THEIR COMMUNION WITH OTHER CHURCHES.

457

XXVI.

one thing more. It is commonly said that those of the CHAP. Separation hold none to be true churches but their own, and condemn all the churches in the world besides; which lieth as a foul blot upon them, yea even on some here in New England, except they can remove it.

ANCIENT MEN.

It is a manifest slander laid upon them; for they hold all the Reformed Churches to be true churches, and even the most rigid of them have ever done so, as appears by their Apologies' and other writings; and we ourselves some of us know of much intercommunion that divers have held with them reciprocally, not only with the Dutch and French, but even with the Scotch, who are not of the best mould, yea and with the Lutherans also; and we believe they have gone as far herein, both in judgment and practice, as any of the churches in New England do or can do, to deal faithfully and bear witness against their corruptions.

Having thus far satisfied all your demands, we shall here break off this conference for this time, desiring the Lord to make you to grow up in grace and wisdom and the true fear of God, that in all faithfulness and humility you may serve him in your generations.

YOUNG MEN.

Gentlemen, we humbly thank you for your pains with us and respect unto us, and do further crave that upon any fit occasions we may have access unto you for any further information, and herewith do humbly take our leave.3

1 See Robinson's Apology, quoted in note on page 388.

* See pages 391-396.

3 Bradford continued this Dia

GOV. BRADFORD'S MEMOIR

OF

ELDER BREWSTER.

CHAPTER XXVII.

MEMOIR OF ELDER WILLIAM BREWSTER.'

XXVII.

Now followeth that which was matter of great sad- CHAP. ness and mourning unto this Church. About the 16th of April,2 in this year, died their reverend Elder, our 1644. April dear and loving friend, Mr. WILLIAM BREWSTER; a 16. man that had done and suffered much for the Lord Jesus and the Gospel's sake, and had borne his part in weal and wo with this poor persecuted Church about thirty-six years in England, Holland, and in this wilderness, and done the Lord and them faithful service in his place and calling; and notwithstanding the many

'From the records of Plymouth Church, book i. folio 38, into which it was copied by Secretary Morton, from Governor Bradford's MS. History of Plymouth Colony.

Morton, in his Memorial, p. 219, places Brewster's death on the 18th of April, 1643. "Concerning whom," he adds, "I could say much of mine own knowledge; but I shall content myself only to insert the honorable testimony that Mr. William Bradford, deceased, hath left written with his own hand concerning him." He then proceeds to copy a considerable part of the above account. Hutchinson, in his Hist. Mass. ii. 460, inserts about a page of it from Governor

Bradford's MS. History. There
can be no doubt that the whole
Memoir proceeded from the pen of
Bradford, and that Morton, in this
as in other cases, was a mere
copyist.

Brewster was the ruling elder.
Bancroft, i. 306, errs in calling him
"the teaching elder." Burk, in his
Hist. of Virginia, i. 214, makes
Brewster the military as well as
the spiritual leader of the Pilgrims,
confounding him with Standish.

Neal, in his Hist. of New England, i. S5, errs in calling him John; an error which is repeated by the authors of the Mod. Univ. Hist. xxxix. 271.