"MOURT’S RELATION" written by Pilgrim Governor Edward Winslow, 1621
our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
This journal Mourt’s Relation was:
– Written primarily by Pilgrims and Mayflower passengers: Edward Winslow, William Bradford.
– Written between November 1620 and November 1621.
– Describes the landing of the Pilgrims at Cape Cod, their exploring and eventual settling at Plymouth, their building of the Colony, their relations with the surrounding Indians, including the First Thanksgiving.
– Originally printed in 1622 under the tile A Relation or Journal of the English Plantation settled at Plymouth, is the first published account of the coming of the Pilgrims to the New World to settle Plymouth Plantation.
WHO ARE YOU?
Being an old rock and roller I remember this song indeed from British rockers "The Who". Now I pose the question to all of us. "Who Are You.?" Who are we race of humans that inhabit this seemingly insignificant speck in this vast space called the universe. Why is there anything when in reality there should be nothing.
Thus says the Lord,I have made the earth,And created man on it.For thus says the Lord,Who created the heavens,Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it,Who has established it,Who did not create it in vain,Who formed it to be inhabited:"I am the Lord, and there is no other. (Is. 45:18)
Mankind has forgotten its beginnings.
The first humans had God walking with them, communicating with them, providing for them everything they needed, but another wanted them to worship him. An angel so enamored with his own beauty and power, an angel cast out of heaven by God, angered by God's creating and loving them, wanting to thwart God's plan, tempted with lies contradicting God's Word, and mankind believed those lies, and thus all creation was subjected to futility by God, and thus we have death and all the confusion that besets mankind today.
To fill that void, mankind has raised up false gods and goddesses to fill that vacant abyss that longs for, that craves meaning to what seems a meaningless and hopeless existence.
Technology has replaced God, as the deity we embrace for knowledge and meaning.
"But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase." (Dan. 12:4)
But our technology is fragile and could be eradicated in just a moment. Our entire society, everything just bytes without substance holding our very lives on hard drives, sd cards, and flash drives. Our work place, our home, trucking, railroads, shipping, air transport provides real sustenance for life itself--food--drink--banking by which our monetary system functions, the power grid, that provides electricity by which everything else operates. All of it, could be gone in an instant.
God , the only real and true God, in the beginning, spoke out creation and it came to be. For before there was anything there was absolute nothingness. The blackness of darkness. A darkness so profound and complete our human minds can not comprehend it.
"By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible." (Heb. 11:3)
No subatomic participles, no atoms, protons, neutrons, no nothing existed until God spoke it out.
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Then God said,"
God has not left us without hope...
" In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." (John 1:1-4)
"All of us have inherited a sin nature passed down through generations by the transgression of our first parents and representive heads.....Adam and Eve...
"all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." (romans 3:23)
The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."(2 Cor 4:4)
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit," (1 Peter 3:18)
"For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness"(Hebrews 9:22)
"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,"( 1 Peter 3:18)
There is hope, a blessed hope, provided by God, as Jesus the Christ said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me...."(John 14:6)
"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9)
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (2 Cor. 5:17)
