The Wordy Shipmates Page 72-152

"The Massachusetts Bay Colony becomes a sort of republic-the most severely limited, totalitarian, close-minded, vindictive, hardass republic possible." (P. 76) Now there's something that Google wont find many document matches for.

Vowell later speaks of Winthrop's personal diary after attempting to read the original thing. Appearently, due to poor handwriting and hundreds of years of being worn out, it isn't too easy to understand or even read the diary.

The voyage was a crazy, dangerous one which claimed the lives of most of those onboard. Ironic, according to Winthrop, it was God's will that this journey be made, and yet it doesn't seem like He wants them to reach land at all. Though, eventually the ships did find land, and whatever was left of the settlers settled. Ironically, once again, many more of them died that following Winter. But hey, they did make it! God....1, Settlers....-80%.

The misery the settlers went through is constantly described in Winthrop's journal. His first entry actually states that, "'a house at Dorchester was burnt down...' and a Mr. Freeman's house in Watertown burned down." (P. 97)

Later, Roger Williams comes along, and pretty much tells the newcoming nonseperatists to "make a public declaration of their repentance for having communnion with the churches of England...back in England...as they haven't done enough for their God." (P. 100) Many times a year do I see this man's statue in Rhode Island (often with a banana in hand), and never again will I view this man the same way.

The reward for surviving the trip to America, surviving the first Winter, not going insane/losing faith is doing it all over again, AFTER declaring repentence in England. There is really only one logical explanation for this thinking: Roger Williams is a genius that all should have listened too. Not.

Remaining on the topic of Roger Williams, he has at this point in time (1635) just recovered from an ilness. By continuing to be Roger Williams, John Cotton basically states that "when God takes away one's voice one should take the hint and shut the hell up," as Vowell puts it. (P. 142)

Williams doesn't stop, and is eventually banished. After a tough time of poverty and a cold winter, "Rhode was purchased by love" by Williams. (P. 148) The settlers that followed Williams would then sign the Providence Agreement, which states that all shall admit only civil things into their lives. No word of being religious is mentioned.