Puritans Quotes
The phrase “city upon a hill” was first used by John Winthrop in 1630 which is probably taken from Matt. 5:14-16 “a city that is set on a hill.” See related quote. It was then used in a speech by President Kennedy with attribution to Winthrop. President Reagan used it without the attribution and embellished it by adding the adjective “shining” which many people thought was in the original Puritan statement. The Reagan video and audio clip has been so viewed so many times that people think the phrase originated with Reagan.
The sermon was actually given in England just before their embarkation for America. The “city upon a hill” image was later used by Presidents Kennedy and Regan {624222}.
Cromwell’s motivation for Empire was different from most other English leaders, but defeating the Catholic Spanish in the New World would be another of God’s victories over the Catholics which Cromwell and many of his Puritan followers thought was the desire and will of God.
Hooker had been a citizen of the Massachusetts Bay Colony when a disagreement broke out that would have profound implications for America. Governor Winthrop wanted to limit the right of voting to members in good standing of the Puritan Church. Hooker, although a Puritan minister himself, dissented and insisted that suffrage be for all regardless of religious affiliation. In June of 1636, Hooker and his entire congregation, driving their cattle and carting their belongings, left Massachusetts and set out for the Connecticut Valley, founding Hartford and a new colony.
Ingersoll was considered to be the greatest orator and political thinker of his day, but his overt atheistic views curtailed his elected political career.
In 17th century England the Puritans were major opponents of the Celebration of Christmas which at the time had been celebrated mostly by Roman Catholics.
We think of Puritans as very straight-laced and somewhat hateful towards women (having burned so many at the stake) but there was another side to the sect, perhaps as far ahead of their time as their witch hunts were backward.
Both Puritans and Quakers were persecuted and physically abused in England by the Anglican Church. The Puritans as soon as they became dominant in part of the American colonies began persecuting Quakers. The Quakers who were the majority in the Pennsylvania colony, however were tolerant of other religions. This history was another of the many reasons the Founding Fathers wanted no established church. A “scorpion” was a type of whip that was particularly painful.
The major targets of this law were the Puritans who would not attend the normal Church of England services but had their own, usually in a private home.
Although the Puritans were the first religious group of immigrants who came to America for religious freedom, once the obtained it, they were terribly despotic in trying to force others to adopt their religious views. By seeking religious freedom the planted the seeds of democracy. By denying it to others, they also planted the seed of the First Amendment. Those who insisted upon separation of church and state always cited the Puritans as example one of what can happen with an established church in America.
He was run out of Massachusetts and then founded Rhode Island where the first American concepts of separation of Church and State evolved.
