The Emancipation of Massachusetts

sponse of the nerves to a stimulus, without the intervention of consciousness. Many bodily functions are naturally

tions of men; and its strength is strikingly exemplified in armies, which, when well organized, are machi

as soldiers have directed their energies to perfecting manuals of arms; and the evidence leads to the conclusion that increasing complexity

ll upon the fact that the greatest eras of human progress have begun with the advent of those who have led successful insurrection; nor can the dazzling genius of these brilliant exceptions be appreciated, unless it be remembered how infinitely small has been the number of those among mankind who, having been once drilled to rigid conformity, have not lapsed into automatism, but have been endowed with the mental energy to revolt. On the other hand, though ecclesiastics have differed wide

custom and emancipate the mind. Christ rebuked the Pharisees because they rejected the commandment of God to keep their own tradition; Paul proclaimed that men should be justified by faith without the deeds of the law; and Luther preached that the Christian was free, that the soul did not live beca

the outward man. The sad countenance, the Biblical speech, the sombre garb, the austere life, the attendance at worship, and, above all, the unfailing deference paid to th

one have been braver than those who have sprung from the ranks of her ministry, as the fate of Roger Williams had already proved. In such a community,

few months in the colony. The future seemed bright and serene, yet he had hardly taken office before the storm burst, which not only overthrew him, but was destined to destroy that unhappy lady whom the Re

ings were vanity and a bitter tongue toward those whom she disliked. [Footnote: Cotton, Way of New England Churches, p. 52.] Unfortunately also for herself, she was one of the enthusiasts who believe themselves subject to divine revelations, for this pretension would probably in any event have brought upon her the displeasure of the church. It is worth while to attempt some logical explanation of the dislike felt by the Massachusetts elders to any suggestion of such supernatural interposition. The half-unconscious train of reasoning on which they based their claim to exact implicit obedience from the people seem

house. The ostensible object of these gatherings was to recapitulate the sermons of the week; but the step from discussion to criticism was short, and it soon began to be said that she cast reproach "upon the ministers, ... saying that none of them did preach the covenant of free grace, but Master Cotton, and

ring on the law which Christ hath abolished." [Footn

ght her so earnestly to deal frankly and openly with them that she, confiding in the sacred character of a confidential conversation with clergymen in the house of her own religious teacher, committed the fatal error of admitting that she saw a wide difference between Mr. Cotton's ministry and theirs, and that they could not preach a covenant of grace so clearly as he, because they had not the

212.] the whole congregation followed him and Cotton: yet even here he met with the powerful opposition of Winthrop and the pastor, John Wilson. In the country he was confronted by the solid

ds remonstrated he "brake forth into tears and professed that, howsoever the causes propounded for his departure were such as did concern the utter ruin of his outward estate, yet he would rather have hazarded all" ... "but for the

be dispensed with, and therefore the Boston congregation intervened. After a day's reflection he seems himself to have become convinced that he had

his office and longed to escape will astonish no one who is fami

mwell so effectually silenced the Scotch divines. The following is a specimen of the treatment to which he was probably almost

rence), and how it had sadded the ministers' spirits, that he should be jealous of their meetings, or seem to restrain their liberty, &c. The governour excused his speech as sudden and upon a mistake. Mr. Peter told him also, that before he came, within less than two years since, the churches were in peace.... Mr. Peter also besought him humbly to consider his youth and short experience in the things of God, and to beware of peremptory concl

nces ... were not speedily remedied, and laid the blame upon these new opinions ... which all the magistrates except the governour and two others did conf

bsence followed after them thither to New England to enjoy their labours, yet these falling acquainted with those seducers, were suddenly so altered in their affections toward those their spirituall fathers, that they would neither heare them, nor willingly come in their company, professing they had never received any good from them." ... "Now the faithfull ministers of Christ must have dung cast on thei

.. Now, after our sermons were ended at our publike lectures, you might have seene halfe a dozen pistols discharged at the face of the preacher (I meane) so many objections made by the opinionist

ove the Puritan standard of resolution and of daring, he spoke the truth which was within him, and could neither be intimidated nor cajoled. In October an attempt had been made to have him settled as a teacher of the Bo

he power of his blow. And what he told his hearers was in substance this: It maketh no matter how seemingly holy men be according to the law, if ... they are such as trust to their own righteousness they shall die, saith the Lord. Do ye not after their works; for they say and do not. They make broad their phylacteries and enlarge the borders of their garments; and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues; and greetings in the market place and to be called of

ey might destroy him; for they feared him, becaus

application he answered that "if he were shown any that walked in such a way as he had described to be a covenant of works, them did he mean." [Footnote: Wheelwright, Prince Soc. ed. p. 17, note 27.] Then the rest of the elders were asked if they "did walk in such a way, and they all acknowledged they did," [Footnote: Winthrop, i. 215. Wheelwright, p. 18.] excepting John Cotton, who declared that "brother Wheelwright's doctrine was according to God in the parts controverted, and wholly and altogether." [Footnote: Groom's Glass for New England, p. 7.] He received eccle

ey pointed out the danger of meddling with the right of free speech. "Paul was counted a pestilent fellow, or a moover of sedition, and a ringleader of a sect, ... and Christ himselfe, as well as Paul,

pudiated in emphatic words, which deserve attent

did, rashly, neither have wee rescued our innocent brother, as sometimes the Israelites did Jonathan, and yet they did not seditiously. The covenant of free grace held forth by our brot

h some petulance, refused to entertain the motion; but Endicott put the question, and it was carried. As the time drew near the excitement increased, the clergy straining every nerve to bring up their voters from the countr

happened that just at this time a number of the friends of Wheelwright and the Hutchinsons were on their way from England to settle in Massachusetts. The first act of the new

g since have lost its interest had it not been for the theory then first advanced by Winthrop, that the corporation of Massachusetts, having bought its land, held it as thoug

sume that he spoke as a partisan, knowing his argument to be fallacio

had Massachusetts claimed the right to exclude strangers as interlopers in trade, she would have stood upon good precedent. Such, however, was not her contentio

e same act would have been had it been perpetrated by the city of London,-both corporations having a like power to preserve the peace by local ordinances, and both being controlled by the law of the land as administered by the courts. Such arguments as those advanced by Winthrop were only solemn quibbling to cloak an indefensible policy. To banish freemen fo

"Yet this would not satisfy some but they oft called for witnesses; and because some of the magistrates declared to them ... that if they would not forbear it would prove a civil disturbance ... they objected.... So as he" (probably meaning Winthrop) "was forced to tell one of them that if he would not forbear ... he might see it executed. Upon this some of Boston departed from the assembly and came no more." [Footnote: Winthrop, i. 238.] Once freed from their repinings all went well, and their pastor, Mr. Wilson, soon had the satisfaction of sending their reputed heresies "to the devil of hell from whence they came." [Footnote: Magnalia, bk. 3,

and told how, "God leaving him for a time, he fell into a spirituall slumber; and had it not been for the watchfulnesse of his brethren, the elders, &c., hee might have slept on, ... and was very thankfull to his brethren for their watchfulnesse over him." [Footnote: Hypocrisie Unmasked, p. 76.] Nor to the end of his lif

bour churches advertised me of the evill report ... I ... dealt with Mrs. Hutchinson and others of them, declaring to them the erroneousnesse of those tenents, and the injury done to myself in fathering them upon mee. Both shee and they utterly denyed that they held such tenents, or that they had fathered them upon mee. I returned their answer to the elders.... They answered me they had but one witnesse, ... and that one both to be known." ... [Footnote: Cotton, Way of New England Churches, pp. 39, 40.] Moreover, it is a remarkable fact that, notwithstanding the advantage it would have given the reactionists to have been able to fix subversive opinions upon their prominent opponents, it was found impossible to prove heresy in a single case which was brought to trial. The legislature chosen in May was apparently unfit for the work now to be done, for the extraordinary step of a dissolution was decided on, and a new election held, under circumstances in which it was easy to secure the return of suitable candidates. The session opened on November 2, and Wheelwright was summoned to appear. He was ordered to submit, or prepare for sentence. He replied that he was guilty of neither sedition nor contempt; that he had preached only the truth of Christ, the application of which was for others, not for him. "To which it was answered by the cou

concerned, since it had been presented to one of its predecessors; it is also true that probably never, before or since, have men who have protested they have not drawn the sword rashly, but have come as humble suppliants to offer their cheeks to the smiters, been held to be public enem

ne more were given leave to depart within three months, or abide the action of the court; others were disfranch

ere terrified; as a political organization they moved no more till the theocracy was tot

ed. She had no jury to whose manhood she could appeal, and John Winthrop, to his lasting shame, was to prosecute her from the judgment seat. She was soon to become a mother, and her health was feeble, but she was made to stand till she was exhausted; and yet, abandoned and forlorn, before those merciless judges, through two long, weary days of hunger and of cold, the intrepid woman defended her cause with a skill and courage which even now, after two hundred and fifty years, kindles the heart with admir

fitable member here among us, otherwise if you be obstinate ... that then the court may take such course that you may trou

answer before you, but I hea

u some already, and

Name o

not named

have I said

oined with them

faction have I j

senting the

ad not my hand

ave counse

H. Wh

in enterta

breach of law

shonoring of

them as the children of God a

but only this; you do adhere unto them, and do endeavo

thing, neither do I think that

y in his examination, that the deputy governor, or his senio

lar hath disparaged all our ministers in the land that they have preached a covenant

that I said they preached not

covenant of grace, clearly, then

ch a covenant of grace more c

are very unwilling to answer." And without further urging, that meek servant of Christ went on to tell how he and others had heard that the prisoner said they taught a covenant of works, how they had sent for her, and though she was "very tender" at first, yet upon being begged to speak plainly, she had explained that

tings you should see what I said, and th

son, for the writings you

e relation wherein" they stood "to the Commonwealth and... unto God," felt constrained to state that the prisoner had said they were not able minist

nd the presiding justice seems to have consid

her defence by calling three witnesses

geshall was

ly I desired to be silent

.. say that she

t she did not say all that

you look into the cou

s upon him to forbid m

rett, what were the

said: "The fear of man is a snare, but they that trust upon the Lord shall be safe." And ... that they did not preach a covenant of grace so clearly as Mr. Cotton did, and she gave this

, in their anxiety to make out a case, had colored material facts. He closed his account of the interview in these words: "I mus

remember, but can you

e looked at them as the apos

utchinson did say they were not a

do not re

n the more easily proved charges had broken down she would be attacked here; and in this assumption she was undoubtedly right. The alternative presented to her, therefore, was to go on herself, or wait for Winthrop to move. If she waited she knew she should give the government the advantage of choosing the ground, and she would thus be subjected to the danger of having fatal charges proved against her by hearsay or distorted evidence. If she took the bolder course, she could explain her revelations

o you know that t

Abraham know tha

By an imme

me by an immed

ivided; but she now committed the one grave error of her long and able defence. As she went on her excitement gained upon her, and she ended by something like a defiance and denunciation: "You have power over my body, but the Lord Jesus hath power over m

d by miracle. Do you thi

he court. I look that the Lord shou

whether you do approve of Mrs. Hutchinson

but this I say, if she doth expect a deliveranc

... God by a providence hath answered our desires, and made her to lay open

all consen

ost desperate enthus

e to Mr. Cotton.... Whether do yo

th look for deliverance from the hand of God by his providence, and the

You give me

o, he gives me

press myself. In that sense that she sp

hink it is a de

never read the like ground laid as is for this. Th

d I think that is very disputable whi

t the revelation she br

hree ministers cry out, We all

in the court in all your proceedings. Here is no law of God that she hath broken, nor any law of the country that she hath broke, and therefore deserves no censure; and if she say that the

thought Mr. Cotton would

danger of her course amongst us which is not to be suffered. Therefore if it be the mind of the court that Mrs. Hut

three co

old up yours. Mr. Coddi

e banished from out of our jurisdiction as being a woman not fit for ou

to know wherefo

wherefore and is satisfied. [Footn

obably during that terrible interval her reason was tottering, for her talk came to resemble ravings. [Footnote: Brief Apologie, p. 59.] When this point was reached the divines saw their object attained, and that "with sad hearts" they could give

she was accused, all of which she admitted she had maintained. "Then she asked by what rule such an elder would come to her prete

withall that she held none of these things ... before

is was more than she could bear, and her distress was such that the congregation seem to have felt some touch of compassion, for she was committed to the charge of Cotton till the next lecture day, when the trial was to be resumed. [Footnote: Brief Apol. p. 62.] At his house her mind

that she had denied inherent righteousness;" she "affirmed that it was never her judgment; and though it was proved by many testimonies ... yet she impudently persisted in her affirmation to the astonishment of all the assembly. So that ... the church with o

s ended in misfortunes over whose sickening details Thomas Welde and his reverend brethren gloated with a savage joy, declaring that "God himselfe was pleased to step in

e went by water to her farm at the Mount ... and so to the island in the Narragansett Bay which

her as Jezebel, and her name became a reproach in Massachusetts through two hundred years. But her crimes and the awful endi

The Indians set upon them, and slew her and all the family. [Footnote: Mrs. Hutchinson and her family were killed in a general massacre of the Dutch and English by the Indians on Long Island. Winthrop, ii. 136.] ... Some write that the Indians did burne her to death with fire, her house and all the rest named that belonged to her; but I am not able to affirme by what kind of death they