The spring of 1624 in Plymouth brought a contrast of character that provides lessons today for both the youngest of children all the way to those old enough to have experienced these observations first-hand.
Bradford writes, “They began now highly to prize corn as more precious than silver, and those that had some to spare began to trade one with another for small things, by the quart, pottle (two quarts) and peck… for money they had none, and if any had, corn was preferred before it.” Economic currency has always been commodity-based. Those who had developed their allotted land (they could not own property due to the 1621 Pierce Patent’s stipulations) asked to have the same plot given to them every year rather than someone else, and the Governor agreed. It is amazing what productive character and a little incentive will do to inspire individuals to work!
The Plimoth Colony, about 180 strong with 32 homes at the time, was industrious, productive, and content with their new system of individual enterprise. But how would this group discern the individuals sent to them on the ship Charity early in the Spring of 1624?
Robert Cushman’s letter said:
“We have now sent you, we hope men and means, to settle these 3 things viz., fishing, salt making, and boat making: if you can bring them to pass to some perfection, your wants may be supplied. I pray you bend yourself what you can to settle these businesses; let the ship be fraught away as soon as you can… the ship carpenter is thought to be the fittest man for you in the land, and will no doubt do you much good; let him have an absolute command over his servants, and such as you put to him. Let him build you 2 ketches (flat-bottomed barges), a lighter (small, two-masted crafts with a square stern) and some 6 or 7 shallops, as soon as you can. The salt man is a skillful, and industrious man, put some to him, that may quickly apprehend the mystery of it.”
Bradford writes that “the ship which brought this supply was speedily discharged, and with her master and company sent to Cape Ann (of which place they had got a patent as before is showed) on fishing.…” The patent was for 500 acres from the Council of New England. Bradford lists several reasons this fishing expedition did not work out well. First, because the season was so far spent some of the planters were sent to help build their stage” (which was a scaffold to dry fish). Second, by the lateness of the year, and (third) more especially by the baseness of the master.” Bradford describes his character:
“He proved a very drunken beast, and did nothing (in a manner) but drink and guzzle and consume away the time and his victuals, and most of his company followed his example; and though Mr. William Pierce was to oversee the business and to be master of the ship home, yet he could do no good amongst them; so as the loss was great, and would have been more to them, but that they kept on a-trading there, which in those times got them store of skins, which was some help unto them.”
The ship-carpenter, on the other hand, proved to be quite an asset, yet tragedy cut short this blessing:
“The ship-carpenter that was sent them was an honest and very industrious man, and followed his labour very diligently, and made all that were employed with him do the like. He quickly built them two very good and strong shallops, which after did them great service, and a great and strong lighter, and had hewn timber for two ketches. But that was lost, for he fell into a fever in the hot season of the year, and though he had the best means the place could afford, yet he died; of whom they had a very great loss, and were very sorry for his death.”
The salter proved to be another bad example of character, as Bradford writes:
“But he whom they sent to make salt was an ignorant, foolish, self-willed fellow. He bore them in hand, he could do great matters in making salt-works, so he was sent to seek out fit ground for his purpose; and after some search he told the Governor that he had found a sufficient place, with a good bottom to hold water, and otherwise very convenient, which he doubted not but in a short time to bring to good perfection, and to yield them great, but he must have eight or ten men to be constantly employed. He was wished to be sure that the ground was good, and other things answerable, and that he could bring it to perfection; otherwise he would bring upon them a great charge by employing himself an so many men. But he was after some trial so confident as he caused them to send carpenter to rear a great frame for a large house to receive the salt, and such other uses. But in the end all proved vain; then he laid fault of the ground in which he was deceived; but if he might have the lighter to carry clay, he was sure then he could do it.
Now though the Governor and some other foresaw that this would come to little, yet they had so many malignant spirits amongst them, that would have laid it upon them in their letters of complaint to the Adventurers, as to be their fault profit that would not suffer him to go on, to bring his work to perfection. For as he by his bold confidence and large promises deceived them in England that sent him, so he had wound himself into these men’s high esteem here, so as they were fain to let him go on till all men saw his vanity. For he could not do anything but boil salt in pans, and yet would make them that were joined with him believe there was so great a mystery in it as was not easy to be attained, and made them do many unnecessary things to blind their eyes, till they discerned his subtlety. The next year he was sent to Cape Ann, and the pans were set up there where the fishing was; but before summer was out he burnt the house and the fire was so vehement as it spoiled the pans, at least some of them, and this was the end of that chargeable business.”
Titus 2:7 exhorts older women, and verse 8 exhorts older men, to train the next generation, “to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you.” The Biblical pattern and standard for character deserve to be rehearsed in our day. The character qualities of integrity, reverence, and sound speech, that form habits worthy of emulation, are powerful.
To anyone who has hired an employee or worked as an overseer in a business or church, the patterns of being an example (good or bad) that bring productivity or failure are unmistakable. First, the character of the individual is the key to being a good example, and discerning character is something we must cultivate. Second, examples inspire those who work with the individual to either rise to productivity or sink into failure. Finally, one cannot fully trust those who send people with a good reference! Nothing replaces seeing an individual in action!
