Anne Marbury Hutchinson Part lll

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Biography (cont.)
Anne Hutchinson's only sin was being able to think for herself in an age when women were considered to be nothing more than servants for their husbands, meant to bring as many children as they could into the world, and raise them.  These were rules strictly enforced by the Puritans, who, in accordance to the teachings of the Old Testament of the Bible, viewed women as morally feeble creatures, who like Eve before them would no doubt lead men to damnation if allowed to form an opinion or express a thought. Women were considered inferior beings, with inferior minds, and would therefore need to be governed by men, who after all, had been created in God's image.  It is Ironic to think that Anne Hutchinson so embraced a faith that made her out to be nothing more than a slave. Anne kept quiet during most of her days at the colony, but not nearly quiet enough.  Feeling the need to discuss matters of the faith, Anne started a woman's club which would congregate in her home to discuss the Scriptures, pray and review sermons, but this was also the perfect forum for Anne to voice her opinions, which generated a fair amount or interest amongst both the men and women of the community, who would come in greater numbers each week to hear her speak.  Even magistrates and scholars took an interest in what she had to say. The assertive Anne was now becoming a religious leader to many, and this worried John Winthrop, a long time opponent of Anne's views, and the newly appointed Governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony.  Winthrop recognized her as a threat to the authority of the men in power, and the thought of women expressing their views on Church and communal matters made him fear for the integrity and fundamentalist ideals of the Puritan way of life in his colony. Winthrop denounced her gatherings,  stating they were "a thing not tolerable nor comely in the sight of God, nor fitting for your sex."  Anne had gained notoriety as the voice of dissent and "Antinomianism", the belief that Christians are not bound by moral law.  John Winthrop was intent on silencing that voice of dissent, and was now ready to take the necessary measures to do so.  As far as women were concerned, freedom to think was also the freedom to sin, and unravel the fabric of the the religious community.  Another educated woman, poet Anne Bradstreet, did all she could to keep her thoughts on private pages, while other educated women probably did not even dare going as far jotting down their thoughts in private journals. Continued...