the most effective of political harangues; but, unlike other party
orators, they were not forced to stimulate the sluggish, or to convince
the hostile, for from a people glowing with fanaticism, each elder picked
his band of devoted servants of the church, men passionately longing to do
the will of Christ, whose commands concerning earth and heaven their
pastor had been ordained to declare. Nor was their power bounded by local
limits; though seldom holding office themselves, they were solemnly
consulted by the government on every important question that arose,
whether of war or peace, and their counsel was rarely disregarded. They
gave their opinion, no matter how foreign the subject might be to their
profession or their education; and they had no hesitation in passing upon
the technical construction of the charter with the authority of a bench of
judges. An amusing example is given by Winthrop: "The General Court
assembled again, and all the elders were sent for, to reconcile the
differences between the magistrates and deputies. When they were come the
first question put to them was, ... whether the magistrates are, by patent
and election of the people, the standing council of this commonwealth in
the vacancy of the General Court, and have power accordingly to act in all
cases subject to government, according to the said patent and the laws of
this jurisdiction; and when any necessary occasions call for action from
authority, in cases where there is no particular express law provided,
there to be guided by the word of God, till the General Court give
particular rules in such cases. The elders, having received the question,
withdrew themselves for consultation about it, and the next day sent to
know, when we would appoint a time that they might attend the court with
their answer. The magistrates and deputies agreed upon an hour "and ...
their answer was affirmative, on the magistrates behalf, in the very
words of the question, with some reasons thereof. It was delivered in
writing by Mr. Cotton in the name of them all, they being all present, and
not one dissentient." Then the magistrates propounded four more questions,