Bradford’s View of Communism

The Pilgrims established a colony at Plymouth in the 17th century. William Bradford (who became Governor of the colony) wrote a history of the settlement, Of Plymouth Plantation. In the book, Bradford explains that the colonists tried a form communism - but it failed miserably.

In a day when Americans make trade agreements with our “friendly” communist neighbors, it is imperative that we remember the Pilgrims:

Page 115, “The failure of this experiment of communal service, which was tried
for several years, and by good and honest men proves the emptiness of the theory
of Plato and other ancients, applauded by some of later times, - that the taking
away of private property, and the possession of it in community, by a
commonwealth, would make a state happy and flourishing; as if they were wiser
than God. For in this instance, community of property (so far as it went) was
found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment which
would have been to the general benefit and comfort. For the young men who were
most able and fit for service objected to being forced to spend their time and
strength in working for other men’s wives and children, without any recompense.
The strong man or the resourceful man had no more share of food, clothes, etc.,
than the weak man who was not able to do a quarter the other could. This was
thought to be injustice. The aged and graver men, who were ranked and equalized
in labour, food, clothes, etc., with the humbler and younger ones, thought it
some indignity and disrespect to them. As for men’s wives who were obliged to do
service for other men, such as cooking, washing their clothes, etc., they
considered it a kind of slavery, and many husbands would not brook it. This
feature of it would have been worse still, if they had been men of an inferior
class...

Page 116, “Let none argue that this is due to human failing, rather than to this communistic plan of life in itself. I answer, seeing that all men have this failing in them, that God in His wisdom saw that another plan of life was fitter for them.”

Page 115, “At length after much debate, the Governor [Bradford], with the advice of the chief among them, allowed each man to plant corn for his own household...

“This was very successful. It made all hands very industrious, so that much corn was planted than otherwise would have been by any means the Governor or any other could devise...”

Thanks be to God that the colonists abandoned the communal system before it was too late! After they turned from communism, the colony flourished and the Pilgrims were blessed with an over abundance of crops. They shared the blessings with their neighbors in a grand feast commonly called “the first Thanksgiving.”

Why is God’s Law Necessary?

The Law of God is necessary today for numerous reasons. Yes, that’s right, God’s Law is necessary today. Why? One of the most basic reasons is found in Romans 7:7.

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin,
but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt
not covet.”

This verse shows that God’s Law is necessary to identify and expose sin. Without God’s Law, there can be no standard of right and wrong. We need the standard of righteousness in order to identify unrighteousness.

Just think – inches cannot be measured without a standard such as a ruler. Likewise, sin cannot be measured without God’s Law. Law is necessary to expose sin.