William Bradford

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up... (Job 22:23). 

As we draw near to the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought it would be good to take a look at some of the American leaders at the beginning of this country and see how their faith played such an important role in their lives and in the birth of this nation. At that time, this land was seen as "under God."

William Bradford was one of the Separatist who came over on the Mayflower. He had been born in Yorkshire, England, in 1590 and grew up there. His father owned a large farm, and they were considered an influential, wealthy family. His grandfather, William Bradfurthe, had likely been part of the nobility, but young William became an orphan at age seven and went to live with his uncles.

When he was twelve, William went to hear the Separatist preacher, Richard Clyfton, and returned again and again, despite the fact that his uncles forbid him to do so. During one of the meetings, he met William Brewster, who gave him books to read and kept him informed of the church reform movement sweeping England. After being imprisoned for his beliefs, William made it to Holland with other Separatists.  He married there and had a son, John. In 1620, he joined the group who planned to come to the American colonies aboard the Mayflower.

After struggling to survive the first winter in the Plymouth Colony, two Indians came in the spring to show the colonists how to plant crops. That led to the harvest celebration in the fall that we think of as the First Thanksgiving. This colony had been founded to honor and worship God, and giving thanks came naturally. William went on to be governor of the colony five times for a total of about thirty years. He is also well-known for the journal he kept that tells of establishing and governing the colony. It's been published as Of Plymouth Plantation. Look at what he wrote:

Being thus arrived in good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all perils and miseries thereof, againe to set their feete on the firme and stable earth.... 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.

Notice that "for the glory of God" came first. We would do well to likewise put God first and obey his Word. America would be a much better better place to live if we did. And not only would the country be better off as a whole, but so would we and our families.

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