ful wife," Mr. Bradley
would then say as he caught her up into his arms. "How shall I ever be
able to thank Him enough for His tender mercies!"

"And we have here so many friends and good neighbors," Mrs. Bradley
would say; "the whole Colony is like one big family, though at times
they do quarrel over religion and other things. Yet in general they are
truly Christian people who desire to do what is right."

The husband assented. "Yes, our Massachusetts Colony is the most
prosperous of them all. Every vessel brings hundreds of settlers, and
the Indians live with us in peace and harmony. May God continue His
blessings upon us, for we are not worthy of them."

Of course, there were also hard times when food was scarce, and when
sickness and trouble afflicted many hearts.

Yet God had given to the Colony a man of great piety and wisdom who in
all matters of general and private administration conducted himself
with prudence and vision.

The Winthrops were great friends of the Bradleys, and often in the
winter evenings they would sit together and discuss weighty matters
pertaining to the welfare of the Colony. In this way, our friends
became intimately acquainted with that great and good man. But every
settler acknowledged his sterling virtues, and up to the time of his
death in 1649, he was elected almost continually governor of the Colony.
For contrary to the prevailing custom, the Massachusetts colonists could
elect their own governors, as provided by their charter.

Governor Winthrop dressed very plainly so that when you met him, you
could not at all tell by his clothes that he was governor. He was also
a very humble man, and labored with his hands among his servants, since
he was not ashamed of working. This put zest into those that were
inclined to be indolent and who shirked the many toils that were
necessitated by the upbuilding of the Colony.

In order to spread the principles of temperance Governor Winthrop drank
little but water, and also in other respects he encouraged the habits of
temperance and sobriety. This was very necessary since peace and
prosperity attend a people only if it is temperate in all things.

When the Colony had little food, he liberally gave to the poor people of
his own store. Once his last bread was in the oven, yet when hungry
people came to him, and begged for flour, he dispensed to them the small
remainder. Fortunately, that very day a shipload of provisions arrived,