The Pilgrims and Puritans were the first Europeans to come in large numbers to the Massachusetts area. The Pilgrims came first, settling in Plymouth starting in 1620. After 10 years, The Plymouth Colony had only 300 settlers. The Puritans came after the Pilgrims, but in far greater numbers. Some 200 to 300 Puritans came from England in five vessels the first year of settlement, 1629. The next year, another 1200 came. By the time the great wave of Puritan settlement ended in 1643, some 20,000 had arrived.
Like the Pilgrims, Puritans Hated Rituals of Church of England
The Pilgrims and the Puritans both believed that no man, woman, or child deserved salvation. However, they also believed that God, to show his mercy, selected some few for saving and those lucky few would have eternal life. No one could predict who would be saved, but everyone should be prepared for God’s grace by studying the Bible, resisting temptations, and praying.
The Pilgrims and Puritans also despised the Church of England’s structure, with doctrine imposed from above from the king, bishops, and priests. The Pilgrims and Puritans believed that a church was any group of two or more people who came together to agree to live their lives according the teachings of Jesus. Members of the congregation could read and interpret scripture for themselves, and could choose their own minister.
Puritans At First Intended to Return to England
But the Pilgrims and Puritans had their differences. The Pilgrims, known as Separatists, were intent on a complete break from the Church of England. The Puritans felt they represented the “pure” Church of England in America, and expected to eventually return to England to replace the corrupt church. Thus, the Puritans at first didn’t intend to stay in America.
The Puritans adopted many of the Pilgrim ways. For example, church buildings would not be called churches. They were meetinghouses, a more suitable name because they were more than just houses of worship but were often used as well for civic gatherings. Also, the Puritans, as they quickly abandoned the idea of returning to England, in effect became Separatists.
Adopted Term Congregationalism to Emphasize Independence of Each Parish
Over time, the religion of the Pilgrims and Puritans came to be called Congregationalism, a term that emphasized the independence of each parish and the power of each congregation to govern itself. While congregations were independent, they tended to adopt similar forms of governance and worship. The pastor’s role was to “attend to exhortation and therein to administer a word of wisdom.” Larger parishes also had a person designated as teacher, whose role was to “attend to doctrine and therein administer a word of knowledge.” Church elders governed the church. Church deacons watched over church finances. All were elected by church members. Meetinghouses were plain, with box-shaped pews for each family. Two services were held each Sunday. The morning service began with a prayer from the pastor. If the parish had a teacher, the teacher would then read a chapter of Scripture. Then an elder would “line out” a psalm. That is, he would lead the singing. Organs and other instruments were too costly, or shunned, so all singing was a cappella. Women, told to keep silent, did not sing at such services. So the men carried on without music and without accompaniment. The results, according to those who heard it, were typically abysmal.
Following this cacophony, the pastor would give a long sermon based on a Biblical passage. If the parish had a teacher, the teacher would deliver the sermon in the second service of the day. Every service ended with a prayer.
Though the Congregationalists abhorred rituals, they maintained a few. Once a month they celebrated the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper and, at appropriate times, baptisms were performed.
Steeples on Meetinghouses, Cushions in Pews
The Massachusetts Bay Colony’s founders envisioned a model community of ideal Puritan life. But it could never be. Other immigrants trickled in, and some didn’t share the Puritan vision. Meanwhile, American-born children of the early Puritans didn’t share the same religious passion of their parents. Many congregations loosened the rules on membership to maintain their numbers. Stern Puritanism over time slipped into gentler Congregationalism. The early plain steepleless meetinghouses gave way to steepled buildings that looked more like churches, even though they were still called meetinghouses. The boxed pews started to be equipped with cushions.
Eventually the Congregationalists had a crisis, producing a split, with one branch remaining Congregationalists and the other forming Unitarian churches. The remaining Congregationalists eventually came together with churches rooted in the German Reformed traditions, forming an association now called the United Church of Christ. The Unitarians, meanwhile, merged with Universalists, and now are known as Unitarian Universalists.
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Sources:
Conforti, Joseph A., Saints and Strangers: New England in British North America. Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2006.
Labaree, Benjamin W., Colonial Massachusetts: A History. Millwood, New York, KTO Press, 1979.
Morris, Michelle. “Plymouth Colony.” World Book Student. World Book, 2009. Web. 29 Sept. 2009.
Starkey, Marion L., “The Congregational Way: The Role of the Pilgrims and Their Heirs in Shaping America,” Garden City, New York, Doubleday & Company, 1966.
