By the wars of the
Reformation freedom of thought was gained; by the revolutions of the
eighteenth century, which swept away the incubus of feudalism, liberty of
action was won; and as Massachusetts had been colonized by the radicals of
the first insurrection, it was not unnatural that their children should
have led the second. So much may be readily conceded, and yet the
inherited tendency toward liberalism alone would have been insufficient to
have inspired the peculiar unanimity of sentiment which animated her
people in their resistance to Great Britain, and which perhaps was
stronger among her clergy, whose instincts regarding domestic affairs were
intensely conservative, than among any other portion of her population.
The reasons for this phenomenon are worthy of investigation, for they are
not only interesting in themselves, but they furnish an admirable
illustration of the irresistible action of antecedent and external causes
on the human mind.
Under the Puritan Commonwealth the church gave distinction and power, and
therefore monopolized the ability which sought professional life; but
under the provincial government new careers were opened, and intellectual
activity began to flow in broader channels. John Adams illustrates the
effect produced by the changed environment; when only twenty he made this
suggestive entry in his Diary: "The following questions may be answered
some time or other, namely,--Where do we find a precept in the Gospel
requiring Ecclesiastical Synods? Convocations? Councils? Decrees? Creeds?
Confessions? Oaths? Subscriptions? and whole cart-loads of other trumpery
that we find religion encumbered with in these days?" [Footnote: _Works
of J.
Pages:
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509