| OCR Text |
Show I TODAY IN HISTORY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1910. The Mayflower Sails for America. It was on Soptembor 1C. 1C20. that tho little band of i'JIgrlms set sail from Plymouth, England to find a new home in this far nwny land. It was with difficulty dif-ficulty that, they escaped from their native na-tive land, first going to Amsterdam, Holland. Jlore they dwelt for eleven years, exllc-a for conscience sake, earn-lnp earn-lnp their bread by the labor .of their hands. Cut these seekers after religious freedom found that. Holland was not their home; they could not endure- the thoughts of glvinf,- up their lanfjuaKe and customs for those of the Dutch, and having hav-ing hoard ot the colony of Virginia, their thoughts wore directed to the wilderness of the new world. They finally secured sufficient money to purchase n vessel, tin; Spoodwoll, and to hire another, the .Mayflower. They first secured a grant of land in the Hudson Hud-son valley, nnd a promise from the king that he would not Interfere with them. The Speedwell proved unscaworthy, and I the little band finally embarked on tho Mayflower alone. William Brewster was the spiritual leader of I he hand. The "Pigrlm Fathers." with their wives and children, as borne by the Mayflower, numbered one hundred nnd two; one died on the voyage and one was born. Who hns not read of the terrible ter-rible discomforts nnd dangers of the perilous voyage of sixty-seven days. It was not until arly In November that they reached this continent, far from the point at which they aimed. Determined to put In at Capo Cod harbor, and so to land on a territory where their patent could confer no rights, the lenders of the expedition, after consulting together In the cabin of the Mayflower, there drew up and signed tho historic "Compact" world, which was to convert, tho hundred voyagers into the founders of a commonwealth. com-monwealth. There they solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God and of one another, combined themsclvos Into a civil body politic to frame such laws as they might need. This compact was signed on November 11. On that day an exploring party went ashore, and found tho country bleak and uninviting In the extreme. The snow was half a foot deep, nnd the fierce wind ot the sea blew a spray upon them. But the Pilgrims had not sought case and comfort. They choose Plymouth harbor as a landing place, nnd on December Decem-ber lfi, one hundred and two days after leaving Plymouth, England, they made a landing in the face of a wintry storm, on a barren roc): since known as Plymouth Ply-mouth Rock- Next they fell upon their knees and blessed God for having brought them safely over the ocean. In a few days tho men busily engaged In building cabins, returning each night to the ship; but ere they were finished the wintry blasts had planted the seeds of consumption . In many of the little band, and beforo the coming of sprint: more than forty of them. Including the wives of some of the lenders, had been laid In the grave. And yet when the Mayflower sailed for England In the early spring, not ono of the survivors returned with her. nnd it is a singular fact that- nearly all who survived that dreadful winter nt Plymouth, Ply-mouth, lived to a good old age. The site of their first "common house" Is now marked and near the lot assigned to Elder Brewster sllll wo may stop to drink from the Pilgrim spring. Tho first meeting .house is also marked, as well as the spot of tho fort built by Captain Miles Standlsh. whereon he promptly placed his cannon. , "Unable lo speak for himself was ho. But his guns spoke for hi hi valiantly!" And most persuasive did their voices prove. Inspiring awe in the hearts of the savages for many miles around. Here In the shelter of the fort, for the most part, the Pilgrims were compelled to worship, and hero probably the first hymns of praise and prayers for guidance were .sung and uttered by New England colonists. September 10 Is the date of the battle of Harlem Heights. N. Y., In 177C, and the battle of Antictnm. commenced In ISG. It is the birthday of Samuel Adams, the "Father of the American Revolution" (172:0; Naval Officer Abraham Abra-ham Whipple (1733); William A. Muhlenberg, Muhlen-berg, clergyman and hymnologist (179G); Squire Whipple, the "Father of American Ameri-can Bridge Building" (1S04); Francis Parkman, author and historian (1S23); James J. Hill, the. railroad president (1S3S); and the date of tho death of Charles V. of France (1380); James II. of England (1701), Gabriel Dancl Fahrenheit. Fah-renheit. Inventor of the thermometer (1736), and Louis XVIII. of Franco (1S21). |
