I found out yesterday that I am a direct descendant of Francis Cooke, one of the brave souls who boarded the Mayflower in pursuit of a place where they would be free to practice their faith apart from the harassment of governmental and ecclesiastical authorities. In reading a book about their story I find it fascinating how the things that motivated them have a strange familiarity with us today. They were concerned about: 1) Economic hardship in the Dutch Republic 2) Worry about what could happen in wars outside of their control (the Thirty Years War) 3) Anxiety about their children being exposed on all sides to an alien culture that was filled with temptations Sound familiar to anyone?

Posted by Clifford Paul Engels at 2024-09-04 02:24:55 UTC