WILL THAULT: Lessons learned from the Mayflower Compact

Great moments in our past may seem all too obvious to us as we sit comfortably in our 21st Century easy chairs, thumbing through history books. However, they weren’t necessarily considered heroic leaps of mankind to those who actually participated in them.

While it’s generally true that those who marked these landmarks in time did so with conviction and courage, they could hardly have imagined that the ripple effect of their actions in the centuries to come would grow into a tsunami.

For example, we know that the signers of the Declaration of Independence were aware of their history-making moment but were clear-eyed as to the mortal dangers that lay ahead. It was a declaration of freedom, but American Patriots were yet to win that freedom in battle – an outcome far from certain at that moment in time. If the Revolution was lost, their signatures would be as good as a death warrant, for the British government would surely round them up and execute them as traitors. As Benjamin Franklin was famously quoted soon after the signing, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” They knew that the only chance the colonies had against the then most powerful nation on earth was to remain united in their resolve to gain independence.

There is another important event that occurred near these shores exactly 400 years ago this month, with a ripple effect that would shape the character of our nation in the centuries to come. It came and went with little notice beyond a small party of 41 travelers gathered inside the cabin of the little ship Mayflower, anchored just off the coast of Cape Cod, Mass., in 1620. The gathering included both Puritans and non-Puritans alike. It seemed that a dispute was brewing as to how the two factions on board would govern themselves once ashore. To preserve unity, some of the Puritan leaders drew up a short document known as the Mayflower Compact.

Although nothing like a constitution, the document was an agreement that bound the signers and their parties to consensual self-government, with the promise that they would abide by any future laws or regulations “for the general good of the colony.” As it turns out, this Mayflower Compact would become the first framework of government written and enacted by immigrants from the Old World in the New World territory that would later become the United States of America. The democratic ideals expressed in the document also inspired the writers of the U.S. Constitution more than 150 years later.

Although the original manuscript of the Compact was lost, here’s an excerpt from Mourt’s Relation, the oldest known source for the text:

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God and one of another, covenant, and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation, and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute, and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions, offices from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience.

Fast forward back to our 21st Century easy chairs, and let’s take stock of the political situation in our country today. Like these Mayflower passengers, there’s a clash of ideas. Back then, it was simply Puritans vs. non-Puritans. Now it’s liberal vs. conservative, white vs. black, POC vs. BIPOC, systemic racism vs. individual racism, abortionists vs. pro-life, lockdown vs. no lockdown, gun rights vs. gun control, cancel culture vs. American Exceptionalism, free speech vs. censorship, free market vs. boycott, border walls vs. open borders, climate change vs. climate hoax, universal health care vs. free market, socialist vs. capitalist, etc.

Once upon a time, in spite of our differences, we were a diverse, yet united people – realizing our human flaws and shortcomings, but willing to work together to make this “a more Perfect Union.” Just like those folks anchored off Cape Cod, we find ourselves once again facing a seemingly irresolvable dispute over how to govern ourselves. It’s ironic that, given the benefit of 400 years of evolution, resulting in the institutionalization of a complex system of government with checks and balances that promote liberty of conscience and self-rule by elected representation, we’ve devolved into the petty balkanization of stubborn tribal groups. What happened to finding common ground to work out our differences, rather than woke them into greater ones?

If we want this Nation to mend, we’ve got to step back and see the folly of our divisiveness. Jesus said in Matthew 12:25, “Every city or house divided against itself will not stand.” Abraham Lincoln echoed those same sentiments months before the American Civil War. Practical words of wisdom. The Puritans figured it out. Lesson learned. They put it in writing, first as a covenant with God, then with the people, promising “equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions … as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good.”

Common sense. Common respect. Problem solved. Something that escapes us when emotions get out of control. Let’s turn our differences over to God first, then get to work on our hearts. Once healed, reason will surely follow.