright was banished, in 1637, for preaching sedition-and also Ann Hutchinson. The An-a-bap'-tists, or Baptists, were persecuted in 1644, though no prosecution was actually brought against them till 1666. One of the charges against Roger Williams was, that he was a Baptist. 13. In 1647, moreover, an act was passed in Massachusetts against the Jesuits. Again, in 1700, the assembly of New York passed an act against "Jes'-u-its and Popish priests," which was followed by a similar law in Massachusetts the same year. These were, accordingly, compelled to leave those provinces. It required many years of experience and reflection, even in America, to make the people see the folly of persecution on account of religious opinions. CHAPTER LII. History of Pennsylvania.- William Penn.-His Settlement.-Treaty with the Indians. 1. As we are about to notice the settlement of Penn-syl-va'-ni-a, it may be well to cast the eye over a map of that state, and of the contiguous states of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland,these together constituting what are called the Middle States,—and to impress upon the mind their forms and relative position. 2. In March, 1681, William Penn received a grant of the territory of Pennsylvania, comprising twenty-six millions of acres, on account of a claim of his father on the British government for sixteen thousand pounds sterling-or less than one third of a cent an acre. At first the grant interfered with prior grants to the founders of Maryland and Virginia, and caused long and angry contentions; but they were finally adjusted. 3. The lands were offered for sale in lots of one thousand acres each, at about a penny an acre; and many of the persecuted Quakers in England were induced to purchase. In the autumn of 1681, two ships, with passengers acting under the direction of Penn, arrived in the Delaware, and began a settlement just above the entrance of the Schuylkill [skool'-kill]. 12. Who were banished in 1687? Who were persecuted in 1644? What was disliked in Roger Williams? 13 What act was passed in 1647? What in 1700? CHAP. LII.-1. Of what do the Middle States consist? Let the teacher ask what questions he may think proper on the map at page 119. 2. What happened in 1681? What caused contentions? 3. At what price were lots of land sold in Pennsylvania? What took place in the autumn of 1681 ? |