tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post29762261137183005..comments2024-03-28T10:44:30.518-06:00Comments on American Creation: Facing the PuritansBrad Harthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-56787689465974129742008-06-06T09:49:00.001-06:002008-06-06T09:49:00.001-06:00In John Winthrop's diary on April 1, 1634, he rec...In John Winthrop's diary on April 1, 1634, he records that "all housekeepers and sojourners being 20 years of age and not freemen" were administered the oath of loyalty. The text of the oath is in the "Records of the Governor and Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, 1628-1686" (ed. Nathaniel Shurtleff, published in 1854). The king is not mentioned.Lori Stokeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564577844724131369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-68104650305219942602008-06-06T09:49:00.000-06:002008-06-06T09:49:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.Lori Stokeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564577844724131369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-27775124670997997912008-06-05T16:26:00.000-06:002008-06-05T16:26:00.000-06:00Lori:Do you have a source on the loyalty oath bein...Lori:<BR/><BR/>Do you have a source on the loyalty oath being dropped? That would be nice to have. I would love to put that in my "collection."Brad Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-53828716349626709172008-06-05T16:17:00.000-06:002008-06-05T16:17:00.000-06:00Hello Brad! The Civil War did raise American Purit...Hello Brad! The Civil War did raise American Puritans' hopes, but only very briefly. The English Puritans quickly decided to establish tolerance of all Christian religious practices, and also presbyterianism. Presbyterianism gave the government control of religion by setting up a hierarchy of bishops chosen by the state.<BR/><BR/>This was anathema to American Puritans, who quickly disowned the new Parliament and returned their focus to America as the only faithful religious community. <BR/><BR/>The loyalty to England, thus, was mixed... I mentioned how the Massachusetts men dropped allegiance to the king from their loyalty oath within 5 years of settlement. More to come on this!<BR/><BR/>(One last thing: The Puritans were not Separatists!)Lori Stokeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15564577844724131369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1237087217187172116.post-49980438038612978672008-06-05T10:31:00.000-06:002008-06-05T10:31:00.000-06:00Excellent post! I'm glad we have somebody who kno...Excellent post! I'm glad we have somebody who knows a lot about the pre-American Revolution history of early America. I will look forward to your stuff!<BR/><BR/>As for your claim that the Puritans felt England had, "forsaken its divine commission to carry out God's laws," I agree in part. One of the things Guyatt points out is that it was not until the English Civil War in 1642 that people began to change their providential views on England. I do agree with you that the Separatists were angry with the Anglican Church of England, but I do believe that it took some time before people began to see America as having a separate providential destiny. While most English settlers hailed the "New World" as a blessing and safe haven prepared by God, they still maintained a loyalty to England that lasted until the Revolution.Brad Harthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669677047039491864noreply@blogger.com