The New World Times

     The church into which so much blood and sweat has been poured into has finally prevailed in the New World.

    The Puritan church is led by Increase Mather and his son, Cotton Mather, two extremely influential and devoted ministers of the Calvinist faith. The Puritan church follows the Calvinist faith. To all of the newcomers, see the scroll at the bottom about the five points of Calvinism. The most important part of Calvinism is the concept of Predestination. It cannot be stressed enough that God has already decided whether he will save Man or he will damn Man, and nothing can be done about it, except look into the Man’s soul and see God’s fate for Man. God will not let Man repent for their sins. Man is unable to save himself from the temptation of sin; only God’s elect are eternally secure. The Puritan church also believes in Congregationalism, so all organised congregations are free of rule from the law of man, making bishops and presbyteries unneeded. Following Calvinism and Congregationalism is essential to Puritan life. Anyone who is a “four-point Calvinist” or does not believe in any part of the Puritan faith will not be tolerated in the New World.

    The traditional Puritan churches are characterized as small buildings with a bell tower, or steeple, above or on the side of the church. Sermons are given in the small building by one minister. Coming to the church is required, and death or exile will be the solution to heathens who do not come to church or respect the Puritan faith. For example, several witches, in league with the devil, have been discovered in Salem town and Salem village and have been killed. If a friend or family member starts acting strangely or claims to see spectres torturing them, there must be a witch nearby, and one should turn to the church. It is the, duty as one of God’s elect, to help purge this Earth of evil by alerting a minister immediately. If God’s elect  see any devil-like activity, then they must say something to the church.

     The Puritan church began in England, as a solution to the English church, which was too corrupt to reform. The Puritans wanted to overthrow the English church and not merely improve it, but the English church denied their requests to do so. Then, the Puritan church freed itself in 1630, by escaping to the New World. Far away form the grasp of the English church, they could practice what they thought the purest of all religions – Puritanism. The people, or devils, who were native to the New World did not worship the Lord and would not be converted to the Puritan faith. The vulgar ruffians from Spain, who tried to live in Virginia, barely had any concept of religion, and their way of thinking was overpowered by the Puritan way of thinking. This made Puritanism the first and only religion in the New World. The Indians in the New World continually barraged the Puritan colony in the dead of night, taking resources and lives. However, it is the duty of God’s elect to spread the word of God across the world. Even if it costs lives and families, God’s work will be done.

    The Puritan church is one of the most important factors in the Puritan life. Puritans follow every word in the Bible and have infinite faith in God. The Puritans believe in constant worship of God and will never stray from God’s word. They practice Puritanism in their everyday life, by praying and attending church, but, most of all, following the five points of Calvinism and God’s declarations. True Puritans will follow the Bible more faithfully than any law. They traveled three thousand miles solely to have the right to practice their own religion.

The church was one of the most important causes of the Salem witch trials, because it was so important in Puritan life and culture. The Puritans believed that the witches were violating their church and in that their laws, there way of being. They thought this impossible, and, due to their extreme faith in God, they took this as the highest insult possible. Puritans will sacrifice their life and their freedom to be one of God’s elect.