centuries after Christ. Any gentleman upon this floor is invited t
produce an inktance, that Christian societies were ever formed Chris-
tian sabbaths ever enjoined Christian salaries ever levied, or Christian
worship ever enforced by law, before the reign of Constantine ; yet
Christianity did stand and flourish, not only without the aid of law
and the schools, but in opposition to both. We therefore hope, Mr.
Speaker, that the prayer of Thirty Thousand, on this occasion, will be
heard, and that they will obtain the exemption for which they pray.
The 2d section of the Bill before the house, I object to. It recog-
nizes principles which are inadmissible invests all non-corporate soci-
eties with corporate powers puts the mischievous dagger into their
hands, which has done so much mischief in the world, and presents
nj balm for the wounds of those who cry for help.*
The petitioners uo not ask to be known in law as corporate bodies^
but to be so covered that religious corporate bodies shall not knovr
and fleece them : but this section puts the knife into their hands against
their will ; a knife, Sir, whkrh is more pestiferous than Pandora's box.
The interference of legislatures and magistrates in the faith, worship,
or support of religious worship, is the first step in the caie which leads
in regular progression to Inquisition : the principle is the same, the
only difference is iu the degree of usurpation.
The Bill has its beauties, and its deformities. One prominent defect
of the bill is a croaked back ; it makes a low stoop to his high migh-
tiness Town-Clerk, to pra\ for the indulgence of worshipping God ;
which is, and ought to be guaranteed a natural and inalienable right,
not a favour to be a.vked by the citizen or bestowed by the ruler. It
has also a disagreeable quinting; it squints to a purse of money with
as much intenseness as ever a drunkard did at the bottle, or as ever
did at the apple. Yes, Mr. Speaker, if there was no money to be
got, we should never bear of these incorporations. How strange it is,
Sir, that men, who make such noise about Cnristianity, should be afraid
to trust the pn/mise of God, unless they can have legal bondsmen,
b und by incorporation.
Government should be 50 fixed, that Pagans, Turks, Jews and Chris-
tians should be equally protected in their rights. The government of
Massachusetts is, however, differently formed ; under the existing Con-
stitution, it is not possible for the General Ccurt to place religion up-
on its proper footing : it can be done, houever, much better than it is
done, either by the late decision of the Bench, or by the adoption of
the present Bill, in its present shape; and the best which the constitu-
tion will admit of, is all that we ask for at present. I shall therefore
take the liberty, at a proper time, to offer an amendment to the BilJL
I shall no longer trespass on the patience of the house.
tNo. VI ]
Additional Remarks on the Character of Roger Williams.
TOWARDS the close of the history of Rhode- Island, we proposed to
give, in the Appendix, a letter written by this distinguished man. It
* The objectionable part of this Bifl was sftwwards struck- cart:
Appendix* 457
h preceded by seme very judicious remarks by Governor Hopkins,
which are worthy of being recorded.
" All Christians," says the Governor, " from the beginning of the
Reformation to these times, when they were disturbed and oppressed
by the governing powers they lived under, on account of their relig-
ious principles or practices, had claimed this natural right, a liberty of
tonscience in the worship of God* And many of them had, with much
learning -and great strength of reason, shewn, that it was a right they
were naurally and justly entitled to; and of which the civil magis-
trate could not deprive them, without departing from his proper duty
and office. But all of them, when they came to be possessed of power,
had denied that indulgence to those, who differed from them in reli-
gious sentiments, that they had pleaded so powerfully for, when they
suffered themselves j and this had constantly and universally been the
ca:>e throughout Christendom for many hundred years. And Roger
Williams justly claims the honour of having been the first legislator
in the world, in i'.s latter ages, that fully and effectually provided for
and established a free, full, and abbolute liberty ot conscience. This
beneficent principle he made the foundation, and, as it were, the chief
corner-stone of his infant colony ; this was made the test of admission
to all new-comers : this was the chief cause that united the inhabit-
ants of Rhode-Island and those of Providence, and made them one
people arid one colony. It was often objected to Mr. Williams, that
such great liberty in religious matters tended to licentiousness and
every kind of disorder. To such objections I will give the answer he
himself ma.le, in his own words ; for thereby his real sentiments may
be best discovered."
" To the town of Providence.
"LOVING FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS}
" IT pleaseth God yet to continue this great liberty of our town-
meetintrs, for which we ought to be humbly thankful, and to improve
these liberties to die praise of the Giver, and to the peace and welfare
of the town and colony, without our own private ends. I thought it
my duty to present you this my impartial testimony, and answer to a
paper sent you the other day from my brother, " That it is blood'guilti-
nest, and against the rule of the Gospel, to execute judgment upon transgres-
sors, against the publick or private weal." That ever I should speak or
write a tittle, that tends to such an infinite liberty of conscience, is a
mistake, and which 1 have ever disclaimed and abhorred. To prevent
such mistakes, I at present shall only propose this case : There goes
many a ship to sea, with many a hundred souls in one ship, whose
weal and wo is common, and is a true picture of a commonwealth,
or an human combination, or society. It hath fallen out sometimes,
that both Papists and Protestants, Jews and Turks, may be embarked
into one ship. Upon which s>upposal, I do affirm, that all the liberty
of conscience that ever I pleaded for, turns upon these two binges,
that none of the Papists, Protestants, Jews, or Turks, be forced to
cpme to the ship's prayers or worship ; nor, secondly, compelled from
their own particular prayers or worship, if they practise any. I
further add, that I never denied, that notwithstanding this liberty,
tke commander of this ship ought to command the ship's course ; yea,
488 Appendix.
and also to command that justice, peace and sobriety be kept and
practised, both among the seamen and all the passengers. If any sea-
man refuse to perform their service, or passengers to pay their freight ;
if any refuse to help in person or purse, towards the common charges,
or defence ; if any refuse to obey the common laws and orders of the
ship, concerning their common peace and preservation ; if any shall
mutiny and rise up against their commanders and officers ; if any
shall preach or write, that there ought to he no commanders nor offi-
cers, because all are equal in Christ, therefore no masters nor officers,
so laws nor orders, no corrections nor punishment I say, I never de-
nioi but in such cases, whatever is pretended, the commander or com-
manders may judge, resist, compel and punish such transgressors, ac-
cording to their deserts and merits. This, if seriously and honestly
minded, may, if it so please the Father of Lights, let in some light to
such as willingly shat not their eyes. I remain, ttudious of our com-
mon peace and liberty, ROGER WILLIAMS."
" This religious liberty was not only asserted in words, but uni-
formly adhered to and practised," c.
It would be no strange event for a new State now to establish reli-
gious freedom, because many have set the example ; but Roger Wil-
liams and the Rhode Island Fathers claim the honour of maintaining
this principle, while all other States and kingdoms in the world ridicul-
ed and opposed it.
In the account of Mr. Williams's settlement in Rhode-Island, we
made some observations on the uncommon influence he acquired over
the irritated and ever jealous Indian tribes. We shall here give a con-
nected view of the services which this influence enabled him to per-
form. His breaking up of their grand confederacy in 1637, has al-
ready been mentioned. Yet notwithstanding this interposition on the
behalf of all his English neighbours, when he was about to embark
for England in 1643 to obtain a charter for his colony, he was not
permitted to pass through the coasts from which he had been banished,
but was obliged to repair to the Dutch at New- York to take shipping.
*' Yea, it must needs be so," says Mr. Backus, " because the blessings
of a peace-maker were to come upon him, among the Dutch as well
as the English." At this time the Dutch at Aurana, (now Albany)
and its vicinity, at Manhattan, (now New- York) and in many other
places, both on the main land and Long-Island, were engaged in a
bloody conflict with different Indian tribes. At Stamford, (now ia
Connecticut) the enraged savages killed many, and among the rest
Mrs. Ann Hutchimon, who had been banished from Massachusetts,
for what was called Antinomianism. " On Long-Island they assaulted
the house of the lady Moody, who not Ion? betore moved from Lynn
in the same government, on account of Ana-baptism : but she was de-
fended by forty men, th.it gathered to her house, which they assaulted
divers times. But the Long-island Indians, by the mediation of Mr.
Williams, (who was then there to take ship for England) were paci-
fied, and peace re-established between the Dutch and them."*
In 1671, when king Philip was making preparations for his v/ar,
Governor Prince of Plymouth, and two of his assistants, met three
* Backus, vcL i. p. 1478.
Appendix* 489
gentlemen from the Massachusetts colony at Taunton, to examine into
the matter. Philip, Indian like, was suspicious of the manoeuvres of
white men ; he kept in his camp at a distance, and sent for the com-
missioners to come to him. All solicitations were ineffectual, until
Mr. Williams, then over 70, and Mr. Brown, supposed to be of Swan-
sea, offered to remain as hostages in his camp ; by which means he
was prevailed with to meet the commissioners, to deliver up about 70
guns, and to promise future fidelity j which suspended the war four
years."*
In 1676, while this bloody war was going on, tradition says, that
when the Indians appeared on the hill north of Providence, near the
place where Col. Smith's house now stands, Mr. Williams took his
itaff, and went over to meet them, hoping to pacify their rage, as he
had often done before ; but when some of the old men saw him, they
came out to meet himtold him that those who had long known him
would not hurt him, but that the young warriors could not be restrain-
ed ; upon which he returned to the garrison.
" As the best and most useful men," says Governor Hopkins, " have
ever, in all free States, been the subjects of popular clamour and censure,
so we find that Mr. Williams did not escape the rude attacks of the
licentious tongue of freedom," &c. By some he was accused of a big-
oted attachment to his peculiar opinions ; by others he was compared
to a weathercock for instability. From the accusations of enemies, a
true character cannot be obtained of him^ nor of any other man.
His friends uniformly maintain, that he lived and died a pattern of pi-
ety and benevolence. It is certain, however, from his own writings,
that he was one of the few Baptists, whose minds have been bewildered
about the doctrine of succession ; and it was pi'obably on that account
he ceased travelling in the Baptist communion not long after he found-
ed the church at Providence. But there is no evidence that he re-
nounced the peculiar tenets of the Baptists ; and it is certain he did not
embrace those of any other sect. He had a long and sharp dispute
with the Quakers, for which some of them feel not very well disposed
towards him at this day. But it ought to be observed, at the same
time, that Governor Hopkins, of that persuasion, has done ample jus-
tice to his character.
Although Mr. Williams was almost constantly engaged in the
affairs of the colony, at home and abroad, yet we are assured that
he preached frequently at Providence, and used to go once a month to
Mr. Smith's in the Narraganset country, where many of those Narra-
ganset Indians attended his ministry, who could not be prevailed on
to hear the missionaries from other colonies, f
" Roger Williams," says Morgan Edwards, " for his singular ex-
cellencies and worthy deeds, deserves a statue, and will certainly have
one, except there be some cross-grained fatality attending the noblest
characters among Baptists, to prevent their having the praise they de-
serve. I could fancy," says this ingenious writer, " that I see his
statue erected in the college yard at Providence. His clothing a gar-
ment of camel's hair, tied about his loins with a leathern girdle. His
* Backus, vol. i. p. 418.
f Governour Hopkins. Callender.
VOL. 2. 2
490 Appendix.
feet are shod with sandals ; and about his neck a little puritanical ban d.
In his right hand is the gospel, as an emblem of the religious liberty
he established, and the peace that followed. In his left, is a roll con-
taining the charter of the colony, with as much of it unfolded as shows
this paragraph : " To exhibit a lively experiment, that a most flour-
ishing civil State may stand and best be maintained, and that aaiong
our English subjects, with a full liberty in religious concernments ; and
that true piety, rightly grounded on gosptl principles, will give the
best and greatest security to sovereignty, and will lay, in the hearts of
men, the strongest obligations to true loyalty." On the pedestal are
these words :
FATHER
OF THIS COLONY, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 1636,
AND WHOSE SPECIAL DISTINCTION IS THAT OF
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ;
AND, UNDER GOD, THE SAVIOUR
OF IT, AND OF THE NEIGHBOURING COLONIES, FROM
BEING EXTIRPATED BY THE CONFEDERATE INDIANS,
IN 1637, WAS THAT REVEREND BAPTIST
ROGER WILLIAMSr
It may be proper here to give a brief account of another of the
fathers of the Rhode-Island colony, of whom nothing yet has been
said. This was William Blaxton, or Blackstone. He was a minister
in the Church of England, but came early to America. It appears by
Johnson's history, that he was here in 1628 ; but not agreeing with
Mr. Endicot and others in church affairs, he betook himself to agri-
culture. He planted himself on the neck of land where Boston new
stands, which, from him was called Blaxton's point, when the Massa-
chusetts company first arrived with their charter ; and at a court in
Boston, 1633, they made him a grant cf fifty acres of land near his
house. But with the maxims of this company he soon fell cut. " I
came from England," said he, " because I did not like the Lord Bish-
ops ; but I cannot join with you, because I would not be under the
Lord Brethren." On this account, he removed and settled about three
miles north of Pawtucket, on an estate which is now owned by Col.
Simon Whipple. His residence was on what is now called Study Hiil,
where his library and buildings were burnt in king Philip's war. This
was on the bank of Pawtucket river, which above takes the name of
Biackstone from this early settler. He appears to have been intimate
with Mr. Williams, preached frequently at Providence and places ad-
jacent, and left behind him the character of a godly, pious man. His
family is now extinct. He planted an orchard just east of Study Hill,
which, we are told, was the first that bore fruit in the Rhode-Island
colony. Some of the trees of this orchard were alive and thrifty 140
years after they were planted, but now all of them have gone to decay.*
* Backus, vol. 1. p. 58.
Appendix. 491
[No. VII.]
A Letter from the Baptists in Philadelphia to the Episco-
palians.
{The contents of this letter will suggest to the reader the circumstances, under
wliicli il was written. But it may be proper to observe, that the Episcopa-
lians had possessed themselves of a meeting-house and lot belonging to the
Baptists in the township of Oxford, Pennsylvania. They afterwards attempt-
ed to do the- same in Philadelphia: this letter was written, however, prior to
that event, and at a time when a Mr. Clayton, an Episcopal minister in Phila-
delphia, to whom it was addressed, was labouring to possess himseli "of the
Baptist congregation in that city.]
" SIR,
" WHEREAS we received a letter, invitatory from you to return to
your Church of England, dated September 26, 1698, wherein you de-
sire us to send you, in humility and without prejudice, the objections,
why we may not be united in one communion ; and withal, that you
doubt not, but by the blessing and assistance of God, you will be able to
shew them to be stumbling-blocks, made by our wills, and not by our
reason ; and some of us, in behalf of the rest, having, on the reception
thereof, given you a visit, and had discourse with you concerning seme
of the ceremonies of your church, about which you gave no satisfac-
tion, we knew not that you expected any other answer from us. But
in your late letter to John Watts, you signify, that you have received
no answer to your former letter ; we, therefore, taking this into con-
sideration, do signify, in answer to your foresaid invitation and pro-
posal, that to rend from a rightly constituted church of Christ, is that
which our souls abhor ; and that, love, peace, and unity with all Chris-
tians, and concord and agreement in the true faith and worship of
God, are that which we greatly desire; and we should be glad if
yourself or others would inform us wherein we err from the truth
and ways of Christ ; nor are we at all averse to a reconciliation with
the Church of England, provided it can be proved by the holy Scrip-
tures, that her constitution, orders, officers, worship and service are
of divine appointment, and not of human invention. And since you
yourself are the person that hath given us the invitation, and hath prom-
ised to show us that our objections are stumbling-blocks, made by our wlils^
and nit by our reason ; and we understanding that our Lord Jesus
Christ is the only head, king, lord and law-giver of his church, whom
all are bound to hear and obey, under the severe penalty of an utter
extirpation from among the people of God ; and that his laws and
will are only to be found in and known by the sacred Scriptures,
which are the only supreme, sufficient, and standing rule of all fairh
and worship ; and not understanding the constitution of your church,
with all the orders, officers, worship and service, at this day in use and
maintained therein, to be agreeable thereto and warranted thereby,
hath been the cause of our separation from her, and is the objection
we have to make, or the stumbling-block which lie's in our way to
such an union and communion as you desire ; we, therefore, hope
expect, according to your promise, that you will endeavour IL*
4-92 Appendix.
removal, by showing us from holy Scripture, these two things as
absolutely necessary in order thereunto: ist. That the formation of
your church, with all the orders, officers, rites, and ceremonies, now
in use and practised therein, are of divine institution ; particularly,
that the church of Christ under the New-Testament, may consist or be
made up of a mixed multitude, and their seed, even all that are mem-
bers of a nation, who are willing to go under the denomination of
Christians, whether they are godly or ungodly, holy or profane ; that
lords archbishops, and diocesan lords bishops, such as are now in Eng-
land, are of divine institution and appointment ; that the government
of the church of Christ, under the Gospel, is to be prelatical, according
as it is practised this day in your church ; and that your ecclesiastical
courts are of divine appointment ; that particular churches or congre-
gations, with their ministers or elders, who have power and authority to
receive persons into membership, have not likewise authority, by Math-
thew xviii. 15 1 8, and Corinthians v. to execute church censures and
excommunication upon miscreants, swearers, liars, drunkards, adulter-
ers, thieves, atheists, &c. ; but that it is of divine appointment, that they
must be presented to their ordinaries, and.only proceeded against in your
ecclesiastical courts ; that the several offices of deans, subdeans, chap-
ters, archdeacons, prebendaries, chancellors, commissaries, officials, reg-
isters, canons, pettycanons, vicars, chorals, apparitors, organists, vergers,
singing-men and boys, septins, epistlers, gospel'ers, and such like offi-
ces and officers of your church and ecclesiastical courts, are of divine
institution, or have any Scripture warrant to justify them, and to bear
them harmless in the last day ; that imp-caching ministers may cele-
brate the sacraments by Scripture warrant ; that their different ap-
parel in time of divine service, such as hoods, tippets, surplices, &c.
are of divine institution, or have any Scripture warrant under the
New- Testament ; that the manner of the publics service and liturgy
of the Church of England, with the visitation of the sick, burial of
the dead, churching of women, matrimony, &c. as now in use, are of
divine appointment ; that the people ought, by the rule of God's word,
aud.ibly with the ministers, to say the confession, Lord's prayer, and
creed ; and make such answers to the publick prayers, as are appoint-
ed in the book of common prayer ; that it is God's holy will and
pleasure, that saint days and holy days should be kept and observed
by Christians, according to the uie of the Church of England ; that
instruments of musick are to be used in God's worship, under the
New-Testament ; that infant baptism is a duty ; that pouring or
sprinkling water is the right manner of baptizing ; that your manner
of administering the sacraments, and signing with the sign of the cross
in baptism are of divine appointment ; that god-fathers and god-moth-
ers are of divine appointment. These are some of the things we de-
sire you to prove and make plain to us by the holy Scripture. Bat
if the case be such that some or all of them cannot be thereby proved ;
then the 2d thing necessary to our reconciliation with your church ii,
That you will give us clear and infallible proof from God's holy word,
such as will bear us harmless in the last day, that our Lord Jesus
Christ hath given power and authority to any man, men, convocation,
or synod, to make, constitute, and set up any other laws, orders, offi-
qers, rites and ceremonies, in his church, besides those which he hatJa
Appendix. 495
appointed in his holy word ; or to alter or change those, which he
harh therein appointed, according as may, from time to time, to them
seem convenient ; and that we are bound in conscience towards God,
by the authority of his word, to yield obedience thereunto ; or wheth-
er it will not rather be a sore reflection upon the sufficiency of the
holy Scriptures, and a high defamation of the kingly and prophetical
offices of Jesus Christ, to suppose such a thing. Thus have we in hu-
mility, and without prejudice, sent you our objections; and if you can,
according to your letter, show them to be stumbling-blocks made by our
wills, and not by our reaton, we shall be very thankful, and you shall
not find us obstinate, but ready to accept your invitation. But un-
til you do so, and prove the constitution, orders, officers, rites and
ceremonies of your church to be of God, it is but reason that you
should suspend all charge of schism against us, and desist from blam-
ing us for our peaceable separation ; which is all, at present, from
your loving friends, who desire information, and unity among saints,
and the church's peace ; that God, in all things may be glorified
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
" Subscribed by us, members of the general meeting, in behalf of
the rest, March n, 1699.
"John Watts, Joseph Wood, George Eaglesfield, Samuel Jones,
George Eaton, Thomas Bibb."
The times, to which the above letter refers, were remarkable for
the spirit of proselyting, excited chiefly by means of the Rev. George
Keith, who, it is said, was admitted to orders, upon condition that he
would return to Pennsylvania, and endeavour to bring his party over
to the Church of England. He and his brethren met with success at