456 NATURAL AND CIVIL 



part of Europe, and at a time when considera- 

 ble advances had been made in the arts and 

 sciences. The clergy, and several of the leading 

 men that came over with the English, when 

 they made their first settlements, had been ed- 

 ucated at the universities of Cambridge or Ox- 

 ford. They were well acquainted with classi- 

 cal literature, had been instructed in the phi-, 

 losophy of that day, and Avere eminent for their 

 knowledge in the theological debates and con- 

 troversies that agitated the English nation at 

 that time. Disgusted with the English hierar- 

 chy, and viewing with horror the arbitrary pro- 

 ceedings of Charles the first, and his archbish- 

 op Laud, they removed into America, to be 

 ©ut of the reach of prelatical power and perse- 

 cution. Widiout a preconcerted plan of eccle^ 

 siastical power or policy, they adopted such a 

 method of ecclesiastical proceedings, as utility, 

 tin^e, and circumstances suggested. Happily 

 for themselves and for their posterity, nature 

 and Christianity led them to adopt one, that 

 Avas equally favorable to the interests of moral- 

 ity and religion ; and to the rights and liber- 

 ties of mankind. 



Justly pleased with the form, in which the 

 christian cliurch appeared in the new world, 

 and apprehc nsive of the important consequen- 

 ces it might have on society, they wished to 

 give to the church and to the country, all the 

 advantages that niight be derived from the in- 

 fluence of th': arts and sciences. So early as 

 the year 1C38, they began the foundation of a 

 College at Cambridge ; and were warnily en, 

 gaged in making provision to educate their youth 



