A Message From The Mayflower
Awaken The Pioneers

Text: Mt 7:24–27

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

On December 18, 1620, the Mayflower and its 102 pilgrims came ashore at Plymouth, Massachusetts. These were a group of Puritans from England, who worshiped God, separate from the state-sanctioned Church of England. As such they were accused of treason, and severely persecuted. They were forced to leave the heavy hand of England and its king to find freedom to worship. The pilgrims, our forefathers, found an opportunity in London merchants who were eager to set up a colony in America. They braved the open seas and the unknown of a new land in order to find true liberty.

Our Forefathers knew that in order for the colony to be successful they needed a framework, a foundation upon which they could build. With that in mind, they set out to create a set of laws for ruling themselves. On November 11, 1620 before they came ashore they articulated and signed what we know as the Mayflower Compact. It was America’s first governing law

It was the first rock upon which we built our nation
* Faith, Morality, Law & Order, Education and Liberty

President Calvin Coolidge on the 300 anniversary of the landing

The compact which they signed was an event of the greatest importance. It was the foundation of liberty based on law and order, and that tradition has been steadily upheld. They drew up a form of government which has been designated as the first real constitution of modern times. It was democratic, an acknowledgment of liberty under law and order and the giving to each person the right to participate in the government, while they promised to be obedient to the laws.

Today we are in a national debate on the future of America. Do we hold to the faith and foundations of our forefathers or do we forge ahead on a different path?

It’s a decision we make as nation but also as families and individuals.

Question for the day: What are you building your life upon? The rock or the sand?


The first national Thanksgiving was in 1863. Abraham Lincoln called for it to be a day of thanksgiving to God and for national repentance at the end of the civil war.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God…

..No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

The Message From The Mayflower (seen in the Monument of our Forefathers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwrXHUsNC6E

1. Faith

Faith is the primary figure and largest at 36 feet tall. Faith’s right hand points us towards God and she holds a Geneva Bible in her left hand. She has the star of knowledge on her forehead and her foot firmly planted on Plymouth Rock. Faith faces east towards the Atlantic Ocean as if to look over the Pilgrims’ trail of faith that led them to Plymouth.

2. Morality

Morality has her head angled towards faith, looking upwards slightly more than the other seated figures. She has the breastplate representing the twelve tribes of Israel on her chest. She holds the ten commandments in her left hand and the scroll of revelation in her right, representing both the Old and New Testament of the Bible. Two reliefs under the seat represent Prophet and Evangelist as supporting principles to Morality.

3. Law

Law is tempered with Justice on the one hand, and Mercy on the other. Law sits in a thoughtful pose holding a representation of civil law. Civil law based on biblical morality with faith in God is the key to civil freedom. Underneath the seat, Justice and Mercy are represented to show their relation to the execution of law. Principles of both justice and mercy were built into our constitutional government.

4. Education

Education comes next since a nation’s population must be educated in matters of law and it’s foundations. Education is represented by a young female figure. She holds and points to the Book of Knowledge. Reliefs depicting Youth and Wisdom are under her seat. Youth shows a child being led by a mother. Wisdom is represented as a grandfather figure in a teaching position with book and globe symbols.

5. Liberty

Liberty sits in triumph. This is the fruit of following and living the discussed pattern and foundational sequence. Liberty holds a sheathed sword in his right hand in a resting position - the battle for freedom has been won and he is ready to guard against any encroachments. His left hand holds a chain with broken shackles - he has been freed from bondage. A lion skin on his back drapes over his shoulder showing the foot of the lion indicating that the tyrannous beast has been slain and perhaps a nod to the American independence gained by separating from Great Britain. Tyranny Overthrown and Peace are represented under the seat of Liberty. Now we can live in true peace.


When Israel crossed over the Jordan from the wilderness to the promised land the Lord instructed them to take twelve stones from the river and place on the other side so that future generations would pass by and ask what does this mean.

Our forefathers left a rock that reminds us of the roots of liberty.

* Faith In Jesus
* Personal Morality
* Law & Order
* Education
* Liberty

The Answer For America, Return To The Rock