Carver…Winslow…Brewster…one by one they picked up the well-worn quill and pledged mutual cooperation for the “general good of the colony”…Allerton, Hopkins, Martin, Mullins…

The document, which later became commonly recognized as The Mayflower Compact, was a simple, yet well-worded covenant that outlined the necessity for order, and the firm reliance upon God’s protection and blessing:

“IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour 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 another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid: And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Officers, 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. IN WITNESSwhereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape-Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James, of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth, Anno Domini; 1620.”

In all, each of the 41 adult male passengers affixed their name to the document, and forged a bond that would set the stage for a self-governing colony. Yet, of the 102 who survived the long and perilous journey, more than half would perish due to starvation or illness in the first year that preceded the celebratory feast we now recognize as Thanksgiving.

In our modern world of iPods, cell phones, and flat-screen TV’s, we’ve become all too complacent to fully soak in an understanding and appreciation for our historical roots. Long gone is the need for a history lecture explaining the significance of our past. If it can’t be downloaded, or sent to us as a text message with a random smiley face in the signature, well then it just won’t “do” anymore. After all, those things are better suited for a classroom (complete with corresponding overhead notes and a monotone voice), than for our fast-paced “digital age” lifestyle of the ‘here and now.’

We’ve fallen victim to commercialism, and have allowed Hallmark, the local mall, and made-for-television movies to tell us just what is and is not significant about our holidays.

Think about it. Do you realize that many young Americans (some of them our own kids) have a greater understanding of Halloween than they do of The Fourth of July? Do you realize that most Americans spend more time in recognition of Valentines Day than they do for Memorial Day?

It’s sad, but unfortunately, it is also quite true. We have become victimized by commercialism that places greater value on the ‘propping-up’ of the present with ‘feel good’ antics, than on solidifying our roots by incorporating traditional values through historical appreciation. Perhaps Bradford and his fellow passengers should have gone Trick-or-Treating with the Indians, or given them a dozen red roses, rather than pausing to remember the trials and tribulations, and celebrating the prosperity that had finally been realized.

I’m sorry to admit this, but we have lost our way…We have lost our vision…We have lost our spirit and passion…and we lost these in the same place that we lost our past…down in the paper sack full of candy we’ve horded that is certainly rotting more than our teeth these days…

(To Be Continued)

The Mayflower Compact: A True Love Note To Those They Would Never Know