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Chapter three

tHE Jamestown colony

(An adventure without God ends in a dismal failure.)

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain,” Psalms 127:1.

In December, 1606, twenty one years after the Spanish Armada invasion, three ships sailing for the Virginia Company left England. The venture had been sold as a way of evangelizing the Indians, but it is easy to see that their primary purpose was to find gold! The first group had 144 men but only one preacher, Robert Hunt. No women, families, or heads of families accompanied these men. Due to bad weather, the men lived on board for six weeks without ever losing sight of the homeland. Thus, much of their food supplies were eaten before they began their journey. Finally, on May 14, five months later, they landed. They quarreled from the time they had first entered the ships, and now in the new land, their quarreling took on a new dimension. Just one week after landing, 40 of the most able-bodied men took off to find the Northwest Passage. Shortly after that, a settler accused a local Indian of stealing. This accusation sat the stage for bad feelings between the two groups and resulted in many battles. When the food supply dropped to less than two week’s rations, Captain John Smith began killing Indians and raiding their villages for food. Smith was soon captured and taken before Powhatan who determined to have him executed. However, Pocahontas, Powhatan’s 12 yr. old daughter, liked Smith and pleaded for his life. Seeing that her pleas were being unheard, she finally lay her own head on top of Smith’s head and thus saved his life.^{10
(10}Peter Marshall/David Manuel, The Light and the Glory, Fleming H. Revell, Division of Baker Book House Co., Grand Rapids, MI., 1977, pp. 84-89.)

Though many shiploads of people were brought from England, it seemed that no one in the Jamestown colony was very interested in planting corn. It would be 24 years before this colony would finally plant a crop large enough to sustain itself.^{11
(11}Peter Marshall/David Manuel, The Light and the Glory, Fleming H. Revell, Division of Baker Book House Co., Grand Rapids, MI., 1977, pp. 84-89.)

By the fall of 1609, all the livestock had been consumed; even the hides themselves were eaten. Next went the dogs and cats and then the rats, mice and snakes. They dug up tree roots, and then ate everything made of leather. Shoes, book covers, hinges and all straps were boiled and eaten. Then they began digging up the corpses, cutting them up and boiling them. A man even killed his wife, salted her down and was already eating her flesh when he was discovered. The man was soon executed. Early in May, 1610, a ship named Deliverance brought the Jamestown colony relief. It was estimated that if the ship had come four days later, all the people would have famished.^{12
(12}Peter Marshall/David Manuel, The Light and the Glory, Fleming H. Revell, Division of Baker Book House Co., Grand Rapids, MI., 1977, pp. 99-101.)

Several years later, the Virginia Colony began harvesting and selling tobacco. The sale of tobacco provided enough income to elevate their dire circumstances. Thus, the tobacco industry was born in America which has been a constant scourge on our people ever since. Tobacco has claimed the lives of millions in this country.

Why had so much gone wrong in Virginia? It was because few of them were actually living the life Christ had called them to live. They claimed to be Christians, but they had a watered down commitment. Few had ever truly surrendered their wills to Christ. The settlement of Jamestown was undertaken without Christ.

And what about God’s fantastic promise of Deuteronomy 28:1-14? Notice the remainder of that promise.

“However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.

Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.

The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

You will be cursed when you come in
and cursed when you go out,”

Deuteronomy 28:15-19.

Study Guide

Chapter Three

1. According to Psalms 127:1, who must build the house if it is going to stand?

2. How could the Jamestown colony be compared to Psalms 127:1?

3. Although the Jamestown settlers claimed that they were going to America to convert the Indians, what indicates that this was not their real reason for coming to America?

4. What first stirred up the Indian neighbors of the Jamestown colony?

5. What did Captain John Smith do to stir up the Indians?

6. How did Pocahontas save Smith’s life?

7. Name 6 things the people of the colony ate in the fall of 1609.

8. Why was one man executed in the fall of 1609?

9. What did the people of Jamestown finally do that brought them some prosperity?

10. Why did so much go wrong for the Jamestown colony?

11. What lessons can we draw from the story of Jamestown that should help us in our daily lives?

12. Read Deuteronomy 28:15-19 and list 9 ways we will be cursed if we do not obey the Lord.

13. Name a way that your life has not been as good as it could have been because you disobeyed the Lord.

14. What application can be made regarding the future of America?

15. Can you name anyone who left the Lord, and then his life truly became better?