And They Knew They Were Pilgrims part II & II
By Tonda Gainey Siders

Welcome to the first of several American Providential history stories. This will not be just another Thanksgiving story. The story of the Pilgrims begins long before the first Thanksgiving ever took place. In learning the story of the Pilgrims, we can see the hand of God (His providence) leading and guiding a people surrendered to His will--surrendered during very difficult times that most of us today would not have the fortitude to endure. Yes, God “kept” this land, preserving it for a special people to settle. We will study the providence of God in the lives of His people and the planting of a nation. May you be encouraged when all is dark in your life to know that a God is working behind the scenes, pruning you, cutting away the parts that will hinder you, and getting ready to bring forth much fruit in your life. May we be as steadfast as our Pilgrim Fathers and look to the same Source for our sustenance.

Part I—And They Knew They Were Pilgrims—The Voyage—By Tonda Gainey Siders

The Pilgrim story starts long before the coming on the Mayflower and celebrating the first Thanksgiving with the Indians. The Pilgrims were a persecuted group in England for their refusal to adhere to the dictates of the Church of England, the official State church. Two groups were a thorn in the side of the official Church, the Puritans and the Separatists, the latter being the Pilgrims. Many do not realize the difference between Puritans and Pilgrims. The Puritans saw nothing wrong with having a state church and, therefore, wanted to purify it from within. The Separatists, however, wanted to separate totally from the concept of a State-run church. The Separatists, therefore, were seen as more of a threat than even the Puritans. They were often sought out, thrown in prison, paraded through the streets while being mocked, etc. Because of this severe persecution, a group of them decided to leave for Holland where religious liberty was allowed. They settled in the city of Leyden.

Holland was a rough land for the Pilgrims. Being foreigners, they were only given menial jobs with long hours. They saw their children being seduced by the culture around them and saw them losing their English heritage, as well as their spiritual well-being. While the physical struggle was very real, the one bright spot was the level of spiritual maturity they were able to develop. Their pastor, John Robinson, taught them well in the denial of self, in what it mean to truly covenant together, in principles of liberty both internal and external, and how to apply the Bible to all areas of life. Because of the hardships and their vision of building a godly community and spreading the Gospel, the Pilgrims felt God was calling them to a New World that “they should be but even as stepping stones unto others for the performing of so great a work.” (1) They felt God was calling them much as he had called the Israelites out of pagan lands.

The Pilgrims’ voyage to America was not to be an easy task. Many obstacles stood in their way, primarily the financial aspect. How would they be able to afford the trip? An arrangement was made with a man named Thomas Weston, who ended up taking advantage of the Pilgrims’ desperate lot; nevertheless, he did provide the way for the voyage. They shared a day of fasting and prayer and then an evening of festivities before the day of departure. Only a third could go because of spacing, so their dear pastor was not able to go with them. William Brewster became their interim pastor. As they sailed away and watched Holland slowly sink out of sight, their hearts must have ached for the ones left behind; fear must have gripped their hearts as to what would lie ahead; but, “they knew they were Pilgrims, and looked not much on those things, but lifted up their eyes to the heavens, their dearest country, and quieted their spirits.” (2)

The hardships continued for the humble people as the ship the Speedwell encountered troubles and twice had to be returned to dock for repair. The second time she was returned, the Pilgrims were transported to another ship, the Mayflower, that already had passengers aboard. This made the quarters quite cramped for everyone. These delays made some start to question if it really was the Lord’s will that they travel to this strange land. (Somehow we tend to think things should always go smoothly when doing the Lord’s will.) About twenty people dropped out of the adventure. As Bradford wrote, “Like Gideon’s army, this small number was divided, as if the Lord, by this work of His Providence, thought these few were still too many for the great work He had to do.”(3) And as one man wrote later: “God sifted a whole nation, that He might send choice grain into this wilderness.” (4)

The trials of the voyage would bring the small group together in an even stronger bond, including the “strangers” among them. (They would need this bond to get them through what would lie ahead once they reached America.) However, it did not happen immediately. The Pilgrims suffered much ridicule from the crew of the ship, as well as much sickness from the dark, cramped quarters, the tossing of the ship, and the lack of fresh air. One crew leader would boast of throwing the sickly Pilgrims overboard to the fish once they died. Interestingly, he became suddenly ill and died. And, his body was the first to be thrown overboard to the fish! Somehow the mocking strangely ceased. However, the Pilgrims did not return evil for evil but, instead, showed love to the crewmen by taking care of them when they became sick.

Not only did this poor lot have to endure the two incidents with the Speedwell, delays, the filthy-cramped quarters, the hackling of the crew, and sickness, but another desperate situation arose. A violent storm swept the seas and tossed the small boat so far to one side and then another that she almost went over. Everyone feared for this life. And then the passengers heard a loud, “Boom!” Something had snapped! Indeed, the cross-beam which supported the main mast had cracked and was sagging! The Separatists cried out to the only One who could help them in this dire situation. Then William Brewster remembered something he had brought along—the great iron screw from his printing press. A frantic search was began to find the screw. When it was found it was cranked into place and it saved the ship and its passengers from going down. Everyone gave thanks to God that day—including the “strangers.”

Part II
And What Could Sustain Them?—The Landing

After many weeks at sea, on November 9th, 1602, land was finally sighted. Blown off course (as we will see providentially), they ended up north of the Virginia Territory at a place the sailors called Cape Cod. Because it had taken them longer than anticipated, it was now cold and dreary. Imagine after the long journey, looking at a bleak shoreline with nothing but woods to welcome you. Bradford wrote, “For summer being done, all things stand upon them with a weatherbeaten face; and the whole country, full of woods and thickets, represented a wild and savage hew…behind them, there was the mighty ocean…now a main bar and gulf to separate them from all the civil parts of the world…the love of their brethren in Leyden was cordial and entire towards them, but they had little power to help them…what could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace?” (5)

Once again, “nature” kept them from turning south into the Hudson. So, after much prayer and discussion, it was decided to drop anchor. Realizing they were not in the Virginia Territory, it dawned upon them that they were under no law. What they did not realize was that because of this their leaders would be writing what has become one of the most important documents in the history of liberty, The Mayflower Compact. But what other group could have been more prepared for this task? God had been training them through their pastor, and he had given them much knowledge in both spiritual and civil matters. This was to be the first time in recorded history in which ordinary men sat down to develop their form of government, government by the consent of the governed. It was a document that embodied principles of equality, union, and justice under God.

Once they had anchored, the troubles continued as they had a skirmish with some local Native Americans (known as “Indians” to the Pilgrims), but amazingly as Bradford wrote, “Yet by the especial providence of God, none of their arrows either hit or hurt us, though many came close by us and on every side of us, and some coats which were hung up in a barricade were shot through and through.” (6) (We will see in a later story a person in history who had several bullets in his coat, too!) The Pilgrims tried again to continue south, but again were met with fierce weather and were forced to find shelter on a small island. Once again we can see the hand of God going before them, for little did they know but they had landed on the very site of a former Indian tribe called the Patuxets. They had all died of a disease months earlier. Because the Patuxets had lived at this place, the land had already been cleared and some corn planted. And, little did they know of the “friends” (one being a Patuxet with an interesting story of his own) God would send them to help them survive in this harsh, cruel land. No, the Pilgrims may not have been able to see the “unseen hand” that had brought them to this exact spot, for the first winter death and sickness were their constant companions. Over half of their number died. They buried them at night so the nearby Indians would not know how small their number was becoming. Their situation was grave and desperate, indeed. But, through all the hardship and suffering, when a ship sailed back to England the next spring, not one Pilgrim went back. God was indeed doing a work in this new, wild land!

Source Notes

(1) Beliles & McDowell, America’s Providential History, p. 67.
(2) Marshall & Manuel, The Light and the Glory, p. 113.
(3) Ibid., p. 116.
(4) Ibid.
(5) Ibid., p. 121.
(6) Ibid., p. 123.