THE CHRISTIAN PIONEER; MONTHLY MAGAZINE, ISSUED IN NUMBERS, ONE HALFPENNY EACH. EDITED BY JOSEPH FOULKES WINKS. VOLUME XIX. 1865. LONDON: SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, AND CO. LEICESTER: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY WINKS AND SON. The Editor to his Readers and Friends. WILL you read this? We hope you will, for we are anxious to say a few words on a matter in which we expect you feel some interest. Very likely you anticipate already what it is. If you suppose our design is to ask you to aid us in keeping up and extending our circulation, you have guessed rightly. We confess at once that this is our intention, and for these, as well as other reasons. Every year death or other causes thins our ranks of subscribers. If this were to go on for a few years without any efforts to obtain new ones, the publication must die from want of support. Now as we have good reason to believe that you would regret such an event as that, we have confidence that you will do your best to prevent it. We say, you will; for we cannot. The way by which you can do this is both cheap and easy. Indeed it will cost nothing but the few words and minutes it might take to show a copy of the Pioneer to your neighbours and tell them where to get one. This simple plan would accomplish all we want. We wait in hope that every one of you will try it. And we, on our part, will do our best to give you a good halfpenny-worth of stuff for your money, both as regards quantity and quality. Pages 13, 25, 37, 49, 62, 73, 85, 97, 109, 121, 133, 142. FACTS, HINTS, GEMS, AND POETIC SELECTIONS. Facts, 14, 26, 38, 50, 62, 74, 86, 98, 110, 122, 134, 143. Hints, 14, 26, 39, 51, 63, 74, 86, 98, 110, 122, 134, 143. Gems, 15, 27, 39, 51, 63, 75, 87, 99, 111, 123, 135, 143. Poetic Selections, 15, 26, 39, 51, 64, 75, 87, 99, 111, 123, 135, 144. Pages 16, 28, 40, 52, 64, 76, 88, 99, 112, 124, 136, 144. THE VOYAGE OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS. Now that the wicked slavery rebellion in the United States of America has been put down, it may be interesting to our readers to be reminded how those states on the north-eastern shores, now called the New England States, were first settled. There was no religious liberty in England during the long reign of the imperious Elizabeth, and many pious persons fled to Holland, where they could enjoy freedom to worship God. When that "high and mighty" blockhead James, whose infamous name yet disgraces our English Bibles, came to the throne, many were induced to return by his false promises, but they were miserably disappointed. They then resolved to embark for America. It is a remarkable fact that during the late dreadful contest the descendants of these Pilgrims of Liberty were among the most active in finding men and money. Worthy sons are they of worthy sires! "On the 6th of September, 1620, the Mayflower' sailed from Plymouth, and made her way, with a fair wind, to the south-west, until the faint headlands of Old England became to the pilgrims like so much faded cloud, and at length wholly disappeared. They had most of them sighed farewell to the coast of their mother country before, when they had fled from her shores in search of a resting place in Holland; but this farewell must have been uttered with a deeper feeling, as likely to be their last! The voyage was long, rough, and at more than one time perilous. In the ninth week the pilgrims came within sight of land, which, on a nearer approach, proved to be that of Cape Cod. The Hudson River, their place of destination, lay farther southward. But the weary voyager, on regaining the sight of the green earth, is eager to plant his foot upon it. The pilgrims yielded to this impulse, and as they reached the shore, fell upon their knees, and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from many perils and miseries.' It is not too much to say, that in that first prayer from the soil of the New World, ascending from so feeble a brotherhood amidst a wilderness so desolate, there were the seeds of a new civilization for mankind, the elements of freedom for all nations, and a power which in its turn shall regenerate all the empires of the earth. Half a day was thus spent. The pilgrims then urged the captain to pursue his course southward. But the Dutch had resolved to establish settlements |