ces of opinion, and when these arose, the severity with which the persons who avowed them, were censured, occasioned many heartburnings and mutual reproaches. Some persons were banished from Massachusetts, or excommunicated by the churches, and leaving the colony, they planted Rhode Island. The same rigid principles led to many abtruse inquiries and minute distinctions on religious subjects, which divided the opinions of people; and in some instances, churches were rent asunder by speculative distinctions that are hardly intelligible. This party spirit was the offspring of excessive zeal, to preserve a pure church; for men had not learned that party spirit, in religion as in government, always thrives under psrsecution, and obstinate intolerance. But this intolerant spirit lasted but a few years.

354. Platform of the Churches. In 1634 the churches in New England adopted certain canons and constitutions, defining the officers, their duties, modes of election, and the rules of proceeding and government. In 1648, a synod of elders and messengers at Cambridge adopted a platform of church government, containing the principles held by the churches, and an explanation of the powers and duties of the officers, the mode of ordination, the powers of the church, the manner of maintaining ministers, and the rules of admission, excommunication and censure. In 1708, de!egates from the councils ofthe counties in Connecticut met at Saybrook and agreed upon an ecclesiastical constitution, called the platform, containing a confescion of faith and regulations for administering church discipline. This was confirmed by the legislature in October of the same year, and remains the basis of church government to this day.

355. Union of Churches in Connecticut. By the Saybrook platform, the ministers, elders and messengers of all the churches in a county or other district, constitute a consociation. The ministers of the churches in a county or other district, form an association,

which is empowered to examine aud recommend candidates. These councils are consulted in regard to religious concerns, and assist the churches in ordaining and dismissing their ministers; but their powers are mostly advisory. They however contribute. by their influence, to preserve peace and harmony among churches, restrain controversies and reconcile differences. A general association consists of delegates from the several associations in the state, and holds an annual meeting in each of the counties by rotation. 356. Support of the Congregational Clergy. The first ministers in New England were maintained by weekly contributions. The famous Mr. Cotton preached a sermon in Boston, in December 1633, in which he urged that the scriptures clearly direct the maintenance of ministers to be defrayed, like other charges of the church, out of a chest or treasury to be supplied by contribution; upon which the church adopted the practice. But it was laid down as a principle, in the first church laws, that ministers ought to be supported by their hearers, and in case of neglect, that the magistrates might be called upon to compel them to make payment. The clergy have now fixed salaries paid by a tax on the pews of the church or the property of the hearers. The first settlers in Rhode Island adopted a different principle, and a declaration of general toleration, being incorporated into the charter of that colony, the laws furnish no aid in supporting the gospel. In none of the states, at this time, is a man compelled to maintain religious worship, in a church to which he does not belong.

357. Introduction of the Episcopal Chucrh. There was no regular public worship in Massachusetts, except in the congregational churches,until the year1686, when an episcopal church, consisting of about four hundred persons, met regularly for worship. The first episcopal church in Connecticut was collected at Rye in 1704, under Mr. Muirson. The second was formed at Stratford in 1706. Some opposition was

made to the establishment of that church in the colony, which served only to increase the zeal of its advocates. From such small beginnings, the episcopal church has become large and respectable in many parts of New England, especially in the commer

cial towns.

358. Community of Lands and Goods in Plymouth. The first adventurers to Plymouth placed all their property in a common stock, to be used and improved for the benefit of the company. The lands also were at first cultivated in common, and the fruits of the earth, deposited in a common magazine. Within three years, experience convinced the people of the absurdity of the project; for many persons, expecting to be maintained out of the public fund, neglected to labor, and the colony was in danger of perishing with hunger. In 1623, the company placed every single person in some family, assigned a portion of land to each, and left every family to trust to its own labor for food. The consequence was the settlers became more contented, and had food in abundance.

359. Sumptuary and Regulating Laws. The planters of New England, on their arrival in a wilderness, where it was difficult at first to obtain the necessaries of life, and impossible to enjoy luxuries, attempted by example and law to restrain all excesses in diet or dress. Governor Winthrop, soon after he arrived, laid aside the practice of drinking healths, at his own table, and recommended it to others. In 1639, the practice was forbid by law. In 1634, laws were passed prohibiting the use of tobacco, immodest fashions, and costly apparel. In 1633, a law was made to limit the price of labor; workmen being scarce and de manding high wages. Master workmen were allowed two shillings and laborers, eighteen pence, a day; money being of sterling value. It was also ordered that the advance on goods should not exceed four pence on a shilling, beyond the price in England. These laws had no durable effect, and the general

court in 1640, finding that laborers would either transgress the laws or leave the colony, repealed the act regulating wages, and left every town to fix the price of labor amongst its own inhabitants, which had a better effect.

360. First Shipping bilt in New England. The first attempt to bild water craft in New England, was in 1626. The Plymouth people, finding themselves exposed to great hazards in coasting with an open boat, and having no ship carpenter, employed a house carpenter, who sawed into two parts their largest boat, inserted timbers to lengthen it five or six feet, bilt a deck, and rigged it into a convenient vessel, which did service for seven years.

The first vessel bilt in Massachusetts was a bark of thirty tons, bilt by Governor Winthrop, at Mistic, lanched July 4, 1631; and called the Blessing of the Bay. The day of the first lanch is now the anniversary of Independence. In 1633, a small ship of sixty tons was bilt at Medford. In 1636, a ship of one hundred and thirty tons was bilt at Marblehead, and called the Desire, which belonged to the people of Salem, whose descendants are remarkable for their commercial enterprise. This was the first American ship that made a voyage to England.

361. Causes which promoted Ship Bilding. The planters of New England had vested all their property in money, or necessaries for beginning a plantation; but having little commerce, their money was, in a few years, expended, and they had few resources to supply themselves. Foreign ships came to trade with them, but took little besides money in payment, by which means the colonies were soon drained of cash. Brass farthings were sometimes used for small change, and afterwards bullets. In 1640, money had become so scarce, that the government directed grain to be given in payment of debts, at fixed prices; and when no personal estate could be found, lands to be apprized to creditors upon execution. This was the ori

gin of tender laws. In this situation, the price of lands, and of cattle fell to a fourth of their former nominal value. This put the people upon sowing flax and hemp, and importing cotton.

362. First attempt to encourage Commerce. In this languishing state of trade, the apprehension of a want of foreign commodities, alarmed the people in Massachusetts, and they determined to provide shipping of their own. Mr. Peters, a public spirited man, procured a number of persons to join him in bilding a ship of three hundred tons at Salem in 1640, and this example was soon followed by the inhabitants of Boston, who bilt one of one hundred and sixty tons. Both were finished in 1641. That of Boston was called the Trial. Money was not obtainable to pay the carpenters, but they agreed to take the produce of the country. Thus commenced a spirit of commerce which has made the northern states rich and respectable.

363. Fisheries and Trade of the Colonies. Within a few years after the discovery of North America by Cabot, the English and French began to take great quantities of fish on the American coast, especially on the banks of Newfoundland. This business had become of great importance, more than fifty years before the settlement of Plymouth. The fish were mostly carried to Spain and Portugal. The first planters in New England found their time and money so much occupied in procuring the means of subsistence, that for some years, they could not carry on the fisheries to a great extent. Their principal article of export was peltry; and mostly beaver skins, which they purchased of the Indians for goods of small value. To procure beaver, was the first object of the colonies in establishing trading houses at Kennebec, Connecticut and other places. In 1639, a fishing trade was begun at Cape Ann, and the stock employed in it was exempted from taxation for seven years. This seems to have been the first act of government for encour