American Quotations by William J. Federer 2024

Sir William Phips (February 2, 1651-February 18, 1695) was a colonial Governor of Massachusetts, 1692-95, who, during the French and Indian Wars, led the troops to capture the French colony of Port Royal. He stated: <I have divers times been in danger of my life; and I have been brought to see that I owe my life to Him who has given His precious life for me. I thank God He has led me to see myself altogether unhappy without an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, and to close heartily with Him, desiring Him to execute all His offices on...

Assembly of Maryland (1650) passed a Eulogy Proclamation honoring Leonard Calvert, who had died three years earlier:  <Great and manifold are the benefits wherewith Almighty God hath blessed this colony, first brought and landed within the province of Maryland, at your lordship's charge, and continued by your care and industry, in the happy restitution of a blessed peace unto us, being lately wasted by a miserable dissension and unhappy war. But more estimable are the blessings poured on this province, in planting Christianity among a people that knew not God, nor had heard of Christ. All which, we recognize and acknowledge...

Massachusetts General Court (1649) regarding a Sephardic Jewish merchant who arrived in the Colony, pronounced it would: <Allow the said Solomon Franco, the Jew, six shillings per week out of the treasury for ten weeks for his subsistence till he could get his passage into Holland.> 1649MG001 -- American Quotations by William J. Federer, 2024, All Rights Reserved, Permission granted to use with acknowledgement. Endnotes: 1649MG001. William J. Federer, American Quotations (2014). Massachusetts General Court (1649), regarding a Sephardic Jewish merchant.

Connecticut General Court (1650)  Capital Laws Section of the Code, offenses and their punishments: <1. If any man after legal conviction shall have or worship any other God but the Lord God, he shall be put to death. Deut. 13:6, 17:2; Ex. 22:20. 2. If any man or woman be a witch, that is, has or consults with a familiar spirit, they shall be put to death. Ex. 22:18; Lev. 20:27; Deut. 18:10, 11. 3. If any person shall blaspheme the Name of God the Father, Son or Holy Ghost with direct, express, presumptuous, or high-handed blasphemy, or shall curse...

Maryland Toleration Act (April 21, 1649) transformed the Colony of Maryland, which was founded initially as a refuge for persecuted Catholics, into a region that gave Christians of all denominations religious liberty: <Forasmuch as in a well governed and Christian Commonwealth matters concerning Religion and the honor of God ought in the first place to be taken into serious consideration and endeavored to be settled, Be it therefore ordered and enacted by the Right Honorable Cecilius Lord Baron of Baltimore absolute Lord and Proprietary of this Province with the advise and consent of this General Assembly: That whatsoever person or persons...