Thomas Weld first became a minister in the Church of England in 1618, but was forced to leave in 1632 for attempting to practice religious reforms against the church. Nevertheless, Weld found a comfortable position for himself in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where he was quickly announced a member to the office of pastor. For Thomas Weld, this change in his life was a reformation for himself as much as it was for religious persecutors; according to David Hall’s Puritans in the New World, Weld claimed that his migration to the New World enabled him “freedom from the unclean conversation of the wicked” (5). In regards to his fellow citizens in Terling, England, Mr. Weld wrote a letter describing how much more glorified and blessed his life had become once he moved to the New World. Most of the language in his letter is promotional, but his speech is promotional in two different ways. In one way, Thomas Weld’s letter is encouraging for any person desiring to get out of England in the 17th century because it is filled with details about the abundant resources and religious perfection that is contained within Massachusetts. However, in another way, his letter is promotional on a purely religious level, meaning that his letter serves God and promotes an expansion for Christianity.
First, how does Weld’s letter appeal to other emigrants during the Protestant Reformation? On page two of his letter, Weld says the New World is “as goodly a land as ever mine eyes beheld” (34). Following this quote, he describes how ample the resources and commodities are of the new thriving land he has been blessed to live on. He mentions the surplus of corn, salt, cattle, etc. that offers “health in a comfortable measure” (34). I find it interesting that there is not mention of the hardships many had to face on the voyage to the New World. Ironically enough, Weld claims no one died on the journey he took to come to America; he talks of a few people who were overcame sicknesses (in light of God’s grace of course), and even mentions a story about a women who gave birth within forty hours after they had landed their ship. My opinion remains a bit skeptical of the facts Weld presents in his letter, but nonetheless, his devotion to God is undeniable.
The difference between Weld’s letter and many other promotional narratives that we have read in class is this: Thomas Weld’s writing is promotional on two levels- the religious level being, in my opinion, the most dominant. There are parts within Weld’s letter where I forgot that I was reading a letter and started thinking I was reading gospel. He relates every situation to scripture and seems unwilling to reveal anything bad about the New World because his new land is governed under the divine light of God, reaping nothing short of perfection: “Only we desire to breathe after perfection and to know what is the rule and to walk in it” (35). When reading Weld’s letter, I have to admit, I thought his devotion was a little over the edge, but then again this is to be expected of a 17th century Puritan. Regardless, his faith towards God and his persistence in promoting all worldly things under His name remains sincere.
I wholeheartedly agree that Weld’s narrative is a promotional one. In my post, I talk about the many parallels one can find between Weld’s account and Biblical tales – why would anyone make so much mention of the Bible if they weren’t intent on “spreading the Gospel?” I find the parallels between his journey and several tales in the Bible interesting, as well. I have also wondered if this may have skewed his account, though – his claims that no one died on the journey and that people emerged from the ship in better condition than they previously were seem rather far fetched. While I do understand that he was a minister, I would like to have an explanation as to what other motive he may have had for adding so much miraculous detail in his account.
Interesting: so he partakes in the excesses of the promotional, but does so less to recruit others than he does to glorify God (which, in turn, is just one more way to recruit others who want to go where God’s grace seems to be shining most brightly). I like how you address this letter’s relationship to the promotional genre. Well done!