Crotnwe11~_a ia ~~~~lit/, lltffl11111ni!rl ,- ~I J}. • A The Cromwell Association 1986-87 GOD'S ENGLISHMAN The Cromwell Association The Address given by Mr 0. B. Good at the Memorial Service held President: Professor IVAN ROOTS M.A., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S. beneath the statue of Oliver Cromwell outside the Palace of Westminster, Vice-Presidents: THE LORD CARADON OF S'T CLEER 3 September 1986. Mr MAURICE ASHLEY, C.B.E., B.A., D.Phil. LADY (DINGLE) FOOT Dr E.S. DE BEER, M.A., D.Litt., F.S.A It has been said the 'the test of the progress of mankind will be in the Miss HILARY PLATT, B.A. appreciation of the character of Washington.' History has revealed the Chairman: Mr TREWIN COPPLESTONE founder of the Republic of the West· 'in his habit as he lived', and thought, Joint Hon. Secretaries: Mr E. GOODMAN to be a man of genuine religion and robust virtue, of strong passions 4 Thackery Manor, Sutton, Surrey and severe self.discipline; not greater in military genius than far.sighted Miss P. BARNES and sane as a ·politician, as capable of furthering progress as he was Gosswell Cottage, Northedge, Tupton, Chesterfield resolute in attacking tyranny. Well does his appreciation of Washington Hon. Treasurer: Mr JOHN WESTMACOTT apply to the great Protector, Oliver Cromwell! 1 Salisbury Close, Wokingham, Berks By the most competent witne~ses, Cromwell is now seen as 'the noblest Hon. Editor of Cromwel/iana Roman of thern all', a heroic soul, true· to justice and right and of Professor IVAN ROOTS, M.A., F.S.A., F.R.Hist.S. conscience, integrity, loyalty to truth, all compact; for S. R. Gardiner 'the THE CROMWELL ASSOCIATION WAS founded in 1935 by the late Rt. greatest because the most typical.Englishman of all time'. At last he has Hon. Isaac Foot and others to commemorate Oliver Cromwell, the great emerged from the clouds of abuse and prejudice, and taken his per· Puritan statesman, and to encourage the study of the history of his times, his manent place ill the nation·a1 imagination and heart. We who know him achievements and influence. It is neither political nor sectarian, its aims being essentially historical. The Association seeks to advance its aims in a variety of are grateful for his innermost life of trust and love, of struggle with evil ways which have included: and communion with God, revealed as we read hisJ_etters to his family and chosen friends or listen to his speeches. He has escaped from political (a) the erection of commemorative tablets (e.g. at Naseby, Dunbar, Worcester, party and entered the larger·life of humanity.·He now ranks among the Preston etc.). (From time to time appeals are made for funds to pay for projects of this sort); great men of history, standing in the Pantheon beside William III the (b) helping to establish the Cromwell Museum in the Old Grammar School Liberator, in the corner where the heroes of Protestantism are placed. at Huntingdon; We lift our hats to him for his deeds; neither blaming nor praising them (c) holding two annual meetings, one the now traditional Memorial Service by the Statue outside the Houses of Parliament; the other a business ().)together; but, disregarding the old Royalist invectives. Lowell voices meeting at which the Council presents a report on its year's work for the admiration and affection that Cromwell has earned. discussion by members. At both meetings an Address is given by a distinguished Cromwellian; A name earth wears forever next her heart; (d) producing an annual publication Cromwelliana which is free to members; (e) awarding an annual prize for an essay on a Cromwellian theme; ··One of the few that nave .a right to rank (f) maintaining a small reference library for the use of member; With tne true Makers: For his spirit wrought (g) supporting the formation of local groups of paid-up members of the Order from Chaos; proved .that righ,t divine Association meeting for study or social purposes; Dwelt only in the excellence of truth; . (h) acting as a 'lobby' at both national and local levels whenever aspects or And far within old darkness' hostile lines items of our Cromwellian heritage appear to be endangered. Advanced and piteh~d the shining tents of Light. .. All enquiries about the Library should be addressed to: Cromwell Association (Library) c/o Mr Trewin Copplestone, Oliver Cromwell belongs to the ~hole hurrian race, but certainly to none 3, Brook Green Studios, Dunsany Road, London Wl4 OJP was he more akin in spirit and in ~he prinCiples he cherished and fought for, than to ourselves. Not immaculate - who is? Not to be 'implicitly followed' - no man is; but 'to the end .he was interested first in religion, and then in politics _:.:. and so should we be. He was a puritan. His main Printed in Great Britain by Short Run Press Ltd., Exeter 1 ,. effort was to suppress corruption in the individual heart, and in the life of religion. He made mistakes, for he trod new ground, but to err is and action of society and of the state. That, too, should be our own human; and when the whole tale is told, the evidence is overwhelming, chosen goal. His religion was inward and spiritual. He held that the rights that Oliver was as intrinsically good as he was great. In the words of of the people in worship and thought were more important than anything George Eliot; 'the greatest gift a hero leaves his race is to have been a else. He stood for the free and fraternal rule of the Christian in the hero.' church, and of the citizen with an elected parliament in the state. As Look at the statue of Cromwell. What do you see there? No stance of legatees of Cromwell's faith and purposes, we here recall with thank­ conqueror - though conqueror he was. Rather is .it not a stance of fulness his services to the nation and to the world. It is for us to maintain humility, for pride had little part in his life? He saw himself, to 'as a mean and extend the causes to which he dedicated his splendid energies. instrument to do God's people some good service'. It is right that for a We put character before anything else. It is the pearl of great price for sword to be in his right hand. He drew it in the cause of a new freedom for which we will, if need be, risk all we have. We are called to produce this nation which every one of us today enjoys, and so very many think so strong, serene, serviceable, saintly men and women; saints, not of little of. There is, however, one thing more about this fine statue. In his the ecclesiastical calendar or of the church window, but of the home and left hand there is a Bible. There you find the foundation of all he was and the market, of the shop and the council chamber, of the street, of the did, for in the God and faith it proclaims lay the power that was his. sick-room and of the battlefield. He has been called 'God's Englishman'. Cromwell's religion is the essential thing without which we have no He is an entirely honest soul, true as steel to his best self; a legislative Oliver, no Commonwealth, and nothing at all that period means. It is his genius and a seer, a finely disciplined soldier and a broad-minded citizen, very self. Omit it, and you omit all. Get at the secret of Cromwell's and yet a man of massive moral worth and purity. A contemporary religion, and you get at all. To the Committee of the Cambridge pronounced him 'the justest of conquerors'. Even the Royalists ac­ Association in 1642 he wrote 'Verily I do think the Lord is with me. I knowledged 'the King hath the better cause, but the Parliament hath the undertake strange things, yet do I go through with them to great profit better men'. and gladness, and furtherance of the Lord's great work. I do feel myself These 'better men' were not only Cromwell's choice, but owed not a lifted on by a strange force. I cannot tell why. By night and by day I am little of their steadfast character to his inspiration and example. John urged forward in the great work.' He could as easily disbelieve in the rule Milton spoke of Cromwell as 'our chief of men', and when the Pro­ of the sun over the day, as in God's rule over his life. He trusted and tectorate was established, he wrote 'we are deserted, Cromwell you alone obeyed. He kept the even tenor of his way serenely confident that he was remain; the sum total of our affairs has come back to you and hangs on not responsible for the issues, but for the obedience to the Divine Will you alone we all yield to your insuperable worth .... In human society which he obeyed so thoroughly that some thought him a fool. there is nothing more pleasing to God, more agreeable to reason, nothing It was out of his knowledge of God in Christ that his all-conquering fairer and more useful to the state than the worthiest should bear rule.' faith sprang. A distinct conception of a generous God, abounding in That was the sober truth. There is no doubt that Cromwell was the grace to him- personally was the thought that shaped his life.