Massachusetts Bay Company-Non-Separatists-Endicott and his Company at Salem-Joined by Higginson and his Company-Second Independent Church-Voting by ballot-Bancroft on State and Church at Salem-Prelatists expelled-Pilgrim Fathers-Puritans and Separatists-Robinson's counsel and prediction-Antipathy to Separatism disappearing-Democracy-Church Membership a condition of franchise-Not so in New Plymouth-Increase of Massachusetts.

LEADERS IN COLONY

Francis Higginson, John Cotton, Thomas Hooker, John Winthrop, Thomas Dudley, Henry Vane, John Harvard, Hugh Peters.

CHAPTER II

THE FOUNDING OF MASSACHUSETTS

NINE years after the planting of New Plymouth, another band of exiles, unable to endure longer the yoke of an overbearing and prelatical Church, and enamoured with the prospect of enjoying liberty and purity of worship, set sail to the shores of New England, and formed themselves into a colony on Massachusetts Bay. They were fortunate enough to secure a charter from the King, empowering them to form themselves into a corporation, and assume the title, "The Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England." The readiness with which the Royal charter was granted is doubtless explained by Charles' desire to rid himself of those who had become to him and his government a source of trouble and annoyance, though afterwards, like Pharaoh, he seems to have hardened his heart and repented for having let the people go. The number of new settlers was between three and four hundred; they were a mixed body of emigrants, consisting mainly of Puritans whose leanings were rather towards Presbyterianism than Independency, and did not favour the Separatist principles of the latter. "They esteemed it their honour to call the Church of England their dear mother, and could not part from their

native country, where she specially resided, without much sadness of heart and many tears in their eyes; ever acknowledging that such hope and part as they had attained in the common salvation, they had received in her bosom and sucked from her breasts." Among them were probably some sincerely attached to episcopal order and worship. Driven out as they were from their native land by the high-handed tyranny of Laud, they remembered only as it faded out of their sight that it was the land of their birth and their fathers' sepulchres. "We will not say," such are the words ascribed to Higginson,-" as the Separatists were wont to say at their leaving of England, Farewell, Babylon! farewell, Rome ! but we will say, Farewell, dear England farewell the Church of God in England, and all the Christian friends there; we do not go to New England as Separatists from the Church of England, though we cannot but separate from the corruptions in it; but we go to practise the positive part of Church reformation, and propagate the gospel in America.”

Prior to the arrival of this company a number of Puritans, including men of wealth and wide social influence, had obtained from the Council of New England a tract of land of considerable extent, from the Merrimack to the Charles River. This was made over to an association of six gentlemen, one of whom, John Endicott, a stern and resolute Puritan, was installed as governor over the new plantation. He was to be aided by a plentiful provision of godly ministers," and enjoined to bear in mind-so ran the letter of instructions from the directors in London-that "the propagating of the

gospel is the thing we do profess above all to be our aim in settling this plantation." Endicott and his

following made their way to Naumkeag, and here they joined themselves to a number of others, and the name Naumkeag was changed to Salem, or "peace," in token of the amicable agreement which had been concluded with the earlier settlers. By the accession of the company led by Francis Higginson, Salem rose at once into strength and importance, and Endicott became governor of a colony that took the lead of all others, at once distancing New Plymouth, which had been in existence for nine years.

The second Independent or Congregational Church in America. By this time Endicott's Puritan convictions had carried him to the extreme verge of Separatism, as is evidenced by a letter he wrote to Governor Bradford of Plymouth prior to the arrival of Higginson and his company: "Touching your judgment of the outward forms of God's worship, it is, as far as I can yet gather, no other than is warranted by the evidence of truth, and the same which I have professed and maintained ever since the Lord in mercy revealed Himself unto me." On the arrival and settlement of the new-comers the whole matter of the Church standing of the colony came up for consideration, and after a day spent in fasting and prayer, and after Higginson and Skelton had given a detailed statement of their views, a ballot was taken, every fit member voting"; and Skelton was chosen pastor, and Higginson teacher. This is the first recorded instance of voting by ballot in America. They were solemnly

inducted into their office, the Plymouth Church being invited to send delegates; and Bradford and others who were present with him gave to pastor and teacher the right hand of fellowship, "wishing all prosperity and a blessed success to such good beginnings.” 1 A Confession of Faith and Covenant according to the Holy Scriptures, was drawn up by Higginson in the following terms-the same substantially, it will be observed, as that adopted by the little Church at Scrooby :-" We covenant with the Lord, and one with another, and do bind ourselves, in the presence of God, to walk together in all His ways, according as He is pleased to reveal Himself unto us in His blessed word of truth." Thus the Church of Skelton and Higginson was the second Independent or Congregational Church in America.

"To the great European world," says Mr. Bancroft, "the few tenants of the mud-hovels at Salem might appear too insignificant to merit notice; to themselves. they were as the chosen emissaries of God. . . . The emigrants were not so much a body politic as a Church in the wilderness, with no benefactor round them but nature, no present sovereign but God. An entire separation was made between State and Church; religious worship was established on the basis of the independence of each separate religious community. The Church was self-constituted. It did not ask the assent of the King, or recognise him as its head; its officers were set apart and ordained among themselves; it used no liturgy; it rejected unnecessary ceremonies, and reduced the simplicity of Calvin to a still plainer standard. The motives 1 Bradford's History of Plymouth Plantation, p. 265.