In John Cotton’s Preface to The Bay Psalm Reader, he brings up the idea that while the people need to have access to the psalms, the scriptures should not be written in such flowery language as to detract from the meaning and religious truths behind them. He says “Conscience rather than Elegance, fidelity rather than poetry. If therefore the verses are not always so smooth and elegant as some may desire or expect; let …showed first 75 words of 496 total…

…showed last 75 words of 496 total…a feeling of awe evoked by understanding that there is a higher power than them. Thus, this drives us to ask where is the conundrum coming from? Why is there such a different approach to pleasing (the) God(s) through literature? There are no set answers to these questions. However, I for one am intrigued that through reading two types of early American texts, I find myself questioning why and how certain theological ideas evolved.