Beth, thanks so much for posting this info on Anne Hutchinson. She is one of my ancestors and I love reading about her! Donna > > From: Beth Hurd <beth.hurd@cox.net> > Date: 2006/04/04 Tue PM 08:57:19 EDT > To: RIGENWEB-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [RIGENWEB] Anne Hutchinson (part 3 of 5) > > continued from part 2. > > "To what did such unusual attributes in a woman in those days lead? To > trouble of course, since not even the men dared to question authority or to > speak their own minds when it came to matters of religion and personal > liberty. And this is how it all started. Three hundred years ago in > Boston the women of that community participated fully in the long, very > long Sunday religious services, and they also might be present at the > Saturday evening services. Naturally the women mingled with the numerous > assemblies for constituting churches, for ordaining ministers and elders, > but there were certain meetings for religious discourse from which they > were excluded. Whether she resented this occasional exclusion of her sex, > or whether she was prompted by a desire to supply a deficiency, Anne > Hutchinson instituted a series of meetings for members of her own > sex. This novel enterprise of hers met with favor rather than with > disapprobation, at first. As many as one hundred women would attend these > meetings, and for a period she held two each week. The nominal purpose of > these meetings was for the review and interpretation of the sermons > delivered by Mr. Cotton on Sunday, and at his usual Thursday lecture. It > can be rightfully claimed that, through her leadership of this group, Anne > Hutchinson thereby became the first organizer of the earliest women's club > in the world. How long it was before these meetings invited criticism is > not certain, but, certainly, by the end of the first two years of Mrs. > Hutchinson's abode in Boston, she was being severely regarded as an > instigator of strife and dissension. > > And she found herself in trouble with the authorities not because she was > the organizer of special meetings for the women of the community, but > because she took advantage of these periodic gatherings to expound some > very peculiar and decidedly seditious doctrines for the times. Rather > difficult to comprehend in this enlightened age, these ideas had > considerable justification when they are considered in the light of what is > actually known about Puritans and their customs. Using simple terms, Anne > Hutchinson preached that it was not necessary to look holy in order to hold > deep religious feelings. Or, even in plainer terms, she exhorted her > followers to justify themselves before God through their hearts, minds and > works, and she openly condemned those who were content to seek salvation > through pious expressions, grave and reverend bearing, sombre dress and > other outward forms of religious manifestation. Inward sanctification she > called 'The Covenant of Grace,' outward sanctification, 'The Covenant of > Works.' Anne Hutchinson continued to place considerable force upon the > prime necessity of adopting the Covenant of Grace, besides, she finally > singled out those clergymen in the Colony who advocated this Covenant and > those who did not advocate it. The ministers whom she criticised, directly > or indirectly, were much offended. Trouble was brewing for Anne Hutchinson > from many sources in spite of the fact that her sympathizers and ardent > supporters rapidly increased in numbers, and all the while she continued to > preach, condemn, denounce and upbraid those in authority who failed to > recognize the rights of individual man. From her privately conceived > Covenant of Works she went on to preach that all classes of people - clergy > and laity, the rich and poor, the educated and uneducated - stood as equals > before the law with rights as to life, liberty and justice, unabridged, > except as forfeited by crime or lost by incompetency." > > continued in part 4. > > > ==== RIGENWEB Mailing List ==== > Visit and/or join our Rhode Island off topic Mail list > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Rhode_Island/?yguid=86367525 > Subscribe: Rhode_Island-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > >