Philippians 1:6
“…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Today, September 16, marks the 403rd Anniversary of the Mayflower sailing. It has taken on greater meaning for me as last year I was able to stand on the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, the point of departure for the ship’s sailing to the New World in 1620. The historic sailing of the Mayflower would prove to be a treacherous transatlantic voyage to America. On board the ship were more than 100 men, women and children – passengers and crew from different walks of life across England and the Dutch city of Leiden, some of whom hoped to forge new lives and establish a new church in the New World. As a Mayflower descendant, I take pleasure in honoring them once again this year.
Forty of the passengers were Protestant Separatists, or “Saints” as they called themselves; today, we refer to them as “Pilgrims.” Their quest for religious freedom took them first to Holland, which was satisfying for a while until the secular life they found there began to draw the young people away from their faith. They decided to move again, this time to a new world across the Atlantic Ocean.
Their first stop was London to get organized and to join up with another ship, the Speedwell. After a first attempt to sail, a leaking Speedwell returned to port, as did the Mayflower which took on some of the extra passengers before setting sail again, this time alone. After sixty-six days at sea, the ship finally reached the New World. Soon after their arrival, the settlers drew up the Mayflower Compact, which was signed by forty-one men on board. The compact was a promissory agreement to cooperate for the general good of the colony, to deal with issues by voting, to establish constitutional law, and to rule by the majority.
The Pilgrims left us a remarkable example of unwavering religious convictions and civil order. Their faith was deeply rooted in a belief in Christ, which instilled in them confidence, dignity, uprightness and fearlessness. What courage they displayed! To embark on a voyage with unknown conditions, to an unknown land, took extraordinary courage and unswerving faith and trust in their God. I can only imagine the fear that could have overwhelmed them: fear of sinking or dying of disease while onboard; fear of what they would find when stepping on dry land; worry about making shelter for small children to sleep; worry about having enough food to feed them.
We are living in extraordinary times. As Dickens said in his novel, A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.” We live in a time of great prosperity and possibility, comfort, and freedom but, on the other hand, we are also living in a time of chaos, in the aftermath of a deadly pandemic, natural disasters, violence, cruelty, slander, lawlessness, fear, anxiety, anger, and mistrust.
By contrast, our Pilgrim forebears inspire us still, as they made the most of dire circumstances, horrible living conditions, deadly disease. We are inspired by their deep convictions and faith. They demonstrated with certainty what they believed, facing their fears, pressing on with unswerving dedication to the purpose for which God directed them. Thank you, Pilgrims, for forging the way for us!
Dear Heavenly Father, we praise You for placing on the hearts of those brave men and women the conviction to take a stand and the courage to move forward to start a new life in a New World. I thank you especially for my ancestors who planted themselves in the new land so that they and the generations coming behind them, including my own family, could flourish and have religious freedom. May we all face fear head on and recognize that it is not of You. May we face uncertainty with faith and trust in Your divine sovereignty. Bless our country, O God. We pray in Your mighty name. Amen.
