Inside: “They brought up their families in sturdy virtue and a living faith in God, without which nations perish.”

Plymouth, Massachusetts, occupies a special place in this nation.  It is the starting point for so much of what is good and right about our founding.  In this little town, just south of Boston, home of the iconic Plymouth Rock where the Pilgrims in 1620 first stepped from the Mayflower onto the shores of what is now our dear homeland, there stands a beautiful statue with an important reminder for us etched into its stone base.  The statue is called the Pilgrim Mother Monument.

Pilgrim Mother Monument

The inscription on the monument is a lasting memorial to these women of undying courage who lived sacrificially, many literally laying down their lives, so they could impart truth to their children who would then go on and become the foundation of this great nation. 

The inscription reads,

“They brought up their families in sturdy virtue and a living faith in God, without which nations perish.”  

This Mother’s Day, I wanted us to remember these remarkable ladies who were right where they were supposed to be, doing exactly what they needed to be doing.  They were pouring themselves into the raising of their children.  This was critically important for the success of their families, and for the success of this great nation.    

Motherhood today

Motherhood, along with the traditional roles of men and women, is under relentless attack in our society.  We know from many parts of Scripture that God creates men and women differently.  Even in the very first chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1:27, the Scripture says “male and female created He them”.  Men and women are different.  They have different roles, different strengths, and different weaknesses.  God made them different because they were intended to complete one another – not compete with one another.  Those who focus on the idea that men and women are in some kind of competition, or that one can do things “as good or better” than the other, are losing sight of the fact that God made men and women to be a complementary pair, who are best, and strongest, together in the marriage relationship designed by God Himself.  Society devalues the mother’s role of raising her children in sturdy virtue and living faith in God – as if that is some small, mundane task that has no real meaning.  The Pilgrims understood that without this contribution from mothers, they would fully expect the nation to perish.  Again, without the mothers raising their children in sturdy virtue and a living faith in God, the nation perishes!  Never lose sight of the importance of Godly motherhood!

We get the chance to see this truth play out firsthand in Plymouth when compared with other colonies like Jamestown.  Plymouth was noticeably very different than Jamestown.  In Jamestown, the colony was started with only men.  They ran into all kinds of problems until a dozen years or so later, they shipped in some ladies because they recognized the colony would not survive without family – the basic building block of society.  But in Plymouth, the Pilgrims came over as families from the beginning.  There were twenty-four families on board the Mayflower, and three of the ladies were pregnant when they embarked on the voyage! 

The Importance of the pilgrim mothers

In the Pilgrim Mother Monument, we can see some of the important differences the Pilgrim mothers brought to their families, and by extension, to the colony.  In Dr Paul Jehle’s book, Plymouth in the Words of Her Founders, he describes the mother’s face as depicted in the monument: 

“The solemn expression on this woman’s face indicates the cost that she is willing to pay to fulfill her serious calling and responsibility as a mother to plant the foundation for a successful colony.  In addition to cooking, cleaning and organizing the household, the most important task was the training of character in her children.”

Thank you, Pilgrim mothers, for training character into your children, and as a direct result, into the future of our nation. 

Another thing you notice about the monument is that she is holding her Bible.  Dr Jehle addresses that as well:

“The Bible is held firm in her hand, for it is the source from which she derives her courage and resolve and the guide to her personal relationship with God. In its pages she finds hope, and its lessons form the basis for the teachings she will give her children and the maintenance of proper relationships with other families… She believes that the character of her children will determine the character of the colony and its relationships with one another.”

Thank you, Pilgrim mothers, for using the Bible to mold and shape the character of your children, and therefore the character of our nation. 

The strength of a Godly Mother

During a time when the roles of men and women are so confused and distorted by so much of the world around us, I find it refreshingly beautiful to consider this monument, but more importantly, the fortitude of the ladies who made these life-giving contributions to our nation – no matter the cost to themselves.  This Mother’s Day, let’s remember the Pilgrim Mothers.  Let’s remember their influence on our land.  Let’s remember the way they personified the beauty of God’s design in real marriages.  Let’s clear up and root out the confusion that has been sown into our own society and families, and get back to God’s design. 

Another application is clear also.  Moms of today, never, ever let anyone tell you that what you’re doing is not valuable.  I know it feels mundane.  I know it is hard.  I know it often seems thankless.  Never forget that the work of raising children, teaching them virtue, teaching them to have faith in God, is the most important job there is, and literally preserves the life of our nation. 

Happy Mother’s Day, ladies.  May you be the modern equivalent of the Pilgrim mothers.  May you bring up your family in sturdy virtue and a living faith in God…  without which nations perish.