When a person is placed in a state of confusion, they have no choice but to sacrifice some of their good moral beliefs if they want to survive. Maria Rowlandson is a partial example, as we read in her narrative, On God’s highest and goodness (1682). Rowlandson was a strict Puritan who lived in Lancaster, MA, a minister’s wife, and was also a visible saint. He was a visible holy man whom God was going to save from damnation, and it was apparent to those around him, if you chose to be perfectly portrayed in religion.
Mary Rowlandson depended on God for salvation in her life and believed that her destiny was in His hands. However, he was placed in situations that were beyond his control, in which he had to participate in activities that he felt were taking him away from God. In February 1675, Native Americans attacked his fort and more specifically his house while the man was away, the church serm . They took Rowlandson captive with other family and friends and made them endure the daily assault. (Rowlandson, 68). He always had her with her Bible with her and read she could at every moment, frequently finding scriptures that helped to to keep her faith, knowing that God would help her through every obstacle she faced.
Although he did not give in to his Puritan beliefs, he sometimes had to participate in activities that would normally disgust him in the circumstances of other Puritans. We learn the values of the Puritans great in their beliefs and how strongly they believe they want to do God’s will in order to succeed in life and in life. The two goods which are highly esteemed by the Puritans are the family and God;
One of the great Puritan values that Rowlandson reveals in his story is the importance of the family. When Rowlandson’s house is first attacked and set on fire by the natives, she clings to a small child to bring help. he would help her to be safe, and also all his other children. When Mary Rowlandson was shot, a shot also entered through the body of the inert boy (Rowlandson, 70) and some women left the boy in fear for their lives and tried to run away, but Rowlandson did not cling to the boy and kidnapped her when she was captured. While Maria Rowlandson spent weeks traveling with her natives, she was unsure where the rest of her family and friends were, always holding on to everyone he could see with interest. Shortly after her youngest daughter died, she allowed her master to see his other daughter, Mary (Rowlandson, 75), and on another occasion to visit his son (Rowlandson, 81). Although Rowlandson was held captive, he always tried to see his children. The inhabitants travel in large groups, somewhat like extended families, so they did not care to see relatives like Rowlandson.
He made an effort to see family members at any time, showing that he really values the concept of family. Once she saw an Englishman (Rowlandson, 97), one of the first questions she always asked about her husband was how he was doing, just to make sure everyone was doing well at home. He really cared about all of these people, his family, his friends, his neighbors.
With the Puritans, the Sabbath was a day of rest, they were not doing work, only attending. church and spend the day in prayer. Rowlandson was afraid of what God was going to do to him, because he had sinned in many ways on the Sabbath (Rowlandson, 74). She realized how many days she had transgressed on God’s Sabbath and she fully knew and believed that God was not trying to save her because she had done evil (Rowlandson, 74) because she had continued to do her master’s work and travel with him. the rest of the barbarians on many Sabbaths in the past weeks. Many Puritans believed that even the slightest wrong would come against God in their condemnation, and they constantly feared the wrath of God, which is exemplified in this passage by Rowlandson.
Mary Rowlandson was as reverent to her master as could be expected of any captive, but her master was not sure, as was proved when she called the Sabbath. When he asked his master if he could rest, because he confessed to him on the Sabbath, promising to do all the work he required on the morrow, he replied that he would beat himself if he rested (Rowlandson, 79).
Although this was an example, when Mary Rowlandson was trying to follow the strict part of her religion, she got at other times suffering from it and behaved badly, in ways they were considered to be of a vicious nature. One of the most disgusting behaviors Rowlandson admitted in his narrative was when he was so hungry that he took food from a starving baby so that he could have it himself (Rowlandson, 96). The human mind definitely works differently with the new pressures and if Rowlandson had been in England with his fellow Puritans, it is safe to assume that he would not even have thought of depriving the baby of nutrients, just to better feed himself and his family. arrogance
Although there were several times when Rowlandson reverted to Puritan values, throughout the narrative, he often made references to the Bible, showing how important and how familiar it was to him. The first time Mary Rowlandson had to pass through unknown waters, reminding herself of this place: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and the rivers will not flood you” Isaiah 43. 2 (Rowlandson, 79). Although she was afraid of the dangers that were before her, she used her Puritan belief that God would guide her and not allow her to get into any serious trouble. Not only did she use the Bible for comfort in the prison, but also the other prisoners she visited in it. to March. When he found someone who told Mary Rowlandson that he was preparing to flee from the traps that were against him, Rowlandson replied: “Wait on the Lord, strengthen and strengthen your heart, wait I will say to the Lord. Psalm 27 (Rowlandson, 77). Mary Rowlandson, when sometimes she was discouraged and about she always believed in the grace of God to pull her through all the accidents she found in him.
Mary Rowlandson was placed in a terrible predicament, used to the strict ways of the Puritans, when she had grown up in the church and read the Bible, but she had to go against many of her beliefs when she was held by the natives. We were able to see how the Puritan values were reflected in his narrative, God’s supreme goodness, by learning about which beliefs he was able to hold true and which he had to adapt to be. accepted by those who held it.
Works Citation
Rowlandson, Mary. On the Lordship and Goodness of God. Boston, MA: Bedford, 1997.
Sarum, Neal. On the Lordship and Goodness of God: Introduction: Mary Rowlandson and Her Removes. Boston, MA: Bedford, 1997.
