A Model of Christian Charity, a sermon delivered onboard the Arbella (1630)
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For we must consider that we shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world.
— John Winthrop
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "For we must consider that we shall be a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us, so that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a byword through the world." in the context of "A Model of Christian Charity, a sermon delivered onboard the Arbella (1630)" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "John Winthrop" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
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About John Winthrop
John Winthrop (12 January 1587/1588–26 March 1649) was a Puritan lawyer who led the first large wave of immigrants from England into the New World on the ship Arbella. He was a major contributor to the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, envisioning it as a "city upon a hill". He was the third governor of the colony. Winthrop was extremely religious, and a fervent subscriber to the Puritan belief that the Anglican Church had to be cleansed of Catholic ritual. He played a role in the banishment of Anne Hutchinson from the Massachusetts Bay Colony as the primary prosecutor and judge.
About John Winthrop
John Winthrop (12 January 1587/1588–26 March 1649) was a Puritan lawyer who led the first large wave of immigrants from England into the New World on the ship Arbella. He was a major contributor to the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629, envisioning it as a "city upon a hill". He was the third governor of the colony. Winthrop was extremely religious, and a fervent subscriber to the Puritan belief that the Anglican Church had to be cleansed of Catholic ritual. He played a role in the banishment of Anne Hutchinson from the Massachusetts Bay Colony as the primary prosecutor and judge.
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