To those intrepid
English women
whose courage fortitude and
devotion brought a new nation
into being, this statue of the
Pilgrim Maiden is dedicated.
(Maiden of Mayflower Monument Inscription 1924)
In a quiet part of Plymouth, Massachusetts, overlooking a small reflective pool, is a monument that is dedicated to all the younger ladies who made the daring trip to the New World in 1620. This young, copper lady is portrayed with a Bible in her hand, standing firmly and bravely against an anticipated forceful wind of the future. It is a testament to all the teenage girls who left the conveniences of the civilized world to travel to a land that guaranteed them nothing but harshness, all in pursuit of fulfilling the will of God in their lives.
Of all the women that made the initial journey, only four wives survived that horrendous winter. Much of the weight of the daily responsibilities fell upon the shoulders of younger girls, most prominently, Priscilla Mullins. This young maiden was no stranger to adversity as her mother died when she was a little girl. Her father, William Mullins, a necessary shoemaker, made the voyage along with his second wife, Priscilla, a son, and his apprentice, Robert Carter. The oldest two Mullins children remained behind in England. William is listed as one of the historic signers of the Mayflower Compact.
God was merciful to the Mullins family as they remained healthy throughout those early dark days at Plymouth, being one of the few families that escaped death’s clutches intact. As the disease started to slow among the tiny community, however, William became ill and died shortly thereafter. As if that were not bad enough, the young apprentice also passed into eternity, followed by Priscilla’s stepmother and younger brother. None but her was spared.
As the next spring began to break through the crust of winter, the Mayflower captain graciously offered free passage back to the safety of England in gratitude for the kindness shown to his crew during their own bout with sickness and death. It would have been perfectly acceptable for Priscilla to run back into the arms of her remaining siblings, but she was definite in her decision to stay on the New England coast to help establish the vision imparted by her late father.
Even though there were few marital prospects in the new land, Priscilla trusted in the plan and purposes of God. She ultimately married John Alden, and they had ten children, dozens of grandchildren, and several hundred great-grandchildren. Their descendants include John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Marilyn Monroe, Calvin Coolidge, George Orson Welles, and Henry Wadsworth, the latter of whom wrote a poem that immortalized their courtship. It is estimated that this little orphan girl who stood firm in a time of devastating adversity has over one million direct descendants.
While there has been much conversation about the need of biblical masculinity in the 21st century culture, it is equally important for us to stress the need of biblical femininity. Biblical femininity is not defined by being fashion-conscious, having the ability to socialize among the elite, or toting an impressive educational pedigree along with the accompanying letters following their names. Instead, it is found in examples such as Priscilla Mullins. It has been exemplified by thousands of women who were led by vision, conviction, and the fear of the Lord, choosing to go against cultural lies and expectations.
Although we want our daughters to be highly educated—as opposed to simply highly schooled—their greatest contributions to society will flow from their character, not from their academic standing. Homeschool females like Priscilla Mullins remind us that those who honor the Lord will be honored by Him. May this Thanksgiving be a memorial stone to homeschooling parents that there is nothing any more important that they can do for their children than to raise them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) just like William Mullins. It also serves as an exclamation reminder to our daughters that the hand that rocks the cradle and disciples their children at home, impacts the world for the glory of Jesus Christ. While some may raise children who are great in their generation, we want to raise descendants who will be a godly influence in generation after generation after generation. This is home discipleship. This is the testimony of the Pilgrims.
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