The New World

The pilgrims set sail from Holland on the Speedwell. The ship, however, developed leaks. They had to squeeze together with other passengers from England on board the Mayflower. A total of 102 passengers with 30 or so crew left Plymouth, England on September 6, 1620, headed for America. The trip was challenging to say the least. It seemed to storm the whole trip. They were stuck below deck for two months with bad food, tainted water, no bathrooms, and only one set of clothes – the set you were wearing. Yet, they thought it was worth it to be able to worship God and live according to the Bible. 

Land was sighted on November 9th! They all ran up on deck and began to praise God for bringing them to the New World. They celebrated for so long that Captain Jones had to force them below deck so he could continue operating the ship. They had arrived at Cape Cod, north of where they were supposed to settle. They attempted for a few days to sail south, but strong winter storms and winds kept them from making any progress.

They floated into the Provincetown Harbor of Cape Cod on Saturday, November 11, 1620. With the next day being Sunday, they stayed on board to worship together instead of unloading, despite two months of being cramped up in the Mayflower! That’s how important the Lord’s Day was to them! Then on Monday, November 13, 1620, the pilgrims set foot in the New World. They settled on a location on December 21st and began home construction on December 23rd. The winter was harsh with freezing temperatures, disease, and lack of shelter. Of the 102 passengers, only 53 would survive to the following November. They remarkably didn’t give up and stayed when the Mayflower went back to England on April 5th! They believed God would take care of them if they were faithful to Him.

Just a few weeks before the Mayflower left, a man named Samoset walked into their village. He had learned English from being captured and released by English fishermen in present-day Maine. His friend Squanto had been captured in 1605 and returned home for good in 1619 (Squanto crossed the Atlantic 6 times in his life). When Squanto heard of this new group, he went to meet them. His people had been wiped out by a plague while he was in captivity. He was so pleased to see people living on his tribe’s land that he stayed with them. He attended their worship services and listened to them read the Bible and pray. He was amazed at their “brotherly love.”

The colonists became so fond of him that when he was captured by a rival tribe, Miles Standish led a group to rescue him, which, after Squanto did some negotiating, would lead to another 50 years of peace. Following his safe return, Governor Bradford showed him the story of Joseph taken to Egypt and how he too had been captured, but God worked it out for His good. Squanto and Bradford became close friends, and Squanto became a Christian. 

Through all those storms, God had led the pilgrims to the one place in the whole continent where (1) the natives were happy for someone else to live there, (2) the land had already been somewhat prepared for them, and (3) there was a native who spoke fluent English who could show them everything they needed to know to survive and prosper. The pilgrims were right – God did take care of them!

The colonists established good relations with the natives through the love of Jesus. In return, the natives worked side-by-side with the pilgrims. After the harvest of 1621, they all got together (90 Indians and 53 colonists, most likely in October) for a three-day celebration.

Living by the Bible

Problems came with the arrival of the Fortune in November of 1621. New colonists came with new rules from England. The rules said that no one could own their own land, they had to rotate from one piece to the next as they planted and harvested, and then they had to bring all the food into one place and give everyone the same amount. It did not matter if you worked really hard or had been lazy and did nothing, everyone got the same amount of food. Many who did not follow the Bible did not work hard. This meant there was not nearly as much food as there had been, and it was soon realized that there would not be enough to last the winter.

Governor Bradford said the answer was in the Bible. He, just like John Smith 15 years earlier, operated by the Scriptural teaching of 2 Thessalonians 3:10, “…that if any would not work, neither should he eat” and 1 Timothy 5:8, which says that if you do not provide for your own family, you have denied the faith like someone who does not believe in God! Therefore, because of what the Bible says, Bradford and the council declared that if you did not work, then you would not receive any food. Guess what everyone who had been lazy began to do? WORK!

A LOT more crops were planted in 1623, and everything was going well, until a really bad drought from May to June looked like it would kill all their crops. The colony came together for an entire day of fasting and prayer. That night, Governor Bradford wrote, “…it began to overcast, and shortly after to rain, with such sweet and gentle showers, as gave them cause of rejoicing, & blessing God. It came, without either wind, or thunder, or any violence, and by degrees in abundance, as the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked. Which did so apparently revive & quicken the decayed corn & other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made the Indians astonished to behold… For which mercy (in time convenient) they also set apart a day of thanksgiving.”

And that’s how this nation was founded – upon God’s Word, with full faith and dependence on Him, giving Him all the praise and honor, including a special day of Thanksgiving unto God.