This Pennsylvania German illustration depicts a familiar 19th century evangelical motif of the narrow gate to Heaven and the broad and seductive road to Hell, where the devil and his minions await the self-satisfied sinner.
The Geneva Bible was used by the Pilgrims and Puritans in New England until it was gradually replaced by the King James Bible. (1560-1630)
The Bible of the Commonwealths- The New England colonies have often been called "Bible Commonwealths" because they sought the guidance of the scriptures in regulating all aspects of the lives of their citizens. Scripture was cited as authority for many criminal statutes.
The Bloudy Tenent of Persecution Expelled from Massachusetts in the dead of winter in 1636, former Puritan leader Roger Williams (1603-1683) issued an impassioned plea for freedom of conscience. He wrote, "God requireth not an uniformity of Religion to be inacted and inforced in any civill state; which inforced uniformity (sooner or later) is the greatest occasion of civill Warre, ravishing of conscience, persecution of Christ Jesus in his servants, and of hypocrisy and destruction of millions of souls." Williams later founded Rhode Island on the principle of religious freedom. He welcomed people of every shade of religious belief, even some regarded as dangerously misguided, for nothing could change his view that "forced worship stinks in God's nostrils."
A map of New England in 1677 said to have been engraved by John Foster of Dorchester. He printed it in his bookshop in Boston.
"Built in year 1688, taken down 1755..." Sketch of the Salem meeting house
Joseph Putnam, youngest brother of the persecuting Thomas, lived in this house in 1692.
Rebecca Nurse's House
Sarah Osborne's House: This house, constructed c. 1660, was the home of Sarah Osborne in 1692. Sarah Osborne, Sarah Good, and Tituba Indian were the first persons accused of witchcraft by the circle of girls. Osborne was examined on March 1 by John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin at the Salem Village meetinghouse.
(c) Elizabeth Jordan, 2012. All rights reserved.