"OF WHOM THE WORLD WAS NOT WORTHY"
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NOVEMBER
30, 1683 --Massachusetts. The people of Massachusetts
have seen King Charles II gradually establish despotic power. The king
now demands the colonists to surrender their charter.
For two full weeks the subject is debated that a
decision might be made in harmony with the people:
"Ought the government of
Massachusetts submit to the pleasure of the court as to alteration of
their charter? Submission would be an offence against the Majesty of
Heaven; the religion of the people of New England and the court's
pleasure cannot consist together. By submission Massachusetts will gain
nothing. The court designs an essential alteration destructive to the
vitals of the charter. The Corporations in England that have made an
entire resignation have no advantage over those that have stood a suit
in law; but, if we maintain a suit, though we should be condemned, we
may bring the matter to chancery or to Parliament and in time recover
all again. We ought not to act contrary to that way in which God hath
owned our worthy predecessors, who, in 1638, when there was a "quo
warranto" against the charter, durst not submit. In 1664, they did not
submit to the commissioners. We, their successors, should walk in their
steps, and so trust in the God of our fathers that we shall see His
salvation. Submission would gratify our adversaries and grieve our
friends. Our enemies know it will sound ill in the world for them to
take away the liberties of a poor people of God in a wilderness. A
resignation will bring slavery upon us sooner than otherwise it would
be; and will grieve our friends in other colonies, whose eyes are now
upon New England, expecting that the people there will not, through
fear, a pernicious example unto others.
“Blind obedience to the pleasure of the court cannot be
without great sin, and incurring the high displeasure of the King of
kings. Submission would be contrary unto that which has been the
unanimous advice of the ministers, given after a solemn day of prayer.
The ministers of God in New England have more of the spirit of John
Baptist in them, than now, when a storm hath overtaken them, to be reeds
shaken with the wind. The priests were to be the first that set their
foot in the waters and there to stand till the danger be past. Of all
men, they should be an example to the Lord's people, of faith, courage,
and constancy. Unquestionably, if the blessed Cotton, Hooker, Davenport,
Mather, Shepherd, Mitchell, were now living, they would as is evident
from their printed books, say, 'Do not sin in giving away the
inheritance of your fathers.'
"Nor ought we to submit without the consent of the body
of the people. But the freemen and church members throughout New England
will never consent hereunto. Therefore the government may not do it.
"The civil liberties of New England are part of the
inheritance of their fathers; and shall we give that inheritance away?
Is it objected that we shall be exposed to great sufferings? Better
suffer than sin. It is better to trust the God of our fathers than to
put confidence in princes. If we suffer because we dare not comply with
the wills of men against the will of God, we suffer in a good cause, and
shall be accounted martyrs in the next generation and at the great day."
At the request of the selectmen
in Boston, Increase Mather will, contrary to his wishes, appear at a
town-meeting and will encourage and excite the people to stand by their
charter privileges and not to give away their inheritance.
The decision of the colony is made today: "The deputies
consent not, but adhere to their former bills."
On June 18, 1684, it will be conditionally judged forfeited
and will be confirmed shortly thereafter. In September of the same year,
a day of fasting will be appointed "to bewail the rebukes and
threatenings from Heaven," and their last word will be, for the "defence
of the Protestant religion."
30, 1729 --Connecticut. Samuel Seabury is born at Ledyard, formerly
called North Groton. He will become the first bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church. Because he will derive his support as missionary from
the Church of England, he will be under the Oath of Allegiance and will
remain loyal to England. As a result, an armed band of patriots will
seize him and carry him to New Haven where he will be detained for six
months before being passed through the British lines. He will remain
loyal to England throughout the War and will be known as the founder of
American Episcopalianism, and thereby demonstrating that Episcopacy is
adaptable in a free state.
30, 1837 --Scotland. Horatio Bonar is ordained a minister of the Church
of Scotland. He pastors North Parish, Kelso.
30, 1852 --Ireland. At Tyrone, Mrs. Cecil Alexander has written the
hymn, "Jesus Calls Us" for her husband's sermon this St. Andrews Day
morning. In all, she will write more than four hundred additional hymns
and Gospel songs.
30, 1861 --Washington, D. C. The Secretary of the Treasury, Salmon P.
Chase, requests Philadelphia Mint Director, Pollock, to submit a design
for a coin to include a motto "expressing in fewest and tersest words;"
the "trust of our people in God." "No nation can be strong," he
declares, "except in the strength of God; or safe except in His defence."
The result will be a new coin denomination: the two-cent piece; and the
words that will be adopted are, "In God We Trust."
30, 1873 --Illinois. Horatio Spafford, a Chicago lawyer, has lost all
his possessions in the great Chicago fire of 1871. Since that time, he
has made a comeback, and has sent his wife and his four children on a
cruise bound for Europe. He has planned to join them in a few days. The
Spafford's have sailed out of New York harbor aboard the French liner,
the "S. S. Ville du Havre."
Today, Mr. Spafford will receive word from his wife
that while in mid-ocean, their French liner has collided with an English
iron sailing vessel, the "Lochearn." Mrs. Spafford had gathered her
children on the deck of the ship and had prayed with them.
The ship sank within fifteen minutes. Mrs. Spafford was
rescued and taken to Cardiff, Wales where nine days later, she cabled
her husband. The brief message reads, "Saved alone!"
In December, while on the way by ship to join his wife
in Europe, the Captain will call Mr. Spafford into his cabin and will
say, "I believe we are now passing over the spot where the 'Ville du
Havre' went down."
Unable to sleep this night, here in the mid-Atlantic,
Mr. Horatio Spafford will write five stanzas, the first of which begins,
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll --
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say --
“It is well, it is well, with my soul!"