Page 59 - Pilgrims in Georgia

R In 1628 a charter was granted to The Massachusetts Bay Company to begin a settlement near

the existing Colony of Plymouth. As persecution increased Puritan John Winthrop joined the

company and was elected as Governor to establish the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though
these were not “Separatists’ as the previous Plymouth settlers had been, persecution and
hope for the future caused them to look to the New World with hope. The Congregationalists
were more numerous, thoroughly organized, with reasonable wealth, and a unifying statement
of Faith known as the Savoy Declaration.. With 17 ships and 1000 mostly Puritans settlers the
first convoy of ships arrived at Boston harbor with Winthrop. Abord his flagship Arbella he
delivered a sermon entitled "A Model of Christian Charity." And, it is in this sermon that,
though not in those words, he introduces the Puritan vision of…“A City Set on A Hill”,

John Winthrop “For wee must consider that wee shall be as a citty upon a hill. The eies of all people are uppon us.“
This vision has influenced not only New England but Americas development for generations. Following this in the years
between the 1630 and 1640 another 20,000 Puritans and settlers would come to New England and another 60,000 would
flee England for other countries. The Puritan Congregationalists that came to Georgia were part of these pioneers.
In 1630, the Rev. John White and 140 members from his church set sail on the ship Mary and John and upon finding a
suitable location, establish a settlement, only the second group of Puritan settlers in New England, the first being Salem

about six months before. They named their new home Dorchester Plantation in honor of Rev. White who came from
Dorchester in Dorset, England.
Later in 1695 at the invitation of other Puritans in South

Carolina, a group of settlers with their Pastor Rev.. Joseph
Lord, left Dorchester Massachusetts by ship to establish
another settlement of Dorchester, this time in South
Carolina.. It is from these pioneers that came the Georgia
Puritan Congregationalists. The last move now to Georgia, in
part was instigated by the South Carolina authorities
building an English State Church in the Dorchester area.
Then requiring financial support for this church, in whose

religious life the Puritans did not share, come from the
taxation of all of the colonists of Dorchester. This and other
issues that developed over time caused the people to
consider moving again. Then in 1752 moved to the Georgia
Colony to establish the town of Midway. Midway Congregationalist Church, Midway Ga.