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(flSTORY  OF  THE  ^APTISTS; 


TRACKI)   I!V  THEIR 


VITAL  PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICES, 


FROM 


THE  TIME  OF  OUR  LORD  AND  SAVIOUR  JESUS  CHRIST 


TO  THE  YEAR  18SG. 


BY    THOMAS    ARMITAGE,    D.D.,    LL.D. 

Pastor  of  the  Fifth  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  New  York. 


WITH   AN   INTRODUCTION 
BY    J.     L.     M.     CURRY,     D.D.,     LL.D., 

American  Minister  Plenipotenti.iry  to  the  Court  of  Sp.iin. 


ILLUSTRATED   BY  173  ENGRAVINGS. 


NEW  YORK: 

imr-A-Osr,  'X'.A.-yrjo:FL  eg?  co. 

757    Broadway. 

188". 


EDITION   DE  LUXE. 


This  edition,  printed  on  the  finest  coated  hnen  plate  paper,  is  strictly 
limited  to  one  thousand  numbered  and  registered  copies,  each  signed  by 
the  author. 


This  IS  copy 


No. <£^.:?.u. 


Copyright  1887,  by  THOMAS  ARMITAGE,  New  York. 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESEKIED. 


^==- 


PREFACE 


THE  ([ucstion  has  been  asked,  Wliy  is  so  much  space  occupied,  in 
the  first  volume  of  this  History,  by  the  New  Testament  period 
and  the  post-apostolic  times  before  the  sixteenth  century  ?  The  weighty 
words  of  William  Jones,  the  ripe  historian,  might  be  a  sufficient  answer  to 
the  fii-st  part  of  tliis  iiK|uiry.  He  says :  '  We  must  first  settle  the  impor- 
tant question,  What  are  the  constituent  principles  of  the  Church  or  king- 
dom of  Christ — the  doctrine  <>n  which  it  is  founded,  the  King  whose 
authority  it  acknowledges,  the  laws  by  wliicli  it  is  j-egulated,  and  so  forth  ? 
And,  ]ia\iiig  ascertained  these  points  upon  sci'iptural  gi'ouuds,  it  ^vill 
serve  us  as  a  polar  star  by  whicli  to  direct  our  course  through  all  tlie 
mazes  and  intricacies  of  what  is  denominated  ecclesiastical  history.'  Then, 
speaking  especially  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  he  pronounces  this  book 
'  A  perfect  specimen  of  what  a  history  of  the  Christian  Church  ought  to 
be.  ...  I  ventui-e  to  upheld  it  as  an  inimitable  model  both  as  to  style 
and  materials.  All  this,  indeed,  naturally  follows  from  the  fact  of  its 
having  been  written  under  divine  insjiiration.' 

Acting  himself  on  this  high  and  broad  princi[)]e,  in  181(1,  he  devoted 
above  two  hundred  pages  out  of  about  a  thousand  to  an  examination  of 
the  New  Testament  times.  With  a  vastly  enlarged  view  of  this  necessity, 
the  learned  Schaff  gives  entirely  volume  I.  of  his  invaluable  History,  con- 
sisting of  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three  pages,  to  '  Ajiostolic  Christianity, 
A.  D.  1-100.'  The  more  thoroughly  ecclesiastical  historians  come  to  reject 
the  assumption  that  the  Koinan  Catholic  cominunioii  has  an  unbroken 
and  changeless  history  for  nearly  nineteen  centuries,  the  more  directly  they 
must  make  tlieir  appeal  to  the  New  Testament  as  the  only  standard  of 
Church  life  and  purity.     In  our  times,  the  application  of  tliis  test  is  need- 


Ph'/CFA  CE. 

fill  in  writiiii:-  tlic  lii'^lnry  (if  any  Cliiistiaii  Imdv.  Imt  il  is  as  imli^pt'iisuble 
ill  writing  that  of  llic  liaptisls  as  is  llic  kcv-stinic  tn  the  arcli.  the  tap-root 
ti)  tlu'  tree  or  the  foiiiiiK-ilioii  to  the  ImihliiiL;-.  To  elaini  that  llie  I)aj)tist 
churches  of  to-ilay  are  a  *'<'|iy  of  the  New  'restaineiil  chiii-che>.  wilhout 
first  taking'  the  most  seilulons  cai'e  to  ascertain  ami  set  foitli  w  liat  Chi'ist 
ami  his  ajiosth-s  re(|uire(l  tlie  churches  of  tlie  lirst  ceiitiir\'  to  be  ami  wliat 
they  ^\■ere,  is  only  to  he  arrog'ant.  .Many  other  Christians  (leii\-  what 
Baptists  claim,  ami  not  to  siilnnil  substantial  proof  <i|'  our  poxiiimi  from 
the  New  Testament  is  simply  on  oiir  ]iai1  lo  as-iinie  the  supercilious  air  of 
I'hariseeism  in  our  treatment  of  Chrislian  brethren.  if  our  hi-toiiaus 
lioiiestly  believe  that  the  iSible  is  tlie  sprin'.:'of  our  liislor\'  a<  a  people,  let 
us  evince  our  .self-respect  and  <iur  deference  for  othcr>  b\  an  honest  at- 
tem2>t  to  liiid  our  prinei[)les  and  practices  there.  If  all  that  sjieciallv  dis- 
tinguishes the  Baptists  of  to-day  from  other  Christian-  is  not  found  in  the 
New  Testament  then  we  have  no  hitandiiig  in  its  realm  of  narrative,  fact 
and  teaching.  It  is  of  little  consequence  where  else  oiir  piinci])les  are 
foimd  if  they  are  not  fully  set  forth  there;  a\  e  might  as  well  have  sprung 
up  with  the  lleforiiiatioii  as  at  any  other  jieriod  after  Xew  Testament  times. 
Without  a  standing  for  them  in  the  history  of  the  lirst  cliiirche<  we  have 
none  of  any  value  anywhere.  <  >n  the  other  hand,  if  our  churches  are  a 
eopv  of  the  New  Testament  churches,  breathing  their  sjiirit  and  billowing 
their  e.xample  as  pei'fectly  as  Avt'  can  ascertain  what  it  is,  then  to  write 
their  history  is  largely  to  wi-ite  our  own. 

Although  the  term  'Baptist'  is  of  New  Testament  use.  we  assume  it 
merely  as  a  conventional  title  for  the  convenience  of  cliaracleriziiiL;-  a  jieople 
who  now  hold  to  certain  tenets  which  distinguish  them  from  others.  The 
leading  doctrine  of  Baptists  I'elates  to  the  regenerated  membershiii  of 
which  the  churches  of  Christ  should  be  coin]iosed  :  then  follow  the  char- 
acter and  uses  of  Gospel  ordinances:  the  constitution  and  polity  of  such 
churches;  the  order  and  olHce-work  of  their  ministry,  and  the  relations 
of  such  churches  to  each  other  and  to  civil  governments.  On  the 
2)i'inci[)le  that  the  same  seed  ever  vields  the  same  hai'vest.  we  hold  that 
the  vital  foi'ces  of  the  (xosjud  \\ill,  if  biithfully  ailministei'ed,  reproduce 


PREFA  CE. 

tlu'  .■same  spiritual  ri'sult  in  iiiodci'ii  as  in  apostolic  times.  Hence  all  tlie 
distiiiii'uisliin!]:  features  of  Baptist  existence  to-dav  must  be  uatlieied  from 
the  numerous  teacliinu's  which  are  found  in  the  divine  mission,  character 
and  ministry  of  John  the  Baptist;  the  person,  teachings,  woik  and  example 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  in  the  training  and  missionar\'  labors  of  the 
apostles  and  the  sort  of  churches  Avhic-h  they  planted  under  the  du'ectiou 
of  the  Holy  Spirit.  These  have  been  set  foith  in  this  work,  to  use  the 
expression  of  M'illiam  Jones,  'as  a  polai-  star'  among  the  motley  admix- 
tures of  ti'uth  and  erroi',  those  strange  charts  of  human  invention,  -which  have 
corru]ited  the  pure  and  simple  religion  of  the  New  Testament.  Therefore 
it  is  to  be  fei'vently  honied  that  a  hundied  and  fifty  pages  of  plain,  old- 
fashioned  Gospel  tmtli  touching  the  points  which  separate  Baptists 
from  other  Christ-loving  people,  may  not  work  serious  mischief  either 
to  them  or  to  other  folks.  Having  seen  what  stamp  of  stalwart  saints 
the  ministry  of  the  Baptist,  the  Saviour  and  his  apostles  wrought,  and 
what  oi'dei-  of  churches  they  furnished  to  the  world,  the  writer  may  be 
pardoned  for  borrowing  all  his  germinal  ideas  of  post-apostolic  church 
life  fi'om  the  '  perfect  specimen  of  -what  a  history  of  the  Christian  Church 
ought  to  be.'  If  the  Baptists  of  to-day  are  not  a  moderately  fair  fac- 
■simile  of  the  New  Testament  Christians,  then,  possibly,  the  author  has 
had  too  much  to  say  about  the  Gospel  in  this  work;  bnt  if  they  are,  they 
will  not  suffer  much  l)y  being  brought  back  to  the  'rock  from  which 
they  were  hewn,'  and  historically  liidced  up  to  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
The  chief  reason  why  so  much  space  has  been  used  in  ti'eating  of 
post-apostolic  times  before  the  sixteenth  century  is  found  in  the  necessity 
of  guarding  against  the  unsustained  assumptions  both  of  Baptists  and 
others  in  regard  to  the  many  sects  which  existed  in  those  centuries.  Not 
a  few  of  our  w liters  have  rashly  affirmed  that  the  Moutanists,  Novatians, 
Donatists,  Paiilicians,  Cathari,  Waldensians  and  other  so-called  heretics 
held  all  the  marked  views  which  distinguish  the  Baptists  of  to-day,  while 
tilers  have  as  rashly  denied  that  in  this  respect  they  had  any  thing  in 
common.  These  \\holesale  statements  are  neither  utterly  false  nor  utterly 
true.     All  these  sects  were  marked,  more  or  less,  by  Baptist  peculiarities 


1 1 


PUEFA  CM. 

wliilc  none  of  (licni,  as  a  \\ln>Ic,  held  ilicin  in  llicir  entirety,  so  that  they 
caiiiiot  lie  iniliscriiiilnati-ly  c-la>sc(i  cil  her  w  it  li  I*>a]itists  oi-  aiiaiiist  them. 
Tlit'ii  is  tlic  c-ai'ci'iil  Jiapti.st  iiivestii^'ator  to  pass  tln-ni  all  hv,  \\illi<mt  an 
liDiiest  clluil  to  find  the  exact  line  of  truth  in  caeh  case^  Certainly  not. 
His  duty  is  to  seek  for  that  line  and,  if  possible,  determine  something 
lietwccn  hold  assumjition  and  direct  proof,  I'ash  clainis  ami  eiiualh"  rasli 
denials.  J  lis  task,  however,  is  the  more  ditlieult  and  thaidxless  because 
liis  means  of  detei'miniiiLj,-  this  (jiicstloii  ai'e  so  very  <cant.  The  chief 
sources  of  infoj'mation  on  this  subject  now  open  to  him  ai'e  found  in 
those  distorted  iTagmeats  of  history  w  liich  Catholic  writcis  have  left  of 
the  'hei'etics'  whom  they  neither  loved  nor  understood,  ;nid  in  a  few 
polemical  works  which  have  escaped  destruction.  Of  necessity  the  most 
patient  research  is  rewarded  with  coniparativelv  little  fruit,  foi'  no  honest 
man  will  attempt  to  make  new  histoi-ical  'brick  Avithout  straw.'  for  tlu; 
purpose  of  suiting  or  serving  any  pai'f\-  whatever. 

Gospel  principles  early  became  so  thoi-onghl\-  mixed  with  human  cor- 
ruptions that  it  is  hard  to  trace  them  anywhere  in  their  purity  much  beyond 
the  second  century.  In  and  after  that  time  Chiistian  sects  multi]>Iied  so 
rapidly  that  (iratian  gives  a  list  of  eighty-three,  d()wn  to  the  middle  of 
the  sixth  century.  It  is  very  ([uestionable,  however,  whether  any  one  of 
them  held  the  full  unity  of  the  apostolic  faith  without  adilition  oi-  diminu- 
tion. The  civil  jiowcr  ju-evailed  over  the  churches  till  the  decree  of  Justin- 
ian, A.  I).  o.'iS,  when  the  will  of  the  emperoi'  was  the  law  of  the  empire, 
and  all  were  'heretics'  whom  the  civil  ruler  so  branded.  Aftei' that  the 
ecclesiastical  2>ower  prevailed  till  the  close  of  the  Council  of  Ti'ent,  in  l.i68, 
during  which  ]>eriod  tin-  dominating  sect  inflicted  every  cruelty  ujuui 
others,  who  attempted  to  revive  the  type  of  primitive  Christianity.  By 
the  sixteenth  century,  fully  one  bundled  sects  had  aiMseii.  most  of  them 
n  issues  which  ai'c  not  involved  at  all  in  the  faith  of  modern  Baptists, 
)r  if  at  all,  to  a  veiy  limited  extent.  That  writer,  therefore,  who  will  dem- 
nstrate  either  that  Baptists  and  their  jirinciples  did  not  exist  before 
tlie  Beformation,  or  that  one  or  more  of  the.se  sects  were  Baptists,  will 
earn  the  gratitude  of  all  honest  men. 


CHAPTER   V. 


T 


BRITISH     BAPTISTS— JOHN     UU  N  Y  AN — Continued. 

HE  tliird  Record  to  be  examined  reads  thus :  '  St.  Cutlibert's,  Bedford,  1672. 

Baptized  Joseph  Buiiyan,  y^  son  of  John  Bunyan,  Nov.  ICth.' 
The  name  of  John  Bunyan  is  fuund  here.     But  wliat  Joiin  Bunyan  ?     Tlie  author 


of  '  Pilgrim's  Progress  ? '  No ;  but  of  his  son,  Jolin,  Ji 
Joseph  Bunyan  ?  was  he  the 
son  of  the  Dreamer?  No; 
but  liis  grandson.  If  Mr. 
Brown  had  submitted  one 
Hue  of  reliable  evidence, 
such  as  would  be  accepted 
by  any  judge  and  jury  in 
England,  to  prove  the  iden- 
tity of  the  Bedford  pastor 
with  the  '  John '  of  this  rec- 
ortl.  it  would  utter  a  much 
more  decisive  voice.  In  the 
absence  of  all  direct  docu- 
mentary evidence,  outside 
of  the  name  'John  Bunyan,' 
found  in  the  record  itself, 
we  are  thrown  batik  upon 
circumstantial  evidence  to 
interpret  the  record.  Mr. 
Brown  reasons  thus,  to  give 
his  own  words,  as  they  lie 
i)efore  the  writer,  dated  May 
1st,  18SG: 


And  what  of  this  particula 


BUNYAN  S  COl'TAGE  AND  FORGE  AT  ELSTOW. 


'Joseph  Bunyan  is  described  in  the  St.  Cutlibert's  Register  as  the  son  of  John. 
We  are  absolutely  certain  that  John  Bunyan,  the  writer  of  the  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"' 
lived  in  St.  Cutlibert's  Parish  in  167:^.  We  have  a  complete  list  of  every  liouse- 
liolder  in  the  parish  for  the  purpose  of  the  Hearth  Tax  of  1673-74.  There  were 
only  forty-seven,  and  there  is  only  one  John  Bunyan  in  the  list.' 

Amazed  that  so  calm  and  talented  an  author  should  predicate  so  grave  a  con- 
clusion in  history  on  so  slight  a  premise,  for  his  book  took  the  same  grounil,  it  was 


494  JOHN  n UNTAX,    .III. 

sii_i;-^vsti_'(l  ti>  liim  tliat  as  .Jdliii  lluiiyaii,  .Ii-.,  was  liiiiisclf  a  graiidfatlier  soiiiewliere 
al)()iit  1<)!I4,  lie  imist  Ikivc  Iu'l'Ii  a  fatlicr  in  lliT-\  ami  wlio  was  so  likclv  to  be  his 
soil  as  tin'  .lost'pli  will)  was  cluT^tciicil  in  tliat  year^  The  furtlicr  (jiu-slicni  was  also 
askod  him  as  to  wlicrc  .lolin  Ijiiiiyan,  Jr.,  lived  in  1(172;  This  rc]ilv  was  <riveii: 
'  Wc  have  evidence  ill  the  Corj)orati(in  Kecords,  that  .lohn  lliinyan,  Jr..  leased  a 
house  in  the  ]>arish  of  St.  rauFs,  and  wmild  nut  therefore  he  at  lihertv  to  have  a  child 
l)a]iti/.(Ml  at  the  church  (i!  another  j>ari.^li.'  ( )n  remind ini;'  Mr.  iiruwii  that  this  lease  in 
St.  J'auTs  was  not  given  to  John  IJunyaii.  dr.,  hy  the  corporation  until  Mav  11th.  1705. 
when  his  father  liad  been  dead  seventeen  years,  there  seemed  less  difficulty  than  over 
in  believing  that  the  John  Uunyan,  whose  son  was  baptized  in  St.  Cnthbert's  in  ]t>72. 
was  the  junior  Jolin  IJunyan,  and  tliat  he  lived  in  tliat  jiarish  at  that  time,  especially 
as  there  is  not  one  line  of  pmnt'  (liat  the  senior  John  J!un\an  was  a  householder 
in  that  })arish  until  16S1.  In  a  later  letter,  ln'aring  date  "S\\\\  I'l,  iSSfi.  ;Mr.  Brown 
most  kindly  and  truly  says: 

'  In  the  absence  of  documents  we  are  left  to  conjectural  jirobability,  ihinyan's 
Mill  describes  liim  as  of  the  parish  of  St.  Cuthbert's  in  IGSy,  the  IJeartb  Taxdist  of 
1673-74  gives  one  John  Ihmyan  and  only  one  in  the  same  tax.  S(»  does  the  IJearth 
TaxJistof  1670-71,  which  1  have  found  since  J  last  wrote  to  yon.  'I'he  entry  of  liis 
name  as  a  liouseholder  even  while  he  was  still  in  prison  would  seem  to  indicate 
tliat  he  was  living  in  the  same  Louse  at  the  time  of  liis  arrest.' 

Now  Bunyan  came  out  of  prison  in  JMay,  1672,  and  as  his  so-called  will  locates 
liim  in  St.  Cuthbert's  in  1685,  thirteen  years  afterward,  it  can  have  no  bearing 
whatever  upon  the  wliereabouts  of  his  family  in  1672.  As  tlu'  name  of  a  John 
liunyan  is  found  on  the  Taxdist  of  l<!7ii-71,  two  years  bei'ore  flu  John  I'.iinyan 
came  out  of  prison,  as  well  as  on  that  of  1Imo-T4.  two  years  after  he  came  out  of 
prison,  the  fair  conclusion  is  that  the  name  on  the  Taxdist  w-as  that  of  the  same 
person  for  the  entire  four  years,  witliout  yielding  the  slightest  'conjectural  jirob- 
ability' that  it  itlentitied  the  Dreamer  in  any  of  those  years.  Least  of  all  do  these 
lists  prove  that  from  1661  to  1672,  the  years  of  his  imprisonment,  he  was  paying 
Hearth  Tax  to  the  government,  M'hen  from  other  sources  we  know  tliat  he  was  .sup- 
porting himself  and  his  family,  during  those  years,  by  making  tagged  laces  to  sup- 
plement what  (diarity  gave  to  keeji  them  from  starvation.  More  of  the  Hearth  Tax 
hoM'cver,  liereafter. 

'Mr.  Brown's  princijile  is  a  sound  one;  namely,  'That  in  the  alisence  of  doc- 
uments we  are  left  to  conj(!ctural  jirobaliility  ; '  and.  as  such  pi-olialiility  can  only  be 
based  upon  circumstantial  evidence  in  this  case,  the  jiatience  of  the  reader  is  asked 
to  a  calm  investigation  of  the  confusion  in  which  histoi'v  has  Idt  Buiiyan's  immedi- 
ate household  and  place  of  residence  as  an  aid  to  the  nnderstanding  of  this  record. 
This  process  calls  for  a  moderately  clear  idea  of  his  two  marriages,  and  the  num- 
ber of  his  children,  together  with  their  names  and  the  time  and  order  of  their 
birth.     We  have  seen  that  John  Bniiyan,  Sr.,  was  born  in  162S.     "When  he  was  lirst 


nritrii  of  dunyan's  children.  ^qs 

marriiMl  is  imt  kiiciwn,  Init  an  alimist  universal  traijitinn  ])lauL'S  tliis  event  in  liis 
eighteeiitli  year.  He  was  about  seventeen  when  lie  returned  from  the  army,  and  he 
himself  tells  us  that  'Presently  after  this  1  ehanged  ray  condition  into  a  married 
state,'  which,  allowing  several  months'  interval,  justiiies  Mr.  Copner,  the  present 
vicar  of  Elstow  and  its  ineuinheiit  for  the  last  eighteen  years,  in  saying,  in  his 
recently  published  '  Life  of  Uunyan  : ' 

'Xot  later,  I  think,  than  the  spring  of  ItliT  lie  married..  .  .  He  left  his  father's 
house,  and  took  up  his  abode  as  a  married  man  in  a  cottage  in  Elstow.  For  the  next 
seven  or  eight  years  he  lived  in  the  village.  ...  He  was  only  eighteen— perhaps  not 
more  than  seventeen — when  he  married."  Some  have  thought  that  he  may  have  mar- 
ried at  a  considerably  later  date.  This,  however,  is  impossible,  since  it  is  inconsistent 
altogether  with  what  he  says  of  himself  in  "  Grace  Abounding."  ...  In  165S  he  lost 
his  wife." ' 

This  cannot  Ite  far  from  correct,  for  when  his  second  wife  went  to  the  Court  of 
Assize,  at  Bedford,  to  plead  for  his  liberation  from  prison,  in  August,  1661,  she  said, 
while  under  examination,  that  she  had  four  children  to  provide  for,  and  had  nothing 
to  live  upon  but  the  charity  of  friends.  Sir  Matthew  Hale,  the  judge,  asked  :  '  Hast 
thou  four  children?  thou  art  lint  a  young  woman  to  have  four  children!'  She 
replied:  '  My  lord,  I  am  l)ut  mother-in-law  to  them  [.rf(^.>//;^>M('/'J,  not  having  been 
married  to  him  full  two  years.'  This  would  bring  his  second  marriage  to  1659,  and 
should  settle  the  fact  that  in  1661  he  had  four  children  living,  by  his  first  wife,  all 
of  whom  were  born  between  1647  and  165S.  Subsequent  facts  warrant  the  reason- 
able probability  that  they  were  liorn  in  tliis  order:  namely,  John,  Mary,  Elizabeth 
and  Thomas,  ilary  was  christened  in  July,  1650,  more  than  three  years  after  his 
marriage;  Elizabeth  was  born  in  April,  1654 ;  and  we  have  no  birth  record  or  baptis- 
mal record  of  either  John  or  Thomas.  As  all  the  four  were  born  within  eleven 
years,  it  is  not  natural  to  supjiose  that  his  two  daughters  were  tlu,'  only  children 
born  to  him  within  the  first  seven  years  of  the  eleven  ;  nor  is  it  likely  that  he 
remained  childless  for  more  than  three  years  after  his  marriage,  when  Mary  was 
born.  But  John,  conceded  to  be  his  eldest  son,  was  himself  tlie  grandfather  of 
Hannah  Bunyan,  at  the  latest,  by  1698,  when  he  would  be  but  al)out  fifty  years  of 
age.  We  have  no  knowledge  of  any  great-grandchildren  of  Pastor  Bunyan's  but 
Hannah,  and  we  know  that  she  was  the  granddaughter  of  John  Bunyan,  Jr.;  it  is, 
therefore,  reasonable  to  account  John,  Jr.,  as  the  firstborn  of  the  four,  and  to  fix 
his  birth  in  1648— or  1649,  at  the  latest. 

Now,  in  returning  to  the  St.  Cutlil)ert  record,  the  first  thing  to  note  is  its  date, 
November  16th,  1672,  the  year  of  Bunyan's  release  from  prison.  It  is  generally  con- 
ceded that  a  Joseph  was  the  son  of  Bunyan's  second  wife,  although  Mr.  Copner, 
who  has  access  to  the  same  records  with  Mr.  Brown,  thinks  that  Bunyan's  own  son 
Joseph  was  the  son  of  his  first  wife,  and  that  the  only  child  of  his  second  wife,  who 
grew  up.  was  Sarah.  Be  this  as  it  may,  November,  1672,  brings  us  to  the  ihirteenth 
vear  after  Bunvan's  second  marriage.     But,  outside  of  this  record,  there  is  not  one 


496  IIAX.XA//  rirxvAX. 

line  of  evidence  to  prove  that  lie  hail  a  ^oii  horn  to  him  un<ler  these  circumstances. 
Bunyun  died  in  I'iSS.  and  a  son  horn  to  him  in  1*172  wonld  make  him  leave  a 
fatherless  youth  iietween  lifteen  and  sixteen  yc'ais  of  aye  at  the  time  of  his 
death,  after  he  had  been  niari-ied  to  that  boy's  mother  for  nine  and  twenty  years ; 
that  is,  from  ltir)9  to  I'iSS.  We  have  not  one  iota  of  data  as  to  when  Sarah  or 
Josej)li  was  born,  nor  as  to  which  was  the  youngest,  nor  is  it  ivasonable  to  suppose 
tliat  either  of  them  was  born  thirteen  years  after  the  marriage  of  their  ])arents, 
when  the  lir.--t  babe  of  those  pai'ents,  who  died  at  liii-th,  was  born  within  two  years 
of  their  mari'iage,  as  the  mother  herself  told  Judge  Haii'  in  KHH.  If  it  be  objected 
that  Bunyan  and  his  wife  lived  apart  while  lie  was  in  prison,  and  so  these  two  chil- 
dri'U,  Sarah  and  Jo.--c'j)li.  were  boiMi  after  his  release;  it  may  be  auswei'ed  that  he  not 
only  visited  his  eliureh  frequently  and  went  to  London  and  other  ])la('es  during  the 
time  of  his  impiusonment,  but  that  on  'mainprize  '  he  spent  considerable  time  with 
his  family,  wherever  they  lived.  Besides,  if  Joseiih  was  born  in  ^(u•2.  after  liis 
fathers  term  of  imju'isonment,  then  must  Sarah  have  been  born  after  Josejih,  and 
so,  when  he  died  at  the  age  of  sixty,  he  must  have  left  a  little  girl  as  well  as  a  young 
boy,  for  his  second  wife  had  no  living  children  of  her  own  when  she  aj)peared 
before  Sir  Matthew  Hale  in  1661.  Either  both  of  her  (children  were  boi'u  while  lie 
was  a  prisoner  or  lioth  afterward,  and  as  the  reasonable  conclusion  is,  that  tliey 
were  born  between  1661  and  1(')7l',  tlie  Joseph  who  was  christened  in  the  last  of 
these  years  was  not  his  son,  liut  his  grandson  and  the  son  of  John  Bunyan,  Jr., 
who,  at  that  time,  would  be  little,  if  any  thing,  less  than  twenty  four  years  of  age, 
and  every  way  likely  to  have  a  son,  and  to  be  living  at  that  time  in  the  parish  of 
St.  ("uthbert's. 

One  step  more  in  this  investigation.  Hannah  Bunyan's  history  throws  a  sti'ong 
liglit  upon  this  record,  and  by  the  highest  probability  connects  it  with  the  household 
of  John  ])unyan,  Jr.,  her  gi-andfather.  The  following  is  his  last  will  and  testament. 
This  document  is  dated  Deci-mber  loth,  1T"2S,  and  was  ju'oved  a  month  later: 

'  Tn  the  name  of  God,  Amen.  T,  John  Bunyan,  of  Bedford,  T^racier,  being 
well  in  body  and  of  sound  mind  and  memory.  Praised  be  God  I  do  make  and  ordain 
my  last  Will  and  Testament  in  manner  following.  That  is  to  say.  T  give,  devise  and 
bequeath  to  my  granddaughter,  Flannah  Bunyan,  whom  I  have  brought  up  from  a 
child,  and  who  now  lives  with  me.  my  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  Cuthberfs,  wherein 
Joseph  Simonds.  the  younger,  now  lives,  with  the  outhouses,  yard,  garden  and  all 
the  ajqiurtenances  thereto  belonging,  to  her  and  her  heirs  forever.  Ih/ii,  I  give  to 
her,  my  said  granddaughter,  the  lease  of  the  house  I  live  in  and  all  the  rest  of  my  per- 
sonal estate,  goods  and  chattels,  ready  money,  debt,  household  goods  and  the  imple- 
ments or  utensils  of  trade  and  all  my  stock  in  trade.  All  these  I  give  to  my  said 
granddaughter,  Hannah  Bunyan,  she  paying  all  my  just  debts  and  funeral  expenses. 
And  I  constitute  and  appoint  the  said  Haimah  Bunyan  whole  and  sole  executrix  of 
this  my  last  Will  and  Testament.' 

Religiously,  John  ihinyan.  Jr.,  appears  to  have  belonged  to  the  riiurcli  of  En- 
gland, tuitil  he  united  with  his  father's  Chuivh.  -lune  ^Trli.  ItVX],  about  five  years  after 


aiiEATaiiAynDAuniiTF.i!  to  iwsTon  dunyan.  497 

the  death  of  his  father,  aixl  rciiiaiaed  a  member  thereof  until  his  own  death,  in  1728. 
Ilannaii  I'.iinyan  was  tiie  (iauij;liter  of  his  son,  wliose  name  is  not  positively  known, 
a  point  to  be  considered  inuneiliately.  She  lived  and  died  a  maiden  lady,  retaining 
her  father's  name,  Bwnyan.  Slie  became  a  member  of  her  great-grandfather's 
Church,  and  a  tablet  to  lier  memory  now  stands  in  the  vestibule  of  the  itunyan 
Meeting-house  at  Bedford,   wliieh  reails  thus: 

'In  memory  of  Hannah  liunyan,  wiio  departed  this  life  15th  Fel).,  1770,  aged 
7ti.  X.  B.  Siie  was  ijreat-granddaughter  to  tlie  Reverend  and  justly  celebrated  Mr. 
John  Bunyan,  who  died  at  London,  31st  August,  1688,  aged  00  years,  and  was 
buried  in  Bunhill  Fields,  where  there  is  a  stone  erected  to  his  memory.  He  was  a 
minister  of  tlie  Gospel  here  32  years,  and  during  that  period  suifered  12  years  im- 
prisomnent.     The  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance.' 

If  she  was  7ti  years  old  in  1770,  she  must  have  been  born  in  1091,  and  the 
question  arises,  Whether  any  son  of  John  Bunyan,  Jr.,  lived  at  that  time,  who  was 
likely  to  be  her  father  ?  The  parish  register  of  St.  Paul's,  Bedford,  has  tliese  entries  : 
'  1091,  Dec.  Married  Josepli  Bunyan  and  Mary  Charnock.'  Oct.  6,  1695,  records 
the  ciiristening  of  '  Ciiernoek,  y<^  son  '  of  this  couple,  and  Oct.,  I(i90,  tliat  of  Ann,  their 
daughter,  with  her  burial  a  montli  later.  All  the  circumstances  tend  to  show,  tliat 
tiiesame  Joseph  Bunyan  who  was  christened  in  1672  was  married  in  1094,  at  tiie 
age  of  twenty-two,  and  Mr.  Brown  says,  that  after  Nov.,  1696,  '  all  further  trace  of 
Joseph  Bunyan  disappears,'  which  is  eipudly  true  of  his  wife  and  children  so  far  as 
direct  record  goes.  John  Bunyan,  Jr.,  says,  that,  as  Hannah's  grandfather,  he  liad 
brought  'her  up  from  a  child,'  and  that  she  'still  lived  with'  him  in  1728.  Who 
then  was  his  son  and  her  father  ?  All  reasonable  probability  points  to  Joseph  Bun- 
yan ;  to  Hannah's  birth  about  1697,  and  to  lier  father's  death  in  the  same  year. 
Thislikeliliood  furnishes  a  sufficient  reason  why  her  grandfather  should  have  brought 
her  up  anil  why  she  had  always  lived  with  him.  It  is  not  likely  that  he  would 
have  taken  her  as  a  helpless  babe  had  her  own  father  lived.  We  have  no  record 
of  the  exact  year  of  lier  birth,  although  her  monument  states  that  she  was  76  years 
old  in  the  year  1770  ;  leaving  abundant  room  for  a  mistake  of  three  years  in  her 
age,  which  would  make  her  73  instead  of  76  at  her  death.  Joseph  was  clearly  a 
State-churchman  and  had  his  two  children  Chernock  and  Ann  christened.  But  we 
have  no  record  either  of  the  birth  or  christening  of  Hannah,  and  if  she  was  his 
daughter,  born  after  his  deatli  and  bi'ougiit  up  in  the  house  of  her  grandfather,  this 
is  a  sufficient  reason  why  we  have  no  record  of  her  christening,  for  lie  had  joined  the 
Bedford  Church  in  1693,  and  would  not  have  had  her  christened  in  the  Church  of 
England.  Put  all  these  dates  and  facts  together,  with  the  leading  fact,  that  she  was 
great-granddaughter  to  Pastor  Bunyan,  and  granddaughter  to  his  son  John,  and 
there  is  large  room  for  reasonable  conjecture  that  tlie  .Toseph  I'unyan  wlio  was  chris- 
tened in  1672  became  her  father  somewhere  between  his  marriage  in  1694  and 
1697.  As  to  the  question  of  her  exact  age  at  the  time  of  her  death,  it  is  univers-' 
3:J 


498  RKASOXABl.K   COXJ Hcrillh:. 

all)'  loiiiwn  that  [ktsoiis  living  over  sevi'nty  yea^^i,  and  in  tlic  ahsciico  of  ail  family 
or  otlu'r  i'(H!oi'(ls,  are  very  likely  to  make  a  mii-take  of  several  yeai's  in  ('om])utiiig 
their  ayi'.  i!ut  we  have  no  record  of  Hannah  UunyanV  birth,  and  considering  that 
she  is  rej)nted  to  lia\e  been  76  at  the  time  of  her  death,  a  deduction  of  tlii'ee  years 
would  make  this  loui;-  list  of  dates  agree,  and  still  leave  her  73  yeai's  of  age  when 
she  dieik  This  would  bring  herallegetl  age  as  near  to  accuracy  as  we  generally  find 
reckoning,  where  memory  and  family  tradition  are  relied  \\\Mn  entirely  to  deternnne 
a  birth-date.  So  far  as  appears,  these  were  all  the  data  that  were  depended  on  in 
deciding  what  age  she  was  at  her  death.  All  hei'  immediati'  household  .seem  to 
luive  passed  away,  foi'  she  appeal's  to  ha\e  been  the  only  heir  left  when  her  grand- 
father made  his  will,  in  17"i>^.  Jt  is  the  iiioi'e  dilKrult  to  g(^t  at  her  e.xact  age  for  the 
reason  that  she  left  no  children  ;  liaxing  at  the  time  ot'  her  death  neither  father  nor 
mother,  brother  nor  sister,  so  far  as  appears,  and  hei'  grandfather  who  brought  her 
lip  having  been  dead  for  forty-two  years  when  she  died.  Strangei's  only  were  left 
to  erect  her  tablet  in  the  Itunyan  Meeting-house,  for  it  (hies  not  ajipear  liy  whom  it 
was  erected,  nor  even  when.  As  she  inhei'ited  her  grandfather's  j)roperty,  the  rea- 
sonable inference  is,  that  it  was  paid  for  out  of  the  money  which  she  left,  and  in  the 
absence  of  all  e.\act  and  reliable  data,  those  who  put  it  u|)  wei'e  o!)liged  to  determine 
her  age  as  best  they  could  :  an  every-day  occuri-ence  in  sucli  (rases. 

Really,  all  that  is  detinitelv  known  of  Hannah  Liunyan  is,  that  she  was  tlie  chiid 
of  a  son  of  John  Bunyan,  .Ir.,  that  her  father's  father  had  brought  her  up  as  his  own 
child,  that  after  his  death  she  became  a  member  of  the  Bunyan  Churirh,  and  that  she 
died  in  1770,  at  more  tiian  seventy  years  of  age.  "Who  then  is  so  likely  to  have  been 
her  father  as  the  Joseph  who  was  christened  in  107'-' and  married  in  li!'.t4;  This 
would  allow  her  the  age  ascribed  to  her  on  her  tablet,  aside  from  the  ordinary  mistakes 
of  memory  where  nothing  is  written,  and  would  utterly  avoid  all  the  inconsistencies 
involved  in  the  theory  that  her  great-grandfather  had  a  son  who  was  her  great- 
uncle  when  he  was  Ijut  a  young  man  id'  twenty-two.  Which  is  the  nuist  likely,  that 
Josepli  Bunyan  was  her  (jreat-undc  or  her  father  when  he  was  that  age  '.  It  is  cer- 
tain that  he  was  either  the  one  or  the  other  ;  and  reasonal)le  conjecture  ought  not  to 
lialt  long  in  deciding  which.  Certaiidy  there  were  two  John  B>inyans,  married 
men,  father  and  son,  living  in  Bedford  in  1672.  to  have  made  the  one  a  grandfather 
and  tlie  other  a  great-grandfather  in  1694—97,  and  somebody  must  have  been  Hannah 
Bunyan's  fathei',  to  whom  she  held  the  relation  of  child  at  that  time.  This  makes 
her  relationshi])  complete,  child  to  Joseph,  grandchild  to  John,  Jr..  and  great-grand- 
child to  the  Bedford  pastor,  not  earlier  than  169-1-,  nor  later  than  l<i'.'7.  This  line  of 
conjectural  probability  finds  a  strong  confirmation  in  the  Registers  of  St.  Paul's  and 
St.  Cuthbert's,  and  more  than  both  in  the  will  of  John  Bunyan.  Jr..  together  with 
the  age  of  his  granddaughter.  Ihit  what  is  of  vastly  more  conscijuonce,  it  redeems 
the  name  of  honest  John  Bunyan  from  an  injustice  arul  a  scries  of  inconsistencies 
from  which  he  cannot  be  redeemed  by  the  supposition  that  he  had  a   son  Joseph 


jnwr.i.v  AM)  riif:  I'liAYEu-nooK.  499 

christeiu'il  in  tlierinircli  ol'  Eiiglaiul  almost  iniinecliatuly  after  li is  release  from  prison. 
Why  luul  he  been  in  jirison  for  nearly  thirteen  years?  Let  him  answer  that  question 
himself  : 

'  I  was  indicted  for  an  upholder  and  nuuntainer  of  unlawful  assend)lies  and  con- 
venticles, and  for  not  conforming  to  the  Church  of  England.'^  '  There  was  a  hill 
of  indictment  preferred  against  me.  The  extent  thereof  was  as  followeth  :  "That 
John  r.nnyan  of  the  town  of  Bedford,  laborer,  being  a  person  of  such  and  such 
conditions,' he  hath  (since  such  a  time)  devilishly  and  perniciously  abstained  from 
coining  to  church  to  hear  divine  service,  and  is  a  connnon  upholder  of  sevei'al  un- 
lawfulineetings  and  conventicles,  to  the  great  disturbance  and  tiistraction  of  the 
good  subjects  of  this  kingdom,  contrary  to  die  laws  of  our  sovereign  lord  the  king."  ' 

Queen  Elizabeth  had  passed  a  sanguinary  Act  '  For  the  punishment  of  persons 
refusing  to  come  to  church.'  It  provided,  that  any  person  above  sixteen  years  of  age 
who  refused  to  attend  the  reading  of  Connnon-prayer  in  some  church,  should  be 
first  imprisoned,  then  if  he  refused  to  sign  a  declaration  of  conformity  within  three 
months  he  should  be  banished,  and  if  he  returned  to  England  he  should  suffer  death 
without  benelit  of  clergy.  It  was  under  this  brutal  Act  that  Bunyan  was  charged 
with  'devilisldy  '  abstaining  from  coming  to  church.  Besides,  shortly  after  he  was 
put  in  prison,  the  Act  of  Conformity  (1662)  made  the  Prayer-book  the  national 
standard  of  faith,  enforced  by  the  penal  laws  of  all  preceding  reigns.  But  why  did 
he  stay  away  from  church,  after  telling  us  that  when  a  boy  he  almost  worshiped  the 
parson  and  his  vestments  and  the  Prayer-book,  looking  upon  them  all  with  the  most 
holy  awe  ?  Because  he  had  become  convinced  that  the  clergy  were  corrupt  and  lie 
now  looked  upon  them  with  supreme  contempt.  In  his  '  Justification  by  Faith,' 
signed  'John  Bunyan,  From  Pri.son,  the  27tli  of  the  12th  month,  1671,'  he  says  to 
Fowler,  a  clergyman  of  the  Chnrch  of  England,  who  had  vilified  him:  'What  you 
say  about  "  doubtful  opinion,  alterable  modes,  rites,  and  circumstances  in  I'eligion  " 
(p.  239),  I  know  none  so  wedded  thereto  as  yourselves,  even  the  whole  gang  of  your 
rahhling,  counterfeit  clergy ;  who  generally,  like  the  ape  you  speak  of,  lie  blowing 
up  the  applause  and  glory  of  your  trumpery.'^  Yet,  now  we  are  asked  to  believe 
that  within  a  year  of  writing  this  blast  against  the  clergy,  he  went  to  this  '  counter- 
feit, rabbling  gang '  to  get  his  baby  christened  !  And  w!iy  would  he  not  listen  to 
the  Prayer-book?  'It  is  none  of  God's  institution,'  he  said.  His  contempt  for  the 
Prayer-book  lay  at  the  bottom  of  all  his  sufferings.  When  Judge  Keeling,  in  a 
towering  passion,  at  his  trial,  asked  why  he  stayed  away  from  church,  he  calmly  an- 
swered :  '  The  word  of  God  does  not  command  me  to  pray  by  the  Common  Prayer- 
book.'  Keeling  learnedly  told  him  that  this  book  had  come  down  from  the  Apostles  ! 
This,  the  Bedford  '  laborer  '  ventured  to  doubt,  saying  :  '  Show  me  the  place  in  the 
Epistles  where  the  Common  Prayer-book  is  written,  or  one  text  in  Scripture  that 
commands  me  to  read  it  and  I  will  read  it.'  Again,  he  tells  us,  that  when  he  was 
out  of  prison  for  a  short  time,  in  1661-62,  he  took  every  occasion  'to  visit  the 
people  of  God,  exhorting  them  to  be  steadfast  in  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to 


SOO  ///•;    /ih'TKsTS    Till-:  l'll.\yi:i!  IKKiK. 

take  liced  tliat,  tlicv  iuni-lnd  nut  tin  I  'r<ii/<  r-Jtunl, .'  In  his  work  on  I'raver.  written  as 
liis  sccdnil  work  in  |>rison  (lf!<i:^),  lie  says  of  tliose  wlioui  the  Act  uf  (Joiifonaity 
foi'c,e(l  to  n.--e  tiie  I'rayer-lxiok,  and  whom  he  desiijnates  : 

'Every  cnrsed  wiioreniaster,  tided',  and  drnnkard,  swearer  and  ]ierjui'ed  jK'i'son. 
.  .  .  witli  their  Ijlasplienious  thi'oats  and  liypoc-i-itieal  hearts,  tliey  will  eonie  to 
church  and  say,  "Our  Fatliei'."  Nay,  further,  these  men,  though  every  tiuie  they 
say  tu  liud,  "Our  Father,"  do  most  id^uminahly  hlasphciue,  yet  they  must  he  com- 
pelled thus  tu  do.  And  because  othei's  that  are  of  more  sober  principles  .scmj^le  the 
truth  of  aiii^h  vain  fr<i<l!t!iiiix  ;  therefore  they  must  l)e  looked  ujion  to  be  the  onlv 
enemies  of  (iod  and  I  he  nat  ion  ;  when  as  it  is  their  own  curxtd  ndjiei'stit'wn  that  doth 
set  the  gi'cat  (iod  anain,-t  them,  and  cause  them  to  count  them  for  liis  enemies.''^ 

Then  di<l  he  detest  the  I'l'ayer-book  purely  because  wicked  men  were  compelled 
to  use  it,  and  its  use  ma,de  them  hypocrites^  >,'ot  at  all  ;  but  because  of  its  intrinsic 
demerits,  as  he  reij'arded  them.      1  Ic  denounces  it  as  an  '  invention  of  miui.'  and  writes: 

'It  is  evident  also  that  l)y  tlie  silencing  of  (iod"s  dear  iLiiuisters,  though  never 
so  powerfully  euabled  by  the  spirit  of  ])rayer,  if  they  in  couscience  cauuot  admit 
that  form  of  Common-prayer.  If  this  be  not  an  exaltiug  the  Comiuon  Prayt-i-book, 
above  either  praying  by  the  S])irit  or  jueaching  the  word,  I  have  taken  my  mark 
amiss.  ...  It  is  a  sad  sign  that  that  whi(di  is  one  of  the  most  eminent  parts  of  the 
pretended  worship  of  (Jod  is  (/nf/'chri.sf/'ini  when  it  hath  nothing  but  the  tradition 
of  men  and  the  strength  of  j)ersecution  to  nplKild  oi'  jilead  for  it.' 

More  tl'.an  denouncing  it  as  '  antichristian,'  he  says  that  it  'nmz/.les  uj»  ju-ayer 
in  a  form,'  and  calls  it  a  work  of  'scrajjs  and  fragments  devi.sed  by])ojies  and  friars.' 
^'et,  the  intolerant  demanded  that  lu'  slundd  use  it  or  surrender  all  his  rights  of 
citizensliip.  Because  he  lliing  it  to  the  winds  and  would  pray  without  it,  the 
Justices  sent  Cobb,  the  clerk  of  the  court,  after  1k'  had  been  in  prison  three  months, 
to  persuade  him  to  submit,  by  coming  to  some  church  in  iJedford  to  hear  it  read. 
Bunyan  tt)ld  liini :  'I  will  stand  by  the  truth  to  the  last  dro])  of  my  blood."  lie 
tells  us,  tliat  at  the  beginning  of  his  imprisonment  he  expected  to  suifer  martyrdom 
on  the  gallows:  'This,  therefore,  lay  with  great  trouble  upon  me,  for  methought  I 
was  ashamed  to  die  with  a  pale  face  and  tottering  knees  for  siicli  a,  cau>e  as  this." 
And  he  resisted  the  Prayer-book  to  the  bitter  end.  Near  the  close  of  his  imprison- 
ment he  writes : 

'If  nothing  will  do  unless  I  make  my  conscience  a  contiinud  butchery  and 
slaughter-shop,  unless,  putting  out  my  own  eyes,  I  conunit  me  to  the  bliiul  to  lead 
nie,  as  I  doubt  not  is  desired  by  .some,  I  have  determined,  the  .Vlinighty  God  being 
my  helpei-  aiul  shield,  yet  to  suffer  if  frail  life  may  continue  so  long,  even  till  the 
moss  shall  grow  on  mine  eyi'brows,  rather  than  thus  to  violate  my  faith  and  principles.' 

And  still  again,  in  the  Preface  to  his  '  t'oufe.sslon  of  Faith,"  published  in  16Ti!, 
the  year  of  his  release  from  prison,  but  written  two  years  before,  he  declares: 

'  I  have  not  been  so  sordid  as  to  stand  to  a  doctrine,  right  or  wrong,  when  so 
weighty  an  argument  as  above  eleven  years'  imprisomnent  is  continually  dogging  of 
me  to   weigh  and  pause,  and  j^ause   again,  the  grounds  and   foundation   of  those 


BUNTAN  REJECTS  INFANT  BAPTISM.  801 

l)iinci])les  for  wliich  I  thus  liave  suffered.  But  having,  not  only  at  my  ir/aZ asserted 
rheiii,  l)Ut  also  since,  even  all  thin  tcdioKx  truct  of  tbne,  by  the  word  of  God,  exam- 
ined them  and  found  them  good,  1  cannot,  I  dare  not  now  revolt  or  deny  tiie  same, 
v\\  pain  of  eternal  danination.'' 

The  niei'e  suggestion  is  simply  shocking  to  every  sensitive  mind,  that  John 
I'unvan,  who  had  thus  denounced  the  clergy  and  the  Church  of  England  with  the 
I'rayer-book,  and  who  had  suffered  for  more  than  twelve  long  years  after  this  fash- 
ion, should  leave  his  •  Den,"  take  charge  of  a  Dissenting  Church  as  its  pastor,  and  then 
make  straight  for  that  National  Church,  turn  his  back  upon  his  wliole  past  life  and 
pretensions,  and  ask  the  very  men  who  in  that  very  year  he  had  publicly  denounced 
as  a  'gang  of  rabbling  counterfeit  clergy,'  to  christen  his  child  by  reading  over  it 
this  same  ' antichristian '  Prayer-book!  Then  take  into  account  his  pronounced 
convictions  against  infant  baptism,  and  the  very  suggestion  becomes  an  iHij)osition. 
Southey  well  says,  that  he  differed  from  the  doctrines  of  the  Church  of  England 
'  on  the  point  of  infant  baptism.'  IIow  could  he  say  any  thing  else  with  these  dec- 
larations of  Bunyan  before  his  eyes  i  In  his  '  Come  and  AYelcome '  he  lays  great 
stress  on  the  word  '  Iiini '  that  cometh  to  Christ  saying  : 

Christ  'shows  also  hereby  tJiat  no  lineage,  kindred,  or  relation  can  at  all  be 
profited  by  any  outward  or  (tarnal  union  with  the  person  that  the  Father  hath  given 
to  Christ.  It  is  only  Iiun,  the  given  Itiin,  the  coming  him  that  he  intends  absolutely 
to  secure.  Men  make  a  great  ado  with  the  children  of  believers ;  and  Oh  the 
children  of  Ijeliemrs  !  But  if  the  child  of  the  believer  is  not  the  hhn  concerned  in 
this  absolute  promise,  it  is  not  these  great  men's  cry,  nor  yet  what  the  parent  or  child 
can  do,  that  can  interest  him  is  this  promise  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  this  absolute  promise.'  * 

These  words  were  first  published  in  UVTS,  six  years  after  this  alleged  christening  of 
Joseph.  But  in  lt;73,  only  one  year  after  this  alleged  christening,  when  Kifiin, 
already  quoted  in  part,  asked  him  why  he  indulged  '  the  BaptisU  (that  is,  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Bedford  Church)  in  many  acts  of  disobedience?  For  to  come  unpre- 
pared into  the  church  is  an  act  of  disobedience  ;  to  come  unprepared  to  the  Supper 
is  an  act  of  disobedience.'  Bunyan  resented  the  charge  with  great  spirit  demanding  : 
'  But  what  acts  of  disobedience  do  we  indulge  them  in  ?  "  In  the  sin  of  infant 
baptism  i"  We  indulge  them  not  ;  but  being  commanded  to  bear  with  the  infirmi- 
ties of  each  other,  suffer  it  ;  it  being  indeed  in  our  eyes  such  ;  l)ut  in  theirs  they  say 
a  duty,  till  God  shall  otiierwise  persuade  them.'  On  the  same  j)ag(^  he  says,  that  he 
cannot  'press  baptism  in  our  notion,  on  those  that  cannot  bear  it.' '  Here,  to  say 
the  least,  he  regards  infant  baptism  as  the  '  infirmity  '  of  those  who  practiced  it, 
which  he  could  'suffer'  'till  God  shall  otherwise  jiersuade  them.' 

If  Bunyan  had  had  no  such  scruples  on  infant  baptism  as  arc  here  stated,  if  he 
had  a  l)abe  l)orn  to  him  in  1()72  and  he  desii-ed  him  christened,  he  could  liave  done 
this  himself  as  jtastoi'  of  the  Bedford  Church,  or  any  Pedohaptist  dissenting  minister 
in  England  wo\dd  have  cheerfully  done  it  foi-  hiin.  But  the  supreme  absurdity  of 
sending  him  off  to  the  National  Church  to  have  this  done,  bears  its  conti'adiction  on 


802  n  OHM  or  mens  ,\yn  nrmsrEyiNo. 

its  f;ice.  A\'liat  iniist  \\v.  1ki\c  donr  in  >w\y  a  cum'  [lurclv  as  a  iiiattcr-uf-fact  iu  order 
to  meet  tiie  deniands  (d'  the  Iluhric  itself  ^     'J'his  certainly  it  re(jnirrd  : 

'  Tliei'e  sliaii  he  fur  e\ci'y  inaie-cinld  ti>  he  liajiti/.ed  two  i^odfatliers  and  one 
i;'()dniothcr.  ,  .  .  TIr'  i:iidrathc'i's  and  jjodniothei's,  and  the  [people  witli  the  chii(h'en 
must  he  ready  at  tiie  Font,  eitl)er  immediately  aftcir  tlu;  last  Ix'sson  at  Morning 
Prayer,  or  else  imme(liately  aftei'  the  last  l.e>Min  at  Evening  Prayer,  as  tlie  Curate 
hy  his  discretion  shall  a]i])iiint.' 

The  (,'hurch  id'  iMiLilaml  had  heeii  trviiiir  to  cnisli  out  P)Unvan's  conwresratioii  for 
ahout  nineteen  years,  and  Mr.  JJrown  shows  us  thai  the  ISedt'ord  Church  was  not 
al)le  to  hold  its  meetings  fortive  years  and  a  hall',  I'rum  Itir,:;  tu  I  (ids.  The  Convent- 
icle Act  almost  gi-ound  it  to  [lowder.  Yet,  hy  thi'  light  of  St.  Cuthliert's  Register, 
we  are  now  to  helieve  that  four  years  later,  its  new  pastor,  .lohii  Ihmyan,  fresh  from 
his  '  Den,'  did  without  either  making  a  wry  face  or  laughing.  ])ick  out  two  godfather.s 
and  a  godniothei-,  and  with  his  loving  wife  Elizabi;th  cai'rying  tlie  hahe,  ])lodded 
through  the  streets  of  Bedford,  taking  this  heroic  liaiid  at  his  heels,  to  St.  Cuth- 
bei't's,  to  have  the  Prayer-book  j-ead  ovei-  his  child  liy  a  |)riest  of  the  Chnr(;h  of 
England  ami  that  babe  christened  into  its  fellow.-hi])  I  The  ordeal  must  have  been 
very  trying  to  one  of  his  principles  ;  for  the  Pubrie  further  reqiured  that  the  priest 
should  say  to  the  godfathei's  and  godmothers  : 

'This  infant  must  also  faithfully  for  his  ])art  ])romise  by  you  that  are  his 
sureties,  until  he  come  of  age  to  take  it  u])on  himsi'lf,  that  he  will  I'enounce  the 
devil  and  all  his  work.s,  and  constantly  believe  Ciod's  holy  word,  and  obediently 
keep  his  <-ommaiidments.' 

Till'  priest  was  then  required  to  ask  Joseph,  through  these  godparents,  if  lie 
renoimced  the  '  devil  and  all  his  works,  the  vain  ponq)  and  glory  of  the  world,  with 
nil  covetous  desires  of  the  same  and  the  carnal  desires  of  the  tle.sh.'  Tlien  the  little 
one  was  to  reply,  in  the  hearing  of  John,  his  half-martyred  father,  through  his  god- 
parents of  course:  'I  renounce  them  all."  Again,  he  was  asked  if  he  believed  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  anil  it  was  .solemnly  read  to  him  that  lie  might  understand  wliat  he 
was  doing,  when  he  meekly  answered:  "All  this  I  steadfastly  believe."  The  jiriest 
at  St.  Cuthbert's  finally  put  the  question  to  him:  'AVilt  thou  be  baptized  in  this 
faitli?'  and  he  eagerly  answered  :  'This  is  my  desire.'  When  the  priest  had  made 
'  a  cross  u]ion  the  cliild's  fondiead "  and  had  otherwise  christened  him  he  said,  seeing 

'That  this  child  is  regenerate  and  grafted  into  the  body  of  Clirist"s  Cliimdi,  let 
lis  give  thanks  unto  Almig-htv  God  for  these  benetits.'  Then  he  gave  thanks  in  these 
words  :  '  We  yield  tliee  hearty  thanks,  most  merciful  Father,  that'it  hath  pleased  thee 
to  regenerate' this  infant  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  to  receive  him  for  thine  own  child  by 
ado])tion,  and  to  incorporate  him  into  thy  holy  Church.' 

After  exhorting  the  godfathers  and  godmothens  to  teach  the  babe  'The  Creed, 
the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  tlie  Ten  Conimandments.  in  the  vulgar  tongue."  he  then  gave 
tliem  this  solemn  charij-e:  "Ye  are  to  take  eare  that  this  child   be  brought  to  the 


THIS  cimisTi:yixa  kept  a  secret.  sos 

llisliop  to  be   confirmed;'  when  tliey  went  out,  tliiit  Buiiyuii  tlu>  Dreamer  might 
prepare  Joseph  to  be  '  bishopt.' 

Scarcely  can  any  tiling  be  imagiiietl  less  in  haniKiny  with  the  stern  convictions 
(if  liiiiiyan  (Jii  "vain  traditions'  than  his  '  Anicn  '  td  such  a  scene.  And  of  this  all 
may  be  assnred,  that  if  he  ever  went  cm  such  a  pilgrimage  lie  did  not  take  his  book 
of  16()'2,  'Praying  in  the  Spirit,'  uiiilcr  one  arm,  and  his  'Defense  of  Jnstification,' 
his  work  of  lfi72,  nnder  the  other;  for  these  wonld  not  have  entirely  agreed  with 
the  Prayer-book  wliic-li  the  priest  read  fur  him  that  day.  The  Register  tells  us  that 
a  Jolin  I'uuyan  went  through  this  foolish  ceremony,  but  this  could  not  well  have 
been  the  author  of  these  works.  There  was  too  little  Slough  of  Despond,  heavy 
burden  on  the  back.  Wicket  Gate,  and  falling  of  the  load  into  the  Redeemer's 
Tomb,  in  the  wlidle  farce  ti)  suit  him;  and  altogether  too  mucii  Prayer-book,  spon- 
sor, priesthood  and  signing  of  the  cross,  to  secure  that  regeneration,  adoption  and 
incori)oration  into  Christ's  holy  Church  which  besought  for  his  children.  If  he  really 
did  submit  this  child  to  this  process  he  must  have  c(.)veted  for  him  some  fancied  good 
thereby,  whicli  he  witliheld  from  .lohn  and  Eiizabetli,  Thomas  and  Sarah.  Or  if  he 
withheld  these  from  christening  because  of  its  apprehended  e\ils,  none  can  divine 
why  he  exposed  Joseph  to  these  evils  and  not  his  brethren.  Then  these  two 
remarkable  things  follow ;  namely,  that  the  Church  of  England  should  have  kept 
liis  recantation  a  profound  secret,  and  that,  if  it  were  not  secret,  his  own  Church 
should  have  taken  no  exception  to  his  conduct,  lie  tells  us  that  he  was  indicted 
and  imprisoned  '  For  not  conforming  to  the  Church  of  England.'  He  had  been 
denouncing  its  clergy  and  Prayer-book  for  nineteen  year.s,  for  whicli  crime  he  had 
been  kept  in  his  '  Den'  for  more  than  twelve  years.  And  now  he  had  taken  himself 
'home'  to  this  very  Church,  begging  for  its  ordinance  and  membership  therein  for 
his  child  through  the  agency  of  that  clergy  and  Prayer-book.  Nay,  he  put  his 
recantation  on  the  public  record  of  St.  Cuthbert's  Parish,  and  neither  Cobb,  nor 
Keeling,  nor  Fowler  ever  heard  a  word  about  it,  nor  was  the  news  of  his  recantation 
rung  from  one  end  of  the  kingdom  to  the  other,  nor  have  we  any  knowledge  that 
Charles  II.  ever  told  John  Owen  that  his  favorite  'tinker,'  whom  he  so  much  loved 
to  hear  'prate,'  had  down  on  his  knees  and  conformed  at  last.  The  best  interpreters 
of  Bunyan  tell  us  that  Wm.  Swinton,  the  spy  who  had  dogged  the  steps  of  Bunyan 
and  the  Baptists  for  years,  was  the  Mr.  Badman  of  Bnnyan's  pen  and  the  sexton  of 
St.  Cuthbert's  Church,  where  he  and  Feckman  plotted  their  destruction ;  yet 
Swinton  prudently  said  nothing  about  this  recantation.  Bunyan  was  the  most 
public  man  in  Bedford,  and  with  this  thing  known  to  two  godfathers  and  one  god- 
mother, the  priest,  Swinton  and  Bunyan,  six  in  all,  it  could  not  have  been  much  of 
a  secret,  to  say  nothing  of  the  public  Register  open  to  the  inspection  of  all.  Yet 
that  Church  which  Bunyan  had  warned  for  twenty-three  years  against  '  touching  the 
Prayer-book,'  and  which  never  had  touched  it,  took  no  exception  whatever  to  its 
pastor's  new  adhesion  to  the  Prayer-book  I     Its  members  had   been   tiued  and  dis- 


804  BKDFdni)    cliritril  AM)    •  BIsIIOI'ING: 

tressed  Ijcciuim'  tlicv  wcjiild  imt  ('iiiitfinii,  and  \u\w  its  ]ia.sliJi'  had  c'Diifurincd  and 
proiiiistMl  f(i  lii'iiij:'  liis  cliild  til  the  '  liisli(j|]  tu  hi'  ruiitii'iiicd  ; "  and  still  lu:^  ( 'hiirch 
was  as  much  di'li_i;lited  with  him  as  vww  Uerchy,  liowever,  lianjis  an  intei'esting 
story  of  IJiuiyan  and  liis  Church,  and  the  actinn  whicli  tlicv  took  in  sumcwhat  siiii- 
ihir  cases.  <  )n  the  l^ltii  nt'  Ni.i\-end)er,  KJfiS,  liunyan's  ('hurcli  aiipointed  himself 
and  ■  1  lai'i  ingtoii  a.  comniitlcc  to  adiminisli  Hi-uthcr  Mcri'id  cuncfrniiii;-  liis  with- 
drawing iVuiii  the  Chiirch  niiil  liis  ronfonnitij  to  i/'  wurhl'x  ivni/  iif  irorsliiji.'  They 
W(!re  instructed  to  •cuilea\oi'  his  conviction  for  his  sin  in  his  witliib'awal.  "  IJrother 
Merrill  liad  ciiiiiiii-iimiscd  his  hrethrrii,  in  |ilacini;-  himself  under  the  instruction  of 
an  c]iiscii|ially  ordainrd  nnni>lry.  \\linsi-  uliiccs  and  funclinns  thev  rejected,  and  had 
united  with  them  in  the  use  nl'  ilie  1 'rayer-book,  which  they  despised  as  tartly  a>  liun- 
van  hiniself.  On  October  14tli.  liiC,;*.  William  Man  and  .lulin  Cripcker  rejjorted,  that 
they  also  liad  visited  Iirother  Mei'i'ill,  and  'thoueli  tlieir  words  and  cai'riage  were 
s(>  winniui;- and  full  111'  hii\\cll>  thai  ln'  could  not  well  bii'ake  uut  into  that  impa- 
tii'iicy  as  he  had  sometimi's  dmie,"  yet  he  tuld  tliem  that  he  '  would  have  no  mure  to 
do  with  tlieni,  bidding  them  to  do  their  worst."  The  ('liiirch  then  sent  '  Urotber 
Uunyan  and  Ib'otlier  Breeden  onee  more  tu  admnuish  him.  lint  (Ui  the  I4lh  uf 
.lanuary,  KmO,  liunyan  and  six  other  brethri'U  signed  a  written  re|iort,  stating,  that 
as  llumj)hrev  ^[l_•rrill  had  •  n|ienly  recanted  his  |irofessiiiii,"  they  recommended  that 
lie  be  'cut  oil'  from  and  (;ast  out  of  this  Chureh  of  (.'lirist,'  whieli,  *  in  full  assembly,' 
tlie  f'liurch  adopted.  A  year  kitt'r,  Aj)ril  21st,  1G71,  on  Banyan's  recommendation 
again,  and  altiT  ])atient  lab(u\  the  Chureli  e.xchided  llobert  Nelson.  l)eeause  '  in  a 
great  assembly  of  the  Church  of  England  he  was  openly  and  jii'<ifaiiilij  hlxlioped 
after  the  Anti-Christian  order  of  that  (Teneration  ;  to  y"  great  profanation  of  God's 
order  and  heart-breaking  of  his  Christian  brethren.'  Now,  to  be  '  bishopt '  was  to 
be  Idcssed  or  confirmed  by  tlie  Bishop,  and  this  action  siiows  that  Nelson  liad  never 
before  been  a  cnmmunicant  of  the  National  ( 'hurch,  as  eontirmatioii  is  a  eondil  ion 
precedent  to  the  Supper  in  that  Chureh.  It  may  be  reniai'ked  in  i)assing,  that  this 
word  is  very  old.  Richaid  of  Gloncester,  I'iers  and  WickliJf  all  used  it,  and  (4rose 
tells  lis  that  in  very  ancient  times,  when  the  Jjishop  passed  through  a  town  or  village, 
the  women  ran  to  receive  his  blessing,  and  often  left  the  milk  on  the  tire  till  it  was 
burnt:  hence,  in  "^'orkshire,  burnt  milk  is  called  •hisJiopcd'  to  this  day.  Thomas 
Edwards  complained  grievously,  in  1645,  that  formerly  'we  had  bishoping  of  chil- 
dren :  now  we  have  bishoping  of  men  and  women  by  strange  laying  on  of  hands.'  ' 

Here,  then,  we  have  the  Church  at  Fiedfurd  excluding  Merrill  for  the  double 
'sin  '  of  speaking  conteiiqituonsly  of  that  body  and  for  worshiping  with  the  Church 
of  England  "in  the  world's  way  ;'  then  Nelson  is  cut  oif  for  being  confirmed  'pro- 
fanely, after  the  Anti-Christian  order  of  that  Generation."  And  now  we  are  asked 
to  believe  that  the  pastor  and  committee-man  of  that  Church,  who  recommended 
and  secured  the  exclusion  of  the.se,  his  brethren,  did  t)ne  year  thereafter  take  his 
own  son  to  be  christened  by  this  same  •Anti-Christian  (Tcneration,'  the  necessary  act 


Jiryi'AN'S  BACK   TO    'THE    ClIUHCIi:  503 

preparatory  to  being  'bisliopt;'  and  after  all  this,  that  he  promised  there  'to  take 
care  that  this  child  be  brought  to  the  Bisliop  to  be  contirined,'  without  'j«  great 
profanation  of  (-iod's  order,  and  heart-breaking  to  his  Christian  brethren.'  That  is 
to  sav,  he  coiiiproiiiised  Lis  uwn  urdiiiaticin  and  that  of  all  the  dissenting  ministers 
in  Great  Britain,  by  seeking  baptism  at  the  hands  of  an  Episcopal  minister,  and  yet 
either  that  his  Church  never  knew  any  thing  about  it,  or  that  his  conduct  in  doing  so 
never  so  much  as  ruffled  the  spirit  of  the  Bedford  Church ! 

Tliis  is  about  where  the  St.  Cuthliert's  record  lands  all  the  })arties  concerned, 
when  it  is  forced  into  a  service  which  I'eflects  upon  John  Bunyan's  character  for 
consistencv  and  casts  a  slur  upon  liis  spotless  memory.  In  the  series  of  records  of 
the  iJedfnrd  Church,  it  is  .shown  that  that  Church  was  sensitive  in  the  extreme  on 
all  jxiints  which  carried  the  appearance  of  fellowship  with  the  Church  of  England, 
and  to  have  had  his  child  christened  in  that  Church  preparatory  to  'bishoping' 
would  have  rent  his  own  tlock  to  pieces.  Froude  had  the  right  estimate  of  Bun- 
yan's  intense  character  and  spirit  when  he  said  of  him  that  this  was  his  aim:  'Be 
true  to  yourself  whatever  comes.  Better  hell  with  an  lK)nc>t  heart  than  heaven 
with  cowardice  and  insincerity.'  Mr.  Brown's  eloquent  address  delivered  at  the 
unveiling  of  the  Bunyan  statue  at  Bedford,  June  10th,  1874,  better  illustrates 
Bunyan's  consistency  than  the  doubt  thrown  upon  it  by  an  unnatural  interpretation 
of  tiie  St.  Cuthbert's  record.  The  statue  stands  with  its  back  to  St.  Peter's  Church, 
on  which  fact  Mr.  Brown  remarked  :  '  Bunyan  seems  to  be  repeating  his  old  offense 
of  turning  his  back  on  the  parish  Church.  ...  It  is  not  an  easy  thing  for  men  of 
his  metal  to  face  about  at  the  word  of  command.'  By  a  singular  coincidence  the 
l>irth-year  of  Bunyan  witnessed  tiie  Bill  of  Rights,  and  the  year  of  his  death  entire 
deliverance  from  popish  tyranny.  But  if  we  must  believe  that  the  Register  of  St. 
Cuthbert's  refers  to  him,  then,  after  all  his  protests  and  sufferings,  November  Kith. 
1072,  demonstrates  that,  having  left  his  '  Den '  in  May,  six  short  months  sufficed 
liim  to  turn  his  back  upon  the  consistency  and  integrity  of  his  religious  life-time. 
For  two  centuries  history  has  written  him  as  firm  in  spirit  as  his  own  Delectable 
Mountains,  and  now  we  are  told  that,  after  all,  '  the  moss  on  his  eyebrows'  did  grow 
so  long  and  thick  in  his  dank  prison,  that  when  he  came  out,  a  la  Rip  Van  Winkle, 
he  neither  knew  himself  nor  did  any  body  else  know  him.  He  .said  to  Fowler,  in 
that  year:  'Let  all  men  know  that  T  quarrel  not  with  him  about  things  wherein  I 
dissent  from  the  Church  of  Enirhuul ; '  and  vet  we  are  now  to  be  thought  incrcdu- 
hnis  for  refusing  to  believe  that  lie  conformed  to  that  Church  in  that  year,  though 
to  believe  that  he  did,  might  turn  his  bones  in  the  '  Baptist  Corner '  of  Bunliill 
Fields,  where  he  now  sleeps. 

It  has  been  suggested  in  various  quarters  that  this  matter  can  lie  reconciled  by 
supposing  that  Bunyan's  wife  might  have  had  the  child  christened  without  his 
knowledge,  as  several  mothers  of  noted  Baptists,  who  were  not  Baptists  themselves, 
have  liatl  their  children   christened   without   the  consent  of  their  husbands.     No. 


606  TIIK  rnnisTEXIXO   AyD   BUNVAN'.S   WIFE. 

Tliese  wdinen  were  C(>iis(/ieiitii)ii>lv  coiiiK'cteil  with  ntlicr  (.'liiii'clics,  aiul  differing 
witii  tiicir  liusliMiiils  in  their  reliii-ions  views,  tiiey  I'eit  it  iiicniiiil)ent  oii  them,  an 
luotht'i's,  to  do  wliat  they  estuenietl  a  religious  duty.  J^esides.  tiie  ministers  to  whom 
they  took  tiieir  eliildren  treated  tliem  and  their  Iionseholds  kindly.  P)Ut  whether 
Eiizabetli  l^unyaii  were  a  Baptist  or  not,  slie  was  not  likely  to  go  to  her  husljand's  open 
persecutors,  who  had  hrought  all  her  sorrows  upon  hei'  head  and  had  treated  liei'  hn.s- 
hand  like  a  hiaite  and  had  left  her  childi-eu  to  .starve,  to  seek  their  blessing  upon  a 
child  wIkiiii  they  despisetl  lor  hi>  lather's  sake;  indeed,  she  was  not  a  woman  of  that 
stamp.  She  lo\ed  her  husband  too  dearly  to  comprouiise  him  in  that  way.  iiesides, 
if  the  JoM-ph  who  was  chi'isleiied  was  her  son,  and  she  had  him  (■hri>tened  by 
stealth,  on  i-eligious  conviction,  why  was  she  not  consistent  with  herself  in  doing 
the  same  for  her  daughtei',  Sarah  '.  and  in  putting  hei'  christening  on  the  .same 
I'ecord,  if  Sarah  was  boi'U  in  the  same  parish^  While  she  almost  idolized  her  hus- 
band, he,  in  turn,  almost  idoli/.ed  her.  She  believed  in  him  and  in  his  view  of  the 
Church  of  iMigland.  She  pleadi'd  foi-  him  befoiv  tlie  bench  of  judges  and  went  to 
London  to  pray  for  his  liberty  through  Lord  IJarkwood  and  the  House  of  Lords. 
And  when  Sir  Matthew  Hale  j)itied  hei'.  and  asked  of  her  husband's  calling,  a 
chorus  of  the  otlier  judges  cried  out:  'A  tinker,  my  lord  1  '  '  Ves,"  said  the  poor 
anil  dauntless  woman,  '  and  Ijecause  he  is  a  tinker  and  a  pixjr  man.  therefore  lie  is 
despi.st'cl  and  cannot  have  justice."  One  of  the  judges  responded  in  great  anger: 
'My  lord,  he  will  preach  and  do  what  lie  lists.'  His  noble  wife  replied:  'He 
preaeheth  nothing  but  tlie  word  of  God  I '  The  angry  judge  cried  out :  *  His  doe- 
trine  is  the  doctrine  of  the  devil  !'  'My  lord,"  the  true  Elizabeth  replied.  '  W'lien 
the  righteous  Judge  shall  a])pear,  it  will  be  known  that  his  doctrine  is  not  the 
doctrine  of  tlie  devil!"  Made  of  that  s(jrt  of  metal,  would  slie  yet  smuggle  her 
husband's  son  into  the  State  Cliurcli  against  all  his  father's  ])reacliing,  writing  and 
.suffering?  Could  she  thus  tride  with  his  religious  principles  and  with  her  own 
opjircssions  in  the  bargain?  Bunyan's  teaching  to  her  was  that  the  wife  must  look 
upon  her  husband 

'  As  her  licad  and  lord.  The  head  of  the  woman  is  the  man.  ...  It  is  an  un- 
seemly thing  so  much  as  once  in  all  her  life-time  to  offer  to  overstep  her  husband, 
she  ought  in  every  thing  to  be  in  sul.ijiM'tion  to  him,  and  to  do  all  that  she  doeth,  as 
having  her  warrant,  license  and  authority  fi-om  him.  .  .  .  The  wife  is  master  ue.\t 
her  husband,  and  is  to  rule  all  in  his  absence ;  yea,  in  his  presence  she  is  to  guide 
the  house,  to  bring  up  the  children  ;  provided,  she  so  do  it  as  the  adversary  have 
no  occasion  to  speak  reproachfully.  .  .  .  Therefore,  act  and  do  still ;  as  being  under 
the  ]iow(>r  of  the  husband." '" 

The  fiict  is,  according  to  Ids  biographer  of  1700 :  '  In  Ids  family  lie  kept 
up  a  very  strict  discipline,  in  prayer  and  exhortations.'  "  Hence,  there  is  not  the 
slightest  ])robability  that  Elizabeth  took  her  child  to  St.  Cuthbert's  to  be  christened, 
nor  is  the  intimation  that  she  did  at  al!  to  the  honor  of  her  name. 

jNIr.  Brown's  reason  for  thinking  that  Ibmvau  removed  his  fainilv  from  Elstow 


ms   FAMILY   UESIDENCK    UNKNOWN. 


807 


to  Bedford  iibout  1055  is,  tluit  tliere  is  no  liirtli-recuril  of  his  cliiklren  at  Elstow 
aftor  1C54;  also,  lie  thiuks  that  his  sons,  John  and  Thomas,  may  liavo  beon  born  at 
Bedford  between  1654  and  1658,  although  there  is  no  more  record  of  their  birth  at 
Bedford  than  at  Elstow.  lie  admits  that  they  might  Ixith  have  i)een  born  at  Elstow 
between  1050  and  1654,  while  conjectural  probability  points  to  the  bii'th  of  John 
by  1648  or  1049.  From  this  premise  he  infers  that  Bunyan's  wife  and  children  lived 
not  only  in  Bedford,  but  in  the  ])arish  of  St.  Cuthbert's  there,  all  through  her  hus- 
band's iin[)ris(iiiment.  There  is  no  date  whatever  to  determine  cleai-ly  when  he 
removed  to  Bedford ;  all  that  we  know  is,  that  his  indictment  says  tliat  he  was  of 
Bedford  in  1661.  But  in  what  part  of  the  town  he  lived  then,  or  his  family  after- 
ward, till  1681,  we  know  absolutely  nothing,  the  drift  of  circumstances  simply 
points  to  the  fact,  that  during  his  imprisonment  his  family  lived  somewliere  in  the 


ilUUl    UULsb,     A\    LL&TuVV. 

town,  at  least  a  part  of  that  time.  Dr.  Stebbing,  no  mean  authority  on  Bunyan, 
writes:  '  On  his  being  finally  committed  to  jail,  his  poor  famil}-  must,  at  first,  have 
found  some  humble  lodging  in  one  of  the  lanes  or  back  streets  of  the  town.  The 
little  blind  girl  cnnld  not  have  visited  him,  day  alter  day,  through  the  long  winter, 
and  stayed  till  night-fall,  had  she  been  obliged  to  walk  to  and  from  Elstow,  nearly 
two  miles  of  harsh,  bleak  road.'  '^  Mr.  Copner,  the  present  vicar  of  Elstow, 
thinks  that  he  removed  to  Bedford  about  1654.     He  says: 

'What  tlie  precise  site  of  his  humble  home  in  Bedford  at  this  time  may  have 
been,  it  Avere  vain  to  inquire.  Nothing  whatever  is  known  about  it,  and  no  ground 
exists  on  which  to  found  a  supjiosition.  It  is  likely  enough,  of  course,  tliat  it  stood 
somewhei'c  near  his  Church,  but  in  what  particular  street  or  locality,  is  absolutely 
problematical.' 


508  '/'///■;  s/x/'hwyy  /io.\at/on. 

And  wliat,  Ik;  says  (if  Hi.M  is  Jii,--I  a.s  ti'in'  uf  tlie  iDcatioii  oi  liis  family  until 
1(!SI.  Ijucaiisc  Mi-.  Jimwii  tiiids  k  .lohn  itiinvaii  un  llic  ilcai-tli  Ta.\-li.~t  of  St.  Cutli- 
bcrt's  Parish  lor  the  years  l<!7(i-71,  while  //i<  ,I<ilin  Uunyan  was  still  in  jirisoii,  and 
the  same  name  occurs  again  in  Hu'.'i  74,  when  iie\\a>iput  of  j)risijn,lie  di'aws  the  un- 
warrantable conclusion  that  the  jirisoner  liunyan  was  a  householder  in  ]>edford  all 
through  his  iiiijirisonmeiit,  that  he  was  one  ol  the  lorty-.'>u\'en  tu,\-])avers  in  the 
|iai-ish  of  St.  Culhliert's,  and  that  his  family  li\cil  in  the-  >aine  liouse  from  tln'  time 
ol'  his  arrest  in  Ititil,  to  the  lime  ol'  liis  release  in  ilay,  i<i72l  This  is,  indeed, 
one  of  his  chief  grounds  for  tiie  attempi  to  identify  the  autliur  of  'Pilgrim's  Prog- 
ress'with  the  dohn    Uiujuin  of  the  lii'gi.-ler  of   l(i7:i. 

This  matter  of  the  llearlli-Tax  is  interesting.  lilack^tone  says,  that  mention  is 
nuide  uf  it  in  iJoomsday-book  as  early  as  tlieeon(juest,  i)y  the  name  of  '  funiage,"  vul- 
garly called  'smoke  farthings;'  jiaid  by  custom  to  the  king  for  evi'ry  chimney  in 
the  liou.-e.  I  nder  Charles  11.,  10(12,  a  tax  of  two  shillings  a  year  was  le\ii'd  on  c'Vi-rv 
housckt'ciier  who  kept  a  lire  on  the  lieailh.  As  the  value  uf  Eugn.-h  money  in  this 
reign  was  at  leiist  six  tim<s  moi-e  than  it  is  in  the  I'eign  of  Victoria,  this  smn  would  now 
amount  to  about  twcKc  >hillings  sterling,  a  sum  wdnch  Puiiyan's  fannly  could  hardly 
])ay  out  of  their  deeji  penury.  I5ut  what  evidence  is  thei'e  that  from  Klil'i  to  l()7:i 
this  law  held  the  im|iii>oneil  iJunyau  a  housekeeper  m  lii'ilford,  and  juit  his  nami' 
on  the  Taxdist  in  St.  Cuthbei't's  j)ari.sh?  John  Jjunyaii,  Sr.,  had  become  a  honse- 
kee|ier  wdien  he  was  eighteen,  and  if  liis  son  John  wa.--  l)oi-n  in  l<i4^.  as  seems 
reasonable,  he  would  be  twenty-two  years  of  age  in  l()7t'.  tlie  year  in  which  liis 
name  appears  on  this  Tax-list,  and  every-way  likely  to  be  a  housekeeper,  csjic- 
cially  in  view  of  the  then  |)overty  of  bis  fathei'V  family.  Truly,  there  were  two 
adult  John  Itunvans  in  lledford  in  l(;7n.  one  in  prison  and  one  out;  and  the  fact 
that  the  Senior  iiunvan  lived  in  this  ]>ai-ticular  ])arisli  from  IdSl  onward,  and  that 
his  son  owned  a  house  in  tliat  parisli  aftei-wai'd.  suggests  the  reasonable  thought 
that  this  son  ]irobablv  li\cd  thei'e  and  ludjied  his  mother  to  take  care  id'  her  chil- 
dren wdieii  his  father  was  in  ]irison.  This  is  about  all  that  S(]Uare  camlor  can  claim 
in  the  case,  either  way. 

Mr.  Brown,  howi'vi-i-,  thinks  that  the  following  fact  is  a  strong  incident  to  show, 
that  wdiile  Iiunvan  was  in  ])rison  he  was  a  '  jiarishoner,'  and  the  only  one  of  his 
name  in  St.  Ciithbert's  ]>arisli.  In  the  month  of  October,  l<17n.  a  contribution  of 
seven  sliillings  was  made  in  that  pai-isli,  by  fifteen  contributors,  for  the  relief  of  cer- 
tain ca]itivo  Christians  in  Algiers.  Amongst  these;  is  foutul  the  name  of  a  '  Jolin 
ISimnian,"  who  subscribed  sixpence.  At  that  time  John  liunyan.  the  ]ireacher,  was 
m  pi'isou,  a  captive  himself,  probably  as  destitute  as  tliose  in  the  captivity  of 
Algeria.  It  seems  that  this  appeal  '  was  read  in  church  '  when  he  was  in  Ixnids  at 
the  'Den  ;'  albeit,  he  woulil  not  have  been  at  that  church  if  he  had  lieen  out  of  jail. 
Still,  !^^r.  Drown  t]iink>  that  tliough  be  was  not  there,  the  sixpence  "  was  ]irobably 
contributed  by  his   fannly  on  his  behalf"  as  'a  tine  stroke  of  irony."      It  must  liave 


Tllh:  llEQUESTS   OF  FATIIEll   AND   SON.  809 

been  rc/'// '  fine.'  The  Coiiveiitiele  Act  iitteinj)ted  to  stamp  out  liis  own  Clnii-ch 
from  ir)»i4  to  1(!()8,  so  that  if  it  met  '  for  mny  religious  purpose  not  in  conformity 
with  the  (.."liurcli  of  England,'  each  person  was  subject  to  a  tine  fi-oni  £5  to  £100, 
and  from  three  years'  imprisonment  to  seven  years'  transportation,  as  he  att(aided 
from  one  to  three  times.  Tiien  came  the  Five  Mile  x\ct,  in  l(;ti5,  which  lined  every 
minister  £-10  for  preaching  within  live  miles  of  any  city  or  corporate  town,  and  yet 
in  order  to  get  Joseph  Bunyan  christened  in  1672,  we  have  the  Dreamer  trying  to 
keep  liimself  and  childi'cn  from  starvation  by  making  tagged  laces,  carefully  sending 
liis  sixpence  to  that  seven  and  si.xpenny  parish,  to  keep  it  in  good  repute  for  liber- 
ality to  captured  Chrkstians!  John  Bunyan,  Jr.,  seems  to  have  been  moderately 
prosperous,  and  judging  from  the  apparent  christening  of  liis  son  two  years  after, 
may  have  given  his  sixpence.  His  poor  mother  had  tio  si.\[)ence  to  send  past  the 
gate  of  the  county  jail  to  Algeria.  And  one  of  Bunyan's  earliest  biographers  said, 
in  160;'.,  that  when  he 

•  Came  al)road  out  of  prison,  he  found  his  temporal  affairs  were  gone  to  wreck, 
and  he  had  as  to  them,  to  begin  again,  as  if  ho  had  newly  come  into  the  world.  .  .  . 
His  friends  had  all  :ilong  supported  him  with  necessaries,  and  had  been  very  good  to 
his  family '  .  .  .  He  did  not  '  Eat  the  bread  of  idleness,  for  I  have  been  witness 
that  his  own  hands  have  ministered  to  his  and  his  family's  necessities,  making  many 
dred  gross  of  long  tagged  laces.' 


InuK.nju  ^ 


When  much  stronger  evidence  than  this  can  be  adduced  that  John  Bunyan  was 
a  '  parishoner '  of  St.  Cuthbert's  Church  while  he  was  a  confessor  in  Bedford  Jail, 
and  that  the  Joseph  christened  there  in  1672  was  his  son,  the  nineteenth  century 
may  lend  its  ear  to  the  story,  but  it  must  be  much  stronger  indeed  to  challenge 
its  confidence. 

Nor  is  there  the  slightest  evidence  that  John  Bunyan  ever  was  the  real  owner 
of  the  house  that  he  lived  in,  in  St.  Cuthbert's  parish  from  1681  to  1688,  either  under 
a  leasehold  claim  or  \n  fee.  It  is  more  likely  that  he  lived  in  it  under  some  tenure 
from  his  son  John.  In  his  deed,  he  simply  gives  the  '  premises '  to  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth, as  an  item  in  the  same  sentence  with  other  items,  thus :  '  To  have  and  to  hold 
all  and  singular  the  said  goods,  chattels,  debts,  and  all  other  the  aforesaid  premises.' 
This  instrument  is  not  a  will  but  a  deed  of  gift,  of  chattels  and  chattel  interests, 
and  does  not  indicate  that  he  had  &fee  in  any  real  estate ;  it  holds  only  the  form  of 
conveying  jiersonal  |)ro])crty.  But  when  John  Bunyan,  Jr.,  bequeaths  the  same 
premises  to  his  granddaughter,  he  says,  in  a  will  proper  :  '  I  give,  devise  and  be- 
(pieath'  to  her,  'my  house  in  the  parish  of  St.  Cuthbert's,  wherein  Joseph  Simonds 
the  younger  now  lives,  with  tlie  outhouses,  yard,  garden  and  all  the  appurtenances 
thereto  belonging,  to  her  and  lici-  licirs  forever.'  Having  disposed  of  his  real  estate, 
he  then  proceeds  to  speak  of  his  leasehold  and  personal  estate.  Thus,  the  instrument 
which  he  executes  is  obviously  and  specifically  a  will,  devising  real  estate  as  well  as 
bequeathing  personal  property.     Yet,  whether  Bunyan,  the  author,  had  owned  the 


510  /)'r,V)'.l.\'>    UESIDESCK  moM    U;S!    TO    IGSS. 

Iioiisc  tli;it  lir  dicil  ill  is  iiniiialcriul,  sii  loiij;-  as  tiien;  is  no  siihstaiitial  jii'ijof  tliat  lie 
Vwvd  in  it  liL'twL'cii  liiT<'  ami  lt)74,  or  tl4at  lu^  was  a  liouseliolder  at  tiiat  tiinc  8iil)ject 
to  tlu'  llcai'tli  'J'ax.  Tlic  fact  is  cited,  tiial  All'.  Bagford  once  visited  J'liiivau  at  liis 
lioiiie,  wln'i'c  111'  saw  a  J'ilile  witii  a  few  otlier  books  on  a  slielt',  anioni^st  tlieiii 
'Pilgrim's  l'i'oj;-ress.'  Still,  as  no  date  is  n'iven  to  his  visit,  this  signifies  notliing. 
Nor  docs  lie  gi\i'  lis  the  edition  of  '  I'ilgriiii,"  the  iii'>t  of  whicli  was  ]iiilili,~hed  as  late  as 
ItlTT.  As  to  the  lease  given  hy  the  ( 'orjiofatiun  of  IJedford  to  .John  JUniyan.  .Ii'.,  in 
17(1."),  that  had  better  not  be  mentioned  in  an  honest  attemjit  to  detei'inine  where  he 
lived  in  1672,  seventeen  years  before  the  lease  was  given.  Taking  every  thing  into 
the  aeeoiint  coiiiiectcd  with  lii>  sjieeial  ami  personal  hoiisehnld,  we  lia\'e  siiiijily  this 
chain  of  cireuni.-tanees  :  lie  iieqtieatlied  his  hoiiM'  in  St.  ( 'utlilu'i't's  ]>arisli  to  his 
u'randdauirliter  in  1728,  in  which  house  his  father  had  lived  from  ItiSl  to  l(is>^  ;  it 
is  more  in  keejiing  with  the  natural  order  of  things  to  infer  that  it  was  his  name 
which  appcai'ed  on  the  Tax-list  of  that  jiai'isli  fi'om  Idji'  to  Iri74,  rather  than  the 
name  of  his  father  wiio  was  in  prison  till  l(i72.  And,  taking  all  things  into  con- 
sideration on  the  Senior  I'unyairs  side  of  the  honse,  his  ini])risoinnent  from  KiOl  to 
1671,  his  abject  poverty  during  those  years,  the  partial  dependence  of  his  family  on 
fi'iwids  for  theii-  bread,  and  the  absolute  absence  of  jiroof  as  to  where  they  liverl 
while  be  was  in  prison  ;  all  reasonable  conjecture  points  to  the  suj^i^osition  that  the 
Joseph  of  the  l)a})tismal  register  of  1672  was  the  son  of  .John  Banyan,  Jr.  and  the 
grandson  of  John  Bnnyan,  Sr.  The  name  in  the  record  still  stands  '  John,'  but  it 
must  he  proven  tliat  the  .John  was  responsible  for  its  creation,  liefore  men  of  sound 
judii-iiiciit  c;in  be  convinced  that  it  is  the  record  of  his  Conformity  to  what  he 
liranded  a>  an  '  .Viiti-Christian '  bod}'. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

BRITISH    BAPTISTS— BUNYAN'S    RELATIONS    TO   THE    BAPTISTS. 

THE  anoiiyiiious  autliur  who  took  up  and  lini.slied  the  narrative  of  I'miyau's 
life  from  the  point  at  which  Banyan  stopped,  calls  liiniself  '  his  true  friend 
and  long  acquaintance  : '  he  says :  '  I  have  taken  upon  me  from  my  knowledge,  and 
the  best  account  given  by  otiicr  of  his  friends,  to  piece  this  to  tlie  thread  too  soon 
broke  off.'  He  then  tells  us,  that  when  Bunyan  was  converted  '  he  was  baptized 
into  tlie  congregation '  at  Bedford,  '  and  admitted  a  member  thereof.' '  Charles 
Doe,  who  was  a  firm  Bajitist,  the  author  of  a  work  against  infant  baptism,  and  who 
edited  an  edition  of  Banyan's  works  immediately  after  his  death,  writes,  that  he 
was  acquainted  with  him  about  two  years  and  had  heard  him  preach  while  in  prison. 
Further  he  adds :  '  He  did  not  take  up  religion  upon  trust,  but  grace  in  him 
contimialiy  struggling  with  himself  and  others,  took  all  advantages  he  lit  on  to 
ripen  liis  understanding  in  religion,  and  so  he  lit  on  tlie  dissenting  congregation  of 
Christians  at  Bedford,  and  was  upon  confession  of  faith  ia^ptised.^  Offer  tells  us 
that  the  reputed  spot  where  he  was  baptized  is  still  pointed  out  in  a  small  stream 
running  up  from  the  river  Ouse,  near  Bedford  bridge.  This  creek  was  then  called, 
in  derision  of  the  Baptists,  the  '  Ducking-place,'  and  is  still  known  in  Bedford  as  the 
mill  stream  in  Duck-mill  Lane.  Almost  all  biographers  agree  in  these  statements  of 
his  two  early  acquaintances ;  and  Philip,  late  of  Maberley  Chapel,  London,  who  was 
a  thoroughly  good  hater  of  strict  Baptists,  writes  that  Bunyan  '  shrunk  back  from 
baptism  and  the  sacrament  for  years,  lest  he  should  presume.'  Doe  is  uncertain  about 
the  time  of  his  baptism,  placing  it  between  1651  and  1653,  a  fact  which  hints  at  sucli 
a  lialtiug  as  Philip  mentions.  The  unbroken  testimony  is  that  Gifford  immersed 
him,  though  there  is  no  entry  thereof  on  the  record,  and  for  the  best  of  reasons,  as  we 
siiall  see.  All  are  agreed  that  Gift'ord,  the  pastor  of  the  Bedford  Church,  did  some- 
thing to  him  in  the  Ouse  whicli  was  called  baptism,  so  that  on  entering  that  church 
both  Bunyan  and  (xifford  cast  aside  as  worthless  the  christening  which  Bunyan  had 
received  when  a  babe,  in  1628,  at  the  Elstow  Parish  Church. 

The  ablest  disinterested  investigatoi-s,  with  remarkable  unanimity,  state  that 
Bunyan  was  a  Baptist.  Froude  calls  Gifford  '  the  head  of  the  Baptist  community ' 
in  Bedford,  and  adds  that  Bunyan  '  being  convinced  of  sin  joined  the  Baptists.'  ^ 
Scott,  the  commentator,  says  that  he  was  admitted  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Bedford.'  This  Church  was  organized  by  Gifford  in  1650,  and  consisted  at  the 
time  of  four  men  and  eight  women.     Copner  says :  '  Bunyan  was  now  a  constant 


S12  THE  r/-:sy/]jo\)'  of  his i <ii;ia.\s. 

;i(llici-ciir  of  a  sniull  iiiid  liiiiiiMc  ciiiiji-i'i-ii-uiidii  of  l!u|iti>ts  in  tlii'  town  of  IJedl'ord, 
and  "sat  iindci-""  tlic  tracliinn'  of  "liolv  .Mi-.  ( iilfoi-d."  "  A_i;ain,  lie  s])faks  of  this 
bod V  as  •  till'  iiaptist  uoinmtinioii  in  IJudford."  '  Dr.  Stcl)bin<r,  tlic  fcetur  uf  St.  ^lary 
IVIoiintliaw,  ]j011i1oii,  edited  and  jmlilisiiud  all  lliinyan's  works,  in  +  vols,  imperial 
oetavo,  ISull,  and  dedicated  his  work  to  the  lli^liop  of  l>ondon.  This  I'dition  is  adopted 
for  :dl  references  to  l!unvan"s  woi'ks  in  thi>liook.  Stebliini;' was  a  thoroiii:li  l!nn- 
vanian  scholar  and  i)roiioiinces  Mr.  (iilfoi'd  -a  liiinible  iJaptist  miinster.'  (ireen  in 
his  '  History  of  the  Kny'lisli  Peojde'  wi-itcs  of  Ihinvan.  '  He  joined  a  iiaptist  Church 
at  liedfoi-d.' ■•  I)ean  Stanley  calls  him  'a  iJaptist  pi-eaclier  and  the  preacher  of  the 
liaptist  .\reetinr;'lioiise  at  liedford."'  Macaulay  states,  that  'he  joine(l  the  iJaptists 
and  became  a  [)reacher.'  ''  The  '  iJritanniea,'  the  most  weii;hty  of  the'  Eiicyclupaidias, 
says,  'lie  joined  the  Itaptist  society  at  I  Jed  ford.' '  'i'his  has  been  the  nniforin 
tcstiiiioiiy  of  careful  investigators,  because  the  j^eiieral  pi-inci]iles  and  practices  of 
the  Church  were  Baptist  in  its  early  history,  and  because  liunyaii  himself  was 
decidedly  Haptist  after  the  ojien-communion  order.  Robert  I'hilip  and  l)i'. 
Stoughton  more  accurately  define  the  e.xact  status  of  the  Church  in  ecclesiasrical 
terms.  I'hilip  says:  '  I  do  not  forget  that  the  Chui'ch  at  liedford  was  not  wholly  a 
Itajitist  Church.  Its  jiastor,  however,  was  a  liaptist;  and  the  nuijoi-ity  seem  to  have 
l»een  the  same.  Ihit  they  wert'  not  strict  Baptists.' *  Stoughtou  calls  it  a  '  unique 
s(jciety '  made  uj)  of  a  number  of  godly  peoj)le  who  seceded  from  the  parish  churches 
at  Bedford  and  cliose  (Tifl'ord  for  their  ])astor,  and  adds:  'The  Churcli  lie  founded 
was  neither  exclusively  Baptist  iioi'  I'ed()ba])tist ;  members  of  both  kinds  were 
admitted  on  tlii'  same  terms.  .  .  .   Ibinyan  was  a  Ilaptist.'  ' 

Dr.  Stoiighton's  presentation  of  the  case  is  ]>r()l)ably  the  most  exact  that  lias  been 
given  by  any  weighty  authority;  jirovided,  that  by  the  term  •  Pedoba])tist '  he  means 
simply  tliat  some  of  the  constituent  memljers  had  been  christened  in  their  infancy 
and  wei'c  rcceiN'ed  into  tlii'  new  body  without  immersion,  lint  if  he  means  by  that 
Word,  that  infants  Avere  christened  in  that  church,  through  the  jjastorates  of  Gifford, 
Burton,  or  Bunyan,  its  first  three  pastors,  then  it  is  not  correct,  for  there  is  not  the 
least  vestige  of  evidence  that  infant  ba]itism  was  ]iracticed  in  that  body  till  the  time 
of  Ebenezer  Chandler,  Ihinyan's  first  successor,  about  forty  years  after  the  Church 
was  formed.  Chandler's  letter  marks  the  introduction  of  the  ])ractice,  bearing  date 
Feb.  2.'],  Ifi!*!,  two  years  after  his  settlement.  Gifford  was  so  far  a  liaptist  as  that 
h(^  administered  immersion  to  all  who  wished  it,  and  possibly  sprinkled  those  who 
wished  that,  though  this  is  imt  shown,  but  christened  no  children  as  jiastor  of  this 
Church;  whilst  IhmyaiL  was  a  ])ronounccd  Baptist  in  all  things,  excepting  that  he 
diflfered  with  all  Christians,  Baptist  and  Pcdobaptist,  in  rejecting  baptism  as  a 
necessary  precedent  to  the  Supper,  because  he  held  that  baptism  was  a  personal  act, 
and  not  a  Church  act.  Because  BunA'an  was  a  Baptist  of  this  school  and  his  Church 
never  practiced  infant  baptism  till  U'lHl,  but  practiced  th(!  baptism  of  believers  onl^', 
as  we  shall  see,  it  was  called  a  IJaptist  Churidi  then  and  ever  since,  and  properly  so. 


WHENCE    THE  BEDFOIU)    CHUIiCU  SPIi.WG.  813 

The  peculiar  constitution  and  history-  of  the  Church  with  wliich  he  was  united 
as  menilier,  deacon,  pastor  and  writer  fur  tliirty-llve  years,  throw  a  mutual  interpre- 
tation upon  his  views  and  practices  and  their  own.  As  we  shall  see,  few  churches 
in  Great  Britain  have  been  so  agitated,  disturbed  and  divided  on  all  the  \ital 
questions  which  have  disquieted  its  llaptist  Churches  in  the  same  period  of  time. 
In  177J:  a  Trust  Deed  was  adopted  by  which  the  Church  is  legally  known  to-day  as 
a  'Congregation  or  society  of  Protestants  dissenting  from  the  Church  of  England, 
commonly  called  Independents  or  Congregationalists,  holding  mixed  communion, 
with  those  who  scruple  the  haptizing  of  infants,  comhionly  called  Bajdidv.'  That 
corporate  title  itself  implies  something  peculiar  in  its  history,  and  the  marked  effects 
of  that  history  have  not  been  produced  without  a  cause.  There  are  good  reasons 
why  the  best  investigators  have  always  pronounced  Clifford,  Bunyan  and  this  Church 
Baptist.  Let  us  now  look  at  the  reasons,  and  at  the  forces  which  have  rendered  this 
name  necessary  and  true. 

As  already  stated,  this  Church  was  formed  in  1050,  and  Bunyan  united  with  it 
in  1653.  For  six  years  after  its  organization  it  kept  no  record  which  can  now  be 
found  ;  but  one  was  kept  from  1G50,  which  has  been  copied,  partially  at  least,  and 
is  preserved  in  the  present  Church-book.  Baptist  principles  and  practices  took  root 
in  and  around  Bedford  long  before  this  Church  existed,  they  entered  into  its  con- 
stituent elements,  and  appear  in  the  struggles  and  triumphs  of  the  body  for  fully  a 
centur}'  and  a  half.  These  records  justify  Thomas  Scott  in  saying,  that  he  takes 
certain  facts  '  from  the  entries  in  the  Baptist  Church-book '  at  Bedford.'"  A  free 
congregation  was  formed  at  Bedfoi'd,  under  the  ministerial  labors  of  Benjamin  Coxe, 
about  1G1.3,  seven  j'cars  before  Gilford's  congregation  was  formed  and  ten  years 
before  Bunyan  was  baptized.  He  was  the  son  of  Bishop  Coxe,  of  the  reign  of 
Elizabeth,  and  a  graduate  of  one  of  the  universities,  being  at  one  time  a  disciple  of 
Laud.  Baxter  says  that  he  held  a  controversy  at  Coventry,  and  Wilson  states  that 
he  was  sent  to  prison  there  in  1643,  '  for  disputing  against  infant  baptism.' " 
Edward  denounces  him  as  '  one  Mr.  Coxe  who  came  out  of  Devonshire,  an  inno- 
vator.' '^  This  was  the  Benjamin  Coxe  who  wrote  an  Appendix  to  the  London 
Baptist  Confession  of  1616.  This  document  suggests  the  doctrine  which  he  preached 
in  Bedford  in  1 613.     He  says,  page  9  : 

'  Although  a  true  believer,  whether  baptized  or  unl)aptized,  be  in  a  state  of 
salvation,  and  shall  certainly  be  saved,  yet  in  obedience  to  the  conunaud  of  Christ 
every  believer  ought  to  desire  baptism,  and  to  yield  himself  to  be  baptized  according 
to  the  rule  of  Christ  in  his  word.  And  whei'e  this  obedience  is  in  faith  performed, 
there  Christ  makes  this  his  ordinance  a  mean  of  unspeakable  benefit  to  the  believing 
sold.  Acts  ii,  88.  And  a  true  believer  that  here  sees  the  command  of  Christ  l^'ing 
upon  him,  cannot  allow  himself  in  disobedience  thereto.'  Again,  page  11 :  '  Though  a 
believer's  right  to  the  use  of  the  Lord's  Sujiper  do  immediately  flow  from  Jesus  Christ, 
apprehended  and  received  l)y  faith,  yet  iiuismnch  as  all  things  ought  to  be  done  not  only 
decently  but  also  in  order,  and  the  word  lujlds  forth  this  order,  that  disciples  should 
be  baptized,  and  then  be  taught  to  observe  all  things  (that  is  to  say,  all  other  things) 
34 


314  COXK  AND    DKT.L. 

tliat  Cliri^t  ilriiiaiidcd  of  tlic  ;ipostles  ;  iiiid  accoi-diiii^ly  the  a])0.stl(5S  first  liajitized 
disciples  and  then  adnutted  tiieni  to  the  Uf;e  of  tiie  .Sup])ei-.  we  theref(jie  do  not 
aihnit  any  to  tiie  use  of  the  Suj)per,  nor  eoinniunicate  witii  any  in  tiie  use  of  this 
ordinance,  hut  disciples  l)a])ti/,ed,  lest  we  should  have  fellowship  with  them  in  their 
doing  contrary  to  order.' 

The  coMi^regation  which  he  formed  at  IJedford  in  lti4:!  would  naturally  take  liis 
views  on  this  suliject.  Jlow  loiii;  it  continued  does  not  a])pear  :  hut  it  seems  to  have 
merged  itito  the  company  that  foniicd  (iill'ord's  ('hurch  in  H'l.'id.  William  Dell, 
rector  of  Leiden,  JJedf'ordshire,  took  strong  ground  against  the  estahlishment  of 
religion  liy  law,  and  his  doctrine  also  tilled  the  air  (»f  I'edford  scjme  few  years  later. 
Most  of  his  views  were  in  common  with  I>a]»tists  and  some  in  common  with  the 
(Quakers,  who  came  to  In'dford  in  frpritl.  Edwards  says  of  liini.  in  \i'<^^'^.  that  he 
preached  at  Marston  Cluirch,  ni'ai'  ().\ford,  dune  7,  KMCi,  from  the  last  seven  verses 
in  Isaiah,  in  which  sermon  he  said  :  that  only  those  in  the  kingdom  who  had  the 
Spirit  of  (iod,  were  the  (!hurch  of  (iod;  tliat  the  New  Testament  never  Jield  a 
wliole  nation  to  he  a  Church  ;  and  that  the  saints  were  those  tiow  styled  'Anahaptists' 
and  otlier  sectaries.'-*  This  was  his  doctrine  concerning  a  (lospel  t'liiu'cli.  He  said: 
'AH  (JInirches  are  equal  as  well  as  all  Christians,  all  being  sisters  of  one  another, 
heanis  of  one  sun,  branches  of  one  vine,  streams  of  one  fountain,  luemljers  of  one 
body,  branches  of  one  golden  candlestick,  and  so  equal  in  all  things.'  Dell  was  one 
of  the  ejected  ministers,  and  he  lost  the  mastei'ship  of  Cains  College,  Candjridge, 
with  his  living.  He  held  the  same  views  of  religious  liberty  that  Bunyan  lield.  In 
a  ])owerful  sermon  preached  before  the  House  of  Commons,  November  25,  1G40,  on 
'  liight  Reformation,'  he  said  : 

'It  causes  disturliances  and  tumults  in  the  world,  when  men  are  forced  by  out- 
ward power  to  act  against  their  inward  princi|)les  in  the  things  of  (-rod.  ...  A  man 
when  he  sins  not  against  the  State,  may  justly  stand  for  his  State-freedom,  and  to 
deprive  a  nuin  of  liis  State-liberty  for  the  kingdom  of  Christ's  sake,  as  it  causes  dis- 
tui'bances  in  the  world,  so  let  any  man  show  me  any  such  thing  in  the  (tosjjcI.  .  .  . 
We  e.xalt  Christ  Jesus  alone  in  the  s]>iritual  Church  ;  and  attribute  to  the  magistrate 
his  full  jKiwer  in  the  world,  lint  they  (the  Presbyterians)  exalt  themselves  in 
('hi-ist's  stead  in  the  ('hurch,  and  set  under  their  feet  the  magistrate's  ])ower  in  tlie 
world.  .  .  .  As  Christ's  kingdom  and  the  kingdoms  of  tiie  world  are  distinct,  so 
you  would  be  pleased  to  kee])  them  so.  Not  mingle  them  together  yoiii'selves,  nor 
suffer  others  to  do  it  to  the  great  prejudice  and  disturbance  of  both.  .  .  .  But  would 
you  iiave  no  law  ?  No  laws  in  Cod's  kingdom  but  (lod's  laws,  and  they  are  these 
three :  the  law  of  a  new  nature  ;  the  law  of  the  s^jirit  of  life  that  is  in  Christ ;  the 
law  of  love.' 

In  this  Antipedobaptist  atmospliere  the  Church  at  Bedford  was  founded.  The 
introduction  to  its  records,  commencing,  as  we  have  .seen,  in  1656.  states  that  there  had 
long  been  persons  in  Bedford  and  its  viciiiity  who  had  '  by  purse  and  presence'  sought 
to  edify  each  other  according  to  the  New  Testament ;  and  who  were  '  enabled  of  God 
to  adventure  farre  in  shewing  their  detestation  of  y'  bishops  and  their  superstitions.' 
Further,  this  introduction  says,  that  after  they  had  'conferred  with  members  of 


GTFFOnD'S    VIEWS.  513 

other  societies,^  most  likely  that  gathered  by  Coxe  being  amongst  them,  they  formed 
a  Church  of  twelve  iiieiiibers,  and  chose  John  Gilford  'for  their  minister  in  Jesus 
Christ,  and  to  be  their  pastor  and  bishop.'  Uei-e  we  see  that  in  all  likelihood,  Coxe 
and  Dell  had  tirst  introduced  the  Baptist  leaven  into  Bedford,  and  Iidw,  thereby,  so 
many  o\'  the  twelve  came  to  be  Baptists  as  well  as  Clifford  himself.  They  adopted  this 
principle  as  the  foundation  of  their  fellowship,  in  the  words  of  the  record.  'Now 
the  principle  upon  which  they  thus  entered  into  fellowship  one  with  anothei-,  and 
upon  which  they  did  afterwards  receive  those  that  were  added  to  their  body  and 
fellowship,  WHS  Jfaith  in  Christ  and  Holiness  in  life,  without  respect  tn  this  or  that 
circunistantiall  things.  By  which  nieanes  grace  and  faith  was  encouraged.  Love 
and  Amity  maintainetl,  disputings  and  ocasion  to  janglings  and  unprofitable  ques- 
tions avoyded,  and  many  that  were  weake  in  the  faith  confirmed  in  the  blessing  of 
eternall  life'  The  fundamental  iv(|uisiti(in  that  those  who  '  were  added  to  their  body 
and  fellowship '  should  have'ft'aith  in  Christ  and  Holiness  of  life,' precluded  the 
possibility  of  adding  any  by  infant  baptism,  and  their  nonrespect  to  '  opinion  in 
outward  things'  left  all  who  should  unite  with  them  at  liberty  to  choose  their  own 
nirthod  of  baptism.  They  thought  by  this  course  to  avoid  '  uiiprotitable  (pie.stions,' 
'dis]>utiiigs  and  ocasion  to  janglings,' and  so,  as  is  connnon  with  those  who  fear 
the  expression  of  free  thought,  they  created  the  surest  mode  of  engendering  these 
evils,  and  suffered  from  them  as  few  Churches  have  in  the  same  length  of  time. 
Nothing  is  clearer  than  that  they  were  not  Quakers,  and  that  at  first  water-baptism 
was  practiced  amongst  them  in  such  way  as  satisfied  themselves  individually. 
While  we  have  no  exact  information  of  Clifford's  personal  views  concerning  the 
ordinances,  we  do  not  need  any,  for  his  official  position  as  pastor  of  such  a  Ciuirch 
sufficiently  defines  what  they  were.  After  organizing  a  Church  under  this  compact 
and  accepting  its  pastorship,  it  became  his  duty  to  sprinkle  all  who  wished  to  be 
sprinkled,  and  to  immerse  all  who  wished  to  be  immersed  upon  their  faith  in 
Christ ;  and  his  refusal  to  do  so  would  have  repudiated  the  principle  on  which 
his  own  Church  was  established.  The  point  to  be  aimed  at,  therefore,  in  this 
examination  is,  not  what  were  Clifford's  personal  views  of  baptism,  not  what 
the  personal  views  of  other  members  were,  but  what  were  the  views  of  John 
Bunyan,  and  what  he  held  as  Gospel  baptism,  a  matter  which  he  could  determine 
for  himself. 

Theodore  Crowley  was  ejected  from  St.  John's,  at  Bedford,  for  refusing  to  use 
the  Dii'ectory,  and  the  corporation  to  its  rectory  and  hospital  appointed  Gifford  to 
fill  his  place  in  1653,  three  years  after  his  Church  was  formed,  I)ut  in  September, 
1055,  he  died,  and  was  succeeded  in  his  pastorate  by  John  Burton.  Clifford  had 
three  daughters  and  a  son  born  to  liim  between  his  marriage  in  164S,  and  his  death 
in  1655  ;  or,  rather,  the  last  daughter  was  born  after  he  died.  The  burial  of  John, 
his  son,  is  registered  in  St.  Paul's  Parish  in  1651 ;  that  of  Elizabeth,  his  second 
daughter,  is  recorded  in  the  same  register  for  1665  ;  and  Mary,  his  eldest  daughter, 


816  (ilFFOnU'H    ClIAIidK    TO   JUS    rilVlWIL 

is  kiiiiwii  til  liuvc  iiiarrii'il  in  Itl'.ttl.  N'ai'inus  (it her  entries  ix'latiiiir  to  liiiii  and  his  fam- 
ily arc  t'dunij  in  lu'ilfdnl,  Init  not  a  line  of  rut-urd  lias  liecn  I'nund  anvwiicre  to  sliow 
tliat  any  uf  his  children  were  christened,  wliich  is  a  fact  of  great  signitieaiice;  for, 
as  Southey  says,  a  number  of  those  wlio  preaclied  in  tiie  parish  chnrciies,  while  the 
Directory  and  not  tlie  Prayer-book  was  in  force,  were  I'aptists.  Hence  Gifford, 
clcai'ly  a  IJaptist  in  that  hi.'  cast  aside  infant  Ijaptism,  as  his  liaptisni  nf  Ihinyan 
attests,  was  tilling  the  pulpit  of  St.  John's;  and  Ihinyan  himself  jireached  more  than 
iincc  in  the  jiarish  churches.  '^ 

It,  is  simply  idle  U)  reject  lUinyan's  immei'sion  by  (Tilfiird  liecaiise  liis  name  does 
iKit  ajipear  on  tin-  Church  recnrd  as  an  immersed  nuMuber.  For  the  same  reason  the 
iimiK'i-sion  (if  Ilanserd  Knollys.  doliii  C'lark  and  Obadiali  lldlmes  may  l)e  rejected, 
because  no  record  of  their  ba[»tism  is  known  to  e.xist.  But  in  J>unyan"s  case  there 
are  special  reasons  why  no  such  register  is  found.  Due  says  that  he  was  baptized  on 
'his  confession  of  Christ'  between  KiSl  and  1053,  Itut  the  Church  has  no  record  of 
any  thing  that  was  (hjne  at  that  time  as  a  specific  act  of  its  proceedings  in  receiving 
any  individual  members.  In  lt)53  it  lias  a  list  of  members  simply,  among  whose 
names  Bunyan's  is  found  as  the  nineteenth.  Besides  this,  of  set  purpose,  all  bap- 
tisms ill  the  body  were  left  unrecorded  ;  Mr.  Brown  informing  us  that  the  word 
'  ba[itisni '  oidy  occurs  twice  between  1050  and  lO'.tO,  b(_itli  cases  being  in  1(556. 
Indcr  the  circumstances  it  was  a  matter  of  absolute  necessity  that  no  record  of  bap- 
tisms should  be  kept.  For  the  Church  to  have  voted  on  such  a  question  in  ordering 
baptisms,  or  to  have  approved  their  record,  would  have  kept  it  in  a  perpetual  coni- 
motion,  instead  of  jiromoting  its  perfect  l)lendiiig,  as  a  body  made  up  of  diverse 
elements.  Two  lists  of  membei's,  one  of  the  immersed  part  of  the  Church  and 
another  of  the  uniiiimersed,  would  have  drawn  a  line  directly  through  the  Church, 
which  was  the  very  thing  that  they,  a  mixed  body,  wished  to  avoid;  hence  such  a 
record  was  most  studiously  discarded.  The  fact  that  they  were  mixed  kept  them  on 
the  alert  perpetually  against  strife  and  still  failed,  without  attempting  to  make  up 
separate  records  of  the  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists  amongst  them,  to  heat  up  their 
controvei'sies  withal. 

Almost  tlie  last  act  of  Pastor  Gilford,  on  his  deatli-bed,  was  to  draw  up  a 
rcniarkalile  letter  to  his  Churcli,  then  numbering  not  more  than  thirty  inemb(>rs,  in 
which  he  most  solemnly  charges  them  concerning  the  future.  After  exhorting 
them  to  be  constant  in  their  assemblies  he  comes  to  the  fundamental  principle  on 
which  the  Church  stood,  saying: 

'  After  you  are  satisfied  about  the  work  of  grace  in  the  party  you  are  to  join  with, 
the  said  party  do  solemnly  declare  before  some  of  the  Ciiurch  that  union  with  Christ 
is  the  foundation  of  all  saints  coynnninion,  and  not  merely  your  agreement  concerning 
any  ordinances  of  Christ,  or  any  judgment  or  opinion  about  externals.  And  said 
party  ought  to  declare,  whether  a  brother  or  sister,  that  through  grace  they  will 
walk  in  love  with  the  Church  though  there  should  happen  any  difference  about  other 
things.' 


PSALMS  AND    BAPTISM.  617 

lie  gives  no  hint  tlmt  an  infant  could  be  baptized  amongst  them.  Tlio  caiuli- 
date  must  be  a  'brother  or  sister,'  wlio  declares  liis  faitli,  and  about  whose  personal 
grace  the  Chiircli  was  to  be  satisfied ;  for  he  insisted  on  a  regenerate  membership. 
Gifford  gives  his  Church  just  such  a  charge  as  any  thoughtful  Baptist  pastor,  when 
dying,  would  give  his  Church  in  that  day,  in  view  of  the  controversies  that  were 
then  rending  the  Baptist  Churches;  such  a  charge  as  none  but  a  Baptist  Church 
needed,  and  such  as  none  but  a  Baptist  pastor  would  have  thought  of  giving  to  his 
Church.  He  says:  'Concerning  separation  from  the  Church  about  baptism,  laying 
on  of  hands,  anointing  with  oil,  psalms  or  any  externals,  I  charge  every  one  of  you 
respectively,  as  you  will  give  an  account  of  it  to  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall 
judge  both  quick  and  dead  at  his  coming,  that  none  of  you  be  found  gnilty  of  this 
great  evil.'  This  serious  document,  signed  in  the  presence  of  two  brethren  as  wit- 
nesses, and  still  read  to  the  body  once  a  year,  not  only  evinces  the  apprehensions  of 
the  good  man  that  his  little  flock  might  be  rent  after  liis  death,  but  also  it  shows  us 
the  material  of  which  it  was  composed,  and  the  rpiestions  on  which  it  stood  in 
jeopardy.  He  implies  that  up  to  that  time  his  pei'sonal  influcTice  had  held  them 
together  on  these  points,  for  he  also  affectionately  e.xhorts  them  to  maintain  their 
unity  and  walk  in  the  ordinances  of  Christ,  by  reminding  them  that  they  'were  not 
joined  to  the  minidnj,  but  to  Christ  and  the  Church.'  Let  us  look  at  these  four 
questions  of  Gifford's  dying  charge. 

I.  The  question  of  singing  psalms  in  public  worship.  This  was  not  absolutely 
a  Baptist  question,  for  some  few  Lidependents  refused  to  allow  singing;  but  the 
Baittist  Churches  were  agitated  by  this  controversy  to  their  very  center,  and  num- 
bers of  them  were  divided  into  fragments  in  consequence.  The  Bedford  Church 
never  had  singing  in  their  worship  during  Gift'ord's  or  Bunyan's  ministry.  It  was 
not  till  ]t')'.»0  that  it  was  introduced,  and  then  it  was  confined  to  tlie  afternoon 
service.  Ou  October  20th,  in  that  year,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Church,  '  it  was  debated 
and  agreed  that  Public  Singing  of  Psalms  be  practiced  by  the  Church,  ivith  a 
cauahion  that  none  others  perforna  it  but  such  as  can  sing  with  grace  in  their 
Hearts  According  to  the  Command  of  Christ '  (the  Baptist  doctrine  at  that  time 
was  that  none  but  the  saints  should  sing);  eighteen  brethren  voted  for  the  change, 
with  two  dissenting.  Seven  years  later.  June  7th,  1697,  the  Church  consented  that 
'  Brother  Chandler  (its  pastor),  and  those  of  his  principle,  might  have  Lybertie  to 
sing  the  praises  of  God  in  the  morning  of  the  Lord's  day  as  well  as  the  Afternoon.' 
By  the  year  1700,  three  years  later,  the  Church  had  wrought  itself  up  to  the  conclu- 
sion, '  that  there  should  be  liberty  to  sing  at  every  meeting  of  preaching,  week  days 
as  well  as  Lord's  days.'  This  squeamishness  on  the  question  of  '  psalms'  shows  the 
need  of  Gifford's  dying  charge,  and  that  the  proportion  of  Baptist  element  in  the 
Church  was  large  at  the  time  of  his  death  and  the  division  of  his  Church  imminent 
on  the  'psalm'  question.  Jukes,  afterward  pastor  of  the  Church,  gives  us  Chandler's 
letter  on  the  subject  to  the  members  who  lived  at  Gamlingay,  in  which  he  says : 


518  ANOINTING .— LAYING    ON  OF  HANDS. 

''  Our  lii'ctlircn  have  (It'lcnnini'i!  tliat  tlioM'  tliat  arc  ]icr>iiai](Ml  in  flirir  conscience 
that  |)iil)lic  siiitriiii;-  is  an  oriiinance  of  (uxl  siiall  |iracti('e  it  on  tliu  J^ord's  day  in  onr 
nKH'ting  at  licdfoi-d.  Those  tliat  are  of  diifcivnt  jndi;iH(>nt  haver  theii-  lii)ei't_y  wliether 
they  .siiii;-  there  or  no.  di-  w  lictlier  tl:ey  be  ]iresent  wiiih-  we  .sinif,  so  tliat  they  don't 
turn  their  hacks  on  other  parrs  ol'  (i<id's  worship.  Ncitlier  is  it  at  all  designed  to  he 
imposed  or  propo.sed  to  any  other  niectiiii:'  of  the  Church.''"  So  singing  was  intro- 
duced after  a  hard  struggle. 

II.  As  ro  HAi'TisM,  the  rinircli  record  shows  that  there  was  equal  need  of  the 
dviiig  ])astor"s  charge  on  this  siihject.  At  that  time  this  ijuestion  had  ceased  to  dis- 
tiirh  the  congregations  of  other  ('liri>tiaii  dt-iioiiiinalions.  hut  amongst  Baptist 
Churches  its  ri'latioii  to  coiiimiiiii(in  had  already  'separated"  many  of  them;  and 
twice  afterward  the  (piestioii  of  baptism  di\ide<l  the  i!e(ifiird  ('Inirch  itself.  He 
very  strongly  hints,  however,  in  his  charge,  that  at  that  time  some  in  his  Church 
wanted  to  make  bajitism  an  'ordinanci'  of  (Jhrist,' a  test  of  '  cominunion '  in  that 
Church,  and  he  wanted  all  who  came  into  its  fcdlowship  thereafter  'to  solemnly 
declare'  that  it  should  not  lie  made  such  a  test  as  far  as  they  were  concerned.  In 
other  words,  he  calliMl  it  an  '  external,'  and  laid  down  the  very  principle  for  govern- 
ing the  '  comninnion  '  of  the  Church,  which  Jiunyan  enforced  afterward,  showing 
that  lu' drank  in  his  open-commmiion  principles  from  (iill'ord.  Indeed,  it  reipiii'ed 
little  less  than  a  miracle  to  pi'eser\'e  the  peace  of  such  a  mixed  body.  Althougil 
(Jitford  had  died  only  in  SeptembcM'.  Iti.")."),  yet  in  KJSri  we  have  these  entries  on  the 
(,'hurch  record  :  'Our  sister  Liiiford  liaving,  upon  the  acconnt  of  Baptism  (as  she 
pretended),  w"'drawii  from  the  congregation,  was  rcfjiiired  to  be  at  the  meeting  to 
render  a,  reason  for  her  so  doing;'  and  a  month  later  liiMther  Cromjie,  who  had 
been  proposed  for  niembership,  'desires  to  stay  still  n])on  the  account  of  baptism.' 
These  records  are  about  as  blind  as  they  can  well  be  made,  and  were  probably  made 
blind  for  a  pnr])ose,  but  they  show  that  (^ifford  had  good  reason  for  his  charge,  as 
the  little  Church  was  not  l)y  any  means  united  on  this  subject,  moi'e  than  on  that  of 
])salms.  In  some  way,  which  does  not  a])])ear  precisely,  they  were  in  serious  trouble 
about  liaptism. 

III.  As  TO  '  ANoiXTixo  WITH  oil,;'  this  was  exclusively  another  liaptist  subject, 
so  far  as  now  appears.  Tso  other  Churches  in  England  but  theirs  were  rent  about 
anointing  the  sick;  but  hot  debates  on  this  ]H)int  greatly  disturbed  many  of  our 
(•liurclies  there.  Several  Baptist  writers  of  that  day  lay  great  stress  upon  the 
anointing  with  oil,  from  James  v,  14,  for  the  healing  of  the  sick,  notably  amongst 
them  (;raiitham,  in  his 'Ancient  Christianity'  (Part  II,  p.  •'!!).  Thomas  Edwards 
says  that  at  a  meeting  in  Aldgate,  in  1<)46,  Knollys  and  Jessey  anointed  a  blind 
woman  with  oil,  and  earnestly  prayed  over  her  that  God  would  lilcss  this  ordinance 
and  restore  her  sight.  Again  he  says  that  another  woman,  named  Palmer,  living  in 
Smithtield,  was  visited  by  William  Kiffin  and  Thomas  Patient,  when  very  ill;  that 
they  anointed  her  with  oil  and  prayed  for  her.  when  she  suddenly  recovered,  and, 
going  to  the  meeting,  '  jiroclaimeti  that  she  was  healed.'  '^     He  told  these  stories  in 


CHURCHES  DIVIDE    ON  THIS   QUESTION:  819 

liis  usually  exaggerated  way  ami  Kiffiii  called  some  of  his  statements  in  question, 
but  sceins  not  to  have  denied  the  substance  of  them. "  And  certain  it  is  that  some 
Baptists  made  the  anninting  of  the  sick  with  oil  for  their  recovery,  with  prayer  by 
the  elders,  an  ordinance  to  be  observed  by  Church  members.  Gifford  clearly  saw 
that  his  Chui'ch  was  threatened  with  division  on  this  subject,  and  was  alarmed 
accordingly;  and  D'Anvers  wrote  a  strong  treatise  against  this  practice  as  popish, 
for  the  purpose  of  saving  Baptist  Churches  from  destruction  thereon. 

IV".  The  'laying  on  of  hands'  was  another  burning  question  in  Baptist 
Churches  which  troubled  Giilord  in  the  hour  of  death.  It  arose  about  the  interpre- 
tation of  Hebrews  vi,  1,  2,  in  regard  to  the  imposition  of  hands  upon  the  heads  of 
the  immersed  between  their  baptism  and  their  admittance  to  the  Supper;  many 
urging  it  as  an  ordinance  of  Christ  in  which  both  ordinary  and  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  were  granted.  D'Anvers  gives  an  account  of  what  he  considers  its 
introduction  amongst  Baptists,  from  an  eye-witness,  in  1046.  Mr.  Cornwell  preached 
at  Bishopsgate  from  this  passage,  when  many  fell  on  their  knees  and  were  put 
'  under  hands,'  as  in  ordination  ;  this  act  made  a  division  not  only  in  that  Church, 
but  'amongst  many  others  in  the  nation,  ever  since,  who  have  kept  that  distance 
froui  their  brethren,  not  owning  the  same,  as  not  esteeming  or  communicating 
with  them  as  the  true  Church  of  God,  because  defective  in  one  of  the  beginning 
principles  or  foundations  of  the  Christian  religion.'  Its  great  defenders  were  Cornwell, 
Fisher,  Griffith,  Kider,  Jessey  and  Grantham  ;  while  D'Anvers  and  others  opposed  it 
as  unscriptural.  Grantham  was  of  the  ancient  faniil}'  by  that  name,  in  Lincolnshire, 
of  great  influence  as  a  scholar,  and  the  Churches  in  that  county  readily  adopted  his 
views.  He  saj^s :  '  God  hath  in  these  days  begun  to  revive  this  neglected  truth  in 
the  baptized  Churches  of  this  nation.' "  But  the  Churches  were  divided  in  every 
direction,  especially  in  Wales  and  the  midland  counties  in  England ;  and  the  agita- 
tion finally  gave  rise  to  the  Six  Principle  Baptist  Association  in  1690,  only  two 
years  after  Bunyan's  death.  D'Anvers  says  that  'some  of  eminency  amongst  us 
have  lately  so  had  this  conviction,  as  to  plead  reformation  therein  with  their  breth- 
ren, and  who,  I  doubt  not,  from  the  true  sense  of  the  bitter  fruit,  even  the  gall  and 
wormwood  that  have  been  brought  forth  therefrom,  will  naturally  be  led  to  consider 
the  root.' 

According  to  Adam  Taylor,  Chnrehes  broke  fellowship  with  each  other  on  this 
point,  and  the  storm  raged  most  violently  in  the  region  round  al)out  Bedford.  In 
1653,  only  two  years  before  Gilford's  death,  the  Baptist  Church  at  Westby,  Lincoln- 
sliire,  demanded  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Fenstanton,  in  Huntingdonshire,  about 
twenty  miles  north-east  of  Bedford,  their  scriptural  authority  for  admitting  any  to 
the  Supper  who  had  not  submitted  to  the  laying  on  of  hands.  Other  Churches  tiian 
Baptist  knew  nothing  wliatever  of  this  contest,  but  their  Churches,  both  open  and 
strict  communion  alike,  were  violently  rent  by  it,  especially  the  open  Churches,  like 
those  of  Westby  and  Fenstanton.     If,  then,  the  larger  number  in  Gilford's  Ciiurch 


820  BUNVAN'S    VfKWS  AGAIN. 

were  iii)t  Hiiptists,  ;is  I'liilips  avows  tlic  ma jnrity  \n  Imve  bocit,  wliv  diil  tliis  issue 
plant  a  llimai  in  liis  pillow  wlicli  ilvini;- ^  anil  Ikiw,  if  lie  had  iicitluT  iiiinKTseil  Hiin- 
yan  nui-  ntlicrs  in  tlie  <  )usc,  ranit'  sn  many  llaptist>  into  liis  ('Imii'cIi^  The  question 
concerned  none  in  any  Chureli  but  tlmse  that  were  innneived.  Then  it  is  very  sig- 
nitieaiit.  too,  tliat  this  ti'oiibl(>sonie  tenet  was  hcijueatlied  to  IJunyau's  term  of  office 
as  ])astoi',  as  we  see  by  his  •  I'lxhni'tatidn  tn  I'eaci'  and  I'liity.' 

i!nt  before  quoting  him  on  this  point  a  word  may  be  necessary  on  the  autlien- 
ticity  of  this  book,  as  some  doubt  its  genuint'iiess  because  of  its  learning  and 
genei'al  style,  and  more  liecause,  1)V  insisting  ujion  baptism  as  indesjicnsable  to 
(jIiuitIi  fellow.^liip.  it  seem>  to  contradict  him  in  other  jilaces.  Yet  the  date  of  its 
puhbcation,  lliss,  the  very  year  of  liis  death,  indicates  the  use  of  his  maturest  attain- 
ments in  its  composition,  while  some  of  tliese  '  learned"  features,  so  called,  are  found 
in  several  of  his  later  woi'ks.  The  fact  that  Dm;  did  not  include  it  in  liis  edition 
jiroves  nothing,  as  several  of  liunyan's  productions  were  not  found  for  years  after 
his  dt'ath,  notably  amongst  them  \n!<  '  Spiritual  I'oems,'  which  did  not  come  to  light 
till  twelve  years  after  ;  even  his  'will,'  which  was  left  in  the  house  where  he  died, 
was  not  discovered  for  more  than  a  hundred  year.9  afterward.  Dr.  Stebbins  says  of 
the  '  E.xhortation  : '  '  \Ve  know  of  no  ]u-otests  uttered  l)y  any  of  his  friends  tending 
to  deny  that  it  ju'oceeded  from  his  yvw.  .  .  .  The  learning  which  it  is  snjiposed  to 
display  is  far  too  slight  and  accidental  to  be  properly  urged  as  a  proof  that  he  did 
not  write  it.  .  .  .  None,  indeed,  of  the  common  objections  urged  against  its 
authenticity  seem  of  much  weight.''^  No  one  has  done  fuller  justice  to  Eunyan  on 
the  score  of  intelligence  than  ( 'oitnei'.  the  present  vicar  of  the  CInirch  at  Elstow, 
where  Bunyaii  rang  the  bells.      lie  thinks  that 

'  Before  his  school  days  were  over,  besides  the  ability  to  read,  write  and  do  sums 
in  elementary  arithmetic,  he  had  gained  a  respectable  smattering  of  Latin,  if  not  also 
of  Greek,  and  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  in  later  life  he  did  not  somehow  or  other  pick 
up  in  addition  some  small  acquaintance  with  Hebrew,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  a 
clearer  insight  into  the  meaning  of  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  which,  to  judge  from^iis 
extraordinarv  knowledge  of  them,  he,  without  doubt,  must  have  most  constantly  and 
industriously  studit'il.  It  is  true  that  he  says  in  one  of  his  i-eligious  treatises,  "The 
Law  and  (Trace  Unfolded,''  that  he  '•  never  went  to  school  to  Aristotle  or  Plato." 
He  plainly  states,  however,  that  he  was  at  a  gramnutr  school ;  and,  if  so,  what  gram- 
mar school  could  he  have  been  at  but  the  grammar  school  at  Bedford  i  .  .  .  Bunyan, 
I  take  it,  was  for  a  short  time  at  this  Latin  school;  aiui  certainly  he  freqOently  uses 
Latin  words  and  expressions  in  his  works.  For  instan("e,  he  employs  the  expression 
primuni  mohile  for  the  soul,  and  '"old  jlloi-.t"  for  death,  and  speaking  of  "the  river 
of  life,"  in  the  book  of  the  Llevelation.  he  calls  it  aqna  vita:  Again,  in  his  "  Divine 
Emblems,"  he  names  the  sun  Sol,  and  makes  use  elsewhere  in  several  places  of  such 
Latin  expressions  Aii prDhatum  est.  nolenn  volens,  caveat,  aiul  x'erhat'nn."^ 

Bunyan  uses  no  nu)re  learned  terms  in  his  '  Exhortation '  than  he  does  in  sev- 
eral of  his  other  works ;  even  in  his  rude  verses  he  uses  the  word  'Machiavel,'  as  well 
as  in  his  '  Exhortation.'  J5nt  while  in  that  woi-k  be  makes  more  than  eighty  citations 
frt)m  the  Scri})tures,  he  uses  the  phrase  ^divide  et  im.jjera' — divide  and  rule — once. 


JESSE T  AND   BUN Y AN  AOREE.  821 

and  terra  ivcognita  twice.     Besides,  lie  refers  to  classical  stories  three  times,  but  he 
refers  to  Bible  history  us  many  scores  of  times. 

These  considerations,  taken  in  connection  with  the  general  Biui)';iiiian  stylo  of 
tlu!  work,  seen  in  such  extracts  as  the  follDwing,  give  strong  internal  evidence  of  its 
genuineness.  After  S})eaking  fully  of  faith,  baptism  and  holiness  of  life,  Bunyan 
writes  on  this  very  subject  of  laying  on  of  hands  and  its  necessity,  that  there 

'  Are  such  tilings  as  relate  to  the  well-being  and  not  to  the  being  of  the  Churches  : 
as  laying  on  of  hands  in  the  primitive  times  upon  believers,  by  which  they  did  receive 
the  gifts  of  the  Spirit ;  this,  I  say,  was  for  the  increase  and  edifying  of  the  body, 
and  not  that  thereby  they  might  become  of  the  body  of  Christ,  for  that  they  were 
before.  And  do  not  think  that  I  believe  laying  on  of  hands  was  no  apostolical 
institution,  because  I  say  men  are  not  thereby  made  members  of  Christ's  body,  or 
liecanse  I  say  that  it  is  not  essential  to  Church  communion.  Why  should  1  be 
thought  to  be  against  a  fire  in  the  chimney,  because  I  say  it  must  not  be  in  the 
thatch  of  the  house  I  Consider  then  how  ]iernicious  a  thing  it  is  to  make  every 
doctrine,  though  true,  the  bond  of  communion.  This  is  that  Avliich  destroys  unity, 
and  by  this  rule  all  men  must  be  jierfect  before  they  can  be  at  peace.  .  .  .  Let  me  appeal 
to  such,  and  demand  of  them,  if  there  was  not  a  time,  since  they  believed  and  were  bap- 
tized, wherein  they  did  not  believe  laying  on  of  hands  a  duty  ^  and  did  they  not  then 
believe,  and  do  tliey  not  still  believe,  they  are  members  of  the  body  of  Christ  r-' 

There  is  not  a  more  marked  Bunyanesque  passage  in  his  writings  than  this ; 
and  in  so  far  as  that  it  disallows  the  imposition  of  hands  on  the  baptized  as  a  bond  of 
communion,  it  agrees  precisely  with  (iifford's  charge,  for  Bunyan  put  it  just  where  he 
puts  baptism  in  that  respect.  While  at  the  same  time  he  holds  it  as  an  'apostolical 
institution'  for  the  'edifying'  of  the  Church,  which  carries  the  implication  that  the 
Bedford  Church  practiced  it  on  the  immersed.  This  accounts  for  the  further  fact, 
that  Giflord  did  not  charge  the  body  to  eschew  it  or  to  put  it  away,  but  only  not  to 
'  separate  '  from  the  Church  on  that  account ;  a  great  evil,  he  says, '  wliicli  some  have 
committed — and  that  through  a  zeal  for  God,  yet  not  according  to  knowledge.' 
Even  nnder  his  ministry  it  seems  that  some  had  separated  from  his  Church  on  these 
questions.  If  Gifford  and  Bunyan  were  not  Baptists,  and  a  large  part  of  the  Bed- 
ford Church  with  them,  they  were  strange  human  anachronisms,  to  be  perplexed  in 
this  way  with  these  four  liurning  Ba])tist  questions;  and  Giiford  would  have  had  as 
much  reason  for  charging  them  in  death  not  to  choose  a  Pope  as  to  give  the  charge 
tliat  he  did,  for  the  one  would  have  been  as  opposite  as  the  other,  had  they  not  been 
in  danger  on  these  four  disputed  points. 

Jessey  appears  to  have  been  Bunyan's  heau  ideal  of  a  true  Baptist,  and  it  is  not 
a  little  singular  that  their  views  on  this  subject  should  have  been  precisely  alike. 
In  a  letter  which  he  and  his  Church,  in  London,  wrote  to  the  Church  at  Hexham,  in 
October,  1653,  they  say  : 

'We  are  not  wanting  to  propound  these  six  things,  that  should  once  be  laid 
down,  they  are  spoke  <>f  in  Ileb.  vi,  1,  2,  and  we  endeavour  to  inform  all  therein 
y'  we  judge  faithful  being  projiounded  to  us.     But  if  some  cannot  receive  what  is 


322  DISCIPLINE  IN  BEDFORD    CllVUCU. 

liclil  (lilt  ahciiit  liaptiMii,  laviiiii-  on  of  liaml.';,  or  siiii^iiiij,  t'tc,  and  yet  sliow  fnrtli 
tuacliabluiiess  and  jji'accabli'iu'ss,  wi;  dare  not  exclude  siicli  from  tliis  visihle  kinjjdoin 
of  (Jod  nieruly  for  weaknesse'  sake,  yonie  i^rounds  fur  such  practice  are  laid  down 
in  that  hook  (written  hy  Jessey)  called  Store-house.' 

Aiiotlier  set  of  facts  ln'ar  as  directly  upon  this  suliject  as  the  truth  of  history 
can  make  them.  l'"or  five  years,  from  Ititi.'!  to  KiiiS,  there  is  another  significant  break 
in  the  records  of  the  I'edford  (Jhurch.  After  Ifitiii,  under  the  A('t  of  Uniformity, 
the  line  between  the  Conformists  and  Non-conformists  became  broader  than  ever, 
and  tlu!  latter  were  to  be  furiously  stamped  out  by  the  former.  During  these  five 
years  and  a  half,  p(>rseciiti<in  had  coiiipelKd  the  ('luii'ch  to  hold  its  meetings  when 
and  where  it  could,  but  in  ( )ctober,  ]  (ills,  the  record  begins  again.  Under  this 
stress  some  of  the  members  hail  (jiiailed,  and  the  after  processes  of  discipline  show 
the  pain  which  the  Cluirch  (>ndiired  in  consequence  and  the  causes  thereof.  The 
Coincnticle  ,\ct  e\j)ired  .March  2,  1(568,  but  was  re-enacted  April  11,  lOT^,  about 
which  time  the  Churcli  of  England  had  a  hard  struggle  for  life  in  and  around  Bed- 
ford. Foster,  the  Commissary  of  the  Arehdi'acoirs  Court,  had  all  he  could  do  to 
resist  the  iimovations  n]ion  the  Episcojial  Church  ;  in  a  year  and  a  half  he  held  four 
courts  at  Am])tliill  and  four  at  l!e(lford,  in  whii-h  he  punished  jiis  opponents.  His 
courts  were  crowded  with  persons  who  were 

'Tried,  excommunicated,  or  imprisoned  for  refusing  to  pay  church  rates,  dues 
or  tithes  ;  for  refusing  to  come  to  church  for  more  than  a  month,  fok  xot  havixg 
TiiioiR  cnir.nREN  baptized,  for  being  jiresent  at  the  burial  of  an  excommunicated 
person,  for  being  at  and  keeping  a  conventicle,  for  I'cfusing  to  i-eceive  the  sacrament 
at  Easter,  for  not  being  churched,  for  being  absent  from  church  six  months,  etc.' 

Even  the  nnder-jailer  at  Bedford,  who  had  charge  of  Bunyan  in  prison,  re- 
fused to  pay  his  own  chnrch-rate ;  and  Foster  passed  judgment  in  two  j-ears  npon 
1.4i)(1  cases  of  these  sorts  in  the  County  of  Bedford.--  Bedfoi-d  was  in  the  diocese 
of  Lincoln,  the  records  of  which  See  show,  that  in  lOfiil-TO  there  w-as  a  conventicle 
there,  in  the  parish  of  St.  PaiiFs,  numbering  about  thirty,  and  it  calls  four  members 
of  the  Bunyan  meeting  by  name. 

The  same  record  reports  for  those  years  in  Bedford  and  its  vicinity,  a  nnmber- 
ing  of  the  Lord's  people,  with  tliis  i-esult :  At  Pa\-eiihaiii,  4(1  Bajitists  ;  at  Steving- 
ton,  30  ;  at  Blunhain,  HO;  at  Edworth,  20  ;  at  Northill.  12;  at  Caddington,  40 ;  and 
at  Houghton  Regis,  30.  The  total  returns  in  the  diocesan  records  showing,  of 
Independents,  220 ;  of  (Quakers,  390 ;  and  of  Baptists,  277,  there  being  57  more 
Baptists  than  Indeixmdents.'^ 

No  sooner  does  the  J*)cdford  Church-record  fairly  re-open,  but  we  find  tlie 
question  of  ba])tism  all  alive  again,  as  a  practical  question.  In  KitiO  the  (/hurch, 
open  comTnunion  as  it  was,  felt  obliged  to  solemnly  guard  its  ordinances.  Under 
date  of  January  14,  a  Mr.  Sewstcr  being  crooked  on  the  subject  of  communion, 
the  Church   tu-dered   that  'Brother  Bunyan  and  Brother  Man  should  reason  with 


SISTER  LANDT.  523 

Mr.  Sewster  about  his  desire  of  breaking  bread  with  this  congregation  without 
sitting  down  as  a  member  with  us.'  Tiiis  elearly  indicates  that  at  tiiat  time 
menibersliip  iii  tlie  Ciiurcli  was  necessary  To  a  |tlaci>  at  its  table,  and  tliat  in  some 
sliape  baptism  entered  into  tiie  ([Uesti(.)n  of  (•(iiiiniuninn  with  tiic  Cliurcji.  Notwitli- 
standing,  tliis  must  have  been  a  hard  job  for  '  IJrotlier  Buinan,'  he  and  '  Brotiier 
Man  '  brought  Mr.  Scwster  to  Iiis  sober  senses  on  this  subject,  for  several  times 
thereafter  the  records  s]ieak  of  Sevvster  as  a  useful  member  of  the  Church,  and  the 
inference  is  that  he  had  been  a  pretty  stubborn  strict  communist  till  Brother  Bun- 
yan  straightened  him  out.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  voted  that  '  Brother 
Bunyan  siiould  discourse  with  Sister  Landy  al>ont  those  scruples  that  lye  upon  her 
conscience  about  breaking  bread  with  tliis  congregation.'  All  nuist  regret  that  these 
'  scruples '  are  not  more  fully  stated  ;  but  on  Feb.  25tii,  Bunj'an  reported  lier  to  the 
Church  '_as  willing  to  receive  instruction,'  and  his  labors  as  a  conunittee  were  con- 
tinued to  endeavor  her  further  satisfaction.'  The  same  case  came  up  again  June 
ISth,  when  '  Was  our  Sister  Landy  withdrawn  from.  The  causes  were  for  that  she 
had  withdrawn  communion  from  the  saints,  had  despised  gifts  from  the  Church,  had 
taught  lu'r  cln'ldren  to  jilay  at  carils,  and  remained  imjienitent  after  several  admoni- 
tions.' Taken  altt)gether,  this  case  looks  much  as  if  her  trump  card  was  that  terrible 
notion  of  '  Close  Communion.'  She  had  '  withdrawn  from  communion,'  they 
had  '  endeavored  '  her  satisfaction,  on  professing  her  willingness  to  be  instructed, 
but  she  had  withdrawn  communion  with  the  Cimrch,  and  '  iiad  despised  gifts  in  the 
Church,'  M'hich  expression  smacks  strongly  of  opposition  on  her  |iart  to  the  laying 
on  of  hands,  which  Bnnyan  says  he  l;)elieved  was  an  'apostolic  institution.'  Tlie 
record  of  the  meeting  also  contains  a  very  suggestive  form  of  nomenclature  seldom 
found  outside  of  Baptist  Churches,  saying :  'The  congregation  also  having  taken 
into  consideration  the  desire  of  Gamlingay  friends  to  joyne  with  us,  did  agree  that 
next  meeting  they  should  come  over  and  ffivc  hi  their  experience^  and  those  friends 
came  tifteen  miles  to  pass  that  Baptist  ordeal. 

Rev.  John  Jukes,  a  predecessor  of  Kev.  John  Brown,  says  in  his  '  History  of 
the  Church,'  that  John  Burton,  jxistor  between  Gilford  and  Bunyaii,  'like  his  prede- 
cessor, was  a  Bajitist.'  Bunyau  was  a  deacon  under  his  ministry,  and  on  the  death 
of  Burton  the  Churcii  offered  the  pastorate  to  Rev.  Mr.  Wlieeler,  who  declined. 
But  in  October,  1663, '  Rev.  Samuel  Fenn  and  Rev.  John  Whiteman.  both  ministers 
of  their  own  liody  and  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  were  oi'd, lined  joint  pastors.'^ 
The  meeting  at  which  Bunyan  was  called  to  the  pastorate  was  held  Jan.  21st,  1672, 
and  at  that  meeting  seven  others  were  examined  and  called  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, after  the  Church  had  solemnly  approved  their  gifts.  One  of  these  was  Rev. 
Nehemiah  Coxe,  U.D.,  whose  history  tiirows  much  light  ujion  the  character  of  tlu> 
Bedford  Church.  He  was  a  native  of  Bedford  and  was  received  into  the  fellowship 
of  this  Churcli  June  1-lth,  1669,  while  Bunyan  was  one  of  its  preachers,  but  nearly 
two  years  before  he  became  its  pastor.     There  is  every  reason  for  believing  that  he 


524  NEIIEMIAII   COKE.   T).T). 

\v;is  inmuTscd,  mid  pi'ulialdv  liy  liiiiiyan  liinisclf,  as  lie  liecaiiie  a  ]ja)itist  minister  (if 
ifirat  note,  witlioiit  any  cliarnrc  i>f  ccclusia.stical  or  ilix'triiial  sciitiiiieiits,  bo  far  as  is 
known.  Hence,  a  l)iMef  sketeli  of  liiiii  will  be  aceeptaljlc  liere,  for  sliowing  wliat 
port  of  nuMi  tlie  Heilforil  ( 'liurcli  raised  up  at  tliat  time.  Wilson,  no  mean  judge  of 
men,  pronounces  liim  'an  excellent  and  jndicious  divine.'  In  A]tril,  1CT3,  lie  was 
called  to  the  pastoral  oliice  at  11  ilcliiii,  near  lieilfurd,  lint  declined  the  invitation. 
Scott  says:  'The  r>a[)tist  congre<^ation  at  llitrhin,  in  Ilertfordshji-e,  is 
.■supjiosed  to  have  been  founded  by'  Jinnyan;  and  he  calls  'John  WiLson, 
the  lir.st  jjastor  of  the  Baptist  ilo(d<  at  Ilit<-hin.' -''  .Inkes  says,  that  '  Xeliemiali 
Co.\e  is  said  to  have  been  inipi-i^oned  at  ISi'illurd  for  jireaching  the 
(ios])el.'-"  The  liedlord  Church  rt'cords  tell  ns.  that  on  May  Tlh.  1<m4.  wlien 
IJunyan  was  jiastor,  (A)xe  was  bronght  before  the  Church  for  'several  words 
and  practices  that  nuglit  justh'  be  censured,  as  having  a  tendency  to  make 
rents  and  divisions  in  the  congregation,  f<ir  which  he  expressed  himself  asi'cpeiitant 
and  sorry."  A\'ith  their  usual  kindness  in  cases  of  this  sort,  the  records  leave  us  in 
the  dai'k  as  to  the  nature  of  his  oifense,  yet  they  imply  that  it  related  to  some  j)oint 
of  faith  or  practice  about  wliicli  there  were  difTerenees  of  opinion  in  the  body,  and 
as  he  was  a  stout  Baptist,  they,  most  likely,  had  reference  to  some  Baptist  differ- 
ences. Aftcrwai'd,  he  settled  as  jiastoi'  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Cranlield.  in  I!c(l- 
ford.shire,  and  then,  in  1075,  as  assistant  pastor  in  London,  to  the  Church  in  l*ett\' 
Fi-ancc,  which  he  served  till  his  death,  in  168S.  He  was  an  able  writer,  and  ptib- 
lislied  a  reply  to  Ur.  Winston's  defense  of  infant  baptism,  also  several  other  works, 
yutcliff  says  that  he  was  a  cordwainer  at  Cranheld,  anil  wIr'U  brought  to  trial  at  the 
Bedford  Assizes,  he  pleaded  his  cause  first  in  Greek  and  then  in  Hebrew.  The  judge 
expressed  his  surprise,  rennirking  that  none  there  could  answer  him.  Coxe  claimed 
the  right  to  ])lead  in  what  language  he  pleased.  The  judge  diniissed  him,  saying  to 
the  bar  :  '  Well,  the  cordwainer  has  wound  ns  all  up,  gentlemen.'  This  story  is  told 
also  by  J)r.  Stouglitoii,  in  his  'Life  of  John  Howard.' 

The  following  cases  ]iresent  the  meaning  of  IJnnyan,  when  he  said  that  'some 
wei'e  rent  and  (lismend)ered  from  us  '  on  the  communion  issue,  and  also  demonstrates 
that  these  were  not  handled  with  overweening  tenderness.  So  fixed  did  he  and  his 
C'hurcli  beconu',  that  they  refused  to  give  their  imnu-rsed  members  letters  of  dismis- 
sion to  strict  Baptist  Churches.  In  1<)T2,  Mrs.  Tilney,  a  lady  of  high  standing  in 
Bedford  and  a  mendjer  of  tlie  Church,  who  had  suffered  much  for  (Jhrist  before 
her  removal  to  London,  asked  for  a  letter  to  the  Church  there,  where  lier  son-in  law, 
]\[r.  Ulakey.  was  pastor.  They  refused  it  on  the  ground  tiiat  the  LoTidon  Clnirch 
made  immersion  an  indispensable  condition  of  membership.  This  shows  that  she 
was  immersed  as  a  member  in  Bedford,  or  a  letter  would  not  have  taken  her  into 
Blakey's  Church,  albeit  she  could  have  been  received  into  his  Church  on  lier 
experience  ami  baptized  without  a  letter.  Li  M-riting  to  her  under  date  of  July 
llUh.  Ihmyan  tells  her  that  the  BeiU\>rd  Church  reipiired  her  to  '  forbear  to  sit  down 


INFANT   BAPrrs]f  JNTRODUCED.  825 

at  the  table  with  any  witliout  tlie  consent  of  our  brethren.  .  .  .  We  shall  consent 
to  vour  twitting  down  with  lb-other  Cockain,  Brother  Griffith,  or  Brother  Palmer. 
So  that  the  Bedford  Church,  iu  Bunyau's  time,  was  open  communion  to  all  but  the 
members  of  strict  communion  Baptist  Churches.  After  Bunyan's  death,  these 
Baptist  questions  kept  this  Church  in  perpetual  excitement.  Henry  Mann  desired 
a  letter  to  an  immersed  Church,  M'hich  was  denied  him,  Jan.  tkh,  1695.  '  Sister 
Stover,  December,  1700,  desired  a  letter  of  dismission  to  the  General  Baptist  Church 
in  Hart  Street,  London,  John  Piggott  pastor  ;  which  was  denied,  because  of  the  '  re- 
ceived principles  and  practices  of  this  Church.'  Ann  Tutzell  was  refused  a  letter, 
March  1,  1720,  to  the  Particular  Baptist  Church  meeting  in  Currier's  Hall,  London, 
John  Skepp,  pastor  :  '  Because  he  and  his  people  were  for  communion  with  baptized 
believers  only,  and  that  by  immersion.'  She  was  evidently  an  immersed  member 
of  the  Bedford  Church. 

Ebenezer  Chandler  was  Bunyan's  first  successor,  and  Samuel  Sanderson  his 
second,  who,  personally,  were  Pedobaptists.  It  is  of  the  first  of  these  that  Jukes 
says,  it  appears  that  the  principle  of  this  Church  was  '  defined  by  Gilford,  its  prac- 
tice as  conformed  to  that  principle  was  determined  by  Chandler.  .  .  .  All  Bun- 
yan's teaching  had,  no  doubt,  served  to  increase  the  attachment  between  his  brethren 
to  Gifford's  principle,  and  to  prepare  them  for  Chandler's  practice.'  ^  And  what 
was  Chandler's  practice  ?  The  introduction  of  infant  baptism  into  the  body.  Jukes 
gives  us  this  letter  from  Chandler,  written  Feb.  23d,  1691,  to  those  members  who 
lived  at  Gamlingay  and  formed  a  branch  Church  there  : 

'  With  respect  to  infant  baptism,  I  have  my  liberty  to  baptize  infants  without 
making  it  my  business  to  promote  it  among  others,  and  every  member  is  to  have 
his  lil)ertv  in  regard  to  believer's  baptism  ;  only  to  forbear  discourse  and  debate  on 
it,  that  may  have  a  tendency  to  break  the  peace  of  the  Church.  When  tliought  ex- 
pedient the  Church  doth  design  to  choose  an  administrator  of  believer's  baptism. 
We  do  not  mean  to  make  baptism,  whether  of  believers  or  infants,  a  bar  to  com- 
munion. Only  the  Church  hath  promised  that  none  shall  hereafter,  to  my  grief,  or 
trouble,  or  dissatisfaction,  be  admitted.' 

This  letter  tells  its  own  story,  namely  :  that  heretofore  the  Church  had  not 
christened  infants,  but  now  Chandler  had  got  from  the  Church  '  liherty  '  to  do  so ; 
and  that  he  had  been  troubled  and  grieved  to  administer  '  believer's  baptism,' 
but  now  another  administrator  was  to  be  chosen  to  that  end.  Li  reply,  the  Gam- 
lingay brethren  answered : 

'  We  only  desire  to  liave  liberty  to  speak  or  preach  believer^s  baptism,  if  the 
Lord  shall  set  it  upon  our  hearts.  Yet,  with  that  tenderness  as  being  far  from  any 
such  designs  as  do  tend  in  the  least  to  the  breaking  the  peace  of  the  Church,  and  do 
heartily  grant  our  Brother  Chandler  the  came  liberty  to  speak  or  preach  infant  bap- 
tism, provided  with  equal  tenderness.' 

Down  to  that  time,  Gilford,  Burton,  Bunyan  and  Chandler  had  administered 
'  believer's  baptism.'     It  had  grieved,  troubled  and  dissatisfied  Chandler  to  do  such 


526  DIVISIONS  IN  DUNYAN'S   CHUItCn. 

a  tliinj;-,  Idit  now  lie  was  hciit  mi  luii;i;iii<r  in  iiit'unt  liMptism,  to  tlie  (jxchision  of 
ln'li('\t'r"s  baiitisiu  so  l';ir  :is  lie  was  conccTiicil,  I'm-  he  woulil  lia|itizf  no  iiioro 
buliuveivs.  lie  says,  liowcvur,  that  tho  Cliurcli  wnuM  elioosu  an  administrator  to  do 
tliat,  etc.  Thomas  ('oojier,  'a  jirivate  member  of  tlie  ('liurcli,'  says  Mr.  Brown  was 
clioseii  for  tliis  work.  This  evinces  tlieir  firm  determination  not  to  be  brow-beaten 
out  of  tile  practice.  In  an  appendix  to  a  I'uiu'ral  Sermon  for  Itew  .loslina  Symonds, 
another  pastor  of  tiie  Clinrch,  John  Kyland,  .Ir.,  says:  'One,  J\Ir.  Cooper,  l)a]itized 
tlie  adults  in  Mr.  Chandler's  time.'     Wilson  says,  that  under  Sandcrsoirs  ministry 

'  T'eace  and  harmony  were  jireserved  in  the  society  notwithstandiiii:;  some  diver- 
sity of  nviituwut,  jM/iicii/iirl//  (i/idi/f  haj)tlsm,  a  subject  which  he  never  l)roui^lit 
forward  for  discu.ssioii,  wo;-  did  he  ever  haptizc  antj  cluldren  i7i  2>fd'lii- ;  tlirou<rh 
fear  of  niovini^  tiiat  controversy.  He  always  dreaded  a  division,  and  studied  the 
tilings  tliat  made  for  peace.  By  his  prudence  and  good  teni])er  lie  preserved  the 
congregation  from  those  animosities  which  took  place  aftei'  his  death.' ^ 

Handersoii  understood  the  metal  of  the  Church  too  well  to  force  the  high-handed 
measures  of  Chandler.  We  have  already  noticed  what  those  'animosities'  wore. 
Joshua  Symonds  became  their  pastor  iu  17<i5,  he  also  Ijeing  a  Pedobaptist  at  the 
time.  But  the  old  Bapti.st  leaven,  which  had  been  in  the  (!hurch  from  its  founda- 
tion, kept  fermenting,  and  in  February,  1772,  he  asked  the  C'hurch  to  relieve  him  from 
the  necessity  of  baptizing  infants  or  sprinkling  adults,  avowed  liimself  a  Baptist, 
and  immersed  his  wife  in  the  river  Ouse.  The  Church  agreed  to  consider  his 
wishes  for  a  year,  hut  in  less  time  a  minority  of  the  congregation  left  and  formed 
a  distinctly  Pedobajitist  congregation,  which  chose  Thomas  Smith  as  its  pastor. 
John  Howard,  the  philanthropist,  who  at  that  time  was  living  near  Bedford,  went 
with  tho  new  body.  Tho  Baptist  majority  remained  with  Symonds,  the  Church 
numbering  127  member.s,  a  liaptistery  was  built  in  the  chapel,  and  for  some  years 
infant  lia|)tism  was  again  banished  from  the  congregation.  The  Church  also  sent 
out  several  pastors  to  other  Churches  amongst  the  Baptists,  two  being  Mr.  Read, 
of  Chichester,  and  John  Nichols,  of  Kimbolton.  Jukes  says  that  after  the  death  of 
Symonds,  Mdio  served  the  Church  for  many  years,  it  was  su])plied  by  two  Ba])tists 
and  one  Bedobajitist,  but  it  could  unite  on  neither  of  them  for  pastor,  and  wlien 
it  gave  up  both  of  them,  it  settled  Mr.  llillyard,  after  a  year's  trial.  The  old  contest 
on  baptism  still  waged,  however,  and  in  process  of  time  a  second  division  took 
place,  and  a  new  Ba])tist  Cliurc'h  went  out,  formed  upon  the  strict  communion 
principle,  which  it  maintained  for  many  years.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Mill  Street 
Church,  and  numbers  15-1  members.  Its  present  practice  is  after  the  open  com- 
munion order,  but  receiving  only  immersed  believers  into  Church  fellowship.  The 
Bunyan  Meeting,  which  owes  its  primitive  vigor  to  him  and  bears  his  name,  has 
always  had  very  strong  feeling  on  the  subject  of  baptism  and  is  not  entirely  free 
from  it  to-day,  as  is  evinced  by  the  facit.  that  it  still  retains  its  old  baptistery,  which 
is  occasionally  used  for  the  iinmersion  of  believers  still,  although  it  now  ranks  as  a 


11th 
III! 


TWO    OLD   nAPTISTBRrES  AT  nEDFORD.  S27 

Oougregational  Cluircli,  but  is  retunied  in  tiio  Baptist  Hand-book  for  1886  as  in 
ineinl)cr.shij)  with  the  liaptist  Union  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  and  is  marked 
under  the  '  Union  Churches,'  a  term  that  denotes  '  a  Church  in  which  Baptists  and 
Pedobaptists  are  united.' 

Baptisteries  were  not  cominun  in  Eiighsh  dissenting  chapels  in  the  seventee 
century,  especially  if  a  running  stream  was  near,  as  at  Bedford  ;  even  in  Loni 
they  were  not  known  until  late  in  the  eighteenth  century.  The  baptisms  that  took 
place  all  through  the  early  histor}'  of  this  Church,  from  Gififord  down,  were  celebrated 
in  the  river  Ouse,  where  Bunyan  himself  was  dipped.  In  a  letter  dated  May  21, 
1886,  Mr.  Brown  has  kindly  furnished  the  following  facts : 

'The  Baptistery  in  the  old  chapel,  pulled  down  in  18-J-9,  was  fixed  there  about 
1796,  as  may  be  inferred  from  a  letter  from  Thomas  Kilpin  to  Dr.  Eippon,  dated 
Jan.  29th,  1796  :  "  My  father,  after  many  years'  deliberation,  has  at  length  made  up 
his  mind  on  the  Ordinance  of  Baptism,  and  was  a  few  months  since,  with  my  sister 
(about  eighteen  years)  and  Mr.  Allen,  baptized  in  our  new  Baptistery."  (Dr.  Rippon's 
Correspondence  Additional  MSS.  British  Museum,  No.  25,387,  fol.  376.)  1  have 
seen  it  mentioned  elsewhere  that  John  Kilpin,  the  jierson  here  referred  to,  was  the 
first  bajitized  in  this  ba])tistery.'  In  Mr.  Symond's  time,  as  lie  mentions  in  a  MS. 
Diary,  the  baptisms  took  place  in  the  river.  He  says  that  his  wife  was  the  first  person 
baptized  thus  after  his  change  of  view  (-±21),  and  that  as  the  river  was  new  to  him 
for  this  purpose,  she  was  carried  away  and  nearly  drowned.  This  would  be  about 
twenty  years  earlier  than  1796.' 

Tlie  Rev.  John  Jukes  tells  us  that  he  wrote  his  history  of  the  Church  in  1819, 
to  aid  in  procuring  money  for  the  erection  of  the  new  chapel;  when  this  second 
baptistery,  prepared  by  the  old  Bunyan  congregation,  was  put  into  the  new  building, 
for  as  late  as  that  time  this  Church  would  not  dispense  with  a  baptistery.  In  a 
letter  from  Rev.  Thomas  Watts,  present  pastor  of  the  Mill  Street  Church,  dated  Bed- 
ford, May  31st,  1886,  he  says :  '  There  is  a  baptistery  in  the  Bunyan  Meeting-house.  I 
baptized  two  persons  in  it  three  years  ago.'  It  seems,  then,  that  the  Bedford  Bap- 
tists go  to  get  the  good  old-fashioned  immersion  from  the  Bunyan  center  yet.  It  is, 
however,  of  the  old  baptistery  that  Robert  Philip  spake  thus  in  1889  :  '  I  have  been 
unable  to  identify  the  spot  in  the  lilied  Ouse,  where  Bunyan  was  baptized.  It  may 
have  been  the  well-known  spot  where  his  successors  administered  baptism,  until  a 
baptistery  was  introduced  into  the  chapel.  The  old  table  over  that  baptistery  is  an 
e.xtraordinary  piece  of  furniture,  which  for  size  and  strength  might  have  been  the 
banquet-table  of  a  baronial  hall.'  ^ 


CHAPTER  VII. 

BRITISH    BAPTISTS-BUNYAN'S    PRINCIPLES. 

ASIDE  tViiiii  all  cxiirussiciii  (j|'  Itiiiiyan's  pi-iiicipk's  on  liis  dwii  ]Kii-t,  it  is  I'oadily 
^  sci'ii  why  the  uiiivursal  decision  of  history  accounts  him  a  llapti.^t.  But  aside 
from  this,  there  is  a  certain  philosojdiy  about  the  genius  of  IJunyan  which  allies  liis 
life  so  closely  and  openly  with  P)a])tist  ])rincij)les,  that  it  lias  not  escaped  the  eye  of 
even  casual  ohscrvers.  With  all  I'hilip's  unfriendliness  to  J laptists,  lie  discovers  this 
at  a  ij;lanci'.  beccjines  enamored  of  iiunyan  as  a  l!aj>ti:?t,  and  says: 

'  No  one  surely  can  regret  that  he  was  baptized  by  immersion.  That  was  ju.st 
the  mode  calculated  to  impress  liini — practiced  as  it  usually  then  was  in  rivers.  He 
felt  the  sublimity  of  the  whole  scene  at  the  Ouse,  as  well  as  its  soleinnity.  (Tilford's 
eye  may  have  realized  nothing  on  the  occasion  but  the  meaning  of  the  ordinance, 
but  I>unyan  saw  Jordan  in  the  lilied  (Juse,  and  John  the  Baptist  in  the  holy  minis- 
ter, and  almost  the  Dove  in  the  ])assing  birds;  while  the  sun-struck  waters  ilashed 
around  and  over  him,  as  if  the  iShekinah  had  descended  upon  them.  For  let  it  not 
be  thought  that  he  was  indii?erent  about  his  baptism  because  lie  w-as  indignant 
against  Strict  Baptists,  and  laid  more  stress  upon  the  doctrine  it  taught  than  upon 
its  symliolic  signiticancy.  lie  loved  immersion,  although  he  hated  the  close  com- 
munion of  the  P>a})tist  Churches.  .  .  .  J-Junyan  could  not  look  back  upon  his  baptism 
in  infancy  (if  he  was  baptized  then)  with  either  our  emotions  or  convictions.  We 
think,  therefore,  that  he  did  wisely  in  being  re-liaptized.  I  think  he  did  right  in 
preferring  immersion  to  sprinkling,  not,  however,  that  I  believe  immersion  to  be 
right,  or  sprinkling  wi-ong,  according  to  any  scriptural  rule,  for  there  is  none,  but 
because  the  former  suited  his  temperament  best,  inasmuch  as  it  gave  him  most  to 
do,  and  thus  most  to  think  of  and  feel.  For  that  is  the  best  mode  of  baptism  to  any 
man  which  most  absorbs  his  own  mind  with  its  meaning  and  design.' ^ 

With  an  eye  quite  as  clear  and  sharp,  this  writer  discovers  an  intimate  connection 

between  liis  immersion   and   the  after  Ihoiights  and  actions  of  his  life,  which  he 
expresses  thus  : 

'  Had  he  not  been  a  Baptist,  he  would  have  written  little  more  than  his  '  Pilgrim's 
Progress '  and  '  Holy  War ; '  because  he  knew  that  profounder  theologians  than  he 
ever  pretended  to  be,  were  publishing  quite  enough,  both  doctrinal  and  ])ractical, 
for  every  nation  to  read  ;  but  he  knew  also  that  the  liaptists,  as  a  body,  would  take 
a  lesson  from  him  more  readily,  than  from  an  Episco]3alian,  a  Presbyterian,  or  an 
Independent;  or  at  least  that  he  would  be  read  by  many  who  would  not  read  Owen 
or  Baxter.  In  like  manner,  had  he  not  been  more  than  a  Baptist,  he  would  have 
written  less  than  he  did.'  '  Bunyan's  adherence,'  he  continues,  'and  attachments  to 
the  Baptists,  notwithstanding  the  attacks  made  upon  him,  did  him  great  credit.  He 
was  also  a  loser  by  identifying  himself  with  their  name  and  cause  at  the  Restoration. 
But  he  never  flinched  nor  repented.  And  in  this  he  truly  did  them  justice.  Their 
cause  was  good  and  their  name  bad  only  by  misrepresentation.' 


nrXYAN'S  EXPOSTTTON  OF  liAPTlSM.  529 

Sonthey  seems  to  sympathize  with  this  view,  in  the  words :  '  Both  the  world  and 
the  Church  arc  indebted  to  the  I5a])tists  for  the  ministry  of  Biinyan.  But  for  them 
lie  might  have  lived  and  died  a  tinker.'  -  And  Dean  Stanley  unites  with  theui  both, 
when  he  says:  'Neither  amongst  the  dead  nor  the  living  who  have  adorned  the 
iiiiptist  name,  is  there  any  before  whom  other  Churches  bow  their  heads  so  rever- 
ently as  he  who  in  this  place  derived  his  ckie-f  s])iritual  inspiration  from  thevi^  ^ 
But  Cheever,  who  has  not  been  equaled  as  an  interpreter  of  Biinyan,  unless  by 
Offer,  o'oes  further  than  this.  He  sees  a  direct  act  of  divine  Providence  iu  Bun- 
yan's  association  with  the  Baptists  and  writes : 

'  To  make  the  highest  jewel  of  the  day  as  a  Christian,  a  minister  and  a  writer, 
Divine  Providence  selected  a  member  of  the  then  obscure,  persecuted  and  despised 
sect  of  the  Baptists.  He  took  John  Bunyan  :  but  he  did  not  i-emove  him  from  the 
Baptist  Church  of  Christ  into  what  men  said  was  the  only  true  Church  ;  he  kept 
him  shining  in  that  Baptist  candlestick  all  his  life-time.  .  .  .  All  gorge(nis  and  pre- 
latical  establishments  God  passed  by,  and  selected  the  greatest  marvel  of  grace  and 
genius  in  all  the  modern  age  from  the  Baptist  Church  in  Bedford.' ■* 

More  than  one  passage  in  Bunyan's  writings  confirm  the  view  of  Philip  con- 
cerning the  deep  influence  of  immersion  upon  his  mind,  but  one  will  suffice,  in 
which,  far  beyond  the  common  conception,  he  puts  forth  the  opinion,  that  the  Loi'd's 
Supper  as  well  as  baptism  symbolizes  Christ's  overwhelming  agony.  This  he  finds  im- 
])lied  in  his  own  words :  '  Ye  .shall  indeed  endure  the  baptism  [immersion  in  suffering] 
which  I  endure.'  Hence,  Bunyan  exclaims  :  '  That  Scripture,  "  Do  this  in  remem- 
brance of  me,"  was  made  a  very  precious  word  unto  me,  when  I  thought  of  that  blessed 
ordinance,  the  Lord's  Supper,  for  by  it  the  Lord  did  come  down  upon  my  conscience 
with  the  discovery  of  his  death  for  my  sins  ;  and  as  I  then  felt,  plunged  me  in  the 
virtue  of  the  same.'  Philip  says :  '  There  seems  to  me  in  this  passage  an  intended 
use  of  terms  which  should  express  the  views  of  both  classes  in  his  Church  on  the 
mode  of  baptism;'  and  this  may  be  implied  in  his  words.  But  Bunyan  found  his 
full  type  of  baptism  in  the  Deluge.     He  says : 

'  The  Flood  was  a  type  of  three  things.  First,  of  the  enemies  of  the  Church. 
Second,  a  type  of  the  water-baptism  undeV  the  New  Testament.  Third,  of  the  last 
overthrow  of  the  world.'  Again,  in  his  'Exposition  of  the  First  Ten  ('hapters  of 
Genesis,'  he  remarks :  '  That  was  the  time  then  that  God  had  appointed  to  try  his 
servant  Noah  by  the  Avaters  of  the  flood  :  in  which  time  he  was  so  effectually  ci-uci- 
fied  to  the  things  of  this  world,  that  ho  was  as  if  he  was  never  more  to  enjoy  the 
same.  Wherefore  Peter  maketh  mention  of  this  estate  of  his ;  he  tells  us,  it  was 
even  like  unto  our  Jjaptism  ;  wherein  'we  ]irofess  ourselves  dead  to  the  world,  and 
alive  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ.     1  Peter  iii,  21.  '* 

As  Mr.  Brown  simply  gives  voice  to  a  vague  and  loose  notion  which  is  afloat 
concerning  Bunyan's  fixed  views  of  baptism  when  he  says  that  '  he  had  no  very 
strong  feeling  any  way'  on  that  subject,  it  is  l)nt  just  to  allow  him  to  say  for  him- 
self what  he  did  believe,  and  then  all  can  judge  whether  or  not  he  treated  that 

subject  as  a  matter  of  indifference.     In  a  '  Keason  for  My  Practice'  he  writes  of  ordi- 
35 


630  BUNYAN'S   HHAL    VIKWS. 

luinct'H  :  "I  liclicvc  tliat  ('lii'i>t  liatli  onhiiiu'il  Imt  two  in  liis  ('liiircli,  iiaiucly,  M-atcr 
haptisin  ami  thr  Sii[i|icr  (if  tlic  Lord  ;  botli  wliicli  arc  of  (■xcelleiit  usu  to  tlu-  ('liui-cli 
in  tliiis  World,  tliuy  being  to  n^  rcpi-esentatiuns  of  the  death  and  resurrection  of 
Clirist,  and  aix-,  as  God  shall  make  them,  lielps  to  our  faith  therein.  But  I  count 
them  not  the  fundamentals  of  Christianity  nor  grouud.s  or  rule  to  communion  with 
saints.'"  (ireat  injustice  is  done  to  him  in  the  heedlessness  which  ajjplies  these 
words  only  to  hapti.^m  and  not  to  the  Sujiper.  What  he  says  here  of  one  ordinance 
he  .siys  of  the  other;  namely,  that  they  stand  on  a  ground  of  eijual  excellency,  and 
that  he  did  not  count  either  of  tlu^m  a  fundamental  of  Christianity.  He  neither 
idoli/.cd  the  yupjicr  nor  tri'ated  baptism  with  indifference,  that  is  tlu:  woi'k  of  his 
interpreti'rs  ;  but  he  says  that  Jesus  ordained  the  two  equally;  and  to  say  that  he 
iiad  strong  feeling  about  one  of  Christ's  orilinances  and  no  sti'oug  feeling  about  the 
other,  is  to  put  words  into  liis  mouth  which  he  never  uttered.  In  his  'Divine 
Emblems '  he  says,  that  he  j)ut  the  two  oi'dinauces  of  the  Gospel  upon  a  parity  as 
to  authority,  and  reverenced  them  equally. 

'  Two  sacraments  I  <lo  believe  there  be, 

Baptism  and  the  Suj)per  of  the  Lord. 
Both  mysteries  divine,  which  do  to  me, 

I>y  God's  appointment,  benefit  afford.' 

He  never  held  the  ])oi)ularly  current  Quaker  view,  ascribed  to  him.  that 
immersion  is  unimportant  and  so  showed  that  baptism  sat  loosely  upon  him  :  that 
is  simply  what  those  who  misrepresent  him  hold  themselves  and  wish  to  find  in  his 
writings.  But  it  is  not  there,  lie  held  that  immersion  on  a  man's  personal  faith 
in  Christ  is  the  duty  of  every  num  who  believes  in  Christ ;  that  when  men  receive 
'  water-ba])tism '  they  should  be  immersed,  because  there  is  no  other  water-baptism 
but  immersion  ;  but  he  also  held  that  '  water-baptism  is  not  a  precedent  to  the  Lord's 
Supper.  He  says  as  plainly  as  his  use  of  tei'se  English  c^ould,  that  neither  baptism 
nor  the  Supper  form  a  '  rule  to  communion  with  saints,'  and  this  proposition  cannot 
be  taken  by  halves,  without  the  grossest  injustice  to  liim.  As  it  regards  baptism 
and  the  Supper,  there  was  iu)t  the  least  shade  of  ditfereiice  between  him  ami 
the  strict  comnninion  Baptists,  excepting,  that  he  did  not  hold  baj)tisin  to  be 
an  act  ]>recedent  to  the  breaking  of  bread  at  the  Lord's  tal)le,  while  they  did.  He 
constantly  uses  the  phrases  '  water  baptism  '  and  '  those  of  the  baptized  wa}',"  and  the 
construction  is  forced  upon  his  words  that  this  form  of  expression  puts  a  slight  upon 
the  in)mersion  of  believers.  Piiit  the  strictest  of  strict  Baptists  of  his  day.  KifRn 
amongst  them,  used  the  same  phraseology  as  freely  as  he  did.  "What  other  could 
any  of  them  use  i  The  Quakers  all  over  England,  and  especially  about  Bedford, 
where  they  abounded,  compelled  the  Baptists  to  use  these  forms  of  utterance  in  order 
to  make  themselves  understood.  The  Friends  were  constantly  using  the  terms 
'spirit-baptism,'  and  'baptism  of  the  Spirit,'  and  the  Baptists  had  no  choice  left  but 


Tins  SUBJECT   CONTINUED.  531 

to  use  tlicse  chosen  phrases.  JJniivim  said  to  tlu'  Quakers  most  significantly  :  '  The 
Kanters  are  neitlierfor  tlie  onliiiaiiee  of  bai)tisiii  witii  water,  nor  breaking  of  bread, 
and  are  not  you  the  same  '. '  In  regard  to  what  constituted  '  water-baptism,'  be  had 
no  difficulty,  for  he  field  that  it  was  dipping  and  only  dipping,  and  so,  only  those 
Mdio  had  been  inuiiersed  he  called  "of  the  i)aptii5ed  way.'  lie  says  of  the  Baptists 
and  ni>r  (if  the  I'eclobaptists,  that  \w  would  '  pei'suade  my  brethren  of  the  hajitized 
wai/  not  to  hold  too  much  thereupon,'  and  again :  '  1  put  a  difference  between  my 
brethren  of  the  haptized  icay.  I  know  some  are  more  moderate  than  some ; '  that  is, 
he  tlrew  a  line  between  the  strict  and  open  communionists.  But  tliere  is  not  a 
passage  in  the  sixty  books  which  he  wrote,  in  which  he  says  that  the  Pedobaptists  are 
I  if  the  '  haptized  way^  and  protests :  '  I  would  not  teach  men  to  break  the  least  of  the 
commandments  of  God.'    So  far  from  laxity,  this  is  his  pungent  teaching  on  this  point : 

'  God  never  ordained  significative  ordinances,  such  as  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper  or  the  like,  for  the  sake  of  water  or  of  bread  and  wine ;  nor  yet  because  he 
takes  any  delight  that  we  are  dipped  in  water  or  eat  that  bread  ;  but  they  are 
ordained  to  minister  to  lis  by  the  aptness  of  the  elements  through  our  sincere  partak- 
ing of  them,  further  knowledge  of  the  death,  burial  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and 
of  our  death  and  resurrection  by  him  to  newness  of  life.  Wherefore,  he  that  eateth 
and  believeth  not,  and  he  that  is  baptized  and  is  not  dead  to  sin  and  walketh  not  in 
newness  of  life,  neither  keepeth  these  ordinances  nor pleasdh  God.'' ' 

Again,  no  Baptist  ever  insisted  more  earnestly  than  Bunyan,  that  faith  and 
regeneration  must  precede  baptism.  In  his  '  Reason  for  My  Practice,'  he  says  that 
a  visible  saint 

'Is  not  made  so  by  baptism  ;  for  he  must  be  a  visible  saint  before,  else  he  ought 
not  to  he  haptized.  Acts  viii,  37 ;  ix,  17 ;  xvi,  33. '  Then  he  gives  this  answer  to 
tile  question.  Why  the  Kew  Testament  saints  were  baptized  't  *  That  their  faith  by 
that  figure  might  be  strengthened  in  the  death  and  resurrection  of  Christ,  and  that 
themselves  might  see  that  they  have  professed  themselves  dead,  and  buried,  and 
risen  with  him  to  newness  of  life.  .  .  .  He  should  know  by  that  circumstance  that  lie 
hath  received  forgiveness  of  sin,  if  his  faith  be  as  true  as  his  being  baptized  is  felt 
by  him.'  Yet  again  he  says,  that  he  wdio  has  not  the  doctrine  of  bajjtism  '  ought  to 
have  it  before  he  be  convicted  it  is  his  duty  to  be  baptized,  or  else  he  playeth  the 
hypocrite.  There  is,  therefore,  no  difference  between  that  believer  that  is  and  lie 
that  is  not  yet  baptized  with  water,  but  only  his  going  down  into  the  water,  there 
to  perform  an  outward  ceremony  the  substance  of  which  he  hath  already.'  Still 
further  he  writes :  '  That  our  denomination  of  believers,  and  of  our  receiving  tlie 
doctrine  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  is  not  to  be  reckoned  from  our  baptism  is  evident,  because 
according  to  our  iiotion  of  it,  they  only  that  have  before  received  the  doctrine  of 
the  Gospel,  and  so  show  it  us  hi/  their  profession},  of  faith,  theij  only  otcght  to  he 
haptized.''  And  finally  on  this  point  he  writes  :  *  The  Scriptures  have  declared  that 
tliis  faith  gives  the  professors  of  it  a  right  to  baptism,  as  in  the  case  of  the  eunuch 
(Acts  viii)  when  he  demanded  why  he  might  not  be  baptized  ?  Philip  answereth, 
if  he  believed  with  all  his  heart  he  might ;  the  eunuch  thereupon  professing  Christ 
■was  baptized.'  Then  he  sums  up  all  in  these  words :  '  It  is  one  thing  for  him  that 
administereth  to  baptize  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  another  thing  for  him  that  is  the 
subject  by  that  to  be  baptized  into  Jesus.  Baptizing  into  Christ  is  rather  the  act  of 
the  faith  of  him  that  is  baptized,  than  his  going  into  water  and  coming  out  again.' 


332  //"\V  HM'TIsrs  THKATKI)    IIVNYAS. 

This  is  the  \v:iv  in  wliidi  (lisintfi'cstcil  anil  l)rn;icl-iiiiii(|c(l  iiifcr|irt't('rs  uiulcr- 
st;ui(]  l!un van's  Itaptist  ])rinci|)lcs.  'I'lic  icaiait'il  l)i-.  SrcMiiiii;-,  uii\villin<(  either  to 
conceal,  to  a<lil  to,  or  to  acccjit  IJnnvan's  positions,  says  in  tlie  round  IVankncss  of  a 
man  wliii  lias  no  ends  to  scr\('  l>iit  tiiosc  of  tlic  tnitli  : 


'  liunvan  liclonjjed  to  a  sect  peculiarly  stricrt  on  the  suhjcet  of  communion.  lie 
lioiu'stly  kept  him  faithful  to  its  ])i-incijjles  ;  his  chai'ity  made  him  inconsistent  with 
its  severity,  liaptism  was  regarded  by  his  associates  as  furnishin>i;  a  bond  of  union 
indis])ens:li)le  to  ('hristain  brotherhood,  and  unattainable  by  otlier  means.  ...  It 
was  the  baptism  of  adnJtx^  cajuihlc  of  rej)i-ntance  and  faith,  and  actually  re]ientinic 
and  believing,  which  alone  could  fulfill  these  conditions.  .  .  .  lie  had.  thei'efore, 
first  to  delend  himself  against  th(>  charge  of  unfaithfulness  to  his  ]Kirty,  and  then  to 
state  the  pi'inciples,  whi(th  he  thought  might  form  a  safer  and  l)roader  groundwork 
of  ('hristian  comnninion.  In  the  former  ])art  of  his  ta.sk  he  had  only  to  prove  that 
neither  his  j7racti.ce  nor  his  jfr/fe.wion  had  altered  from  the  time  of  his  conversion; 
that  he  had  ever  spoken  with  all  ])lainness  and  sincerity  on  the  to])i{'S  in  di.spute. 
and  had  shown  himself  as  little  willing  to  indulge  error  among  his  brethren,  as  to  let 
truth  suffer  from  his  own  fear  of  an  enemy.  No  one  could  gainsay  the  defense  of 
his  integrity.'  ■' 

Dr.  Stebbing  had  no  sympathy  witli  liunyan  in  rejecting  baptism  as  a  necessary 
precedent  to  the  rcc,e]:)tion  of  the  Sup])er,  because  in  this  he  thought  his  teaching  con- 
trary to  the  New  Testametit.  lie  liolds  him  at  fault  for  speaking  in  his  writings  'with 
unhappy  violence,'  but  says  that  "he  shared  lai-gely  in  the  jirejndices  of  the  jiaity 
to  which  he  belonged,'  and  excuses  him  therefore  on  the  ground  that  '  the  whole 
of  England  was  convulsed  with  a  controversy  on  l)a]>tism.' 

That  history  lias  accorded  to  IJunyan  his  jiroper  ecclesiastical  place  in  numl)er- 
ing  him  with  the  Baptists  is  clear,  from  the  place  which  he  assigns  to  himself  in 
their  ranks,  and  from  the  place  which  his  most  intimate  fi-iends  as  well  as  his 
sturdiest  oi)ponents  amongst  the  Baptists  assigned  him.  The  '  I'ritamiica  '  says  that 
he  had  a  dispute  with  some  of  the  chiefs  in  the  sect  to  which  he  Ijelonged,  and  tliat 
'they  loudly  pronounced  him  a  false  brother.'  A  great  controversy  on  communion 
was  rife  amongst  the  B.aptists,  about  th(>  time  that  Bunyan  took  the  pastoi'al  charge 
of  the  Bedford  (Church,  the  leaders  being  Henry  Jessey  and  Bunyan  on  one  side,  and 
Williaiu  Kiflin,  Henry  Denue,  Tliomas  Paul  and  Henry  D'Auvcrs  on  the  other  side  ; 
this  whole  dispute,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  was  a  family  (piarrel  amongst  the 
English  Baptists,  and  none  but  Baptists  took  part  therein.  As  nearly  as  can  be 
ascertained,  Bunyan  published  his  '  Confession  of  Faith '  in  1072.  in  which  he  first 
fully  printed  his  views  on  open  connnunion.  In  KITH  U'Ativers,  in  his  work  on 
baptism,  adds  a  postscript  answering  this  Confession,  and  refer.s  to  Thomas  Paul's 
'  Serious  Ileflections*  thereon,  also  published  in  l<l7-'5,  and  written  jointly  by  Paul 
and  KifKn.  These  Reflections  a]>parently  indulged  in  serious  personalities  upon 
Ihinyan  as  one  of  themselves,  whose  novel  doctrines  threatened  to  destroy  Baptist 
Churches,  and  threw  blame  on  Bunyan  .as  a  Baptist ;  to  which  he  takes  serious  ex- 
ception in  his  reply,  known  as  'Difference  of  Judgment,'  1673.     This  was  followed 


THEY  CTiAnaF  iinr  with  .vr.<;TAKK.  bss 

Iiv  Kifllirs  'Sober  Discourse  of  Rig-lit  to  Ciiurcli  (Joniiiuinion,'  jiroviug  that  no  un- 
haptizeil  person  may  be  regularly  admitted  tt)  the  Lord's  Supper.'  The  earliest  edi- 
tion of  the  Reflections  and  the  Serious  Discourse  now  known  to  exist,  hear  date  1G81, 
both  of  them  bearing  some  marks  of  being  second  editions,  and  the  only  copy  of 
Paul  and  Kiffin's  joint  work,  known  to  exist,  is  in  the  Bodleian  Library  at  Oxford. 
In  the  Preface  to  the  Retiections,  signed  by  '  W.  K.,'  he  uses  these  words  : 

'I  suppose  the  Author  of  the  Confession,  .  .  .  w/)0  himself  is  against  the  hap- 
tising  of  children  and  for  the  huptizhuj  of  helievers  upon  their  profession  of  faith 
in  Christ,  makes  it  none  of  the  least  of  his  arguments,  why  he  is  against  children's 
baptism,  than  this — namely,  that  there  being  no  president  or  example  in  the  Script- 
ures for  children's  baptism,  therefore  children  ought  not  to  be  baptized.  The 
writer  then  proceeds  to  argue  from  the  admitteil  facts  of  Bunyan's  ])rinciples  and 
practices,  that  he  should  apply  the  same  tests  to  the  communion  of  non-baptized 
persons,  namely,  there  being  no  Scripture  "  president"  or  example  of  such  custom.' 

Could  the  writers  of  this  book  have  said  this,  if  he  had  gone  to  St.  Cuthbert's, 
one  year  before,  to  have  his  child  christened  ?  Rather  they  had  branded  him  as  an 
apostate,  instead  of  claiming  him  as  one  of  their  own  denomination  but  in  error.  In 
the  body  of  the  book  there  is  the  amplest  evidence  that  Bunyan  is  treated  by  them  as 
a  Baptist.  Part  of  the  grief  which  they  express  is,  that  a  Baptist  should  reason  as 
he  had  done,  after  his  long  standing  in  the  Baptist  ministry.  In  his  reply,  '  Dif- 
erence  of  Judgment  about  Water  Baptism  no  Bar  to  Connnunion,'  he  accepts 
their  alleged  facts  with  their  reasonings  and  makes  the  following  defense  of  his 
new  position  as  a  Baptist : 

'  That  I  deny  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  or  that  I  have  placed  one  piece  of  an 
argument  against  it  (though  they  feign  it),  is  quite  without  color  of  truth.  All  I  say 
is,  that  the  Church  of  Christ  hath  not  warrant  to  keep  out  of  the  communion  the 
Christian  that  is  discovered  to  be  a  visible  saint  of  the  word,  the  Christian  that 
walketh  according  to  his  light  with  God.  ...  I  own  water  baptism  to  be  God's 
ordinance,  but  I  make  no  idol  of  it.' 

The  London  brethren  charged  Biinyan  with  stirring  up  strife  in  their  Churches 
there  on  the  communion  question,  to  which  he  replies:  'Next,  you  tell  us  of  your 
"  goodly  harmony  in  London  ; ''  or  of  the  amicable  Christian  correspondency  betwixt 
those  of  divers  persuasions  there,  until  my  turbulent  and  mutineering  spirit  got 
up.'  Then  he  charges,  that  they  had  no  '  Church  communion  '  with  their  brethren, 
but  only  such  as  they  '  were  commanded  to  have  with  every  brother  that  walketh 
disorderly.  .  .  .  Touching  Mr.  Jessey's  judgment  in  the  case  in  hand,  you  know  it 
condemneth  your  practice.  .  .  .  For  your  insinuating  my  abusive  and  im worthy  be- 
havior as  the  cause  of  the  brethren's  attempting  to  break  our  Christian  communion, 
it  is  not  only  false  but  ridiculous  ;  false,  for  they  have  attempted  to  make  me  also 
one  of  their  disciples,  and  sent  to  me  and  for  me  for  that  purpose.  (This  attempt 
began  al)ove  sixteen  years  ago.)  Besides,  it  is  ridiculous.  Surely  their  pretended 
order,  and  as  they  call  it,  our  disorder  was  the  cause ;  or  they  must  render  them- 


634  nUNVAN'S  DEFENSE. 

strives  vei'v  iiialicions,  to  seek  the  overtlii'dw  of  a  wliole  corigregatioii,  for,  if  it  had 
heeii  ho,  thi'  uiiwurliiy  lieliaviur  uf  mie.'  A<^aiii  ami  a;j;aiii  he  ailei^es,  that  liis  istricl 
hri'tlii-eii  hail  ii'ied  lu  dividt'  iiis  ('hureli  and  to  separate  liiiii  from  it,  and  so  to  seek 
'till'  ovei'throw  of  a  whole  coiiuTei;;!!!!)!!."  Whether  tliis  charge  were  correct  or  not, 
it  woidd  ha\e  heeii  sini])ly  ridiculous  for  Killiu  and  Paul  to  have  made  the  attempt 
oi'  to  ha\-e  thoiighl  of  it,  in  the  casi'  of  a  man  who  was  not  esteemed  hy  them  as  a 
.Baptist.  On  this  suhject  he  says,  that  'it  is  one  of  the  things  wliich  the  Loi'd 
hateth,  to  sow  discord  among  brethren.  \  et  many  years'  experience  we  have  had 
of  tliese  miscliievous  attemjtts,  «,.<  nlxo  hitvc  aUnrx  in  otJur  phtirx^  as  may  be  in 
stanced,  if  occasion  reipiirc  it,  and  that  espetnally  by  those  of  tli<:  mjiil  uhi>/  of  our 
hritlii'i  II,  III,  /)'iij)f/.s/.s,  so  called.  .  .  .  Thend'ore,  when  1  ciiuid  no  longer  forbear, 
I  thought  good  to  present  to  pul)lic  view  the  warrantableness  of  our  holy  com- 
iin.nioTi,  and  the  unreasonableness  of  their  seeking  to  break  u.s  to  pieces.' '"  In 
another  ])lace  he  says:  'Mine  own  self  they  have  endeavored  to  persuade  to  forsake 
the  Church  ;  some  they  have  sent  ipiite  olf  from  us,  others  they  have  attempted  and 
attempted  to  divide  and  break  oil'  from  us,  but  by  the  mercy  of  God,  have  been 
liitherto  prevented."  "  Admitting  this  full  charge,  is  it  reasonable  to  suppo.se  that 
tliey  tried  to  get  a  Pedobajitist  minister  to  leave  a  Pedobaptist  congregation  and  to 
unite  with  them,  on  the  ground  that  they  were  strict  communionists,  and  that  some 
open  comnumion  Pedobaptists  did  leave  and  go  to  the  strict  Baptists  on  that  issue  ? 
Kiffin  and  others  put  several  inconvenient  questions  to  Bunyan  wdiich  it  would  liave 
been  impertinent  in  the  highest  degree  to  have  put  to  him  had  they  not  understood 
that  they  were  reasoning  with  one  of  their  own  sect.     As  for  example  : 

'T  ask  v'onr  heart  whether  popularity  and  ajiplause  of  variety  of  professors  ho 
not  in  the  l)ottom  of  what  you  have  said;  that  hath  been  your  snare  to  pervert  the 
right  ways  of  the  Lord,  a/id  t<>  lead  ot/iem  into  a  path  wherein  we  cau  find  noue  of 
the  footsteps  of  the  flock  of  the  first  ages  ? '  Bunyan  replies :  '  I  have  been  tempted 
to  do  what  I  have  done  hy  a  provocation  of  sixteen  long  years.'  2d  Quest.  '  Ilave 
you  dealt  hrothedy,  or  like  a  Christian,  to  throw  so  much  dirt  upon  your  brethren, 
in  print,  in  the  face  of  the  world,  when  you  had  c>]iportmuty  to  converse  with  them 
of  reputation  arnotigst  uh  before  ])riiiting,  being  alh.iwed  the  liberty  by  them  at  the 
same  time  for  you  to  speak  among  them  T  lie  answers  that  he  had  'thrown  no 
dirt,'  and  '  as  to  book,  it  was  printed  before  I  spake  with  any  of  you,  or  knew  whether 
I  might  be  accepted  of  you.  As  to  them  of  reputation  among  you,  I  know  others 
not  one  whit  inferior  to  them,  and  have  my  liberty  to  consult  with  whom  I  like 
best.'  In  lG7i  the  Bedford  Church-record  shows,  that  his  Church  consulted  with 
Jessey's  old  Church  on  the  communion  question,  '  that  we  may  the  better  know  what 
to  do  as  to  our  Sister  Martha  Cumberland.'  3d  Quest.  '  Doth  your  carriage  an- 
swer the  law  of  love  or  civiUty,  when  the  brethren  used  means  to  send  for  you  for 
a  conference,  and  their  letter  was  received  by  you,  that  j'ou  should  go  out  again 
from  the  city  (Loudon),  after  knowledge  of  their  desires,  and  uot  vouchsafe  a  meeting 
with  them,  when  the  glory  of  God  and  tlie  vindication  of  so  many  Churches  is  con- 
cerned ? '  Bunyan's  answer  :  '  The  reason  why  1  came  uot  amongst  you  was  partly 
because  I  consulted  mine  own  weakness,  and  counted  not  myself,  being  a  dull- 
headed  man,  able  to  engage  so  many  of  the  chief  of  you,  as  I  was  then  informed, 
intended  to  meet  me.     I  also  feared,  in  personal  disputes,  heats  and  bitter  conten- 


BUNYAN  AND   KIFFIX.  883 

tions  might  arise,  a  thing  my  spirit  liath  not  pleasure  in.  I  feared  also  that  both 
myself  and  words  miglit  be  misrepresented.'  4tli  Quest.  '  Is  it  not  the  spirit  of 
Diotrephes  of  old  in  you,  who  loved  to  have  the  pre-eminence,  that  you  are  so  bold 
to  keep  out  all  the  brethren  that  are  not  of  your  mind  in  this  matter,  from  having 
any  entertainment  in  the  churches  or  meetings  to  which  you  belong,  tliough  you 
ijuurnelf  have  not  been  denied  the  like  liberty  among  them  that  are  contrary- 
minded  to  yon.  Is  this  the  way  of  your  retaliation  \  Or  are  yon  afraid  lest  the 
truth  should  invade  your  ipiarters? '  Bunyan  answered  by  asking  where  Diotrephes 
was,  '  in  those  days  that  our  brethren  of  the  baptized  way  '  would  not  recognize 
those  who  were  as  good  as  themselves ;  as  to  allowing  the  strict  brethren  '  to  preach 
in  our  assemblies,  the  reason  is,  because  we  cannot  yet  prevail  with  them  to  repent 
of  their  Church  rending  principles.'  '- 

The  entire  ground  and  spirit  of  these  questions  and  answers  show  that  the 
combatants  were  of  one  sect,  and  so  understood  themselves  to  be,  and  this  fact  is 
confirmed  when  Kiffin  suggests  that  Banyan's  principles  and  practices  were  against 
'  Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  and  Independents,'  as  well  as  Baptists,  and  asks :  '  Do 
you  delight  to  have  your  hand  against  every  man  % ' 

In  a  word,  his  Baptist  brethren  treated  him  throughout  the  whole  dispute  on 
the  communion  question  as  a  Baptist  who  was  inconsistent  in  his  positions,  and  who 
was  playing  into  the  hands  of  the  Pedobaptists,  whether  he  designed  this  or  not. 
They  charged  him  with  using  the  very  arguments  of  the  Pedobaptists.  But  if  he 
was  a  Pedobaptist  already,  what  pertinency  was  there  in  snch  a  reilection  %  In  his 
'Difference  of  Judgment'  he  complains  that  Kiflin  reflects  upon  him  seriously  for 
his  freedom  to  communicate  with  those  '  who  differ  from  me  about  water-baptism.' 
He  complains  that  these  Baptist  brethren  had  tried  to  win  him  and  his  Church  to 
their  views,  saying :  '  Yea,  myself  they  have  sent  for  and  endeavored  to  persuade 
me  to  break  communion  with  my  brethren.  .  .  .  Some  they  did  rend  and  dismem- 
ber from  ns.  .  .  .  To  settle  the  brethren  of  our  community,  and  to  prevent  such 
disorders  among  others,  was  the  cause  of  my  publishing  my  papers.'  "  Then,  in  his 
'Reasons  for  my  Practice,'  he  writes:  'I  can  connnunicate  with  those  visible  saints 
that  dift'er  about  water-baptism.'  But  that  went  without  saying,  if  he  were  not  a 
Baptist.  And  finally,  as  to  the  allegation  that  he  used  the  arguments  of  the  Pedo- 
baptists, he  resents  the  charge  with  warmth  thus  :  '  I  ingenuously  tell  you,  I  know 
not  what  Psedo  means,  and  how  then  should  I  know  his  arguments?'"  "Which 
answer  is  of  a  piece  with  the  retort  to  Kiffin,  '  You  seek  thus  to  scamdalize  me,'  be- 
cause he  demanded  concerning  Bunyan,  'Wherein  lies  the  force  of  this  man's  argu- 
ment against  baptism,  as  to  its  place,  worth,  and  continuance  ? '  '^ 

That  Bunyan  and  Kithn  stood  shoulder  to  shoulder  as  Baptists  on  every  point, 
excepting  communion,  is  as  clear  as  it  can  be  from  their  own  statements.  Under 
the  head  of  'The  Question  Stated,'  Kiffin  says  in  his  '  Sober  Discourse  : ' 

'  It  may  be  necessary  to  examine  hoM-  far  we  disagree  and  whether  we  disagree 
with  our  dissenting  brethren,  because  that  would  prevent  much  useless  discourse, 
and  lead  us  to  debate  the  matter  in  dispute  only.  .  .  .  '  The  professors   of  the 


836  BUNy^AN'S    COMPLAINTS    OF  INJURY. 

Clu-istiau  religion  are  distinguished,'  says  he,  '  by  certain  terms,  invented  by  their 
opposites  to  know  them  by,  as  Prelatical,  rresbyteriaiis,  IndependcTits,  Anaba])tists, 
etc.  And  it  were  well  if  such  names  were  laid  aside  and  the  title  of  Christian 
brother  resumed,  because!  they  agree  in  fumlamentals.  Now  of  all  tlu^se  our  contro- 
versy in  the  case  in  hand  is  only  with  some  of  the  last  who  are  (though  not  rightly) 
called  Aiiabaj)tists.  As  for  others,  their  avowed  principle  is  to  admit  none  to 
Church-fellowship  or  comnninion  that  are  uiibapti/.ed.  .  .  .  The  Ciiurch  of  England 
receives  no  member  into  communion  without  baptism,  neither  do  Presbyterians, 
Indejiendents,  nor,  in(k'ed,  any  sort  of  Christains  that  own  ordinances,  admit  any  as 
a  (!hurch-nunnber  without  baptism.  We  shall,  therefore,  direct  this  discourse  to  our 
dissenting  brethi-en  oi  the  baptized  way  only.'  He  adds,  '  Under  the  term  (unbap- 
tized)  we  eomjjreheiul  all  ])ersons  that' either  were  never  baptized  at  all,  or  such  as 
have  been  (as  tliey  call  it)  christened  or  baptized  (more  ])r()perly  sprinkled)  in  their 
infancy.  Now  oiir  dissenting  brethren,  witli  whom  we  have  to  do,  look  upon  this 
way  to  be  absolutely  invalid  a^id  so  no  baptism  (else  they  would  not  be  baptized 
tlicmselves),  and  consequently  esteem  all  such  as  unbaptized  ;  so  that  we  need  not 
prove  what  is  granted.'     (Kitlln's  '  Sober  Discourse,'  pp.  2,  9.) 

On  ]iages  \?,,  1-1,  he  defines  what  he  means  by  those  of  '  the  baptized  way,'  calls 
tliem  '  Baptists,'  and  says  that  they  are  '  reproached  '  and  '  derided  "  '  foi-  being  di.jft.'' 
It  had  been  inipussible  for  Kiffin  to  have  addressed  Ihinyan  in  such  terms  had  they 
not  recognized  each  other  as  Baptists.  And  Bnnyan  in  his  re]ily  not  only  admits 
that  he  and  Kiffin  saw  these  things  alike,  but  felt  hurt  that  Kiliin  should  even  vent- 
ure to  hint  that  he  was  defective  in  the  views  of  baptism  held  by  Baptists.    He  says  : 

'  That  the  brethren  which  refuse  to  be  baptized  «,s-  you  and  I  viould  have  them, 
refuse  it  for  M'ant  of  pretended  light,  becomes  you  not  to  imagine.  .  .  .  Their  con- 
science may  be  better  than  either  yours  or  mine ;  yet  God,  for  purposes  licst  kiuiwn 
to  hin)self,  may  forbear  to  give  them  conviction  of  their  duty  in  this  ])articiilar.  .  .  . 
I  advise  you  again  to  consider  that  a  man  may  tind  baptism  to  l)e  commanded,  may 
be  infonned  who  ought  to  administer  it,  may  also  know  the  proper  subject,  and  that 
the  manner  of  Imptizing  is  dipping,  and  uuiy  desire  to  practice  it  because  it  is  com- 
manded, and  yet  know  nothing  of  what  water-baptism  prcacheth.  or  of  the  mystery 
bajjtism  showeth  to  faith.'  "> 

He  then  complains  bitterly  that  Kiffin  does  not  treat  persons  who  were 
lujt  baptized  as  it  'is  commanded'  by  the  'manner  of  dij)j>h)(/'  as  they  should 
be  treated,  for  he  avows  that  '  rhey  cannot  without  light  Ije  driven  into  water- 
baptism,  I  mean  after  our  notion  of  if.  .  .  .  Far  better  than  ourselves,  that 
have  not,  according  to  our  notion,  been  baj)tized  with  water.' "  In  the  same 
])aper  he  speaks  of  the  godly  of  the  land  '  who  are  not  of  o»r  jyersuaszm,''  and 
insists  that  he  does  not  plead  'for  a  despising  of  baptism,  but  a  bearing  with 
our  brother  who  cannot  do  it  for  want  of  light.'  If  he  were  not  a  Baptist  and  sup- 
posed himself  enlightened  in  their  views,  it  were  absurb  for  him  to  be  perpetually 
complaining  to  Baptists  that  those  who  were  not  dipped  after  his  notion  and  theirs, 
failed  of  this  duty  for  want  of  light.  In  his  '  Practice  and  Diiferences  of  Judg- 
ment '  he  repeats  this  from  a  dozen  to  twenty  times,  and  then,  with  an  air  of  injured 
feeling  on  their  behalf,  demands  :  "Must  all  the  children  of  God,  that  are  not  bap- 


BL'^TAX  RESENTS   THEIR   CUARQE.  837 

tized  for  want  of  light,  be  still  stigmatized  fur  want  of  serious  inquiry  after  God's 
mind  in  it  I '  " 

Much  needless  speculation  has  lieen  had  on  P>unyan's  status  as  a  Baptist,  simply 
because,  in  his  'Heavenly  Footman,'  he  says:  '  Do  not  have  too  much  company  with 
some  Anabaptists,  though  1  go  under  that  name  myself;'  and,  in  his  'Peaceable 
Principles,'  adds :  '  As  for  those  factious  titles  of  Anabaptists,  Independents,  Pres- 
byterians, or  the  like,  I  conclude  that  they  came  neither  from  Jei'usalcm  nor  Anti- 
och,  Init  leather  from  hell  and  Babylon,  for  tliey  naturally  tend  to  divisions.'  '■'  With 
good  reason  Mr.  Brown  says  of  Bunyan's  affiliation  with  the  Baptists,  '  This  is  plain 
enough,'  when  Bunyan  calls  himself  an  '  Anabaptist.'  Like  many  other  Ijaptists  he 
did  not  like  to  l)e  called  b}-  that  hateful  name,  'Anabaptist,'  nor  did  he  like  denom- 
inational names  at  all  ;  he  preferred  to  l)e  called  a  'Christian,'  an  honurablc  feeling 
that  is  shared  by  many  in  all  Christian  sects,  and  yet  they  fail  to  suggest  l)etter 
names  than  those  they  answer  to.  Dr.  Southey,  witli  his  usual  clearness  of  per- 
ception, sa^'s  of  Bunyan :  '  Though  circumstances  had  made  him  a  sectarian,  ho 
liked  not  to  be  called  by  the  denominatiou  of  his  sect ;'  yes,  and  especially  when  it 
was  ])erverted  to  '  Analmptist.'  It  is  said  that  even  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson  Iiated  this 
word  so  mortally,  that  he  refused  to  put  it  into  the  first  edition  of  his  Dictionary 
in  1755.  If  it  was  not  a  simple  omission,  he  must  have  left  it  out  on  other  grounds 
than  that  of  Bunyan's;  but,  at  iiny  rate,  it  occurs  for  the  first  time  in  Johnson's 
Lexicon  in  Todd's  edition  of  1827.  Neither  did  it  seem  to  distress  Bunyan  to  be 
called  simply  a  Baptist.  Wlien  Kiftin  asked  him,  '  Why  do  you  indulge  the  Baptlsta 
in  many  acts  of  disobedience?'  he  showed  no  resentment.  D'Anvers  demanded  of 
him,  because  he  thought  that  his  published  views  of  communion  impeached  the 
thoroughness  of  his  Baptist  position,  how  long  it  was  since  lie  ceased  to  be  a 
Baptist  ?  This  home-thrust  touched  Bunyan  in  a  tender  spot,  for  it  seemed  to 
reflect  upon  him  for  the  rejection  of  his  old  Baptist  principles,  and  he  resented  it 
with  his  usually  high  spirit :  '  You  ask  me  next  how  long  it  is  since  I  was  a  Bap- 
tist? '  and  then  adds,  "  It  is  an  ill  bii-d  tliat  bewrays  his  own  nest."  I  must  tell  you, 
avoiding  your  slovingly  language,  I  know  nunc  to  whom  this  title  is  so  [u-opcr  as  to 
the  disciples  of  John.'-"  That  he  was  not  an  Independent  is  very  clear,  for 
D'Anvers  tells  him  that  some  of  the  'sober  Independents'  had  showed  dislike  to 
his  written  notions  that  baptism  did  not  precede  commnnion.  'What  then?'  Bun- 
yan replies.  '  If  I  should  also  say,  as  I  can  without  lying,  that  several  of  the 
Bajitists  had  wished  yours  burnt  before  it  had  come  to  light,  is  your  book  ever  the 
worse  for  that  ? '  -'  No  Independent  could  have  conducted  this  controversy  on  this 
line  of  things ;  and  no  passage  in  all  his  writings  bears  with  more  direct  force  upon 
this  subject  than  this  taken  from  his  '  Differences  in  Judgment,'  published  in  the 
very  year  that  the  St.  Cuthbert's  Register  says  of  some  John  Bunyan  that  his  baby 
was  christened.  In  that  very  year  he  wrote  to  his  Baptist  opponent :  '  What  if  I 
should  also  send  you  to  answer  those  expositors  that  expound  certain  Scriptures  for 


538  BUA'^TAX  PLAXTFl)    liAPTTST   CIIUIiCIIES. 

infant  liaptisin,  and  that  liv  tlirni  liraml  ii,^  I'm'  I'l-iluliaiitists,  must  this  dfive  you 
fi'Diii  yiiui'  liclief  ut'  thf  tiaith  ;" 

]t  lias  hfcii  any  thini;-  hut  a  ploasant  tusk  to  uttoiiii)t  tlie  resciiie  of  tliis  lionorod 
historical  name  from  such  a  hi-aiid  of  inconsistcMic}'  as  the  wron<;  use  of  the  St.  Ciith- 
bert'.s  Tviit^istcf  must  li\  u|)un  it,  hy  applyiiii;-  to  hiin  an  act  wiiich  it  was  morally 
impossihlc  for  him  to  |>er]ielratr  without  infamy  to  all  the  other  acts  of  his  religious 
life  and  heing.  A  dozen  such  recoi-ds,  so  perverted  in  their  application,  can  never 
irainsay  the  luiivcrsal  voice  of  history  as  to  the  man's  principles  aiul  character. 
And  out>idc  of  these  nothini;'  is  nioi'c  notoi-ious  than  that  all  his  cliiel'  friemlships 
were  sought  hy  him>cll'  aiiioni;st  l!aptists,  as  in  the  case  of  Jessey,  who  was  more  the 
father  of  oj)en  communiini  views  in  England  than  was  Hiinyan.  Nothing  .seemed 
more  to  delight  that  sturdy  Baptist  'friend  and  acquaintance'  of  his,  (,'harles  Doe, 
than  to  speak  of  him  as  •  Oik  llunyan,'  which  he  docs  until   the  repetition  wearies. 

Francis  Smith,  who  |iul)lishc(l  the  st,  if  not  all   tin'  works  which    Itunyan  wr(^te 

while  he  was  in  prison,  was  one  (if  the  most  thorough  Haptists.  lie  was  a  hrave 
aiul  true  character,  who  set  the  censor  of  the  press  at  defiance  and  was  imprisoned 
again  and  again  as  a  'fanatic'  because  he  would  judjlish  '  dangerous  books.'  lie 
was  called  'Eleiihant  Snntli,'  because  he  did  business  at  the  Elcjihant  and  Castle, 
near  Temple  Bar,  but  he  was  better  known  as  'Anabaptist  Smith  ;"  and  woidd  have 
published  Bunyau's  '  Grace  Abouiuling,'  but  he  hap})ened  to  be  in  prison  when  it 
was  issued.  Many  of  I'unyan's  books  were  seized  at  his  place  in  l(i()(!,  because  he 
piiljlished  thcni  without  a,  lictMisc  ;  and  the  Baptist  ))ress  has  been  loailed  with  his 
writings  ever  since.  And,  last  of  all,  says  Philip:  '  lie  was  interred  at  lirst  in  the 
back  part  of  that  ground  (Btiidiill  Fields)  now  known  as  Baptist  Corner.' 

While  these  <'onsiderations  serve  as  slight  collateral  evideiu^es  of  his  denomi- 
national connections,  the  great  ])roof  is  found  in  his  own  words  and  works,  both  of 
which  follow  him.  Although  his  own  Church  has  forsaken  the  faith  and  practice 
which  he  taught,  there  are  still  many  Churches  left  which  received  his  impress,  and 
have  retained  it  through  two  Iiuudred  years.  His  labors  outside  of  Bedford,  in 
that  and  other  counties,  were  abundant:  and  a  number  of  Baptist  Churclies  therein, 
which  still  exist,  were  then  gathered  as  the  result.  Philip  says  :  '  Not  a  few  of  the 
Baptist  (Churches  in  the  county  (Bedford)  trace  their  origin  to  Bishoj)  Banyan's 
itineracies,  as  do  some  also  in  tlie  adjoining  counties  of  Cambridge,  Hertford, 
Huntingdon,  Buckingham  and  Northamjiton.'^  Alluding  to  these  labors,  tlie 
'  Britannica*  states  that  'he  had  so  great  an  authority  among  the  Baptists  that  he 
was  popularly  called  Bisho])  Banyan.'  This  article,  written  by  Macaulay,  adds  : 
'  Great  as  was  the  authority  of  Bunyan  with  the  Baptists,  that  of  William  Kifiin 
was  still  greater.'  The  present  status  of  these  Churches  show  the  model  on  which 
ho  formed  them,  as  an  open  communion  Baptist.  Mr.  Ih'own's  Church  at  North- 
ampton, the  Union  Chapel  at  Luton,  and  some  others,  can  elect  cither  a  Bapti-st  or  a 
Pedobaptist  minister  for  pastor,  though  their  ministers  are  now  and  have  been  gen- 


niS    WORKS  FOLLOW  HIM.  839 

erally  Baptists.  The  Park  Street  Cluirch  at  Luton  elaitiis  Bunyan  as  its  founder, 
also  that  at  Ilitchin  and  Ilurst-llempstead.  I^ev^  Mr.  AVatts,  the  present  pastor  of 
Mill  Street  Baptist  Chvirch,  Bedford,  says:  '  Stagsden,  Goldington,  Elstow  and 
Kempston  are  all  hranehcs  of  Ikmyan's  Meeting.  Josiah  Couder  .says  in  "Life  and 
Writings  of  Bunyan  :  " 

'  Heading,  in  Berkshire,  was  another  place  which  he  frequently  visited,  and  a 
tradition  has  been  preserved  by  the  Baptist  congregation  there  that  he  sometimes 
went  through  that  town  dressed  like  a  carter,  with  a  long  whip  in  his  hand,  to  avoid 
detection.  The  house  in  which  the  Baptists  met  for  worship  stood  in  a  lane,  and 
from  the  back  door  they  had  a  bridge  over  a  branch  of  the  river  Kennett,  whereby, 
in  case  of  alarnj,  they  might  escape.  Li  a  visit  to  that  jilacc,  ]irom])ted  by  his 
characteristic  kindness  of  heart,  he  contracted  the  disease  which  brought  him  to  his 
grave.' 

Rev.  Thomas  Watts  adds : 

'  There  are  very  few  Congregational  Chnrches  in  Bedfordshire,  and  these  are 
mostly  of  modern  formation.  It  seems  certain  that  John  Bunyan  was  remarkably 
useful  thronghont  the  county,  and  that  his  converts  either  became  members  of  Bap- 
tist or  Union  Churches.  We  have  several  Union  Chnrches,  but,  with  the  exception 
of  Bunyan  Meeting,  the  minister  in  every  case  is  a  Baptist.  The  trust-deed  at 
Cotton-End  requires  the  Church  to  elioose  a  Baptist  for  their  pastor.' 

Clearly  Bunyan  was  an  open  communion  Baptist,  but  as  to  christening  his  child 
in  the  parish  church  in  1^(72,  we  may  well  use  the  Sci'ipture  exclamation;  'Go  to!' 


CHAPTER    VIII. 


BRITISH     BAPTISTS.— COMMONWEALTH    AND    RESTORATION. 

J(»ll\     MII/I'<>N.   llic   apostle  of  lilxTlv    and    nioiKircii   of   soiijr,   (leiiiaiids  our 
iiolicc,  liL'caiisc,  wlictlicr  he  was  a  liaplist  or  not,  lie  exjioiuiilei.l  aiul  defended 
ccrlaiii  elcnient;irv  I'.aptist  ))rinei))les  as  W'w  otliei-s  have  done.      .Milton  was  ])orn 
in   Itlos,  and  educated  at  Cambridge.     lie  was  of  a  serions  sjiirit,  full  of  ])urity  and 

couraj^'-e  and  vei-_v  modest  withal. 
This  soul  dwelt  in  a  teni])le  as 
fair  as  Ajiollo's,  the  ])ieture  of 
beauty  and  delicacy  ;  so  tine, 
indeed,  that  the  coarser  stu- 
dents nicknamed  him  •  the  lady 
of  Christ's  College.'  As  a  lif- 
I  /■afnr.  he  did  for  England  what 
no  man  had  yet  done.  He 
lived  wlien  all  religious  and 
political  traditions  were  called 
in  (juestioii,  and  all  old  insti- 
tutions were  being  remodeled. 
Although  his  early  design  was 
to  enter  the  Episcopal  minis- 
tiT,  and  his  preparation  was 
tliorougli,  after  examining  tlie 
claims  of  Episcopacy,  he  said 
that  to  take  orders  he  •must 
subscribe  slave,'  and  this  he 
would  do  for  no  man.  After 
seven  years'  study  he  took  his  master's  degree,  Iti.'W;  then  retired  for  five  years, 
studying  the  liible,  Cireek  and  JJoir.an  writers,  philosophy  and  literature,  and 
laying  plans  for  his  great  life-work.  On  the  death  of  his  nutther.  in  1(138,  he  went 
to  the  Continent,  intending  to  spend  some  years  there.  In  Paris  he  became 
thoroughly  acqiiainted  with  Grotius,  and  at  Florence  had  much  conversation  with 
(4alileo,  in  the  Inquisition.  AVlien  he  heard  of  the  disturbances  in  England,  his 
patriotism  was  so  stirred  that  be  resolved  to  return,  saying,  'I  considered  it  dis- 


JOIIN    JIILTON. 


MILTON'S    WUITINOS.  84  t 

lionoral)le  to  be  cnjoj'ing  myself  at  my  ease  in  foreign  lands,  while  my  couiitrvnien 
were  striking  a  blow  for  freedom.' 

At  home,  lie  was  soon  drawn  into  the  front  rank  as  a  pnblieist,  dealing  with 
every  fundamental  principle  of  the  English  Constitution.  Twenty-live  eontrovursial 
and  political  works  were  soon  issued  from  his  pen  touching  great  practical  (questions 
of  statesmanship  ;  the  rights  of  the  peojilo,  of  rulers,  the  freedom  of  the  common- 
wealth, the  relations  of  the  (vluireli  to  the  State,  of  religious  liberty,  popular  educa- 
tion, the  laws  of  marriage  and  the  freedom  of  the  jiress.  These  aroused  the  whole 
nation  as  a  giant  from  slniuber.  He  spoke  on  all  subjects  with  a  dee[)  conviction 
and  an  honest  boldness  worthy  of  a  doctrinaire  and  philosophical  civilian.  Every 
point  was  presented  with  the  clearness  of  a  sunbeam ;  all  could  see  that  the  love  of 
liberty  dominated  him  like  an  inspiration.  His  principles  embodied  a  new  and 
radical  order  uf  things,  and  a  new  set  of  political  institutions  must  spring  there- 
from, so  primal  were  they.  In  themselves  they  were  a  new  creation,  so  to  sjx'ak, 
which  appealed  to  reason  and  conscience ;  in  a  word,  the  embr^-o  of  a  free  republic. 
Mark  Pattison,  no  indulgent  critic  of  Milton,  is  compelled  to  admit  that  these 
works  were  'all  written  on  the  side  of  liberty.'  He  defended  religious  liberty 
against  the  prelates,  civil  liberty  against  the  crown,  the  liberty  of  the  press  against 
the  executive,  liberty  of  conscience  against  the  Presbyterians,  and  domestic  liberty 
against  the  tyranny  of  canon  law.  Milton's  pamjihlets  mio-ht  have  been  stamped 
with  the  motto  which  Seldon  inscribed  (in  (4roek)  in  all  his  books :  '  Liberty  before 
every  thing.'  In  the  depth  of  his  nature  he  reverenced  God,  and  used  that  rever- 
ence to  ennoble  England.  While  the  seething  excitement  of  his  times  marks  his 
style,  which  is  often  rasping,  even  withering,  and  betrays  that  metallic  spirit  which 
will  neither  brook  imposition  nor  cant ;  yet  there  was  a  light  and  refreshing  newness 
in  his  temper,  which  told  his  foes  that  he  knew  what  he  was  talking  about,  whether 
they  did  or  not,  and  which  brushed  away  their  impudent  assumptions  and  abuses 
like  dust.  His  exact  calmness  of  thought  and  clearness  of  lano'uao-e  made  his  foes 
resentful.  He  was  a  perfect  master  of  stinging  candor,  and  his  nervous  invective 
made  his  vehemence  calm  by  the  truth  which  it  couched. 

The  second  marked  period  of  his  life  brought  his  knowledge  of  the  learned 
languages  into  great  service.  He  honored  his  mother-tongue  as  a  language  of  ideas, 
and  his  prose  works  will  ever  remain  a  monument  to  its  terse  greatness.  But  he 
wrote  Latin  as  fluently  as  English,  and  was  chosen  Latin  secretary  to  the  govern- 
ment soon  after  the  death  of  Charles  I.  This  was  the  language  of  diplomacy  at  the 
time,  and  he  filled  this  station  till  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  His  ofiice  brought  him 
into  daily  contact  with  the  forty-one  who  composed  the  Council  of  State,  especially 
with  the  Committee  for  Foreign  Affairs,  amongst  whom  were  Yauo  and  Whitelock, 
Lords  Denbigh  and  Lisle.  In  company  with  Cromwell,  Fairfax  and  others,  his 
daily  ta.sk  was  to  frame  difficult  dispatches  to  all  nations,  in  harmony  with  tlie  new 
state  of  things   in   England,  to  which,  practically,  the  world  was  a  stranger.     lu 


842  MILTON'S  HUMANITY. 

Al>i'il,  \^'<X\,  I  lie  I)iiki'  (if  Savoy  linn-iticMl  all  I']iii-((])c  \\\  tlic  licmlisli  atrocities  wliicli 
made  the  sullcvsuf  riciliiidiit  I'liii  with  IiIdocI.  ^Vlu•ll  news  of  this  savagery  reaclicd 
I'rotcstaiit  England  slie  .stond  a])|)allcd,  dccri'ed  it  high  time  to  stop  .such  insane 
hnitah'ty,  iind  sent  Mdi'eland  to  take  the  cnt-tiin.iat  id'  Sa\(>y  in  hand.  As  repre- 
senting a  rej)ublic,  ('ronnvell  had  omitted  the  title  of  his  Jtoyal  Highness  in  tlie 
dispatclies  sent  by  Moi'chiiid  to  the  duke,  wlio  projio.sed  to  return  the  demand  of 
JMigland  under  color  of  alli'oiit.  'J'he  sciher  second  tlunight,  however,  aiiied  li\'  a 
little  common  sense  and  Cai'dinai  Mazai'iii,  lirought  tin-  hutehcr  to  his  senses. 
France  was  reijuired  to  stoj)  this  eowai'dly  reign  of  furv,  rajn'  and  nnirder.  The 
correspondence  which  Milton  coiidueted  on  this  subject  with  the  nations  of  Europe 
was  so  just,  humane  aiul  simple,  that  it  stands  an  Ikjuoi-  to  humanity.  Its  tone  is 
severely  moderate,  becoming  a  Christian  repufdic  in  diplomac-y;  firm,  equituble, 
manly  to  deliciousness,  and  its  effect  is  felt  on  the  liberties  of  Europe  to  this  day. 

Milton's  ])erpetual  labor  in  the  cause  of  humanity  cost  him  his  eye-sight.  He 
said  that  his  phvsicinns  predicted  this  when  he  took  up  his  pen  to  write  against  the 
tvraimies  of  Charles,  'yet,  nothing  terriiied  by  their  premonition,  1  did  not  long 
balance  whether  my  duty  should  be  preferred  to  my  eyes.'  In  1(!50  the  sight  of  his 
left  eye  was  gone,  aiul  by  1052  the  sight  of  his  right  eye  was  also  quenched ;  so  that 
at  the  age  of  forty-tliree  he  was  totally  blind,  i-emaining  so  till  his  death,  twenty-two 
years  aftei'.  In  another  toiudiing  passage,  which  expresses  his  unyielding  sense  of 
responsibility,  he  says:  'The  choice  lay  before  me,  between  dereliction  of  a  supreme 
duty  and  loss  of  eye-sight.  In  such  a  case  I  could  not  listen  to  the  pliysician,  not  if 
Esculapius  himself  had  spoken  from  his  sanctuary  ;  I  could  but  obey  that  inward 
monitor,  I  know  not  what,  that  sjtoke  to  me  from  heaven.  I  considered  with  myself 
that  many  had  purchased  less  good  with  worse  ill,  as  they  who  give  their  lives  to 
reap  only  glory ;  and  T  thereu2)on  concluded  to  employ  the  little  remaining  eye- 
sight I  was  to  enjoy  in  doing  this,  the  greatest  service  to  the  common  weal  it  was 
in  my  power  to  render.' 

The  third  period  of  his  life  drew  forth  liis  highest  and  holiest  genius  as  a  bard. 
From  1060  to  1674  he  produced  his  matchless  "Paradise  Lost'  and  'Paradise  Re- 
gained,' and  his '  Samson  Agonistes.'  lie  addressed  himself  to  these  as  a  prophet  would 
devote  himself  to  his  holy  ofHce.  P'ive  and  twenty  years  had  been  sj)ent  in  the  sternest 
self-culture  and  sacred  purpose,  so  that  he  thought  his  epic  ideal  a  schooling  from 
God.  He  had  conceived  the  first  ])lan  of  his  'Paradise  Lost'  under  the  flush  and 
daring  imaginations  of  youth,  but  dared  not  touch  the  work  without  the  chaste  and 
ripe  judgment  of  fifty,  and  then  considered  himself  ])ooi-ly  ecpiipped  for  its  execution. 
He  was  not  content  to  create  an  epic  fiction,  much  less  a  romance,  but  would  deal 
only  in  real  poetic  truth  on  foundations  as  firm  as  the  eternal  throne.  But  for  all 
this  he  implored  the  help  of  heaven,  as  he  believed  that  only  close  walk  with  God 
could  give  life  and  history  to  the  imagery  and  feeling  treasured  in  his  soul.  He 
said:  '  This  is  not  to  be  obtained  but  by  devout  prayer  to  that  eternal  Sjnrit  that 


Ills  NON-CONFOliMlTY.  543 

can  enricli  with  all  utterance  and  knowledge,  and  sends  forth  his  seraphim  with  the 
hallowed  fire  of  liis  altar,  to  touch  and  purify  the  life  of  whom  he  pleases.  To  this 
must  be  added  industrious  and  select  readino;,  steady  ol)servation,  and  insight  into 
all  seendy  and  gracious  acts  and  affairs;  till  wliich  in  soiiii!  mcasui-e  compact,  I 
refuse  not  to  sustain  this  expectation.'  His  blindness  abandoned  liiiii  to  a  sulilimc 
loneliness.  Every  thing  material  was  banished  from  his  fervid  soul,  wiiiie  he  sang 
to  God  the  story  of  creation  as  '  the  morning  stars'  sung  it  at  fii-st,  and  the  greater 
story  of  redemption  as  it  was  sung  by  the  advent  angels.  Ills  soul  was  rapt  because 
it  breathed  the  air  of  a  spiritual  gospel  and  took  the  nourishment  which  a  personal 
Christ  imparts.  His  genius  was  ovei'powered  by  the  sense  of  God's  help,  and  this 
inspired  his  grace  of  movement,  his  glow  of  adoration.  One  of  liis  most  careful 
biographers  writes  tliat  '  the  horizon  of  "  Paradise  Lost "  is  not  narrower  tlian  all 
space,  its  chronology  not  shorter  than  eteriuty  ;  the  globe  of  our  earth  a  mere  spot 
in  the  physical  universe,  and  that  universe  itself  a  drop  suspended  in  the  infinite 
empyrean.'  Butler  says :  '  It  runs  up  into  infinity.'  The  gorgeous  embroidery 
which  adorns  '  Paradise  Lost '  is  wanting  in  '  Paradise  liegained,'  clearly  because  he 
curbed  his  imagination  in  deference  to  evangelic  truth.  He  coidd  not  gild  tlie  atoning 
cross  without  making  the  Gospel  blush  for  the  artist.  Tlie  supernatui'al  existences 
of 'Paradise  Lost'  are  made  visible  in  their  darkness  by  the  aid  of  superhuman 
lights ;  but  '  Paradise  Regained '  shines  in  the  native  splendor  of  plain  gospel  fact,  it 
lives  in  the  simplicity  of  Christ  without  bedecking,  it  extols  the  reign  of  grace 
without  jjorap.  Christ  is  so  fully  its  high  art  and  argument,  that  Wordswortli  jiro- 
nounces  it  'the  most  perfect  in  execution  of  any  thing  written  by  Milton,'  and 
Coleridge,  '  the  most  perfect  poem  extant '  of  its  kind. 

Milton's  religious  views  were  ISTon-conformist,  but  there  is  no  decisive  proof  that 
he  was  a  communicant  of  any  Cliurch.  He  said,  1642,  that  he  was  '  a  member  incor- 
porate into  that  trutii  whereof  I  was  persuaded,  and  whereof  I  had  declared  myself 
openly  to  be  the  partaker.'  Again,  in  his  '  Treatise  on  Christian  Doctrine : '  '  For  my 
own  part,  I  adhere  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  alone.  I  follow  no  other  heresy  or  sect.  I 
had  not  even  read  any  of  the  works  of  heretics,  SO  called,  when  the  mistakes  of  those 
who  are  reckoned  for  orthodox,  and  their  incautious  handling  of  Scripture,  first 
taught  me  to  agree  with  their  opponents,  whenever  those  opponents  agree  with 
Scripture.'  A  State  religion  was  abhorrent  to  him,  and  he  denuiuded  equal  rigiits 
for  all  sects,  except  Roman  Catholics.  These  he  would  not  tolerate  in  England,  on 
the  ground  that  Catholicism  was  a  political  machine,  which  had  destroyed  the  liber- 
ties of  England  once,  and,  he  believed,  would  destroy  them  again  if  it  recovered 
ascendency.  He  did  not  regard  it  as  a  religious  but  as  a  political  system  in  a 
religious  guise,  directly  opposed  to  civil  freedom  and,  tlierefore,  intolerable.  Also, 
he  was  extremely  jealous  lest  any  sect  sliould  trench  a  hair's-breadth  upon  his  personal 
rights  of  conscience ;  hence,  he  chose  to  follow  his  own  individual  lines.  He 
adopted  the  same  course  in  his  literary,  political,  and  official  life,  holding  no  close 


544  Ills   liM'TlsT   /■OS/T/ONS. 

iiitimacy  with  Icaiiiiii;'  literary  iiicn  or  rcjuililirans,  nut  even  wifli  C'l'oiiiwell.  He 
said,  ill  ICi.")!:  'I  have  vci'v  little  aeijiiaintaiiee  with  tliose  in  power,  inasiiiueli  as  I 
keep  very  iiiucli  to  my  own  lioiise,  and  ]irefer  to  ilo  so."  In  this  self-contained 
I'eserve  li(^  appears  to  Iiavc  had  no  intercoiii'se  with  the  lit'  rati  of  tlio  times, 
Wallei-,  llei-rick,  Sliirley,  Daveiuuit,  (Rowley,  (iataker,  Sc^ldon,  Uslier  or  Butler,  and 
seems  not.  to  have  met  most  of  them.  TIh'  piii'ely  literary  did  not  suit  him.  and 
with  many  of  tliese  he  was  in  warm  (-(^ntroversy. 

T.islio])  Sumner  states,  that  'diiriui;'  every  period  of  liis  life,  liis  Sundays  were 
wholly  devoted  t')  tlieoloijy.'  This  was  not  merely  a  pi'ivate  excreise.  for  J'.iich 
shows  that  on  Sundays  he  read  a  eliajitcr  of  tlie  (ireek  TestanuMit,  and  ^ave  an 
exposition  of  it  to  his  j)Ui)ils;  and  then,  at  liis  dietation.  they  wrcjte  ou  divinity. 
Tiiis  eoiirse  not  only  nourished  his  own  relii;-ious  life,  lint  made  lum  a  religions 
teaelicr  to  otiiers,  and  he  followed  this  oi'der  as  well  hefore  he  becatnc  lilind  as 
after.  After  lC<ill  he  was  so  hated  that  the  iron  entered  his  .soul,  and  lie  pi'eferred 
to  dwell  in  darkness;  or  as  JMauaulay  forcibly  expresses  it:  'After  experiencing 
every  calamity  which  is  incident  to  our  nature,  old,  poor,  sightless  and  disgraced, 
lie  retired  to  liis  jiovel  to  die.' 

And  still  it  stands  good,  that  he  defended  roundly,  ojienly  and  with  his  might 
every  distinctive  principle  which  the  Baptists  hold,  and  his  foes  ranked  him  \yitli 
tiiem.  In  his  youth  he  held  Trinitarian  views  and  in  his  •  Ode  on  Christ's  >i'ativity ' 
speaks  of  our  Lord  as, 

'  Wont  at  heaven's  liigli  council-table, 
To  sit  the  midst  of  Trinal  Unity.' 

In  later  life  he  was  tainted  with  Arianism  ;  yet,  with  a  strange  inconsistency, 
he  constructed  liis  'Paradise  Lost'  on  the  fundamental  principle  of  Christ's  vicarious 
sacrilice,  and  maintains  this  truth  without  the  least  ambiguity  or  eipuvocation  in  his 
'  Treatise  on  Doctrine,'  together  with  the  eo-related  tenets  of  original  sin,  justifica- 
tion and  regeneration.  These  were  not  distinctive  Baptist  doctrines  in  his  day  more 
than  now-;  they  were  ludd  in  common  by  liaptist  and  Pedobaptist.  lie  held  views 
on  divorce  which  the  liaptists  of  his  day  did  not  hold,  growing  out  of  his  conviction 
that  while  marriage  itself  is  an  ap])ointment  of  God,  it  should  be  known  in  liunian 
law  only  as  a  civil  contract,  a  sentiment  which  is  now  incorporated  into  the  statute 
law  of  the  American  States.  But  on  all  the  doctrines  wdiicli  distinguish  Baptists 
from  other  religious  bodies,  he  stands  an  open  and  Hrm  liaptist  wi-iter. 

1.  ^,9  to  the  Rule  of  Faith.  Ushei-,  the  most  learned  prelate  ot  his  day  in  all  that 
concerned  religious  tradition,  was  seriously  ])erplexcd  and  compelled  to  aliandon  some 
of  his  positions  in  his  controversy  with  ]Milton.  Milton  swept  away  all  his  patristic 
arguments  at  a  stroke,  charging  that  the  archbishoj)  was  not  'conteuted  with  the 
plentiful  and  wholesome  fountains  of  the  Gospel,  as  if  the  divine  Scriptures  wanted  a 
supplement,  and  were  to  be  eked  out  .  .  .  by  that  indigested  heap  and  fry  of  authors 


UIS    VIEW   OF  INFANT  BAPTISM.  848 

called  aiiticpiity.'  He  tlien  avows  :  '  That  neitlier  traditions,  councils,  nor  canons  of 
any  visible  Church,  nnicli  less  edicts  of  any  magistrate  or  civil  session,  but  the  Script- 
ure only,  can  be  the  final  judoe  or  rule  in  matters  of  religion,  and  that  oidy  in  the 
conscience  of  every  Christian  to  himself.'  For  this  reason  he  refused  to  appeal  to  any 
authority  but  the  Bible  in  his  'Treatise  on  Doctrine.'  So  rigidly  did  he  adhere  to 
his  rule  to  '  discard  reason  in  sacred  matters,'  that  Bishop  Sumner  complains  thus : 
'  Milton  has  shown  a  partiality  in  all  his  works,  even  on  subjects  not  immediately 
connected  with  religion,  for  sujjporting  his  argument  by  the  authority  of  Scripture  ; ' 
and  so  the  Bible  was  the  mother  of  his  prose  and  poetic  literature.  He  took  the 
exact  Baptist  ground  of  his  day  and  ours,  when  he  said  :  '  I  enroll  myself  among  the 
number  of  those  who  acknowledge  the  word  of  God  alone  as  the  rule  of  faith.' 

2.  He  took  the  highest  Baptist  ground  on  the  constitution  and  (jovernment  of 
a  Gospel  Ch  >irch.  He  denuinded  that  it  must  be  a  '  communion  of  saints,'  a  '  brother- 
hood' 'professing  the  faith,'  and  that  'such  only  are  to  be  accounted  of  that  num- 
ber as  are  well  taught  in  Scripture  doctrine,  and  capable  of  trying  hy  the  rule  of 
Scripture  and  the  Spirit  any  teacher  whatever,  or  even  the  whole  collective  body  of 
teachers.'  Such  a  Church,  he  says,  'however  small  its  numbers,'  is  an  independent 
body  :  '  In  itself  an  integral  and  perfect  Church,  so  far  as  regards  its  religious  rights; 
nor  has  it  any  superior  on  earth,  whether  individual  or  assembly  or  convention,  to 
whom  it  can  be  lawfully  required  to  render  submission.'  Its  offices,  he  held,  are 
presbyters  and  deacons,  and  '  the  choice  of  ministers  belongs  to  the  people.'  This 
excludes  all  infant  niember.ship,  on  any  plea.  He  protests  of  infants,  that  '  they 
are  not  to  be  baptized,  inasmuch  as  they  are  incompetent  to  receive  instruction,  or 
to  believe,  or  to  enter  into  a  covenant,  or  to  promise  or  answer  for  themselves,  or 
even  to  hear  the  word.  For  how  can  infants,  who  understand  not  the  word,  be 
purified  thereby,  any  more  than  adults  can  receive  edification  by  hearing  an 
uidaiown  language  ?  For  it  is  not  that  outward  baptism,  which  purifies  only  the 
filth  of  the  fiesh,  that  saves  us,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience,  as  Peter 
testifies,  of  which  infants  are  incapable.  .  .  .  Baptism  is  also  a  vow,  and  as  such  can 
neither  be  i)r()nciuncLMl  by  infants  nor  lie  required  of  them.'  No  Baijtist  writi^r, 
of  any  period,  more  thumughly  refutes  the  doctrine  of  infant  baptism  than  does 
Milton.' 

3.  As  to  the  order  of  hajAisin  itseJf  he  holds  it  to  he  an  ordinance  under  the 
Gospel :  '  Wherein  the  bodies  of  believers,  who  engage  themselves  to  pureness  of 
life,  are  immersed  in  running  water,  to  signify  their  regeneration  by  tiie  Holy  Spirit, 
and  their  union  with  Christ,  in  his  death,  burial  and  resui-rection.'  '  It  is  in  vain 
alleged  by  tliose,  who,  on  the  authority  of  Mark  vii,  4,  Luke  xi,  38,  have  introduced 
the  practice  of  affusion  in  baptism  instead  of  immersion,  that  to  dip  and  to  sprinkle 
mean  the  same  thing ;  since  in  washing  we  do  not  sprinkle  the  hands,  but  immerse 
them.'  His  writings  abound  in  this  sentiment.  In  '  Paradise  Lost '  (Book  xii)  he 
teaches  that  after  Christ's  resurrection  he  commissioned  his  Apostles 

36 


546  MlLToy    CA/. /./■:/)   A.V   ■  AyAnM'TlST.' 

'To  Ic.icl]  all  nation--  w  lial  of  him  tlicv  Icarnud, 
And  Ills  salvation  ;  tlicni  vvlio  shall  believe 
l>a|iti/.inLC  in  Ilie  iirollueii)  stream,  the  sii^n 
or  washiriLf  them  from  liiiilt  of  sin  to  life 
I'nre,  and  in  mind  jirejiared,  if  so  befall, 
For  death  like  that  which  the  Kedeenier  died.' 

4.  As  we  have  already  seen,  he  was  a  f/io/'ouyh  JJajjtist  on  all  that  related  to  soid 
I iherti/, e\ce\^t'mg  in  the  case  of  the  Iloinaii  ('atholics.  His  '  Civil  Power  in  Ecclesi^ 
astieal  (causes'  teaelies :  'That  for  belief  or  practice  in  reliji'ion,  no  man  otiirlit  to  he 
punislied  or  molested  Ijy  any  outward  force  upon  earth  whatsoever.'  Again,  in  his 
'  Christian  Doctrine  :'  '  The  civil  powci'hasiloniiniini  only  over  the  hodv  and  external 
faculties  of  man  ;  the  ecclesiastical  is  exerCised  exclusively  on  the  faculties  of  the 
mind,  which  acknowledge  no  other  jurisdiction.'  He  went  further  than  Locke, 
who  excluded  atheists  from  toleration  ;  for  wliile  he  repudiated  all  iiiuon  of  Church 
and  State,  he  held  to  a  union  between  the  State  and  religion,  as  such.  With  this 
one  abatement  of  Catholic  toleration,  Milton  stood  with  the  Baptists  on  the  liberty 
of  conscience.  Ur.  Stoughton  writes :  '  The  Baptists  multiplied  after  the  Eevolu- 
tion,  and  continued  what  they  had  been  before,  often  obscttre,  Init  always  stanch 
siH)})orters  of  independence  and  voluntaryism.  In  this  respect  they  ditft'reil  fi-oiu 
Presbyterians,  and  often  went  beyond  Independents.'  ^ 

For  these  reasons,  many  of  Milton's  biographers  have  classed  him  with  Baptists. 
Mark  Pattison  tells  us,  that  '  every  Philistine  leveled  the  contemptuous  epithet  of 
Anabaptist  against  Milton  most  freely.  He  says  of  himself,  that  he  now  lived  in 
a  world  of  disesteem.  Nor  was  there  wanting  to  complete  his  discomfiture  the 
practical  parody  of  the  doctrine  of  divorce.  A  Mistress  Attaway,  lace-woman  in 
Bell  Alley  and  slie-preae-lu'r  in  Coleman  Street,  had  been  reading  ]\Iaster  Milton's 
l)Ook,  and  remembered  that  she  had  an  nnsanctified  husband,  who  did  not  speak 
the  language  of  Canaan.  She  further  refieeted  that  ilr.  Attaway  was  not  only 
nnsanctified,  but  was  also  absent  with  tiie  army,  while  William  Jenney  was  on  tlie 
spot,  and,  like  herself,  also  a  preacher.'  This  slant  of  the  modern  atithor  accords 
exactly  with  the  abuse  of  Milton  by  Featley,  on  the  same  subject,  in  U'Ai.  In  liis 
'Dippers  Dipt,'  he  first  attends  to  the  case  t>i  Roger  AVilliams,  who  had  just  issued 
his  '  Bloody  Tenet,'  ranking  liim  with  the  '  Anabaptists,'  because  he  taught  tliat 
'  it  is  the  will  and  command  of  God,  that  since  the  coming  of  his  Son,  the  Lord 
Jesus,  a  permission  of  the  most  Paganisli.  Jewish,  Turkish,  or  anticliristian  con- 
sciences and  wtji'ships  be  granted  to  all  men  in  all  nations  and  countries.  That 
civil  States  with  their  officers  of  justice  are  not  governors  or  defenders  of  the 
spiritual  and  Christian  state  and  worship.  That  the  doctrine  of  persecution  in 
case  of  conscience,  maintained  by  Master  Calvin,  Beza,  Cotton  and  tlie  ministers 
of  the  New  England  Churches,  is  guilty  of  the  blood  of  the  souls  crying  for  venge- 
ance under  the   altar.'     Un  the   same  page,  and   in    the  next  sentence,  he  couples 


JOHN   TOLLAM)    l)X  MILTON.  S47 

Milton  with  Williams  as  an  'Anabaptist'  by  the  title  of  his  book,  saying:  'Witness 
a  "Tractate  of  Divorce,"  in  which  the  bonds  of  marriage  are  let  loose  to  inordinate 
lust,  and  putting  away  wives  for  many  other  causes  besides  that  which  our  Saviour 
only  aiiprovetli,  nanu'ly,  in  cases  of  adultery.' 

Featley's  design  was  to  lampoon  the  Baptists,  and  if  Milton  was  not  undei-stood 
to  stand  on  their  distinctive  principles  as  well  as  Williams,  why  did  he  run  the  risk 
of  classing  them  all  together  and  denouncing  them  in  the  same  breath  as  Baptists? 
This  furious  writer  hated  both  of  them  as  well  as  their  doctrine  of  soul-liberty,  and 
the  law  of  association  led  him  to  denounce  them  both  as  symbolizing  with  those 
who  held  this  as  a  divine  truth.  Other  men,  whom  he  hated  as  nmch  as  these,  had 
written  books  as  distasteful  to  him,  but  he  did  not,  therefore,  class  them  with  Bap- 
tists, merely  to  throw  additional  c(.>ntempt  \\\K\n  tlieni  as  a  body  ;  foi-  even  Featley 
iiad  some  sense.  Milton's  widow  was  a  Baptist  and  a  member  of  the  Church  at 
Nantwich,  Cheshire,  but  it  is  not  known  when  she  entered  its  fellowship.  Her 
body  rests  in  the  meeting-house  of  that  Church,  and  she  appointed  Samuel  Creton, 
its  pastor,  her  '  loving  friend,'  as  one  of  her  executors.  Perhaj^s  this  sketch  cannot 
better  be  finished  than  by  giving  the  following  from  John  Tolland,  who  wrote  the 
iirst  'Life  of  Milton,'  published  in  London,  IG'J'J:  'Thus  lived  and  died  John 
Milton,  a  person  of  the  best  accomplishments,  the  happiest  genius  and  the  vastest 
learning  which  this  nation,  so  renowned  for  producing  excellent  writers,  could  ever 
yet  show.  ...  In  his  eai'ly  days  he  was  a  favorer  of  those  Protestants  then  ojipro- 
briously  called  by  the  name  of  Puritans.  In  his  middle  years  he  was  best  pleased 
with  the  Independents  and  Anabaptists,  as  allowing  of  more  liberty  than  others  and 
coming  the  nearest  to  his  opinion  to  the  primitive  practice.  But  in  the  latter  part 
of  his  life  he  was  not  a  professed  member  of  any  particular  sect  among  Christians; 
he  frequented  none  of  their  assemblies,  nor  made  use  of  their  peculiar  rites  in  his 
family.  Whether  this  proceeded  fi'om  a  dislike  of  their  uncharitable  and  endless 
disputes,  and  that  love  of  dominion  or  inclination  to  persecution,  which,  he  said, 
was  a  piece  of  popery  inseparable  from  all  Churches,  or  whether  he  thought  one 
might  be  a  good  man  without  subscribing  to  any  party,  and  that  they  had  all  in 
some  things  corrupted  the  institutions  of  Jesus  Clirist,  I  will  by  no  means  advent- 
ure to  determine  ;  for  conjectures  on  such  occasions  are  very  uncertain,  and  I  have 
never  met  with  any  of  his  acquaintance  who  could  be  positive  in  assigning  the  true 
reasons  for  his  conduct.'  ^ 

Few  men  amongst  tlie  Baptists  ranked  higher  at  this  period  than  Benjamin 
Keacu.  He  was  bom  in  16-10,  was  immersed  on  his  faith  in  Christ  at  the  age  of 
fifteen,  and  began  to  preach  at  eighteen ;  then,  in  166S,  at  the  age  of  twenty-eight, 
he  became  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Horsleydown,  London.  Fc>r  the  high 
crime  of  pu])lishing  a  small  work  on  fundamental  Baptist  principles  he  was 
indicted  in  Ititii,  and  brought  before  Chief-Justice  Hyde.  This  judge  descended 
to  the  meanness  of  browbeating  his  prisoner.     The  indictment  being  long,  Keach 


548 


PEIiSKCLTION   OF   K/CAClf. 


iiskcd  I'lir  a  <'iipy.  llial  lie  iiiiLilit  cDiit'ci'  with  ruiinxl.  This  I'lirht  nf  (■\-ci'y  Ellglisll- 
iiiaii  was  I'cl'uscd  ;  ami  thr  jinlii'c.  in  a  tDwei'ini;'  passion.  iK'iiiaiidcil  that  hi;  should 
lirst  |)K'a<l,  iir  lie  vvcjiihl  take  his  siliMice  as  ('uiifes>iiin.  and  so  ]ii'onoiince  judg- 
ment,     lit'  pleaded   'Not    (iiiilty,"  wlien  the  judi^-e  a'ave   him   a  copy  and  an  hour's 

time     til     coiisidei-    olijeetions. 


This 


•lined  as  insnffieient. 


KKACIl    IN     I 


Wlien  he  jn-oecuded  to  his  de- 
fense the  C'ourt  said  :  •  You  shall 
not  speak  any  thiiiir  here,  ex- 
ee])t  to  say  whether  yon  wrote 
the  hook  or  not."  The  jui'v 
found  a  teehnieal  ei'roi'  in  the 
indictment,  hut  the  Court fiirced 
a  verdict  of  ii'iiilty,  despite  tlie 
law.  The  judge  then  senten(;ed 
him  to  prison  for  two  weeks,  and 
to  stand  ill  the  pillory  in  the 
market-place  at  Ayleshury,  with 
a  paj>er  upon  liis  head  inscrihed  : 
'  Fill'  writini;-,  printiiii^  and  pub- 
lishini;-  a  .schisinatical  hook,  enti- 
tled "The  ('liild's  Instructor; 
oi\  A  New  and  lvi>y  i'rinmu'i-."  '  At  the  same  time  he  was  to  ]iay  a  line  of  £20,  to 
give  sureties  for  his  ap]ieai-ance  at  the  ne.xt  assize,  to  recant  his  doctrines,  and  his 
hook  was  to  he  burnt  before  his  eyes  in  the  ])illory  l)y  the  hangnian.  When  in  the 
pillory  the  c'i'owd  treated  him  with  great  resjiect,  ami,  instead  of  iiooting  and  pelt- 
ing him  with  eggs,  as  was  common,  listened  eagerly  to  his  exhortations.  The 
sherilf,  in  a  great  rage,  threatened  to  gag  him.  but  he  exhorted  the  ])eo])le  out  of 
the  IJible.  On  the  following  Saturday  he  stood  in  the  pillory  at  Winslow  and  his 
book  was  bnrnt.  IJe  was  often  in  j)rison  for  preaching  the  Gospel,  and  had  great 
contests  w  ith  Baxter,  Burkitt  and  Flavel  on  ]ia])tist  jiecidiarities.  For  many  years 
Ids  Chni-ch  was  compelled  to  meet  in  pi'ivati'  houses,  but  under  the  Declaration  of 
Indulgence,  l(iT2,  they  built  their  tir^t  house  of  worship,  which  was  frcipiently 
enlarged  until  it  held  a  thousand  hearers. 

V^arious  controversies  were  rife  amongst  the  IJaptists  of  his  day.  tliis  with 
others:  Whether  or  not  they  should  sing  in  public  worship;  Many  Churches  were 
much  distracted  on  this  suljjcct.  The  Presbyterians  sung  certain  cast-iron  botches, 
called    the  translation   of  Sternhold   and   Hopkins,  but   these   were   denounced   as 


Psalms  was  irreverently  called,  by  both  P>a])tists  and  Independents,  'Geneva  Jiggs.' 
The  ProadnK'ad  IJecords  tell  us  that  in  1(!7.')  it  was  proposed  that  Gifford's  Church, 


COXTROVEliST   ON  SINGING. 


649 


at  Bristol,  witli  tlie  Presbyterians  and  Independents,  slionld  all  meet  tof^etlicr  for 
worship  in  trying  times;  but  some  of  Clifford's  tlock,  to  show  their  dislike  of  met- 
rical versions,  reserved  the  right  to  'keep  on  their  hatts,  or  going  forth  '  dnring  this 
part  of  the  service.  Tlieir  ijrcthri'n.  iiowever,  wi>nld  not  sanction  such  disorder, 
and  agreed  tliat  tiiosc  who  '  woulil  not  kee])  oif  their  hatts  and  sitt  still,  slionld  be 


desired  to  stay  away."     The  jiress 


'■roanec 


I  with  pamphlets  and  books  on  this  contro- 


versy. The  contest  was  not  as  to  whether  the  congregation  should  sing  instead  of  a 
choir,  but,  at  first,  whether  they  would  have  any  singing  at  all ;  and,  secondly,  if  yes, 
whether  the  saints  shoidd  do  it  alone  or  tlie  wicked  shoulil  join  in  and  help  them. 
Keacli  was  drawn  into  this  conti'oversy,  and  in  1691  published  a  book  on  the  snliject. 
lie  demonstrated  his  gravity  of  character  by  keeping  a  straight  face  while  he  solemnly 


KEAfU's  CIIArEL. 


proceeded  to  show  'that  there  are  various  kinds  of  voices;  namely,  (1)  a  shontiiig 
noise  of  the  tongue  ;  (2)  a  crying  noise  ;  (3)  a  preaching  voice,  or  noise  made  that 
way ;  (4)  a  praying  or  praising  voice  ;  and  (5)  a  singing  voice.'  lie  then  declares 
in  downright  earnest  that  'singing  is  not  a  simple  heart  singing,  or  mental  singing; 
but  a  nnisical,  melodious  modulation  or  tuning  of  the  voice.  .  .  .  That  singing  is  a 
duty  })erformed  always  with  the  voice,  and  cannot  be  done  withont  the  tongue,  etc' 
He  resolved  to  introduce  singing  into  his  Church,  cost  what  it  might.  But  he  met 
with  great  opposition  ;  and  as  his  was  the  first  Church  amongst  the  Baptists  to  intro- 
duce singing,  so  far  as  now  appears,  it  is  interesting  to  know  that  it  was  tirst  used  at 
the  Lord's  Supper  about  1G73,  and  confined  to  communion  occasions  for  about  si.x 
years.  Then  the  practice  was  extended  to  days  of  public  thanksgiving,  which  practice 
continued  about   fourteen  years.     After  about  twenty  years  the  Church,  witii  some 


sso  smniNG  inthoduced. 

dissent,  was  jjctsikuIlmI  to  siiiij;  cvcrv  Lord's  duy.  Hut  even  tlicu  tlic  liretlireii 
agreed  only  to  siui;  at  the  close  of  tlif  pi'iiyer  after  tlie  sei'iiioii ;  and  so  tender  were 
tliey  of  tlie  coiiseieiu^es  of  tlie  nnnority,  tliat  tliey  passed  a  vote  not  to  censure  those 
who  went  out  and  stood  in  the  cliapel-yard,  if  tliey  could  not  eonseientionsly  stay  in 
and  hear  the  singing.  Vet  all  this  care  made  no  matter.  'J'he  anti-singing  party  left 
the  Churcli,  and  e.--taMislie(l  anolher  body  in  evei'v  resjiect  like  the  old  Church,  except 
as  to  singing,  'i'his  was  known  then,  and  is  iu>w,  as  the  Maze  I'ond  ( 'hurch.  Fehruary 
!)th,  IG'Jo,  Luke  Leader,  living  in  Tooley  Street,  8outhwark,  with  si.\  brethren  ami 
thirteen  sisters,  met  to  spend  the  day  in  fasting  and  ]irayer  without  a  song  in  their 
mouth,  'aiul  to  settle  themsches  in  a  (/hui-cli  stati'.'  When  they  were  gone  iveacli 
antl  Ids  (Jiiurch  resolved  to  'let  their  songs  abound,"  and  on  the  1st  of  ifarcli  actually 
passed  a  vote  'that  they  who  are  for  singing  may  sing  as  ai)ove  said."  This  new 
congregation  continued  soiigless  until  17o'.',  when  Abraham  AVest  refused  to  become 
their  i)astor  unless  they  would  inli'oduce  singing  into  |)ui)lic  worship,  which  they 
did.  And  now  few  (congregations  in  London  sing  better  or  niorcc  I'l'^^ty  songs  of 
praise  than  that  on  Old  Kent  IJoad,  when  a  thousand  pe(jple  lift  their  voices  liigh, 
in  their  new  edifice,  wliich  cost  them  £i:i,(K)(i,  and  was  dedicated  by  J)r.  Landels. 
()tliei'  lAindon  (Jlmrch.es  had  hotcontlicts  (in  this  singing  (juestion,  the  custom  being, 
according  to  Taylor,  'for  a  long  time,'  for  the  discontented  to  go  out  of  the  congre- 
gation 'when  the  singing  commenced."  An.d  Dr.  TJussell  says  of  the  practice,  in 
Id'.X!:  'This  way  of  singing  has  a  tendency  to  your  ruin,  liaving  begun  already  to 
dinnnish  your  numbers,  and  for  two  congregations  to  unite  into  one,  to  keep  up 
their  re])utatioii  and  supjily  that  deliciency  which  singing  in  i-liyme  has  made  in 
their  numbers.  Nay,  further,  a  great  part  (if  your  mendxu's  that  remain  are  so  (lis 
satisfied,  that,  as  soon  as  you  begin  to  tune  your  pipes,  they  immediately  de])art  like 
men  affrighted.'     P(jssibly,  witli  good  reason,  too. 

This  controversy  caused  most  unlovely  bickerings  in  the  Clmrches,  some  few  of 
them  Independent  as  well  as  Baptist.  Concealed  worship  had  first  made  silence 
necessar}',  to  avoid  persecution,  till  about  IGSO.  The  contest  was  prosecuted  tli7'ough 
nund)ers  of  l)ooks  and  pamphlets  with  great  fierceness,  the  whole  (piestion  turning 
on  the  one  point,  whether  or  not  there  was  scrii)tural  j)recept  or  example  for  the 
whole  congregation,  converted  and  unconverted,  to  join  in  the  singing  as  a  part  of 
divine  worship.  Yet  tliey  all  believed  that  such  persons  as  (iod  liad  gifted  to  sing 
nught  do  so,  one  by  one ;  and  in  this  form  of  solo  all  the  C'lnirches  had  singing,  but 
only  as  the  lieart  dictated  the  'melody,'  and  not  by  tlie  use  of  rhyme  or  written  note. 

J\[r.  Keacli  was  a  jirolific  author,  having  jmblished  foi-ty-three  different  works, 
some  of  them  large.  He  had  great  faith  in  God,  and  was  the  subject  of  many 
marked  interpositions  of  Iiis  goodness.  One  striking  fact  is  related  of  his  later 
years.  He  M-as  so  ill  in  IfiSO  that  life  was  despaired  of,  even  by  his  pliysicians. 
Mr.  Knollys,  who  greatly  loved  him,  knelt  at  his  bedside,  and  after  ferxently  pray- 
ing that   God    Would  add  to  hi-s  life  the  time  granted  to  Ilezekiah  ;  on  rising,  said, 


Tin-:   OIFFORDS—nOLLIS—GRANTIIAM.  831 

'  ]>rotlier  Ke:i(,']i,  I  sliall  be  in  licavcn  l)efore  yon.'  Botli  the  prayer  and  prediction 
were  honored  to  the  letter;  Knollys  died  two  years  afterward  and  Keacli  lived 
fifteen  years. 

For  three  generations  the  (iiia-oKus  were  noted  I'.aptist  preachers.  Andrew- 
was  the  head  of  the  family,  and  was  highly  esteemed  in  the  west  of  England,  lie 
was  horn  at  Ih-istol,  and  entered  the  ministry  in  KWil,  when  perseentioii  began  to 
be  very  tierce.  Many  thrilling  stories  tell  of  his  adventnres  and  perils,  some  of 
which  he  escaped  by  boldness  and  ready  wit,  as  well  as  by  gentleness  of  spirit. 
"While  he  was  preaching  at  Bristol  the  mayor  and  aldermen  came  with  the  sword 
and  other  official  regalia,  and  cominanded  him  to  come  down.  He  told  them  that 
as  he  was  about  his  Master's  business,  they  would  oblige  him  to  wait  until  he  was 
through,  then  he  would  go  with  them.  They  complied,  sat  down  and  listened  with 
close  attention  ;  when  he  went  with  them  to  the  council-house,  where  they  gave  him 
'a  soft  reproof  and  caution,'  and  dismissed  him.  lie  was  thrice  imprisoned  in  New- 
gate, then  a  loathsome  dungeon,  and  in  many  other  ways  suffered  for  the  truth.  He 
was  drawn  into  the  uprising  of  the  ill-fated  Uuke  of  Monmouth,  but  escaped  the 
legal  Consequences  of  his  course  ;  while  Elizabeth  Gaunt,  a  noble  liajitist,  was  burned 
at  Tyburn  foi'  giving  refuge  to  a  rebel  of  whom  she  Iiad  no  knowledge,  being 
jjromjited  by  humanity.  I'.ut  Jeffrys,  whose  meat  and  drink  it  was  to  sentence  a 
Baptist  to  death,  sent  iier  to  the  stake  on  the  oath  of  the  outlaw  whom  she  had 
ignorantly  succored,  and  burnt  her  October  23d,  1685. 

A  second  Andrew  Gifford,  D.D.,  grandson  of  the  above,  was  born  at  Bristol 
in  ITOit.  He  was  baptized  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  In  1729  he  removed  to  London 
and  formed  the  Eagle  Street  Church,  Mdiich  lie  served  for  fifty  years.  He  was  very 
learned  and  a  powerful  preacher.  For  the  last  thirty  years  of  his  life  he  was 
Assistant  Librarian  of  the  British  Museum,  a  post  which  he  filled  with  great  honor. 

The  Hollis  family  was  noted  also  for  its  preaching  ability,  although  Thomas 
and  John,  its  most  distinguished  members,  remained  in  business  while  they  preached. 
Thomas,  the  younger,  was  one  of  the  most  liberal  supporters  of  Harvard  College, 
Mass.  In  1720  he  founded  a  professorship  of  theology  there,  and  in  172(5  a  pro- 
fessorship of  mathematics  and  experimental  philosophy,  and  sent  over  ap[)aratus  that 
cost  £150.  The  first  of  these  was  endowed  with  a  salary  of  £80  a  year,  with  £10 
eacii  to  ten  scholars,  four  of  whom  were  to  be  Baptists ;  the  second  professorship 
was  to  have  the  same  salary,  £80. 

Probably  the  most  learned  man  amongst  the  General  Baptists  at  this  period  was 
Thomas  Grantham.  He  Ijecame  a  pastor  when  very  young,  and  was  early  called  to 
suffer  for  conscience'  sake  in  Lincoln  jail.  There  he  wrote  a  tract  called  'The 
Bi-isoner  against  the  Prelate,'  in  which  he  gave  his  reasons  for  separation  from  the 
Established  Church.  It  is  supposed  that  he  wrote  the  Address  or  Confession  which 
he  put  into  the  hand  of  Charles  II.,  and  which  is  chiefly  of  value  for  our  purpose 
because  it  sets  forth   that    it    was   adojited   by   many   representatives   of   the   London 


552  SE  VENT  1 1  DAY  JIA  P  77  S  rs. 

("liiirclic.<,  Mini  'owiiimI  ami  ;i)>jini\cil  Ky  iiiui-c  than  twenty  tlion.^and  ; "  wliicli  sliows 
the  niinihcr  of  (iriici-al  l!a[itisfs  at  tliat  tiniL',  anil  i;;ives  lis  an  ick-a  of  their  pro- 
|iiii'tiiinate  str('ni;th.  If  the  rarticiilai'  l')a[lli^ls  nnniliiTtMl  ten  thousaiul  in  11102,  as 
is  supjxfscd,  tliis  would  give  the  entii'o  IJaptist  strength  of  England  at  thirty  thou- 
sand ;  which,  together  with  their  syni])athizers,  sIkjws  a  strong  element  in  tlu^  Pap- 
ulation. <->liinate(l  at  that  time  at  three  hundred  thousand  in  London  and  from  three 
to  li\c  nnllioiis  in  England.  'I'his  fair  estimate  throws  light  npon  theipiestion  of 
fear  and  liatred  tnward  them  in  the  State  Church. 

In  the  reign  of  Charles  II.  the  liev.  Francis  liamiilielcl  founded  the  body  known 
as  tlie  Sevetitli-Day  Jiajttists.  1  le  was  a  graduate  of  ( ).\ford  and  a  proheud  of  Exeter 
Cathedi'al,  liut  in  Id.');'  subscrihe(l  to  the  edinmonwealth,  and  took  the  Scrijttures  as 
his  soU^'eligioiis  guide.  The  \vi  of  ("unformity  in  UU'r2  expelled  him  frum  Ins 
living,  and,  continuing  to  preach,  he  was  cast  into  prison,  liut  lie  ]ireaelied  in  the 
jail-yaril,  then,  lieing  released,  he  was  re-arrested  and  was  impi'isoned  for  eight  yeans. 
Still  he  not  only  preached,  hut  foi'ined  a  Chui'ch  within  the  prison  walls.  ( )u  Ins 
release  he  founded  the  llrst  Sahhatariaii  (Ihui'ch  in  London,  and  became  its  pastor  in 
lf)7<>.  Here  lu^  was  declared  out  of  the  pi-otectioii  of  his  majesty,  was  coiulemned 
to  jail  during  life  or  the  king's  pleasure,  all  his  goods  were  forfeited,  and  he  died  in 
Newgate,  Fehruai'y,  l<'>>i4.  This  body  of  ^iaptists  never  was  mimerous  in  England, 
but  a  bequest  having  been  left  to  the  Church  in  Whitecliapel,  the  property  has  now 
beetjtne  very  valuable.  On  the  death  of  Dr.  Llac.k.  its  late  learned  j)astor,  the 
membership  was  reducu'd  to  abont  lialf  a  do/.eii  old  people,  and  tlie  property  was 
likely  to  revert  to  the  crown  by  the  conditions  of  tlie  bequest.  A  Seventh-Day 
Baptist  ])ast<ir  could  not  be  found  in  Europe,  and  tlu'  vice-chancellor  decided  that, 
if  the  Seventh-Day  brethren  could  not  till  the  place,  tlie  property  would  be  lost  to 
the  ]>aptists.  It  was  the  happiness  of  the  writer  to  open  negotiations  whereby  an 
American  was  sent  over  to  fill  tlie  place,  and  the  Church  is  more  prosperous  to-day 
undei'  the  la.bors  of  Mr.  Jones  than  it  has  l)een  probably  for  a  century. 

Till'  jnrmation  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  commonly  called  Quakers,  was  a 
niovenient  in  which  tlie  Baptists  liad  some  interest.  The  Continental  and  some  of 
the  F'.nglish  Ba})tists  lield  peculiar  views  in  regard  to  tlie  lawfulness  of  judicial 
oaths,  the  bearing  of  arms — even  in  self-defense — the  severance  of  (Christians  from 
the  civil  magistracy,  simplicity  of  manners  and  ])lainness  of  dress.  One  by  one 
they  dropped  these  ])ecnliarities,  and  the  views  adopted  by  George  Fo.\  were  little 
more  in  the  origin  of  the  society  than  a  modification  of  these  austere  Baptist 
positions.  The  ])rincipal  point,  liowever,  on  which  Fo.x  separated  from  the  Baptists 
was  the  (piestion  of  the  'inner  light'  by  wdiich  a  believer  could  discern  between 
truth  and  error  without  the  letter  of  Scripture.  The  Baptists  admitted  the  indwell- 
ing of  the  Holy  Spirit,  whose  function  it  was  to  interpret  the  written  word,  but  to 
the  Friends  'the  leading  of  the  Spirit'  was  the  infallible  autliority,  because  the 
voice  of  God  in  the  soul.     It  is  an  unquestionable  historical  fact  that  but  for  the 


JAMES   11.    AND   IXnVLGENCE.  5SS 

Baptists  of  the  two  liuudred  years  preceding,  the  Society  of  Friends  would  not  have 
come  into  existence  in  1648. 

We  liave  nuuiy  traditions,  but  little  written  history  of  very  early  Baptist  Churches 
in  England,  especially  touching  the  date  of  their  origin,  their  line  of  pastors,  the  num- 
ber of  their  members,  or  the  notable  events  of  their  history.  We  have  some  data, 
however,  concerning  a  few  Cliiirches  in  the  west  of  England.  In  Cornwall  there 
were  Baptist  Churches  as  early  as  1650.  Forty  ministers  were  ejected  in  (!oi-nwall, 
in  1602,  and  a  Baptist  Church  was  gathered  at  East  Looe,  and  another  at  Trelevah. 
The  last,  from  which  sprang  the  Churcli  at  Falmouth,  was  founded  by  Ti'cgoss.  He 
was  educated  at  O.xford  and  settled  at  St.  Ives,  was  ejected  and  sulVereil  frecjuent 
imprisomnent,  until  the  king  released  him  in  1<171.  We  are  more  highly  favored 
in  the  case  of  the  Broadmead  and  Fenstanton  Churches,  the  records  of  which  are 
preserved,  and  other  records  may  one  day  come  to  light.  John  Canne  formed  the 
Bristol  Church  in  KUI,  a  body  noted  as  the  field  of  Robert  llaU's  labors  in  later 
years.  Canne  ])uii]ished  the  first  English  Bible  with  references,  and  it  is  worthy  of 
his  fame  for  learning  and  consecration  to  Christ,  as  well  as  for  his  labor  in  planting 
this  living  Church. 

With  the  death  of  that  faithless  monarch.  Charles  II.,  in  1()S.5,  a  brighter  day 
dawned  for  the  Baptists.  On  his  death-bed  he  received  the  last  ritt's  of  Hie  liomaii 
Catholic  Church,  though  he  had  professed  loyalty  to  the  Church  of  England  during 
his  life.  Ilis  disgraceful  persecution  of  the  Non-conformists  had  concealed  his  secret 
love  for  Rome  ;  but  when  his  brother,  James  II.,  ascended  the  throne,  he  avowed 
himself  a  Romanist,  and  the  sevei-ity  of  persecution  was  rela.xed.  In  the  theory  of 
the  law,  the  Catholic  was  in  the  same  category  with  the  Independent  and  the 
Baptist  as  a  Non-conformist.  And  as  the  Catholics  must  be  treated  with  lenity,  so 
must  the  others  be,  to  make  this  lenity  more  easy  to  them.  However  nuich 
Protestants  might  oppress  each  other,  they  were  a  unit  against  Rome.  Accordingly, 
when  James  issued  his  Declaration  of  Indulgence,  in  1687,  disi^ensing  with  penal- 
ties against  dissenters,  he  was  surprised  to  meet  with  remonstrance  on  all  sides, 
and  especially  from  Non-coiiforniists,  because  they  could  not  purchase  religious 
liberty  at  the  price  of  their  civil  freedom  as  Englishmen.  The  king  had  assumed 
to  do  awa}'  with  all  the  i-eligious  penalties  on  his  own  prerogative  without  law, 
and  the  dissenting  bodies  would  not  accept  his  toleration  without  law  and  con- 
trary to  law.  James  could  not  lioodwink  them  by  his  crafty  policy,  for  they 
saw  clearly  enough,  that  when  once  the  Catholics  should  gain  sufficient  power,  the 
toleration  which  the  king  had  granted  to  his  own  faith  for  a  piir[)ose  would  be 
withdrawn  from  others,  and  Protestant  England  would  see  sorrowful  times.  The 
Baptists  joined  the  other  Xon-conformists  in  protesting  against  the  illegal  means 
by  which  their  general  liberty  had  been  granted,  while  they  used  it  freely  as  a 
right  in  spreading  their  faith.  And  they  continued  to  resist  James  until  the  day 
that  lie   was  compelled  to  lly  anil  William  of  Orange  became  the  ruler  of  England. 


BS4  TIIK    ror.EIlATIOy  ACT. 

I'litli  liy  training  and  conviction  William  was  ojiposcd  to  all  persecution  for  religion, 
and  the  alliance  of  all  but  Catholics  against  James  made  his  new  policy  easy.  The 
continuous  and  determined  efforts  of  J^aptists,  (Quakers  and  some  of  the  Iiide])end- 
ents  for  complete  I'eligious  liberty  had,  by  this  time,  been  aided  by  the  ])en  of 
Cliillingworth,  and  even  .some  of  the  English  clergy  were  friendly  thereto,  lint, 
]icr]iaps,  the  fact  that  the  ])olicy  of  legal  repression  had  been  thoi-onghly  tried  and 
laiird  was  the  most  jiotent  consideration  i?i  the  public  mind.  The  land  was  sick 
and  disgustcMl  with  llic  ticndi.-h  attempt  to  manacle  cniix  iciinn  \>>  men's  souls  by 
chains,  and  to  try  heresy  nut  id'  their  consciences  by  liames. 

Tolei'atidii  was  foi'ceil  in  England  by  the  two  branches  into  which  tin;  Inde- 
lu'iidcnl  ('hurdles  di\ided.  They  both  agreed  in  thi'  statement  of  the  principle, 
bill  they  dill'crc(|  in  regai'd  to  its  \igi)r(ius  enbircemeiit.  i'liili]i  N  \c  and  'I'homas 
<  bindwin  siill'ei'cd  severely  for  tolel'ation  of  a  certain  order,  but  llansei'd  I\nollvs 
and  lioger  Williams  sull'ered  for  absdiute  religions  freedom,  witliout  any  toleration 
or  ipialilication  wbatexcr.  'I'heii'  ideal  was  that  (bid  has  directly  granted  to  man  in 
liis  birth  and  nature  the  indi\idnal  right  (if  a  free  conscience,  and  no  toleration  of 
bis  conscience  can  Ik;  rightl'nlly  claimed  or  defended  1)V  his  fellow-man.  ^  (.'t.  the 
best  defenders  of  toleration  as  against  absolute  religious  IVeedom.  such  as  Jei-emy 
Tayloi-,  Chillingworth  and  T;ockc,  were  obliged  to  base  their  pleas  Ibr  toleration  on 
the  ground  of  a.  fri'c  conscience,  but  they  stop[)ed  short  n\  its  full  demand.  .\nd 
the  result  of  the  raclical  ground  taken  by  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth  ccntui'v 
JJaptists  was  not  oidy  the  creation  of  new  iiripnlses  in  the  struggles  of  religious 
libei'ty  and  a  new  typt'  of  human  legislation,  liut  the  creation  of  a  new  conscience 
itself,  which  asserts  to  each  man  his  right  from  (iod  to  this  freedom. 

Tln^  'I'olei'ation  .\et  of  l<iS',l  is  one  of  the  great  lamlmarks  of  j-jiglish  history, 
incompleti'  and  mutilated  as  it  appears  to  us  now.  It  failed  to  place  all  Englishmeu 
on  an  e(jualit,y,  and  left  many  suffering  civil  disabilities  for  religious  lielief.  but  it 
was  a  long  ste)>  forward,  and  substantially  ended  active  persecution.  'J'he  iiaptists 
now  gave  the  fulli'st  ami  freest  information  of  their  faith  and  practii'cs  in  three 
notable  Confessions,  two  respi>cting  the  (leneral  and  one  respecting  the  i'ai-ticulai- 
iiaptists.  The  (-Jenei-al  brethren  issued  the  so-called  '  Oitliodo.x  C'reed"  in  1078,  a])- 
l)roved  by  their  Churches  in  ibicks,  Hereford.  InMlbird  and  ( )xb>rd,  signed  by  fifty- 
four  •  messengers,  elders  and  Ijrethren.'  Its  Arminiainsm  is  uiild,  and  apju'oaches 
moderate  Calviiusm.  The  Calvinistic  Confession  issued  in  Ii'mT  and  again  in  168it, 
is  de(rided,  though  not  extreme  in  its  doctrinal  jwsitions.  Aside  from  distinctive 
Baptist  ])rineii)les,  it  is  practically  the  Westmiustcr  Confession,  '^'et.  in  many  things 
tlie  Baptists  stood  entirely  alone.  Curteis  calls  them  '  Puritans,  jnire  and  simple,  the 
oidy  really  consistent  and  logically  unassailable  Puritans.  If  Puritanism  is  true,  the 
Baptist  system  is  right.  .  .  .  Eor  the  nuuntcnaiu'e  of  more  .strictly  Calvinistic  doc- 
trines, for  the  exercise  of  a  more  rigorous  and  exclusive  discipline,  for  tlie  practice 
of  a  more  literally  sci'iptural  ritual ;'  tliey  were  justified  in  standing  alone. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

BRITISH    BAPTISTS— LIBERTY    OF    CONSCIENCE.— ASSOCIATIONS.— 
THE    STENNETTS.  — IRISH    BAPTISTS. 

IT  lias  been  stated  that  several  '  Anabaptists '  of  London  made  a  declaratiou 
against  universal  toleration  in  Itiol^  but  the  value  of  this  statement  is  light  as 
testimony  because,  even  if  the  declaration  is  authentic,  the  names  and  munber  of 
its  supporters  are  not  known.  Possil)ly,  a  few  Baptists  might  have  sided  with  Milton 
in  proscribing  the  Catholics,  but  tiic  weight  of  large  treatises  and  several  Con- 
fessions of  large  bodies  of  Churches  put  them,  as  a  people,  on  unquestionable  record 
to  the  contrary.  With  gratitude  it  may  be  written,  that  down  to  this  day,  no 
known  Baptist  has  penned  a  sentence  favoring  the  infliction  of  Ijodily  pain  or 
material  penalty  by  civil  government  for  the  belief  or  practice  of  a  purely  religious 
t(.'nct.  ( )n  the  contrary,  with  amazing  unity  Baptists  have  demanded  the  right  for 
all  men  of  ab.solute  liberty  of  conscience  in  matters  of  duty  to  God,  without  any 
interference  whatever.  They  stand  so  radically  on  the  cardinal  principle  of  personal 
responsibility  to  God,  that  to  deny  this  absolute  liberty  \vould  be  to  destroy  them- 
selves. Locke  only  chronicled  their  iimer  life  in  saying,  that  'the  Baptists  were 
from  the  bcgimiing  friends  and  advocates  of  aiisolute  lilicrty — just  and  true  liberty 
— equal  and  impartial  liberty.' 

In  1609  certain  Puritans  petitioned  for  toleration,  liut  disclaimed  all  '  way  for 
toleration  unto  Pajjists,  our  suit  Iwing  of  a  different  nature  from  theirs,'  and  the 
English  Independents  asked  for  little  more.  Stoughton,  in  his  late  '  Ecclesiastical 
History  of  England,'  entirely  agrees  with  Masson,  in  Baptist  lead  here.  He  writes: 
'  The  Baptists  were  foremost  in  the  advocacy  of  religious  freedom,  and  perhaps,  to 
one  of  them,  Leonard  Busher,  citizen  of  London,  belongs  the  honor  of  jiresciiting,  in 
this  country,  the  first  distinct  and  broad  plea  for  liberty  of  conscience.'  This  com- 
prehensive book,  indeed,  covers  the  subject  so  forcefully,  that  scarcely  a  new  thought 
has  been  added  to  its  treatment  since  IGl-i.  It  nuiintains  that  it  is  '  lawful  for  evei'3' 
person  or  persons,  yea,  Jews  and  Papists,  to  write,  dispute,  confer,  and  reason,  print 
and  publish  any  matter  touching  religion,  either  for  or  against  whomsoever.'  That 
it  is  irrational  to  ]3ersecute  any  nuin  for  religion,  because  faith  is  the  gift  of  God 
to  each  man,  which  neither  bishop  nor  king  can  command,  to  make  Christians  by 
force.  He  pronounces  it  '  unnatural  and  abominable,  j'ea,  monstrous  for  one 
Christian  to  destroy  another  for  difference  and  questions  of  religion.' 

So  ringingly  does  this  book  present  the  doctrine  of  the  nineteenth  century,  that 


656  Wrrw   liAPTISTS   ASKICI)    FOR. 

Massuii  sayp,  'It  caimut  lie  i-ciul  imw  wirlnuit  a  tlin.l);'  am]  spcakiiiir  of  Ilelwys's 
(JliuiX'h,  with  wliicli  In.'  as  wull  a.s  liarclay  connects  IJiisliur,  liu  uses  tliis  strong  lan_<^iiaj;e: 
'  His  Uaptist  conicregation  niaiiitaineil  itself  in  Ijuiulnn  side  by  side  with  Jacoh's 
eoiiijrejfation  of  Independents,  estal>lished  in  1<;1<;.'  As  if  to  sii:;nalize  still  furtliei- 
the  (liscre|iaiii-y  of  the  two  sets  of  sectaries  on  the  toleration  point,  thei'e  was  pnt 
furrh  in  that  very  yi'ar,  hy  .lacob  and  the  ( 'ongreirationalists,  a  'C'onfVssion  of  Kaith.' 
conlainin;;'  this  article:  '  We  believe  that  we,  and  all  true  visible  Churches,  ouglit  to 
111'  o\ei-seen.  and  kr|it  in  gdod  (,rdei'  and  peace,  and  ought  to  be  governed  undei- 
( 'lii-i>t,  liiitli  >upreniely  and  also  suburdinalely,  by  the  civil  magistrate;;  yea.  in 
causes  of  religion,  when  need  is.'  'A  ino>t  Inindile  supplication'  from  the  Ilaptists 
to  Charles  I..  Id^ii.  opjioses  all  kinds  of  religious  persecution.  Still,  when  Chilling- 
worth  sided  w  ith  the  l!a]itists  on  sonl-libei'ty,  in  Hi37.  he  stood  alone  in  the  C'lnn'ch 
of  England.  The  eight  ( "hiiri'lic'.s,  \*'A'-\.  laid  down  this  ilnctrine  witli  the  cleai'ness 
and  fullness  of  an  ,\nieriean  Kill  of  liights  to-day,  in  Article  Xi.N'il  of  their 
Confession.  keatiey's  wrath  boiled  o\'er  at  its  I'adical  utterances,  and  devout  l!a.\ter 
protested  :  '  i  abhor  unlimited  liberty  and  tolei'ation  (d'  all,  and  thiid<  myself  I'asijy 
able  to  jirove  the  wickedness  of  it.''  i!ut  the  I!a]itist  idea  spread  against  all 
resistance.  Treatise  after  treatise  came  from  the  i'lnpti^t  press  in  it>  defence,  until 
one  huiulred  "baptized  congregations"  forniulated  it  in  Article  X.\'I,  of  what  is 
now  known  as  the  ('onfession  of  KiS'.l,  althougli  Ci-o>by  claims  that  it  was  only 
re])ublislied  in  that  ye.u',  and  that  the  lirst  edition  was  i,>-sueil  in  Ii'mT.  It  says  : 
'(ioil  alone  is  f.ord  of  the  conscience,  and  hath  left  it  fi'ee  from  the  doctrines  and 
conunandments  of  men,  which  are  in  any  thing  conti'ai-y  to  his  word  or  not  contained 
in  it.  So  that,  to  Ixdieve  such  doctrines,  or  to  obey  such  commands,  out  of  con- 
science, is  to  1)eti'ay  true  liberty  of  conscience  ;  and  the  reijuiring  of  an  implicit  faith 
and  absolute  and  blind  obedience  is  to  destroy  liberty  of  conscience  and  reason  also.' 
Nor  were  the  (Tcneral  Baptists  a  whit  liehind  their  ('alvinistic  brethren  on  this 
subject.  They  i.ssued  their  belief  in  'An  Ortluxlo.x  Creed  or  a  Protestant  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,'  l(i78,  in  whicli  Article  XLV  says:  'Sidijection  in  the  Lord  ought  to 
be  yieldeil  to  the  nuigistrates  in  all  lawful  things  commanded  by  them,  for  con- 
science' sake,  with  prayers  for  them  foi-  a  bli'ssing  U])iin  them,  paying  all  lawful  and 
reasonable  customs  and  tribute  to  them,  for  the  assisting  of  them  against  foreign, 
domestical  and  i)otent  enemies.'  Then,  the  next  Article,  after  fully  setting  forth 
that  Christ  is  the  oidy  King  of  conscience,  and  that  no  man  can  hold  it  in  •  usurpa- 
tinii,'  declares:  'Therefore,  the  obedience  to  any  demand  or  decree,  that  is  not 
revealed  in,  or  {is)  consonant  to  his  word,  in  the  holy  oracles  of  Scripture,  is  a 
betraying  of  the  true  liberty  of  conscience.  And  tlie  requiring  of  an  imjjlicit  faith 
and  a  blind  obedience  destroys  liberty  of  conscience  and  reason  also,  it  being 
repugnant  to  both."  The  'Westminster  Confession,'  IC-IS,  Chapter  XX,  says  in 
substance  the  same  thing;  but  in  the  same  chapter  it  maintains  that  as  matters 
'concerning  faith,  worship  ...  or  such  erroneous  opinions  or  ])ractices,  as  eitlier  in 


THIC  PRESBYTERIAN  POSITION.  537 

tliL'ir  own  luituru,  or  in  the  iiiaiuier  of  i)ul)lisliiiig  and  inaintaiiiini;-  tlicin,  are 
destructive  to  the  external  puaec  and  order  which  ("hrist  liath  established  in  the 
Clnirch;  tliey  may  be  lawfully  called  to  account,  and  proceeded  against  by  the 
censures  of  the  Cliurch,  and  liy  the^w/'-V/'  of  the  civil  inayistrate.''  Then,  of  the  duty 
of  the  civil  magistrate  himself,  Chapter  XXllI  says:  'It  is  his  duty  to  take  order, 
that  unitv  and  peace  be  preserved  in  the  Churcli.  i\rAi  the  truth  of  (4od  be  kept 
|)iire  and  entire,  tliat  all  blasphemies  and  heresies  l)e  suppressed,  all  corruptions  and 
abuses  in  worship  and  diseii)line  be  lu-evented  or  reformed,  and  all  the  ordinances 
of  God  duly  settled,  administered  and  observed.'  Such  hybrid  liijertyof  conscience 
as  this  may  account  for  the  iiict,  that  when  the  Tresbyteriaus  had  the  ascendency  in 
the  Assembly  and  rarliament,  1Q\^,  a  statute  was  passed  inflicting  imprisonment 
upon  those  who  held  '  that  the  baptism  of  infants  is  unlawful  and  void,  and  that 
such  persons  ought  to  be  baptized  again.'  The  same  ordinance  inflicted  '  the  pains 
of  death,'  •  without  bcneflt  of  clergy,'  upon  other  heretics  therein  mentioned. 
Neal  pronounces  this  law  'one  of  the  most  shocking  laws  I  have  met  with  in 
restraint  of  religious  liberty,'  and  shows,  '  that  the  governing  Presbytei-ians  would 
have  made  a  terrible  use  of  their  power,  had  they  been  sup|)ortcd  by  the  sword  of 
the  civil  magistrate.' '-  Whatever  else  this  contradictory  teaching  of  the  Westminster 
Confession  may  prove,  it  fully  supports  Professor  Massun  in  saying,  that  neither 
the  Presbyterians  nor  the  Independents  of  that  period  lia<l  any  proper  notion  of 
absolute  or  universal  toleration,  much  less  of  perfect  liberty,  that  they  were  mere 
learners  in  that  school,  and  were  far  behind  '  tlie  old  Baptists  in  their  views.'  He 
is  not  choice  of  his  words  here,  but  says  squarely : 

'As  a  body,  the  Presbyterians  of  IGii  were  absolute  Anti-toleratioinsts.  The 
proofs  are  so  abundant,  collectively  they  make  such  an  ocean,  that  it  passes  compre- 
hension how  the  contrary  could  ever  have  been  asserted.  From  the  first  appearance 
of  the  Presbyterians  in  force,  after  the  opening  of  the  Long  Parliament,  it  was  their 
anxiety  to  beat  down  the  rising  idea  of  Toleration  ;  and  after  the  meeting  of  the 
Westniinster  Assendjly,  and  the  ]>ublication  of  the  "  Apologetical  Nari'ation  "  of  the 
Independents,  the  one  aim  of  the  Presbyterians  was  to  tie  Toleration  around  the 
neck  of  Independency,  stutf  the  two  struggling  monsters  into  one  sack,  and  sink 
them  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea.'  In  1648  Cradock,  the  Independent,  used  lan- 
guage quite  as  strong,  saving :  '  I  know  also  by  the  way  that  there  are  a  com- 
pany of  people  that  would  arrogate  the  name  of  Presbyterie  though  improperly. 
The  name  doth  not  beseem  them,  tliat  is,  those  that  have  been  the  Bishop's  creatures 
and  are  all  iov  fire,  and  fdf/of;  there  arc  some  such  among  us  and  they  would  arrogate 
the  name  of  Presbytery  ;  I  would  not  have  them  do  it,  it  doth  lujt  beflt  them.' ^ 

When  we  come  to  trace  the  effects  of  Toleration  on  the  English  Baptists,  after 
it  was  procured,  we  see  at  once  the  paralyzing  result  of  false  doctrine,  and  their 
decline  in  spiritual  power.  This  is  nowhere  more  distinctly  visible  than  in  their 
Associations  and  General  Assemblies.  The  insidious  leaven  of  centralization  had  even 
worked  itself  into  the  later  notions  of  Smyth,  and  the  fifth  charge  on  which  Minton 
and  Helwys  expelled  him  in  Holland  was  his  teaching,  '  that  an  elder  in  one  Churcli 


558  THE    I!  I  SI-:    OF  ASSUCIATIOXS. 

is  :ui  elder  ol'  :ill  ('linrclies  in  tlie  woiiii.'  A  tiiii;c  of  inteivluireli  autliority  crept 
iiitu  the  (yOiife^siuii  of  the  eiglit  Cliiuviies,  Kl-l.'J,  in  these  words:  '  Altiiuugh  tlie 
partieiiiar  eoHijregations  l)e  distiiiet  and  several  Ijodies  .  .  .  they  are  to  have  counsel 
and  kri p  one  of  anotlier,  it'  necessity  ivijuire  it,  as  members  of  one  liody  in  tiie 
coinnioii  faith,  under  ( 'hri^t  their  liead."  'J'lie  jiaternal  princijile  of  Associations  was 
laid  down  iiei'c,  with  a  .slight  margin  fur  its  abuse  also.  An  Association  was  formed 
in  IdTio,  when  the  Somerset  Churches,  with  those  of  Wilts,  Devon.  Gloucester  and 
Dorset,  met  at  Wells,  'on  the  sixth  and  seventeenth  days  of  the  month."  This  body 
of  Particular  Ijaptists  juiblished  the  *  Somenset  Confession'  in  Ifiriti,  which  is  not 
to  be  coiifouniled  with  the  'Somerset  Confession'  issued  by  the  (ieneral  Baptists  in 
Iti'Jl.  The  Midland  Association  of  Particular  Itaptists  was  formed  in  I(!r)r),  at  War- 
wick, but  was  reconstructed  in  lU'Jd,  antl  still  exists  ;  its  original  record  books, 
howevei',  are  lost. 

The  Associations  very  early  encroached  on  the  riglits  of  the  Churches.  Adam 
Taylor  describes  their  business  thus :  1.  The  reformation  of  inconsistent  and 
innnoral  conduct,  in  ndnisters  ami  private  Christians;  2.  The  su])pression  of  heresy  ; 
'd.  lieconciling  of  dilferences  between  menjbers  and  Churches;  4.  Giving  advice  in 
ditiicult  cases  to  individiuils  and  Churches;  5.  Proposing  plans  of  usefulness; 
t).  liecommending  cases  requiring  pecuniary  support ;  7.  Devising  means  to  spread 
the  (4ospel  in  the  world  at  large,  but  especially  in  their  own  Churches.  The  first 
four  of  these  woulil  not  be  tolerated  amongst  us,  and  the  desire  for  a  stronger  bond 
than  that  of  mutual  love  soon  brought  them  into  .serious  trouble.  The  (General 
J.Jajitists  experienced  this,  tir.st,  by  establishing  a  '  General  Assembly,'  it  is  not 
certain  at  what  i)recise  date,  but  liefore  ItiTl.  It  met  only  on  '  emergent  occasions,' 
on  an  average,  once  in  two  years.  Article  XXXIX  of  the  '  Orthodox  Creed  ' 
claims  that  it  had  '  divine  authority,  and  is  the  best  means  under  heaven  to  ])reservc 
unity,  to  jircvent  heresy,  and  sni)erintendence  among,  or  in  any  congregation  what- 
soever, within  its  limits  of  jurisdiction.'  Appeals  were  made  to  this  assembly  '  in 
case  any  injustice  be  done,  or  heresy  and  schism  is  counteiumced  in  any  particular 
congregation  of  Christ,  .  .  .  and  such  (ieneral  Assemblies  have  lawful  powers  to 
hear  and  determine,  and  also  to  exconnnunicate.'  Here,  the  independent  polity  of 
Baptist  Churches  was  merged  into  a  form  of  presbytery,  and  its  disastrous  effects 
soon  became  ajiparent. 

The  first  'General  Assembly'  of  the  Particular  iKqjtists  was  held  in  1089,  on 
a  call  from  the  London  Churches,  singed  by  Kiffin,  Knollys  and  Keach,  with  three 
others.  The  request  was  for  '  a  general  meeting  here  in  London  of  two  principal 
brethren,  of  every  Church  of  the  same  faith  with  us,  in  every  county  respectively.' 
This  body  is  merely  what  is  now  known  as  an  'Association,'  and  it  'disclaimed  all 
manner  of  superiority  or  superintendency  over  the  Churches,'  on  the  ground,  that 
it  had  '  no  authority  or  power  to  prescribe  or  impose  any  thing  upon  the  faith  and 
practice  of  any  of  the  Churches  of  Christ,  their  whole  intendment  being  to  be  helpers 


THE  LONDON  ASSEMBLY.  559 

together  of  one  aiiutliur.  I>y  way  of  couiiiicl  ami  advice.'  At  itd  fuurtli  meeting  in 
May,  1092,  there  were  one  iuiniiieii  ami  seven  associated  Churches,  and  the  Assembly 
voted  :  '  That  no  Ciiurclies  make  appeals  to  them  to  determine  matters  of  faith  or 
fact;  but  propose,  or  query  for  advice.'  At  this  time,  the  (ieneral  Baptists  had 
fallen  into  great  trouble  by  making  their  Assembly  a  court  of  appeals,  and  the 
Particular  Baptists  resolved  to  take  warning  and  escape  that  fate.  For  some  ciuise, 
which  does  not  appear,  the  London  Chnrches  dropped  out  of  the  Assembly  after 
lt;'.t4,  but  the  country  Churches  continued  to  meet,  down  to  1730,  and  the  records 
of  their  meetings  are  still  preserved. 

Another  body,  called  indifferently  the  '  London  Assuciation "  and  'Assembly,' 
was  oro-anized  in  1  Tn4,  by  delegates  from  thirteen  Churches.  At  its  first  meeting  it 
gave  a  most  decided  condemnation  to  Antinoniiauism.  The  doctrine  of  Tobias 
Crisp  disturbed  the  Baptists  at  that  time,  as  well  as  the  Presbyterians  and  Inde- 
pendents ;  which  doctrine  was  in  substance,  that  God  could  lay  nothing  to  the 
charge  of  an  elect  person,  on  the  gr(jund  of  Christ's  righteousness  imputed  to  him ; 
hence,  he  lived  in  coinjilete  sanctitication,  although  he  committed  much  sin.  On 
tills  subject  the  Assembly  said  :  '  That  the  doctrine  of  sanctitication  by  the  imputa- 
tion of  the  holiness  of  Christ's  nature,  does,  in  its  consequences,  render  inherent 
holiness  by  the  Holy  Spirit  unnecessary,  and  tends  to  overthrow  natural  as  well  as 
revealed  religion.'  This  was  in  no  sense,  however,  a  judicial  decision  to  be  followed 
by  discipline,  in  case  it  were  rejected,  but  as  'the  opinion  of  the  Assembly.'  The 
suj)posed  strong  government  of  the  General  Baptist  Assembly  brought  them  into 
conflict  with  an  eminent  Sussex  pastor,  of  learning  and  piety,  concerning  liis  views 
of  the  nature  of  Christ;  one  Matthew  CaflEyn.  Mr.  "Wright  charged  him  with 
defective  views  touching  our  Lord's  divinity,  and  he  satisfied  the  Assembly  that  he 
was  sound  on  that  subject,  and  also  on  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  But  Wriglit 
saw  an  implied  rebuke  in  the  Assembly's  exoneration  of  Caffyn,  and  withdrawing 
from  the  Assembly,  he  began  to  agitate  the  matter  amongst  the  Churches.  Caffyn 
was  led  into  pulilic  controversy,  and  after  a  while,  ran  into  teachings  substantially 
Arian.  Thus  two  parties  sprang  up,  and  four  tinaes  the  Assembly  was  disturbed 
with  contention  until,  in  1698,  Caffyn's  doctrines  were  declared  heretical,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  some  Churches  seceded  and  formed  another  General  Association. 
This  breach  was  never  healed.  Thus,  the  Presbyterian  powers  assumed  by  the 
Assembly  failed  to  prevent  either  heresy  or  schism,  as  might  have  been  expected, 
and  by  1750  a  majority  of  the  General  Baptists  became  Anti-Trinitarians.  The 
Assembly  continues  to  this  day,  meets  every  Whitsuntide,  the  shadow  of  its  former 
self,  and  is  still  Anti-Trinitarian. 

But,  decline  amongst  the  Particular  Baptists  was  very  marked  also.  Antinomi- 
anisni  and  hyper-Calvinism  struck  the  Churches  with  a  blight  that  was  fatal  not 
only  to  their  growth,  but  often  to  their  existence.  Calvinism  had  taken  a  most 
repulsive  form,  which  presented   God   in  a  severe  and  magisterial  light  only,  and 


S60  KMlM-:.\r   I;.\I>T1STS—(1ALI-:,    HILL. 

wliifli  led  iiicii  to  lodk  iiiniii  him  with  ilistrust,  as  oi)])i't'ssivi;  and  unjiist.  Truo,  all 
Eiiirlaiul  was  in  a  statu  of  i-eli^'ious  stagnation.  Worldlincss  cliaractL'ri/.cd  tliu  Cluirch 
and  intidc'lity  was  raini)ant;  tlie  Sttiart  period  was  In-ariiij;  its  natural  fruit,  and  the 
I  !:iliti.-ts  went  down  in  tlie  scak'  with  the  rt'st.  I'ndcr  pi-rsecntion  tliev  inulti|ihed 
on  every  side,  and  for  a  time  toh'ration  ahiiost  killed  tlii'in.  \'et,  even  then  there 
were  found  anion;j;st  them  men  (jf  consecration,  iearninti'  and  zeal. 

1 )]{.  John  CtAi.k  was  one  of  these,  whose  name  has  come  down  to  iis  with  irreat 
iionor.  Thouii'li  an  l']ni;li^liinan  Ky  hirlh,  he  was  educated  at  i.eyden,  possibly 
liecause  Dissenti-rs  couM  not  then  take  degrees  at  the  English  I'niNersities.  At  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  became  a  I  )octor  in  Phihjsophy,  and  after  studyitig  at  Amstei'dam, 
under  Limliorch,  in  IT*'.")  he  becanu!  assistant  ]>astor  of  the  Church  in  I'auTs  Alley, 
I)arl)ican.  With  his  accompHshments  in  J.atin,  (in^ek,  lieiirew,  history  and 
divinity,  he  was  a  p^iwerful  pi'i'acliei',  who  possessed  great  relinement  of  religious 
feeHug.  Wilson  says:  "  lli>  vi.iice  wa^  clear  and  nudodious  ;  liis  style  jierspicuous, 
easy  and  strong;  liis  iiu'tluHJ  e.\act :  his  reaxming  clear  and  cunvincing;  and  Lis 
dejiortment  in  tlie  pulpit  I'asy,  yet  accomjiaiiied  with  a  seriousness  and  solemnity 
becoming  the  woi'k  in  which  he  wa^  engaged.  He  had  an  almost  irrc,-i>tilile  |iower 
over  the  passions,  which  he  ever  tised  agreeably  to  reason,  and  directed  to  the  ])roflt 
and  ad\  antage  of  his  hearers.'  But  lie  died  in  his  forty-first  year,  lie  is  best  known 
to  u,^  by  his  '  Reply  to  Dr.  Wall's  History  of  Infant  l')aj)tisiu.'  This  rejily  is  a  spec- 
imen (d  candid  scholarshij)  t-eldom  met  with  in  the  annals  of  religious  controver.sy. 

r.ut  tht^  man  who  madi^  the  deepest  mark  iijion  the  l!a])tists  of  his  time  was 
.loii.N  (ill. I,,  a  native  of  Kettering,  JS'orthamptoiishire,  boiai  in  l(;i»7.  A'ery  early  in 
life  he  gave  evidem-e  of  e.xeeptional  gifts,  and  his  friends  tried  in  vain  to  secure  his 
adnussion  to  one  of  the  Universities  ;  but  muler  ju'ivate  teachers  he  became  a  superior 
scholar  in  Latin,  (ireek  and  logic.  He  was  baj>ti/.ed  when  nineteen  and  entered 
the  ministry  at  twenty-three.  After  the  death  of  Eenjamin  Stinton,  successor  to 
Keacli,  in  Horsleydown,  .hdui  Gill  was  proposed  as  Stinton's  successor,  but  on  ])utting 
the  ijuestion  to  vote  a  nuijority  rejected  him,  wdien  his  friends  withdrew  and 
formed  the  Church  afterward  located  in  Carter  Lane.  Tooley  8treet,  March  2:i,  17]t>, 
and  on  tlie  same  day  he;  became  its  pastor.  GilFs  party  vvorshi))ed  for  some  years 
in  the  scliool-rooni  of  Thomas  Crosby,  the  historian,  until  Reach's  Cluirch,  which 
they  had  left,  built  a  new  chajiel  in  I^nicorn  Yard,  when  tliey  went  to  the  old  chapel 
in  (4oat  Street,  which  Keach's  people  had  ceased  to  nse.  Here  the  doctor  preached 
until  1757,  when  they  built  for  him  a  lU'W^  meetiug-house  in  Carter  Lane,  where  he 
continued  until  Ins  death  in  1771.  After  many  years  of  study  lie  became  a  profound 
scholar  in  the  llabbinical  lleltrew  and  a  master  of  the  Targum,  Talnuids,  the  Rab- 
botli  and  the  book  Zoliar,  with  tlieir  ancient  commentaries.  He  largely  assisted 
Dr.  Kenuicott  in  his  collation,  and  published  a  dissertation  concerning  the  antiq- 
uity of  the  Hebrew  language,  etc.  He  was  a  prolific  author,  producing  amongst 
many  other  weighty  works,  Iiis  'Cause  of   God   and  Truth;'  his  'Body  of  Diviu- 


./o//.\    lUPPON. 


861 


itv;'  and  his  learned  '  Coiiunentary  on  tlie  JJilik'."     Tuiilady,  his  intimate  tVieud, 
says  of  liim,  that 

'If  any  man  can  be  sup])osed  to  liave  trod  the  whole  eirele  of  human  learning, 
it  was  Dr.  Gill.  ...  It  would,  perhaps,  try  the  constitutions  of  half  the  I'dtrnti  in 
England,  only  to  read  with  care  and  attention  the  whole  of  what  he  said.  As  deeply 
as  human  sagacity  enlightened  hy  gra(;e  could  ])enetrate,  ho  went  to  the  bottom  of 
every  thing  lie  engaged  in.  .  .  .  I'erha[)s  no  man,  since  the  days  of  St.  Austin,  has 
written  so  largely  in  defense  of  the  system  of  grace,  and,  certainly,  no  nuui  has 
treated  that  momentous  subject,  in  all  its  branches,  more  closely,  judiciously  and 
successfully.'  lie  was  also  a  great  controversalist  as  well  as  a  scholar.  On  this 
subject  Toplady  adds :  '  What  was  said  of  Edward  the  Black  Prince,  that  he  never 
fought  a  battle  that  he  did  not  win ;  what  has  been  remarked  of  the  great  Duke  of 
^rarlboi-ough,  that  he  never  undei'took  a  siege  which  he  did  not  carry,  may  be  justly 
accommodated  to  our  great  ]>hilosoper  and  divine.' 

And  yet,  with  all  his  ability,  he  was  so  high  a  supralapsarian.  that  it  is  hard  to 
distinguish  him  from  an  Antiiiomian.  For  example,  he  could  not  invite  sinners  to 
the  Saviour,  while  he  declared  their  guilt  and  coudemnation,  their  need  of  tlie  new 
birth ;  and  lield  that  God  would 

convert  such  as  he  had  elected  

to  be  saved,  and  so  man  must  not  -jfc- 

interfere  with   his  pui-poses  by  ^ 

inviting  men  to  Christ.  Under 
this  preaching  bis  Church  stead- 
ily declined,  and  after  half  a  cent- 
ury's work  he  left  l)ut  a  mere 
handful.  He  did  not  mean  to 
teach  Antinomianisin,  and  yet, 
in  1755,  he  repuljlished  Dr. 
Crisp's  works,  which  had  given 
rise  to  so  much  contention,  with 
explaiuitoiT  notes,  defending 
Crisp  from  the  charge  of  Anti- 
nomianism,  although  his  doc- 
trines had  fallen  like  a  mililew 
upon  the  Churches  of  the  land, 
and  none  now  pretend  that  Crisj) 
was  a  safe  teacher. 

JouN  Ripi'ox  succeeded  Dr. 
Gill  as  pastor  at  Carter  Lane.     He  was  born  in  Tiverton,  Devonshire,  April,  1751, 
and  at  sixteen  became  a  servant  of  Christ.     At  seventeen  he  entered  Bristol  Acad- 
emy, and  at  twenty-one  became  pastor  in  London,  tilling  the  same  pastorate  sixty- 
three  years,  or  till  1S36.     Not  so  learned  or  profound  as  (-iill,  his  preaching  was 

fuller  of  life  and  affection,  so  that  for  years  his  Church  was  the  lai'gest  of  the  Baptist 
37 


DR.  JMllN    KIFrilN'. 


562  77//';  sr/-:\.\h'Trs. 

I'ailli  ill  tlir  iiictr(i|iipli>.  iiiiinlicriiiu'  luiii-  lininli'cil  nicinlii'i's.  III.'  \v;is  cxtrciiiclv  judi- 
fioiis  Mini  |i(i|iiilai'.  Ilr  ]ire|iari.'ii  a  >ck'ct  iciii  nf  mw  t]ll)ll^aMl|  one  liiiiidred  and 
SL'Vt'iiI v-IViiir  li\iiili>.  wliirli  wen'  \\>vi\  in  liis  coiiiirciiatidii  tu  tin-  dav  of  Mr.  Spuru'ciin. 
his  siioce.'^sor.  wlio  |■(•\■i^(■d  and  iisus  it  i-iiil.  Kiiipdii  al.-u  L'sta!)li>iu'd  and  (luudiicted 
the  ■  liajitist  lu;i;isli'r,"  a  inontlilv,  Innii  1  T'->'»  li'  l^n-_'.  IK'  toiindcd  alin.-liijuses  in  (.'ar- 
tcr  Lane,  Imt  wlu'ii  Lunduii  r>rid;j('  \\'a>  cri'diil  in  \s:',-2.  llicy  were  removed  to  make 
\va\' for  ir>  a|i])r<iai']irs.     He  died  in  1  S.".('i.  ai;ed  eii;-|.it  v-ti\'e.  and  >lee|is  in  ISiinliill  Fields. 

This  periud  i.~  iKilewortliy  tor  tlie  Stk.n.nkti'  I''amii.v.  l)r.  I'idward  was  a  physi- 
cian, liorn  A.  1).  ItiC,."..  In  tlie  reiy'ii  of  Charles  II.  he  dwi'lt  in  tlic  easlle  at  Walling- 
ford,  r.erkshire.  Rei;'ardle>s  of  danii'er  he  [>reachcd  rcfrnlarly.  and  liis  "xreai  aijility 
as  a  plivsirian  k'd  llie  i;enllenieii  nf  llie  nei_L;lih(_irhood  to  shield  him  I'roiii  calainiry. 

His  son,  .Iosi:i'n  Siic.n.net]',  lieeame  a  Christian  early  in  lifi'  under  the  instructions 
of  his  parents,  'i'hey  gave  him  a  good  edueation  in  j)hiloso])hy,  the  liljeral  seieiiees 
and  lanijitiiges,  as  French,  Italian,  the  Jlehrew  and  other  tona'ties.  In  ](19(l  he. 
became  [lastor  of  the  Seventh-Day  Fjaptist  Ciiiirch,  meeting  in  l'iniier".~  Hall.  Lon- 
don, ami  laliored  there  until  his  death,  ITl-l.  He  ranked  as  a  leader  in  the  miiiisiry 
fur  piety,  eloipience  and  authorship.  Wlieii  AVilliam  III.  escaped  assassination, 
Mr.  Stemiett  drew  up  an  ahle  address  of  congratulation  for  the  IJaptists,  and  ])re- 
sented  it  to  the  king  :  and  Queen  Anne  sent  him  a  jirescnt  in  acknowledgment  of 
his  thanksgi\ing  sermon  for  the  victory  of  Hochstedt.  Jle  puhli>lied  rliree  octavo 
volumes  of  sermons,  a  version  id'  SolonKni's  Song,  a  translation  from  the  French  of 
the  'Discoveries  by  the  Spaniards  in  America,'  with  many  hymns  on  the  t)r<liiiaiices 
and  other  subjeets.  Tate,  the  i>oet  laureate,  commended  his  poetry;  anil  Sharp, 
Arclilii.^hop  of  York,  desireil  him  to  i'e\ise  the  F^nglish  version  of  the  Psalms. 
Promotion  was  tendered  him  in  the  English  Church,  wliich  he  ileclined,  for  he  was 
a  sincere  na))tist  and  remained  amongst  his  own  people.  In  ilO-I  David  Rnssen 
wrote  a  little  book  against  the  FJaptists,  which  attack  Mr.  Stcnnett  answered,  with 
uncommon  dignity  and  learning.  He  took  the  measure  of  his  foe  fi-oin  the  start, 
and  something  of  his  style  may  be  seen  in  the  opening  jiaragraph  of  his  preface. 
'  If  the  author  of  the  book  to  which  this  is  an  answer  (who  always  aifects  to  be  thought 
verv  learned  and  sometimes  abundantly  witty)  had  oidy  looked  down  upon  the 
Analia])ti>ts  \v\t\\  that  contempt  with  wliich  they  are  used  to  be  treated,  and  had 
barely  dixerted  himself  with  the  ignorance  and  folly  he  pretends  to  find  among 
them,  I  shoidd  scarcely  have  given  him  or  myself  the  trouble  of  an  answer ;  for 
this  treatment  woidd  have  rendered  them  not  so  much  the  object  of  hatred  as  of 
compassion.  Thit  when  his  divertisemcnt  is  cruel,  and  while  In;  throws  iire-brands, 
arrows  and  death,  he  seems  to  be  mightily  satisfied  with  the  sport.  I  hope  none 
can  jiisti}'  blanic  me  for  endeavoring  to  turn  aside  the  edge  of  his  I'eproaches  by  a 
modest  defense.  For  as  little  sense  as  the  ''  Analiaptists  "  have,  they  can  feel  when 
their  reputation  is  wounded ;  and  as  ignorant  as  they  are,  they  have  learned  of  the 
wisest  of  men  to  value  a  good  name  more  than   precious   ointment,  especially  when 


THE  STENNETTS.  363 

they  I)flic\-('    tliat    to   lie   tlic   triilli    wliicli    is  stfiick  iit  tliroui;;li   tlieir  sides  iiiidei 
the  cliaraeter  of  a  t'linclaiiiental  error." 

This  frank  euiirtesy  aiul  urbanity  never  forsook  liini  in  tlie  discussion,  wliiie  he 
vindieated  tlie  trutli  witli  a  giant's  hand.  So  sweet  was  his  spirit  and  so  dignitied 
liis  manner,  tliat  wiiun  his  grandson  proceeded  to  a  similar  wnrk,  many  years  after- 
ward. lie  begged  that  liis  grandfatlier's  mantle  might  fall  upon  him,  saying:  'The 
example  of  a  much  honored  ancestor,  uIkp  has  not  oidy  done  singular  justice  to  the 
argument  itself,  but,  in  the  management  of  it,  has  shown  a  noble  superiority  to  tiie 
rudest  and  most  indecent  invectives,  that  were,  perhaps,  ever  thrown  out  against 
any  set  of  iiirii  professing  Christianity.'  Joseph  Stennett's  work  on  Baptism  had 
great  influence  in  its  day.     It  was  of  him  that  Dmitun  wrote  the  doggerel: 

'Stennett  the  patron  and  the  rult*  of  wit, 
Tlie  pulpit's  honor  and  the  saint's  delight.' 

The  second  Josei>h  Stennett,  and  the  third  jireacher  in  the  family,  was  the  son 
of  the  above-named,  and  was  also  a  Seventh-Da}'  Baptist.  lie  was  lioi'ii  in  Loinloii 
ill  1692,  and  died  in  1758.  He  was  thoroughly  educated,  united  with  the  Churcli 
at  sixteen,  ami  became  pastor  of  the  Churcli  at  Exeter  at  the  age  of  twenty -two. 
When  he  was  forty-five  he  succeeded  his  father  as  pastor  of  the  Church  in  Little 
Wild  Street,  London,  a  Church  which  attained  great  note  in  tlie  denomination.  He 
was  highly  honored  in  the  metropolis  as  a  man  of  large  attainments  and  man}- graces 
of  character.  Tlie  Duke  of  Cumberland  submitted  his  name  to  the  University  of  Edin- 
liurgh,  in  1754,  for  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  which  honor  was  granted. 
Onslow,  tlie  Speaker  of  Parliament,  (iibson,  the  Bishop  of  London,  and  several  of 
the  ministry  of  George  IL,  numliered  him  amongst  their  personal  friends  ;  and  he 
enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  the  Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Independent  pastors  of 
Loiidiin,  in  whose  behalf  he  submitted  an  address  to  the  king.  He  had  two  sons, 
members  of  his  Church,  and  in  turn  both  of  them  became  his  assistants  in  the  pas- 
torate. The  eldest,  the  third  Joseph  Stennett,  and  the  fourth  preacher  in  the  line, 
became  bis  father's  assistant  April  2,  1740,  and  served  in  that  capacity  for  two  years 
and  a  half,  when  he  settled  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Coate,  O.xfordshire. 
Little  is  known  of  him  beyond  this. 

Samuel  Stennett,  his  brother,  was  the  fifth  and  most  famous  in  this  preaching 
family.  He  was  born  in  Exeter  in  1727,  was  educated  under  all  the  iid vantages  of 
the  day  and  became  eminent  for  his  knowledge  of  the  Greek,  Latin  and  Oriental 
languages,  and  of  sacred  literature  in  general.  This  ability,  with  great  consecration 
to  God,  suavity  of  manner,  cheerfulness  of  spirit  and  purity  of  heart,  secured  for 
him  the  universal  love  of  his  brethren.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  the  University  of  Aberdeen,  in  1763.  lie  had  been  im- 
mersed by  his  father  at  Exeter  before  he  came  to  London,  and  became  a  member 
of  the  Church  in  Little  Wild  Street. 


564  SAMVICL   ST/:\XKTT. 

In  order  to  ;i\oi<l  ]ici-]ilr\ity.  it  may  he  (]t'siral>le  to  <^']Vi'  m  brief  nketcli  of  tliit; 
Cliurrli.  It  was  one  of  a  coiiiiiniiiit v  of  brniiclies  foriiiiiiii;  Init  one  Cliiircli  and  nieet- 
ini;-  in  vai-ion>  places.  Prior  to  ItJ'.U  tliev  were  all  Arniinian,  lint  in  that  year  this 
lii-aneli  clri-lare<l  itself  inde])endrnt  and  ( 'aUiinstic.  and  liun_<rlit  the  eliapel  in  Little 
AV'ild  Street.  This  hnilding  had  a  eiirions  history.  The  I'ortiigiiese  had  lii-st  oecii- 
jiied  it  for  Roman  ("athulie  worship,  and  the  Spanish  andiassador  for  the  .same  pni'- 
po.se.  al'lei-  which  it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Jiaptists  ;  but  it  wa.-  rebuilt  in  17>>8. 
'J'lie  |!apti>l  ('liui'ch  wor>hipini;-  here  was  never  a  Seventh- Day  body,  althoiiuh  it  was 
served  so  loiii^  bv  the  Sicnnetts.  who  \\'ere  Salibatarians  in  theii'  personal  faith.  Some- 
times a  Sabbatarian  Chnrch  Used  an  ordinary  I'.aptist  ehajiel  on  Saturday,  and  of  teller  a 
iion-Sal)batarian  miinsti'r  took  the  mornin;;'  or  afternoon  sci'\  ice  at  a  Sabbatarian 
place,  and  also  at  an  oi'dinary  liajitist  clmi'(di  on  Sunday.  <  tn  this  jilan  Samuel  Steii- 
nett,  who  wa.-  invited  to  iK'come  pastor  (d'  the  Seventh-!  )ay  Chnrch  which  hi>  father 
and  !;'randfathei'  had  serwil,  Imt  who  <lid  not  acce|>t  the  (jfliee,  yi't  preached  and 
administered  the  oi'dinances  to  that  Church  foi'  many  year.s. 

The  minutes  of  this  Church  say,  that  at  a  meeting  held  -luly  3<l,  1747,  '  haxing 
had  several  ti-iaf-  of  the  i;'ifts  of  ih'other  Samuel  Stennett,  and  haxini;'  heai'd  him 
jii'each  this  evening,  it  is  agreed  that  he  be  ealletl  out  int(j  the  public  .service  of  the 
ministry."  A  year  later  he  was  cliosen  assistant  ])a.stor,  and  ten  years  after  this, 
being  then  thirty-one  yisirs  of  age,  he  was  ordained  to  succeed  his  father  as  jwstor. 
On  entering  the  pastorate  he  said  to  his  ("liurch,  '1  trendile  at  the  thiiught."  I  )r. 
Gill  aiul  Ml'.  AValling  preachi'<l  at  his  ordination,  June  1.  17.")^,  and  lie  remained  as 
pastor  for  forty-seven  years,  dui'ing  which  he  was  emiiii'iit  for  zeal,  discretion,  and 
learning.  lie;  also  stood  foremo>t  amongst  the  champions  of  religious  liberty.  ( )n 
this  subject  William  .lipiies,  the  liistMrian.  say.s  :  •  He  wisely  eoiicluded  that  wdnlst 
oppressive  statutes  were  suifered  to  remain  as  jiart  of  the  law  of  the  land,  there 
could  l)e  no  seeuritv  against  their  proving  at  some  future  time  a  handle  for  perse- 
cution. The  doctor's  judicious  publications  upon  these  subjects  cannot  fail  to  keeji 
alive  a  grateful  recollection  of  his  talents,  and  to  endear  his  name  to  posterity.' 
Allusion  is  here  made  to  his  two  works,  ap|u'aling  to  Parliament  lor  the  repeal  of 
all  [lerseiniting  laws.  l)i-.  Winter  said  of  him  :  ■  To  lie  able  in  the  line  of  his  ances- 
try to  trace  some,  who,  for  the  cause  of  liberty  and  religion,  had  quitted  their  native 
country,  and  their  temjioral  possessions  at  the  revocation  of  the  Edict  of  Nantes,  he 
accounted  a  far  liighei-  lienor  than  to  he  the  olf.-pring  of  nobles  or  of  moiiarchs.' 

We  have  his  non-controversial  works  in  three  octavo  volmncs,  together  with  a 
largo  number  of  his  well-known  hymns  ;  such  as,  '  What  wisdom,  majesty  and  grace,' 
'  To  Christ,  the  Lord,  let  every  tongue  '  (altered  in  modern  versions  so  as  to  begin 
with  the  third  verse,  'Majestic  sweetness,'  etc.),  and  "On  Jordan's  stormy  banks  I 
stand."  This  last  hymn  appears  to  have  been  written  in  17S7,  the  year  in  wliich 
Iii])pon  eonmienccd  his  'Selections.'  liippon  was  personally  acquainted  with  Sten- 
nett, for  they  were  Baptist  pastors  together  in  London  from  1773  to  1795,  and  iu  the 


ffTS  SACRED  Irr^fxs. 


ses 


fonrtli  rditioii  of  liis  '  Selectimis,'  i)ul)lislu'<i  about  tlic  hist-iuuned  year,  tliis  liyimi  is 
found  in  its  original  foi-in,  'On  Jorthurs  sfurtidj  lianks,'  as  it  is  found  in  all  the 
English  editions  down  to  our  day.  The  lirst  variation  therefrom,  so  far  as  the 
writer  is  aware,  is  found  in  an  Anieriean  edition  of  the  '('hristian  Psalmist,'  New 
York,  1850.  Forgetting  that  Stennett  alluded  to  the  Jordan  at  Jerieho,  described 
in  Josh,  iii,  its  compilers  mistook  him  as  describing  its  literal  banks,  instead  of 
using  a  bold  metonymy,  which  Sjieaks  of  the  Ijaid^s  for  what  they  contain  ;  namely, 
waters  in  vehement  commotion;  and  so  they  tamed  him  down  to  tlieir  own  concep- 
tions, and  to  '  rugged  banks.'  About  half  a  dozen  American  compilers  have  re- 
tained this  namby-pamby  innovation,  for  which  they  might  as  well  have  used  stony 
banks  or  muddy  banks;  for  the  imu'r  and  outer  banks  of  the  Jordan  at  that  spot 
are  both.  But  Spurgeon,  Rippon's  successor,  in  re-editing  the  old  hymn  iiook  (under 
the  name  of  '  Our  Own  Ilymn-Book  ')  which  has  been  used  in  Itippon's  congregation 
from  his  day,  sa^'S  (1860):  'The  hymns  have  been  drawn  from  the  original  w(jrks 
of  their  authors,  and  are  given,  as  far  as  ])racticable,  just  as  they  were  wi'itten  ;'  and 
.so  he  retains  Stennett's  original  form.  '  sformi/  baid^s,'  and  with  it  his  inspiring 
figure.  Will  the  reader  pardon  tliis  digression,  for  l*>aptists  should  be  the  last  to 
slaughter  their  own  hymnists  in 
their  singing. 

The  minist'.-y  of  Samuel 
Stennett  in  Little  AVild  Street 
was  peculiarly  fascinating  to  large 
minds.  There  he  immersed  the 
renowned  Dr.  Joseph  Jenkins, 
Caleb  E\ans,  afterward  President 
of  ijristol  College,  and  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Hughes,  the  founder  of  the 
British  and  Foi-eign  Pible  Soci- 
ety. Kalloway,  the  noted  en- 
graver, sat  under  his  ministry 
also;  and  .Jomn  Howakd,  the 
immortal  philanthropist,  was  a 
member  of  his  congregation  foi- 
many  of  the  last  years  of  his  lift'. 
When  Howard  was  young  he  met 
with  an  Independent  congrega- 
tion at  Stoke  Newington.  lint 
in  1756  or  1757  he  took  up  his  residence  at  Cardington,  about  three  miles  south- 
east of  Bedford,  and  the  same  distance  from  Elstow,  Biinyan's  birthplace.  For 
a  considerable  time  he  worshiped  in  the  congregation  where  (iiiford  and  Bunyan 
had  been  pastors,  then  under  the  ])astoi'al  charge  of  Joshua  Symonds,  with  whom 


JOHN    IIOWAKD. 


666  JOHN  IIOWMII). 

liu  lii'canic  intimati'.  At  lliat  time  lliis  ('liiii'cli  liail  a  i-u|iturf,  in  wliidi  tin/  Podu- 
ba[)ti.st  i)oi'tiuii  ul'  tliu  coiiiiri'_i;'atiuu  withdrew  ami  I'niiiu'il  a  new  uiiu,  lluward  ji'oing 
witii  tln'iii,  and  contrii)iiting  lil)LTaI]y  to  tliu  uivclioii  of  a  new  lueutiiig-liou^L'.  In 
1777  ilowardV  sit^ter  dieil  and  iKMiucatliud  to  Inni  a  lioii.-c  in  London,  and  from 
tiiat  timi'  lie  spent  much  id'  his  lite  in  that  ritv,  and  attached  hini.-elf  to  Dr.  iSten- 
iiett's  congretiation.  aiding  laigelv  in  I'diuilding  the  eliapel. 

In  IStennett's  funeral  sei-nion  for  the  great  philanthropist,  In-  (juotes  from  a  letter 
wliieh  Howard  had  written  to  him  in  Smyrna,  in  which  he  isay.s :  ' 'J'he  prineij)al 
reason  of  m_v  w  I'itiiig  is  most  sincerely  to  thank  you  for  the  many  pleasant  hours  I 
have  had  in  reviewing  tlie  notes  1  have  taken  of  the  sermons  I  have  had  the  haji])i- 
iiess  to  liear  under  your  nunistry.  These,  sir,  with  many  of  your  petitions  in  jtrayer, 
liave  been  and  are  my  songs  in  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage.  With  unabated  pleasure 
1  iiave  attended  your  ministry;  no  man  ever  entered  more  into  my  religious  senti- 
ments, or  more  ha|)i)ily  expressed  them.  It  was  some  little  disajjpointment  when 
any  one  else  enteretl  the  pulpit.  How  many  Sabbaths  have  1  ardently  longed  to  spend 
in  Wild  Street;  on  these  days  I  generally  rest,  or.  if  at  sea,  keep  retired  in  my  little 
cabin.      It  is  you  that  preach,  and,  I  bless  (Jod.  I  attiMid  with  renewed  ])leasure.' 

In  the  funeral  sernidU  preached  for  him  b\  Stennett,  he  a\dws  ihal  lluward 
'was  not  ashamed  of  those  truths  he  heard  slated,  explained  anil  enforced  in  this 
jtlace;  he  had  made  up  his  nnnd,  as  he  said,  upon  his  religious  sentiments,  and  was 
notto  be  moved  from  Ins  steadfastness  bv  no\'el  opinions  obtruded  on  the  world.  .  .  . 
\  ou  know,  my  fiaetuls,  with  what  sei'i(.)usness  and  de\'otion  he  atteudeil,  for  a  long 
course  of  //('(i/'K,  on  the  w<irship  of  God  among  us.'  Howard  alludes  to  the  character 
of  the  truths  enforced  by  Stennett,  saying:  '  Xo  man  everentereil  more  into  my  re- 
ligious sentiments,  or  more  happily  expressed  them.'  In  addition  to  the  foundation 
principles  of  the  Gospel  held  by  Howard,  Stennett  jireached  the  distiiu-tive  princi- 
ples of  till!  Ijaptists,  in  their  roundest  form,  and  to  tlK'se  Howard  listened  •  for  a 
long  course  of  years,'  truths  very  distasteful  to  others.  I>r.  \\' inter  says,  that 
Stennett  had  none  of  tiiat  'cool  indifference  to  I'eligious  principles,  which  under  the 
specious  names  of  candor  and  liberality  has  too  much  prevailed  amongst  many 
modern  ('hri.-tians."  Stennett  also  s])eaks  id'  Howard's  great  •  camliu'.'  and  of  his 
'  iiaving  met  with  difKculties  in  his  inquiries  after  truth.'  Concerning  tlie  subjects  of 
this  struggle  in  Howard's  mind,  neitherof  them  informs  us,  but  as  Howard  had  always 
been  an  orthodox  Dissenter  on  principle,  and  that  Stennett  'happily  expressed  '  his 
own  religious  sentiments,  the  fair  inference  is,  that  he  had  ado])te(l  Stennett's 
Baptist  ^•iews. 

]\Iany  of  the  ablest  Independent  pastors  preached  tlie  common  doctrines  held 
by  Stennett,  and  notably  amongst  them  Dr.  Addington,  of  IVIiles  Lane.  He  forced 
Stennett  into  a  controversy  M-ith  liim  on  Ba])tism,  by  violently  attacking  his  princi- 
])les.  The  hitter's  nntsterly  re))ly  filled  two  volumes,  and  if  Howard  did  not  sympathize 
in  tliese  sentiments,  it  is  hard  to  understand  the  bearing  of  his  own  woriis.  or  why  lie 
listened  to  Stennett  '  for  a  lona:  course  of   years.'     When   Howard   lived  at  Stoke 


HOWARD   PROBABLY  A   BAPTIST.  S67 

Newington,  his  only  son  was  christenod  as  a  l)al)e,  and  at  IJcdl'ord  lie  left  Syniond's 
coiigregatiun  beeauf^e  he  would  not  l)a]itize  babes,  skiving  £-iOO  toward  building  a 
new  niecting-house  there,  wliere  infant  baptism  sliould  be  praetieed,  all  of  which 
sliows  that  lie  had  a  stnut  conscience  on  the  subject  at  that  time.  But  when  he 
removed  to  London,  he  not  only  contributed  liberally  to  build  a  Baptist  chai)el  for  a 
man  who  all  his  life  I'eiMuliated  infant  baptism,  with  all  his  heart,  as  a  radical  element 
of  popery,  but  '  i'or  a  long  course  of  years'  he  statedly  turned  his  back  on  places  of 
M'orship  where  it  was  practiced,  helping  to  builil  up  those  of  the  contrary  order. 
On  this  subject  Stennett  says  :  '  With  what  cheerfulness  he  assisted  in  the  building 
of  this  house  (Little  Wild  Street)  you  need  not  be  told.  He  accounted  it  an  honor, 
he  said,  to  join  his  name  with  yours.'  All  this  indicates  a  serious  change  in  Howard's 
mind  on  tlie  subject  in  cpiestion,  and  possibly,  the  shameful  wickedness  of  Ids  only 
son  had  shaken  his  confidence  in  infant  baptism  as  a  divine  institution.  Without 
some  such  change,  Stennett  would  scarcely  have  used  this  strong  language  :  '  He  was 
not  ashamed  of  tliose  ti-uths  he  heard  stated,  explained  and  enforced  in  this  place.'' 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  Baptists  of  this  period  liad  iinicli  in  (■(uninon 
with  the  Society  of  Friends  of  our  own  times,  while  they  had  many  quaint  customs 
peculiar  to  tliemselves.  In  public  worship  the  men  and  women  sat  on  opposite 
sides  of  the  house,  the  exhorting  and  'prophesying'  being  prompted  as  the  'Spirit 
moved.'  The  Baptists,  however,  held  to  an  ordained  uunistry  and  the  need  (d'  the 
ordinances.  Ordinaticm  was  made  a  serious  matter,  and  was  accompanied  witli  the 
laying  on  of  hands,  fasting  and  prayer,  and  tlie  power  to  confer  it  was  lodged  in 
the  individual  Church.  They  knew  nothing  of  our  modern  Councils  for  Ordination, 
but  commonly,  as  a  mere  matter  of  courtesy,  invited  neighboring  jiastors,  not  as 
representatives  of  other  Churches,  but  on  their  personal  kindness,  to  take  part  in 
the  public  recognition  services.  Tins  is  still  the  English  practice,  the  American 
Council  representing  other  Churches  being  unknown  there. 

The  marriao:e  service  amongst  them  was  sinnlar  to  that  of  tlie  'Friends'  of 
to-day.  They  rejected  tlie  rites  (d'  the  Frayer-Book  and  the  Established  clergy 
refused  to  marry  them.  They  devised  a  public  service  of  their  own,  therefore,  in 
which  the  parties  took  each  other  by  mutual  consent,  without  the  aid  of  a  minister. 
After  due  notice  the  couple  stood  up  before  the  congregation,  holding  each  other's 
hand,  and  publicly  took  each  other  for  husband  and  wife.  They  then  drew  up  a  eon- 
tract,  or  certificate  of  marriage,  and  signed  it,  and  the  persons  jjresent  attested  it  as 
witnesses.  An  exhortation  was  given,  a  prayer  was  offered,  and  the  solemnity  was 
ended.  Such  marriages  were  legal  until  the  Marriage  Act  of  1753,  which  exempted 
tliem  only  in  the  case  of  Quakers  and  Jews,  wliile  Baptists  were  compelled  to  seek 
legal  marriage  in  the  Episcopal  Cliurch. 

The  imposition  oi  hands  was  practiced  in  the  election  of  deacons,  and  quite  gen- 
erally in  connection  with  bai)tisni.  especially  amongst  the  General  Baptists,  this  ques- 
tion being  a  disturbing  element  in  many  congregations.     Fasting  also  was  esteemed 


368  cuiaous  BAi'irsr  crsTo.vs. 

a  reliij;i(iiis  duty,  lint  no  st;t  times  were  a]ijMiinicil  fdi-  its  porfonnanfic.  Tlie  question 
of  fi'ct-\\-asIiinii-  was  a  ijividinir  (HiL'>liiiii,  ami  fur  a  time  this  usai^o  was  practiced  in 
some  of  tli(^  < 'liurelics,  i^cnerally  mcetiiiji'  stout  resistance;  it  soon  disap])eared. 
'J'iic  anuiiitiii:;-  of  the  sick  was  ipiitc.'  common,  lieini;'  ajipi'oved  liy  the  example  of 
Killin  and  Kncdlys;  Init  ])hysicians  were  not  pnsheii  aside,  while  prayi-i' and  oil  were 
used  for  the  recovery  of  the  sick. 

As  with  the  Friends,  •man-yin;^-  ont  of  the  Society'  was  strictly  forhidden,  and 
was  folldweil  liy  exeommunieation.  The  amusements  of  <'hnr(di  mendiers  w(!re 
carefnlly  snpei'viM-d.  'i'he  old  recoj'ds  "ive  niimerons  instances  of  discipline  for 
i-ard-playini;',  danciiii;-,  cockdinht  iiii;' and  jilayini;  at  foot-hall.  A  'floiintiiii;  ap])arer 
was  coiidemiu'd.  and  what  is  now  known  as  the  (^)iiakcr  costume  was  worn  hy  the 
l!apli>ls,  and  Ixirrowed  hy  the  fViends.  Some  matters  in  domestic  life,  as  hetween 
hn^liaiids  and  wives,  servants  and  musters,  were  snhjects  ni'  discijiline.  l!orrowin<f 
and  leiidiiiL;-.  •  idleness  in  theii'  calliiiL:',"  '  covetoiisuess,"  "lying  and  slandering,"  'olisti- 
nacy  uf  tem|H'r,'  •negligence  and  cxtraxagance,'  came  under  disciplinary  offenses. 

'rh(y  also  fell  into  otliei'  cnstoms  of  dotihtfnl  I>ililt>  aiitliority.  We  learn 
li'oiii  several  sources  that  it  was  not  nncommon  to  choose  deacons  and  even 
pastors  hy  the  casting  uf  lots.  The  ^\'arlMlys  ( 'hnrch  elected  hoth  a  deacon  and 
elder  in  this  way  in  the  year  l<'i4T.  Ihit  a  more  ciirioiis  instance  occnrred  in  1(182, 
when  I!am|ilield  and  his  ]ie(]plc  wished  to  M'lect  a  site  for  a  chapel.  They  coldd  not 
agree  which  to  take  ont  of  three  places.  Therefore  they  laid  aside  their  own  pru- 
dential determinings,  and  after  they  liad  songlil  the  T>ord  to  choose  for  tln'm,  did 
refer  tlu>  determining  '<{'  it  wholly  iinio  him.  Lots  were  jn'cpared,  one  for  eacli 
place,  'and  that  ihey  might  not  limit  the  >ovei-eign  will  of  the  All- wise,  a  fourth 
Mank.  Having  agreed  npon  one  to  di'aw  the  lot.  they  all  lo(_iked  np  to  the  (iod 
of  heaven,  expecting  his  allotment.  The  lot.  heinu  opened,  spoke  Pinner's  Ilalh' 
This  custom  was  common  amongst  various  I'ui'itan  sects  in  tlie  seventeenth  century. 

Many  of  the  ('hurches  oliservcd  love-feasts  hefore  the  Lord's  Sujiper,  but  as 
this  early  practice  was  not  held  to  lie  oliligatory  and  perjietual,  it  iu>ver  hecame 
general,  nor  was  it  recognized  in  their  ( 'oiife»ions.  lint  great  stress  was  laid  ujion 
the  care  of  the  poor  in  the  Churches,  and  for  this  there  was  especial  need  in  conse- 
quence of  ])ersecution.  Heavy  fines  and  long  imprisonments  despoiled  their  sub- 
stance, tore  husl)auds  and  wi\es  apart,  and  brought  starvation  to  tlicir  children, 
besides  disinheriting  them  for  their  father's  religious  views  when  he  M'as  dead. 
This  drove  them  to  consider  themselves  as  one  great  family,  iti  which  the  strong 
should  help  the  weak,  and  created  a  sort  of  voluntary  coininunism  amongst  them. 
It  was  a  standing  rule  in  some  Chnrclies  for  each  memlier  to  make  his  contribution 
to  the  treasury  every  Smulay.  and  so  by  iilainncss  and  economy  each  lived  for  the 
other,  and  in  times  of  calamity  all  gave  a  willing  response  to  the  needy. 

Ministerial  clubs  became  a  curious  feature  amongst  the  Baptists.  One,  composed 
of  Calvinistic  ministers,  was  organized  as  early  as  1711,  and  met  weeklj-  at  a  London 


MINISTERIAL    CLUBS. 


S69 


cotl'ee-liDUse.     Tlie  rent  of  :i  i-riiini  in  wliicli  one  cliili  li:iil  liccii  licM  w;is  four  giiineiis 
a  year,  but  it  was  raised  sixteen  shiilin_<i-s  '  in  consider;!!!!!!!  i!f  tiie  I'isc  nf  toljacco,'  a 


side-lijjht  ou  tli 


lings  of  the  clu 


Tlieii-  weekly  nioetiiigs  were  more  tlian  social 


gatherings,  for  they  carried  throngli  so  many  local  plans  that  at  one  time  there  was 
danger  that  one  chib  would  arrogate  to  itself  and  exercise  the  aulhoi-ity  of  a  synod 
of  elders.  Country  Churches,  seeking  iieeuniary  aid,  must  iii'st  ii|iiii'al  ti!  this  chili 
for  its  sanction.  It  gave  advice  concci'iiing  the  est;!lilis]iiiici!t  nf  new  Chiii'ches 
and  the  relations  of  pastors  to  their  flocks,  settled  Church  difficulties,  kept  close 
watch  over  the  lives  and  opinions  of  its  own  members,  and  exclusions  were  frequent 
for  heresy  and  ill-conduct.  The  London  Baptist  Board  is  the  lineal  descendant  and 
surviviir  nf  one  of  these  clubs,  tlinugh  the  character  of  its  !iieetings  and  the  nature 
of  its  functions  are  so  changed  as  scarcely  to  be  recognizalde. 

The  Six-Principle  Baptists  established  a  General  Assembly  in  March,  ICiyo,  but 
pai-t  (if  them  dissented  from  all  the  Confessions  of  their  brethren,  as  savoring  of 
human  creeds.  Some  of  them  were  Calvinistic  and  smne  Ariiiiiiiai!,  but  all  accepted 
ai!d  laid  special  stress  uimi!  the; 
six  prinei])les  enumerated  in  Ileb. 
vi,  1,  2;  namely,  Repentance, 
faith,  baptism,  the  laying  on  of 
hands,  the  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  and  eternal  life.  John  Grif- 
fetli  was  their  principal  writer, 
and  many  of  the  AVelsh  Churches 
practiced  the  laying  on  of  hands 
in  receiving  members.  At  their 
best  estate  they  nundjered  but 
eleven  Churches  in  Ei!gland. 
which  g!-adiially  !!iurc!l  with  the 
other  Baptists,  and  vanished  as  a 
distinct  people.  A  few  of  them, 
however,  are  still  found  in  Ilhode 
Island. 

Abraham  Bnnth  wielded 
great  intluence  amongst  th(!  Bnp- 
tists  at  this  time.  He  was  born 
in  Derbyshire,  1734-,  and  at  twenty-one  united  with  the  General  liaptists,  and  soon 
became  pastor  of  a  Church  at  Kirby-'Woodiiouse.  His  doctiinal  views  were  stontlj' 
Arminian,  and  he  wrote  a  'Poem  on  Absolute  Predestination,'  in  which  lie  handled 
the  doctrines  of  Calvinism  with  such  great  severity  as  to  excite  doubt  in  his  own 
mind;  so  that,  on  a  fuller  investigation,  he  'renounced  '  his  poem  as  'detestable'  in 
his  own  sight.      He   wrote  his  most  able  work  on  '  The  Ileign   of  Grace,"  and  sub- 


AHHMIAM    liilllTlI. 


870 


Tin-:  iiasii  /sapt/sts. 


iiiittcd  it  to  till'  saintly  A'fiiii,  wlm  not  oiilv  pcr.-iiadcil  liiin  tn  [>ul)li>h  it.  lint  tiMjk 
enougli  copies  of  it  hiuisull'  lu  ])ay  for  tlie  printing.  It  jiassed  tlirougli  many  editions, 
and  made  its  autlior  fanions.  IIi.'  left  the  (ieiiei'al  ]«a}ttists  about  IT'i"),  and  became 
jiastur  of  the  JJttie  I'rescolt  Street,  J'articular  Uaptist  Church,  London,  where  he 
remained  foi'  thirty-si'Ven  years,  lli're  he  was  very  active  and  useful,  being  the 
autlioi'  of  eight  tlistinct  works,  anu.)ngst  them  his  '  I'edobaplisin  Kxaniincil,'  which  is 
characterized  by  great  resi'arch,  and  has  never  been  fairl3'  answei'cd.  ilf  had  much 
to  do  witii  founding  tStej)ney  College;  and  bir  his  candoi',  purity  and  couscci'ation 
to  Christ  became  one  of  the  bri<>-htest  lights  in  London.  JJe  died  in  Imh;,  in  his 
seventy-third  year. 

A  few  wonls  about  Tni;  \]u<\i  1^ a !"risTs  may  properly  clo.ec  this  ehajiter.  Wo 
li:i\c'  ah-eadv  seen  that,  in  the  introduction  of  Christianity,  Ireland  aboun<led  in  those 
large  baptismal  occasions  wherein  many  thousands  were  ba])tized  in  a  day.  For 
Inindi'eds  of  years  this  jiractice  was  cont  iiiued.  as  Irisli  cccK'siastical  history  shows, 
and  us  is  attested  liy  the  ruins  of  se\cral  clalioi'atc  baptisteries  still  extant,  amongst 
which  is  that  ol  Mellifont,  given  bi'low. 

In  the  eai-jy  Middle  Agi's  the  Irish  Christians  were  amongst  the  first  scholars 
in  JMirope,  but  the  Danish  and  English  coiujui'sts  reduced  that  fair  land  to  gross 
iiiiiorance.  It  was  tliiMi,  as  now,  laigcly  Catliolic,  but  i'rotestantism  grew  uniler 
Henry  and    Ldward,  his  son.     Mary  attempted  to  frustrate  it   by  persecution  but 

Elizabeth  ])rotected  it.  ami 
under  .lanii's  I.  tlie  |U'ovince 
of  Ulster  was  tilled  with  cob 
onists  from  Scotland,  who 
laid  the  foundations  of  Irish 
Presl)vterianis!n.  I'nder  the 
freacliery  of  Charles  1.,  who 
hojU'd  for  the  supjiort  of 
Catholics,  the  vik'  iusurrei^tiou 
of  Catholics  and  massacre  of 
Protestants  te)ok  yhvr  in  KUl. 
As  the  strength  of  Cromwell's 
army  consisted  of  Baptists  and 
Independents;  when  he  over- 
ran Ireland,  lt'4'.t.  IJaptists 
abounded  in  his  forces,  and  they  organized  Churches  as  opportunity  served.  It  is  re- 
ported by  Thomas  Harrison,  in  writing  to  Thurloe.  IfiSo,  that  there  were  twelve  gov- 
ernors of  towns  aiul  cities  who  were  Baptists,  with  ten  colonels,  three  or  four  lieu- 
tenant-colonels, ten  majors,  nineteen  or  twenty  caiitains.  and  twcuity-three  officers, 
on  the  civil  list.  I'leetwood,  the  governor.  Colonel  doues  and  a  majority  of  the 
Council  which  govei'ueil   Ireland,  are  sai<l    to  have    been    I'.aptists.      lioth  the  Inde- 


7'-/?/// 


RUINS  OF  MEU.IPONT    li.M'TISTEliV. 


ALEXANDER    CAIiSOX.  871 

pendents  and  tlie  Pivsl)ytoriaiis  coin|)l;uned  of  tlieir  preponderance  in  official  places, 
and  Iiicliard  Baxter  bluntly  said,  'In  Ireland  the  Anahaptists  are  grown  so  high 
that  many  of  the  soldiers  were  rebaptized  as  the  way  to  prel\'rmeut.' 

Probably  the  first  Irish  Baptist  Church  since  the  Kefciniiation  was  formed  in 
Dublin  by  Thomas  Patience,  assistant  jiastor  to  Kiffin  in  London.  The  date  is  not 
clear,  but  in  1053  a  Church  was  found  there,  with  others  in  Waterford,  Clonmel, 
Kilkenny,  Cork,  Limerick,  Wexford,  Carrickfergus  and  Kerry.  It  is  most  likely 
that  these  were  largely  English,  aiid  tlieir  re[)ublican  iirliiciiiles  were  so  stanch 
that  they  opposed  Cromwell's  Lord  Protectorate,  and  he  sent  over  his  son,  Henry, 
to  watch  and  influence  them.  After  the  Restoration,  1660,  tlieir  feeble  Churches 
began  to  decline,  though  a  few  of  them  continued ;  and  after  a  hard  struggle,  w-e 
liave  but  23  Churches  and  l,ti:]i»  conmuinicants  in  Ireland  at  this  day.  They 
deserved  to  decline,  for,  as  they  came  in  with  the  concpiering  army,  they  so  far 
forgot  their  principles  as  to  accept  State  pay  with  the  Independents  and  Presby- 
terians. Their  course  was  severely  condemned  by  the  Welsh  and  English  Baptists 
as  a  sacrifice  of  their  principles,  but  in  1660,  by  a  special  inquiry,  they  were  deprived 
of  this  State  support,  to  the  gratitude  of  their  British  brethren. 

The  most  illustrious  of  the  Irish  Baptists  is  Dk.  Ale.yandek  Caksox.  Born  in 
the  north  of  Ireland  in  1776,  he  became,  perhaps,  the  first  scholar  in  the  University 
of  Glasgow,  and  settled,  as  a  Presbyterian  pastor,  at  Tubbermore,  1798,  where  lie 
received  £100  per  year  from  the  government.  He  was  a  Greek  sclmlar  of  the  first 
order,  and  might  have  become  Professor  of  Greek  in  the  University  of  Glasgow  on 
signing  the  '  Standards '  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  But  he  gradually  adopted  Bap- 
tist views,  gave  np  his  living,  and  gathered  a  little  liand  of  Bajitists  about  him  in  a 
Churcli  without  a  meeting-house,  and.  with  himself,  enduring  deep  poverty.  In 
his  day  he  was  probably  the  leading  scholar  in  the  Baptist  ranks  in  Britain,  and 
was  a  voluminous  writer  and  profound  reasoner.  His  work  on  Baptism  has  no 
superior  and  few  equals.  Some  ha\e  called  him  the  'Jonathan  Edwards  of  Ireland,' 
and  with  reason ;  foi'  it  is  doubtful  whether  Ireland  has  produced  his  e(pial  since  the 
death  of  Archbishop  Usiicr.  lie  dinl  in  1S-J-4-,  after  ncirly  liidf  a  century  spent  in 
the  iiiini.>try  ;  but  his  name  is  fragrant  wherever  his  works  are  known. 


CHAPTER   X. 

THE  SCOTCH   AND  ENGLISH  BAPTISTS.— M  ISSIONS.  —  M  EN  OF  NOTE. 

TIIMRE  ;ii-('  (li.stiiict  prc'-Kefonnatioii  trace.*  of  IjaptLst  priiici})lL's  and  practices 
in  Sciitlaiid.  Criuiicils  were  licld  at  Pcrtli  in  tlie  years  l-i+2and  12110,  tlie 
canons  of  wliich  i-c(|uir('  tliat  in  l)apti>iu.  '  lielDre  the  iiniiici-.-iun  tlir  atoresaid  words 
sliould  lie  pronounced."'  in  llolyi'oocl  ('hapcl  was  a  lira/.m  font  in  wliicli  tlie 
children  of  tlie  Scotcli  inonai'elis  were  •  di])ped,"  wiiicli  \va.-  removed  l)y  tiie  English 
in  l."')4l,  and  destroyed  in  the  lime  of  ('i-om\vell.-  The  •  Ivlinhiiriih  Eneycltipii'dia' 
states,  that  s|ii'inklini;'  was  never  praelieeil  in  Sc.iiland  in  orilinary  cases  till  1559, 
wlii'n  it  was  int  I'odneed  IVom  (ieneva.-'  Many  of  ( 'romwell's  army,  which  went  to 
Seotlanil  in  l(i.')il  umier  command  of  Moid<,  werc^  llaptists,  wlio  kept  lip  religions 
woi-sliip  in  iheir  cam|is  and  immersecl  the  converted  soldiers.  When  Monk  left  tlie 
army,  in  the  lieginning  of  Id.'i.",.  to  command  the  fleet  against  the  Dutch,  he  left 
^fa  jor-(  ieiieral  Roliert  Lilliiiiai  in  command  of  the  troops  in  Scotl.ind.  Afonk  had 
been  opj)osi>d  to  the  Jiaptists,  hnt  Lillmni,  licing  a  stout  liaptist  liimself,  alforijed 
his  soldiery  every  facility  for  the  spread  of  their  principles,  lie  was  anxious  to 
employ  liaiitist  chaplains,  for  lie  said  that  there  '  wei-e  divers  honest  Scotch  people 
that  longe(l  to  lie  gathei-e(]  into  the  same  gospel  order  with  tli(>niselves.'  When 
some  of  Ihe  ti'oops  wei'e  garrisoned  at  Leitli  and  I'Minlmrgh.  they  formecl  Baptist 
Churches;  and  we  are  told  that  many  persons  were  immersed  in  the  water  of  Lcith, 
which  ])asses  Edinlnugh  on  the  north  and  falls  into  the  Frith  of  Forth  ;;t  the  town 
of  Leitli.  .\mongst  tliese  was  Lady  Wallace  of  ('raigie.  Troops  were  stationed  also 
at  Cupai'  in  Fife,  wluTc  a  Mr,  iirowii  preached,  and  immersed  several  persons  in 
the  ri\('i'  Ellen.  In  |i!."i:')  the  t'ourlh  edition  of  the  Confession  of  Faith,  framed  liy 
the  London  Churches,  was  pidilished  in  Edinliurgli.  It  was  accom])anied  by  a 
Preface,  signed  by  Thomas  Spencer.  .Vliraliam  Holmes,  Thomas  Powell  and  John 
T'rad.y,  by  appointment  of  the  ('hnrclu's  in  Leitli  and  Edinburgh.  I'hc  army 
remained  in  Scotland  from  iri.'iii  to  li'i.'i'.t.  but  Eilburn  was  in  command  only  about  a 
year,  when  ^Fonk  resumed  command.' 

Ba])tist  ])rinciples  spread  so  rapidly  in  Scotland,  that  Pi'esbytci'ians  became 
alarmed,  anil  at  a  meeting  held  in  Edinburgh.  ( )ctober  lti51.some  of  the  elders 
expressed  tlie  o])inion  that  children  should  not  receive  baptism  until  they  made 
confession  of  faith.  Some  ministers  al.so  were  complained  of,  as  Alexander  Coriinell, 
of  Linlithgow,  and  Thomas  Cliarteris,  of  Stenhouse,  because  they  'baptized  old 
people,  maintained  Anabajitism  and  would  not  liajiti/.e  infants.'^     Whitlock  writes, 


CROMWELL  AND    THE   HAPTISTS.  S73 

tliat,  in  1052.  Parliament  issued  a  (k'claratioii  against  tlie  Scotch  Dippers ;  and  in 
1653,  George  Fux  complains  of  tlie  lirni  resistance  whicii  lie  met  from  tiie  Baptists 
of  Carlisle,  Leitli  and  'Edenbro,'  Imt  claims  a  great  victory  over  tJiem.^  Jolin 
Knox,  afraid  of  'their  poison,'  plied  liis  powerful  pen  to  write  them  down.  They 
were  also  bitterly  persecutcKl,  foi-  on  .laimary  21rth,  1654,  they  presented  to  Monk, 
the  '  commanili'r-in-cliier  of  all  tlu'  forces  in  Scuthuid,"  'The  IuiiiiIjIo  address  of  tin; 
ba])tized  Churches,  consisting  of  ofiicers,  soldiers  and  oth^/v,  walking  together  in 
gosjiel  order,  at  St.  Johnston's,  Leith  and  Edinbnrgh,  for  toleration  or  freedom 
(piictly  to  worship  (-rod  ;  which  freedom  we  conceive  is  a  fruit  of  the  purchase  of 
our  dear  lledeenier.'  But  when  Heath  reached  Leith,  105!),  he  shut  up  Colonel 
Holmes  and  all  the  other  Baptist  officers  there,  tirst  in  Timptallan  Castle,  and  then 
on  Basse  Island.  The  fact,  that  Baptists  had  become  so  numerous,  both  in  the  army 
and  navy,  and  wei'e  taking  such  iiigli  ground  against  the  assumptions  of  Cromwell, 
excited  the  fear  of  the  rulers  that  they  would  rise,  seize  the  government  and  pro- 
claim freedom  of  conscience  for  all.  (Tuizot  writes:  'The  king's  interest  is  also 
supported  by  the  Presbyterians,  although  they  are  reiniblicans  in  jirinciple  ;  and  it 
is  only  the  fear  that  the  Anabaptists  and  other  sectaries  may  obtain  the  govei'nnient, 
which  leads  them  to  oppose  the  present  authorities.' ' 

IJaptist  opposition  to  d'omwclTs  aggressions  cost  him  mudi  trouble,  and,  broad 
as  he  was,  he  began  to  persecute  them,  as  is  clearly  shown  in  a  letter  sent  to  him 
and  jtreserved  by  Thurloe,  his  secretary,  which  pnts  some  very  troublesome  questions 
to  him.  After  saying  that  Baptists  had  '  filled '  his  '  towns,  cities,  provinces,  castles, 
navies,  tents  and  armies,'  the  writer  asks  him  M'hether,  '1.  Yi>n  had  come  to  that 
height  you  are  now  in  if  the  Anabaptists  had  been  as  much  your  enemies  as  they 
were  your  friends?  2.  ^Vhether  the  Anabaptists  were  ever  unfaithful  either  to  the 
Commonwealth,  etc.,  in  general,  or  to  your  highness  in  particular  ^  .■;.  Whether 
Anabai)tists  are  not  to  be  commended  for  their  integrity,  which  had  rather  kej)t 
good  faith  and  a  good  conscience,  although  it  may  lose  them  their  eniiiloymcnt,  than 
to  keep  their  employment  M'ith  the  loss  of  both  ? '  Then  the  writer  asks  :  '  Whether 
one  hundred  of  the  old  Anabaptists,  such  as  marched  under  your  conunand  in  164:8, 
1649,  and  1650,  etc.,  be  not  as  good  as  two  hundred  of  your  new  courtiers,  if  you 
were  in  such  a  condition  as  you  were  at  Dunbar  T  Tliis  last  allusion  is  to  tlie  ijattle 
which  Cromwell  won  near  Edinburgh,  with  ten  thousand  troops,  many  of  whom 
were  Baptists,  over  thirty  thousand  Scotch  soldiers.'  .  All  record  of  Baptists,  hovv- 
ever,  in  Scotland,  is  lost,  from  1660  to  something  beyond  1700.  Sir  William 
Sinclair,  of  Keiss,  Caithness,  was  immersed  in  England,  and  retui'ued  to  Scotland  to 
preach  there ;  he  immersed  his  candidates,  and  formed  a  Baptist  Church  upon  his 
own  estate,  but  suffered  much.'  The  Baptist  Church  at  Keiss  was  formed  about 
1750,  and  is  now  the  oldest  in  Scotland. 

The  next,  in  point  of  ao-c,  is  the  Ih'isto  Place  Church,  Edinburgh,  which  came 
into  existence   on   thiswise:    Picv.  Eobert  Carniichael,  who  had   been  pastor  of  a 


S74  Mr/.K.iy,  nniiEur  iim.ham:. 

Glassite  Clmrcli  in  (iliisirow,  ;iiul  of  a  Scots  IiulcpeiKk-iit  Cliurcli  in  I'Minbui-gii,  came 
to  reject  iiii'aiit  liaptism,  and  went  to  lx)n(lon.  wlicn-e  in-  \va^  iiinner.-ed  hy  Dr.  (iiil, 
<>cImIiit  '.itli.  I7ii.">.  'Ml  ret  urniiii;-  \n  l'Jlinliiii'i:li,  lie  liaiilized  live  inenil((;rs  of  iiis 
lurnn'i-  Clnircli,  ami  loniieil  a  lla|ili>I  ('iiui'cli,  wliicli  met  in  St.  (,'eeilia".s  Hall, 
Niildrv  Stieel.  Aix-liiliald  Mel.ean,  had  lieen  a  inend)er  (d'  (_lai'inie]iaer.s  (,'Jiiii-cli  in 
(ilasi^ow,  and  eanie  to  Mdinliiiriili.  where  he  was  alsd  l>ai)tize(i.  lie  oriranizcd  wliat 
i.--  now  the  .liihii  Sti'eel  l;a|ili>l  ('hureh  in  ( i  lasi;-(iw.  liaj)l  i/.in;^'  its  lirst  nienihers  in 
the;  Clyde,  near  (ilasi;'iiw  (ii'een.  In  almul  a  vt'ar,  J\I(d.ean  liei'anie  eolIeaa;ne  to 
Carnneliael,  wIki  removed  In  l)iiii(h'e  in  ITi''.',  when  iMcLean  was  l(dl  as  pastor 
]_)roj)er,  with  Dr.  Kuheil  Walker,  a  welidiimun  siiri^uon,  as  joint  cldei'.  AleLean 
was  ])orn  at  Ka>l  l\ilhri(h-,  I  T.l.'i.  hut  earlv  in  life  I'esidcd  in  the  Ishind  of  Mnll, 
where  lie  aei|uireil  the  (iaelie  hiiii;liai;c.  \\  seliuol  he  lieeame  a  fair  Latin  .-ehohir. 
and  afterwani  studied  ( i  reels  and  lielirew.  When  voun^^r.  I,,,  heai'd  Wliitefield 
preacli  and  was  lari;('ly  ilillneneed  tliereliy.  In  171'>.  lie  ln'canie  a  .-neeessful 
printer  at  (ila>i;-iiw.  where  he  remained  till  IT'iT,  when  lu'  remii\'ed  to  Kdin- 
lini'uli.  Wliile  pastdi'  in  Mdinliiiri;h  lie  wrnte  mii(di  ;  as,  a  work  on  Christ's 
Commission,  a  •('ommentary  on  the  Kjjistle  to  the  Hebrews,'  and  a  "  lie\dew 
of  Wai'dlaw's  .Miraliamie  ('o\cnaiit.'  His  works  were  collected  and  iniblislied 
ill  seven  volnmes,  1S(I5:  lie  dieil  1  )eeeiiilier  21st,  ISl'J,  at  the  ai;'e  of  about  eiii'hty, 
his  life  haviiii:'  been  woliderftllly  bles>ed  of  (iod.  Altlioiiiili  not  the  lirst  Scotch 
JJaptist  ill  point  of  time,  yet  liis  labors  and  writini^s  exerted  so  imieli  iiillneiice,  that 
in  this  res])ect  lie  may  be  called  their  founder. 

Koiiioirr  1 1  Ai.iiAMO  was  born  in  Loudon,  17<;4.  beiiiL;'  a  babe  there  when  (iill 
baptize(l  ('armiehael.  He  .-tudieil  at  the  lliuh  School  and  University  of  Edinbiirijh 
and  renio\ed  to  Airthrey  in  17^(1,  wliere  he  inherited  a  large  estate.  He  became  a 
i^reat  writer  and  philanthropist,  giviiii;'  s;!.")(),(i(iO  for  charitable  purposes  within 
fifteen  years,  and  dtiriiiij;  his  life  educating  three  hundred  niinisters  of  the  (Tospcl 
at  an  exjieiise  of  !5lU(),(>((0.  Amongst  these  was  Di-.  Moguc,  of  Crosport,  and  ^Ir. 
Ewing,  of  Edinburgh.  At  (ieiieva  he  lectured  to  the  students  on  the  Ejiistle  to  the 
Komaiis,  who,  with  DWtibigne,  Malan,  and  (Taussen,  were  delighted  listeners.  He 
published  his  '  E.\])ositioii  of  IJomans."  also  his  '  Evidence  and  Authority  of  Rev- 
elation,'and  his  work  on  'The  Inspiration  of  Scripture.'  He  died  in  Edinburgh 
in  fs42. 

.L\Mi:s  Alkxander  TLm.dank,  his  brother,  was  born  at  Dundee,  176S.  He 
entered  the  navy,  as  liobert  had  also.  But  early  in  life  he  became  a  devout  Chris- 
tian,  and  traveled  all  through  Scotland  and  the  Orkney  Islands,  preaching  to  great 
iiinltitiides.  In  \~W  be  was  orilained  pastor  of  an  Indejieiident  congregation  in 
Edinlnirgh,  wdiere  he  labored  for  nearly  fifty  years,  with  great  success.  His 
brother,  IJobert,  built  for  him  a  large  Tabernacle  in  1801,  and  in  1808  the  brothers 
became  Baptists.  Wilson  gives  an  interesting  account  of  their  conversion.  After 
speaking  of  their   'zeal  in  behalf  of  primitive  Christianity,'  and  of  the  erection  by 


JAMKS   M.KXANI)l-:n   IIALDASK. 


573 


tlii'iii  (ifiiKUiv  'iiu'utiiiu-lunibcs  uf  large  (liincnsums,"  lie  ri'hitc's  tliat  several  persons 
from  Scotland,  in  connection  with  tlieni,  settled  in  Li.ndon.  iSiiC,  and  formed  a 
Church  in  Cateaton  Street.  William  IJallantine,  formerly  of  the  University  of  Edin- 
buri.di,  a  man  of  i>-ood  classical  and  theological  attainments,  was  their  leader,  lie  says 
that 'the  Messrs.  Ilaldaiir,  and  rlic  societies  in  their  ennnectidn,  were  liitherto  I'edo- 
ba])ti>t.'  '  Hilt  alter  about  two 
years.  .  .  several  iJersuuSjSUspect- 
ingtliat  they  were  in  an  error  upon 
this  point,  liegan  to  study  the  con- 
troversy, were  convinced  of  their 
mistake,  and  received  Ijaptism  by 
innnersion.  This  put  the  Messrs. 
Haldanc  themelves  upon  an  e.K- 
aminatioii  of  the  subject,  and  the 
result  was  that  they  also  became 
convinced,  and  were  baptized, 
though  at  some  interval  from 
each  other.  The  report  id'  these 
changes  reaching  London,  Mr. 
Ballantine  was  necessarily  ]iut 
upon  a  more  careful  examinatiidi 
of  the  subject,  and  the  result  was 
that  he  also  renounced  his  former 
sentiments,  and  was  baptized  by 
immersion.  But  this  occasioned 
a  convulsion  in  the  society.  Mr. 
Ballantine  relinquished  his  sta- 
tion and  joined  the  Scotch  Baj)- 

tists  in  Redeross  Street.  .  .  .  Most  of  the  members  of  this  Church  gradually 
renounced  their  former  notions,  and,  we  Ixdieve,  they  are  now  (1808)  entirely 
Baptists.  But  they  allow  of  mixed  communion,  and  in  this  respect  differ  from  all 
the  other  Particular  Baptist  Churches  of  London." '" 

During  the  first  half  of  the  present  century  Uev.  Ciikist(iimii:u  Anoei^soxV  was 
the  foremost  man  among  the  Baptists  of  Scotland,  lie  was  a  native  of  Edinburgh, 
born  in  17Sl>.  He  was  converted  in  1709.  under  the  ministry  of  the  liev.  James 
llaldane,  when  he  was  still  a  Congregationali.st.  Intercourse  with  English  Baptist 
students  at  the  L^niversity  reawakened  his  interest  in  the  subject  of  baptism.  He 
had  previously  held  that  believers  only  should  be  baptized,  but,  not  agreeing  with 
the  Scotch  Baptists  in  their  views  of  the  ministry  and  cliuirh  government,  had  not 
regarded  the  matter  as  a  personal  duty.  He  was  immersed  by  one  of  the  English 
students,  and  was  promptly  excluded  from  'Mr.  Ilaldane's  Church.     A  few  years  after 


JAMtS  ALEXANDER  IIALDANE. 


576  CinnsTOl'Ill-:!!    .WDKUSO.X. 

this  .Ml'.  llaldaiK'  liiiiiseH',  imd  his  distiiigiii.sliucl  bi'utluT,  IJulit-rt.  coininitted  the  same 
offense  and  ht'cnnic  IJaptist.s.  A  visit  of  Andrc^w  KidliT  tu  Kdiid^nrti'li  awakened 
a  desire  in  Vdiiii:,''  A  iidcivnii  to  '/wv  hini.-elt'  to  the  \\iii'l<  dl'  riic  niinistrv  anmnii'st  tiie 
heathen,  and  Mr.  l''nller  eiic(ini-ai,n.-il  him.  lleenteivd  the  Cniversity  of  Edinbnrgh, 
and  sul)seijuenlly  continned  his  .-tudies  with  \\.v\ .  John  Sntclill',  of  Oiney.  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  !!a]iti>t  i\rissionary  Soeiety,  and  the  originator  of  tlie  Moiitldy  Con- 
cert of  I'rayer  tor  .Mi>sioiir?.  .Mneli  to  the  di.-a|)|i<iiiitn]enl  of  M  i-.  .\nderson,  lie 
found  that  liis  frchh'  licallh  woidil  iiol  |«'rniit  liini  to  jiw  in  India.  His  great 
ahilily  as  a  |ii'eac'hei-  hail  hecn  ahvadv  reeognizeii.  and  lie  di'clined  nuniei'ous  ealls 
fi'oni  Loudon  and  otliei'  cities,  that  lu'  irnglit  found  a  irgidar  liaptist  Cliurcli  in  liis 
native  city.  lie  hegan  ids  worlv  in  isot;,  and  in  a  few  yi'ars  ids  ('hui'ch  liad  erected 
a  spacious  liouse  of  worsliip,  wliicli  was  tliroiigi'd  willi  wor^liipers  tor  nioi'e  tluin 
thirty  ycaiv,  tlie  doors  heing  generally  liesieged  long  before  the  houi'  of  opening. 
iiev.  i)i-.  ('hecNci',  who  visited  Sc(_)tland  in  lS4(t,  gave  some  vivid  ^ketches  of  his 
character  and  discoui-scs  in  U'tters  to  the  'New  York  Observer,'  which  he  concliuled 
by.  saying:  '  Mi'.  Anderson  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  expository  preachers  I  evt'r 
hc;ir(h  His  si'i'iuoiis  are  most  simple,  affectionate,  cons'ersational,  but  ricli  with 
thought  and  Christian  feeling,  and  drop|)eil  from  the  lips  of  the  preacher  like  the 
droi)i)ings  of  a  ftUl  hoiu'y-coinb.' 

_Mi'.  Anderson  was  the  intiniate  and  coiilidcutial  i'riend  of  Andrew  l'"nllei'.  and 
the  cliiet'  liel|iel'  ill  Scotlaml  to  the  >upporl  of  ( 'arev,  ^larshman  and  A\"ai'd  in  India. 
After  Fuller's  death,  and  the  unfortunate  disagreemiMit  between  the  Serampore 
brethren  and  the  Jlissiouary  Soeiety,  he  succeeded  Fuller,  ^(•l'villg  gratuitously  as 
secretary  of  the  Sci-ampure  Mi>f.ion  until  the  reunion,  a  period  of  twenty  years.  He 
was  the  leader  in  the  Home  Mission  work  in  tlie  north  ot  Scotland  and  in  Irelantl. 
especially  in  the  wdi'k  of  giving  the  llible  in  the  original  nati\e  dialect.  Abun- 
dant as  were  his  pulpit  and  other  labors,  he  was  a  diligent  student  and  an  author  of 
great  distinction.  Ili^  work  on  'The  Domestic  Constitution  :  or.  The  Family  Cii'cle 
the  Source  of  National  Stabihty,'  hail  a  w  idi'  circulation  in  i'hirojie,  and  seN'eral 
edition^  of  it  have  appeared  in  .Vmerica.  l>ut  tiie  crowning  work  of  his  life  was 
'  The  Annals  of  the  Knglish  liible."  It  cost  him  fourteen  years  of  toil,  involving 
repeated  journeys  to  the;  Continent,  and  to  the  homes  of  Tyndale  and  Coverdale  in 
England,  in  order  that  llii'  work  might  be  trustworthy  in  the  utmost  degree.  The 
story  of  the  suffering  fathers,  who  sought  to  give  the  jieople  the  word  of  God  in 
their  mother-tongue,  is  simply  and  eloquently  told,  and  the  work  is  a  monument  of 
erudition.  Mr.  Anderson  was  one  of  the  most  popular  of  Scottish  preachers,  rank- 
ing with  "Wardlaw.  (.'halmei's.  (iuthrie  and  Candlish,  until  his  voice  became  im])aired 
by  sickness.  Ilis  Church  was  called  an  English  Baptist  Church,  to  distinguisli  it 
from  those  Churches  which  had  a  jtlurality  of  elders.  It  was  composed  entirely  of 
believers  immersed  upon  confession  of  Christ,  and  practiced  restricted  communion. 
Mr.   Anderson  tiled    in    ls5i'.     His  funeral  sermon  was  preached  by  his  friend  for 


ALEXANDER  MA  CLAUEN. 


577 


more  than  titty  years,  Dr.  Wanllaw.  of  (ilasi^ow.  Dr.  Cheever  says  of  liiiii 
Audersou's  conversatiiiii  in  jirivate  was  in  the  same  interesting  familiar,  rieli  and 
instructive  stylo  as  his  preaeliing-  in  pui)lie.  Altog-etlier  he  was  one  of  tiie  most 
heavenly  minded  and  delii;-htfnl  men  witli  wlioni  I  became  acqnainted  in  (ireat 
Britain.' 

Tlie  r>a])tists  have  never  Keen  imnierdus  in  Sculland,  linf  at  tins  time  tlii'V  num- 
ber 96  clmrches,  10,905  eonimnnii-ant-  and  sC  ])a^t(>rs.  They  llourisji  diietly  in  Edin- 
burirh,  Glasgow,  Montrose  and  Dnndee.  They  are  decidedly  Calvinistic,  are  marked 
for  the  purity  of  their  lives  and  their  great  missionary  zeal.  Their  Church  organ- 
izations are  purely  Congregational,  with  a  plurality  uf  eldci-s  in  each  ("hurch.  They 
observe  the  8u]iper  weekly,  but  have  been  somewhat  divided  as  to  whether  it  should 
be  administered  when  a  minister  is  not  ]irescnt.  In  discipline  they  are  very  strict, 
use  great  plainness  of  a]ij)are],  and  aim  lionestly  in  all  things  to  kee])  tlie  apostolic 
injunction  to  the  letter :  '  Stand 
fast  in  the  faith."  In  \iew  of  tlieii- 
warm  discussions  and  many  ilivi- 
sions  on  minor  subjects,  the  (ques- 
tion will  fairly  arise  in  inquii-ing 
nunds,  whether  or  imt  they  under- 
stand as  well  the  secret  of  keeping 
'  tlic  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
bonds  of  peace.'  Past  divisions 
have  been  the  fruitful  source  of 
their  j)resent  weakness,  but  gener- 
ally they'  have  now  adopted  a  wiser 
course  in  this  respect,  and  their 
prospects  are  much  moi'e  invitirjg 
for  the  future.  Their  minstry  has 
been  marked  by  many  men  of  rare 
ability,  notably  amongst  them  the 
late  Dr.  James  Paterson,  for  forty- 
six  years  pastor  of  the  Hope  Street 
Church,  in  Glasgow  ;  Dr.  Landels, 
late  of  London,  now  of  Edinburgh  ; 
and  Dr.  Culross,  President  of  the 
Baptist  College,  Bristol,  England. 

Alexander  Maclaren,  D.D.,  the  present  pastor  of  the  Union  Chapel,  Manclies- 
ter,  is  probably  the  most  powerful  pulpit  orator  tliat  the  Baptists  of  Scotland  have 
ever  produced.  He  was  born  in  Glasgow  in  1825,  wliere  his  father  was  long  the 
pastor  of  a  Baptist  Church.  At  fifteen  .Mexandcr  was  baptized  by  Dr.  Paterson,  and 
when  little  more  than  sixteen  he  entered  Stepney  as  a  student  for  the  ministry.  So 
38 


REV.   DR.   ALEXANDER  MACLAREN. 


678  llliiMAS    SI'K.WKl;   JlAV.Xh'S. 

tli<iruui;li  was  liis  course  tliat  at  its  close  lie  took  his  bachelor's  deirree  at  the  L(iinloii 
Uiiivei'sitv  with  the  prize  for  protieieiicy  in  the  Greek  and  Hebrew  Scri])tiires.  lie 
is  a  ijreat  and  (H'iijiiial  thinl^er,  who  Ikiws  in  tiie  utniosr  N'cnci-atinii  iiet'ui-c  the  in>|)ii'ed 
Word,  ami  bi-cathes  its  atnio^plicrc.  liis  iniauination  kindles  much  after  the  urdci' 
of  the  Jlelii'ew  |»ro])hets  ;  he  holds  his  sid)iect  with  the  ease  and  l^'rip  of  a  iz'iant ;  his 
voice  is  l!exil)le  and  full  of  sympathy  :  his  ii-esticulatioa  is  abundant  and  impressive, 
thouii'li  id'ten  uni^raccd'ul  ;  and  his  Iiive  for  Christ  melts  Ins  whole  suul.  lie  is 
nervous,  abstracted,  self-sacriticin^,  a  model  >'(  rich,  umate  transparency:  and  many 
who  are  ])ulpit  masters  themselves  I'ank  him  without  hesitation  as  the  lirst  jireachcr 
in  C4reat  Jiritaiii  after  the  intellectual  oi'der.  lie  has  tilled  i)nt  two  pastorates,  that 
of  Portland  ]'lace,  Sniithamptun.  and  his  present  diarize  in  Manchester.  The  hon- 
orary degree  of  I ).  I ).  was  CI  inferred  upon  him  by  the  I'niver.-ity  of  Kdinburt;]i,  1S7S; 
and  lately  he  declined  the  Hebrew  lectureship  at  Uegt^nt's  I'ark  Collen-e. 

Our  Scotch  brethren  are  not  wantiiii;'  in  distinguished  laymen  who  hoiU)r  their 
Churches.  Thomas  Spknceu  Bavnes,  LL.D.,  stands  notably  amongst  them.  He  is 
Professor  of  Logic  ami  Meta])hysics  in  the  I'liiversity  of  St.  Aiidi'ew's,  aiuf  the  son 
of  a  note(l  I'.aptist  minister  of  Somersetshire,  England.  He  wa>  b.irn  in  1823,  con- 
verted early  in  life,  and  became  a  student  in  liristol  College  with  a  view  to  entering 
the  ministry,  obtaining  the  AVard  Scholarship  in  the  Edinburgh  I'luversity.  This  is 
a  jirize  of  t'lOit  per  annum  for  three  years  for  liaptist  stiuleiits.  It  has  proved  of 
great  service,  Di-.  Angus,  Kev.  C.  M.  liirivll  and  others  having  obtained  this  honor. 
lie  was  connected  in  Ediidinrgh  with  Christopher  .Vnderson's  Church,  and  fre- 
(pieiitly  supplieil  the  ])ul|iit  while  his  pastor  was  preparing  his  'Annals  of  the 
English  Bible.'  AVhen  in  the  rniversity  his  extraordinary,  not  to  say  jihenomeiud. 
ability  and  scholarship  attracted  the  attention  of  tlx/  faculty,  especially  of  Professor 
John  Wilson,  otherwise  known  as  'Christopher  \orth,'  and  Sir  William  Ilamiltoii. 
He  was  elected  assistant  to  Sir  William  Hamilton,  serving  with  ])opularity  and  distinc- 
tion from  1849  to  1855.  During  this  time  he  filled  many  Ba})tist  pulpits  as  occa- 
sional and  stated  su])i>ly,  ami  was  a  most  attractive  preacher.  In  the  year  l^.M  he 
translated  the  '  Port  Koyal  Logic,'  adding  copious  notes.  This  work  was  rejiublished 
in  America  by  l^ainport  <t  Co.  In  1852  he  published  an  '  Essa}-  on  tlic  Xew 
Analytic  of  Logical  Forms,  with  Notes  and  Historical  Appendix.'  This  is  an 
exposition  of  the  system  of  Sir  William  Hamilton.  Tn  1S5T  he  was  appointed 
assistant  editor  of  the  London  '  Daily  JVews,'  in  which  j^osition  he  remained  for 
seven  years.  His  articles  on  the  American  Civil  War  attracted  great  admiration. 
During  this  time  he  was  also  Examiner  in  Logic  and  Jfental  Philosophy  in  the 
TTniversity  of  London,  and  was  constantly  engaged  in  delivering  lectures  on  his 
favorite  studies  before  colleges  and  other  pul)lic  institutions. 

Li  lS<i-l  he  was  elected  to  his  ])resent  position  in  the  University  of  St. 
Andrew's.  lie  is  a  constant  contributor  to  the  'Edinburgh  Review,'  'Eraser's 
Magazine  '  and  the  '  Saturday  Review,"  and  has  been  for  ten  years  past  the  editor  of 


WILLIAM   CARET. 


S79 


the  last  cditiiiii  of  tlie  '  Encycloppediii  IJritanuiea,'  now  in  process  of  publication. 
His  iiotidi-ary  ilegreo  of  doctor  of  laws  was  conferred  by  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh. 

The  English  i.APTisTS  were  greatly  reduced  in  numbers  by  certain  undermin- 
ing infltiences  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  but  since  then  the  current 
has  greatly  changed,  and  they  are  now  stinmlated  with  new  life.  Andrew  Fuller's 
'Gospel  "Worthy  of  ail  Acceptation'  has  had  much  to  do  in  awakening  this  zeal. 
This  treatise  was  aimed  directly  against  that  hyper-Calvinism  which  denies  all  duty 
to  God  in  the  unregenerate,  and  refuses  to  call  them  to  repentance  and  Christ. 
Fuller's  book  kept  him  in  warm  controversy  for  twenty  years,  but  moderate  Calvin- 
ism triumphed  completely,  and  was  followed  by  an  awakening  of  the  missionary 
spirit,  chiefly  under  the  labors  of  AVilliam  Carey  and  Andrew  Fuller.  The  flrst 
Baptist  movement  in  foreign  missions  was  made  at  a  meeting  of  the  Northampton 
Association  in  178-t. 

WiLLiAxt  Caijey  was  born  August  17th,  1761,  at  Paulersbury.  His  father  was 
a  weaver  (a  descendant  of  James  Carey,  curate  of  that  parish  from  1(124  to  1630), 
also  parish  clerk  and  village 
school-master,  so  that  William 
had  a  fair  common-school  educa- 
tion. At  fourteen  he  was  bound 
an  apprentice  to  a  shoe-maker, 
but  his  thirst  for  knowledge 
was  so  quenchless  that  he  habit- 
ually worked  with  a  book  before 
him.  Finding  many  Greek 
words  whi(!h  he  could  not 
understand,  in  a  Commentary, 
he  sought  help  of  Tom  Jones, 
a  weaver,  who  had  abused  a 
classical  education.  He  became 
familiar  M'ith  tlie  works  of 
Jeremy  Taylor  and  such  other 
authors  as  he  could  command  ; 
and  Thomas  Scott,  the  com- 
mentator, predicted  that  this 
'plodder'  would  prove  no  ordi- 
nary man.     "William  Manning, 

a  Dissenter,  his  shopmate,  led  him  to  Clirist,  and  at  twenty-two  lie  was  immersed  in 
the  river  New,  near  Dr.  Doddridge's  chapel,  Northampton,  by  John  TJyland,  Jr. 
The  baptism  of  a  poor  journeyman  shoe-maker  excited  little  interest,  but  Ryland 
chanced  on  a  prophetic  text  that  day  :    '  The  last  shall  be  first.'      Carey's  chief 


WILLIAM   CAREY,   D.D. 


sso  CAj;/-:ys  srrij/h:s. 


desire,  after  liis  eoiiversioii  was  to  (jiKilify  liiinself  tor  usefulness,  and  liis  remark- 
able jfift  for  aequiriui:;  lan<;iiaijes  soon  made  liim  master  of  tlie  I,;itii),  Greek. 
Hebrew,  (ieiiiian  anil  l''i-eiicli.  lie  l)ei::an  to  keep  scliool.  but  could  not  <rf vcrn  ; 
lie  said,  ''i'lic  boy.s  kept  mi',"  and  mi  lie  did  not  sucei'ed  well.  Soon  ]iv.  removed  to 
^loidton,  and,  undei'  llie  advice  of  Mr.  Sutrliff.  ajjplied  to  the  Cliui'(di  at  (JIney  for 
admission  to  the  mini.-^Ii-y.  'I'hal  liiLili  and  nnn'hty  l)ody  eondescended  to  take  liini 
into  its  memberslii]),  and.  on  heariiii;'  him  preacli,  '  Ilesolved  "  that  he  l)e  "allowed' 
ti>  ]ircach  elsewhere  in  r-mall  plaees.  and  that  'lie  should  cnijage  a^ain  on  sinlable 
oceasions  for  soini'  time  bid'ore  us,  in  ordei'  that  funher  trial  be  made  of  his  miiii.s- 
terial  tjifts.' 

A  year  after  this.  June  Idlh,  1T>'.">.  "the  ease  of  Itrotlier  ('arey  was  considered, 
and  unaidmous  satisfaction  with  his  nnidsterial  abilitit's  beini^  e.\j)ressed,  a  vote  was 
passed  to  call  him  to  the  \\\\\[\>\y\  af  a  jirapt  r  tunc.''  •  Call,"  as  here  used,  would 
mean  license  with  us.  ami  as  llu'  lirotlier  rather  _i;-rew  upon  iliem,  they  licensed  him 
to  preach  Aui;ii>t  liuh  ■  wherever  the  providence  (it  (md  might  open  his  way." 
'i'liat  way  was  opened  first  at  Aroultou.  where  he  became  pastor,  working  at  his  tra<le 
to  prevent  starvation,  the  ( 'hurcb  being  able  *  to  raise  eiinngh  to  pay  for  the  clothes 
wt)'.n-out  in  their  service."  While  teaching  school,  he  reveled  in  Couk"s  "  \'oyages 
Aromid  the  Woi'ld."  and  closely  studii'd  gi'i.igrapby.  He  made  a  globi>  of  leather,  and 
traced  the  outlines  of  the  earth  upon  it  for  his  classes.  Tln'ii  the  thought  lla^hed 
npiiu  him  that  f^ur  hmidre(|  niillidus  of  peuplc  hail  never  heard  of  Christ,  and  that 
moment,  surrounded  by  a  handful  (d'  \m1lianiptonshire  urchins,  witli  his  eye  on  that 
russet  globe,  the  great  liajitist  missionary  enter|)rise  was  born.  As  is  generally  the 
case  with  Churches  who  pay  their  ministers  next  to  nothing,  certain  cantankerous 
members  made  him  much  trouble.  The  records  of  tin  Church  .<ay  that  oih'  sister 
'neglected  0010111"- to  hear,"  and  was  e.xchuled.  Old  Madame  liritain  was  charired 
with  'excessive  passion,  tattling  and  talediearing,  by  which  the  ]ieace  of  the  Church 
was  nnicli  broken."  They  '  suspended  and  admonished  her"  to  keep  the  unruly 
member  under  better  subjection,  and  seem  at  la^-t  to  have  saved  her,  tongue  and  all. 
.John  and  Ann  Law  kept  the  '  Workhouse,"  and  were  charged  with  "cruelty  to  the 
poor,'  a  charge  found  '  too  true.'  They  were  advised  to  resign  their  ofHce,  and  were 
'suspended  till  they  do  so.' 

Oarey  removed  to  Leicester,  where  he  served  as  pastor  and  jircilecessor  to 
Robert  Hall.  There  he  determined  to  do  something  for  the  heathen  and  wrote  on 
the  subject.  His  '  Lnpiiry  into  the  Obligations  of  Christians  to  use  means  for  the 
Conversion  of  the  Heathen  '  was  published  in  1792,  but  found  few  readers  and  pro- 
duced little  effect.  To  most  of  the  Baptists  liis  views  were  visionary  and  even  wild. 
in  open  conflict  with  (iod"s  sovereignty.  At  a  meeting  of  ministers,  where  the 
senior  Ryland  ]iresided,  Carey  proposed  that  at  the  next  meeting  the}'  discuss  the 
duty  of  attempting  to  spread  the  Gospel  amongst  the  heathen.  Fuller  was  present, 
but  the  audacity  of  the  proposition  made  him  hold  his  breath,  while  Ryland,  shocked, 


CABBY'S    GREAT  SERMON.  881 

sjirang  to  his  feet  and  ordered  Carey  to  sit  dnwn,  saying:  '  Wlieii  God  jjleases  to 
convert  tlie  heathen,  he  will  do  it  withont  yonr  aid  or  mine  ! '  Nothing  daunted, 
Carey  continued  to  preach  in  Harvey  Lane,  Leicester,  to  teach  school,  work  on  the 
bench,  and  pursue  his  studies.  He  gave  Monday  to  languages,  Tuesday  to  science 
and  history,  Wednesday  to  lecturing,  Thurschiy  to  visiting,  Friday  and  Saturday  to 
prejiaratinn  for  the  pul])it,  and  i.m  Sunday  lu',  preaclied  tliree  times.  At  tliis  period 
Dr.  ^Vi'uold  gave  him  the  use  of  his  superior  library.  Wliat  Kyland  called  the  '  An- 
tinomian  Devil'  made  such  havoc  of  his  Church,  however,  that  lie  was  obliged  to 
dissolve  it  and  form  a  new  one  of  betti'r  materials.  Soon  he  was  cheered  on  finding 
that  Fuller,  Sutclilf,  Pearee  and  young  Kyland  held  his  views  on  foreign  missions, 
although  Stennett  and  I'.cioth  stood  aloof.  At  the  October  meeting  of  ministers, 
1791,  Sutcliif  preached  on  being  '  V'ery  jealous  for  the  Lord  of  Hosts,'  and  F"'uller 
on  the  'Pernicious  Intiuences  of  Delay,'  when  the  meeting  resolved  that  'something 
should  be  done.' 

Tlie  Association  met  at  Nottingliani,  May  31st,  1702,  wlicn  Carey  preached  his 
great  sermon  from  Isa.  liv,  2,  3  ;  representing  the  Church  as  a  poor  widow  living  in 
a  cottage  by  herself.  The  voice,  '  Thy  Maker  is  thy  Husband,'  told  her  to  look  for 
an  increase  of  family  ;  therefore,  she  nuist  enlarge  her  tent,  and  '  expect  great  things 
from  God,  and  attempt  great  things  for  (to(1.'  This  appeal  settled  the  (|uestiou. 
The  Churches  were  seized  with  a  sense  of  criminal  neglect ;  but  even  then  they  were 
about  to  adjourn  without  doing  any  thing  but  weep,  when  Carey  seizing  Fuller's  hand, 
demanded  that  the  first  step  be  taken  on  the  spot.  His  heart  was  l)reaking,  and  liis 
sobs  compelled  the  assembly  to  stop.  It  was  resolved,  '  That  a  [ilan  be  prepared 
against  the  ne.xt  ministers'  meeting  at  Kettering,  for  the  establishment  of  a  society 
for  propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  heathen.'  Such  a  meeting  was  held  October 
2d,  1702,  and  at  its  close  twelve  men  met  in  the  parlor  of  Mrs.  Wallis,  a  widow,  and 
formed  the  first  Baptist  Missionary  Society.  Andrew  Fuller  was  made  Secretary, 
Eeynold  Hogg,  Treasurer;  with  Kyland,  SutclifE,  Carey  and  afterward  Pearee,  as 
the  Committee  of  management.  They  then  made  a  subscription  out  of  their  pemiry 
of  £13  2*.  Qd.  Pearee  preached  on  the  subject  at  home,  and  soon  sent '  the  surprising 
sum  of  £70  to  the  Society.' 

In  April,  1793,  Carey  and  Thomas  started  for  India,  despite  the  opposition  of 
the  East  India  Company,  the  indifference  of  their  own  brethren,  and  the  disdain  of 
the  public ;  and  did  such  missionary  work  there  as  has  not  been  known  since  the 
Apostolic  Age. 

For  years,  however,  it  was  doubtful  whether  the  mission  would  not  result  in 
disastrous  failure.  The  Anglo-Indian  government  would  not  allow  it  to  be  estab- 
lished in  their  territory,  and  the  missionaries  found  shelter  in  Serampore,  under  the 
Danish  governor.  Here  Carey  printed  the  New  Testament  in  JJengali,  the  first 
translation  into  a  heathen  tongue  in  modern  times.  Dr.  'riidinas,  Carey's  fellow- 
laborer,  had    given    surgical    attention    to    Krishna  Pal,  and   in   December,   ISOO, 


882  CAIiET'S    LITERARY  LABORS. 

Dr.  Cari'V  iiiiiuursed  this  luitivf,  tdircthci-  with  liis  own  son,  Felix,  in  tlie  GaTi<res,  in 
tlic  prc'SfHcf  of  a  great  muititudu;  soon  after  a  second  son  was  i)aj)tized.  This 
faithful  Hindu  is  the  only  converted  heathen  who  has  added  an  inspiring  hymn  to 
the  songs  of  Christeudom.     He  wrote  the  lines  beginning  with  : 

O  thou,  my  soul,  forget  no  more.' 

In  his  conversion  we  have  the  lirst-fruits  of  the  great  Indian  harvest  which  has  fol- 
lowed. Since  then,  Christianity  has  wrought  wonders  in  India,  in  the  abolition  of 
superstitious  rites,  the  decline  of  caste  and  the  elevation  of  morals. 

Carey  did  not  long  engage  in  the  active  work  of  an  evangelist.  His  support 
was  light,  he  nnist  nuister  the  Eastern  languages,  and  for  a  time  he  earned  his  daily 
bread  in  an  indigo  factory.  But  when  the  Manpiis  of  Wellesley  founded  a  college 
at  Fort  Wilh'ani,  in  iSdl,  he  found  no  man  in  India  so  fitted  to  till  the  chair  of 
Oriental  languages  as  this  despised  missionary,  who  had  been  ilriven  for  refuge  under 
an  alien  flag.  He  offered  the  post  to  Carey,  it  was  accepted,  and  he  became  the 
leader  of  his  age  in  Oriental  literature  and  philosophy.  He  prepared  grammars  and 
lexicons  in  the  Mahratta,  Sanskrit,  Punjabi,  Telinga,  Bengali  and  Bhotanta  dialects. 
Wellesley  pronounced  his  Sanskrit  Gi-ammar  'the  source  and  root  of  the  ])rincipal 
dialects  throughout  India.'  He  translated  no  fewer  than  twenty-four  different  ver- 
sions of  the  Scriptures,  with  little  aid  from  others,  into  the  tongues  spoken  by  one 
third  of  our  race.  This  was  practically  new  work,  the  execution  of  which  has  en- 
abled the  Max  Midlers  of  our  day  to  add  completeness  to  first  attempts,  by  ripe 
scholarship.  A  child  learns  now  what  only  the  intellect  of  a  Kepler  and  a  Xewton 
discovered.  Well  did  AV^ilberforce  say  of  (^arey  :  '  A  sublimer  thought  cannot  be 
conceived  than  when  a  poor  cobbler  formed  the  resolution  to  give  to  the  millions  of 
Hindus  the  Bible  in  their  own  language.' 

While  Carey  was  quietly  doing  his  work  in  India.  Great  Britain  was  kept  in  a 
ferment  by  war  on  the  mission,  which  drew  many  of  its  ablest  pens  into  the  conflict, 
not  oidy  in  the  Reviews,  but  by  the  pamphlet  and  newspaper  press.  The  '  Fdinburgh 
lleview' constantly  ridiculed  the  mission,  denouncing  the  missionaries  as  '  fools,' 
'madmen,'  'tinkers 'and  '  cobblers  ; '  and  many  public  men  sided  with  that  periodical. 
But  the  '  Quarterly  '  came  to  their  defense,  through  noble  men  not  Baptists,  not  the 
least  amongst  them  being  Dr.  Adam  Clark.  In  addition  to  much  that  the  'Quar- 
terly '  said  was  this :  '  Only  fourteen  years  have  elapsed  since  Thomas  and  Carey  set 
foot  in  India,  and  in  that  time  have  these  missionaries  accpiired  this  gift  of  tongues. 
In  fourteen  years  these  "  low-born  and  low-bred  mechanics  "  have  done  more  toward 
spreading  the  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  among  the  heathen  than  has  been  accom- 
plished, or  even  attempted,  by  all  the  worhl  besides.'  Carey  had  constant  struggles 
to  maintain  his  health,  but  he  had  great  consolation  in  his  family,  for  his  three  sons 
were  all  converted  and  consecrated  to  the  missionary  work  by  baptism  and  the 
'laying  on  of  his  own  hands.'     But  he  was  opi>ressed  by  sad  trouble  in  England,  in 


MARSHMAK  AXD   WARD.  883 

what  is  now  known  as  the 'Serampore  Controversy.'  Wliik'  in  tlic  employ  of  the 
British  iidvernnient  he  had  received  about  £80,000,  all  of  which  he  had  devoted, 
beyond  a  bai'e  subsistence,  to  the  establishment  of  churches,  schools  and  the  support 
of  his  fellow  missionaries.  This  was  no  shield,  however,  against  the  most  fiery  and 
and  sliamcful  attacks  of  some  of  his  own  brethren  in  England  upon  liiui  and  his 
wc^irk.  In  1825  they  rabidly  accused  the  '  Serampore  College '  of  possessing  im- 
mense wealth,  of  extravagant  living  and  the  assuni[)tion  of  unwarranted  power. 
For  a  time,  excitement  and  abuse  ran  wild,  and  men  in  high  position  condescended 
to  disgrace  themselves  in  these  unfounded  assaults.  The  result  was  that  the  College 
stood  aloof  from  the  Society  from  1827  to  1837,  during  which  time  Carey  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus  ;  for  he  died  June  9th,  1834,  the  greatest  missionary  since  the  Apostle  Paul. 
His  dust  reposes  in  the  mission  grounds  which  his  own  toil  had  secured  for  Christ, 
and  his  missionary  work  never  stood  more  firmly  than  to-day. 

Carey's  two  colleagues  were  to  him  what  Luke  and  Bai'nabas  were  to  Paul. 
Joshua  Makshman  received  a  common  village  education  in  Wiltshire,  and  was  bred  a 
weaver.  By  devotion  to  hard  study  he  so  improved  his  education  that  in  179-1  he 
took  charge  of  a  scliool  for  the  Broadmead  Baptist  Church  at  Bristol.  Shortly 
afterward  he  M'as  converted  and  baptized  into  that  Church,  and  determined  to 
become  a  missionary.  He  sailed  for  India  in  1799,  where  he  studied  the  Bengali 
and  Sanskrit  with  such  energy  that  his  Oriental  attainments  were  second  only  to 
those  of  Carey.  For  fifteen  years  he  toiled  over  the  first  translation  of  the  Bible 
into  Chinese,  and  published  it  at  the  Serampore  press.  He  also  jniblished  a  Chinese 
grammar  and  a  translation  of  C^onfucius,  and  was  joint  editor  with  Carey  of  his  San- 
skrit grammar  and  Bengali  dictionary.  He  was  a  lovel}'  s})irit,  and  was  drawn  to 
that  other  Israelite  in  whom  was  no  guile,  Henry  Martyu  ;  they  often  walked  arm 
and  arm  together  on  the  banks  of  the  Hooghly,  like  brothers,  longing  to  bless  all 
about  them.  In  1811  Brown  University  conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity,  and  in  1837  he  followed  Carey  to  his  rest. 

WiLLiAsi  AVard  was  Carey's  second  colleague.  He  was  born  at  Derby,  in  1769, 
and  became  a  printer.  "While  still  a  young  man  he  rose  to  be  editor  of  the  'Daily 
Mercury,'  and  subse<pU'ntly  of  other  papers  in  Stafford  and  Hull.  At  the  latter 
place  he  was  baptized,  and  soon  began  to  study  for  the  ministry ;  but  when  the 
Missionary  Society  needed  a  printer,  he  went  to  Serampore,  took  a  press  with  him, 
and  printed  Carey's  Bengali  New  Testament.  He  was  a  scholar  of  no  mean  attain- 
ments, and  his  l)ook  on  the  life  of  the  Hindus,  pul)lished  in  1811.  was  long  the 
standard  work  on  that  subject.  In  1819  he  visited  England  and  the  United  States, 
and  returned  to  his  field  in  1821.  carrying  with  him  !?10,000  which  he  had  collected 
for  the  education  of  the  native  ministry  in  the  Serampore  College.  Soon  his  health 
broke,  and  he  died  in  1823. 

Anokkw  Fn.r.Kii  was.  however,  the  most  important  coadjutor  of  Carey.  They 
had   an   umlerstandinir  from   the   tirst,  that  while  Carey  "went  down   into  the  well, 


584 


ANDPiKW   FVIJ.Kn. 


Fuller  should  hold  the  ru]ie;"  and  lie  held  it  lii-nilv  with  ;i  a:iant"s  grip,  for  lie 
reiiiaini'd  tlie  seeretarv  of  the  Society  to  tlie  day  of  iii.s  death.  Fuller  was  horn 
ill    1754- ;    ami    while    wiinei^sing  a  liaptisni    in    177",    was    so  deeply    moved    that 

he  ln'eame  a  Cliristian,  Iw- 
iiii;-  baptized  at  Soham  into  the 
Clnireh  of  whieli  lie  l)ccame 
pastor  in  177.").  lie  removed 
to  Ketterini^  in  17Mi.  and  be- 
came an  eloquent,  original  and 
successful  ]ireaclier,  while  in 
thcolou'V  he  was  one  of  the 
lights  and  leadei-s  of  the  world. 
He  loved  to  see  tlie  C'liundies 
shake  olf  the  shackles  of  hyper- 
( 'alviiiism,  for  he  said,  in  his 
^trollg  language,  that '  had  mat- 
ters gone  ou  but  a  few  years  the 
iiaptists  woidd  Ikp.c  become  a 
perfect  dunghill  in  society.' 
In  1785  he  piiblislieil  his  great 
essay  on  the  '  (iosptd  Worthy  of 
all  Acceptation,"  wliich  divided 
tlie  stagnant  waters,  as  would  a 
blow  from  the  rod  of  Moses.  Immediately  he  was  attacked  on  every  side,  and  he 
followed  ill  vigorous  cKd'ense,  as  a  pi'ofound  thinker  and  a  I'cady  debater.  His  '  Cal- 
vinistic  and  Sociniaii  Systems  Examined  and  Coin])ared,'  and  the  '  (iospel  its  own 
Witness,'  did  much  to  liring  about  a  reform,  although  the  contest  was  severe  indeed. 
His  extraordinary  power  in  t'ontro\ersy  and  exj)osition  ])rcsented  the  truth  in  a  new 
light.  The  most  complicated  questions  opened  themselves  to  his  massive  under- 
standing, and  not  only  seeing  them  clearly  himself,  he  possessed  the  ptnver  to  make 
others  see  them.  He  had  an  unbiased  judgment,  an  unconquerable  resolution,  a 
regal  conscience,  and  a  heart  as  tender  as  love  could  make  any  heart.  Withal,  he 
had  a  powerful  body,  great  courage  and  rare  sagacity.  He  put  a  new  phase  upon 
Calvinism,  whicli  has  not  only  molded  his  own  denomination,  but  has  .spread  its 
leaven  through  all  other  Calvinistic  bodies.  Pi'inceton  and  Yale  both  lionored  him 
with  the  doctorate,  which,  however  he,  declined. 

Carey  appears  to  have  first  seen  Fuller  at  an  associational  meeting  at  OIney, 
dune,  17S2,  where  lie  heard  '  a  round-heailed,  rustic-looking  '  young  minister  preach 
'<)n  being  men  in  Understanding,' and  lieai-d  him  read  a  circular  letter  on  '  The 
grace  of  Ilope.'  Carey  had  fasted  all  that  day,  'because  he  had  not  ajienny  to  buy 
his  dinner,'  but,  though  hungry,  he  seems  to  have  relished  Fuller's  words  mightily. 


A.MiUKW    111. I, Kit. 


7/7.9  IMytORTAL    WOIIK.  885 

Tlit'ir  intimacy  began  at  a  ministers'  meeting  in  XortiiamiUnn  wiien  Carey  was  ini- 
exjiectedly  called  to  preach.  As  lie  left  the  pulpit  Fuller  grasped  his  hand,  and  the 
two  men,  in  understanding  and  in  hope,  became  one  for  lift'.  We  have  also  an 
account  of  a  visit  which  Fuller  made  to  Carey's  work-simp,  where  he  saw  a  rude 
map  of  several  sheets  of  paper  pasted  together,  uii  which  tlii'  lines  of  the  nations 
were  traced,  hung  upon  the  wall.  This  Carey  studied  while  he  plied  the  hanniiei-, 
the  lap-stone  and  the  awl.  .Vl'ter  they  had  entered  the  mission  work  together, 
Fuller  traversed  Great  Britain  again  and  again  as  the  champion  of  missions,  and 
did  more  to  keep  the  Churches  alive  to  the  subject  than  any  half-dozen  men  in  his 
times.  Vo\-  more  than  twenty  years  his  holy  integi-ity  guided  the  Society  thi'uugli 
all  its  straits,  including  a  tierce  struggle  with  Parliament  to  keep  India  open  to  the 
Gospel,  the  chief  bond  tliat  has  held  it  to  the  scejiter  of  its  'emjji'ess'  to  this  day. 
Before  he  died  (1815)  he  saw  over  seven  bundred  natives  baptized,  ten  thousand 
heathen  children  educated  in  the  schools,  and  ti'anslatious  t>f  thi'  liilile  proceeding  in 
twenty-seven  languages,  and  he  wrote  lo  Carey:  'The  spark  which  (iod  stirred  you 
up  to  strike  has  kindled  a  great  lire!"  The  late  Dr.  "\V.  R.  "Williams  expresses 
his  conception  of  Fuller's  nnght  by  denominating  liiiu  a  'Sliamgai','  'entering  the 
battle-tield  with  hut  an  o\-goad,  against  the  nuuled  eiTorists  of  his  island.'  .  .  .  'The 
man  who  encountered  liini  in  argument  generally  bore  the  marks  of  a  bludgeon 
from  the  enci^mnter.'  I'endergast,  a  member  of  Parliament,  and  a  great  duelist, 
demanded  of  Wilberforce  who  this  Fuller  was.  He  seemed  to  have  stirred  that 
body  to  its  center  in  behalf  of  Indian  missions,  and  this  member  wonld  challenge 
him  to  a  duel.  '  Wilberforce  smilingly  assured  him  that  he  knew  Fuller,  but  that 
lie  was  not  a  man  wdio  would  be  moved  to  such  a  conference.'  His  missionary  cor- 
respondence was  extraordinary  for  its  amount  and  character,  and  Legh  Eichmond 
said  of  his  public  papers  that  they  seemed  to  him  '  like  s]iecimens  fi'om  the  midst 
of  heaven  l)y  the  angel  in  his  tlight,  with  the  Gospel  in  his  hand."  lie  pleaded  for 
missions  as  long  as  he  could  hold  a  pen,  having  written  twelve  hours  a  day  as  a 
common  thing.  On  May  7th,  181.J,  he  declared  his  woi-k  ended,  and  entered  into 
the  presence  of  his  Loi'd  at  the  age  of  sixty-one. 

The  establishment  of  missions  in  India  involved  the  translation  of  the 
Scriptures  in  the  native  tongues,  and  naturally  this  suggested  the  nei'd  of  a  societv 
for  Bible  circulation.  In  1804,  the  Uritish  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  was  formed  ; 
Joseph  Hughes,  a  Baptist  minister,  bore  a  prominent  part  in  that  work.  He  was 
appointed  one  of  its  secretaries,  and  became,  as  it  has  been  expressed,  '  the  hands 
and  feet,  as  he  had  been  the  bead  of  tlie  institution.'  Its  Constitution  provided 
that  its  'sole  object  shall  be  to  encourage  a  wider  circulation  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures  without  note  or  comment.'  Baptists  were  large  contributors  to  its 
treasury,  in  some  cases,  being  specially  urged  to  co-operate  with  the  Society,  instead 
of  sending  their  money  directly  to  India  for  the  printing  of  the  Scriptures;  and 
the  missionaries  cordially  accepted   invitations    of   co-operation    also.      In   1809  a 


886  BIBLE    TRAysLATION  I.\   IM)I.\. 

gi'iint  of  £1,000  was  made  Ibi-  the  printing  of  Carey '.s  J'engali  New  Testament. 
From  the  beginning  I'ajjtist  missionaries  were  faitliful  to  the  prineiple  of  transhit- 
ing  into  the  heatlien  languages,  everv  word  (jI  \\\v  New  Testament  (ireek,  for 
wiiich  tliev  eonld  lind  cipiisalents.  Common  iionesty  reqiiii-ed  tliis,  to  say  nothing 
of  responsibility  to  God,  and  they  made  no  concealment  of  their  action,  but  widely 
avowed  it  in  their  official  and  printed  letters.  l'\>r  many  years  the  Bible  Society 
fonnd  no  I'anlt  with  this  rnle  of  translation,  bnt  made  nnmerous  grants  for  the 
prinliiig  ol'  these  vei'sions.  In  them,  tlie  (Jreek  word  luijit'i-o  was  rendered  Ijv  a 
native  woi'd  wliieh  signified  to  immerse,  because  it  could  not  in  lidelity  ijc  translated 
otherwise,  lint  in  ls:',5  the  I'edobaptists  in  the  (Society  allected  a  r-nddeii  discovery 
that  the  word  Jxtpt'izo  was  translated  by  a  word  .signifying  to  immerse,  and  began  a 
hot  conti'oversy  at  once  on  the  subject.  Tluy  accused  the  Baptists  of  obtaining 
money  under  false  jnvtenses,  and  of  concealing  the  true  character  of  the  versions 
which  the  Society  had  been  openly  circulating  through  India  for  twenty-six  years! 
By  this  time  the  final  revision  of  the  Bengali  Bible,  by  Di's.  Yates  and  Pearce,  was 
ready  for  the  press,  but  tlu'  Society  refused  to  make  any  grant  foi-  its  circulation, 
unless  the  missionaries  would  either  transfer  the  Greek  word,  hnjif !::<),  as  it  is 
transferred  in  the  common  English  version,  or  render  it  by  some  word  that  did  not 
mean  to  immerse.  That  is  to  say,  they  demanded  that  it  should  be  rendered  '  by 
such  terms  as  may  be  considered  unobjectionable  l)y  other  denominations  composing 
the  Bible  Society.'  These  reipiircmeiits  made  the  Knglish  vei-sion  the  standard  by 
which  translations  should  be  made  from  the  (ireek,  instead  of  faithfulness  to  the 
(iroek  sense;  and  it  made  the  wishes  of  ■denomination.-'  th(>  test  of  translations, 
instead  of  fidelity  to  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spii'it  who  insiiii-e(l  the  liible. 

Of  course,  this  left  the  missionaries  no  choice  of  duty  to  (iod  in  the  matter 
as  translators.  They  must  either  leave  the  word  untranslated,  or  mistranslate  it, 
against  their  scholarship  and  conscience.  The  latter  could  uot  be  thought  of  in  any 
case,  and  the  foianei-  would  have  been  cowardly  and  traitorous  to  the  inspiring 
Spirit.  The  ti'anslation  which  they  did  make  was  the  only  one  that  they  could 
make  in  the  Bengali  dialect.  Tt  had  alr(>ady  been  c<immend(Ml  by  the  Home 
Society,  its  scholarly  accuracy  had  been  a]>prov(>d  by  the  Calcutta  Auxiliary  Society  ; 
and  up  to  this  time  the  Pedobaptist  missionaries  had  followed  the  same  rule  of 
fidelity  and  used  similar  words  in  the  Persian  and  Hindustani  versions.  The 
Baptists  said,  therefore:  'If  it  is  now  proposed  to  set  aside  the  original  ]>rincij)les  of 
the  Society,  and  all  its  former  work  on  the  mission  field,  in  order  to  gratify  tlie 
denominational  feelings  of  some  in  tlie  Society,  we  will  not  listen  to  the  proposition 
to  sanction  sectarian  versions.  The  (xreek  original  is  not  sectarian,  and  to  give  any 
version  a  different  sense  from  that  original,  for  the  gratification  of '•  denominations," 
is,  to  make  a  tran.slation  for  sectarian  ends,  a  thing  that  we  cannot  consent  to  do.' 
lieasonings,  memorials  and  protests  were  made  to  the  Society,  but  all  to  no  effect. 
Accordingly,    in   ordei-  that   the  translators  might    di>    their  woi-k    faithfully    and 


BAPTIST  mSTORIAXS. 


887 


preserve  their  liouor  and  self-respect,  the  iSible  Traushitiun  Society  was  fornied, 
March  24th,  1840.  It  lias  been  in  vigorous  operation  ever  siiice,  having  printed  and 
distributed  4,095,000  copies  of  the  Sca-ipturcs,  at  a  cost  of  !5l,O0O,000.  It  is  gratify- 
ing that  the  best  scholarship  has  ever  justified  these  translations,  and  at  the  79th 
Anniversary  of  the  British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society,  Archbishop  Benson  took 
occasion  'to  thank  the  committee  very  much  for  having  put  the  woi'd  immerse  in 
the  margin  of  the  translations.  I  must  say  that  I  think  they  were  justitied  in  this 
step ;  and  I  do  not  doubt  that  this  conciliation,  based  upon  the  real  root-meaning 
of  the  word,  will  have  its  effect.'  The  '  translations'  to  which  the  archbishop  refers 
are  the  Indian  versions  under  the  patronage  of  the  above  Society. 

The  (ieneral  Baptists,  who  had  not  co-operated  as  a,  liody  with  the  Baptist  Mis- 
sionary Society  formed  in  1792,  formed  one  of  their  own  in  181  (?,  its  chief  field  being 
Orissa,  India,  amongst  a  population  of  9,000,000,  principally  w-orshipers  of  Jugger- 
naut. This  Society  has  done  a  blessed  work.  It  maintains  sixteen  missionaries,  twenty- 
two  native  preachers,  and  has  nearly  two  thousand  native  converts  in  its  churches. 

Activity  in  foreign  missions  naturally  stimulated  the  Baptists  to  home  mission 
work,  and  an  Irish  Mission  Soci- 
ety was  formed  in  1814,  and  in 
1816  another  for  Scotland.  Con- 
siderable Iiome  work  has  been 
done  through  these  Societies,  but 
a  much  larger  amount  through 
the  Associations.  Our  English 
brethren  have  produced  sev- 
eral able  historians :  as  Cros- 
by, Orchard,  Mann,  Eobin- 
son,  Evans,  Stokes,  Jones  and 
Ivimey.  Not  having  room  to 
speak  of  them  all,  a  word  may 
be  said  of  Joskph  Ivimey,  by  no 
means  the  least  in  the  list.  He 
was  born  in  llanij)shire  in  177?. 
and  became  pastor  of  the  Eagle 
Street  Church,  London,  in  180.5. 
As  a  defender  of  the  truth  he 
was  fearless,  and  won  many  souls 
to    Christ,   amongst   whom    was 

the  late  Dr.  John  Dowling,  of  New  York.  Tie  baptized  both  his  mother  and  father, 
the  last  at  the  age  of  seventy.  His  'Life  of  JMilton.'  and  'History  of  the  English 
Baptists'  (four  volumes),  are  very  valuable  works.  His  name  is  fragrant  in  all  the 
English  Churches.     He  died  in  1830. 


688  TllK  BAI'TIST    CNloy. 

Tlie  .strongest  bond  of  oneness  umcjngst  tlie  Ijuptists  of  Great  Britain  and  Ire- 
land has  huen  tlie  liaptist  Unicjn.  Tliis  Ijody  was  originally  iuniied  in  1813,  liut  its 
present  Const  it  ulion  was  adopted  in  1SS2.  'i'lie  I'ullowing  is  its  declaration  of 
|irineij)les : 

'III  this  Union  it  is  fully  recognized  that  every  separate  ("hiircli  has  liberty  to 
interpret  and  administer  the  laws  of  Christ,  and  that  the  innnei-sion  of  believers  is 
till'  only  Christian  baptism.'  It  is  practically  a  home  mis.<ioiiary  society,  and  most 
of  the  Churches  and  Associations  are  afiiliatcd  with  it ;  but  its  scope  of  operations 
includes  also  an  Annuity  Fund  for  ministers,  an  Augmentation  Fund  (to  increase 
the  income  of  ill-paid  pastors),  and  an  Education  Society.  The  last  Ue))ort  of  the 
Union  shows  that  there  are  in  Fngland,  l,i»y.S  churcl'ies,  'i.SlT  chapels  229,;^11 
comiuiinieants.     Sunday-stdiool  .scholars,  o.Sii.T::!!!,  and  ]iast(.ii's,  l.ll<i. 

Minisli'rial  education  has  been  earnestly  fostered  liy  our  iiriiish  brethren. 
During  the  lirst  eenturv  id'  theii-  liis[oi'\-,  the  greater  pail  of  their  leadinir  nnnistei's 
had  been  educated  for  tlu^  pul[)ils  cd'  the  I'lpiscojjal  Cliureli,  and  were  graduates  of 
I'niversities.  Others,  like'  (iill  :ind  Cai-ey,  self-taught,  were  the  peers  of  the  l)est 
scholars  ot  their  tinio.  The  necessity  lor  some  plan  of  systematic  training  of 
nunisters  was  eai'ly  feit.  and  nearly  two  hundred  years  ago  the  academy  at  l>i-istol 
was  founded,  but  in  ITTi*  the  i'Mucation  Society  was  foi-med  in  :iiil  of  that  academy. 
Nnmeivius  ndnisttsrs  had  been  ti'ainetl  here  Ijefoi'e,  but  llii'ii  ihe  work  took  on  the 
character  of  permanence  and  a  wider  scope  cif  study.  The  institution  still  exists 
under  the  nanuj  of  Uristol  College,  iiesides  this,  Rawdou  College  was  established 
in  Yorkshire  in  lStt4,  which  slill  Hourishes.  In  JSIi)  the  famous  school  at 
Stt'pney  was  established,  but  in  \s7,i\  jt  was  remo\ed,  and  is  now  known  as  the 
iiegent's  I'ai'k  College,  London.  Tbe  Strict  Ea])tists  have  a  jiromising  college  at 
.Manclu-slei-,  which  was  founded  in  lMi(i,  and  is  now  undei'  tlu'  presidency  of  Kev. 
Edward  I'arker.  Besides  these,  there  are  the  institutions  of  Haverfordwest,  Llair 
gollen  and  I'ontypool,  tlie  College  in  Scotland  and  that  founded  by  Mr.  Spurgeon. 
Without  the  last  named,  there  are  about  two  hundi-e(|  and  lifty  students  for  the 
ministry  in  these  vari(Mis  sediools.  In  view  of  these  and  many  similar  facts.  I)|-. 
Chalmers  felt  called  ii])on  to  say  of  the  English  Baptists  :  •  That  they  have  enriclied 
the  Christian  literature  of  our  country  with  author.shi])  of  the  most  exalted  piety,  as 
well  as  the  iir.st  talent  and  the  first  eloquence.  .  .  .  That,  perhaps,  there  is  not  a 
more  intellectual  community  of  ministers  in  our  island,  oi-  who  have  put  forth  to 
their  number  a  greater  amount  of  mental  power  and  mental  activity  in  the  defense 
ami  illustration  of  our  coininon  faith.' 

( )ur  English  brethren  have  ]iroduced  many  notable  educators,  but  none  more 
eminent  than  Di;.  An(;is,  the  principid  of  IJegent's  Park  College,  London.  lie 
was  born  at  liolam  in  Isli!;  entered  King's  College,  London;  but  went  to  Edin- 
l)urgli,  and  in  iSiJT  took  his  Master's  Degree  there,  after  competing  successfully 
for  the  lirst  prize  in  mathematics,  logic  and  belles-lettres;  besides  taking  the 
gold    medal    in    moral    and   political    philosophy.     At   the  close  of   his  course  he 


Dll.   J  OS  i:  I'll  ANGUS. 


589 


gaineil  the  students'  prize,  open  tu  tlic  wliole  University,  on  tlie  influence  of  the 
writings  of  Lord  Bacon.  He  began  to  preach  early,  and  hefiire  he  was  twenty-one 
became  pastor  of  the  Churcli  so  loni;  presided  over  by  Dr.  (iill  and  Dr.  TJippon. 
In  1838  Dr.  Chahncrs  delivered 
a  course  of  lectures  in  •  Defense 
of  Cliurch  Establishments.'  A 
prize  of  one  hundred  guineas  was 
offered  for  an  answer.  Dr.  Angus 
rt'plicd  \o  his  renowned  tutor  in 
divinity,  and  the  examiners,  Drs. 
Eaiiles.  J.  Pye  Smith  and  Mr. 
William  Tooke,  unanimously 
awarded  him  the  prize.  For  near- 
ly ten  years,  1840-i9,  he  was  Sec- 
retary of  the  Baptist  Missionary 
Society  ;  during  which  time  there 
was  a  large  increase  in  its  funds. 
In  1847  he  visited  the  West  In- 
dian Stations,  to  complete  the  in- 
dependence of  the  Churches  there. 
In  1839  he  became  Principal  oi 

the  College  at  Stepney,  now  llegenfs  Park,  which  has  become  a  powerful  in- 
stitution under  his  management.  Within  the  last  twenty  years  a  fund  of  £12,000 
has  been  raised  as  a  fund  for  the  support  of  students,  besides  a  sum  of  £30,000  for 
supporting  professorships  of  Biblical  Literature  at  the  college.  A  Lecturcshi])  has 
also  been  founded  to  bear  his  name.  He  is  a  finished  and  prolific  autiior.  His 
series  of  'Hand-Books  on  the  Bii)le,' the  '  English  Tongue,'  'English  Literature,' 
etc.,  are  most  valuable  productions,  being  widely  known  and  used,  as  are  his  many 
other  works.  He  was  a  member  for  nearly  ten  years  of  the  London  School  Board, 
and  for  an  ecpial  term  he  was  an  examiner  in  the  University  of  London.  He  also 
served  as  one  of  the  late  revisers  of  the  New  Testament,  made  for  the  Convocation 
of  Canterbury.  Few  men  are  moi-e  accomplished  or  exert  greater  influence  amongst 
the  literati  of  Great  Britain. 

John  Foster,  the  great  essayist,  was  au  honor  to  the  English  Baptists.  He  was 
l)orn  at  Halifax  in  1770  ;  at  seventeen  he  became  a  pupil  at  Bristol  College,  having 
been  baptized  by  Dr.  Fawcett,  and  was  pastor  first  at  Newcastle.  His  sanctity  and 
originality  in  the  pulpit  were  very  marked,  as  his  '  Broadmead  Discourses '  show, 
yet  he  was  never  a  preacher  of  note,  being  singularly  subdued,  and  peculiarly 
eccentric  in  his  delivery,  and  so,  seldom  preached  to  more  than  a  handful  of  people. 
The  late  Rev.  AVilliaui  Jay,  of  Bath,  who  knew  him  well,  thus  speaks  of  him  :  'In 
preaching,  his  delivery  all  through  was  in  a  low  and  equable  voice,  with  a  kintl  of 


5UO 


.i(iii.\  Fosr/-:/;. 


siii'lv  liiiie.  iiiuJ  a  fi'djiicnl  i-c])ctit  ion  (if  a  wiird  at  tli('  lu'ijiiniiiig  ul'  u  .sentence.  He 
had  a  little  liei'ceness  occasionally  in  his  eye  ;  otlierwise  liis  face  was  set,  and  liis  arms 
[)ci'l'ectly  iniitiuiilos.  lie  despised  all  ut'-sticiilation,  anil  also  all  attempts  to  render 
any  ihinj^'  eniphatical  in  annonncenient  ;  looking'  I'oi-  the  effect  in  the  Ijare  sentinu.'nt 
itself,  nnhelped  li\-  any  tiling'  in  the  deli\t'i-y.  which  lie  jjrofessed  to  des])ise.'"  He 
writes  thns  of  himself  to  Mr.  ll<ir.sfall  :  •  I  have  in\  oliintarily  caniilit  a  hahit  of  looking 
too  mnch  oil  the  ri^'lit  side  of  the  nicetini;-.  "Tis  on  acconni  of  about  half  a  dozen 
sensililc  lVilow>  who  ^it  toiiC'thi'i'  tlici-e.     1  cannot  keep  my.sell'  from  looking  at  them. 

I  sometimes  almost  forget  that  1 
have  any  other  auditors.  They 
have  so  many  signilicant  looks,  pay 
such  jiarticnlar  and  niinnte  atten- 
tion, and  so  instantaneously  catch 
any  thing  curious,  that  they  liecome 
a  kind  of  miri'oi'  in  which  the 
preacher  may  see  himself.  Some- 
times, whether  yon  will  lielieve  it 
or  nut,  I  say  humorous  things. 
Soiiu'  of  these  men  perceive  it  and 
smile.  I,  observing,  am  almost  be- 
trayed into  a  smile  mvM'lf.'  lie 
was  jiastoralso  in  J)ublin,  C'liiclies 
ter,  Dowend  ami  Fi'ome.  J  lis  won- 
derful essays  on  character,  i-oinance, 
taste  and  ])opnlar  ignorance,  rank 
him  amongst  the  first  literary  men 
of  England.  His  thought  is  pro. 
found,  his  eloquence  massive  and 
his  style  very  lucid.  He  died 
October  l.-)th.  184:;. 

A  race  of  singidarly  iiiHiu'iitial  laymen  have  been  raised  in  the  Ilritish  Baptist 
("hurches,  amongst  whom  may  be  mentioned  Wm.  1^.  (riirney,  for  his  great  mis- 
sionary enterpi-ise;  Sir  Samuel  Moifon  Teto,  for  his  rai'e  jiiety  and  benevolence; 
Sir  Robert  Lush,  late  Lord-Justice  of  the  High  (,V)urt  of  A])peals,  for  his  simi>lieity 
of  heart  and  his  professional  eminence  ;  and  Ma.tor-Genekal  H.welock,  for  liis 
skillful  patriotism  and  consecration  to  Christ.  His  name  has  become  so  liistoric 
in  connection  with  the  late  Sepoy  rjebellion.  that  a  fuller  notice  of  him  is  de- 
sirable. 

Tliis  Christian  hero  was  born  April  Stli,  1795,  at  Bishop-Wearnionth.  His 
father  was  wealthy,  and  his  mother  was  a  very  devout  Christian,  who  daily  gath- 
ered her  seven  children  about  her  for  prayer  and  the  study  of  the  Scriptures.     He 


HEV.  JOII.V    FOSTER. 


Sri!   IIE.MIY   IIAVJCLOCK. 


591 


was  educated  at  the  Cliarter-liouse,  and  read  law  under  Cliitty,  at  the  Middle  Tem- 
ple. In  1815  he  entered  the  army,  and  eight  years  afterward  was  sent  to  India. 
On  the  sea  he  consecrated  himself  to  Christ,  became  a  lowly  follower  of  the  Lamb, 
and  at  once  made  his  Christianity  felt  upon  all  around  him  by  preaching  the  Gospel 
to  his  fellow  soldiers.  He  served  with  great  distinction  in  llui'iiia  :iii(l  Afghanistan 
from  1824  to  1851,  when  he  became  adjutant-general  of  the  queen's  troops  in  India. 
He  had  been  immers(,'d  on  liis  trust  in  Christ  at  Scrampore  in  1830,  and  had 
married  a  daughter  of  Dr.  ]\hirshnian,  the  great  missionary  there.  His  custom  was 
to  spend  two  hours  alone  with 
God  every  morning,  whether  in 
camp  or  campaign,  and,  as  often 
as  he  could  find  time,  to  read  and 
expound  the  Scriptures  to  his 
men.  Ilis  biographer  gives  a 
touching  account  of  an  oiiicer 
hearing  hymns  floating  around  a 
heathen  pagoda,  and  on  entorinu', 
finding  Havelock.  with  about  a 
hundred  soldiers,  reading  the 
Scriptures  to  them  by  the  light 
of  the  dim  lamps  burning  before 
the  idols.  ISTo  wonder  that  the 
troops  of  this  splendid  Christian 
soldier  were  renowned  for  their 
prudence  and  bravery,  even  to 
daring,  or  that  their  invincibility 
was  ascribed  to  tiie  fact  that  they 
were  '  Havelock's  Saints.'  The 
general  spent  1856-57  in  Persia, 

but  immediately,  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Sepoy  Hebellion,  hastened  to  tlie  front. 
and  gained  many  brilliant  victories  over  Nana-Sahib,  at  Cawnpore,  Lucknow  and 
other  places,  subduing  50,000  drilled  troops  witli  2,500  men.  Parliament  created 
him  a  major-general  and  a  baronet,  and  gave  him  a  pension  of  £1,000  a  year.  This 
thoughtful  and  pure  servant  of  God  died  in  India,  Novemlier  22d.  1859,  saying  to 
Sir  James  Outram  :  'For  more  than  forty  years  I  have  .so  ruled  my  life  that  when 
death  came  I  might  face  it  without  fear.  I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid;  to  die  is 
gain.  I  die  happy  and  contented.'  Then  calling  his  eldest  son  to  his  side,  he  lov- 
ingly said  to  him  :  '  Come,  my  son,  and  see  how  a  Christian  can  die ! ' 

Hugh  Stowell  Bkown  stood  prominent  amongst  the  most  able  and  useful 
pastors  of  England.  His  father  was  a  clergyman  of  the  English  Church,  and  Hugh 
was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Man,  August  10th,  1823.     The   following  interesting  state- 


/ 


SIR   HENRY  HAVELOCK. 


502 


Jiiiui  si'owiiLi.  iinows. 


ineiit  is  taken  from  'Mm  of  tlic  Tiiiu':'  he  \v:is  '  iiciilicw  of  tlic  ]Jcv.  llii<;,l> 
Stowt'll.  of  ftr:inclicstiT.  lie  was  (■diicatcil  partly  at  lioiiie  ami  ]iartl_v  at  the  Douglas 
(irammar  ScIkkjI,  until   lie  I'eaelieil  the  ai;'e  uf  iifteeii,  wlieii  he  eame  to  Kiiirlaud  to 


learn  land-survexini;-. 


Alter  s|n'n(linL;-  alimit  two  years  in  mastering  the  dnuiu'ery  am] 

details  of  that  business,  his 
\iews  underwent  a  change, 
and  he  rej)aired  to  Wolverton 
foi'  the  purjxtse  of  learning 
tlie  profe.-sidii  (jf  an  engineer. 
This  oecujKition  he  followed 
until  lu'  became  of  age,  and 
he  dro\-e  a  locomotive  engine 
on  tlie  Lmidon  an<l  North- 
western Railway  for  >ix 
months.  It  was  his  ciistcnn, 
after  his  day's  work  at  \Wi\- 
\crt(in  was  doiir.  to  spend 
four  nr  ii\c  hmirs  in  reading 
and  in  meditating  on  what 
he  had  read  ;  and  his  first 
Classical  exercises  were  writ- 
ten wirii  a  piece  of  chalk 
iiit-ide  the  tire-box  of  a  loco- 
motive engine.  Kesolving  to 
become  a  clergyman  of  the 
Church  of  England,  he  en- 
tered as  a  student  at  King's 
College,  in  his  natixe  ti)wn  of  Duuglas,  and  studied  there  for  three  years.  Doubts, 
however,  came  o\cr  his  mind  respecting  the  truth  of  the  ihictriiU's  in  the  Liturgy 
and  Occasional  Sei-\-ices  and  Catechism  of  the  Cliurch  of  Kni;land.  These  doubts 
ultimatidy  producsnl  in  his  mind  the  conviction  that  the  l.)a])tisinal  doctrines  of  the 
Establishment  were  at  variance  with  Holy  Scripture,  and  he  accordingly  Iieeanie  a 
menibm-  of  the  ISaptist  denomiiiati<in.  Having  acted  for  a  short  time  as  a  city 
missionary  in  Liverpool,  he  was  a)>])ointed  minister  of  Myrtle  Street  Chapel,'  as 
assistant  to  Hev.  James  Lister.  In  ISi-iS  he  became  sole  pastor,  following  this 
venerable  man,  who  had  served  the  Church  above  forty  years.  ]\Ir.  r>rown's  min- 
istry in  the  same  congregation  lasted  for  nearly  the  same  period,  and  was  woiider- 
fully  successful.  No  man  in  Liverjiool  possessed  tlie  confidence  and  affection  of 
that  great  city  more  fully  than  he,  and  no  man  has  done  more  to  lionor  and  bless  it  in 
all  its  forms  of  religious  and  benevolent  life.  Ilis  Cliurch  wielded  a  wide  influence, 
and  had  grown  under  his  pastoral  labors  from  about  three  hundred  communicants 


HKV.   iniill    ST(l\i  r.i.L.    iiuwWiV. 


ROBERT  II ALL. 


S93 


to  almost  a  thousuiul,  besidi's  planting  several  branch  churche.s  and  many  Sunday- 
schools.  As  a  preacher,  Mi-.  Brown  was  strong,  full  of  freslmess  and  force  and 
evangelical  to  the  core.  Tie  was  a  stui'dv  Uaptist,  lovalile,  h(i>pitable,  generous  to 
a  fault,  and  without  a  tittle  of  cant  in  his  natniv.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
broader  or  truer  man  on  earth,  in  all  that  makes  true  Christian  manliness,  than 
Hugh  Stowell  Brown,  lie  died  very  smhh'nly  at  his  home,  February  24-th,  188fi, 
in  the  fullness  of  his  strength.  In  pci'Min  he  was  large,  very  genial  in  his  manner, 
racy  as  a  conversationalist,  true  as  a  friend  and  elo(|uent  as  a  preacher.  His 
brethren  loved  to  honor  him,  and  in  1878  elected  him  President  of  the  Baptist 
L  inun.  His  '  Lectures  for  the  People,'  which  open  all  the  elements  of  his  character 
and  genius,  have  reached  a  circulation  nf  more  tluni  forty  thousand,  and  it  is  in  con. 
templation  to  erect  a  mimument  to  his  memory  in  the  city  whicli  he  so  largely  blessed. 
KoBERT  Hall,  not  the  greatest  scholar,  theologian,  or  leader  of  the  Baptists, 
stands  probably  at  the  Lead  of  the  British  jiulpit  as  a  rhetorician  and  orator.  His 
father  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
Church  at  Arn>by,  \\c:ax  Leices- 
ter, where  Robert  was  born  in 
1764,  being  the  youngest  in  a 
family  of  fourteen.  From  his 
birth  to  his  death  he  was  feeble 
in  body,  sensitive  and  nervctus  : 
at  the  age  of  two  years  he  coidd 
neither  talk  nor  walk,  and  near 
the  close  of  his  life  he  said  tliat 
be  remembered  few  hours  wlun 
he  had  not  been  in  pain  amount- 
ing to  agony.  But  so  precocious 
was  lie  mentally  that  his  nurse 
taught  him  the  alphabet  from 
the  tombstones  of  a  neigliboring 
church-yard  before  he  could  talk 
plainly.  As  a  boy,  he  displayed 
a  passion   for  book^.  and  at  the 

age  of  ten  is  said  to  have  read  j^^.^,  ,^y^^,,^^  ^^^^ 

'Edwards    on    the    AVill'    ami 

'  Butler's  Analogy,'  with  a  clear  comprehension  of  their  contents.  At  fifteen 
lie  entered  Bristol  College,  where  he  made  rapid  progress  and  remained  for 
three  years.  While  there  he  made  several  attempts  at  oratory,  with  perfect  and 
humiliating  failure.  In  1781  he  entered  the  LTni versify  of  Aberdeen,  where  he 
remained  for  four  years.  Sir  James  Mackintosh  was  a  fellow-student,  but  Hall 
outstripped  all   his  fellows  in  the  classics,  philosophy   and   mathematics.     He  took 


594  ///>    DOCrniNKS   AM)    KIJKjlHXrR. 

lii.-  Ma.-lers   T)cj;'rc('    in   1 7^."),  :iiiil  >]iriit    tlircc  vcars  ms  chii-sic:!!    tiitnr  at    r>ri>ti)l,  as 
woU  as  assistant  to  l)i'.  Calcl)  l']\an;-.  pastur  nf  I'lrnailnicad  ('liajicl. 

Flis  (>](Hjiiciii'c  won  liiiii  t'airic,  and  the  loading'  niinils  in  tiiat  citv  \vci-u  drawn 
ar<jnnd  liiiii  in  c-rowds.  luit  lii>  uri  lindnxy  soon  fell  into  (jui'stion  and  not  witlmut 
ri;ast)n.  Consciously  or  unconsciou.~ly  lu'  was  atl'ci'tcd  all  his  life  hy  iSocinian  |irin- 
ciples,  not  <iid\'  on  the  Trinity  and  the  personality  of  tiio  Sj)irit,  hut  on  correlated 
doctrines.  His  adnnration  of  SocinuN  was  eiitluisiastic,  as  is  seen  on  various  points, 
and  on  none  mon;  clearly  than  in  his  no\cl  views  on  baptism  and  conuniinion,  their 
relations  to  each  other  and  to  Ap(.)stolic  Chi'i^tianity.  lie  not  only  rejected  the 
federal  headship  of  A<laiii,  liut  he  held  the  ^elni-nlaterialistic  view  that  '  jMan\s  think- 
inn'  powi'rs  and  faculties  are  tiie  result  of  a,  certain  oi'n'ani/.ation  of  matter,  and  that 
after  death  he  ceases  to  he  conscious  till  the  resurrection."  in  171H)  he  hecame 
pastor  at  Cand^ridge,  successor  to  the  distinnMiished  Uohert  Kohinson.  wheiv  he 
remained  lifleiMi  vt'ars.  There;  he  stiia-ed  men  of  the  hii:'liest  mental  |iowers  and 
culture,  and  under  the  shadow  of  the  I'niversity,  with  the  reputation  of  •  i'l-ince  of 
the  I'ulpit,'  he  was  stiauilated  to  his  highest  efforts.  In  IT'.'?,  he  i»uhlished  liis  great 
'Apology  for  the  Freedom  of  the  l'*ress,'  which  moved  the  whole  counti-y.  ]''artial 
insanity  overtook  him,  with  entire  hodily  prostration,  and  he  was  com]Mdled  to  roigti 
Ids  charge  in  ISLXi,  not,  however,  before  he  had  j)ublished  his  '  IModern  Iiilidelity' 
(1801)  and  his  'Sentiments  Proper  to  the  Present  Crisis  (lS(i;')),  productions  which, 
for  their  eloqtience,  cari'ied  his  fame  througli  the  realm. 

liecovering,  from  ISni;  to  ls|<l  lie  was  pastor  at  I,eice.-tei-.  Here  he  pid)lished 
his  'Terms  of  Communion"  in  ISl."),  l)ut  in  1S19  aeeej)ted  the  })astorate  of  Broad- 
mead  at  Bristol,  where  he  remained  till  his  death,  in  fS.'U  :  when  a  post-mortem 
examination  showed  that  his  aggravated  disease  had  made  the  last  twenty  years  one 
slow  martyrdom.  His  moral  character  and  private  life  were  delightfully  attractive, 
but  he  was  fond  of  controversy,  in  which  he  was  extremely  pertinacious  and  much 
given  to  the  use  of  polished  hut  keen  satire.  God  had  endowed  him  with  all  the 
native  qualities  of  a  great  ])ulpit  orator,  and  he  had  faithfully  cultivated  these  as 
gifts  from  (xod.  Though  his  health  was  so  uncertain  he  had  a  powerful  frame, 
wduch  gave  him  that  imposing  jiresence  whicdi  prepares  the  auditor  to  attach 
meaning  to  every  word  and  action  of  a  true  orator.  His  voice  was  not  renuirkable 
for  Volume,  hut  it  was  titted  by  sweetness  and  flexibility  to  express  every  emotion. 
His  style  in  spoken  discourse  was  easy  and  graceful,  every  thought  being  clothed  in 
its  appropriate  language,  and,  as  is  natural,  was  without  that  smell  of  the  lamj)  which 
marks  his  published  woi-ks.  His  attempt  there  to  be  always  labored  and  digniticd 
often  falls  into  the  pompous,  stilted  and  artiflcial.  His  private  conversation  is  said 
to  have  been  adorned  by  brilliant  wit  and  other  forms  of  relief,  but  he  never  allows 
one  stroke  of  this  to  appear  in  his  writings;  yet,  inadequately  as  they  represent  his 
genius,  they  are  full  of  splendid  rhetoric  and  thrilling  eloquence. 

His  bias  toward  what  is  known  as  jdnlosophical  Sociniaiusm   was  less  appai'ent 


h 


Ills    \li:\\'s    OF   OIIDIXAXCES.  595 

ill  his  later  lik\  and  lir  (■veil  driiifcl  that  it  ivxisteil.  with  some  show  uf  reasijii, 
especially  on  the  atoiieincnt.  iiiii  in  his  view  of  the  constitutioii  of  a  Christian 
Chnrch  he  is  one  witli  8oeiniis  thi'ou^h  and  tliroUi;-li,  in  that  he  coiifounds  Church 
organization  with  personid  Christian  lifc^,  and  sinks  the  first  in  the  last  for  all 
practical  jDurposes.  Soeinns,  an  Italian,  horn  15:?y,  went  into  Poland,  and  in  1580 
published  his  treatise  on  the  (piestion.  '  Whether  it  is  lawful  for  a  Christian  to  be 
without  water  bajitisni  T  Tie  wrote  other  works  on  this  and  kindred  subjects, 
making  two  Latin  folio  volumes  of  over  800  pages  each;  and  this  woi'k  occupies 
30  pages,  beginning  at  page  7<I8,  vol.  i.  He  adopted  a  new  jjosition  on  the  terms 
of  communion,  not  only  in  opposition  to  all  Christendom  as  it  tlien  existed, 
and  had  existed  in  all  (.'hristian  history,  but  as  it  exists  still  ;  namely,  I'hat  baptism 
is  not  a  term  of  Church  fellowship,  and,  therefore,  that  those  who  wish  to  enter  the 
Church  and  share  its  privileges  may  do  so  in  'perfect  union'  without  bajitism  at  all. 
Socinus  did  not,  with  the  Friends,  reject  both  the  ordinances,  but  held  that  the 
Supper  is  binding  on  the  Christian,  while  baptism  is  not.  This  not  oidy  places  the 
Supper  in  a  false  position,  by  making  it  of  more  consequence  than  baptism,  but  it 
forces  him  to  deny  that  baptism  is  an  appointment  of  CJhrist.  Mr.  IJall  did  not 
agree  with  him  in  denying  that  baptism  is  a  New  Testament  institution,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  he  held  that  it  is,  and  that  it  is  only  properly  administered  to  a  believer 
by  his  immei'sion  ;  but  they  were  entirely  one  in  teaching  that  baptism  was  not 
essential  to  the  reception  of  the  Sui)per  ;  therefore,  that  Clinrches  should  admit  to 
the  Lord's  table  those  who  are  not  baptized,  and  whom  they  know  to  be  unbaptized. 
Any  person  who  carefully  compares  Socinus  and  Hall,  page  by  page  and  propo- 
sition by  proposition,  will  be  struck  by  the  step-to-step  movement  wduch  leads  them 
to  the  same  conclusion,  and  in  numy  cases  with  an  almost  exact  form  of  expressing 
the  sentiment,  as  well  as  with  the  oneness  of  the  sentiment  itself.  They  both  deny 
that  baptism  is  necessary  to  full  membership  in  the  Church,  and  to  participation  in 
its  discipline  and  government;  they  teach  that  there  are  essential  and  non-essential 
truths  in  Christianity,  and  that  baptism,  per  se,  ranks  with  the  non-essential ;  they 
both  maintain  that  Paul,  the  apostle,  required  Churches  to  tolerate  the  neglect  of 
baptism,  as  an  exercise  of  Christian  liberty;  they  both  deny  that  an  external  act, 
such  as  baptism,  is  to  be  exacted  of  a  Christian  in  order  to  membership  in  the 
Church  and  a  place  at  the  Supper,  for  that  true  Christianity  is  governed  only  by 
the  internal  and  spiritual,  as  if  the  Supper  had  no  external  character;  they  both 
claim  that  love  and  liberality  demand  the  reception  at  the  Table  of  the  baptized 
and  unbaptized  alike ;  and  they  both  insist  on  sincerity  as  the  chief  qualification 
for  the  Supper,  in  keeping  with  the  altered  'genius'  of  Christianity  and  'the 
age.'  Hall's  position — in  so  far  as  they  differ  on  the  enforcement  of  baptism  as 
an  apostolic  injunction — is  more  dangei'ous  than  the  assumption  of  Socinus,  that  the 
Scriptures  do  not  enjoin  it  at  all ;  because  it  leaves  the  individual  Ciiristian  as  the 
supreme  judge  in  the  nuitter,  as   against  the  voice  of   the   New  Testament.     It    is 


B96 


CIIMII.KS   U.    siTltdKON. 


tin's  wliicli  iiKiki's  liis  iici\cl  |i(;^;ti()ii  so  uiiti':icc;il]lc  ami  yet  hnpniliiiir.  TIo  tells  ns 
tliat  • ///'  hthr'  111'  Scripture  i'c(|iiircs  men  In  lie  l):i)iti/eil.  anil  lie  ludils  that  all  who 
ai'c  lint  ininier.-eil  are  imt  lia]iti/eil,  ami  yet.  thai  it  is  disjileasiiii;' tu  (iud  and  imchari- 
talile  tn  reijiiii-e  tlielll  til  oliey  ( 'liri>t  In'tlie  letlei'."  lie  ilenie>  that  hautisni  is 
noeessiu'v  to  salvatidn.  hut  ini|ilie>  that  the  Sii|i|iei-  is:  and  it  is  a  matter  for  grati- 
tude that  no  holly  of  Christians  has  yet  adojited  his  yi-uund,  either  in  theory  or 
jiraeliee.  e\ee]it iiii;'  those  wlio  folliiw  him  in  the  Eiiijlish  IJaptist  Clilirches. 

('iiai;li,s  IIaiihon'  Si'iiioi;iix,  whose  name  is  a  househnld  wmd  the  world  over, 
is  the  most  reiiiarkahle  minister  of  Christ  imw  lix'inii-,  takini;-  all  thiiiijs  into  the 
account,  lie  was  Imrn  at  Kel\  ednii.  Msmw.  .1  iine  I'.Hli.  ls;;i.  I  lis  father  and  grand- 
father u'ere  (.'oni;-re<ratiiinal  jias- 
toi's,  and  his  mother  was  an  un- 
coiiiiiiunly  earnest  Christian, 
who  took  ii'ivat  ]iains  to  form 
the  eharactei-  and  seek  the  sal- 
vation of  herchildreii.  ( 'liarles's 
aunt,  wlioiii  he  named  'Mother 
Ann.'  lined  him  tenderly  and 
fosteri'd  him  as  her  own  eliild. 
Early  he  had  a  passion  for  hooks 
,iiid  ]iietures.  and  at  tin'  ai;e  of 
six  deliifhted  in  Jiiinvan.  The 
f';  likenessof  liisliop  lioimer.  whom 
I  he  called  'Old  ISnnner.'  stii-red 
his  dislike  h(H-aiise  of  his  cruel- 
ty ;  and  as  a  child  he  manifested 
ureat  self-])ossession.  decision, 
stroiiu'  passions  and  will.  His 
edncation  was  limited,  lieing 
coidined  ehiefly  to  a  jirivato 
academy  at  Colchester,  kept  hy 
.\lr.  J^eejini;',  a  r>a|itist.  and  to  a  year  in  an  ai;ricultiiral  school  at  Maidstone.  His 
parents  ])ressi'il  him  to  entei'  Cainl)ridi;-e,  hut  he  refused,  on  the  conviction  that  duty 
called  him  to  active  life.  At  tifteen  he  hecame  deeply  interi'sted  in  his  salvation, 
and  was  converted  on  hearing  a  sei'inon  jireached  from  Isa.  xlv:  22,  by  an  unlettered 
Primitive  iletliodist  local  jireacher,  in  a  little  eountry  chapel,  lie  then  hecaine 
deeply  interested  in  Bible  liaptism,  and  laid  the  matter  before  liis  father.  Becom- 
ing convinced  that  it  was  his  duty  to  h(>  immersed  on  a  confession  of  Christ,  he 
walked  from  2yew  Market  to  Isleham,  seven  miles,  on  May  3tli,  1850,  where  Rev.  Mr. 
Cantlow  buried  him  with  Christ  in  baptism.  His  mother  moiirned  his  loss  to  the 
Independents,  and  told    him   that  she  had  prayed  earnestly  for  his  conversion,  but 


REV.    C.    H.    SPUlUiEON. 


HIS   TOIL   AND  SUCCESS.  897 

not  tliat  lie  slioiilil  l»e  a  IJaptibt.      lie  replied  :   •  ^\'ell,  dear  inutlier,  you  know  that 
tlie  Lurd  is  so  good,  that  lie  always  gives  us  more  than  we  eau  ask  or  think.' 

At  this  time,  lie  was  a  tutor  in  Mr.  Leeding"s  sclioul  at  New  Market,  wliicii 
school  was  removed  to  Cambridge,  and  young  Spurgeon  accompanied  it  there,  be- 
coming a  mendjer  of  the  Baptist  Church  in  St.  Andrew's  Street,  where  IJobert  Hall 
had  so  long  been  pastor.  That  Chureh  had  a  '  Lay  Preachers'  Association,'  for  the 
supply  of  thirteen  neighboring  villages  with  preaching.  Of  this  he  became  a  mem- 
ber, preaching  his  first  sermon  in  a  cottage  at  Teversham.  From  the  first  crowds 
flocked  to  hear  the  '  Boy  Preacher,'  and  at  eighteen  he  became  jiastor  of  the  Baptist 
Clnn-ch  at  Waterbeach,  a  village  of  about  IfiW  people.  Ilis  fame  soon  reached 
London,  and  he  was  invited  to  preach  at  the  N"ew  Park  Street  Chapel  in  1853, 
where,  by  a  unanimous  call,  he  became  successor  to  Gill,  Rippon  and  other  worthies. 
Ilis  success  was  inunediate  and  wonderful ;  without  parallel  he  sprang  to  the  highest 
rank,  but  not  without  the  severest  trials.  lie  possessed  some  youthful  eccentricities, 
which  to  the  eyes  of  many  staid  folk  savored  of  boldness  and  self-conceit.  <  )n  tliis 
plea,  every  sort  of  indecent  attack  was  made  upon  him  ;  he  was  denounced  as  a 
'young  clown,'  •  mountebank,'  etc.,  w-ithout  stint;  and  the  writer  well  remembers 
the  time,  when  but  two  or  three  ministers  in  London  treated  him  with  connnon 
respect,  to  say  nothing  of  Christian  courtesy.  l!ut  God  was  with  him,  and  that 
was  enough  ;  liis  ministry  has  simply  been  a  marvel,  all  the  solemn  nobodies  not- 
M'ithstunding.  Ilis  talent  for  organization  and  administration  is  very  large;  his 
heart  is  all  tenderness  for  destitute  children,  hence  his  oi'phanages  ;  is  all  sympatiiy 
for  poor  young  ministers,  hence  his  college  ;  and  his  head  is  a  miracle  amongst  heads 
for  conunon  sense,  hence  his  magnetic  influence.  Without  starch,  self-conceit  or 
sanctimonious  clap-trap,  he  acts  on  living  conviction.  As  a  preacher,  he  deals  only 
in  what  Christ  and  his  a]iostles  thought  worthy  of  their  attention;  tells  what  he 
knows  about  God  and  man,  sin  and  holiness,  time  and  eternity,  in  pure  ringing 
Saxon  ;  uses  voice  enough  to  make  people  hear,  speaks  out  like  a  man  to  men, 
lodging  his  words  in  their  ears  and  hearts,  instead  of  making  his  own  throat  or  nose 
their  living  sepulcher.  lie  fills  his  mind  with  old  Gospel  truth,  and  his  memory 
with  old  Puritanic  thought,  calls  the  fertility  of  his  imagination  into  nse,  believes  in 
Jesus  Christ  with  all  the  power  of  his  being,  loves  the  souls  of  nuiu  with  all  his 
heart  and  acts  accordingly.  He  carries  the  least  amount  of  religion  possible  in  the 
whites  of  Ilis  eyes,  but  a  living  well  of  it  in  the  depth  of  his  soul ;  and  the  real  won- 
der is  not  that  God  has  put  such  honor  upon  him,  for  if  his  life  had  been  veiy  dif. 
ferent  from  what  it  has  been,  even  j)artial  failure  in  the  hands  of  such  a  man  of  (iod 
Would  have   been   a   new  and  unsolvalile  mystery  in  the  reign  of  a  faithful  Clii'i>t. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

BRITISH    BAPTISTS.^THE    WELSH     BAPTISTS. 

TlIK  works  111'  Welsh  Ijaixls  fi»nii  tlu;  l)cst  aiiiKils  (if  Wales  down  to  tlie  four- 
leeiitli  eelitlU'v.  luit  as  tliey  trace  lui  line  ol'  •  liereties,"  it  is  ditticult  to  tell 
what  isolated  liylits  >hoiie  there  lhi'oiii;li  the  Dark  .\i;'es.  N(_)whei'e  in  Kuro])e  was 
the  niiii-al  iiii^ht  ihirktT  than  in  Wales  in  those  aji'es.  The  iii'norance  and  depravity 
of  the  Welsh  eleriiT  were  shoekinj;'.  Even  as  late  as  1560  Alevriek,  I'ishop  of 
Ijanii'or,  said  that  in  all  his  diocese  there  were  bnt  two  clerirynien  who  preached. 
At  that  lime  the  (deri;y  were  allowed  to  niai'i'y,  lint  liy  Jiayini;-  a  pension  they  conld 
keep  concnliines,  and  a  lari^i'  nninliei'  of  his  cleri;'_y  ke|it  them.  Strype.  in  his  "  Life 
of  Archbishop  Parker,'  says  that  in  I.")*;,"!  two  ^Vl■lsll  llishops  were  to  he  appoiiitt'd 
for  the  sees  of  JJangor  and  Llandalf.  The  ipieen  left  the  archhishop  to  name  the 
men  foi'  these  vacancies,  hut  he  found  it  dithcnlt  to  secure  honest  clei'ii'yinen  to  h'll 
them,  and  he  was  eaiau'stly  jM'essed  to  appoint  a  man  to  I!ani;-oi'  who  opeidy  kept 
three  coueuhini's.  The  primate  fimiul  it  necessary  to  commission  Di'.  Vale  to  vi.--it 
that  hishiipric  liefore  lie  ventured  to  appoint  any  one.  Besides,  there  was  no  iiihle 
there  and  the  llefoiination  itself  se^areely  afYected  Wales  for  nearly  a  century.  For 
thirty  years  after  Elizaheth  had  estahlished  i'rotestaiitism  hy  law  there  was  no  Rihle 
in  the  AVelsh  tongue.  Portions  of  the  8cri[)tures  wei'e  translated  into  niainiseript 
before  the  Kefornuition,  but  some  of  them  were  lost.  Taliesin,  a  bard  of  note  in 
the  si.xtli  century,  fjave  a  paraphi-ase  in  verse  of  a  few  passnires.  and  it  is  said  that 
there  was  a  manusci'ipt  translation  of  the  (iospels  in  the  library  of  St.  .V.-aplTs 
Cathedral.  In  the  lattei'  jiart  of  the  thirteenth  ct'Utnry  it  was  already  looked  upon 
as  old,  and  the  .Vrehbishoi)  of  Canterbury  alhjwed  the  priests  to  cxliibit  it  as  a 
sacred  thing.  L5ishop  Goldwell,  of  St.  Asaph,  was  deprived  of  his  see  on  the 
accession  of  Elizabet.li,  l)ecause  he  refuseil  to  liecome  a  i'rotestant  and  went  to 
lionic,  taking  the  manuscript  with  him.  He  di(^d  there,  and  jiossibly  it  is  in  the 
Vatican  to-day.  Dafydd  Ddu,  another  bard,  wrote  a  poetical  paraphrase  in  the 
fourteenth  century  on  a  part  of  the  Psalms,  the  song  of  Zaeharias,  the  angel's 
greeting  to  Mary  and  the  song  o{  Simeon,  found  in  Luke's  Gospel.  Some  other 
fragments  of  Scripture  were  given  by  othei-s.  Put  Dr.  Llewelyn  .say.s,  in  liis 
'History  of  Welsh  W>rsions,'  that  'for  upward  of  seventy  years  from  the  set- 
tlement of  the  Keformation  by  Queen  Elizabeth,  for  near  one  Imndi-cd  years 
from  Britain's  separation  from  the  Church  of  Pome,  there  were  no  Bibles  in 
Wales,  but  only   in   the  cathedrals  or   in    the   parish   churches  and   ehapels.'     The 


THE   CULDEES  AND   BARDS.  899 

first  Welsh  Xew  Testament,  inadc!  cliietly  hy  Sak'slmi-y,  \v;is  printed  in  I-oiulon 
iu  1507,  and  dedicated  to  Elizahetli.  It  was  pul)lislied  at  tiie  expense  of  Iluni- 
plirey  Toy.  Tlie  wiiole  Bil)l{',  translated  Ky  William  ]\[oi'iran,  was  tii'st  printed  in 
Welsh  in  15SS. 

IJavis,  Hishup  of  MoniiKuirli.  find.s  a  wide  ditferenee  between  the  (Christianity 
of  the  ancient  Britons  and  that  of  Austin  in  59H.  The  first  fuilnwed  the  word  of 
God,  the  othei-  was  niixt'd  with  human  tradition.  Dr.  Fulk  di.'ni('d  that  Austin  was 
the  apostle  of  England,  and  charges  him  with  ccirrujiting  the  true  Christiatnty 
which  he  found  in  iiritain,  iiy  Uojiiish  admixture.  Fabian,  himself  a  Catholic, 
shows  that  he  imposed  sundry  things  upon  the  Britons,  which  were  refused  as  con- 
trary to  the  doctrine  that  they  had  at  first  received.'  Bede  says  that  the  Culdees 
followed  the  Bible  oidy  and  opposed  tlie  superstitions  of  Borne.  Culdee,  from 
Culdu,  is  a  compound  \\'(lsh  word,  cul,  thin,  du.  black;  and  means  a  thin,  dark 
man,  as  their  mountaineers,  wlm  were  noted  for  their  godliness.  The  nmuks  got 
possession  of  the  Culdee  colleges  by  degrees,  and  continued  to  preach  without  form- 
ing churches.  Some  claim  that  the  Welsh  Baptists  sprang  from  this  sturdy  stock ; 
for  individuals  are  found  in  Glamorgan,  the  Black  Mountains,  Hereford  and  Brecon 
Counties,  who  walked  apart  from  Rome  before  tlie  Keformation.  Stephens,  the 
late  antiquarian  of  Merthyr,  thought  that  the  bards  of  the  Chavi  of  Glamorgan 
kept  up  a  secret  intercourse  with  the  Albigenses.  This  is  probable,  as  some  of 
them  were  conversant  with  the  Italian  poets. 

'  Holy  Rhys,'  famous  in  139(»,  was  learned,  and  his  wife  was  of  the  'new  faith' 
(Lollard),  for  his  son,  leuan.  was  expelled  from  Margam  Monastery  for  holding 
their  opinions,  or  '  on  account  of  his  mother's  religion.'  Plis  grandson  also  was 
imprisoned  by  Sir  Matthew  Cradoe  for  being  of  the  'new  faith.'  Another  bard 
and  '  prophet,'  Thomas  Llewelyn,  was,  according  to  an  <^ild  numuscriiit,  the  first 
preacher  to  a  congregation  of  dissenters  in  Wales,  or,  rather,  he  had  three  congre- 
gations. -  Sion  Kent,  otherwise  Dr.  John  Gwent,  a  poet-priest  of  about  that  time, 
wrote  a  satirical  poem,  called  '  An  Ode  to  Another  Book,'  in  which  he  charges  said 
book  with  fifteen  dangerous  heresies,  and  warns  it  to  remember  the  fall  of  Oldcastle. 
This  seems  to  have  been  a  higlily-prized  Lollard  book,  known  as  the  '  Lanthoru 
of  Light,'  for  possessing  a  copy  of  which  Cleydon,  of  London,  was  burnt.  The 
Lollards  swarmed  in  AVales,  where  Oldcastle  hid  for  four  years  after  escajjing  from 
the  Tower.  He  was  a  native  of  the  Welsh  C\)ttian  Alps,  the  Black  Mountains,  iiav- 
ing  been  born  at  Old  Castle  about  13(!0.  It  is  in  dispute  as  to  when  anil  where  Bap- 
tists first  appeared  in  Wales.  There  are  presumptive  evidences  that  individuals  held 
their  views  from  the  opening  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  some  have  thought 
that  the  first  Baptist  Clmrch  was  formed  at  Olclion,  1633.  Joshua  Thomas,  of 
Leominster,  perhaps  the  most  reliable  authority  on  the  subject,  d(Mibts  this.  He 
leans  to  the  belief  that  there  were  Baptists  there  at  that  date,  but  says :  'The  first 
Baptist  Chnix-h  in  Wales,  after  tlie  IJefornuition,  was  foinied   at    Ilston.  near  Swan- 


600  VAVASOIi   POWELL. 

sua,  ill  (ilauioryaiisliiri',  in  liil'.'.'  llowrll  N'aiij^'liaii  jircacluMl  at  Olulioii,  K.i.'jo,  and 
it  is  a  cMirious  i'act  that  tin-  first  iS'iiii  r(inl'(irniif.is  uf  Waius  sprang  np  in  the  little 
valley,  nrar  •  )l(j  C'astk',  eniinisoiiii'il  in  thi'sc  lllaek  Muiuitains,  whiTi:  this  nolilc  old 
'  heni  ii- "  li\  t'll. 

The  \al(.'  (if  <)lc-li((ii  is  (iifliciilt  of  acccs.s.  and  there  the  iiivt  Welsh  dissidents 
iniiiid  the  iu()>t  ready  edincrls,  who  sheltered  theinselves  in  its  rocks  and  dens. 
The  llnrreii  Ddii,  oi'  lllai-k  Uock,  is  a  lerrihiy  ^tee]>  and  I'oli^h  place,  in  which  the 
iiaplists  took  I'el'iiiije,  rich  and  pour,  yciilii^  ami  uld.  huddled  ingelher.  It  was 
under  the  ('oninmiiwealth  that  N'avasur  Powell,  .leiikin  Jones  and  lln:;li  Evans 
turnieil  the  first  ()j)eii  ( 'inuinuniun  r>a])tisf  (Jhiirclies  in  Wales,  and  that  .lohn  Miles 
farmed  the  lirst  Strict  ('oininunion  liaptist  (Jliiircdies  there.  The  tii~I  Wel.-h  liaj)- 
tisf  Association  was  ori;anized  in  l(i.'"ii.  .Inhn  M  ile^  i>  tir.>t  nieiitioiied  i'ehruary 
li2d,  l<i4'.*,  in  an  •  .\ct  (if  J'arliaiiieiit  lur  the  lietler  propagation  of  the  (iospel  in 
Wales.'  lie  is  named  witii  i'owell,  .Idiies  and  twenty-two  others,  as  'approvers,"  to 
superintend  prea.chiiii;'  in  the  principality.  He  lel'l  the  cleri;-y  of  the  State  Cliurcli 
and  liecaine  a  iiaptist  leader,  niarke(l  for  his  K-arniiii;'  and  piety,  lii'  went  to 
America  and  we  shall  mei't  him  there. 

\'av.\sok  1'owi:i.i,  was  one  of  the  stroiin'cst  characters  of  his  aire.  IIi^  was  horn 
of  one  (d'  the  hest  families  in  Wales,  IfWT:  was  graduated  at  .lesus  Oolleiro.  Oxford, 
and  enti'i'cd  the  I^stal)li^lled  Church,  as  curate  to  his  uncle,  in  Shropshire.  ( )iie  dav 
a  Puritan  reproved  him  for  lireakiiig  the  Sahhath  liy  taking  part  in  the  '  Sjioi'ts,' 
and  this  led  to  iiis  conversion  after  two  years  of  mental  agony  for  his  sins.  In  1<)41 
he  l)egan  to  ])reach  the  (i(.>spel  in  earnest,  hut,  his  life  being  threatened,  ]\v  tied  to 
London  in  Kidii,  and  joine(|  the  rarliamentarv  army  as  chaplain.  At'ter  pix'achiiig 
two  years  in  Kent  hi'  returned  to  Wak's,  heai'ing  a  certificate  from  the  .\s>emhly 
of  Divines  as  an  accredited  preacher.  It  bore  date  September  lltli,  liMti,  and 
was  signed  by  the  proculator,  the  marshal  and  iifteen  others,  amongst  whom  were 
Christopher  Love  and  Joseph  Caryl.  In  Wales  he  ]M-(.'aclied  as  an  itinerant,  a  pre- 
vailing .system  there,  for  the  Churches  were  made  u|)  of  many  branches,  far  apart. 
The  ^  (hiHVitttri-  fi>i'  PJunilcniJ  Minixffi's^  paid  him  a  salary  of  £'•>*>  I"-'--,  per 
annaiii.  Tliey  sup])orted  many  such  itinei-ants,  but  for  leaiaiing,  energy  and 
success  he  excelled  tliem  all.  Ife  was  constantly  in  the  pulpit  and  the  saddle, 
pri'aching  two  or  three  times  a  day,  in  two  or  threi'  places,  riding  more  than  a 
hundred  miles  a  week.  There  was  scarcely  a  jdace  in  Wales  where  he  did  not 
preach,  in  church,  chapel,  market-place  or  field,  during  the  fourteen  j-ears  of 
liberty,  1(346  to  KifiO  ;  yet  at  that  time  there  was  not  a  Dissenting  place  of  worship 
in  Wales.  Some  say  that  the  lirst  l)uilt  by  the  liaiitists  was  at  Hay,  lu'ar  Ohdioii, 
1C49  ;  but,  according  to  Thonia.s,  the  tii-st  was  at  Llaiiwenartli,  in  1(395.^  Powell 
was  immersed  and  Ijecanie  a  Ba])tist  in  1056.  In  liis  'Confession  of  Faith'  he 
teaches  that  baptism  is  immersion,  and  believers  its  only  subjects;  but  he  did  not 
hold  it  as  the  lioundary  of  Church  communion,  nor  were  his  Churches  in  the  Baptist 


JENKIN  JONES,  — THE  ILSTON  CHURCH.  601 

At^sociatioii.  Notwitlistandiiii;'  tliis  im  man  lirnl  tlic  liativd  of  tin-  Cliurrli  [nirty  as 
lie  did,  and  im  iiian's  clial'actL'i'  was  nioi'L'  aspersL'il  tlian  Ids,  till  death  ridu'vi'd  him, 
October  '27tli,  IfiTl.  It  is  said  that  by  1G60  lie  had  I'onued  tweuty-twu  Churches  in 
Wales,  and  liatl  twenty  thousand  followers,  most  likely  an  exaggerated  statement. 
Manv  of  his  troubles  sprang  from  his  resistance  of  Cromweirs  later  assumptions. 
lie  had  deiioiinci'd  him  from  the  piiljiit  in  iJlaekfriars,  for  which  cause  lie'  was 
arrested,  lie  suffered  v\\;y\  kind  id'  perseeution  for  jireaching,  and  spent  eight 
years  in  thirteen  pristnis,  dying  in  the  1' leet.  His  •('oiifessidii  "  of  thirty  arti(des  is 
given  in  a  ti'catise,  entitled  "The  l>ird  in  the  (Jage,  Chirping."  In  this  he  gives  the 
faith  of  the  Welsh  Churches  which  he  founded. 

Jenkin  Jones,  ciimmoiily  ealletl  "captain."  was  another  grand  sample  of  this 
early  Welsh  indej)endeiice  and  suffering  for  Christ,  lie  was  a  gentleman  of  prop- 
erty and  education,  wIr)  had  l)een  in  the  army  of  the  (Jommouwealth.  He  raised  a 
troop  of  a  hundred  and  twenty  horse  foi'  Cromwell,  arming  and  eipn|)ping  them 
himself.  With  these  he  kept  the  king's  friends  in  I'reckoiishire  under  subjection, 
often  ajjpearing  with  the  ^wol■ll  in  une  hand  and  the  I'ible  in  the  other.  Walker 
says  that  he  was  incuiiil)ent  in  his  native  parish,  and  Calamy,  that  he  was  rejected 
from  his  living,  so  the  Church  party  berated  him  as  a  '  violent  Anabaptist.'  His 
presence  and  address  were  majestic,  and  once  when  going  t(j  preach  in  _Monmoutli- 
sliire,  a  soldier  of  the  royal  army  waylaid  him  U>  kill  him,  but  was  so  struck  with 
his  comclinciss  and  bearing,  that  his  heart  failed  ;  he  heard  him  ])reach  and  was  con- 
verted. After  the  IJestoi'ation  his  estates  were  conli.scated,  and  he  was  imprisoned 
at  Caermarthen.      AVe  have  no  accinint  of  his  death. 

These  sketclies  of  the  real  founders  of  the  liaptist  deiinmiiiation  in  AVales 
will  heli>  us  the  better  tu  understand  the  following  facts.  Before  the  death  of 
Powell  the  ()])en  Comniunioii  IJaptists  were  much  the  more  numerous  in  AVales, 
but  aftt'r  that  they  gradually  declined.  The  Ilston  Church  records  give  the 
following  account  of  the  oi-ganization  of  that  (.'hurch.  A  Haptist  Church  was 
meeting  in  the  Classdiouse,  Broad  Street,  London,  of  which  William  Consett  and 
Edward  Draper  were  members.  Miles  and  Thomas  Proud  visited  this  (Jhurcli  just 
when  tliey  were  praying  God  to  send  more  laborers  into  the  vineyard,  and  these  two 
wei-e  sent  back  t(.'  Wales  as  missionaries.  On  the  1st  (d'  October,  Hi4-9,  tliey  formed 
a  regular  Baptist  Church  at  Ilston  as  the  result.  This  book  claims  that  this  was  the 
first  Church  of  baptized  believei's  in  tlie  principality. 

It  says:  •When  there  had  been  no  eomj)any  or  society  of  peoi)le  holding  forth 
and  pnd'essing  the  <loctrine,  worship,  order,  and  discipline  of  the  (Jospel,  according 
to  the  primitive  institution,  that  ever  we  heard  of  in  all  Wales,  since  the  apostasy, 
it  pleased  the  Lord  to  choose  this  dark  corner  to  place  his  name  in,  and  honor  us, 
undeserving  creatures,  with  the  happiness  of  being  the  first  in  all  these  parts,  among 
whom  was  practiced  the  glorious  ordinance  of  baptism,  and  here  to  gather  the  first 
Church  of  baptized  believers.'     Jane  Lloyd  and  Elizabeth  Proud  wei'e  the  lii'st  con- 


602  BAPTISTS    TAKE    TITHES. 

verts  baptized  here,  but  in  I'li'veii  yeai's  liie  Cliiircli  grew  to  two  hundred  and  sixty 
nieinber.s  undcM- tlu!  niiiiistry  of  Miles,  lie  also  ])reaelied  witli  i(reat  suecess  in  all 
the  rci;iiiii  round  idiout.  and  \ariou>  Churches  we're  formed  in  that  j^ai't  of  Wales. 
A  vci-y  bitter  (■<intro\ crsv  s]ii'ang  u|)  iietween  ilie  Sti'ict  (,'onuiuinion  and  ()])en 
Chiirclies.  and  '^hl>nKl^  I'roud  was  expelii'd  foi'  laxity  on  that  sid)jeut  by  the  strict 
brethren,  .\ftcr  a  lime  the  ()|ien  (.'hui'ches  dwindled  away,  or  fell  into  Pedobaptist 
bodies,  a  natural  tendeiu'V.  Sonie  r>apli>I  nnin>ter.-  e\en  went  so  far  as  to  aecept 
State  ])ayiiM'iil  by  church  tithes,  uiuler  the  act  ol  Itilli.  lur  the  jn-opauatioii  of  the 
(iios|)el  in  Wales.  'I'lu'^e  Were  itini'rants  who  traveled  at  lari;'e.  and  were  paid 
by  the  •('ommittee  of  the  Se(|uestered  Livin_i;-s.'  It  uuiy  be  intei-estiiii;-  to  j^iv'e  a 
copy  of  the  certilicate  issued  tt)  Thomas  Evans,  yreat-i!,ran(.l father  of  Dr.  Caleb 
l"^\ans : 

'  />//  Ihe  (■(imiiiixK/nii  for  /III'  Pr<>j>ii(/atlon  of  tlie  GoxjX'l  in  ]V((l('.s.  Whereas, 
five  of  the  ministers,  in  the  Act  of  Parliament  named,  bearinir  date  the  :i.")th  of 
February,  1649,  and  entitled  ".1«  Aatfor  the  lietter  P  mpaijat'wn  of  the  Gospel  in 
ir^/A'.v,"  have,  aecoivlino-  to  the  tenors  of  the  said  act,  apjiroved  of  .]fr.  Ihoniax 
Eoaiis  the  younger,  to  be  a  person  (jualified  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and 
recommeiuled  him  with  their  advice  to  us,  that  he  be  encouraged  in  the  woi'k  of  the 
ministry  ;  we  do,  according  to  an  order  to  us  directed  by  the  connnittee  of  five  at 
Neath,  therefore  order  that  Mr.  John  Pfi/ce,  Treasurer,  shall  forthwith  ])ay  unto 
the  said  Thovui.s  Eoaiis  the  sum  of  £30,  which  we  have  thought  fit  to  allow  him 
towards  his  salary  and  encouragement  in  the  work  of  the  nunistry.  And  this 
our  oi-der,  together  with  his  acquittance,  shall  be  a  sufficient  discharge  for  the  said 
Tr(\isurer.  Dated  midcrour  hands,  the  Kith  of  M;iy,  in  the  year  of  our  Loi-d  l(;."i:!. 
■Iiilni    II  lUiiiiiix^  Scci-etary.' 

As  soon  as  the  IJaptists  saw  that  tliey  had  coinproiiused  their  |iriiiciples  by  tliis 
Idunder,  they  retreated  from  their  fal.se  position,  and  Powell  says  that  he  and  many 
of  his  brethren  'did  not  take  any  salary  at  all,  nor  any  other  maintenance  whatever 
since  the  year  16.^M."  '  Powell  pulilishcd  a  severe  attack  u])on  ( •romweirs  ]iolicy  in 
1655,  under  the  title  'WokI  for  (iod,'  signe(l  bv  three  hundred  and  tweiitv-one 
Welshmen,  most  of  whom  were  Paptists.  This  was  a  solemn  protest  against  the 
'licw  nioiK'ling  of  nuiusters '  as  •  antichristian."  and  against  the  'keeping  up  of 
jiarishes  ami  tithes,  as  a  popish  invention.'  The  Llanwenarth  ('litircli  felt  so  dee])ly 
on  this  niatter  that  they  entered  the  following  on  their  church  book:  'Whether 
Gospel  ministers  may  receive  payment  from  the  magistrates.'  .Mr.  William 
Pritchard  (their  minister)  was  advised  to  reject  the  offer  of  State  money,  and  this 
record  was  agreed  to  on  'the  11th  day  of  the  5th  month.  H>55,  and  also,  that 
they  (the  (Jluirch)  doe  withdraw  from  all  such  miiusters  that  doe  receive  mainte- 
nance from  the  magistrates,  and  from  all  such  as  consent  not  to  wholesome  doc- 
trine, or  teach  otherwise."  As  this  was  a  lirancb  (d'  the  Abergavenny  Clnirch  and  a 
mendjer  (d'  the  A^^sociation,  it  i.s  fair  to  sujipose  that  this  was  the  general  seiiti- 
nieiit  on  the  subject  of  State  ministers  and  their  reception  of  State  money  for 
nnnist(,'rial  services. 


DEBATE  AND   PERSECUTION.  603 

Tlic  distinctive  tcni'ts  of  tlie  liaptists,  their  ze:ii  and  rapiii  piMjTress  in  the 
principality,  stirn-d  uji  a,  lornii(hdile  nppiisiticin,  \vlii<-li  todk  the  lidiiorahle  form  of 
public  debate.  One  such  discussion  took  place  in  8t.  Mary's  Parish  Church,  Aber- 
gavenny, September  5th,  Ui53.  The  subject  was  '  Believer's  Baptism,'  and  John 
Tonibes  disputed  tirst  with  Henry  Vaughan,  then  with  John  Crairge.  Their 
arguments  were  afterward  pui)lished.  Wood,  says  of  Tonibes:  •  He  showed  himself 
a  most  excellent  disputant,  a  persnn  of  inciJiiiparablf  ])artt-,  well  vei-sed  in  the 
Hebrew  and  (ireek  languages.'  He  also  speaks  of  a  similar  debate  with  Baxtei', 
thus :  '  All  scholars  there  and  then  present,  who  knew  the  way  of  disputing  and 
managing  arguments,  did  conclude  that  Tombes  gut  the  better  of  Baxter  by  far.' ° 
I'robably  this  was  the  first  debate  on  baptism  in  Wales,  and  .bisliua  Thomas  says 
that  more  than  forty  persons  wei'e  immersed  into  the  Church  in  Abergavenny  that 
year.  But  in  proportion  as  the  Baptists  grew,  they  vvei'e  assailed  by  pen  and  tongue 
from  all  (quarters,  and  in  1656  the  elders  and  messengers  of  eight  Churches  met  at 
Brecon  and  pid>lished  'An  Antidote  against  the  Times,'  in  self-defense.  This  was 
probably  the  tirst  Welsh  Baptist  Book.  They  speak  with  the  greatest  gratitude  '  of 
thousands  of  poor,  ignorant,  straying  people '  brought  to  Christ,  and  of  three  edi- 
tions of  the  New  Testament,  and  'six  thousand  copies  of  the  whole  Bible,'  cir- 
culatetl  in  fourteen  years,  since  some  religious  liberty  was  enjoyed  in  Wales.  At 
this  time,  eight  Churches  belonged  to  the  Association,  besides  the  '  Powell  Bap- 
tists,' and  the  'Evans'  jieople  who  did  not  belong  to  it;  and  Thomas  mentiotis 
the  names  of  thirty  Baptist  ministers  in  Wales  under  the  Connuonwealth.  But 
from  the  ascent  of  Charles  II.,  May  29tli,  1660,  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Associ- 
ation for  eight  ami  twenty  years.  Persecution  raged  furiously  against  all  Kon- 
conformists  in  Wales,  and  the  Baptists  became,  as  usual,  the  special  subjects  of 
hate,  storm  and  chains;  prisons  and  doom  became  their  gloomy  fate.  Before  the 
end  of  June,  the  king's  wrath  burst  upon  the  Non-conformists  of  Wales,  followed 
by  a  series  of  the  most  iniquitous  unlinanet's  that  despotism  could  desire.  The 
year  1662  brought  the  Act  of  rniformity  ;  lt;6-±,  the  Conventicle  Act;  1665, 
the  Five  Mile  Act:  and  1673,  the  Test  Act.  Under  one  pretense  or  another, 
butchery  held  high  carnival  for  these  years.  Yet,  thousands  would  not  bow  the 
knee,  and  amongst  them,  some  of  the  noblest  Baptists  that  ever  Wales  produced. 
During  this  liot  persecution  the  AVelsh  Baptists  sent  a  petition  to  the  king, 
which  M'as  presented  to  him  personally  by  a  member  of  Parliament  from  Caer- 
marthen.  They  say:  '  We  dare  not  walk  the  streets,  and  are  abused  even  in  our 
own  houses.  If  we  pray  to  God  with  our  families,  we  are  threatened  to  be  hung. 
Some  of  us  are  stoned  almost  to  death,  and  others  imprisoned  for  worshiping  God 
according  to  the  dictates  of  our  consciences  and  the  rule  of  his  word.'  The 
king,  with  characteristic  heartlessness,  sent  them  a  polite  answer,  full  of  fair  prom- 
ises, but  |)aid  no  more  attention  to  the  nuitter.  and  their  sulferings  increased  day 
bv  tlav. 


604  oiuFvnn  howklls. 

Excdiniuuiiicatioii  carrii'il  with  it  the  denial  u{  Imrial  in  the  parish  clmrcli-yards, 
so  that  the  liaptists  wei'u  i)hli:;cd  tu  Imrv  their  ileail  in  their  own  iraniens,  ur  wliere 
they  cciuld,  i;-eiiei-ally  ill  secret  am!  at  nii;'lir.  A  iioilly  wmnan  in  liailiioivliire  had 
been  cxcuininuniealed  \nv  nut  atleiidin:;'  that  parish  ehiireh,  lint  hail  i)een  .-eeretlv 
buried  in  its  i)iirvini;-u'riinnd.  'I'he  iMii-a<;-ed  pai'Min.  hii\ve\cr.  iiad  lu-i-  budy  taken 
fruiii  its  ii'rave  an<l  (iraii'i;'eil  tu  the  cross-ruads,  to  be  Ijiiried  as  a  iiudet'aeinr.  There 
lier  friends  ereeted  a  stune  to  mark  the  spot,  l)iit  it  was  deimdislied.  Vet,  (•\eii  in 
tiiis  periiid  of  liery  persecution,  we  \\\\w  tlie  Jiistory  of  a  iie\v  liaiitisl  Chlli-ch.  loi'ined 
tinder  siniiidar  eireiiinstances  of  persecution  and  hatred.  William  .b)M;s,  a  l*re.s- 
byterian,  was  ejected  from  liis  pari.-h  in  iOt;o,  and  inipi-i>oiied  for  three  years  in 
('aerniarthen  Casth'.  |)nrinii'  that  lime  lie  becainc  a  l!apti>t,aiid  when  liberated  he 
went  to  ( )lchoii  to  be  immersed.  <  hi  ret  iiniinn'  home  he  preached  his  new  faith 
and,  on  tlie4lliof  .\ii^ii>t.  1  (!<m,  bapt  izeiM  i  rillith  1  lowelU  and  live  others,  llowells 
was  wealthy  and  ediicateil,  and  on  the  2."jtli.  li\c  more  persons  were  imiiier.sed.  l>v 
July  I'Jtli,  li'ids,  the  mimber  had,  inciH';istMl  to  thii'ty-one,  who  were  ori;-anized  into 
a  Cinirch.  (d'  which  .lono  and  Howidlsweri'  (dected  joint  eldi'rs.  In  1777.  one 
century  aftt'rwaivl,  this  ('hnreli  had  so  braiiclu'd  out  into  the  counties  of  Pembroke, 
Caerinartheii  and  ('ar(lii;-an  that  it  nnmbei-ed  l,7'i7  members.  Interestiiii;'  accounts 
iiii<j;ht  l>e  gixx'ii  of  the  local  ('hni'ches  (.>f  the  se\ei'al  counties,  but  they  are  all  much 
tlio  same:  a  history  of  oppression,  decadence,  (li\i>ioii  ami  pi-ovideiitial  interveiuiijii. 
Sometimes  cases  of  e.\ces,--ivi'  barbarity  are  put  on  record,  and  others  of  wonderful 
deliverance. 

The  Welsh  Baptists  found  ndief  in  the  Toleration  Act  of  lOS'-),  whicli  protects 
tliein  in  their  worship  to  this  day,  and  under  it>  ])rovisions  they  left  the  rocks  and 
otiier  hidiui;'  plact's.  'I'heir  brethren  in  Loniloii  in\  ited  them  to  u  conference  in 
Octobi'r  of  that  year,  when;  about  a  hundred  Churches  were  represented;  seven 
ministers  went  up  from  Wales  and  the  Assembly  set  forth  a  Confession  of  Faith. 
The  Welsh  Association,  <'(.)nsisting  of  ten  Churclies,  reassembled  at  Llanwenarth, 
May  fith,  170(>.  ami  continued  to  grow,  so  that  almost  every  county  has  now  an 
Association  of  its  own.  At  lirst,  the  otfieial  language  of  these  bodies  was  English, 
but  since  r7t.'S,  the  vtM-nacnlar  has  been  used.  The  annua!  meeting  of  the  first 
Association  was  held  in  W^hitsun-week,  the  first  day  being  siient  in  jirayer  and 
fasting.  The  '  Associational  Sermon'  was  introduced  in  1TU8,  and  in  time,  preach- 
ing became  the  chief  feature  of  tlu'  meetings,  until  now,  from  ten  to  fifteen 
sermons  are  preached  at  such  gatherings.  Our  brethren  resorted  nuieli  to  fasting 
and  prayer  at  their  associational  meetings,  especially  when  heresy  and  contention 
crept  ill,  or  where  two  Churches  were  at  variance.  In  such  cases,  all  the  Churches 
were  called  \\\wn  to  hold  a  dav  of  pravcr  and  fasting:  and  in  172.'>,  whi'ii  two 
Cliui'ches  were  in  a  ii.ght,  'the  first  Wednesday  in  each  month,  for  lialf  a  year, 
was  appointed  for  fasting  and  pi'ayer.  on  accotmt  of  this  distressing  affair."  Then 
when  the  contest  ended,  '  the   Churches  were  desired   to  observe  days  of  thanks- 


[NCREASK   Oh-   f'lIVncnES.  60S 

giviiii;  I'di-  wliat  was  dcUK'."  I 'raver  ami  t'a.-tiiii;-  Ini-iii  an  exccllL'iit  remedy  t'ur  tliat 
'demon;"  would  that  all  chiirch  lighters  would  ta.kc^  a  vow  neither  to  eat  nor 
drink  till  their  tight  was  endetl ;  this  would  liaj)[)ily  rid  us  (if  most  of  tln'in  within 
forty  days. 

The  death  of  Qi"-''''!  Anne  and  tlie  accession  of  (.Tcorge  I.,  171-i,  prevented  the 
passage  of  tlie  '  Schism  IJilh"  and  tlie  Welsh  Baptists  kept  the  annivci'sary  of  tliat 
dav  with  thanksgiving  for  many  years.  At  the  time  of  the  Kcvohition.  so-called 
(1(588),  there  were  eleven  l!apti.st  Churches  in  Wales,  ten  (d'  which  are  named  by 
Joshua  Thomas,  the  eleventh  being  a  very  strong  Church,  under  the  pastoral  care 
of  William  .lones,  in  the  counties  of  Pembroke  and  Caerniartheu,  formed  in 
that  vear.  J'>y  the  year  1735  these  had  increased  to  si.xti'en.  lUit  this  statement 
is  misleading,  unless  we  bear  in  mind  that  each  C'hurch,  so-called,  was  made  up 
of  many  congregations,  all  under  one  pastor,  who  had  many  assistants,  in  some 
cases  six  or  eight,  and  in  one  case  eleven.  The  Churches  did  not  report  the 
number  of  members  to  the  Association,  but  the  separate  Church  records,  which 
have  been  presi'rved,  show,  that  there  were  several  hundred  (•(junnnnicants  in  a 
nundier  of  these  (Churches,  and  the  names  <>i  forty-two  nnnisters  are  given  wlio 
labored  in  them  between  1700  and  173(i ;  all  Strict  Communionists,  many  of  them 
men  of  might.  Besides  those  who  remained  in  Wales,  large  numbers  of  IJaptists 
migrated  to  America,  and  took  a  leading  part  in  establislung  the  denonunation  here, 
as  we  shall  find. 

Al>out  l(i'.i2,  lja})tist  sentiments  had  taken  such  a  strong  hold  in  the  western 
[)art  of  th(!  jirincipality,  that  warm  controversies  aro-se  with  the  Pedobaptists, 
especially  the  independents.  Several  debates  were  had;  then  both  sides  agreed  to 
preach  on  l)a])tism  at  Benlau.  John  Thomas,  an  Inde|)endent,  preached  on  infant 
baptism,  and  .lohn  Jenkins,  a  Baptist,  on  believer's  baptism.  The  result  was,  tliat 
so  luauy  Independents  were  immersed  as  rendered  it  desirable  for  them  to  ask 
Samuel  .loues,  a  Presbyterian,  and  a  tine  scholar,  to  write  in  defense  of  infant 
baptism  ;  but.  as  lie  declined,  James  Owen,  of  Oswestry,  undertook  tliat  work.  In 
1693  he  ])ublished  '  Infaiit  Baptism  from  Heaven,'  perhaps  the  first  book  in  tlie 
Welsli  tongue  on  that  suliject.  In  answer,  Benjamin  Keach  publis!u;d  '  Light  l)roke 
forth  in  Wales.'  Anothei-  controversy  of  the  same  sort  took  place  about  1726, 
between  Miles  Harris  lor  the  Baptists  and  Kdmund  .lones  f(»r  the  ]-'edoba|)tists. 
These  cond)atants  belabored  each  other  fidl  soundly  and  kept  the  country  in  a 
turmoil  until  a  convention  was  called  of  leaders  from  both  sides,  in  which  they 
agreed  to  respect  each  otlier  for  the  future,  and  try  to  behave  decently.  This  agree- 
ment was  duly  signed  by  three  Baptists  and  six  Pedobaptists,  properly  attested  by 
five  other  ministers  and  printed  in  172S.  i>ut,  alas  for  the  weakness  of  Welsh 
Pedobaptist  nature!  Fowler  Walker,  the  Independent  minister  of  Abergavenny,  the 
first  attestor  to  this  awful  document,  could  not  kee]i  his  pen  still,  but  in  1732 
published  a  tract  on  '  Infant  Baptism  ; '  and  then,  alas  for  the  Baptist  Association  !  in 


606  '/'///•;  cMAiMsric  c(>.\Tit(iVh:iisy. 

ivs]iiiii.-t'  it  piililislicil  •  I)(n-"s  'I'raci  of  Forty  Texts  frnin  tlie  New  Testament  on 
l)clit'V('i'\s  IJaptism."  And,  as  if  this  were  not  enough,  Hrotiier  David  Rees.  of 
London,  sent  a  letter  to  lirotiier  \\'all<er.  iiroinising  tiiat  liis  book  siiould  ])e 
riii-lhri-  con.-idered  at  Ifisuri-.  Accordingly,  in  17:!4.  he  [rjlilished  his  •  Infant  liap- 
tisiii  nil  Iii>titntii'ii  id'  ('lii-i>r>:  ami  the  llcjectioii  of  it  .iustilied  by  Serijjture 
and  Antiijuit\-.'  ^\'he^cll|lllll,  thercaftci-.  lirothei'  Walker  t'lHind  it  comfortable  to 
keep  still. 

Aftei-  this  the  \\'cl>]i  l'.a|iti.-ts.  who  were  lu-incipally  tii-ni,  hyi'er-C'alvinists 
holdint;-  the  i|inni|uart  ii'ular  points,  had  a  warm  contro\crsy  among>t  themselves  on 
Armiinainsm.  The  '  Arnunian  Heresy.'  a>  it  was  called,  was  ci-eej>ing  in,  however, 
and  at  least  three  miinsters  were  affectcil  thereby.  The  chief  jjoiiit  in  dispute  was 
whether  it  was  the  duty  of  sinners  to  turn  to  God,  because  of  their  obligations  to 
the  mm-al  law.  Hut  in  173'!  Enoch  Fi'aiicis  had  the  good  sense  to  jmlilish  his 
'  ^\'o|•ll  in  iSeaMin,'  in  which  he  took  the  moderate  Calvinistic  grotind,  so  aljly  pre- 
sented aftci'wanl  bv  .\ndi-ew  Kidler,  luimely :  That  the  atonement  of  (.'hrist  is 
suflicient  bir  all  mankind,  but  that  its  effieaey  is  confined  to  the  elect  only,  and  that 
the  olTei' of  salvation  is,  therefore,  to  be  made  to  all  who  hear  the  diiL-pel.  This 
position  softened  the  controversy,  but  it  continued  down  to  the  present  century,  and 
made  great  trouble  in  Churches  which  had  Jiiore  than  one  minister,  who  disagreed  on 
the  subject.  At  Heiigoed,  Morgan  Griffith  was  a  stanch  Calviiiist,  but  Charles 
Winter,  his  co-pastor,  was  a  thorough  Arminian,  atid  they  debated  the  matter 
warmly,  it  was  arranged  that  Winter  slioukl  not  preach  any  thing  contrary  to 
Griffith,  which  arrangement  held  good  till  (Griffith's  death  in  1T3S,  when  the  Church 
exjielled  Winter  and  twenty-four  others  with  him,  who  formed  an  Arminian  Bap- 
tist Chiu-ch,  near  Mi'i'thyr  Tydvil,  which,  however,  soon  became  extinct.  Other 
Churches  had  siinilar  troubles. 

It  is  interesting  to  trace  the  history  of  ministerial  education  amongst  the  AVelsh 
Baptists.  The  Pembrokeshire  Church  at  a  very  early  date  was  called  '  The  College.' 
because  of  the  many  ministers  whom  it  sent  fortli :  and  probably  it  had  some  sy-s- 
tem  uf  training  peculiai-  to  itself.  Young  Bajitist  nniusters  were  trained  at  Samuel 
Jones's  private  Presbyterian  Seminary  for  a  while,  but  about  1732  the  Baptists 
established  one  of  their  own  near  T'ontypool.  This  school  was  founded  chiefly  l)y 
Morgan  (iritlitii  and  Miles  Harris,  two  most  enterj)rising  and  liberal  spirits,  and 
was  of  immense  service  to  the  Bajitist  ministry  until  177".  when  the  Bristol  College 
was  established  and  this  Seminary  was  given  up.  One  of  its  best-known  students  out 
of  a  list  of  forty  powerful  names  was  Dr.  Tiios.  Llewelyn,  a  descendant  of  the 
Welsh  Bible  translator.  lie  finished  his  studies  in  London  and  became  president 
of  a  P>aptist  Academy  there,  which  jn-epared  men  for  the  ministry.  In  Ifilltj  he 
raised  subscri]itions  for  aitil  induced  the  '  Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowl- 
edge '  to  issue  twenty  thousand  Welsh  Bibles.  lie  also  wrote  a  'History  of  Welsii 
Versions,"  and  a  work  on  '  The  British  Tongue  '  in  its  relation   to  other  languageb, 


M.    THOMAS. 


JOSHUA    THOMAS. 


JOHN    WILLIAMS. 


J.    JENKINS. 
JOSEPH    HARRIS. 


Till-:   »'/■:/. sir  fathers.  607 

and  to  tlie  '  Welsh  UiKlc"  I  )i'.  Kippuii  says  tliat  (Tibboii  rciuarked  to  him,  when 
speaking  of  lingnists:  'I  think,  my  young  friend,  that  Dr.  Llewelyn  is  the  first 
scholar  we  have  among  the  Protestant  Dissenters.' 

If  space  permitted,  it  would  Ijc  a  pleasant  task  to  give  the  narrative  of  large 
numbers  of  the  Welsh  Baptist  fathers,  with  their  notable  sayings  and  doings,  many 
of  them  being  amongst  the  most  eminent  of  their  day  ;  learned,  zealous  for  the  truth 
and  its  able  defenders,  whose  Gospel  nnnistry  was  marked  by  great  power  from 
above  in  the  salvation  of  7ucn.  In  this  list  would  stand  proniinenl  the  names  of 
Lewis  Thomas,  William  Pritchard,  Enoch  Francis,  Morgan  Gi'ifiith,  Caleb  Evans 
of  Pentre  and  his  ten  illustrious  descendants  in  the  ministry,  with  John  Harris. 
These  and  many  others  fought  the  good  fight  for  toleration  and  conquered  ;  for  by 
1T15  one  eighth  of  the  Welsh  were  Non-conformists,  and  a  much  larger  proportion 
by  1T3(J.  In  1791  the  number  of  Baptist  Clmrches  in  Wales  was  fifty-si.x,  with 
7,050  members ;  but  in  1798,  the  churches  numbered  eighty-four,  with  9,000 
members,  divided  for  convenience  into  the  Northern,  Eastern  and  Western  Asso- 
ciations. They  had  passed  tliri.iugh  many  contentious,  on  the  Sanijemaiiian,  Socin- 
iau  and  Arian  questions,  as  well  as  on  the  subject  of  Communion.  For  a  time 
Sandemanianism  wrought  great  mischief  amongst  the  Welsh  Churches,  many  of 
the  pastors,  amongst  them  Christmas  Evans,  being  almost  blinded  by  its  preten- 
sions. In  the  opening  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  leading  men  of  the  denom- 
ination became  involved  in  a  warm  controversy  concerning  the  Atonement  and 
Redemption  ;  and  Christmas  Evans  published  a  book  in  1811,  in  which  he  gave 
what  was  called  '  a  commercial  aspect '  to  the  Atonement.  He  set  forth  that  the 
atoning  death  of  Christ  is  of  equal  weight  with  the  sins  of  the  elect ;  while  others 
took  the  ground  that  its  effects  were  twofold,  bearing  on  the  sins  of  the  world  in 
general,  and  on  those  of  the  elect  in  particular.  At  that  point  in  the  controversy 
Richard  Foulkes,  the  Baptist  pastor  at  Newbridge,  and  John  Phillips  Davies,  the 
pastor  at  Tredegar,  who  had  embraced  the  doctrines  of  Andrew  Fuller,  came  to 
their  defense,  many  others  joined  them,  and  the  debate  ran  high.  The  result  M-as 
that  the  Welsh  Baptists  became  more  distinguished  from  that  period  for  biblical 
teaching  than  for  systematic  theology ;  and  to-day  no  Churches  hail  truth  in  its 
simplicity,  freedom,  amplitude  and  warmth,  in  the  form  given  to  it  by  tlie  divine 
Oracles,  more  heartily  than  do  the  Baptists  of  Wales.  They  hold  the  doctrines  of 
grace  and  the  responsibility  of  man  by  a  strong  and  clear  grasp  which  honors 
them  amongst  the  Churches  of  Christ,  and  they  unhesitatingly  maintain  every 
other  princij^le  which  is  vital  to  Bible  Baptists.  The  number  of  public  debates 
held  on  Baptism,  and  the  works  pul)lis!ied  on  that  subject  by  our  Welsh  brethren, 
has  been  endless.  But  the  most  able  production  of  all  is  '  The  Act  of  Baptism,' 
from  the  pen  of  the  late  Dr.  Hugh  Jones,  published  in  1882.  It  will  long  remain 
a  standard  work. 

We  have  already  seen  that  the  Baptists  of  Wales  became  interested  early  in 


608  WHI.sir  llM'llsr   COLLEGES. 

(.■(lucntiiiiial  ]]l;iii>,  ,iiii|  \vu  liml  .McirL;:ini  <  i  ritlirli.  cif  IK'ii^foed,  establisliiiiLr  the  Tims- 
iKuit  Acailt'Uiy  as  early  as  IT^Ii'  •!!.  .loslma  Tlioiiias  kept  a  scliuol  also  at  l.euniinster 
for  iiiaiiv  \ears.  ami  piriiareil  students  fur  tlie  liristul  Academy:  hut  his  suecessor, 
Samuel  l\il|iiii,  (ipeiu'd  a  ri'ii'ular  academy  there  in  1S05.  from  wlncdi  s])i-an<^  sniiie 
id'  tlie  lir^t  men  in  the  dennniinatinn.  'J'he  Aliei'^avenny  Cidleire  was  tVuinded  in 
the  \cai'  l^'N,  wilh  Micah  'I'hnmas  for  its  ju'esidi'iit,  who  siMit  hu'th  .-i.\  iiundred  and 
six  mini>li'i-s  "f  sueli  (diaraeter  that  lie  won  for  ilie  in>titution  the  conlidencc  and 
support  iif  all  the  ( 'lini-(dies.  Thomas  was  a  nohle  and  indefatig-ahle  worker  and  a 
tine  scdiolar.  lie  haptizcMl  over  -1()<>  persons,  and  preacdied  ahcjut  ^.Tiim  sermons, 
lieside^  doini;-  his  pastoral  work  at  A  heriruvenny  and  In.-  presidential  duties.  IIu 
died  in   i^o.'j,  aij;-ed  >e\entydi ve. 

rontypool  College  is  a  contimiatioii  of  this,  it,--  hnijilinirs  were  erected  in  ISofi, 
and  have  since  hoen  (mlartjcil,  making'  tliem  wvy  invitiiii;-.  I)i-.  Tlionias  was  presi- 
dent for  fortv-one  years,  tlu'li  was  sncceede(l  hy  William  l.ewi>.  A.M.,  who  died  in 
ISSO,  the  chaii'  lieinu'  lilh-d  at  present  Ky  William  Ivlwards.  1!..\.,  a>>isled  hy  Daxdd 
Thomas,  15. A.,  as  classical  tutor.  liavei-rordwe>t  Collei^-e  was  t'.-tahlished  in  ls:J'.t, 
David  Davis  hein<r  its  first  pre>ident.  who  tilled  the  jilace  till  his  death,  in  IsfW!. 
'I'hos.  Davis  &nc(H'eded  him  and  >till  retains  his  place,  with  'I'.  A\'.  Davis.  1!.A.,  as 
classical  tutor.  iJann-ollen  College  dates  from  ISti^.  Drs.  .luhn  Pi'itchard  and  ilui:-h 
Jones  havini;'  served  it  ns  presiilents.  hut  since  the  death  of  the  latter,  (i.  Da\'is  is 
the  sole  tutor.  In  order  that  the  ("hnrcdies  may  secure  all  ])ussil)le  adv;uitag'es  from 
the  I'ni versities  of  the  pi'incipality,  the  manaii'crs  of  the  aho\e-named  thi'ee  colleges 
have  atliliateil  them  moi'c  closely  with  those  in.-titutions  ;  the  students  of  I'ontypool 
now  olitain  their  classical  training  at  ( 'ai'dilT.  those  id'  IIa\ crfoi'dwot  at  .\iiery>twyth, 
and  tho.-eof  rdangoUen  at  iiangor. 

The  TJajitist  llnilding  Fund  l'oi-  Wales,  organi/.ed  in  iMt:^,  with  a  cajiital  of 
£6,!lo:i  I  I.V..  for  the  purjuiseof  making  I'l'ce  loans  to  the  ( 'Inirches.  payahle  in  annual 
installments  of  ten  jjcr  cent.,  is  doing  a  grand  work.  The  Welsh  Baptist  I'lnon. 
formed  in  ISOti,  now  representing  the  whole  of  the  Welsh  Chiirclies,  is  a  usefid 
hodv.  It  meets  annually  in  August  or  Septend)er.  pnhlishes  a  quarterly  magazine, 
and  an  .\nnual  Hand  liook  foi-  the  dcnonnnatiou.  Besides  these,  the  iiaptists  puh- 
lish  three  monthlies  and  two  weekli(>s.  According  to  the  returns  for  the  year  ISSti, 
their  numerical  strength  in  Wales  is:  (Jhurches,  SOt) ;  memhens,  73,828 ;  attendance 
on  Sunday-scdiools,  7-lr,8u(t.  The  denomination  is  thoroughly  united,  marclies  l)oldly 
forward  uphidding  (4o(rs  word  as  the  only  rule  of  faith,  against  all  human  I'itual 
and  tradition  ;   with  a  very  bright  future  in  view. 

This  chapt<'r  cannot  he  completed  without  a  few  sketcliesof  some  of  the  fathers 
and  leaders  in  Welsh  Piajitist  history,  hut  these  must  be  limited  to  a  few  repre- 
sentative men  of  their  sevei'al  classes. 

Josni:,\  Thomas  is  celebrated  as  their  leading  historian.  He  was  born  at  Caio, 
1719.  hut  at  the  age  of  twenty  resided  at  Hereford.     At  that  time  he  did  not  profess 


Tll(JMA:<,    WILLIAMS,    RUEES.  609 

religion,  but  yet  M-alked  thirteen  miles  to  Leominster  to  worsliip  witli  the  Baptists 
every  otiier  Sunday,  lie  was  baptized  thei'e  in  IT-lO,  ant)  entei'ed  tlie  ministry  in 
17-1:G;  lie  afterward  became  pastor  at  Leominster,  wlii-re  lie  remained  for  iifty 
years.  He  wrote  a  'History  of  the  Welsh  Baptists,'  also  a  '  llistoi'y  of  tlic  Baptist 
Association  in  Wales,'  being  better  at'ipiainted  witli  these  sulijects  than  any  man  of 
his  day. 

WiLLiAJi  AViLLiAMS,  jiistice  of  the  peace  and  a  deputy  lieutenant  of  the  coun- 
ties of  Cardigan  and  Pembroke.  Born,  1732 :  died,  1799.  His  pai'ents  were 
wealthy  Episcopalians,  but,  leaving  him  an  oi'phan  at  tiie  age  of  si.x,  he  was 
educated  in  the  best  manner  under  trustees.  He  married  young  but  lost  his  wife, 
and  M'as  led  to  Christ  by  this  affliction,  entering  the  ministry.  In  Cai-digan  he  built 
a  commodious  chajJel  and  lilled  it  with  de\uut  hcai'ers.  He  laljurcd  under  the 
odious  Test  and  Corporation  Acts,  but  yet  was  appointed  to  civil  office  under  the 
government.  The  law  I'equired  him  to  qualify  by  taking  the  Lord's  Supper  in  the 
Established  Church  within  a  year  of  his  appointment,  and  annually  thereafter,  but 
he  filled  his  office  for  many  years  without  submission  to  this  test  of  conformity.  He 
moved  in  the  higher  classes  of  society,  and  for  a  long  2:)eriod  served  as  Chairman  of 
the  Quarter  Sessions,  and  when  he  died  his  loss  as  a  magistrate  was  mourned  as 
national. 

Morgan  John  Rhees  was  the  AVelsh  Baptist  hero  of  religions  liberty.  Born 
at  Graddfa,  1760;  after  his  baptism  at  Hengoed  he  went  to  the  Bristol  Academy, 
and  entered  the  ministry  in  1787.  Before  going  to  Bristol  he  established  night- 
schools  and  Sunday-schools,  far  and  near,  teaching  the  pupils  himself  gratis,  in 
chapels,  barns  and  other  places,  and  supplying  them  with  books.  When  he  became 
a  pastor  he  aroused  the  denomination  to  the  need  of  Sunday-schools  before  any 
other  denomination  had  taken  them  up  in  Wales.  Aided  by  others  he  founded 
a  society  in  1792  for  the  circulation  of  the  Bible  in  France,  believing  that  the 
Revolution  had  prepared  that  people  for  the  Gospel.  But  this  work  was  arrested 
by  the  war  of  1793.  This  is  the  first  attempt  kn(jwn  to  form  a,  Bible  Society 
for  purely  missionary  purposes,  as  he  connected  with  it  a  mission  to  Bologne. 
This  failing,  he  left  France  and  threw  himself  into  the  effort  to  maintain  the 
doctrine  of  political  libei-ty  and  religions  equality  in  Wales.  He  established 
the  '  Cylchgrawn,'  a  magazine,  which  eulogized  the  American  Constitution,  and 
demanded  that  religious  support  in  Wales  should  be  patterned  by  that  in  the 
United  States.  Spies  were  put  upon  his  track,  and  an  officer  from  London  ap- 
peared at  Caermarthen  for  his  arrest.  His  landlord  misled  the  officer,  and  gave 
Rhees  a  hint  that  he  had  better  make  for  Liverpool,  whence  he  left  for  America, 
where  he  was  welcomed  by  Dr.  Rogers,  of  Philadelphia.  There  he  took  a  band 
of  Welsh  emigrants  into  the  Allegheny  Mountains  in  1797,  and  organized  them 
into  a  Church  at  Beulah,  Cambria  County,  Pa.     He  died  at  Somerset,  December 

7th,  1804. 
40 


610 


JOHEl'll    1 1 M!  HIS. 


.I()si;iMi  IIahkis  i(io)iifr\.  jKisror  :it  S\v;uisi>;i,  \\:is  hni'ii  ITT^'.  So  ij;reat  was 
his  tliirst  for  kiio\vlc«li;'c.  that,  witliuut  any  (/arly  (Mlncal  imial  ail\  aiitaiics,  lie  liufaiin; 
one  of  tlie  cliief  iiicii  o\'  letters  in  tlic'  nation  and  wielded  j^reat  infliience.  He 
lirst  made  his  mark  as  a  controversial  tlieoU^giaii  in  various  pamphlets,  and  in 
his  woi'k  on  'TIk'  Proper  Dixinity  of  our  J-ord  tiesus  ('lirist."  published  in  ISlO. 
IJishop  J!uri;('ss  and  other  eminent  mendii'rs  of  the  i'hiii'li.-li  elei'ji'v   |U'i>nounciMl   hii;-h 

eidogies  upon  this  Ijnok.  At 
that  time  no  nia^'azine  or  week- 
ly was  pnlilished  in  Welsh,  and 
in  l^l^  Harris  established  the 
■Star  id'  (iomei',"  a  weekly,  in 
that  lanyuaye.  As  a  weekly  this 
enterprise  failed,  but  in  Isls  lie 
.started  a  monthly  umli'r  the  same 
name,  which  met  with  i^i'eat 
success.  It  was  so  broad  and 
tlioroUi;;h  in  its  discussions  that 
it  attained  national  celel^rity, 
and  earned  foi-  him  the  title 
•  father  id'  \Vel,~h  .journalism.' 
lie  also  })iiblislied  a  A\'elsh  and 
Englisli  Bible  ;  ami  a  hymn  book 
for  his  own  denomination,  which 
is  yet  in  use.  lie  came  to  his 
grave  in  sorrow,  some  saj'  of  a 
broken  heart,  for  the  loss  of  his 
favorite  son,  whose  memoirs  he 
wi'ote  in  grief  and  tears,  making  its  com])(;isition  one  of  the  most  touching  ]>ro- 
dnctions  in  the  "W^elsli  tongne. 

CiiEisTMAS  Evans,  the  jirince  of  Welsh  ju'eachers,  was  boi'n  on  the  25th  of  De- 
cember, IT'Iti,  and  named  atter  that  day.  His  fatliei'  was  very  Jioor.  and  died  when 
Christmas  was  about  the  age  of  nine,  leaving  him  in  snch  neglect  that  he  ct>nld  not 
read  when  he  was  tiffeen.  Mourning  this  ignorance  he  resolved  to  learn,  and  soon 
plodded  through  'Pilgrim's  Progress.'  At  eighteen  he  was  converted  and  united 
with  the  Arminian  Presbyterians.  Soon  he  held  religious  services  in  cottages, 
having  meniorized  one  of  Pisliop  I>everidge's  sermons  and  one  of  Mr.  Roland's. 
These  were  delivered  in  such  a  wonderful  m;uiner,  that  when  a  hearer  knew  them 
to  be  mere  recitations,  he  remarked  that  '  there  must  be  something  in  that  un- 
lettered boy,  for  the  prayer  was  as  good  as  the  sermon.'  Alas  I  master,  that  also 
was  taken  from  a  book.  E\ans  went  to  school  for  a  time  to  Pev.  Mr.  Davis. 
but,  having  no  means  to  prosecute  his  studies,  started  for  England  to  labor  as  a 


CHUISTMAS  EVANS. 


CHRIST  MA  S  E  VANS.  6 1  1 

farmer  in  tlie  harvest-tield.  Diseoiu-iigt'd,  lie  nearly  abandoned  tlie  idea  of  enter- 
ing the  ministry,  and,  in  fact,  became  ahnost  indill'erent  to  reliijion.  Just  tlien 
he  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  mob,  and  i-ueeived  a  blow  which  left  him  insensible, 
and  his  right  eye  blind  for  life.  Ills  nari'ow  escape  aroused  him  to  new  diligence, 
and  sliortly  after  he  was  immersed  on  his  faith  in  Christ  in  the  river  Duar,  by  liev. 
Timothy  Thomas,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  at  Aberduar.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-two  he  was  oi'dained  at  J>leyn  as  the  pastor  of  five  small  Baptist  Churches 
there.  Frecpiently  he  walked  twenty  miles  and  preached  foui-  or  five  times  on  the 
Sabbath  with  mai-ked  ii'sults.  Jle  was  cajjtivated  by  tlie  preaching  of  Robert 
Roberts,  a  hunch-backed  Calvinistic  ]\Iethodist,  of  marked  eccentricities,  and  said 
that  fi'om  him  he  had  '  obtained  the  keys  of  the  level,'  whatever  that  may  be.  In  a 
short  time  Evans  evinced  remarkalile  preaching  powei's.  Jle  traveled  on  foot 
through  town  and  village,  crowds  gathering  into  chapels  and  burying-grounds,  on 
week-days  and  in  the  midst  of  harvest,  while  many  were  converted  and  immersed. 
His  fame  spread  on  the  wings  of  the  winds,  and  multitudes  followed  hiu)  from  place 
to  place. 

In  1701  he  removed  to  the  isle  ()f  Anglesea,  taking  charge  of  the  two  Baptist 
Churches  there,  on  a  salary  of  £11  jjer  annum.  Besides  the  two  (;hapels,  he  had 
eight  preaching  stations  and  no  other  Baptist  minister  near  him.  Tlie  Churches 
were  in  a  cold  and  distracted  state,  but  his  labors  were  soon  followed  by  powerful 
religious  revivals.  In  17'.t4  he  went  far  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the  Association, 
which  met  at  Yelin  Voel,  in  the  open  air  and  in  the  hottest  of  weather.  Two 
ministers  had  preached  in  a  tedious  way  and  the  heat  had  almost  stupefied  the  people, 
when  Evans  commenced  the  third  sermon.  In  a  few  minutes  the  people  began  to 
weep  and  praise  God,  to  leap  and  claj)  their  liamls  for  joy,  and  the  greatest  excite- 
ment continued  through  the  entire  day  and  night,  the  crowd  saying  to  each  other: 
'  The  one-eyed  man  of  Anglesea  is  a  prophet  sent  from  God  ! '  For  years  he  attend- 
ed the  meetings  of  this  body,  and  here  he  preached  his  famous  sermon  on  the  de- 
moniac of  Gadara.  That  sermon  held  the  vast  throng  spell-bound  for  three  hours; 
for  Christmas  drew  such  a  picture  before  them  as  even  Jean  Paul  Richter  never 
drew.  The  vast  throng  was  beside  itself.  Numbers  threw  themselves  on  the 
ground,  as  if  an  earthquake  rocked  beneath  them.  They  had  a  clear  vision  of  the 
naked  maniac,  full  of  burning  anger  and  wild  gesture,  with  fiend's  eyes,  fierce  and 
full  of  tiaiiic.  They  saw  his  paroxysms  which  broke  the  chains  that  held  him,  as 
threads  of  tow,  when  he  bounded  away  like  a  wild  beast,  to  leap  upon  hai-mless 
men.  He  lived  in  rocks,  slept  in  tombs  with  the  dead,  haunted  these  dismal  abodes 
like  a  midnight  ghost  and  made  them  echo  with  loud  blasphemies.  All  feared  him 
as  a  demon  and  none  dared  approach  him.  His  wife  was  broken-hearted,  and 
his  children  desolate.  In  lucid  moments  he  was  gentle,  then  he  roared  like  a 
lion,  howled  like  a  wolf,  raved  like  a  tiger,  the  terror  of  Gadara;  until  Jesus 
came,  quelled  the  storm,  restored  the  tortured  mind  and  tilled  the  land  with  joy. 


612  HIS  i'i;E.\(iii.\(i  AM)  /'/■:/;s(/y. 

TIk'H  caiiie  liis  picluii'  ot'  the  swiiir  wallnwiiiL;-  in  (lotniction.  tlie  punisliinuiit  of 
tiicii'  sflli.--li  (i\vnci-s  anil  i;Teat  doctrinal  tiaitli.-.  \\liirli  |iroilu<-ril  an  uriVct  .-cai'fclv 
credible,  imt  lor  fidl  and  cloar  testimony. 

In  1S2I'>,  when  the  pi'eaehing stations  in  Anglesea  had  increased  to  scores  and  the 
preachers  to  tweiit  v-eight.  he  left  that  island  and  settled  as  jxistorat  Caerjjhilly,  wliere 
he  soon  added  one  liniidred  and  forty  niendiers  to  his  Chnrch  liv  liapri^ni.  lie  re- 
mained here  hut  two  yeai's  when  he  removed  to  ('ardilf,  and  in  Iwn  yi'ars  more  tu 
{'aernarvon,  where  he  <-ontended  with  great  ditHculties  fi-om  chnrch  debts  and  dis- 
sension. When  on  a  collecting  tour  for  that  Church  he  died  sudili'idy  at  Swansea, 
duly  llHli,  ]><.')S,  in  the  seventy-second  year  of  his  age  and  tlu'  tifty-lonrtli  of  his  won- 
dei'fnl  ministry.  As  he  [)assed  from  earth  he  said  :  •  J  am  leaving  you  ;  1  have 
labored  in  the  sanctuary  tit'ty-three  years,  and  this  is  my  comfort,  that  I  have'  uever 
labored  without  blood  in  tlie  f)asin  ! '  AV^ith  his  last  breath  he  referred  to  a  verse 
in  an  olil  A\\'l>li  hymn,  then  \vavt'il  his  hand  as  if  with  Iidijali  in  the  chariot  of  lire, 
and  crie(l  :   '\Vheel  about,  coaciimaii  ;   drixe  on  !  ' 

IJe  had  preached  one  hundreil  and  si.\ty-three  times  before  JSaptist  Associations 
and  paid  forty  visits  to  South  Wales,  so  that  he  held  fi-ont  i-ank  in  the  "Welsh  uun- 
isti-y  for  more  than  half  a  century  without  a  stain  on  his  nioi'al  character.  In  per- 
son he  stood  aViout  six  feet  high,  with  an  athletic  fi'ame  a  vvvy  Anakiui — and  his 
head  covered  with  thick,  coarse,  lilack  hair.  His  bi'aring  was  dignified,  notwith- 
standing au  unwieldy  gait,  arisiug  from  an  inetpiality  of  limbs,  inducing  an  able 
writer  to  say  that  '  he  apjieared  like  one  composed  on  tlie  day  after  a  great  battle 
out  of  the  scatti'red  mend)ers  of  the  slain  ;"  or  as  a  Yorkshire  man  ex]ires>ed  if  to 
the  write)',  'like  a  book  taken  in  mnnbers,  with  some  wanting.'  llis  face  hetok- 
eneil  great  intelligence  and  amiability,  his  eye-brows  were  dark  and  heavily  arched, 
and  his  one,  large,  dreamy  eye  was  very  brilliant.  Kobert  TTall  said  of  him  that  he 
was  '  the  tallest,  stoutest,  greatest  man  he  evei-  saw;  that  he  had  but  (.me  eye,  if  it 
could  be  called  an  eye  ;  it  was  more  properly  a  brilliaut  star;  it  shined  like  Yenus ! 
and  would  light  an  army  through  a  forest  ou  a  dark  night."  This  evangelical  seraph 
of  one  eye,  like  all  sei-aphs,  had  a  warm  and  (piick  temperanieiit,  lield  under 
perfect  control ;  and  though  his  sustained  ])ower  of  imagination  was  astonishing,  he 
M'as  ver}'  dignified  in  debate.  His  piety  was  simple,  modest  and  ardent.  The 
wi-iter  thinks  that  one  of  the  best  tests  of  true  power  in  a  pi-eaclier  is  the  cliaracter 
of  his  public  prayers,  and  once  asked  an  old  and  intelligent  Welshman  who  had  often 
heard  Evans,  to  describe  these.  lie  rei)lied  :  '  They  were  conunoidy  short,  but  he 
seldom  stopped  until  the  tears  rolh'd  down  his  cheeks  from  his  one  eye  and  the 
empty  socket  of  the  other,  while  pleading  for  the  special  influences  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  that  day.'  Here  was  ;i  secret  of  his  eloquence  wliich  cannot  be  described 
more  than  the  warm  breatliings  of  seraphim  can  l)e  depicted.  His  voice  had  great 
compass  and  melody,  his  gestures  wei'e  easy  and  forceful,  and  his  composition 
crowded  with  metaphor  and  allegory.      His   style  was  more    than  original,   it   was 


TIMOTHY  THOMAS.  613 

unique,  bearing  the  stamp  of  iiigli  genius,  as  every  sentence  carried  liis  own  spirit 
and  its  exjiression  to  otliers  in  tiic  nicest  shadings  of  fervent  ti\ouglit.  The  press 
lias  given  us  two  iiundred  ol'  his  >('nii(.ins,  which  wrrc  nu'thdihcal  and  strong  in  tlieir 
unity.  The  liihlc  was  as  real  to  iiiiii  as  Ids  own  life,  and  heiici',  he  drew  tlie  ins- 
tory  and  doctrine  of  the  cross  in  trne  lines,  lie  was  more  lununous  in  exjxisition. 
and  fuller  of  imagery  than  Whitetield.  His  descriptions  were  pure  inspirations  of 
the  imagination,  and  his  sentences  were  the  joint  language  of  feeling  and  logic. 
After  the  ideal  nf  Ilnrace,  men  wept  wlicn  he  >hed  real  tears.  He  breathed  that 
vehement  thought  and  passion  into  his  speech  which  Loiiginus  cuIUkI  'a  divine 
frenzy.'  Uut  his  [)reaching  was  governed  by  a  sense  of  obligation  to  (iod  and  the 
grandeur  of  love  to  man.  These  took  iiis  own  soul  by  storm  and  stormed  the  soids 
of  others.  His  one  theme  was  Christ,  liis  one  aim  to  save  guilty  men,  pulling  them 
out  of  the  tire,  and  so  his  pnlpit  power  increased  to  the  last.  God  put  lionor  upon 
liim.  as  lie  always  has  upon  such  men,  'and  mucli  people  was  added  unto  the  Lord.' 

.Idux  Je.vkins  was  another  sjtlendid  specimen  of  self-educated  ministers  in 
Wales.  His  pnn'Uts  were  very  lowly  and  he  never  spent  a  day  in  school.  At  thi' 
age  of  fourteen  he  found  one  of  John  Khees's  evening-school  books  and  learned 
to  read  the  Welsh  Bible.  The  next  year  he  was  baptized  at  Llanwenarth,  and 
became  a  pastor  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  on  a  salary  of  £3  per  year.  Thus  Iniiii- 
bling  himself,  in  ISOS  he  was  exalted  to  a  salary  of  £'16  jX'r  (tnnuin  as  pastor  at 
Hengoed.  There  he  built  up  one  of  the  strongest  Churches  in  the  principality, 
and  became  a  leading  writer  in  the  denomination.  In  1811  he  published  a  body 
of  divinity  under  the  title  of  the  'Silver  Palace,'  and  followed  it,  in  1831,  by  a 
Commentary  of  the  whole  I'iljle.  The  Lewisburg  (Tniversity  conferred  upon  him 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  in  18r>'2  ;  and  he  died  in  Christ  on  June  5,  1858, 
aged  seventy-four  years. 

Timothy  Thomas,  of  Aberduar,  was  a  most  robust  servant  of  Christ;  the  son 
of  the  •Thunderer'  of  the  same  name.  He  was  rough  and  ready,  loved  to  ride  the 
best  horse  in  Wales,  and  made  the  whole  country  his  parish.  He  celebrated  his 
baptismal  services  in  the  open  air,  and  would  smite  into  the  dust  any  disturber  of 
his  services,  holding  up  his  license  in  one  hand  and  his  Bible  in  the  other,  demand- 
ing 'order'  by  virtue  of  two  warrants,  one  from  the  King  of  England  and  the 
other  from  the  King  of  Heaven.  When  lie  was  fourteen  years  of  age  his 
father  died,  but  his  father's  mantle  fell  u[)on  him.  On  returning  from  his  funeral 
his  motlier  mourned,  saying,  'that  the  family  altar  had  fallen  and  there  was  no  one 
to  build  it  up.'  Timothy  replied:  "Mother,  it  shall  not  fall;'  and  that  night  he 
conducted  wi.irship  in  the  stricken  home.  After  his  ordination,  in  1772-73,  he  went 
everywhere  jircaching  the  word.  During  Ids  uiinistry  he  baptized  about  2,0(»(i 
converts,  and  with  a  touch  of  honest  pride  he  loved  to  name  amongst  them  Christ- 
mas Evans.  He  died  in  18-10,  aged  eighty -six  3"ears,  protesting  that  there  was  noth- 
ing in  his  life  wortli  recording  for  another  generation. 


61 


JOIIX    WIIJ.IAMs.    Till-:    TL'AXsr.ATOH. 


.Iiiii.v  Williams  was  tlic  tliurou^li  sfholar  aiul  traiislatur  of  Tlic  New  Testament 
into  nioi|ei-n  \\'elsh.  lie  was  liiii'n  at  Waen  in  isnt;,  and  lii.s  yoiitli  was  cliaracter- 
ized  \>y  uianv  eceentricities,  one  ui  wliicli  was  tliat  he  constantly  liiil  himself  in  the 
hedu'es  and  woods  with   his  books,  and   at  the  a<je  of  twenty,  without  a  master,  had 

ae(|iiii-ed  a  i; I    knowledi;'e  of  Eni;iish  and    Latin,  with  (•(.msideraiile  attainments  in 

(ii'eok,  Ilehrew  and  niatliemat  ies.  At  twenty-one  he  published  an  Englisii  <>;rainniar  in 
Welsh  and  Juii^lish,  which  l)i-oUi;-hl  him  pressini^  invitations  to  enter  the  Episcopal 
ministry;  l)ut  he  was  ordained  a  home  missionary  amongst  the  Baptists  in  1834. 
lie  devilled  hiirrself,  liowe\-er.  to  the  translation  of  the  Xew  T(^stanient  and  tinished 


JOSHUA    WATKIXS. 


TIMOTHY  THOMAS. 


the  task  in  four  years.  To  reach  the  simple  sense  of  the  oriirinal  l)y  the  best  texts 
was  his  first  aim.  and  liis  next,  its  faithful  translation  into  his  mother-ton_<jiie.  Con- 
viction obliii'eil  him  to  jrive  an  inunei'sionist  version,  ami  while  nobody  pretended 
that  his  renderinii's  weri'  unfaithful,  the  cry  was  raisi'd  that  he  had  made  a  '  Eaptist 
iJible."  lie  exj)ressed  the  act  of  ba])tisin  l)v  the  word  frochi.  which  has  no  ecclesi- 
astical nicaninj;.  and  answers  to  dip.  or  immerse,  in  English,  instead  of  retaininj;  tlie 
word  bedydd,  which  by  ecclesiastical  use  has  come  to  mean  many  things  m  Welsh, 
as  the  word  baptize  docs  in  English.  Tie  snfTerecl  the  greatest  po.ssible  abuse,  as  if 
lie  were  a  (Tod-fearing  criminal.  Wales  jiroduced  few  harder  workers  or  more 
diligent  inquirers  after  the  truth.  But  the  coarse  abuse  of  men  who  could  not 
understand  how  an  honest  scholar  can  hold  himself  responsible  to  God  only  deeply 
Wounded  his  loyal  soul.  lie  was  retiring,  modest.  nnobtrusi\e.  and  Ins  health  .sank 
under  the  cruel  calumny  of  many  of  his  own  brethren,  lie  died  in  IS.jt),  at  the  age 
of  but  fifty  years. 


THOMAS  REES  DAVIES.  618 

'I'lKoiAs  UeKs  Davies  was  a  cliaractei-,  kiidwii  amongst  the  irreverent  as  'Old 
Black  Caj),'  because  he  wore  a  velvet  cap  in  the  jnilpit.  For  years  he  stood  second 
to  Christinas  Evans  in  p(i])ularirv'.  He  itinerated,  and  sn  great  was  Iiis  work  that 
lie  said  there  were  tew  rivers,  brooks,  or  tanks  in  Wales  in  which  he  had  not  bap- 
tized. His  wife  being  wealthy,  lie  sustained  himself.  Some  disagreement  with  the 
Baptists  led  to  his  expulsion  in  1818,  and  he  spent  about  seven  years  amongst  the 
Wesleyans,  with  whom  he  was  very  useful ;  but  he  deliglited  in  telling  tliein  that 
he  was  'a  Baptist  dyed  in  the  wool.'  At  one  of  their  great  missionary  meetings  he 
said :  '  The  Baptists  think  much  of  themselves,  but  they  cannot  do  all  the  work  in 
the  world.  We  "Wesleyans  must  be  in  the  field,  too ;  but  as  to  that,  we  shall  all  be 
liaptisrs  in  the  end."  When  he  returned  to  the  Baptists  he  said  to  his  Methodist 
brethren :  '  Good-bye,  I  am  going  home.'  He  was  welcomed  back  and  labored  suc- 
cessfully. During  forty-seven  years  he  preached  13,1-15  sermons,  averaging  above 
five  a  week  and  left  a  minute  record  of  the  time,  place  and  text  of  each  sermon. 
He  |ireached  the  same  sermon  over  and  over  again  for  twenty  times,  and  the  people 
were  newly  delighted  each  time,  and  each  discourse  came  to  l)e  known  by  some 
]ieculiar  name.  His  sermons  were  so  natuial  that  they  seemed  to  have  been  born 
with  him,  and  he  said  they  would  'always  go,  because  he  kept  them  in  a  safe 
place.'  They  were  quaint  productions  and  antithetic,  but  clear  and  pointed.  Then 
he  flavored  tlieni  with  homely  mother-wit  and  clelivered  them  in  an  easy  oratory, 
which  made  them  impressive,  despite  a  slight  impediment  in  his  speech,  so  that 
there  was  a  great  mystery  about  his  eloquence.  He  best  describes  himself  when 
about  visiting  London.  Writing  to  a  deacon  there,  who  did  not  know  him,  but 
was  to  meet  him,  he  says : 

'  At  Euston  Station,  December  3d,  1847,  and  al)Out  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
expect  the  arrival  by  train  of  a  gray-headed  old  man  ;  very  tall,  like  the  ancient 
Britons,  and  without  an  outward  blemish,  like  a  Jewish  higji-priest.  Like  Elijah, 
he  will  wear  a  bine  mantle,  not  sJuigriy,  but  superflne,  and  like  Jacob,  he  will  have 
a  staff  in  his  hand,  but  will  not  be  lame,  it  is  hoped.  J5ut  most  especially,  he  will 
have  a  Avhite  string  to  his  hat,  fastened  to  his  coat  button.  There  will  be  many 
there  with  black  strings,  but  his  will  be  white.  Let  the  friend  ask,  "  Are  you 
Davies  '.  "  and  his  answer  will  be,  "  Yes."  ' 

He  started  on  a  preaching  tour  through  South  Wales  in  1S59,  but  told  his 
friends  that  he  was  going  there  to  die,  and  to  be  buried  in  the  same  grave  with 
Christmas  Evans.  On  the  22d  of  July  he  preached  his  last  sermon  at  Morristown, 
near  Swansea,  when  he  was  taken  sick.  He  said  :  '  I  am  very  ill.  Let  me  die  in 
the  bed  where  Christmas  Evans  died.'  That  was  impracticable.  But  on  the  follow- 
ing Sunday  he  fell  asleep,  and  was  buried  in  Evans's  grave! 

RoBEKT  Ellis  was  a  prodigy,  after  his  order.  Although  nine  months'  train- 
ing under  John  Williams  was  all  the  schooling  that  he  ever  had,  he  excelled  as 
an  antiquarian,  l)ard,  lecturer,  preacher  and  biblical  interpreter.  He  came  to  be 
regarded   as  an  autlun-ity  in  ahiHJst  every  branch  of  AYelsh  literature,  and  was  one 


616 


ELT.TS.    MORGAN,    J.    K.    JONES. 


^■'  'ii,  |ii    

1 1    J  ' 


John  Emlyx  Jo.xks,  1\I.A.,   J>L.I)..  \va>  Imru 
tist  Chuivlies  at  Nebo,  Cardil}',  jMcrtlivi-  'lV<lvil 
eloquent   prraelirf,  and    ilistiiiyuii-Iicd    liini^'lf  as 
liistoi-}-  and   ^'unrral    literature;    also   as   the    ti-ans 
Welsh.      lie    was    a    poet    of   eminence, 
attainini:;     tln'      honor     uf     Chair- Bard, 
1>.  J>.  I).,    hy    winniui;-    a    chair   at     Den- 
bigh,   and     another    at     IJa.nerchyinedd. 
lie    pre])ared    a   'ri.ipoi^rajjhical    Diction- 
ary of  the  whole  world,  but  left  it  incom- 
plete,     lie   died   in    IST;!.      lli>   Doctor's 
degree  was  conferred   by  tlu'    I'niversity 
of  Glasgow. 

liuciii  JoxKs,  D.D..  was  born  at  An- 
glesea.  .inly  loth.  l^;'.l.  His  parent- 
possessed  unusual  talents,  especially  his 
mothei'.  lie  was  baptized  at  Llanfachreth 
by  Ilev.  R.  I).  Roberts  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen, and  preached  his  iirst  sernuin  in  what 
the  "Welsh  call  '  Gyfeillach."  the  weekly 
experience     meeting,    which     is    greatly 


of  the  most  idiomatic  Welsh 
writei's  of  his  day.  ilc  was  the 
author  of  many  poem.*,  and  (jf 
•  Five  Lectures  on  J>aptism,'  but 
his  greatest  woi'k  was  his 'Com- 
mentary of  the  New  Testament," 
in  three  volumes.  Born,  1S12; 
died,  J>7.">. 

Wii.i.iA.M  ]\IoI{(;ax,  D.D.,  one 
of  the  ablest  ministers  of  Noi'th 
A\'ales. devoted  his  lifutothe  inter- 
ests of  the  IJaptists  at  Holyhead, 
from  the  year  1825.  lie  was 
tlie  tii'.'-t  biographer  of  Cliri>tmas 
Kvans.  and  i)ublished  three  vol- 
umi's  of  sermons.  The  (ieorge- 
town  (college,  Kentucky,  honored 
him  with  the  title  of  D.D.  .Vfti'r 
a  very  useful  mini.-try,  he  died  in 
1S7:?. 

in  ls2ti.  lie  was  pastor  of  Hap- 
md  Llandudn(.i.  He  was  a  very 
an  author  in  woi-ks  of  theology, 
ator  of    (iilTs   (!ommeniarv   into 


WILLIAM    Jlulii.A.N,    U.K. 


1)11.    Iircll  JONES. 


617 


■■■I 


prized  in  their  Churches.  His  lirst  public  discourse  was  preaclied  in  1S51,  and  lie  en- 
tered the  college  at  Haverfordwest  in  1853.  There  he  remained  for  four  years,  and 
became  proficient  in  niatlieniatics,  tlie  classics  and  Hebrew,  lie:  wished  to  enter  the 
foreign  mission  work,  l)ut  was  preventeii  by  ill  health,  in  IS.JT  he  became  associate 
pastor  to  Mr.  (irittiths  at  Llan- 
dudno, and  remained  there  for 
two  years,  when  he  took  the  same 
service  for  Dr.  Pritchard  at  Llan 
goUen.  The  Baptist  College  wa> 
established  thei'e  in  1862,  and 
these  co-pastors  were  appoint 
co-tutors,  Mr.  Jones  being  clas 
cal  tutor.  Dr.  Pritchard  resign 
his  connection  both  with  tnc 
Church  and  the  College  in  1S6(!. 
and  ilr.  Jones  liecamo  principal 
of  the  College,  resigning  his  pas- 
toral relation.  Under  his  labors 
the  institution  attained  great 
prosperity,  but  he  overworked 
himself,  and  in  1877  was  oliliged 
to  seek  relief  and  health  on  the 
Continent,  where  he  appeared 
to  improve  and  returned  to  his 
post.  In  1SS3  his  health  sud- 
denly- failed  again,  and  on  the 
28th  of  May  he  was  unexpect- 
edly called  to  his  reward  alxive.  He  left  a  widow  and  I'leveii  cliililren  to  mourn 
theii'  loss,  and  in  about  two  yeai'S  his  cliildren  became  full  orphans,  fi.ir  their 
mother  died  and  was  bui-icd  in  the  same  grave  with  their  fatiier.  In  every  re- 
spect Dr.  Jones  was  a  man  of  rare  mark.  His  intellect  was  keen,  his  will  strong, 
his  heart  large  and  his  a]i})lication  close.  His  pure  character  and  (piiet  courage, 
his  simple  hal)its  and  genial  manliness,  endeared  him  to  all  who  knew  him,  and  he 
has  left  a  deep  impression  on  the  P>aptist  interests  of  the  princijiality.  His  thorough 
consecration  to  Christ  and  profound  biblical  scholarship  are  abuiulantly  seen  in  his 
works,  'The  Bible  and  its  Interpretation,'  and  the  'Act  of  Haptism.' 

These  sketches  of  Wel.sli  Baptists  might  l)e  continued  at  great  length,  but  a 
long  list  of  illustrious  names  must  be  passed  in  silence,  as  well  as  all  that  relates  to 
the  influence  of  "Welsh  Baptists  in  other  ]iai-ts  of  (4reat  Britain,  for  their  laymen  anil 
ministei-s  have  fllled  the  highest  posts  of  influence  and  usefulness  in  all  ])arts  of  the 
Tnited  Kinmloni.     The  above  are  sufficient  to  show  the  strong  elements  whirh  our 


HUGH  joXEs,  n.n. 


618  THE  ciirnciiEH  prosperous. 

jirinciplcs  lia\-e  deveiojied  in  Welsh  cliaracter.  Tliuy  hriii;;- out  its  \iii-ur  of  intellect, 
its  lu'roic  <'i)urai;-e,  its  liii;li  nioi-al  seiitiiiient,  its  glow  of  liolv  feeling  and  its  licMievo- 
lent  zeal.  When  we  take  into  account  the  soft  and  h'ljuid  How  of  the  Welsh  lan- 
guage, the  patriotism  of  the  Welsli  peoj)le,  their  devotion  to  civil  and  religions  liberty, 
and  their  enthusiastic  religious  emotion,  we  are  not  astonished  at  their  success;  nor 
can  we  wonder  at  the  great  molding  inlhience  which  they  have  exerted  upon  the 
I)a[)tisf  Churi'hes  of  the  Now  World. 

The  statistics  of  the  United  Kingdom,  including  the  Channel  Islands,  shows 
2,713  churches,  ;iir).9;i!»  nieml)ers,  with   ],S9;5  pastors. 

The  Baptist  (,'hurehes  in  Wales  wei'e  never  in  a  more  prosperous  condition 
than  at  tin'  presi'ut  time,  'i'hey  not  only  stand  lii-ndy  hy  the  tiaitli.  IjuI  vear  hy 
year  they  are  resisting  that  anomaly  of  the  nineteenth  century,  the  incubus  of  a 
State  (Jhurcli.  Since  the  disestablishment  and  disendowment  of  the  Lish  Church 
the  Welsh  people  feel  more  and  more  the  galling  voice,  and  are  attempting  to  shake 
it  olT  with  greater  spirit.  Recently,  not  only  the  Daiitists.  but  the  liMlep<iideiits 
and  Calvinistic  Methoili^ts  lia\'e  arisen  with  almost  one  accMMl  to  resist  the  I'liforce- 
nient  of  tithes  in  behalf  of  the  Established  Church.  The  -lithe-war'  as  it  is  called, 
broke  out  recently  in  the  parish  (.)f  Llanarmon,  and  disti'aint  njjon  the  goods  of  the 
farmers  there  has  aroused  the  resistance  of  all  Xoii-coniVirmists.  It  is  strange  that 
this  blot  upon  ( 'hristiaiiity  should  have  remained  unwi[)ed  out  so  hiiig.  but  this  relic 
of  bai'liarism  must  soon  disappear  in  Wales.  At  this  moment  the  auctioneer  is  sell- 
ing c<_)nfiscated  property  in  all  directions,  and  every  fall  of  his  hammer  drives  a  new 
nail  into  the  eolHn  of  the  politico-ecclesiastical  State  Church,  but  not  befoi'e  its  time 
to  fall.  In  ISCS  eompubory  ehureli  i-ates  were  abolished.  IsSo  the  liurial  Act  M'as 
})assed,  relieving  Uissenters  from  idiominable  annoyances  in  buryiiii,''  their  dead,  and 
it  is  not  meet  that  the  twi'nti(>th  century  shoidd  be  disgraced  by  one  vestige  of 
Welsh  oppression  in  this  direction.  It  is  strange  that  the  Wel.sh  have  endured  this 
yoke  so  long,  and  the  sooner  they  rise  in  their  strength  and  shake  it  oil'  the  better. 


KET.    J.    SPINTIIKR   JAMKS 


REV.    W.    W.   EVERTS,   JK. 


H.    0.    VEllllKR. 


HON.    li.    G.   JONES. 


REV.    G.    E.    HORK,   JR- 


THE  AMERICAN  BAPTISTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

THE    COLONIAL    PERIOD.     PILGRIMS    AND    PURITANS. 

Tl  I E  passage  of  tlie  Mayflower  over  the  Atlantic  was  long  and  i-o)igli.  Often 
before  its  bosom  had  been  torn  by  keels  seeking  the  golden  fleece  for 
kings,  but  now  the  kings  themselves  were  on  boai-d  this  frail  craft,  bringing  the 
golden  fleece  with  them,  and  the  old  deep  had  all  that  she  could  do  to  bear  this 
load  of  royalty  safely  over.  Stern  as  she  was,  the  men  borne  on  her  waves  were 
sterner.  More  than  a  new  empire  was  intrusted  to  her  care,  a  new  freedom. 
'  What  ailed  thee,  O  sea?'  When  this  historic  ship  came  to  her  moorings,  not  un- 
like the  vessel  tossed  on  Galilee,  she  was  freighted  with  ]M'inci])les,  convictions, 
institutions  and  laws.  Tliese  should  first  govern  a  iparter  of  the  globe  here,  and 
then  go  back  to  the  Old  World  to  efl'ect  its  regeneration  and  shape  its  future.  The 
Pilgrims  knew  not  that  the  King  of  all  men  was  so  signally  with  them  in  the 
bark,  and  would  send  them  forth  as  the  fishers  of  Gennesaret  were  sent,  on  an 
errand  of  revolution.  In  intellect,  conscience  and  true  soul-greatness,  these  quiet 
foundei-s  of  a  new  nation  were  highly  gifted,  so  that  song  and  story  will  send  their 
names  down  to  the  end  of  time  on  the  bead-roll  of  fame.  The  monarchs  of  the 
earth  have  already  raised  their  crowns  in  reverence  to  their  greatness,  and  they  are 
canonized  in  the  moral  forces  whicii  impelled  and  followed  them. 

Imperial  Ixmibast  in  Jani(>s  I.  had  chuckled  over  this  liand  of  strong-souled 
ones.  He  '  had  peppered  them  soundly,'  as  he  loved  to  boast,  and  '  harried  them ' 
out  of  his  land  in  the  bitterness  of  their  grief  ;  but  when  their  sturdy  feet  pressed 
Plymouth  Eock  they  had  a  conscience  void  of  offense  toward  Holland,  England 
and  God.  An  invisible  hand  had  guided  the  helm  of  the  Mayflower  to  a  rock 
from  wliicli,  in  a  wintry  storm,  a  group  of  simple-hearted  heroes,  with  bare  heads, 
could  proclaim  a  Church  without  a  bishop  and  a  State  without  a  king.  Ne.xt  to 
their  adoration  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  their  great  religious  thought  at  that  moment 
was  English  Separatism.  This  thought  had  bearings  in  embryo  upon  the  future 
births  of  time,  in  the  genesis  of  such  trntlis  as  only  mature  in  the  throes  of  ages. 
The  founders  of  Plymouth  were  not  Puritans,  or  Non-conformists,  but  Separatists, 
who  had  paid  a  great  price  for  their  freedom,  and  had  come  from  an  independent 
congregation  in  Leyden.  Their  great  germinal  idea  was  deep-seated,  for  their  love 
of  liberty  had  been  nourished  with    the   blood  of  a  suffering   bi-otherhood.     They 


620  LAMiIXn   AT   PI.YMdUTII. 

ranked  with  tli(>  most  ndvaiifed  thinkers  and  invei-s  nl'  the  radical  priiieiples  of 
tlicir  ai;i'.  and  vet.  thdii^li  tliev  were  lioncsily  t'e<'lii)L;'  their  way  to  tiiose  principles 
in  all  iheir  primal  sinipHeity.  lliey  hail  mH  already  attained  ti>  tlieii'  full  use. 
Tliev  inten(K-d  to  lie  as  hnnest  and  as  JKinnraiiU' as  tlie  skies  ahove  them.  History 
has  laid  the  cliari;-e  of  rii^id  .-ternnc-s  at  their  dmir,  lint  they  evideMitly  estaldir^hed 
tlieir  new  colony  in  love  to  (!od  and  man. 

l-'idli'r,  ('(.lUier,  and  sesci'al  other  old  writei-s  show  that  the  l!i-o\vnists,  fi-om 
whom  thev  spranu:,  canjzht  their  idea  of  absolute  Cliiindi  iiidependeiicy  fi'oni  the 
Dutch   liaiitists.      \\'eiin;ai-len  makes  this  .strong  statement : 

•'Idle  perfect  ai^reement  hetweeii  tlie  views  of  lirown  and  those  of  the 
Uaiiti.sts  as  far  as  the  nature  of  a  (diui'cli  is  concerned,  is  certainly  ])roof  euou<^li 
that  he  borrowed  this  idea  from  them,  thoiiffli  in  liis '' True  Declaration  *'  of  1584 
he  did  not  deem  it  advisable  to  acknowledge  the  fact,  lest  lie  should  receive  in 
addition  to  all  the  op|)robrioiis  names  heaped  u])on  him,  that  of  Anabaptist.  In 
l.jTl  there  were  no  less  than  ?>,\^'2'->  Dutcdnneu  in  Norwich.''  Also  Scludt'er  says: 
'  That  Jirown's  new  ideas  concerning  the  nature  of  the  Church  ojiened  to  him  in 
the  circle  of  the  Dutch  liaptists  in  Norwich.  Urandt,  in  his  "  Reformation  in  the 
Low  Countries,"  .shows  that  when  Brown's  Church  was  dissolved  by  dissentions 
at  ]\Iiddlebnrg.  in  the  Netherlands,  where  the  Ea])tists  were  very  numerous,  some 
of  his  peo]ile"fell  in  with  the  Baptists.' =  And  Johnson,  pastor  of  the  Separatist 
Church  at  Amsterdam,  wrote,  in  lOod.  tJiat  'divers'  (if  tliat  Chundi  who  had  been 
driven  from  England  'fell  into  the  eri-ors  of  tlie  Anabapti^ts.  which  were  too 
conunon  in  those  countries.'' 

liishop  Saiuler.son  wrote,  in  1681,  that  Whitgift  and  Hooker  did  'long  foresee 
and  declare  their  fear  that  if  Puritanism  should  prevail  amongst  us,  it  woidd  soon 
draw  in  Anabaptisni  after  it.  .  .  .  These  good  men  judged  right ;  they  oidy  con- 
sidi'red,  as  ]irudent  men,  that  Anabai)tism  had  its  rise  from  the  same  i)rinciples  the 
Puritans  held,  and  its  growth  from  the  same  courses  tliey  took,  together  with  the 
natiu'al  tendency  of  their  princijiles  and  ])ractices  toward  it.'  He  then  says  that  if 
the  ground  be  taken  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  only  rule  so  as  'nothing  might 
lawfully  be  done  without  cxjiress  warrant,  either  from  some  comnumd  or  example 
therein  contained,  the  clew  thereof,  if  followed  as  far  as  it  would_  lead,  would 
cei-tainly  in  time  carry  them  as  far  a>  the  Anabaptists  were  then  gone."-* 

Tliis  clear-minded  ])relate  perfectly  understood  the  logical  and  h'gitimate  result 
of  i'lajitist  principles,  and  tins  result  the  I'lymoulhmeu  had  reached  on  the  ques- 
ti(pn  of  Church  indeiieiulency,  but  they  were  still  learners  on  the  (piestion  of  full 
liberty  of  conscience  aside  from  the  will  of  nuigistrates. 

The  permanent  landing  of  the  i'ilgrims  at  I'lymouth  began  Der.  -Jntli.  Ifi2tl 
(( ).  S.),  l)ut  on  the  1 1th  of  Tsovendu-r  tliey  had  entered  into  a  solemn  '  compact."  thus  : 

'  Having  undertaken,  for  the  glory  of  God,  and  advancement  of  the  Christian 
faith,  and  the  honor  of  our  king  and'  country,  a  voyage  to  plant  the  first  colony 
in  the  northern  parts  of  Virginia;  do  by  these  presents,  solemnly  and  mutually-,  in 
the  presence  of  God  ami  one  another,  covenant  and  combine  ourselves  together  into 
a  civil  body  politic,  for  our  better  ordering  and  preservation,  and  furtherance  of 
the  ends  aforesaid  :  and  by  virtue  hereof  do  enact,  constitute,  and  frame  such  just 
aiul  e(pial  laws,  ordinances,  acts,  constitutions,  and  officers,  from  time  to  time,  as 
shall  be  thought  nmst  meet  and  convenient  for  the  general  good  of  the  colony  ; 
unto  which  we  promise  all  due  submission  and  obedience.' 


riir.iu  i.ir.EiiTiics  ly  ikuj.am).  62 1 

Fur  alxjiit  ;i  iiidiirli  after  t'lmniliiii;-  the  sfttleiiu'iir  tlieir  ^oveninu'iit  took  a  pati'i- 
arclial  funii,  with  tlie  ii-ovcriiur,  .Idliii  (larvur,  as  tlir  head.  A  legislature  was  imt 
fiiniieil  till  lt)39.  Graham  says:  "The  supreme  leiiislative  luxly  was  composed  of  all 
the  freemen  who  were  memliers  of  the  cluireh,"  and  fnll  liliei'ty  of  conscience  was  not 
allowed.  Winslow  tells  Winthrop,  that  in  ( )cti)l)er.  U'>4."».  ^^lssal  moved  the;  court '  To 
allow  and  maintain  full  and  free  tolerance  of  religion,  to  all  men  who  would  preserve 
the  civil  peace  and  submit  to  government.  .  .  .  I!ut  <iur  governoi-  (I'.i'adford)  and 
diversof  us  having  expressed  the  sad  conseipiences  would  follow  .  .  .  would  not  allow 
it  to  come  to  vote,  as  being  that  indeed  would  eat  out  the  power  of  godliness.'  Wins- 
low  denounced  this  measure  as  'carrion,'  and  its  passage  as  a  'judgment  of  God,'  from 
which  he  must  if  passed,  instead  of  groaning  under  it,  find  rest  in  the  other  colony. 

They  themselves  had  first  tasted  the  sweets  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  in 
the  N'etherlands,  under  the  advanced  Christian  idea  of  government  for  man  as  such. 
They  had  availed  themselves  of  that  liberty  which  Christian  patriots,  and  amongst 
them  the  Dutch  Baptists,  had  suffered  so  much  to  purchase ;  and  yet  they  had 
failed  to  learn  the  primary  lesson  of  full  liberty  of  conscience  in  civil  government, 
as  the  first  right  of  each  man  in  the  State.  Their  mistake  was  inexcusable  on  the 
popular  plea  that  this  idea  was  in  advance  of  their  age.  But  for  that  idea  and  its 
practical  use  they  would  not  have  founded  Plymouth  ;  for  without  its  shield  they 
could  not  have  found  an  asylum  in  Holland,  when  they  were  driven  from  their 
own  home  in  England.  Their  liberty  in  Holland,  while,  in  fact,  the  greatest 
possible  reality  to  them,  was  treated  in  Plymouth  as  a  mere  impractical  ideal,  when 
they  came  to  found  a  'civil  body  politic'  of  their  own.  And  this  is  rendered  the 
more  remarkable  from  the  fact,  that  they  were  placed  under  no  chartered  re- 
ligious restriction  themselves.  When  they  applied  to  England  for  a  charter  in 
1618,  Sir  John  Worsiiigliam  asked:  'Who  shall  make  your  ministers?'  Their 
representative  ('  S.  B.')  answered :  •  The  power  of  making  [them]  was  in  the 
Church,  to  be  ordained  by  the  imposition  of  hands,  by  the  fittest  instruments  they 
have ;  it  must  be  either  in  the  Church  or  from  the  pope,  and  the  pope  is  Anti- 
christ.' That  point  was  waived,  therefore,  and  Felt  says  that  S.  B.  'asked  his 
worship  what  good  news  he  had  for  me  to  write  to-morrow '  (to  Robinson  and 
Brewster).  '  He  told  me  good  news,  for  both  the  king's  majesty  and  the  bishoj)s 
have  consented.'  The  patent  which  was  given  them  was  taken  in  the  name  of 
John  Wincob,  a  Christian  gentkunan  who  intended  to  accompany  them,  but  who 
failed  to  do  so,  hence  they  could  not  legally  avail  themselves  of  its  benefits,  and 
really  came  without  a  patent.  The  petulance  of  the  king  would  give  them  none, 
and  they  left  without  his  authority,  saying :  '  If  there  is  a  settled  purpose  to  do  us 
wrong,  it  is  easy  to  break  a  seal,  though  it  be  as  broad  as  a  house  floor.'  Felt  says 
again:  '  The  Pilgrims  are  aware  that  their  invalid  patent  does  not  privilege  them 
to  be  located  so  far  north,  and  grants  them  '■  only  the  general  leave  of  his  majesty 
for  the  free  e.\ercise  of  the  liberty  of  conscience  in  the  public  worship  of  God."'° 


622  TJIK    rrillTAXS. 

Ill  any  case,  tlit'iviVirc,  witli  tlic  patent  nr  witlioiit  it,  tlicv  w(>ro  left  iiiitraiiinieled 
in  lliu  exercise  of  their  lilierty  of  conseienee,  l)otii  as  it  rej^ards  the  form  of 
reiig'ioii  wliicii  any  citizen  niin-ht  elinose,  and  liis  rii^'lit  to  citi/.eiisliip  witlioiit  any 
order  of  religion,  al'ler  the  !ii>llaiiil  pallern.  I'lider  their  own  'eonipact"  tlien, 
tliey  lirst  formed  a  'civil  liody  |"ilitic,"  and  then  a  ( 'hiircli,  the  colony  to  ije  jointly 
ijoveriied  hy  tlie  oflicei-s  of  hoth.  In  some  aspects  of  tliis  union  tlu;  State  was 
ratlier  alisorlieil  iiiio  the  ('hiircli  than  united  to  it.  lint  the  ehlers  and  magistrates 
were  so  united  tliat  together  they  eiifoi-ced  the  dntii's  both  id'  the  fiivt  and  sei-ond 
tables  of  the  Ten  ( 'ommamlmeiits.  The  elders  did  not  always  consult  the  ci\il 
functionary  in  ('hiii'cli  matters,  hut  the  civil  funetioiiaiT  did  not  act  in  important 
public  alfaiiv  without  consulting  the  elders. 

The  Puritans,  who  settled  tin;  A[assacliiisetts  Bay  (Colony,  in  li^is,  eight 
years  afti'i-  the  Pilgrims  landed  at  Plymouth,  were  another  jieople  entirely.  They 
had  jiaid  a  li'ss  pi'ice  for  their  I'eligious  freedom  and  were  less  tolerant  in  spirit; 
while  in  regard  to  rlie  separation  of  the  riiureh  tVom  the  St;ite  they  stood  sub- 
8tantially  with  the  Pilgrims.  The  Plyiiii>iith  men  had  separateil  from  the  Church 
of  England  as  a  cnrrupt  and  fallen  body,  but  the  Puritans  cnntimied  in  communion 
with  thai  Church,  allhough  ihey  refused  to  conform  to  many  of  its  practices  and 
denounced  them  warmly  ;  and  hence  were  known  as  Xoii-conformists  (ji-  Puritans. 
They  believed  firmly  in  the  union  of  the  Clmrcli  and  State  as  a  jiolitical  nece.ssity, 
while  the  Pilgrims  beliexed  in  it  as  a  spiritual  necessity,  and  in  turn  they  were  de- 
noiUKied  by  tlu;  Puritans  as  'schismatics.'  While  the  men  of  Massacliusetts  IJay 
were  on  shipboard,  they  sent  an  address  to  their  friends  in  England  calling  the 
Established  Church  there  their  '  dear  niotlier,'  from  whose  bosom  they  had  -sucked' 
tlu'  hope  of  salvation.  A\'lieii  the  Atlantic  stretched  between  them,  however,  they 
organized  Congregational  Churches  and  established  them  by  law,  limiting  political 
suffrage  to  membersliip  thei'ein,  obliging  all  citizens  to  pay  for  their  support, 
coercing  all  into  conformity  therewith,  forbidding  all  dissenting  Churches,  and  en- 
forcing these  prohibitions  and  requirements  by  penalties  of  disfranchiseinenf,  fine, 
imprisonment,  scourging  and  banishment,  tlu;  same  as  in  cases  of  civil  crime.  All 
is  substantially  summed  up  in  this  decree,  passed  May  18,  1031,  by  the  general 
court:  'No  man  shall  lie  admitted  to  the  body  politic  but  such  as  are  members 
of  some  of  the  CMiurc-hcs  within  the  limits  of  the  same,"  that  is,  the  Colony, 

The  Puritans  having  eipial  aversion  to  the  Se])aratists  of  Leydeii  and  to  the 
assumptions  of  the  Church  of  England,  they  aimed  at  working  out  a  third  way  ; 
but  when  they  came  to  put  their  theory  into  practice  the  logic  of  events  brought 
them  to  substantially  the  Plymouth  pcsition,  and  as  the  two  colonies  came  to  know 
each  other,  their  prejudices  and  misunderstandings  almost  vanished.  The  agree- 
ment, however,  between  the  men  of  the  'Bay'  and  tho.sc  of  'Plymouth' 
concerning  the  constitution  and  polity  of  a  Church  was  never  perfect.  The 
Plymouth  Church  order,  at  first,  contained  a  trace    of   aristocracy  in  the   ruling 


PURITAN  AlilSrOCRACY.  623 

eldersliii).  luit  tliis  iinU-  cniitiiuicil  iluriiig-  the  lives  of  three  iiieii :  Brewster,  chosen 
in  1609;  Cushmaii.  in  l<!4'.i;  ami  hiuiice.  KI."'".  After  that  the  vital  hold  of  tlie 
eldership  was  broken,  the  constant  tendency  being  toward  a  |iiii-e  democracy, giving 
to  every  member  an  eqnal  voice.  The  '  Bay '  Churches,  on  the  contrary',  gravi- 
tated toward  what  was  called  Barrowism,  which  placed  Chnrch  power  in  the 
hands  of  the  elders.  But  in  ItUS  the  Cambridge  platform  gave  the  elders  'tlu! 
power  of  office,'  defined  to  be  the  right  of  ruling  and  directing  the  C'hurcli.  After 
that  the  eldership  became  the  ruling  power  in  the  Churches  of  New  England, 
although  this  aristocratic  tendency  was  less  hearty  in  the  Plymouth  colony.  The 
leaders  in  the  ('hui'clies  generally  were  from  the  higher  wali'is  of  life,  and  were 
not  prepared  to  admit  the  principle  of  a  pure  democracy  in  Church  or  State. 
They  stood  with  IMilton,  J>ocke  and  Lightfoot  in  intelligence  and  literature,  witli 
Cromwell,  Hampden  and  Pym  in  statesmanship.  It  is  computed  that  the  21,<i<)0 
persons  who  came  into  New  England  lietween  1630-40  brought  with  them 
£500,000 — $2,500,00(1,  which,  reckoning  money  as  worth  then  six  times  more 
tlian  it  is  to-day,  they  brought  property  to  the  value  of  §15,000,000,  and  with  this 
all  the  conservatism  which  wealth  implied  in  those  days.  The  most  of  this  money  was 
brought  by  the  Puritans,  as  the  Pilgrims  were  very  poor.  So  long  as  the  '  body  poli- 
tic '  was  one  with  the  Chnrch,  their  joint  l>olity  nlust  l>e  more  rigorous  and  concen- 
trated tlian  the  democratic  form  allowed,  and  so  in  a  very  short  time  proscription, 
bigotry  and  intolerance  asserted  themselves  bravely.  Bishop  Peck,  an  admirer  of  the 
Puritans,  who  is  ready  to  excuse  their  faults  whenever  he  can,  is  compelled  to 
say:  'It  is  both  curious  and  lamentable  to  see  the  extreme  spirit  of  Protestantism 
reaching  the  very  proscriptive  bigotry  of  Romanism,  and  the  brave  assertion  of 
Puritan  rights  resulting  in  the  bitter  persecuting  tolerance  of  prelacy ;  and  yet 
historical  tidelity  compels  the  admission.  We  must  confess,  however  reluctantly, 
that  the  spirit  of  proscription  and  intolerance  in  New  England  is  exactly  identical 
with  the  same  spirit  which  we  found  in  Virginia.' * 

Still  it  is  a  pure  mockery  of  historical  truth,  and  an  unjust  reflection  npon 
the  Puritans  themselves,  to  put  in  the  special  plea  of  modern  discovery  that  the 
Massacluisetts  Bay  Company  was  a  mere  business  company,  a  body  of  '  mercenary 
adventurers,'  as  their  worst  enemies  loved  to  !)rand  tliem.  The  charter  which  they 
first  received  of  James,  and  which  Charles  enlarged,  made  them  a  'body  politic,' 
so  far  as  a  colony  could  be.  under  which  they  both  asserted  and  exercised  the 
right  of  self-government  in  home  affairs  for  more  than  half  a  century.  Their 
chai'ter  endowed  them  with  power  to  make  laws,  to  choose  civil  officers,  to  admin- 
ister allegiance  to  new  citizens,  to  exact  oaths,  to  support  military  officers  from 
the  public  treasury,  and  to  make  defensive  war,  all  independent  of  the  crown. 
Nay,  they  made  some  offences  capital,  which  were  not  capital  in  England.  So 
thorouijhlv  did  thev  understand  these  rights  and  determine  to  defend  them,  that 
in  163-1,  wlien  England  appointed   the  archbishops  and   ten  members  of  the  Privy 


624  Tin:Y  F()U.\i)i:i)  a  state. 

Council,  witli  ])()wcr  to  call  in  all  jjatciits  <if  the  |>lantatioiis,  to  make  laws,  raise 
tithes  for  iniiiistei's,  to  i-cinovc  i;ovcriiors,  and  inliict  ])uiiishnient  even  to  death, 
Massachusetts  IJay  Hew  to  arms,  and  rii;htly.  too,  as  a  Coniinonweulth,  and  not  as  a 
business  coi-|ioral ion.  All  the  ])astors  were  coincncd  with  the  civil  otlicci-s  of  the 
colony  to  answer  the  question  :  'What  we  ou^ht  to  do  if  a  j^eneral  governor  shall 
he  sent  out  of  Kiiuland  * "  Their  unanimous  answer  wa?- :  '  We  ought  not  to  aceei)t 
him,  but  defend  our  hnrj'ul  jiosucsxious,  if  we  are  able;  othei-wise  to  avoi<l  or  pro- 
tract.' And  with  the  s])ii'it.  not  ot'  traders  and  mercinaries.  but  of  ])ati-iots.  they 
begun  to  colk'ct  arms  and  ammunition,  to  di-ill  and  <lis<'i|iline  their  nu'u,  and  to 
fortify  ('astle  Island.  Charlestown  and  Dondie^ter  Heights.  Tlie  Cieneral  Court 
forbade  the  circulation  of  farthings,  made  bullets  a  legal  tender  ftu'  a  farthing  each, 
a])pointe(|  a  nnlitary  comnu>sion.  otalilishi-d  a  sti'ict  military  discipline,  and  erected 
a  beacon  on  •  InMi'on  Hill,"  to  alarm  the  couidry  in  case  id'  Ktiglish  invasion.  l^Iore 
than  this,  the  .Military  Comnussiuii  was  em])o\vered  'to  do  whatever  may  be'  further 
behoovefiil  for  the  good  of  this  plantation,  in  case  of  any  war  that  may  befall  us.' 
They  also  re(jiui'ed  every  male  resident  of  ti.xteen  years  and  over  To  take  the  '  Free- 
iium's  Oath,'  anil  inriaisted  the  Commission  with  the  powei'  of  the  (K'atli  penaltv." 

A  facetiotis  writei-  may  be  allowed  to  say  that  the  Puritans  came  to  this 
country  'to  worshiji  (iod  accoi'ding  to  tlii'ir  own  conscii'uces,  and  to  prevent  other 
l)eople  iwnn  worshiping  iiini  acc(.>r(ling  to  tluMrn.'**  and  we  can  pardon  his  playful 
way  of  ])Utting  this  mattei-.  lUit  it  is  un]iai'ilonable  in  a  grave  historian  to  impose 
upon  Ins  readers,  by  belittling  these  giaiid  men,  and  underrating  their  virtues  by 
raid-cing  them  witli  those  who  came  here  in  search  of  ]-eligious  liberty  for  them- 
selves alone.  To  say  that  they  looked  uj)on  their  charter  oidy  as  tlie  title-deed  of  a 
grasping  community  holding  their  i)ossessions  by  right  of  fee  shnple  rather  than  as 
their  only  country  wliiidithey  had  sworn  to  protect,  is  to  do  them  the  grossest  wrong. 
They  came  for  another  purpose,  cd'  tlu;  highest  aiul  holiest  order  that  liberty^  and 
the  love  of  God  could  inspire.  They  sought  this  land  not  only  as  an  asylum  where 
they  could  be  free  themselves,  but  as  a  home  for  the  oppressed  wlio  were  strangers 
to  them,  else  why  did  they  enfranchise  all  refugees  who  took  the  oath  and  make 
them  freemen,  too  '.  According  to  Felt,  Styles,  and  many  others,  they  founded  a 
Christian  '  State.'  President  Styles  well  said,  in  1783  :  '  It  is  certain  that  civil  do- 
minion was  but  the  second  motive,  religion  the  primary  one,  with  our  ancestors  in 
conung  hitln'f  and  settling  this  land.  It  was  not  so  nnich  their  design  to  establish 
religion  for  the  benefit  of  tlie  State,  as  civil  government  for  the  benefit  of  religion, 
and  as  subservient,  and  even  necessary,  for  the  jjeaceable  enjoyment  and  unmolested 
exercise  of  religion — of  that  religion  for  which  they  fled  to  these  ends  of  tlie  earth.' 
Their  charter  under  Charles  left  them  on  the  Iwsis  piunted  out  by  Matthew  Cradoek, 
governor  of  the  company,  July  2Stli,  1620.  namely,  with  '  the  transfer  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  plantation  to  those  who  shall  inhabit  there,'  as  well  as  with  liberty 
of  conscience,  so  that  they  could  be  as  liberal  as  they  pleased  in  religious  matters. 


Tiii:y  i'i:iisECUTEn  on  rniNcwrj:.  62s 

They  neither  were  nor  could  he  chartered  ms  a  purelv  v'wW  woy  as  a  purely  .spu'itual 
body,  but  all  that  related  to  the  rights  of  uiaii,  body  and  soul,  was  claimed  and 
enjoyed  by  them  uiuler  their  charter. 

John  Cotton  understood  that  the  colony  possessed  all  the  rights  of  a  '  body 
politic,'  with  its  attendant  responsibilities.     In  his  reply  to  Williams,  he  says: 

'By  the  patent  certain  select  men,  as  magistrates  and  tVccmen,  have  power  to 
make  laws,  and  the  magistrates  to  execute  justice  and  judgment  amongst  the 
people  according  to  such  laws.  By  the  patent  we  have  power  to  erect  such  a  gov- 
ernment of  the  Church  as  is  most  agreeable  to  the  word,  to  the  estate  of  the 
])eopk',  and  to  tlie  gaining  of  natives,  in  (-rod's  time,  first  to  civility,  and  then  to 
Christianity.  To  this  authority  established  by  this  patent.  Englishmen  do  readily 
submit  themselves;  and  foreign  plantations,  the  French,  the  Dutch,  the  Swedish, 
do  willingly  transact  their  negotiations  with  us,  as  with  a  colony  established  by  the 
royal  authority  of  the  State  of  England.' 

No  fault,  therefore,  is  to  be  found  with  the  Massachusetts  Bay  anthorites  for 
the  punishment  of  civil  and  political  offenders,  even  with  banishment  and  death, 
as  in  the  case  of  Frost,  who  M-as  banished  for  crime  in  lfi32,  under  the  sentence : 
'  He  shall  be/fw^  to  death,''  if  he  returned.  In  1633  the  same  thing  was  repeated  in 
the  case  of  Stone,  this  Connnonwealth  assuming  tlie  highest  prerogative  that  any 
civil  power  can  claim,  that  ovei-  life  and  death.  Twenty  distinct  cases  of  banish- 
ment from  the  colony  are  on  record  within  the  first  seven  years  of  its  settlement, 
fourteen  of  them  occurring  within  the  first  year. 

Their  wrong  hiy  not  in  these  and  similar  acts  for  criminal  and  political  causes, 
but  in  that  they  punished  men  for  religions  opinions  and  practices ;  under  the  plea, 
that  to  hold  and  express  such  opinions  was  a  political  offense  by  their  laws,  although 
the  charter  made  no  such  demand  of  them  ;  but  permitted  them,  had  they  chosen,  to 
extend  equal  religious  rights  to  all  the  Christian  colonists,  with  those  which  they 
exercised  themselves.  The  simple  fact  is,  that  they  wielded  the  old  justification  of 
persecution  used  by  all  persecutors  from  the  days  of  Jesus  down :  '  We  have  a  law, 
and  by  our  law  he  ought  to  die,'  without  once  stopping  to  ask  by  what  right  we 
have  such  a  law.  With  all  their  high  aims  and  personal  goodness,  they  repeated  the 
(]ld  blunder  of  law-makers,  that  those  who  were  not  one  with  them  in  religious  faith 
should  not  exercise  the  rights  of  men  in  the  body  politic,  because  they  must  be  and 
were  its  enemies.  There  can  be  but  little  doubt  that  with  all  their  high  aspirations 
after  civil  and  religious  liberty,  the  late  Dr.  Geo.  E.  Ellis,  of  Boston,  stated  their 
case  with  what  Dr.  Dexter  pronounces  '  admirable  accuracy,'  thus  : 

'  To  assume,  as  some  carelessly  do,  that  when  Eoger  Williams  and  others  asserted 
the  right  and  safety  of  liberty  of  conscience,  they  announced  a  novelty  that  was 
alarming,  hecavse  it  was  a  novelty,  to  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts,  is  a  great 
error.  Our  fathers  were  fully  informed  as  to  what  it  was,  what  it  meant ;  and  they 
were  familiar  with  such  results  as  it  wrought  in  their  day.  They  knew  it  well,  and 
what  must  come  of  it ;  and  they  did  not  like  it ;  rather  they  feared  and  hated  it. 
They  did  not  mean  to  live  where  it  was  indulged  ;  and  in  the  full  exercise  of  their 
intelligence  and  prudence,  they  resolved  not  to  tolerate  it  among  them.  They 
41 


626  PF.iisKcrrroN  of  tiii-:  iihowns. 

ideiitiiied  freedom  of  conscience  only  vvitli  tlie  ol)jcctional)le  aTid  niiscliievoue  results 
whicli  came  of  it.  'i'iiey  mii^'ht  liave  met  all  ai'oiiiid  them  in  England,  in  city  and 
(•ountry,  all  sorts  of  wild,  crude,  extravagant  and  fanatical  spirits.  Tliey  had  rea.'ion 
to  fear  that  many  whimsical  and  factious  ])ei'sons  would  come  over  hither,  expecting 
to  lind  an  unsettletl  state  of  things,  in  which  they  would  have;  the  freest  range  for 
their  eccentricitii's.      Tliey  were  j:)i'epai'cd  to  stand  on  the  defensive.'' 

This  frank  and  manly  statement  of  the  case  is  ti'uly  historical,  becau.se  it  tells 
the  exact  truth  ;  although,  perhaps,  it  never  occui'red  to  the  men  of  the  Bay,  that 
Elizabeth  and  James  had  raidced  them  and  their  J'lymonth  brethren  with  the  'wild, 
crude,  extravagant  and  fanatical  spirits'  of  their  realm.  8]>encer,  Bishop  of  Norwich, 
had  boasted  that  he  would  drive  every  L(.illard  out  of  liis  diocese,  or  '  Make  them  hop 
headless,  or  fry  a  fagot;'  and  what  better  had  the  Puritans  been  treated  in  English 
'  city  and  country  i*'  The  barbarous  cruelties  which  had  failed  to  reduce  their  con- 
sciences to  submission  should  have  suggested  to  them  at  least,  as  incurables  them- 
selves, that  it  might  not  l)e  their  sj)ccial  and  bounden  duty  as  magistrates,  to  crush 
out  all  eccentric  religionists  who  happened  to  be  'crude,"  'extravagant'  and  '  fanat- 
ical," as  enemies  of  good  civil  government.  Whether  they  were  justified  in  so 
treating  those  who  asserted  the  right  and  safety  of  liberty  ot  conscience,  is  hardly 
an  t)pen  (piestion  no\\'.  So  far  as  appears,  the  first  resistance  made  to  the  jxilitico- 
religious  law  of  the  colony  came  from  two  brothers,  John  and  Sanmel  lirown, 
members  ol'  the  Church  of  England.  In  1(12!*  they  set  n})  worship  in  Salem  accord- 
ing to  the  book  of  Common  Prayer,  alleging  that  the  governor  and  ministers  were 
already  'Separatists,  and  would  be  Anabaptists."  Ppon  the  comjilaint  of  the  minis- 
ters and  l)v  the  autlioritv  of  the  g(Jvernor  they  were  sent  back  to  England.  Endicott 
says  that  their  conduct  in  tlie  matter  engendered  faction  and  mutiny.  The  minis- 
ters declared  that  they  had  'come  away  from  the  Comtnon  Prayer  and  ceremonies,' 
and  'neither  could  nor  would  use  them,  because  they  judged  the  imposition  of  these 
things  to  be  sinful  eoi-ruptioiis  in  tlic  worshi))  of  (-Jod."'"  The  first  false  step  of  the 
Puritans  of  the  liay  compelled  them  to  take  the  second  or  retreat :  but  they  now 
proceeded  to  narrow  all  admittance  into  the  Commonwealth  by  tlie  test  of  religious 
belief,  a  ste]»  wliich  o|)ened  a  struggle  for  liberty  of  conscience,  lasting  for  more 
than  two  liundred  years  in  Massachusetts. 

This  statement  of  the  civil  and  religious  status  of  the  two  colonies  of  Plymouth 
and  the  Bay  seems  necessary  to  a  proper  understanding  of  the  state  of  things  tinder 
which  Roger  'Williams,  the  great  apostle  of  religious  liberty,  opened  the  contest, 
wliich  compelled  these  great  and  good  men  to  take  that  last  step,  which  now  pro- 
tects evei'y  man's  conscience  in  America.  The  chosen  teacher  who  was  to  show 
these  two  bands  '  the  way  of  tlie  Lord  more  perfectly,'  as  usual,  at  the  cost  of  great 
suffering,  was  now  brought  unexpectedly  to   their   doors.      The  old  record  says : 

'  The  ship  Lyon,  Mr.  William  Pierce  master,  arrived  at  Nantasket ;  she  brought 
Mr.  Williams,  a  godly  minister,  with  his  wife.  Mr.  Throgmorton,  and  others  with  their 
wives  and  children,  about  twenty  passengers,  and  about  two  hundred  tons  of  goods.' 


CHAPTER    II. 

BANISHMENT    OF    ROGER    WILLIAMS. 

''I  TIE  first  Baptist  of  America,  like  the  first  of  Asia,  was  tlie  herald  of  a  new 
X  reign ;  hence  it  was  fitting  that  he  should  have  a  wilderness  education, 
should  increase  for  a  time  and  then  decrease,  that  the  truth  might  be  glorified. 
Roger  Williams,  according  to  the  general  belief,  was  born  of  Welsh  jiarentage  about 
the  3'ear  1600.  While  young  he  went  to  London  and,  by  his  skill  in  reporting, 
attracted  the  attention  of  Sir  Edward  Coke,  the  great  lawyer  who  framed  the  Bill 
of  Rights  and  defended  the  Counnons  in  their  contest  with  the  crown.  By  his 
advice  and  patronage  Williams  entered  the  famous  '  Charter  House  School,'  and 
afterward  the  University  at  Cambridge,  where  Coke  himself  had  been  educated,  and 
which  was  decidedly  Puritan  in  its  tone.  He  was  matriculated  a  pensioner  of 
Pembroke  College  July  7th,  1625,  and  took  his  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts  in  1627. 
For  a  time  he  is  supposed  to  have  studied  \a.w,  and  this  legal  training  undoubtedly 
prepared  him  for  his  after  legislative  career.  His  bent,  however,  was  toward  theol- 
ogy, and  he  finally  took  orders  in  the  Church  of  England,  together  with  a  parish, 
probably  in  Lincolnshire,  under  the  liberal  John  Williams,  afterward  Archbishop 
of  York. 

Roger  was  a  stern  Puritan,  opposed  to  the  liturgy  and  hierarchy  as  Laud  repre- 
sented them,  and  being  acquainted  with  John  Cotton  and  other  emigrants  to 
America,  he  determined  to  make  his  home  in  Massachusetts.  He  left  Bristol 
December  1st,  1630,  and  reached  Boston  February  5th,  1631.  His  ample  fortune, 
learning  and  godly  character  commended  him,  and  he  was  invited  to  become  teacher 
in  the  church  there,  under  the  pastoral  care  of  John  Wilson.  He  was  a  sturdy 
Puritan  when  he  left  England,  but  when  he  reached  Boston  he  iiad  become  a 
Separatist,  and  declared  openly  that  he  would  not  unite  with  the  Church  there,  as 
he  '  durst  not  otficiate  to  an  unseparated  people.'  The  Puritans  held  the  Church  of 
England  to  be  corrupt  in  its  government,  ceremonies  and  persecuting  spirit,  and 
having  discarded  episcopacy  and  the  ritual,  had  formed  Congregational  churches  in 
Massachusetts,  and  therefore  he  thought  that  they  should  not  hold  fellowship  with 
that  Church.  After  a  great  struggle  he  had  cut  loose  from  that  Church,  and  says : 
'  Truly  it  was  as  bitter  as  death  to  me  when  Bishop  Laud  pursued  me  out  of  this 
land,  and  my  conscience  was  persuaded  against  the  national  Church.'  He  denounced 
that  Church  in  strong  language,  but  not  a  whit  stronger  than  every  Puritan  had 
used,  and  this  would  have  given  no  ofEeuse  had  he  rested  there.     But  he  admin- 


628  117/  /, / 1  MS  A  r  s.  1  /, i:m. 

istcrcd  sliai'|)  I'cKiikr  nf  llu-ii'  inconsistency  in  stoppinic  short  ot'  full  8C]iai'afi(jn. 
Others  sliarc(l  his  \ie\vs  in  this  I'espect.  uml  dcnonnced  tlieni  as  •  semi-Separatists," 
iii.sistini!;  that  as  tlie  ]irincijial  end  of  tlie  new  plantation  was  to  eiijoy  a  pure  rellLnon, 
th(?  sejiaration  should  he  con:]ilete.  When  AVilliams  found  in  his  i'et'u<re  a  senii- 
fellowshi])  with  the  l'hi::li>li  ('hurch  and  the  Congregational  ('Inii'ches  ])ut  under 
the  eoiiti'ol  of  the  magistrates,  he  foresaw  at  a  glance,  that  coiTUptidii  and  persecu- 
tion must  work  out  in  America  the  same  I'esults  that  they  had  wrought  in  England. 
At  imce.  therefore,  he  protested,  as  a  sound-minded  man,  that  the  magistrate  might 
not  ])unish  a  hreach  of  the  first  tahle  of  the  law,  comprised  in  tlie  first  four  of  the 
Ten  Commandments. 

This  was  the  rehnke  that  stung  the  authoi'ities  of  Massachusetts  T>ay.  and  from 
that  moment  lie  had  little  rest  until  his  hanishment.  In  April.  \(V^\.  he  was  invited 
to  become  teaehei'  to  the  ('hurch  at  Salem,  the  eldest  Church  in  the  colony,  organ- 
ized August  f'l,  ICil'it.  .\t  once,  six  iiiemlier>  of  the  court  in  lioston  wi'ott' to  1-hidi- 
cott  at  Salem,  ^\■arning  the  Salem  people  against  him  as  a  dangerous  man.  for 
bi'oaching  the  foregoing  novel  ojiinions,  and  asking  the  Churcli  there  to  confer 
with  the  ]>oston  Council  in  regard  to  his  ease.  Ilj^ham.  wlio  wrote  the  hi>tiiry  of 
this  Church,  re]i(ii-ts  that  it  was  oigani/.ed  '  (  )n  jirinciple-  nf  perfect  and  entire 
independence  of  every  othei-  ecclesiastical  body.'  Hence,  it  acted  inde]iendenily  of 
this  advice  fi'om  Boston  and  I'eceivcd  AVilliams  as  its  minister  on  tin'  I'itli  of  Ajiril. 
Felt  says:  '  Here  we  ha\e  an  indication  that  the  Salem  Church,  l.iy  calling  Williams, 
coincided  \\\X\\  his  opinions,  just  specified,  and  thus  differed  with  the  Church  in 
ISoston." '  This  fact  accounts  foi-  the  long  struggle  between  the  Salem  Church  and 
the  colonial  go\ernment  in  I'elation  to  Williams.  That  Chui'ch  and  the  Church  at 
Plymouth  refused  cotmminion  with  mendiers  of  the  Church  of  England.  The  first 
ministers  of  the  Salem  Church  were  Skelton  as  ])ast(U'  and  Higginsoii  as  teacher. 
Higginson  drew  up  its  Articles  c)f  Faith,  which  Hubliaid  pronounces  'a  little  dis- 
crepant from  theirs  of  Plymouth,'  yet  not  so  dilfei-ent  but  that  (-rovernor  Bradford, 
the  Separatist  '  delegate '  from  Plymouth,  gave  the  hand  of  fellowship  when  the 
Salem  Church  was  recognized.  For  a  considerable  time  the  other  Churches  of  the 
Bay  looked  askance  at  the  Salem  Church.  Winthrop  arrived  at  Salem  from 
England,  in  the  ArJullti.  on  Saturday.  Juiu'  1-Jth,  1030,  where  lie  and  others  went 
ashore,  bnt  returned  to  the  ship  for  Sunday,  becau.se,  as  Cotton  says.  Skelton  could 
not  '  Conscientiously  admit  them  to  his  communion,  nor  allow  any  of  their  cliil- 
dren  to  l)e  l)a])ti/'.ed.  The  reason  of  such  scruple  is.  that  they  are  not  members 
of  the  Reformed  Churches,  like  those  of  Salem  aiid  Plymonth.' 

This  treatment  of  Winthrop  drew  forth  a  severe  letter  from  Cotton  to  Skelton, 
dated  October  2d.  1630,  in  which  he  says  that  he  is  'not  a  little  troubled'  '  That  you 
should  deny  the  Lord's  Supper  to  such  godly  and  faithful  servants  of  Christ  as  Mi\ 
(iovernor,  Mr.  Johnson,  Mr.  Dudley,  and  Mr.  Coddington.  .  .  .  ily  grief  increased 
upon  me  when  I  heard  you  denied  baptism  to  Mr.  Coddington's  child,  and  that 


Wn.L/A.VS  AT  PLYMOUTir.  629 

upon  a  reason  worse  than  the  fact,'  namely,  that  lie  was  not  a  member  of  one  of 
the  Reformed  Churches.  He  then  arj>;ues  that  both  Skelton  and  John  Robinson 
were  wrong  in  taking  such  ground.  Robinson  and  Brewster  had  taken  this  position 
in  their  letter  to  Sir  John  Worsingluun,  JanuaiT  I'Tth,  UilS  ;  '  AVe  do  administer  bap- 
tism only  to  such  infants  as  whereof  the  one  parent  at  the  least  is  of  some  Church.' 
Coddington  was  a  member  of  a  Xational  Church,  and  not  one  of  'saints  by  calling,' 
as  Robinson's  in  Leyden  and  Skelton's  in  Salem  ;  and  therefore,  the  latter  would 
neither  eliri;-ten  his  child  nor  allow  him  at  communion,  'i'l'iily  had  iiohinson  said: 
■  The  Lord  has  more  truth  yet  to  break  forth  out  of  his  holy  word,'  which  light  was 
beginning  to  gleam  in  Salem.  These  facts  greatly  assist  us  in  understanding  the 
animus  of  resistance  to  Williams  at  evei'y  step,  and  why  Morton  says  that  in  one 
year's  time  he  had  tilleil  Salem  •with  principles  of  rigid  separation,  and  tending  to 
Aiiabaptistry.' ^  The  soil  had  been  idvparcd  to  his  hands  under  the  ministry  of 
Skelton  and  Iligginsou,  who  despite  themsehes  had  drifted  to  the  verge  of  Baptist 
principles  without  intending  to  be  Baptists. 

Williams  was  not  permitted  an  undisturljcd  life  at  Salem,  although  his  services 
were  sreatlv  blessed  in  that  communitv.  The  Massachusetts  Coui't  could  not  forget 
its  unheeded  advice  to  that  Church,  and  he  had  no  rest.  In  his  magnanimity,  rather 
than  contend  with  them,  he  withdrew  at  the  end  of  the  summer  to  Plymouth, 
beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Bay  Company,  where  he  found  warm  friends,  and 
employed  his  high  attainments  in  assisting  Ralph  Smith,  pastor  of  the  Maytlower 
Church.  The  Bay  men  spared  no  efforts  to  make  the  Plymouth  Church  restless 
under  its  new  teacher,  and  even  kind-hearted  Brewster,  the  ruling  elder  of  that 
Church,  became  set  against  him,  stern  Separatist  as  lie  was  and  had  been  from 
Scrooby  down.  lie  saw  something  in  Roger  which  reminded  him  of  John  Smyth. 
'Anabapti.stry '  had  always  acted  on  the  good  old  elder's  nei-ves  like  a  red  Hag  on 
the  masculine  head  amongst  neat  cattle,  and  Williams's  principles  raised  his  honest 
fear  that  Roger  would  actually  '  Run  the  same  course  of  rigid  separation  and  ana- 
baptistry  which  Mr.  John  Smytii,  the  Se-Baptist  at  Amsterdam,  had  done.'  At  this 
time  Skelton's  health  failed,  in  August,  KlS-t,  he  died,  and  Williams  was  called  back 
to  Salem,  first  as  supply  then  as  his  successor.  lie  returned,  accompanied  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Plymouth  Church,  who  could  not  forego  the  '  more  light '  which  was 
breaking  in  upon  them  through  his  ministry.  He  was  made  a  great  blessing  to  the 
Church,  but  outsiders  could  not  let  him  alone,  and  their  constant  interference  trieil 
his  patieuce  to  the  uttermost.  Fphain  says  :  '  He  was  faithfully  and  resolutely  pro- 
tected by  the  people  of  Salem,  through  years  of  persecution  from  without,  and  it 
was  only  by  the  persevering  and  combined  efforts  of  all  the  other  towns  and 
Churches  that  his  separation  and  banishment  were  finally  effected.' 

In  December,  lt)33,  the  General  Court  convened  to  consult  upon  a  treatise  of 
his,  in  which  he  disputed  the  right  of  the  colonies  to  their  lands  under  their  patent. 
This  work  is  not  extant,  and  we  can  only  judge  of  it  from  the  account  given  by 


630  WILLIAMS  iiKFOiiic  Tiiic  coiirr. 

AViiitlii-'i|i  :inil  ( 'i)ttcin,  allied  liy  liis  iiwn  .'-tateiiicnt  that  In-  liad  a  troulih'd  I'OiisfieiK'e 
tliat  ■  ('liri>tiaii  kiiii;.s  (so-calledi  are  investi'd  with  a  rit^ht  liy  virtue  of  their  Chi'is- 
tiaiiity  tu  take  and  give  away  tlie  lands  and  cmintries  of  other  men."  Wintlirop 
liiniself  t^ays,  tiiat  wlien  the  treatise  was  examined,  it  was  fouml  to  lie  •  wi-itten  in 
very  obseiire  ami  inqilicative  |)hrases,"  of  uncertain  interpn'tation.  '  It  seems  to 
luive  been  a  mere  theni-elieal  s^u'eulat ion.  was  .suliinitted  to  the  Court  at  Wiiitiirop's 
re(|uest,  in  nianu>criiit  and  unpubiisiied  ;  and  it  was  agreed  to  pass  over  bis  offense 
on  retraction,  or  taking  an  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  king.  The  j)ractical  importance 
which  Williams  attached  to  it  is  seen  in  the  fact,  that  he  ollcrcd  to  burn  the  treatise, 
and  that  ln'  wrote  the  Court  'submissively"  and  •penitently."  Thcv  took  lii>  ollVr  to 
iiui'ii  his  irianu^cri|it  as  the  aliaiidonment  of  hi>ll(^uc^t  princi]>les  ;  with  him  it  had 
tlonc  its  Work.  So,  this  tci'ribli'  affair  in  which  .lames  1.  was  charged  with  jjublic 
filasphciny  and  falsehood,  and  that  otlici-  delectable  character,  Charles  1.,  was  likened 
to  the  "iVogs"  and  •dragon"  of  llcvclations.  came  to  an  end  and  still  Massachusetts 
li\c(l.  After  this,  he  was  cited  to  appear  before  the  ( 'ourt  on  thi-ee  different  occa- 
sions, once  to  account  for  furtluu'  remarks  made  in  a  si^rmou  in  I'egard  to  tlie  patent, 
once  to  answer  for  his  c)])position  to  the  l^'rei'maiTs  ()ath,  arid  finally,  to  meet  the 
charges  on  which  he  was  banished  in  ( )ctobei',  Iti.'ia.     Tin;  following  is  his  sentence: 

•Whereas  l\Ir.  Koger  Williams,  one  iif  the  eldi-rs  of  the  Church  of  Salem,  bath 
broached  and  dividged  divers  new  and  dangerous  opinions,  against  the  authority  of 
magistrates,  as  also  writ  letters  of  defanuition,  Ixitb  of  tlie  magistrates  and  Churches 
here,  and  that  before  any  conviction,  and  yet  maintaineth  the  same  without  retrac- 
tion, it  is  therefore  ordered,  that  the  said  Mr.  Williams  sliall  depart  out  of  this  juris- 
diction within  six  weeks  now  next  ensning,  which  if  he  neglect  to  perform,  it  shall 
be  lawful  for  the  governor  and  two  of  the  magistrates  to  send  him  to  some  jilace  out 
of  this  jurisdiction,  not  to  return  any  more  without  license  of  the  Cotn-t.' ■* 

A  clear  view  of  the  case  may  be  gathered  from  the  specifications  as  summed  uj) 
before  the  Court  by  the  governor,  who  said:  'Mi'.  Williams  holds  forth  these  four 
particulars :  1st.  That  we  have  not  our  land  by  patent  from  the  king,  but  that  the 
natives  are  the  true  owners  of  it,  and  that  we  ought  to  rejient  of  such  a  receiving  it 
by  patent.  2d.  That  it  is  not  lawful  to  call  a  wicked  person  to  swear,  to  pray,  as 
being  actit)ns  of  God's  worship.  ;'>d.  That  it  is  not  lawful  to  bear  any  of  the  minis- 
ters of  tlie  ])arisli  assemblies  in  England.  4th.  That  the  civil  magistrate's  ])ower 
extcMids  only  to  the  l>odies  and  goods,  and  outward  state  of  men,  etc'  In  his  letter  to 
Endicott,  Williams  explains  the  bearings  of  the  -Ith  point  in  the  governors  summing, 
in  these  words :  '  The  point  is  that  of  the  civil  magistrate's  dealing  in  matters  of  con- 
science and  religion,  as  also  of  persecuting  and  hunting  any  for  any  matter  merely 
spiritual  and  religious.' 

As  partisanship  has  greatly  distorted  this  histoi-ical  event,  it  is  needful  to  exam- 
ine It  carefully  and  somewhat  at  length,  with  due  regard  to  the  exact  facts: 
1st.  Touching  the  then  existing  form  of  govtrnment ;  2d.  The  records  of  the  case  ; 
and,  .3(1.  The  representations  of  the  several  ]iarties  who  were  (concerned  in  the 
decision.  Viewed  within  these  limits,  it  is  folly  to  claim  that  either  the  autboritie? 
or  Williams  can  be  justified  in  all  that  they  did.  One  extreme  position  assumes 
that  Massachusetts  IJay  was  piu'ely  a  business  corporation,  and  so  its  Court  might 


THE   TKST   OATH.  631 

exercise  as  arbitrai'v  a  [lowi-r  nl'  fxpulsimi  as  tliat  of  a  (•(iimiicrcial  association; 
wliieli  interpretation  in  view  of  tlie  legislative,  executive  ami  jmlirial  prerogatives, 
exercised  by  the  eolonv,  is  a  very  liinisy  absurdity,  it  is  especially  so  in  view  of 
the  warlilve  preparations  of  the  colony  for  rebellion  against  English  power,  and  the 
setting  up  of  an  independent  sovereignty  if  necessai'y.  On  the  other  hand,  this 
primitive  government  was  necessarily  crude,  and  did  many  things  which  were  suni- 
marv  and  arbitrary,  as  judged  by  pi'eseiit  stuiidanls.  Its  acts  were  frequently 
directed  to  accomplish  particular  objects  tlu'ii  in  view,  as  political  necessities,  witli- 
out  much  regard  to  the  general  and  primary  principles  of  law. 

As  to  Williams  himself:  It  is  clear  that  lie  was  carefully  feeling  his  way  to  the 
stand  which  he  took  so  grandly  in  after  life,  our  modern  conception  of  the  proper 
relation  of  Church  and  State;  namely,  that  each  is  absolute  in  its  own  sphere 
and  without  mutual  interference.  It  is  quite  as  clear  also,  that  during  his  Salem 
troubles  he  had  not  yet  arrivt'd  at  this  full  conception.  \Yhile  under  citation  to 
appear  before  the  General  f'ourt,  to  answer  charges  which  it  deemed  heretical,  the 
Salem  people  petitioned  that  (yourt  to  grunt  and  assign  to  them  certain  lands  on 
Marblehead  ISTeck,  which  jietition  was  refused.  This  was  a  purely  civil  matter, 
which  the  Court  only  could  control.  But  Williams  made  a  Church  matter  of  it,  and 
availing  himself  of  what  was  known  amongst  the  Churches  as  the  '  Way  of  Admoni- 
tion," induced  his  Church  to  send  a  general  letter  to  the  other  Churches  of  which  the 
magistrates  who  had  refused  the  Salem  petition  were  members,  asking  them  to 
'admonish'  these  magistrates,  and  'require  them  to  grant  without  delay  such 
petitions,  or  else  to  proceed  against  them  in  a  Church  way  ;'°  or  as  Cotton  expresses 
it:  '  That  they  might  admonish  the  magistrates  of  scandalous  injustice  of  denying 
this  petition.'  If  this  account  can  be  relied  upon,  as  the  letter  itself  does  not 
seem  to  be  in  existence,  then  the  spiritual  power  of  the  Salem  Church  was  used 
to  influence  the  magistrates  to  do  a  political  act.  Probably,  this  is  the  letter  of 
'defamation  '  of  magistrates  referred  to  in  his  sentence. 

In  the  matter  of  the  test  oath  blame  lodges  against  Williams,  but  this  is  not  so 
clear  as"in  the  matter  of  the  Salem  petition.  The  General  Court  had  ordered  that 
each  man  above  twenty-one  years  of  age,  who  resided  in  the  colony,  should  take  the 
Resident's  Oath  of  obedience  to  tlie  laws,  to  promote  tlie  peace  and  welfare  of  the 
colony,  and  to  reveal  all  plots  against  it  coming  to  their  knowledge.  This  was  a 
fair  and  wise  recpiirement,  provided,  that  it  contravened  no  previous  legal  act  or 
right  of  the  citizen.  In  May,  1634,  the  General  Assembly,  meeting  in  Boston, 
revoked  the  former  oath  of  a  freeman,  which  required  his  obedience  to  laws  that 
should  be  made  '  lawfully,'  and  substituted  for  it  an  oath  of  obedience  to  '  whole- 
some' laws.  By  many  the  change  was  unnoticed,  it  was  so  slight;  but  it  was 
made,  as  Cotton  says,  to  guard  against  '  Some  Episcopal  and  malignant  practices,' 
and  this  left  it  very  loose.  There  is  little  room  for  dt)ubt  that  the  real  reason  was, 
that  in  case  of  necessity  the  new  oath  might  be  interpreted  to  transfer  allegiaiu* 


632  77/A'    l{Hn    CROSS. 

fi'iiiii  tlir  Kiiyli.-li  iTuwii  tu  tlie  liical  ^'oscrniiieiit,  and  U>  liKikc  it  oiu;  step  in  that 
.scries  ol'  .shrewd  movements  i)V  wliicli  tlie  colnnv  linally  became  independent. 
AV'illiams's  mistai^e  lay  in  that  lie  liej;'an  to  preach  against  it  earnestly  from  a 
religious  jmint  of  view.  The  old  oath  was  an  oath,  and  was  administered  to 
'  unregenei-ate  mrii."  and  ihe  new  oath  did  not  alTect  liim  piu'soiially  as  an  unre- 
generate  man,  so  that  he  need  not  to  liave  preached  about  it  at  all.  To  himtbeoatli 
was  an  act  of  worship,  and  he  might  liavt'  left  the  unregenei'ate  man  to  judge  for 
liiinself  as  to  whethei-  or  not  it  were  an  act  of  worslii])  to  him  also.  His  view  of 
the  civil  oath  was  cleai-ly  .i  mi-take,  yet  it  is  unfair  to  judge  either  him  oi-  tlii'  Court 
by  the  practice  of  the  pi-esent  day,  in  the  Use  iif  the  oath.  I'ntil  recent  years,  men 
have  been  excluded  fi-om  testifying  in  courts  of  justice  because  their  reliy-iou-s 
belief  or  unbelief  failcil  to  (|ualil'y  thcin  to  take  certain  oaths  or  foi-nis  of  oath. 
Inasmuch  as  he  was  not  an  "  unregenerate  '  man  lu'  could  have  taken  the  new  oath 
or  not,  as  an  act  (d  wor^liip,  and  ha\'e  kdt  olliei'  men  to  lollow  their  own  (-onscicnce.s. 
IJiit  both  he  and  the  Court  had  t-ome  to  that  point  ol'  contest  where  each  stickled 
stiibboridy  for  little  things  and  m.ignitied  them  to  a  wondrous  importance. 

A  charge  is  also  made  that  Williams  instigated  Endicott  to  cut  the  red  cross 
out  of  tlu'  tlag  of  England,  on  the  gi'ound  that  it  was  given  to  the  king  bv  the  poj)e 
as  an  ensign  of  victory,  and  so  was  a  suj)erstitious  thing  and  a  relic  of  antichrist. 
Whoever  did  this  committed  a  grievous  political  offense  against  the  crown,  l)ut 
^\'illial^s  is  not  conclusively  identitied  therewith,  noi-  is  it  even  charged  against  him 
by  the  Court,  so  that  if  this  charge  were  a  mere  report,  and  yet  was  allowed  to 
weigh  in  his  condemnation,  to  that  extent  the  Court  treated  him  unjustly.  Endicott 
was  tried  and  punished  for  cutting  out  the  red  cross.  He  pleaded  that  he  did  this  not 
from  any  motives  of  treason  to  the  crown,  but  from  his  hatred  of  idolatry,  where- 
upon he  was  excluded  from  the  magistracy  for  one  year,  a  light  j)unishment.  because 
as  the  examining  Committee  of  the  Court  reported:  'He  did  it  out  of  tenderness 
of  conscience,  and  not  of  any  evil  intention."  Iloger  AVillianis  ndght  have  held  tlie 
same  opinion,  but  in  this  he  was  not  singular,  nor  hits  it  been  alleg(>d  that  he  was 
suspected  of  treason  on  any  ]ioint.  \i  however,  as  Hubbard  atKrms,  he  "Inspired 
some  ])ersons  of  great  intei'cst  that  the  cross  ought  to  be  taken  away,'  he  only 
shared  a  very  po])ular  opinion  in  the  colony  at  the  time.  The  governor  himself 
had  called  a  meeting  of  all  the  clergy  of  the  colony,  in  Boston.  January  19tli,  1035, 
and  submitted  to  them  this  <|uestion  :  'Whether  it  be  la\\ful  for  us  to  carry  the 
cross  in  our  banners  ;'  They  warndy  discu^s(•d  this  (piery.  all  the  jiastors  being 
present,  except  i\Ii'.  Ward,  of  Ipswich,  and  '  For  the  matter  of  tiie  cross,'  says  Win- 
tlirop,  'they  were  divided,  and  so  deferred  it  to  another  meeting.'  Felt  treats  fully 
of  the  affair,  saying  :  'Some  of  the  congress,  though  not  large  in  number,  yet  of 
vital  consequences  in  their  advice.  a])prove  the  disjday  of  such  a  sign,  and  others 
think  it  shoidd  be  laid  aside.  liotli  parties  are  fully  aware  that  its  omission  is  cal- 
culated to  bring  on  the  colonists  a  charge  of  treason  against  regal  supremacy.' 


PRETENDED   PUNISHMENT   OF   KNDU'OTT.  683 

Wlu'ii  Kiulieiitt  was  calli'il  to  aL-cdiiiit.  tlic  aiiflidi'itics  wci'c  (jliliM-cd  tn  defer  the 
question  tu  tiie  next  session,  because  tliej  were  undecideil  '  Wlietlicr  tlie  ensigns 
should  be  laid  by  in  regard  that  iiiaiiy  refused  to  follow  them.'  Meanwhile,  the 
Board  of  War  required  '  That  all  the  ensigns  should  be  laid  aside  ;' '^  and  in  May, 
l()3o,  a  motion  was  made  to  exchange  the  red  cross  for  the  red  and  white  rose, 
l)eiiiii'  'I  ^vniliul  of  union  between  the  houses  of  \  ork  and  i>anca>tcr.  Tiiey  recom- 
mended that  an  attempt  be  made  to  'Still  their  minds,  who  stood  still  for  the  cross,' 
until  harmony  should  ensue  concerning  the  matter.  It  appears  that  this  cross  in 
the  banner  was  a  subject  of  universal  agitation  amongst  tlie  colonists,  that  tlie  Court 
and  jiastors  were  divided  al)out  it,  that  Hooker  had  sent  forth  a  treatise  on  the  sul)- 
ject,  and  that  the  'assembled  freemen'  seriously  proposed  to  supplant  it  liy  the 
'  roses,'  while  the  '  iioard  of  War'  had  actually  laid  it  aside  for  the  time  being.  Htill, 
Roger  Williams,  who  did  not  cut  it  out,  is  made  the  greatest  sinner  of  all  in  the 
'  Bay,'  perhaps,  for  not  doing  this.  Joseph  Felt,  no  friend  to  Williams,  artlessly 
shows  with  what  light  seriousness  tliis  grave  Court  took  the  punishment  of  Endicott 
for  his  high  crime  : 

'  While  many  of  the  colonists  entertained  an  o|)inion  like  his  own  abcnit  the  cross, 
he  expressed  his  in  the  overt  act  of  cutting  it  from  the  standard,  and  therefore  was 
made  an  example.  State  policy  rendered  it  needful  for  him  thus  to  suffer  in  order 
to  appease  the  resentment  of  the  court  party  in  London,  for  such  a  seeming  denial 
of  the  royal  supremacy.  But  for  this,  there  is  reason  to  believe  that  he  would  have 
■received  apidxuise  rather  than  blame.  As  evidence  that  the  same  body,  while  so 
dealing  with  him  by  constraint  for  the  sake  of  keeping  the  connuonwealth  from  a 
far  greater  evil,  sympathized  loith  him  in  his  affliction,  the ij place  him  on  a  board  of 
surmyors  to  run  the  line  between  Ipswich  and  JVewbury.  .  .  .  The  ministers  had  en- 
gaged to  correspond  with  their  friends  in  England  for  advisement  in  the  controversy.' ' 

Of  course  it  was  essential  to  the  very  existence  of  the  colony  that  the  loyalty 
of  the  colonists  should  not  be  suspected  in  England,  lest  the  charter  might  be 
revoked,  as  already  the  Privy  Council  had  issued  an  order  for  its  production.  But 
who  had  done  the  most  to  create  ill-feeling  between  the  crown  and  the  colony, 
Roger  Williams  or  the  magistrates  ?  He  had  insisted  that  they  must  break  fellow- 
shij)  with  the  English  Church  ;  they  had  driven  its  members  out  of  the  country 
with  the  Frayer-Book  in  their  hands,  and  had  made  mcndjership  in  Cougregational 
Churches  the  test  of  citizenship  in  the  Bay.  lie  declared,  that  neither  the  king  nor 
the  Court,  in  Massachusetts,  had  any  control  over  the  First  Table  of  the  Law  of 
God,  their  power  extending  only  to  the  body,  goods  and  outward  state  of  men. 
They  had  formally  resolved,  that  if  the  king  sent  a  general  governor  to  rnle  over 
them  and  their  goods,  they  ought  not  to  accept  him,  but  would  defend  their  lawful 
possessions  against  him,  and  they  fortified  their  strongholds  to  that  end.  Lie  had 
an  inchoate  conception  that  a  separation  between  Church  and  State  should  take 
place  both  in  England  and  America;  tlu^y  had  a  settled  conviction  and  policy  that 
they  would  be  separate  from  the  control  of  the  Engli.sh  Church,  with   bishops  and  a 


634  UEIJdlOUS    CnAItOKS  AG  A  INST    WILLIAMS. 

king  at  its  head,  oust  what  it  iniglit  ;  vet,  that  lie  slioiild  be  eoiiij)elled  at  like  cost, 
to  submit  to  tlie  Coiigre,<i:ati()iial  Churches  of  Massachusetts,  with  a  governor  and 
Council  at  their  head.  Which  j)arty  was  the  most  exasperating  to  the  crown  does 
nut  apjicar  ;  imr  diic>  it  appeal'  that  lOngland  ever  suspected  Rogi'r  Williams  of  dis- 
lovaltv.  On  the  coiitiMry.  it  threatened  the  cohmy  with  the  withdrawal  of  the 
patent  and  th('  a])poinlment  t)f  a  governor:  whei'eas,  it  gavi'  liiiii  a  new  ]iatent  for 
Rhode  Island,  without  (juestion. 

The  third  ami  toui'tli  offenses  charged  against  Williams  were  pui'ely  on  i-elig- 
ious  subjects.  It  was  cpiite  severe  in  him  to  refuse  to  listen  to  the  parish  priest  of 
England,  when  in  England,  and  quite  likely  to  give  offense  there;  but  was  it  sooth- 
ing in  the  exti'eme  to  the  English  govei'nment  to  be  told  by  tliese  Congregational 
authorities,  that  its  F^piscopal  ordination  was  scouted  and  cast  aside  in  Massaclnisetts 
l>av,  that  its  churches  wt're  not  allowed  thereat  all.  much  U.'ss  that  its  own  Ejiiscopal 
colonists  were  not  allowed  to  hear  their  own  ministers  prea('li  on  this  side  of  the 
water,  'lawful"  or  unlawful?  Roth  these  wei-e  religious  o])inions,  '  Broached  and 
divulged  "  ecpiallv.  but  why  Roger  should  be  banished  for  refusing  a  hearing  to  the 
Episcopal  clergy  in  England,  from  then'  own  jmlpits.  and  the  Massachusetts  Coui't 
should  not  banish  itself  f(jr  refusing  them  e\t'n  a  Pi-ayer-Hook  or  a  pulpit  to  jii'each 
from  in  that  colony,  is  not  easily  seen. 

Xo  candid   man    acquainted  with    the  subject    can    doubt   that  the  ( 'hurch  and 

State  were  blended  in  j\Iassachusetts  Ray.  that  the  magistrates  there  wei-e  expected 

to  ]iunish  'breaches  of  the  Eirst  Table,' and   that  every  man's  I'eligious  convictions 

M'ith  their  free  expression    were  understood  to  l)e  within  the  purview  of  the  civil 

autliorities.     So  skillfully  mixed  were  the  charges  against  AVilliams,  that  under  such 

a  governnu'nt  they  could  scarcely  be  sepai'ated.      It  is  aj)]iari-nt  that  both  his  political 

and  spiritual   offenses   entered  into  the  considerations  for  his  banishment  and  were 

intended    to  enter  into  it,  so  that   it   is   impossil)le   to  say,  whether  one  set  of  the 

charges  would  have  liecn  sufficient  to  .secure  this  end  without  the  other.     The  com- 
es 

mon  understanding  of  their  own  times  and  of  after  tinu-s  has  been,  that  the  chief 
reasons  for  his  l)anislmicnt  weri'  of  the  religious  character.  This  is  suggested  in 
the  undeniable  fact,  that  to  hold  and  utter  Christian  sentiments  opposed  to  theirs 
was  a  crime  with  them,  both  before  and  after  the  banishment  of  Williams.  The 
numner  in  which  they  sentenced  others  to  banishment,  purely  fi)r  their  religious 
'  opinions,"  with  the  stress  laid  ujxin  his  religious  ])ositions,  shows  conclusively,  that 
the  gravamen  of  Ids  offense  was  not  political  but  religious.  They  had  determined 
from  the  time  of  banishing  the  Browns,  that  all  should  conform  to  their  form  of 
religion  or  leave  the  colony.  Early  in  1635  the  Court  entreated  :  '  The  brethren 
and  elders  of  every  Church  within  this  jurisdiction,  that  they  will  consult  ami  advise 
of  one  uniform  order  of  discipline  in.  the  Churches,  and  then  to  consider  how  far 
the  magistrates  are  bound  to  interpose  for  the  preservation  of  that  uniformity  and 
peace  of  the  Churches.'"     The  Court,  at  the  time  of  Williams's  banishment,  pro- 


liEljaiOVS    TYHANNY.  633 

iiouiicud  the  same  sunteiice  upon  John  Snivili,  ;i  Durclicsrcr  miller:  '  For  divers 
dansieroiis  f>/>im«)w«,  wliicli  lie  holdetli  ami  hath  divulged.'  The  fair  inference  is, 
that  they  were  the  same  opinions  with  those  of  Williams,  as  Smyth  became  one  of 
the  founders  of  rrovidence,  and  of  whom  Williams  himself  says :  '  I  consented  to 
John  Smyth,  miller  at  Dorchester  (banished  also),  to  go  with  me."'*  Whatever  his 
'opinions'  were,  they  were  merely  'opinions; '  and  no  overt  acts  of  civil  wrong  are 
alleo-ed  against  him.  Smyth  and  Williams  were  banished  October,  Kia.j  ;  and  on 
March  8d,  163(5,  the  General  Assendtly  ordered  that  it  would  not  thereafter 

'  Approve  of  any  companies  of  men,  as  shall  henceforth  join  in  any  pretended  way 
of  Church  fellowship,  without  they  shall  tirst  ac(|uaint  the  luagiKtrati'K  and  the  elders 
of  the  greater  part  of  the  Churches  in  this  jurisdiction  with  their  intentions,  and  have 
their  approbation  therein.  ...  No  person  being  a  member  of  any  Church  which 
shall  hereafter  be  gathered  without  tlie  approbation  of  the  magistrates  and  the  greater 
part  of  said  Cluuvhes,  shall  be  admitted  to  the  freedom  of  this  commonwealth.'" 

The  animus  of  all  this  is  clearly  seen  in  their  subsequent  acts,  as  well  as  in 
the  wording  of  these  laws.  On  the  '  30th  of  the  3d  month,  1()30.'  the  Council  sent 
a  command  from  Boston, 'to  the  constable  of  Salem,'  to  inform  'divers  persons' 
there,  that  their  '  course  is  very  oiiensive  to  the  governmeut  here  and  may  no  longer 
be  suffered.'     Wliat  had  they  done  'i 

They  do  '  within  your  town  '  '  disorderly  assemble  themselves  both  on  the  Lord's 
day  and  at  other  times,  contemptuously  refusing  to  come  to  the  solemn  meetings 
of  the  Church  there,  (or  being  some  of  them  justly  cast  out)  do  obstinately  refuse 
to  submit  themselves,  that  they  might  be  again  received  ;  but  do  make  conventions, 
and  seduce  divers  persons  of  weak  capacity,  mid  have  already  withdraion  some  of 
them  from  the  Church,  and  hereby  have  cau.sed  much  (not  f>nly  disturbance  to  the 
Church,  but  also)  disorders  and  damage  in  the  civil  State." 

Plere  we  see  that  they  regarded  disorder  and  damage  to  the  State,  to  consist  in 
withdrawing  from  the  Church, '  hereby  "  they  have  'caused"  the  'damage.'  And  what 
should  be  done  with  these  transgressors?     The  constable  must  command  them  to 

'Kefrain  all  such  disorderly  assemblies,  and  pretended  Ciiurch-meetings  ;  and 
either  to  conform  themselves  to  the  laws  and  orders  of  this  government,  being 
establislied  according  to  the  rule  of  (lod's  word  ;  or  else  let  them  be  assured  that  we 
shall  by  God's  assistance  take  some  such  strict  and  speedy  course  for  the  reformation 
of  these  disorders,  and  preventing  the  evils  which  may  otherwise  ensue,  as  our  duty 
to  God  and  cliarge  over  his  people  do  call  for  from  us." 

This  document  is  signed  by  Vane,  governor,  Winthrop,  dej)uty,  and  Dudley. 

What  they  found  it  their  duty  to  do  with  these  wicked  folk,  who  would  wor- 
ship God  elsewhere  in  Salem  than  at  the  State  Church,  is  stated  in  the  records  of  the 
General  Court  of  1(138,  thus:  'Ezekiel  liolliman  appeared  upon  summons,  because 
he  did  not  frequent  the  public  assemblies,  and  for  seducing  many,  he  was  referred 
by  the  Court  to  the  ministers  for  conviction."  HoUiman,  as  we  shall  see,  was  an- 
other of  the  founders  of  Providence  and  the  person  who  baptized  Williams  there. 
When  in  Salem  neither  of  them  were  Baptists  on  the  subject  of  ordinances,  which 


636  RELIGIOUS   OFFENSES  AT  SALEM. 

loaves  tlic  inipliration  tliut  tlicii-  views  were  one  on  the  question  of  liberty  of  con- 
seienee  and  ilir  [Kiwer  nf  tliu  niai^istrates  to  interfere  with  reliujion.  And  the 
eonduet  of  the  niai^istrati's  themselves,  in  pnnishini^  the  Salem  (Jhureh,  shows  that 
they  were  actuated  cliiclly  iiy  religious  considerations  in  the  whole  transaction, 
'i'hat  Church  had  neither  deiuiunced  tlu'  patent,  nor  cut  out  the  eross,  nor  denied 
the  oaili  to  unri'nenei'ate  men,  much  less  had  it  incuri'ed  the  wrath  of  Euijland- 
It  had,  liowi'scr.  alleg'eil  its  rii^hts  as  a  Church  to  choose  its  own  jiastor  with- 
out eonsultiu!^-  the  ci\il  authoi'itii's,  and  had  protested  against  the  rii:ht  of  the 
Court  to  (li>turl]  its  ]la^toral  relations  with  him.  for  which  it  must  he  chastised. 
This  iinpardon;d)h!  olfense  entered  even  into  the  Marhlehead  land  affair,  whatever 
mistake  the  Salem  Church  fell  into,  in  writing  to  the  other  Churches  coneei'ning  the 
Church  (li^ciJlline  of  theii-  meiidier^  in  the  Coui't.  Concerning  the  petition  of  the 
'  Salem  men,'  which  Wintlirop  says:  'Tln'V  did  challenge  as  belonging  to  that  town,' 
he  also  bluntly  adds  :  '  IJeeause  they  had  chosen  Mr.  Williams  their  teacher  while  he 
stood  luuler  (piestioii  of  autln)rity,  and  so  offered  contemjit  to  the  magisti'acy,  etc., 
their  jietition  was  refused,'  "  vigaiu  he  says,  that  the  act  of  the  Salem  Church  in 
ealling  him  to  the  otHce  of  a  teacher  'at  that  tiuie  was  judged  <t  ijrcdt  coiifcinjit  of 
authoi'ltij.  So  in  tine  there  was  given  to  him  and  the  Church  of  Salem  to  consider  of 
these  things  till  the  next  General  Court,  and  then  either  to  give  satisfaction  to  the 
Court,  or  else  to  expect  the  sentence.'  Nor  is  this  all.  but  he  writes  that  the  Court 
and  ministers  were  of  tlii^  mind,  namely:  'That  they  who  should  oli^tinately  main- 
tain such  oj>in'wns'  would  run  the  Church  'into  hei'esy.  apostasy  or  tyranny,  and 
yet  the  civil  magistrates  could  not  intermeddle."'-  This  shows  that  Williams  had 
struck  a  blow  at  the  authority  of  the  civil  officers  to  interfere  in  Church  matters, 
which  they  felt  keenly,  as  well  as  the  fact  that  the  Court  reached  this  residt  on  the 
'advice'  of  the  ministers.  What  had  the  ministers  to  do  with  the  case  if  it  only 
concerned  civil  authorities?  The  correspondence  of  tlu'  Salem  Church  conducted 
by  AVilliams  and  Elder  Sharpe,  with  the  Boston  aud  other  Churches,  was  between 
purely  religious  bodies,  though  it  involved  a  political  subject.  l)Ut  the  Court  must 
needs  meddle  with  the  matter,  declare  Salem  •  I'l'bellious '  and  '  insuljordinate,'  and 
their  three  deputies  were  sent  home,  leaving  that  town  without  representation,  and 
requiring  them  to  report  what  citizens  of  Salem  had  indorsed  these  steps  there.  It 
decreed  that:  '  If  the  major  ])art  of  the  freemen  of  Salem  shall  disclaim  the  letters 
sent  lately  from  the  Church  of  Salem  to  several  Churches,  it  shall  then  be  lawfid  for 
them  to  send  deputies  to  the  General  Court.'  Williams  was  expelled  in  the  absence 
of  the  Salem  deputies,  and  then  Elder  Sharpe  was  required  to  report  whether  Salem 
acknowledged  its  offense  or  not.  Salem  was  thus  brought  to  humble  submission,  and 
Williams  was  excluded  from  the  Chiu'ch  thei'e :  not  for  '  sedition.'  but  because  he  denied 
tlie  'Churches  of  the  Bay  to  be  true  (Jhurches;'  so  says  Hugh  Peter,  his  successor. 
Soon  after  Williams's  banishment  a  controversy  excited  the  colony  concerning 
the  preaching  of  a  Mr.  Wheelwright,  at  Bi-aiutree,  about  a  covenant  of  grace  and  a 


WILUA.VS'S    OriNTOXS  IITS  SIN.  637 

cov'e^iiant  of  works,  iiivolvinij  nntiiioinianisiii  ami  hi.'  was  baiiisliLMl.  Wiiitlirop  in 
justifying  tlie  Court  in  his  casi-,  I ii;»7,  against  tliose  who  coiiipiained  said :  '  If  wo 
find  his  oj)inions  sucli  as  will  cause  divisions,  and  make  people  look  to  their  magis- 
trates, ministers  and  brethren  as  cne-nies  to  Christ,  antichrists,  etc,  were  it  not  sin 
and  unfaithfulness  in  us  to  receive  inore  of  their  opinions!  which  we  already  find 
the  evil  fiaiit  oil  N"ay,  why  do  not  those;  who  now  complain  join  us  in  keeping 
out  such,  as  well  as  fornicrly  they  did  in  expelling  Mr.  Williams  for  the  like, 
though  less  dangerous.'  '^  Here  the  governor  tells  ns,  in  his  honest  i)luntness,  that 
Williams  was  '  expelled '  for  his  opinions  (;n  religious  subjects,  which  were  less  dan- 
gerous than  those  of  Wheelwriglit.  The  plea  of  all  persecutors  has  ever  been  that 
they  ])ersecuted  no  man  for  his  religion,  but  for  '  sedition  *  and  'disturbance  of  the 
public  peace.'  This  was  the  pretense  of  the  pagans  when  they  tormented  the  early 
Christians,  of  the  Catholics  in  the  case  of  the  Waldensians,  the  Hollanders  and  the 
Lollards,  and  now  the  apologists  of  the  Puritans  put  in  that  plea  for  them.  When 
the  I'rowns  and  their  Prayer-Books  were  packed  off  to  England,  Endicott  said  that 
they  '  endangered  faction  and  mutiny;'  and  when  Thomas  Painter  of  Hingham 
was  whipped  in  July.  1G4-1-,  for  refusing  to  have  his  child  christened,  his  judges 
said,  that  it  was  *not  for  his  opinions,  Init  for  reproaching  the  Lord's  ordinance ;'  as 
if  his  opinion  ot'  infant  baptism  was  not  the  very  reproach  which  he  threw  upon  it 
and  for  which  he  was  ]innished. 

The  same  pretense  is  now  set  up  against  Roger  Williams,  in  the  allegation  that  he 
was  banished  for  civil  cause  alone,  directly  in  the  face  of  his  sentence,  which  ciiarges 
upon  him  :  '  Xew  and  dangerous  opinions  against  the  authority  of  the  magistrates.' 
Yet,  in  no  instance  did  he  dispute  their  right  to  civil  otfice,  or  charge  them  with 
civil  usurpation,  nor  did  he  refuse  to  obey  them  in  purely  civil  matters ;  but  he 
dared  to  question  their  assumption  of  religious  authority  outside  of  their  proper 
sphere  as  civil  officers.  Joseph  Felt  bewails  his  sentence,  as  disturbing  'the  benev- 
olent feelings  of  every  heart,'  and  regrets  it,  '  as  a  serious  impediment  to  the  pros- 
perous progress  of  the  commonwealth,  and  a  dark  omen  that  its  hopes  of  spirituality 
and  din-ation  may  be  soon  scattered.'  Then  he  says  of  the  authorities  :  '  Believing 
themselves  bound  to  exclude  persons  who,  they  suppose,  entertain  principles  sub- 
versive of  their  civil  and  ecclesiastical  polity,  the  General  Court  engage  in  so 
unpleasant  a  service.'"  Neither  did  the  Court  itself  proceed  against  him  as  against 
a  civil  criminal.  Trial  by  jurv  is  more  than  once  insisted  upon  in  Magna  Charta,  as 
the  principal  bulwark  of  an  Englishman's  liberty,  but  especially  does  Chap,  xxix 
insist  that  no  freeman  shall  be  hurt  in  his  person  or  property  '  except  by  the  legal 
judgment  of  his  peers  and  the  law  of  the  land.'  Hence,  the  royal  charter  granted 
to  Massachusetts  could  not  abridge  the  great  rights  of  British  freemen  which  had 
been  secured  by  Magna  Charta,  nor  could  it  deprive  a  colonist  of  the  right  of  trial 
by  jury ;  a  right  which  had  been  a  vital  part  of  the  British  Constitution  from 
the  time  of  King  John.     Neither  could  the  charter   authorize   the  governor  and 


638  DHIIATI-:    IlKFOliK    THE    CdVliT. 

coiii|):iny  of  Ma*s;ielitisett.s  \\.\\  lo  inllict  unusual  |)iMialtius  in  |)unisliinent  of 
sedition,  or  tlie  disturiiancf  ol'  llu'  ])ul)li(_'  ])eacf,  witliout  tlic  fdrni  of  a  |)ul)iic  ti'ial. 
On  tiie  contrarv,  all  the  i-ii;lits  of  Knt,disluiien  were  seeured  to  the  ccilonists  bv  the 
charter,  hut  Koi;<-i- A\' illiauis  was  siiiij)ly  |)eiveeuted  out  of  the  euluuv.  without  the 
due  uhsei'vanec  of  e\en  this  f(]nn.  In  a  word,  tliei'e  is  no  precedent  foi'  this  trial. 
no  authority  for  it  in  eoninion  law  oi-  the  ehai-tered  rij^hts  of  the  colony.  A  new 
process  or  iiroecdni-c  appeal's  to  ha\  t'  been  invented  on  the  spot  and  at  the  time  for 
liis  case,  the  elTei-t  of  which  was,  that  he  sulfered  under  an  /•,/■  paxt  fwia  law. 
Instead  ot  proceeiliii^'  as  a  court  (jf  civil  jurisprudenci'  to  ])rod\icc  and  examine 
witnesses,  atiout  the  lirst  step  which  they  took  was  to  appoint  Hooker,  the  pastor  at 
Newtown,  to  •(lisj)ute'  with  him.  This  he  did,  bnt  found  it  impossible  'to  .seduce 
him  IVom  any  of  his  i  rrorx'  (not  crimes),  for  that  he  'maintained  all  his  opinions.^ 
Dr.  Dexter  says  of  ^\'illiams:  'They  asked  him  whether  he  would  take  the  wliole 
,\>ihji'cf  into  still  further  consulvrat'ton  ;  pro]:)osin^  that  he  eroploy  another  month  in 
reflection,  and  then  coine  and  argue  the  matter  before  theni.'  Again,  he  says,  that 
tlie  Court  'apjiointed  Thomas  Hooker  (a  brother  pastor)  to  go  over  these  points  in 
iinjuimut  with  him.  on  the  spot,  in  the  endeavor  to  iiudce  him  see  his  errors.  One 
single  glinii)se  of  this  (Jelxite  is  alTorded  us  by  ]\[r.  Cotton.' ''  This  last  word 
expre.sses  the  bearings  of  the  whole  proceeding.  It  was  a  '  debate,'  an  argument 
concerning  certain  alleged  I'cligious  erroi'S.  and  not  a  trial  in  any  ]>ro])er  legal  sense  of 
the  woi'd.  Winthrop  says  that  AVillianis  maintained  "all  his  opinions  ; '  and  Williams 
understood  the  same  tiling,  for  he  says,  that  he  was  not  only  ready  to  be  'banished, 
liut  to  die  also  in  New  England,  dsfo/'  iiin.st  hohj  ti'ntlis  of  God  in  Clirixt  .Ivxitu}'^ 

Barry,  in  liis  '  History  of  Massachusetts,"  says  (p.  2;i9 j :  '  Jleanwliile  tlie  ciders 
continned  to  deal  with  liiin  for  his  errors  and  to  labor  for  his  conversion;  and  Mr. 
Cotton  spent  the  great  part  of  the  summer  in  seeking,  by  word  and  writing,  to  satisfy 
his  scruples.  Informing  the  magistrates  of  tlieir  desire  to  proceed  with  liim  in  a 
Church  way  before  civil  prosecution  was  urged,  the  governor  replied:  "You  ans 
deceived  in  him  if  you  think  lie  will  condescend  to  learn  of  any  of  you."  " 

The  first  elenu'iit  of  a  trial  for  civil  wrong-doing  does  not  a])])ear  in  the 
whole  process,  nor  can  a  like  case  be  found  in  the  records  of  civil  trials  under 
English  law,  outside  of  the  Star  Chamber.  Not  a  witness  was  examined,  no  coun- 
sel was  heard,  and  none  of  the  forms  of  law  invarialjly  observed  in  sedition  or  di.s- 
turbance  of  the  public  ]ieace,  were  had.  His  banishment  was  a  religious  and  wuX  a 
State  necessity,  which  Williams  well  characterized,  when  he  declares  it  to  have  been 
'  Most  lamentably  contrary  to  tlie  doctrine  of  Jesus  Christ.' 

The  apologists  of  the  Puritans  make  a  great  outcry  against  Williams  for  saying 
tliat  the  king  had  no  right  to  grant  the  lands  to  the  colonists,  because  they  belonged 
to  the  natives.  And  was  he  singular  in  this  opinion?  No.  Cotton  writes:  'There 
be  many,  if  not  most,  that  hold,  that  we  have  not  our  land  merely  by  right  of 
patent  from  the  king,  but  that  the  natives  are  true  owners  of  all  that  they  possess 


VMtKiVS  AUTIWIilTIKS.  639 

or  improve.  -Neither  (in  1  know  any  uiuoiigst  us  tliat  either  then  were,  or  now 
are,  of  another  mind.'  Yet,  he  says  tliat  these  fi-eemen  'Are  tolerated  to  enjoy 
both  civil  and  religious  liberties  amongst  us.'  Tiieii,  wliy  was  Williams  banished 
for  believing  what  Cotton  says  every  body  else  believed  i  Cotton  tells  us  that  he  was 
guilty  of  these  two  things,  he  was  '  violent '  in  preaching  against  the  patent,  and  he 
presented  the  matter  unfairly,  for  tiiey  had  not  taken  the  lands  on  the  king's 
patent.  Cotton  claims  that  the  lands  were  'void  jjlaces,'  made  so  '  by  pestilence, 
which  Jiad  swept  away  thousands  of  the  natives'  'a  little  before  our  coming.'  They 
therefore  took  nothing  from  the  king  or  the  natives,  but  inhabited  tiie  country  by 
the  'law  of  nature.'  Williams  somehow  got  it  into  his  head,  that  if  the  small-pox 
had  swept  away  thousands  of  the  Indian  fathers  '  a  little  before  our  coming,'  the 
laud  on  which  their  bones  fell  might  possibly  belong  to  their  children ;  and  so  he  had 
religious  scruples  on  the  point,  and  ventured  to  state  them  vehemently  in  the  pul- 
pit, when  he  ought  to  have  held  his  tongue ;  and  for  which  he  was  banished.  It 
had  been  better  for  Cotton  to  be  quiet  than  to  disgrace  the  magistrates  by  such 
petty  special  pleading  as  this.  He  calls  Williams  '  violent '  and  '  vehement : '  but 
Winthrop  who  knew  him  intimately  pronounces  him  'A  man  lovely  in  his  carriage.' 
Our  best  historians  find  his  banishment  as  purely  a  religious  affair  as  it  could 
be  under  that  union  of  Church  and  State  which  Massachusetts  has  now  repudiated 
as  unworthy  of  retention. 

Bradford  holds  the  magistrates  '  Inexcusable  in  their  treatment  of  Roger  Will- 
iams .  .  .  merely  for  his  honest  independence  of  opinion.'  Peck  thinks  him  '  A 
very  troublesome  man  for  bigotry  to  manage.  .  .  .  When  he  entered  Massachusetts, 
he  was  in  advance  of  the  general  sentiment  of  the  Puritans  on  the  question  of  relig- 
ious liberty.  .  .  .  Roger  Williams  was  more  than  a  Puritan.  He  was  the  great 
mind  ordained  of  Providence  to  advance  beyond  the  position  of  indignant  protest 
against  oppression,  to  the  revelation  that  the  highest  right  must  itself  be  the  result 
of  a  freedom  which  might  be  abused  by  consenting  to  the  deepest  wrono-.  He  was 
the  tirst  true  type  of  the  American  freeman,  conceeding  fully  to  otliere  the  high- 
born rights  which  he  claimed  for  himself.  This  was  further  than  Puritanism  could 
lead  the  race ;  and,  for  the  present,  it  was  not  ready  to  follow.  He  denied  the  right 
to  coerce  a  man  to  take  a  freeman's  oath ;  but  would  not  he  himself  be  compelled 
to  take  it  ?  Ko;  he  i-efused:  and  such  was  the  firm  dignity  of  his  bearing,  that  the 
government  was  forced  to  desist  from  that  proceeding.  But  he  was  living  under  a 
rehgion  established  by  law,  not  Prelacy,  but  Puritanism,  in  which  intolerance  was 
just  as  vile  to  him,  and  just  as  determined  against  a  Non-conformist.'" 

The  unvarnished  fact  seems  to  be,  that  like  honest  Saul  of  Tarsus  they  meant 
to  be  men  of  God,  but  like  him  allowed  all  their  religion  to  run  into  personal  con- 
science, without  much  regard  to  the  consciences  of  others.  Their  primary  blunder 
lay  in  overlooking  the  spiritual  laws  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  and  applying  both  to 
Church  and  State  the  judicial  enactments  of  Moses,  which  were  made  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  a  civil  nation  1,500  years  before  the  Christian  Church  existed.  Roger 
Williams  himself  well  expresses  their  mistake  in  these  words :  '  Although  they  pro- 
fessed to  be  l)ound  iiy  such  judicials  only  as  contained  in  them  moral  equity,  yet 


640  Ills    MISSlOX    FUOM    can. 

tliL'v  t'xtoiidcil  tliis  incii';il  ciiuity  to  so  iniiiiv  [lai-ticulars  as  to  make  it  the  wliole 
judicial  law.'  Hut  tlu'  ( "liri.-tiau  law  I'nr  tlic  ijoverunieiit  of  the  c-ouimouwcaltli 
leaves  all  )'iini.~hiiu'Ut  In  he  governed  under  the  sway  of  the  natural  riirlit.-  <d'  man 
and  the  liiulie.st  iioiid  di'  the  States  where  they  are  used.  Hence,  in  addjitini;-  the 
Mosaic  j)enalties  they  not  only  cast  aside,  in  some  eases,  wliat  was  known  as  'crown 
law,'  hut  witli  it  the  coinnion  law  of  Enf,da!id.     P>arry  ]iiits  the  case  forcihly.  savinir : 

■  i'uritans  as  well  as  E|)isc()j)alians  assumed  theirown  infallihility  ;  and,  as  (,'hnrch 
and  State  were  one  and  insei)arahle  in  Old  England,  they  wt're  hound  together  in 
Kew  Kiiglanil  ;  and  the  purity  of  the  former  was  deemed  iiidispensahle  to  the  safety 
of  the  latter.  This  j)olicy  was  resolutely  adhered  to,  iind  the  laws  whicli  sanctioned 
it  were  as  intlexihle  as  the  laws  of  the  Medes  and  Persians.'  Governor  Winthrop 
saw  his  mistake  when  it  was  too  late.  Barry  says:  'He  regretted  the  har.shness 
with  whicdi  lioger  Williams  was  treated;  and  though  a  zealous  o]iponent  of  Mrs. 
Jlutehinson  and  the  enthusiastic  Gorton,  as  he  advanced  in  life  his  spirit  beeamc! 
more  catholic  and  he  lamented  the  errors  of  the  ])ast;  so  that,  when  urged  hy  ]\Ir. 
Dudley  to  sign  an  order  for  the  banisJiment  of  one  deented  heterodox,  lie  replied, 
"  1  have  done  enough  of  that  work  alread 


"b 


'  18 


Since  Jesus  was  sentenced  to  death  in  Asia,  on  the  cool  verdict  that  he  was  a 
'just  man'  in  whom  no  'fault'  was  found,  a  snhlimei'  sight  has  not  a])peared  to 
man  than  that  revealed  in  America  on  that  cris]>  ()ct(.)her  mcjrning  in  ItKI.").  This 
master  in  Lsrael  lo(_)ms  up  head  and  shoulders  ahove  his  J'nritan  judges.  ^Vithont 
a  stammer  or  a  blush  he  reaches  the  full  height  of  manhood;  whereupon  the  Pay 
sentences  him  to  a  new  leadership.  In  Salem  God  threw  tlie  mantle  of  William 
the  Silent  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  brave  Welshman.  What,  if  Massachusetts  did 
lay  lii'r  political  sins  on  his  head,  .and  send  her  scape-goat  to  hear  them  into  the 
desert*  He  was  strong  to  carry  the  burden  of  her  congregation  and  elders,  lie 
remembered  Pilate,  and  quietly  held  the  bowl  for  this  ancient  Court  of  the  J!ay  to 
sink  its  sins  in  the  shallows  of  a  Ijasin.  lie  watched  the  ex])eriment  in  the  sim- 
plicity of  a  ehild's  faith,  in  the  tirmness  of  a  martyr's  will,  in  the  resignation  of  a 
cavalier,  in  the  calmness  of  a  hero;  for  God  was  with  him. 

For  that  hour  God  brought  him  into  the  world.  The  persecution  of  two 
worlds  inspired  him  to  discover  a  third,  where  the  wicked  .should  cease  from  troub- 
ling, in  that  sc^rt.  A  veteran  before  his  sun  had  reached  noon,  nerved  with  a 
judicial  love  of  liberty,  fired  with  a  hallowed  zeal  to  liberate  all  the  conscience- 
bound,  he  is  now  ready  to  give  life  to  a  new  age.  Roger,  get  thee  gone  into  the 
woods  to  thy  work  !     And  when  alone  with  God  may  he  work  his  will  in  thee! 

'Spe.ak,  History.     Who  are  life's  victors  ?     Unroll  thy  long  annals  and  say, 
Are  they  those  whotn  the  world  called  victors,  who  won  the  success  of  a  day  ? 
The  martyrs,  or  Nero?     The  Spartans  who  fell  at  Thermopyhe's  try.st, 
Or  the  Persians  and  Xerxes'?     His  judges  or  Socrates'?     Pilate  or  Christ  ?' 

W.  W.  Story. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SETTLEMENT    OF     RHODE    ISLAND. 

SALEM  was  tilled  with  excituuient  and  grief  when  Williams  was  banislied,  and 
asked  wluit  its  good  pastor  had  done  to  merit  tliis  ci-nelty  at  the  liands  of  liis 
fellow-disciples  in  Christ  i  John  Cotton,  snugly  housed  in  liis  Boston  home, 
severely  diseanted  on  Williams's  e.xile  as  any  thing  but  '  banishmi'nt.'  In  that  dreary 
New  England  winter,  as  his  brotlier  phinged  into  the  depths  of  the  forests,  lie  spoke 
of  it  as  a  '  large  and  fruitful'  land,  in  which  he  enjoyed  simple  'enlargement.' 
But  Cotton  was  careful  not  to  break  the  command  by  coveting  that  'enlargement' 
for  himself,  nor  tlid  he  so  hanker  after  the  delicious  fruits  of  the  wilderness  as  to 
follow  Ills  brothel',  to  rejoice  with  him  in  his  tribulation.  Indeed,  he  queries  whether 
it  was  a  '  punishment  at  all,'  and  one  wt)ukl  rather  catch  the  impression  from  his 
showing,  that  the  Court  had  simply  sent  him  on  a  restful  excursion,  in  absolute  dere- 
liction of  its  duty  to  punish  crime.  The  illustrious  hero  himself  thought  that  Cotton 
might  have  seen  the  matter  in  another  light,  '  Had  his  soul  been  in  my  soul's  case, 
exposed  to  the  miseries,  poverties,  necessities,  debts  and  hardships,'  which  he 
endured.  The  weak  people  of  Salem  also  wept  as  if  their  hearts  would  break,  that 
he  was  driven  they  knew  not  where,  '  for  they  were  much  taken  with  the  apprehen- 
sion of  his  godliness.'  Neal  says,  that  the  whole  town  was  in  an  uproar,  that  they 
raised  the  '  cry  of  persecution,'  and  '  that  he  would  have  carried  off  the  gi'eater  part 
of  the  inhabitants  of  the  town,  if  the  ministers  of  Boston  had  not  interfered.'' 
These  admonished  the  Church  at  Salem  for  sympathizing  with  one  who  had  been 
driven  out  of  civilization  as  a  felon. 

Upham,  the  careful  historian  of  the  Salem  Church,  says  :  '  They  adhered  to 
him  long  and  faithfully,  and  sheltered  him  from  all  assaults.  And  when  at  last  he 
was  sentenced  by  the  General  Court  to  banishment  from  the  colony  on  account  of 
his  principles,  we  cannot  but  admire  the  fidelity  of  that  friendship  which  prompted 
many  of  his  congregation  to  accompany  him  in  his  exile,  and  partake  of  his  fortunes 
when  an  outcast  upon  the  earth.'  Thanks  to  Salem,  its  loss  was  the  world's  gain. 
That  da}',  out  of  the  weak  came  forth  strength,  and  out  of  the  bitter  came  forth 
sweetness.  Good  old  Puritan  city  of  witchcraft  and  halters,  out  of  thee,  as  from 
Salem  of  old,  went  forth  an  illustrious  exile  :  the  first  to  redeem  the  souls  of  men,  and 
the  other  to  give  fifty  millions  of  them  soul  liberty.  Men  intended  only  evil  in 
both  cases,  but  God  overruled  their  aims  for  good.  His  eye  rested  on  this  wan- 
derer in  the  New  World,  and  his  voice  told  him  what  to  do  and  where  to  go. 
43 


642 


n7/,/,/.ii/N  /.v  Tin-:  i>i-:sKirr. 


We  now  fdllciw  IJdiicr  \\'illiaii]s  inti)  tliosi'  wild  tracts  of  nature,'  wlu-i'e  tliu  wolf, 
the  buai'  ami  tin-  jiaiitluT  niaiiicil  in  all  tliuir  s'ui'acity.  l^TpL'tiial  lian.lsliij)s  had 
given  the  \vild  trilie>  nl  that  rei^ion  eouijiact  and  well-knit  iKiilies,  whieh  could 
siihsist  tor  days  on  a  handl'iil  of  cm-n.  Aside  I'roin  this,  with  their  tisli  and  game, 
tlu'V  had  little  iood  in  the  <leiith  ot  winter,  knowing  nothing  of  salted  meats,  and 
often  they  were  soridy  ])inclied  with  hunger.  So  far  as  aj)i)ears,  Williams  entered 
the  desert  without  a  weapon,  l)ow  or  arrow,  sjtear  or  cliih.  hatchet  or  gnn.  to  hunt 
for  bird  or  l.n'ast,  and  every  esculent  root  was  frozen  in  the  ground  and  luiried  in 
the  snow.  That  winter  was  signally  hitter  and  he  felt  its  keen  severity.  It  seems 
to  liave  haunted  his  mind  in  l<i,".i',  when  he  dedicated  his  '  Hireling  I\[inistry  '  to 
(Miarles  11.,  in  the  I'jiistle  to  wliich,  lie  calls  N\'W  England   a  'miserahle.  cold,  howl- 


KOOKK   Wn.l.IA.MS   ANII   THE   INDIANS. 

ing  wilderness.'  Without  bread  or  bed  for  fotirteen  weeks,  and  the  iirst  wliite  man 
who  had  ever  wandered  in  those  mazes,  he  regarded  himself  cared  for  of  (4od  as 
miraculously  as  was  Elijah,  and  he  sang  this  song  in  his  desolate  pilgrimage: 

'  God's  Providence  is  rich  to  his, 

Let  some  distrustful  be  ; 
In  wilderness  in  great  distress, 

These  ravens  have  fed  me  ! ' 

The  bro)ized  liarbarians  throiigli  who.se  lands  he  passed  were  superstitious,  ferocious 
and  often  treacherous.  He  would  not  have  been  safe  for  an  hour,  had  not  his  kind 
acts  toward  them  been  noised  tlirough  their  tribes.  While  at  Plymouth  he  had 
gone  forth  amongst  them,  had  visited  their  wigwams,  learned  their  language  and 
preached  to  them  the  good  news  of  the  kingdom  ;  and   now  his  love  governed  the 


TUE  FOi'XDiya    OF  I'UOVIIJESCE.  643 

wild  eleinciit  in  their  bosoms  when  he  liad  no  power  over  fierce  winter  storms. 
He  knew  their  chiefs  or  sachems,  and  on  reaching  tlieir  settlements  on  Narra- 
ganset  Bay,  his  sufferings  touched  the  savage  heart.  They  remembered  liis  former 
kindness,  welcomed  him  tn  Indian  hospitality,  and  Massasoit  took  him  to  his  cabin 
as  he  would  a  brother.  Here  he  bought  a  tract  of  land,  pitched  his  tent,  and  with 
the  opening  spring  began  to  plant  and  build  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Seekonk  River. 
Immediately,  however,  he  received  a  friendly  letter  from  Winslow,  Governor  of 
Plynuiuth,  advising  him  to  cross  the  river  and  push  farther  into  the  wilderness, 
as  he  was  too  near  the  boundary  line  of  that  colony.  Seeking  and  pursuing 
peace,  he  and  his  companions  took  a  canoe,  shot  into  the  stream  and  made  their 
way  down  to  a  little  cove  near  India  Point,  when  a  company  of  Indians  hailed  them 
with  a  friendly  salutation  wliich  they  had  caught  from  the  English:  •  What  cheer  ? ' 
There  they  tarried  for  a  time,  but  kept  on  round  the  Point  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Moshassnck  River,  where  a  delicious  spring  of  water  invited  them  to  land. 
Casting  around  for  a  resting-place  in  the  dense  forest,  where  wild  beasts  and 
savages  hemmed  them  in  from  tlieir  Christian  brethren,  and  where  they  were  far 
enough  from  persecuting  Christians  to  give  Christianity  fair  play,  they  stood  on  holy 
ground.  Under  a  bright  June  sky,  with  a  soil  around  them  which  was  unpolluted 
by  the  foot  of  oppression  and  a  virgin  fountain  laughing  at  their  feet,  for  the  first 
time  in  life  their  bosoms  swelled  full  free  to  worship  God.  There  he  said  of  his 
harsh  iirethren  :  '  I  had  the  country  before  me,  and  might  be  as  free  as  themselves,  and 
we  should  be  loving  neighbors  together.'  He  built  an  altar  there,  and  called  the  name 
of  that  place  Providence  ;  for  he  said,  '  God  has  been  merciful  to  me  in  my  distress ! ' 
There  he  bought  land  of  the  Indians  for  the  Providence  plantations,  and  in 
June,  1630,  laid  the  fountlation-stone  of  the  freest  city  and  State  on  earth;  a 
i-epublic  of  true  liberty,  a  perpetual  memorial  to  the  unseen  Finger  that  pointed 
out  the  hallowed  spot.  To  this  day  that  virgin  stream  remains  unmingled  with  a 
tear  drawn  from  the  eye  by  Christian  cruelty,  nor  has  religious  despotism  yet  forced 
a  drop  of  blood  there  trom  the  veins  of  God's  elect.  The  first  concern  of  its  illus- 
trious founder  was,  that  this  new  home  should  be  '  a  shelter  to  persons  distressed 
for  conscience.'  The  compact  drawn  reads  thus :  '  We  whose  names  are  here 
underwritten,  being  desirous  to  inhabit  in  the  town  of  Providence,  do  promise  to 
submit  ourselves  in  active  and  passive  obedience,  to  all  such  orders  or  agencies  as 
shall  be  made  for  public  good  of  the  body  in  an  orderly  way,  by  the  major  consent 
of  the  i^resent  inhabitants,  masters  of  families,  incorporated  together  into  a  town- 
ship, and  such  others  whom  they  shall  admit  into  the  same,  only  in  civil  things.'' 
Here  we  find  the  first  germ  of  that  great  modern  doctrine  which  he  afterward 
avowed  in  his  '  Bloody  Tenet'  in  these  words:  'The  sovereign  power  of  all  civil 
authority  is  founded  in  the  consent  of  the  people.'  ^  Also,  this  simple  compact 
sweeps  away  at  a  stroke  every  allegation  that  he  was  banished  for  civil  wrongs,  and 
that  the  religious  aspects  of  his  case  were  an  after-thought.     Those  who  make  that 


644  TKsrnfoxr  of  nAxrnoFT. 

allegution  an-  limind  l>v  seif-i'csj)eet  as  well  as  liisturic  justice  to  sliow  on  what  line 
of  liuuKUi  iiiotivt'  Williams,  exileil  for  fat-tion  and  scdiiiun.  .-lioiild.  in  oi-gaiiiziiiir  a 
new  ii'0\'ernuunit.  first  exact  the  bond  that  no  man  imder  that  jiovernment  slmnld 
evei'  be  '  molested  foi'  his  conscience.'  How  do  the  antecedents  of  such  alleged  (nvil 
ei'ime  expros  them>cl\cs  in  such  a  scijuencc  ^  No;  here,  as  elsewhere,  hunuin 
nature  was  true  to  itself.  Tliat  which  had  Itei-ii  crui'lly  denied  in  Massaelnisetts  and 
for  which  he  had  s\ill'ered  tiie  loss  (»f  all  things,  shoidd  now  be  secured  at  all  hazard. 
Kaeh  man  I'est'rved  to  himself  the  rights  of  eon.seienee.  which  no  nundx-r  of  the 
•major"  part  might  touch,  and  that  at  once  was  made  an  iiudieiiable  right:  all  else 
in   •  civil  things'  <-oidd  be  risked  as  ot'  ndnor  coiLsecjuence. 

We  have  ;dreailv  seen  that  li'om  the  Swiss  I'aptists  of  l."i27.  the  Dutch  l>ap- 
tists,  the  Confessions  (d'  1011  and  others,  this  docti'iin'  hail  gont'  forth  to  do  its 
woi'k  ami  had  been  a  cardinal  principle  with  all  liaptists.  Also,  that  William  of 
( )i'ange  was  the  tirst  of  lailei's  in  the  old  go\ermnents  who  emlxidied  it  in  an  exi.st- 
iiii^  constitution  ;  but  the  honor  was  reserved  for  Koger  Williams  of  nuiking  it  the 
foundation-stoiie  on  which  htimaii  goverinnent  should  stand  :  because  conscience  i.s 
the  rei;iiant  ])o\v(_'r  to  which  all  obligation  appeals  in  the  individual  man.  This 
(lemamkHl  from  Ixmcrcd't,  our  great  histoi'ian,  that  nu'iuoralile  utterance  whicli  has 
been  sneered  at  as  "  j'hetoiMc,"  bv  men  who  are  nnworthv  to  untie  the  latchet  of  his 
shoe,  althongh  as  an  honest  chronicler  he  could  not  withhold  this  testimony  conceru- 
in<r  Roger  Williams : 

'lie  was  the  lirst  i)erson  in  modern  Christendom  to  assert  in  its  plenitude  the 
doctrine  of  the  liberfv  of  eon.seienee,  tlie  equality  of  opinions  before  the  law.  .  .  . 
Williams  would  pernut  persecution  of  no  opinion,  no  religion,  leaving  heresy 
unharmed  bv  law.  and  oi'thodoxy  unprotected  by  the  terrors  of  penal  statutes.  .  .  . 
We  i)raise  tlie  man  who  tirst  analyzed  the  air,  or  resolved  water  into  its  elements, 
or  drew  the  lightning  from  the  clouds,  even  though  the  discoveries  may  have  been 
as  much  the  fruits  of  time  as  of  genius.  A  moral  principle  has  a  much  wider  and 
nearer  intluence  on  human  happiness;  nor  can  any  di.scovery  of  truth  be  of  more 
direct  benelit  of  society,  than  that  which  establishes  a  perpetual  religious  jieace,  and 
spreads  traiupiillity  throttgh  every  eommuiuty  and  every  bo.som.  If  Co])ernicus  is 
lield  in  perpetual  reverence,  because,  on  liis  death  bed,  he  i)iiblished  to  the  world  that 
the  sun  is  the  center  of  our  system;  if  the  name  of  Kepler  is  preserved  in  the  annals 
of  human  excellence  for  his  sagacity  in  detecting  the  laws  of  the  planetary  motion  ; 
if  the  gt'uius  of  Newton  has  been  almost  adored  for  dissecting  a  ray  of  light  and 
weighing  heavenlv  bodies  in  a  l>alance — let  there  be  for  the  name  of  lioger  Williams 
at  least  some  humble  ])lace  among  those  who  have  advanced  moral  science  and  made 
themselves  the  benefactors  of  mankind.'" 

In  1872  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  had  placed  a  memorial  of  Roger 
Williams  in  the  National  Capitol,  and  Senator  Anthony,  January  9.  delivered  a 
eulogy  of  great  justice  and  beauty,  in  which  he  paid  the  following  tribute  to  the 
innuoi'tal  defender  of  soul  liberty: 

'  In  all  our  history  no  name  shines  with  a  purer  liglit  than  his  whose  memorial 
we  have  lately  placed  in  the  Capitol.     In  the  history  of  all  the  world  there  is  no 


ANTHONY,   GERVINUS,    CAVOUR.  645 

more  striking  oxuiuplc  uf  u  inaii  grasping  a  granil  idea,  at  once,  in  its  full  propor- 
tions, in  all  its  completeness,  and  carrying  it  out,  untliiicliingly,  to  its  remotest  legit- 
imate results.  Roger  Williams  did  not  merely  lay  the  foundations  of  religious 
freedom,  he  constructed  the  whole  editice,  in  all  its  impregnable  strength,  and  iu  all 
its  imperishahle  beauty.  Those  who  have  followed  him  in  the  same  spirit  have  uot 
been  able  to  aikl  any  thing  to  the  grand  aiul  simple  words  in  which  he  enunciated 
the  principle,  nor  to  surpass  him  iu  the  exact  tidelity  with  which  he  reduced  it  to  tlie 
practical  business  of  government.  Religious  freedom,  which  now,  by  general  eon- 
sent,  underlies  the  foundation  principles  of  civilized  government,  was,  at  that  time, 
looked  upon  as  a  wilder  theoiy  than  any  proposition,  moral,  political,  or  religious, 
that  has  since  engaged  the  serious  attention  of  mankind.  It  was  regarded  as 
impracticable,  disorganizing,  impious,  and,  if  not  utterly  subversive  of  social  order, 
it  was  uot  so  oidy  because  its  manifest  absurdity  would  prevent  any  serious  effort  to 
enforce  it.  The  lightest  punishment  deemed  due  to  its  confessor  was  to  drive  him 
out  into  the  howling  wilderness.  Had  he  not  met  with  more  Christian  treatment 
from  the  savage  children  of  the  forest  than  he  had  found  from  ''  the  Lord's  anointed," 
he  woidd  have  perished  iu  the  begiuuiug  of  his  experiment.  .  .  .  Such  a  man  was 
Roger  Williams.  No  thought  of  himself,  no  idea  of  recompense  or  of  praise,  inter- 
fered to  sully  the  perfect  purity  of  his  motives,  the  perfect  disinterestedness  of  his 
conduct.  Laboring  for  the  highest  benefit  of  his  fellow-men,  he  was  entirely  indif- 
ferent to  their  praises.  He  knew  (for  God,  whose  prophet  he  was,  revealed  it  to  him) 
that  the  great  principle  for  which  he  contended,  and  for  which  he  suffered,  founded 
in  the  eternal  fftness  of  things,  would  endure  forever.  He  did  not  inquire  if  his  name 
would  survive  a  generation.  In  his  vision  of  the  future,  he  saw  mankind  emancipated 
from  the  thralklom  of  priestcraft,  fronx  the  blindness  of  bigotry,  from  the  cruelties 
of  intolerance.  He  saw  the  nations  walking  forth  in  the  liberty  wherewith  Christ 
had  made  them  free.' 

Yet  this  statement  expresses  no  more  than  the  general  conviction  of  the  Amer- 
ican public.  Recently,  a  leading  New  York  daily  of  weighty  influence  said  :  '  Baptists 
have  solved  a  great  problem.  They  cumbine  the  most  resolute  conviction,  the  most 
stubborn  belief  in  their  own  special  doctrines,  with  the  most  admirable  tolerance  of 
the  faith  of  other  Christians.  And  this  combination  of  sturdy  faith  with  graceful 
tolerance  makes  it  easy  to  recognize  them  as  the  followers  of  Roger  Williams.' 
Indeed,  the  best  tliinkers  in  Europe  begin  to  unite  in  this  sentiment.  Long  since 
Gervinus,  the  ju'ofouud  German,  said  of  Williams,  that  he  founded  a  'New  society 
iu  Rhode  Island  upon  the  principles  of  entire  liberty  of  conscience  and  the  uncon- 
trolled power  of  the  majority  iu  secular  concerns,  .  .  .  which  principles  have  not 
only  maintained  themselves  here,  but  have  spread  over  the  whole  Union  .  .  .  and 
given  laws  to  one  quarter  of  the  glolje.  and,  drcade<l  for  their  moral  influence,  they 
stand  in  the  background  of  every  democratic  struggle  iu  Eui'ope.'  Williams  had 
the  choice  before  him  of  direct  hostility  between  the  Church  and  State,  as  in  the 
pagan  days  of  early  Christianity ;  an  alliance  between  them,  as  in  Constantine's 
day  ;  a  supreunicy  of  the  Chui-ch  over  the  State,  as  in  the  Middle  Ages;  or  entire 
iiulependence  of  each  other,  earnest,  friendly,  helpful  in  the  common  weal.  Cavour 
wished  for  '  Free  Churches  in  a  free  State,'  having  borrowed  the  ideal  of  Roger 
Williams.  The  first  publicists  of  our  age  are  the  most  ready  to  credit  him  and  his 
coadjutors  with  linking  liberty  to  law,  and  with  proving  that  a  voluntary  religion  is 


646  wurrrxos  of  wrrjjAW.'^. 

llic  ik'teniiiiK'(l   foe  of  license  on  the  one  li:inil  and  ol'  tyrannv  on  tlie  otlier,  wlien 
they  exei'eise  tlieir  free  life  iiKlepeiulentiy  of  eaeli  other. 

This  point  lie  set  forth  I'ully  not  only  in  its  praetical  liearini;s,  hut  he  detined 
aii<l  <h_'fended  it  nnniisiakahly  in  his  worivs.  When  in  Lunduii.  in  1(144.  he  ])ublislied 
his  '  IJloody  Tenet  of  Persecution  for  Cause  of  Conscience;"  in  hWT -lohn  Cotton 
replied  in  his  '  IJloody  Tenet  AVasiied  and  Made  White;'  and  \Villianis  rejoined  in 
his  '  liloody  Tenet  yet  more  Filoody,'  in  ^i'l^'>•2.  Williams  took  the  liroad  u;rotnid 
throui;hout  that  no  man  can  i)e  ludd  res|ion>ilile  to  his  fellow-inaii  for  his  relig- 
ions lielief.  Cotl(jn  attenijited  to  take  new  i^round,  hut  taileil.  and  was  oblij^ed  to 
full  back  uiion  the  ohl  Catholic  view.  lie  denied  the  ri^ht  to  ]iersi;cute  men  "for 
conscience  rightly  inforin<M].''  l!ut  if  a  man's  conscience  is  '  ei'roueous  and  blind  in 
fundamental  and  weighty  mattei-s,'  then  the  magisti-ate  may  admonish  him  on  the 
sidiject;  and  if  he  rt'mains  'willfully  blind  and  ci'iminally  obstinate,'  then  the 
magistrate  may  ])unish  liini.  This  makes  the  civil  |)o\wr  the  sole  judgi'  of  funda- 
mental eri'or,  willful  l)lindne.ss  and  crucd  obstinacy,  and  covers  all  that  the  Catholic 
powers  ever  claimed  on  the  subject.  AV'^hcn  the  ])rinci))les  of  Williams  were  dis- 
torted and  he  was  chai'ged  with  sustaining  anarchy  to  the  dotruction  of  ci\il 
government,  he  wi-ott'  his  immortal  letter  on  the  (juestioii,  which  has  been  denom- 
inate(l  a  '  ela^sic.'  and  will  scarcely  ])eri>h  for  ages.      Amongst  cither  things  he  said  : 

'  There  goes  many  a  eliip  to  sea,  with  many  Imndred  souls  on  one  .ship,  whose 
weal  or  woe  is  common,  and  is  a  true  picture  of  a  cumnionwealth,  or  a  human  coiu- 
biuation  or  society.  It  hath  fallen  out  sometimes  that  both  I'ajiists  and  Protestants, 
Jews  and  Turks,  may  be  embarked  in  one  ship;  upon  which  f<uj)posal  I  affirm,  that 
all  the  liberty  of  con.scienee,  that  ever  I  pleaded  for,  turns  upon  these  two  liinges: 
that  none  of  the  Papists,  Protestants,  Jews  or  Turks  be  forced  to  come  to  the  ship's 
])rayers  or  worship,  nor  compelled  from  tlieir  own  particular  prayers  or  worshi])  if 
they  practice  any.  1  further  add,  that  I  never  denied,  that  notwithstanding  this 
liberty,  the  commander  of  this  ship  ought  to  connnand  the  shi})'s  course,  yea,  and 
also  command  that  justice,  peace  and  sobriety  be  kept  and  practiced  both  among  the 
seamen  and  all  the  passengers.  If  any  of  the  seamen  refuse  to  perform  their  service, 
or  passengers  to  pay  their  freight;  if  any  refuse  to  help,  in  j^ei'son  or  purse,  toward 
the  common  charges  or  defense;  if  any  refuse  to  obey  the  common  laws  and  order 
of  the  ship  conceniiiig  their  common  peace  or  preservation  ;  if  any  shall  mutiny  and 
rise  up  against  their  commanders  and  officers;  if  any  should  preach  or  write  that 
there  ought  to  be  no  commanders  or  officers  l)ecause  all  are  ecpiul  in  Christ,  there- 
fore, no  masters  or  officers,  no  laws  or  orders,  no  corrections  or  punishments  ;  I  say, 
I  never  denied,  but  in  snch  cases,  whatever  is  pretended,  the  commaudei'  or  com- 
manders may  judge,  resist,  compel  and  punish  such  transgressors,  according  to  their 
deserts  and  merits.  This,  if  seriously  and  honestly  minded,  may,  if  it  please  the 
Father  of  lights,  let  in  some  light  to  such  as  willingly  shut  not  their  eyes.' 

It  Would  I)e  interesting  to  trace  the  further  history  of  his  life  and  of  Rliode 
Island  in  their  defense  and  application  of  the  liberty  of  conscience,  but  it  must  suffice 
to  say,  that  during  the  rest  <if  liis  days  Williams  remained  its  faithful  exponent  and 
defender.  lie  had  followed  his  convictions  on  that  subject  from  the  Episcopalians 
to  the  Congregatioiialists,  from  them  to  the  Baptists,  and  from  them  to  the  Seekers. 


'  COALS   OF  fire:  647 

But  in  these  changes  his  persunul  religion.-  character  rcuiaineil  without  a  spot  ;  he 
gave  the  same  large  hherty  to  all  others  which  he  took  tor  liiniselt',  he  respected 
tlieir  uintives  and  convictions,  and  in  his  controversies  witli  thciii  hd't  no  trace  of 
acerbity.  His  personal  services  to  ail  the  New  England  colonies,  by  skillful 
negotiations  with  the  Indians,  which  twice  saved  them  from  a  general  war  that 
might  have  exterminated  them,  can  hardly  be  overestimated.  Bancroft  justly  charac- 
terizes his  exertions  in  breaking  the  Pc(piod  league  as  'a  most  intrepid  and  successful 
achievement,'  'an  action  as  perilous  in  its  execution  as  it  was  fortunate  in  its  issue.' 
The  youthful  reader  will  be  grateful  for  a  fuller  detail  of  these  facts,  which  is 
here  attempted  in  brief.  In  the  fall  of  1()36,  only  six  months  after  the  flight  of 
^\'illianls  into  the  wilderness,  he  found  that  the  Indian  tribes  were  forming  a  league 
for  the  destruction  of  the  English,  and  at  once  informed  the  Governor  of  Massa- 
chusetts of  the  plot  in  order  to  save  them.  Passion  ran  high  on  the  part  of  that 
colony  and  on  the  part  of  the  red  men,  and  the  Massachusetts  government  asked 
him  to  step  in  as  mediator  between  them.     This  was  the  exile's  prompt  reply  : 

'  The  Lord  helped  me  innnediately  to  put  my  life  into  my  hand,  and,  scarce 
acquainting  my  wife,  to  ship  myself  alone,  in  a  poor  canoe,  and  to  cut  through  a 
stornjy  wind,  with  great  seas,  every  minute  in  hazard  of  life,  to  the  sachems'  house. 
Three  days  and  nights  my  business  forced  me  to  lodge  and  mix  with  the  bloody 
Pequod  embassadors,  whose  hands  and  arms,  methought,  reeked  with  the  blood  of 
my  countrymen,  murdered  and  massacred  by  them  on  Connecticut  River,  and  from 
whom  I  could  not  but  nightly  look  for  their  bloody  knives  at  my  own  throat  also. 
God  wonderoiisly  preserved  me,  and  helped  me  to  break  to  pieces  the  Pequods' 
negotiation  and  design  ;  and  to  make  and  finish,  by  many  travels  and  charges,  the 
English  league  with  the  Narragansetts  and  Mohegans  against  the  Pequods.' 

This  resulted  in  a  lasting  treaty  of  peace,  which  was  written  in  English,  which 
language  the  Indians  could  not  understand,  and  a  copy  was  sent  by  Massachusetts  to 
Williams,  with  the  request  that  he  would  interpret  it  to  them.  Thus,  the  illustri- 
ous exile  served  and  saved  the  country  from  whence  he  was  banished,  while  his 
bones  were  yet  aching  with  the  hardships  of  his  journey,  in  beautiful  illustration  of 
his  Master's  words,  Luke  vi,  22,  23,  27,  28.  With  the  artless  simplicity  of  a  child, 
he  tells  Winthrop  of  his  interview  with  Can(.)nicus,  the  great  chief,  in  the  interests 
of  Massachusetts. 

He  says  of  this  warrior  that  he  '  Was  very  sour,  and  accused  the  English  and 
myself  for  sending  the  plague  amongst  them,  and  threatening  to  kill  him  especially. 
Such  tidings  it  seems  were  lately  brought  to  his  ears  by  some  of  his  flatterers  and  our 
ill-willers.  I  discerned  cause  of  bestirring  myself  and  stayed  the  longer,  and  at  last, 
through  the  mercy  of  the  Most  High,  I  not  only  sweetened  his  spirit,  but  possessed 
him,  that  the  plague  and  other  sicknesses  were  alone  in  the  hand  of  the  one  God,  who 
made  him  and  us,  who  being  displeased  with  the  English  for  lying,  stealing,  idleness 
and  uncleanness.  the  natives'  epidenueal  sins,  smote  many  thousands  of  us  ourselves 
with  general  and  late  mortalities.' 

And  how  did  Massachusetts  treat  him,  when  he  heaped  these  glowing  coals  of 
Christian   love  on   her  head?      Let   us  see.      He  went  to  England   to  procure  a 


648  DICATII   Oh'    \VILl,l.[.\rs. 

cliai'ter,  being  oliligcd  to  take  a  .~lii|>  lr(Piii  llic  I)iitfli  scittleinoiit,  and  wlicii  lie 
returned,  in  W!44,  willi  tlie  iiistiMinieiii  wliicli  ga\'e  Ids  ])ei.i|)le  an  independent  govern- 
ment, in  (irder  tlial  he  nnght  land  in  lioston,  se\i'i'al  nuldes  and  Parliament  men 
gave  him  a  graeious  lettiT  eummending  him  tu  ihe  authorities  oj'  J[assachusetts,  hut 
they  treated  him  rudely  and  as  still  a,  hanished  man.  llidihard  says,  in  their  defense 
(p.  34-lt),  that  '  Tluy  saw  nn  reason  to  cDiidemn  themselves  for  an\'  formei'  proceed- 
ings against  Mi'.  Williams;  hut  for  any  otliees  of  ('liri>lian  lo\e  and  duties  of 
humanity  they  were  willing  to  maintain  a  mutual  eorrespomlence  with  liim.  J!ut 
as  to  his  dangei'oiis  pi'inciples  of  separation,  unless  he  can  be  brought  to  lay  them 
down,  they  see  no  reason  why  to  concede  to  him,  or  any  so  j)ersiiaded,  free  liberty 
t>f  ingress  and  egress  lest  any  <d'  I  heir  people  slioidd  be  drawn  away  from  liis 
erroneous  principles."  Well  may  .lulin  Callender.  'ihat  discijde  whom  dt'sus  hned,' 
say  of  him  in  his  own  manly  maiinei':  '  Mr.  AN'iiliams  ajipeai's,  by  the  whole  Course 
antl  tenor  of  his  lile  and  conduct  here,  to  have  been  one  of  tln'  most  disinterested 
men  that  ever  lived,  a  most  pious  ami  heavenly-ndnded  sou!."''  (^Uist.  Dis.,  p.  17.) 
And  this  judgment  of  Ids  wisdom,  magnanimity  and  goodness,  is  shai'ed  by  the 
gl't.'at  e\'ci'y wlicre.  Southey  called  him  the  '  best  and  greatest  of  the  Wel.shmen," 
and  Archbishop  Whately,  who  venerated  his  memory  as  a  grt'at  benefactor  of  man- 
kind, paid  him  well-merited  ])raise,  for  he  never  corrupted  any  man  by  pen  or 
tongue,  but  devoted  his  long  life  to  the  blessing  of  his  race. 

The  exact  date  of  his  death  is  not  known:  it  was  early  in  1<)S;5,  when  about 
eighty-four  years  of  age,  and  he  was  buried  with  all  the  honoi's  that  the  colony 
could  show.  In  IStiO  his  dll^t  was  exhumed  by  one  of  his  descendants  and 
I'enioved  from  the  orchard,  where  it  had  I'eposed  so  long,  to  the  Ts'^ortli  IJurial 
(ironnd,  Providence.  Dr.  A.  .!.  (rordoii.  of  Boston,  a  graduate  of  Bi'own  l'ni\'er- 
sity,  says:  '  While  a  student  in  that  goodly  city  I  saw  the  bones  of  Roger  Williams 
disinterred,  and,  strange,'  to  relate,  it  was  discovered  that  the  tap-root  of  an  ap])le- 
tree  had  sti'uck  down  and  f(dlowed  the  wdiole  length  of  the  stubborn  Baptist's  spinal 
column,  a]ipro]iriating  and  absorbing  its  substance  till  not  a  \estige  of  the  vei'tel)raj 
remained.  .Vnd  thus,  that  inxincilile  backbone  of  Roger  Williams,  whom  a  critical 
Massacduisetts  statesman  stigmatized  as  "  contentiously  conscientious,"  was  "  spread 
throughout  the  world  dispersed  "'  in  the  fruit  of  the  tree  that  grew  above  liis  grave. 
Blessed  are  they  who  are  so  fortunate  as  to  have  their  tiieology  enriched  by  such 
strong  phosplutes.'  The  late  Or.  A\'.  B.  William>,  alluding  to  the  liea\v  burden  of 
fruit  which  Roger  Williams"s  appleti'ee  had  ])roduced  year  by  year  and  scattered 
by  its  seed,  says  of  tlie  'curious  fidelity'  of  this  root  in  following  tlie  outline  of 
tlie  skeleton  :  '  It  was  as  if  to  say.  that  the  righteous  are  fi'uitful  of  good  even 
in  tlie  dust  of  their  mohlering.  And  over  a  broad  republic — every  day  widen- 
ing its  territory  and  the  sweep  of  its  influence,  iiolitical,  literary  and  religious — - 
it  seems  to-day  impossible  to  sa}'  how  much  of  the  national  order  and  liappiness 
is  traceable  to  the  memory  and  examj^le  of  the  man  there  entombed;  is  the  fruitage. 


RHODE  ISLAND   AXD    FREEDOM.  649 

uikIlt  (iml's  henedictiuii,  ol'  the  sufferings  and  sacrifices  of  the  weary  pilgrim  and 
exile  wiio  there  found  repose.'" 

The  works  of  Roger  "Williams  have  been  collected  and  reprinted  in  six  quarto 
volumes,  under  the  care  of  the  Narragansett  Club,  making  about  2,000  pages.  Of 
these  Professor  Tyler  says : 

'Koger  Williams,  never  in  any  thing  addicted  to  cuiicealments,  has  put 
liimself,  "without  i-eserve,  into  his  wi'itings.  There  he  still  remains.  There,  if 
anywhere,  we  may  get  well  acquainted  with  him.  Searching  for  him  along  the 
two  thousand  printed  pages  upon  which  he  has  stamped  his  own  portrait,  we 
seem  to  see  a  very  human  and  fallible  man,  with  a  large  head,  a  warm  heart,  a 
healthy  body,  an  eloquent  and  imprudent  tongue ;  not  a  symmetrical  person,  poised, 
cool,  accui-ate,  circumsiiect ;  a  man  very  anxious  to  be  genuine  and  to  get  at  the  truth, 
but  im])atient  of  sluw  methods,  trusting  gallantly  to  his  own  intuitions,  easily  deluded 
by  his  own  hopes;  an  imaginative,  sympathetic,  affluent,  impulsive  man  ;  an  ojjtim- 
ist ;  his  master-passion  benevolence,  .  .  .  lovely  in  his  carriage,  .  .  .  of  a  hearty 
and  sociable  turn,  ...  in  truth  a  clubable  person  ;  a  man  whose  dignity  would  nut 
have  petrified  us,  nor  his  saintliness  have  given  us  a  cliill  .  .  .  from  early  manhood 
even  down  to  late  old  age,  ...  in  New  England  a  mighty  and  benignant  form, 
always  pleading  for  some  magnanimous  idea,  some  tender  charity,  the  rectification  uf 
some  wrong,  the  exercise  of  some  sort  of  forl)earance  toward  men's  bodies  or  souls."'' 

As  to  his  person,  no  genuine  portrait  of  him  is  known  to  exist,  or  it  wduhl 
have  appeared  in  this  volume.  Some  yeai's  ago  one  was  supposed  to  have  been 
found,  but  I)i\  Guild,  the  librarian  of  Brown  University,  and  others  pronounce  it 
spurious.  A  monument,  twenty-seven  feet  high,  ci'owned  b}'  a  statue  seven  and  a 
half  feet  in  height,  was  erected  to  his  memory  in  1877  in  Koger  Williams  Park, 
Providence,  but  as  a  likeness  of  the  great  apostle  it  is  purely  ideal. 

Most  sacredly  has  Rhode  Island  guarded  the  hallowed  trust  committed  to 
her  charge,  for  no  nuin  has  ever  been  persecuted  in  that  sovereignty  for  his  relig- 
ious opinions  and  practices  from  its  first  settlement  in  1636.  Williams  obtained 
the  first  charter  in  16-13-41:,  and  the  first  body  of  laws  was  drawn  under  it  in  1617. 
Under  the  town  legislation  of  the  several  towns,  which  had  sprung  up  before  the 
charter  was  granted,  absolute  religious  liberty  was  secured  to  each  inhabitant ;  in 
1647,  at  the  close  of  the  civil  enactments  made  under  this  charter,  these  words  were 
added :  '  And  otherwise  than  this  what  is  herein  forbidden,  all  men  may  walk  as 
their  consciences  persuade  them,  every  one  in  the  name  of  his  (lod.  And  let  the 
lambs  of  the  Most  High  walk  in  tliis  colony  without  molestation  in  the  name  of 
Jehovah  their  God  forever.'  At  the  first,  all  the  functions  of  government  were 
exercised  by  the  whole  body  of  citizens  in  town-meeting.  Two  deputies  were 
chosen  to  preserve  the  peace,  call  the  meeting  and  execute  its  decisions. 

The  same  spirit  animated  the  two  colonies  of  Rhode  Island  and  Providence 
Plantations.  In  fact,  the  first  declaration  of  democracy  formulated  in  America 
dates  from  the  island  of  Rhode  Island,  March  16,  1641,  when 

'  It  was  ordered  and  unanimously  agreed  upon,  that  tlie  government  which 
this   body  politic  doth  attend  unto  in  this  island  and  the  jurisdiction  thereof,  in 


680  A    COXSaiENTIOUS    WTFKMIIII'I'EH. 

favor  <jf  our  prince,  is  a  JJk.mockacy,  or  popular  govcrnuicnt ;  that  is  to  say,  it  is  in 
the  power  of  \.\w  body  of  freemen,  orderly  assembled,  oi-  m;ijor  part  of  them,  to 
make  or  constitute  just  laws,  by  which  they  will  be  i-ci^ulated,  and  to  depute  fi-on; 
among  tlieniselves  such  ministers  as  sliall  see  them  faithfully  executed  between  man 
and  man.'  .\nd  the  following  acts  secured  religious  liberty  there:  'It  was  further 
ordered,  by  the  authority  of  this  present  Court,  that  none  be  accounted  a  delinquent 
for  doctrine,  ])i'ovi(k'd.  it  be  not  directly  i'e])ugnant  to  the  government  or  laws 
established.'  On  Septeniijci-,  1*;41,  it  was  ordered,  •  That  that  law  (jf  the  last  Court, 
made  concerning  liberty  of  conscience  in  point  of  doctrine,  be  perpetuated."'  It 
was  decreed  at  Providence  in  Ki-fT  that  since  'Our  charter  gives  us  powc-r  to  gov- 
ern ourselves,  and  such  other  as  (!onie  among  us.  ami  by  such  a  form  of  civil  gov- 
ernment as  by  the  voluntary  consent,  etc.,  shall  be  found  most  suitable  to  our  estate 
and  condition  ;  It  is  agreed  by  this  ])resent  Assembly  thus  incorporate,  and  by  this 
present  act  declared,  that  the  form  of  govei-nment  established  in  Pi'ovidence  I'lan- 
tations  is  Dkmocka'iicai,  ;  that  is  to  say,  a  government  held  by  the  free  and  \"(ilun- 
tary  consent  of  all  or  the  greater  part  of  X\w  fi'ce  iidiabitanrs.'" 

At  Pj-ovidence,  May,  ItJ.'lS,  a  citizen  wlio  had  niolotiMJ  the  rights  of  his  wife's 
conscience  by  i-ef using  to  let  her  attend  public  worship,  wlien  she  desired  to  do  so, 
was  di>rranchisr(l,  in  these  words:  '.losliua  \'ei'iii.  for  bi-cach  of  co\cnant  in 
restraining  liberty  of  conscience,  shall  be  withheld  tlie  liberty  of  voting,  till  he 
declare  the  conti'ai-y."  Ai'uold,  another  citizen,  attempted  to  hoodwiidv  the  free- 
men of  till' ])lantation,  by  jirctuniling  tliat  A'eriii  restrained  her  'out  of  the  free  exer- 
cise of  his  conscience  '  as  liei'  inisl)and.  Put  the  fri'enien  saw  thi'ough  the  wool  with 
which  he  attem])ti'd  to  veil  their  eyes.      Williams  states  the  case  thus  to  A\'inthi'op: 

'  Sir,  we  liave  been  long  afflicted  by  a  young  man,  boisterous  and  desjierate, 
Philip  Verin's  son,  of  Salem,  who,  as  he  hath  refused  to  hear  the  M'ord  with  us 
{which  we  molested  him  not  for)  this  twelve  month,  so  because  he  could  not  draw 
his  wife,  a  gracious  and  modest  woman,  to  the  same  ungodliness  with  him,  he  hath 
trodden  her  underfoot  tyrannically  and  l)rutishly  ;  which  she  and  we  long  bearing, 
thougli  with  ]\\ii  furious  hlow,^  .she  went  in  (hmejer  of  life,  at  last  the  major  vote  of 
us  iliscai'd  him  from  our  civil  fi-ecdom,  or  disfranchise,  etc. :  he  will  have  justice,  as 
he  clamors,  in  other  courts,  etc' 

This  blustei'ing  wile-beater  had  cojne  from  Salem,  and  because  he  could  not 
thrash  his  wife  at  pleasure,  aiul  continue  to  put  her  life  'in  danger,'  and  tread 
'her  underfoot  tyrannically  and  lu'utishly "  in  deference  to  his  own  sweetly  'seared' 
conscience,  he  was  'dissatisfied  with  liis  jiosition'  and  'returned  to  Salem.'  Possibly, 
as  Hooker  said  to  Shephard,  he  concluded  that  that  'coast  was  most  meet  for  his 
opinion  and  practice,'  as  well  as  for  his  sort  of  conscience.  So,  because  conscien- 
tious wife-whip]iing  was  not  popular  at  Providence,  Joshua  shook  off  the  dust  of 
his  feet  against  that  plantation,  and  being  mindful  of  the  country  from  whence  he 
came  out,  its  fi-eemen,  as  it  seems,  gave  him  opjiortunity  to  return  tliither,  fists, 
conscience  and  all. 

In  174:5  there  was  printed  a  revision  or  compilation  of  all  the  laws  of  the 
colony  since  its  first  charter,  which  was  called  the  'Revision  of  1745.'  This 
makes  reference  to  a  law  said  to  have  been  passed  in  1663-64  to  the  effect,  that  ■  All 


ROMAN  CATHOLIC  FREEDOM.  681 

iiu'ii  prdfessing  Christiiuiity,  and  of  c-oinpetent  estates  and  civil  conversation  (Roman 
Catholics  only  excepted),  shall  be  admitted  freemen,  or  may  choose  or  be  chosen 
colonial  officers.'  This  alleged  act  is  I'eferred  to  by  Chalmers,  an  English  author,  in 
his  >  Political  Annals,'  London  (ITSdj.  .ludge  Samuel  Eddy,  a  man  of  great  learn- 
ing and  scrupulous  veracity,  who  was  Secretary  of  State  in  Rhode  Island  tVom  IT'.IT 
to  IS  Lit,  and  had  all  the  i-ecords  at  coiiiiiiand,  says  that  he  carefully  investigated  all 
the  laws  of  the  colony  from  the  first  Charter  (1043-4-1)  to  1719,  and  that  'there  is  not 
a  word  on  record  of  the  act  referred  to  by  Chalmers'  and  contained  in  the  ■  Revision 
of  1745'  prior  to  that  year.     This  he  shows  conclusively, 

1.  By  citing  the  First  Charter,  in  which  liberty  is  granted  the  colonists  to  nu^ke 
their  own  laws,  and  the  consequent  passage  in  1647  of  a  body  of  colonial  laws,  pro- 
viding that  '  All  men  may  walk  as  their  consciences  persuade  them,  every  one  in 
the  name  of  his  God.'  2.  He  cites  the  Second  Charter  (1663),  wliich  provides  that 
'No  person  within  said  colony  at  any  time  hereafter  shall  be  any  wise  molested, 
punished,  disquieted,  or  called  in  question  for  any  differences  in  opinion  in  matters 
of  religion.'  That  they  may  '  freely  and  fully  have  and  enjoy  their  own  judgments 
and  consciences  in  matters  of  religious  concernments.'  3.  He  cites  an  expression  of 
the  Assembly,  of  May,  1665  that  'It  hath  been  a  principle  held  forth  and  main- 
tained in  this  colony  from  the  beginning  thei'eof,  so  it  is  nmch  in  their  hearts  to 
procure  the  same  liberty  to  all  persons  within  this  colony  forever  as  to  the  worship 
of  God  therein.'  A  military  law,  passed  May,  1677,  is  to  the  same  effect.  4.  In 
1680,  the  Assembly  said  :  '  AVe  leave  every  man  to  waljj  as  God  shall  persuade  their 
hearts  ami  do  aetivelv  and  passively  yield  obedience  to  the  civil  magistrate.' 

Judge  Eddy  says:  'Thus  you  have  positive  and  indubitable  evidence  that  the 
law  excluding  Ronum  Catholics  from  the  privileges  of  freemen  was  not  passed  in 
1663-64,  but  that  at  that  time  and  long  after  they  were  entitled  to  all  the  privileges 
of  other  citizens.'  He  adds,  that  his  search  was  had  '  with  a  particular  view  to 
this  law  excluding  Roman  Catholics  from  the  privileges  of  freemen,  and  can  find 
nothing  that  has  any  reference  to  it,  nor  any  thing  that  gives  any  preference  or 
privileges  to  men  of  one  set  of  religious  opinions  over  those  of  another  till  the 
Revision  of  1745.'  Roger  Williams  was  a  member  of  the  Upper  House,  1664, 
1670-71,  and  of  the  Lower  House  in  1667,  and  died  16S3.  Eddy  says  :  '  That  such 
a  law  could  have  been  passed  in  the  life-time  of  the  first  settlers  is  hardly  credible,' 
and  that  the  statement  in  the  Revision  of  1745  is  plainly  an  error. 

It  was  twenty  years  after  the  appointment  of  the  Committee  on  Revision  that 
their  report  was  printed,  1745,  there  being  no  printing-press  in  the  colony  till  that 
year,  and  no  newspaper  till  1758.  The  existence  of  this  law  against  Catholics  in 
1745  does  not  necessarily  show  that  the  law  was  passed  at  that  time,  but  Eddy  does 
show  that  it  must  have  been  enacted  between  1719  and  1745,  the  Revision  being 
the  only  record  of  the  law.  Exactly  in  what  year  it  passed  does  not  anywhere 
appear,  but  it   existed  as  an   unrepealed  statute  in   1745,   amongst   the  laws  then 


652  ROMAN   VA  TIIOIJC  FUKKDOM. 

(irticially  pi'iiituil  \>\  the  coluiiv,  wliilc  VAi\\  ])r(i\c's  that  the  date  l(](j.j-t)-i  is  ]jlainlv 
a  luistakt'.  Tin'  iiiiivi'i-.sal  ivpiitatiun  of  lilioile  Island  in  tlie  iieiglihoi'iiiir  coluiiios, 
lor  the  largest  freedom  in  i-cliiiion.  i>  well  .-Ur-taiiied  liy  these  laws,  which  eoni|)letely 
deny  thai  aiiv  wvw  perseenled  therefor,  nineh  less  Ivoiiiaii  Catholics.  Cotton 
ArutluM'  says,  that  there  were  no  Konian  (Jatholics  in  the  colony  in  1695,  and 
Chalmers  says  the  same  of  Klso.  Seeing,  then,  that  this  antieatholic.  ]>areiithetic 
clause  is  not  to  he  fonnd  in  any  mannscript  law  of  the  colony  either  ljefoi-e  1003- 
(>4,  or  after,  and  so  lung  as  no  date  can  he  lixed  iipuii  foi-  its  enactment,  the  fair 
presumption  follows  that  it  is  an  interpolation.  'I'his  presum|)ti(Hi  is  strengtliened 
also  hy  the  additional  facts,  that  although  'all  nu'ii  '  had  from  the  founding  of  the 
colony  walked  'as  their  c(jn>cienccs  persuade'  them,  yet,  for  twenty-seven  years  no 
Human  ( 'al  holi<'  had  I'oiiir  lo  the  culoiiy,  or  l)een  notilied  that  he  ccjuld  not  come, 
nor  has  any  Catholic  ever  heen  refuseil  his  full  i-iglits  there  to  this  day.  The  law  of 
May  lltth,  ll>17,  made  e.\|)ress  |)rovisioii  for  the  liherty  of  all  to  walk  unmolested  in 
tlu!  nami'  of  his  (iod,  and  yet.  according  to  (Jhalniers,  it  was  thirty-three  years  after 
thai  enactiinMit,  namely,  in  Idsii,  liefore  any  Catholic  availed  himself  of  this  ti'ecilom. 
iSo,  then,  there  was  nothing  in  l<!()l)-()4  to  call  for  the  legislative  insertion  of  such  a 
clause  <diai!giiig  the  law  from  what  it  had  heen  since  the  founding  of  the  colony.  Tlie 
general  supposition  of  the  best  historians  of  Rhode  Island  is,  that  it  was  introduced 
into  a  mixed  and  irregular  digest  of  the  laws  of  that  colony,  wdiich  a]i|)i'ared  in 
England,  hy  some  timid  |H'rson.  who  feared  that  the  English  Protestants  would  coiu- 
]dain  that  Rhode  Island  gave  too  much  liherty  to  Catholics,  and  so  that  h(!r  charter 
would  he  revoked,  hence,  lie  ventured  to  make  the  interpolation  to  save  ditficulty. 
]n  KmC)  I'lngland  was  thrown  into  an  intense  excitement  hy  the  geiu'ral  belief  in  a 
'Popish  plot'  for  the  assassination  of  ^\'illiam  III.  The  popular  idea  was  that  the 
Protestants  were  to  be  given  over  to  a  liritish  St.  ISartholoniew  ;  the  Duke  of  ^  ork. 
a  bigoted  Catholic,  was  to  usurp  the  throne,  and  all  were  ready  for  a  bloody  civil 
war.  Some  friend  of  llhode  Island  may  ha\e  shai-ed  in  this  panic,  but  there  is  not 
the  slightest  evidence  that  its  legislators  did,  I'spccially  as  they  repealed  the  smug- 
gled clause  on  discovery.      The  following  a]i]»ears  as  the  law  in   IT'.*>>: 

'  ^^'here:is  a  ])rinci]>al  object  of  our  venerahle  ancestors,  in  their  migration  to 
this  country  and  settlement  in  this  State,  was,  as  they  expressed  it.  to  hold  forth 
a  lively  experiment,  that  a  most  flourishing  civil  State  may  stand  and  be  best  main- 
tained with  a  full  liberty  in  religious  concernments:  Be  it  therefore  enacted  by 
the  General  Assend)ly,  and  by  the  authority  thereof  it  is  enacted,  that  no  man  shall 
be  compelled  to  freipient  or  su]ipQrt  any  religion.*  worshi]i.  place  or  ministry  what- 
soever, nor  .shall  hi'  be  enforced,  restrained  or  burdened  in  his  body  or  good.s,  nor 
shall  otherwise  suifer  on  account  of  his  religious  opinions  or  belief,  but  that  all  men 
shall  be  free  to  ])rofi'ss  and  by  argument  to  maintain  their  opinions  in  matters  ot 
religion,  and  that  tlie  same  shall  in  nowise  diminish,  enlarge  or  affect  tlieii  civil 
capacities.' 

This  whole  legal  ])rescntatioii  is  found  in  Robert  Walsh's  '  Appeal,'  an  octavo, 
published  in  Philadelphia,  ISJit.  pji.  4-iU-l-;35. 


ROOEIi    M'lrjAAMS  AXD    THE  JEWS.  683 

Tleligioiis  liberty  for  Jews  in  Itliode  Island  must  be  referred  to  here.  At  tiie 
opi'iiiiig  of  the  seventeenth  century.  Holland  was  the  only  country  where  they 
enjoyed  this  blessing.  Their  largest  Euro])ean  congregation  was  in  Amsterdam, 
also  their  Talmud  Tora,  or  school  fm-  Hebrew  youth.  J^etmard  Ihr-hcr  made  the 
first  plea  for  their  liiierty  in  England,  in  161-i,  saying :  'The  king  and  Parliament 
may  please  to  permit  all  Christians,  yeu,  Jews,  Tnrks  and  ])agans,  so  long  as  they 
are  peaceable  and  no  malefactors.'  i"  A  second  plea  was  made  by  Roger  Williams, 
in  three  passages  of  his  •  Bloody  Tenet,'  published  in  London,  104-i,  one  of  which 
I'eads  thus,  and  the  others  are  of  the  same  tenor:  '  It  is  the  will  and  conniuuid  of 
God,  that  since  the  coming  ot  his  Son,  the  Lord  Jesus,  a  permission  of  the  most 
paganish,  Jewisk,  Turkish  or  antichristian  consciences  and  worships,  be  granted  to 
men  in  all  nations  and  all  countries.  That  civil  States  witii  their  officers  of  justice 
are  not  governors  or  defenders  of  the  spiritual  and  Christian  state  and  worship.'" 
Drs.  Featley,  Baillie  and  others  charged  him  with  the  most  shocking  blasphemy  for 
this  doctrine,  and  popular  indignation  was  so  savage  that  his  book  was  burned.  Samuel 
Richardson  demands,  in  his  work  on  the  'iS'ecessity  of  Toleration,'  published  1647  (p. 
270):  'Whether  the  priests  were  not  the  cause  of  the  burning  of  the  book  entitled 
"The  Bloody  Tenet,"  because  it  was  against  persecution?  And  whether  their  con- 
sciences would  not  have  dispensed  with  the  burning  of  the  author  of  it?'  Baillie 
hiniself  said:  •Liberty  of  conscience,  and  toleration  of  all  or  any  religion,  is  so 
prodigious  an  impiety,  that  this  religious  Parliament  cannot  but  abhor  the  very 
naming  of  it.  AV'^hatever  may  be  the  opinions  of  John  (loodwin.  Mr.  "Williams 
and  some  of  that  stamp,  .  .  .  yet  Mr.  Burroughs  ex})lodes  that  abomination.' 

The  Jews  had  been  driven  from  England  in  1290,  and  after  banishment  for 
364  years,  they  petitioned  Cromwell  and  Pai-liament  for  permission  to  return,  that 
they  might  trade  in  the  realm  and  follow  their  religion.  What  intiuence  Williams's 
book  had  exerted  in  favor  of  their  return  does  not  appear,  but  about  six  years  after 
its  publication  their  request  was  granted,  and  in  1665  they  built  their  first  synagogue 
in  King  Street,  London.  This  controversy  was  soon  transferred  to  America.  Edward 
Winslow  M-rote  to  Winthrop,  under  date  of  Noveml)er  24th,  1645,  saying  that  at  a 
late  session  of  the  Legislature  they  had  had  a  violent  contest  over  the  i)roposition  : 
'  To  allow  and  maintain  full  and  free  toleration  of  religion  to  all  men  that  would  pre- 
serve the  civil  peace  and  submit  unto  government,  and  there  was  no  limitation  or 
exception  against  Turk,  Jew.  Papist,  Arian,  Socinian,  Nicholayton,  Eamilist,  or  any 
other,  etc'  Mr.  Winslow  says  that  the  mover  submitted  it  to  liim,  and  'having read 
it,  I  told  him  I  utterly  abhorred  it  as  such  as  would  make  us  odious  to  all  Christian 
commonweals.  .  .  .  But  our  governor  and  divers  of  us  having  expressed  that  sad 
consequences  would  follow,  especially  myself  and  Mr.  Prence,  yet,  notwithstanding, 
it  was  required  according  to  order  to  be  voted.  But  the  governor  would  not  suffer  it 
to  come  to  vote,  as  being  that  indeed  would  eat  out  the  power  of  godliness,  etc.  .  .  . 
By  this  you  may  see  that  all  the  troubles  of  New  England  are  not  at  the  Massachu- 


6S4  Finsr  sy\Ai;()t;r/-:  f.\  .\Mi:i!i<\\. 

setts.  Till'  Ijli|-(1  in  luui'cv  Imik  iipcjii  us  ;iii(l  nlhiy  tliis  spii'it  of  division  that  is 
crecpiiiii'  in  anionost  lis.''-'  In  diruct  (ipjiosition  to  tiiis  teafiiing  and  in  liarmony 
witli  tlic  ti'achin:;-  uf  Ku^cr  Williams,  the  (iencTal  As>enil)lv  i.if  UliiiiK>  Island 
decreed,  in  1(!I7.  three  years  after  his  [lulilieation  of  tiie  '  Hloody  Tenet,'  and  three 
3'ears  Ix'fui'i'  KiiL;land  pei'mitted  Jews  to  riMurn  to  the  reahn,  tliat  in  tliis  colony, 
'all  men  may  walk  as  their  (•(,)nscienees  [)(■l■^llade  them.  ti\r)j  oiw  in  tlie  name  of 
lii.s  (iod.'  ill  llJlttlulward  Wiiislow  piililished  his  •  I  )aiii;er  of  Tolerating  Levelers 
in  a  Civil  State,'  and  in  l(!5lJ  lioger  Williams  puhlisljed  liis  letter  to  Kndicott, 
(jovornor  of  Massaehusetts,  witli  an  Aj)peiidix  addressed  to  four  eUisses  of  tlie  clergy. 
'Popish,  Prelatieal,  Presbytei-ian  and  Independent."  in  wliich  he  says  of  those  who 
refuse  to  l)e  Ciirislians:  ■  \'ea.  if  they  rel'iise.  (U'liy,  ojipose  the  doctrine  of  Jesus 
Chi'ist,  whether  flews  or  (ieiitiles,  why  should  you  call  foi-  tire  fi^iin  hea\en.  which 
suits  not  with  Jesus  C'lirist,  his  Spirit  and  ends.  Why  shotdd  you  com])cl  them  to 
come  in,  with  any  other  sword  hut  that  of  the  Sjiirit  of  (^od  ? "  '■' 

At  that  time  there  was  no  oi'gaiiizeil  Jewish  congregation  in  (^reat  IJritain  or 
any  of  her  Amei'icaii  Colonics.  As  eai'ly  as  KiHO  a  few  I'ortuguese  Jews  from 
Holland  had  found  their  way  to  New  York  against  the  protest  of  Peter  Stuyvesant, 
made  to  the  West  India  (\impany  at  Amstei'dani  in  Ifi.")-!  ;  hut  as  the  Jews  wci'o 
large  stockholders  in  that  company,  they  insisted  on  certain  privileges  being  granted 
to  their  co-religionists.  The  citizens  of  Kcw  Anisterdani  would  not  train  with  them 
in  the  Burgher  Ctmipauy,  and  the  Jews  were  exemjited  from  military  duty  on  con- 
dition of  paying  si.xty-five  stivers  per  month.  In  1C>.")5  a  special  Act  ]ierniitted  them 
to  live  ami  trade  there,  provided  that  they  would  support  their  own  j)ooi-.  On  the 
2Ttli  of  July,  l<i.'>5,  they  jictitioued  foi-  a  liui-yiiig  gi'ouud.  hut  were  refused  on  the 
pretext  that  they  had  "no  need  of  it  yet  ;'  one  of  their  number  dying,  on  the  1-ith 
of  February,  165ti,  they  w(M'e  granted  a  lot  •  for  a  place  of  interment,"  outside  the 
city.  Oil  the  18th  of  March,  1650,  Stuyvesant.  director  of  the  Company,  was 
instructed  that  they  should  enjoy  the  same  civil  and  political  ])rivileges  that  they 
enjoyed  in  Holland,  but  that  'they  should  not  presume  to  exercise  religious  wor- 
ship in  synagogues  or  niectings.  and  when  they  requested  that  privilege,'  he  was  'to 
refer  the  pi'tition  to  his  su])eriors.'  Still  they  were  not  allowed  '  to  exercise  any 
handicraft  or  to  kec])  any  open  retail  store."  but  they  were  at  liberty  to  'exercise 
their  religious  worshi])  in  all  (piietness  within  their  houses.  To  which  end  they  will, 
doubtless,  seek  to  build  their  dwellings  together  in  a,  more  convenient  place,  on  the 
one  or  the  other  side  of  New  Amsterdam."  '^  In  the  spring  of  1G57  they  were 
admitted  to  the  right  of  citizenship,  but  the  learned  Eabbi  Lyons,  possibly  the  high- 
est Hebrew  authority  on  the  subject,  says  in  his  '  Jewish  Calendar '  (page  160),  that 
their  'first  minutes  of  congregational  affairs,  written  in  Spanish  and  English,  are 
dated  Tishree  20th,  5-iS9 — 172S,'  and  that  these  refer  to  'rules  and  regulations 
adopted,  5-166 — 1706,  twenty  years  previous.'  Their  first  synagogue  was  not  dedi- 
cated till  1696,  when  Samuel  Erown  was  their  rabbi. 


HEBREW   CONGUEGAriOX,   XEWroilT.  II.   /.,   Ki'jS.  6SS 

On  tlie  same  hiii'li  autlidi-ity  wv.  liiid  that  thu  .Icwisli  congregation,  Tenhicat 
Israel,  was  openly  organized  in  Newport,  Kiiode  Island,  in  1G5S,  under  tlie  l)road 
provision  of  1647,  that  *all  men,'  in  tiiat  Colony  'may  walk  as  their  consciences 
persuade  them,  every  one  in  the  name  of  his  God.'  !Such  liberty  they  had  n<jt  else- 
where on  this  globe  at  that  time,  Holland  not  excepted,  for  even  there  they  were 
forbidden  to  'speak  or  to  write  disparagingly  of  the  Christian  religion;  to  make  con- 
verts to  their  own  faith;  to  exercise  any  handicraft  or  carry  on  retail  trade ;  and 
marriages  between  Christians  and  Jews  were  strictly  prohibited.' ''  They  labored 
under  none  of  these  restrictions  in  lihodc  Island,  but  in  all  these  respects  stood  upon 
a  perfect  equality  with  Baptists,  Quakers  and  other  religionists,  and  that  congrega- 
tion has  remained  undisturbed  to  this  day,  a  period  of  two  hundred  and  twenty-eight 
years,  and  is  but  fourteen  years  younger  than  the  first  Baptist  Church  of  that  city. 
Arnold  says  that  they  did  much  t<.i  build  up  the  connnercial  interests  of  Newport. 
Some  of  them  I'ose  in  public  favor  for  their  services  to  the  State,  and  on  August 
20th,  1750,  'Moses  Lopez,  of  New])ort,  was  excused  at  his  own  request  from  all  other 
civil  duties,  on  account  of  his  gratuitous  services  to  the  government  in  ti'anslating 
Sj)anish  documents.''^  This  indicates  that  he  had  done  all  the  civil  duties  of  a  free- 
man up  to  that  time.  By  the  year  1763,  the  little  Jewish  congregation  at  Newport 
liad  increased  to  sixty  families,  their  necessities  demanding  the  erection  of  a  syniv 
gogue,  which  they  began  to  build  in  17G2,  and  which  their  rabbi,  Isaac  Touro,  ded- 
icated to  Jehovah  in  1763,  with  'great  pomp  and  eeremoiiy.' '"  This  large  increase 
in  their  number  was  due  chieHy  to  the  great  earthquake  of  1755,  the  center  of 
which  was  in  Spain  and  Portugal ;  it  swallowed  up  fifty  thousand  inhabitants  of 
Lisbon  alone.  Many  of  the  Jews,  wlio  fled  foi-  safety  from  more  cruel  foes  than  the 
yawning  earth,  came  to  Rhode  Island,  where  their  own  brethren  had  worshiped 
God  in  peace  and  safety  for  one  hundred  and  eight  years.  These  facts  entirely  dis- 
prove the  alleged  fact  that  in  1663-6i  liliode  Island  ])assed  a  law  restricting 
religious  liberty  to  those  'professing  Christianity.' 

Some  writers  have  fallen  into  singular  confusion  in  treating  of  this  subject, 
making  Roger  Williams  and  Rhode  Island  identical  on  the  one  hand,  by  holding 
them  responsible  for  each  otlier's  acts,  and  on  the  other  by  confounding  the  civil 
and  religious  lil)erties  of  that  Colony  as  if  they  were  one.  A  noted  ease  cited 
uiuler  this  groundless  assumption  is  that  of  Aaron  Lopez  and  Isaac  Elizur.  These 
two  Hebrews  petitioned  the  Superior  Court  of  Rhode  Island,  at  its  March  term, 
in  1762,  for  naturalization  under  an  Act  of  Parliament,  and  were  rejected  on  the 
grouml,  that  to  naturalize  tliem  would  violate  the  spirit  of  the  charter ;  that  none 
could  be  made  citizens  but  Christians ;  and  that  the  Colony  was  too  full  of  people 
already.  The  last  of  these  reasons  throws  suspicion  on  the  other  two  given  for  the 
decision,  as  it  was  simply  ridiculous;  yet  it  serves  to  show  that  the  Court  was  moved 
by  other  considerations  than  those  of  guarding  high  cliartered  rights.  But,  whatever 
its   motive  might   have    been,  the   question  before  it  was  a  purely  civil  question. 


6S6  civil.    AM)    HKLlCIOls    l.tliKinr    /y   UIIUDK   ISLASD. 

iii\  iil\  iiii;-  <]iil_v  lla'  iKiturali/.Mtiiiii  nl  a  lorciiiiu'i',  and  nut  his  i-ii;lit  In  I't'liijiuiis  libL-rty 
iiiulur  tlic  laws  of  JUiodf  Island.  'I'licre  are  niilli(.)n>-  ut'  pctiiile  in  the  I'liitcd  States 
t(i-dav  who  eni(jv  all  thr  roliyiovis  I'ights  of  it,-  nati\c;-]joi-n  citizens,  l.nit  not  heiiii; 
citizens  they  seek  natiifalization  at  the  coiifts;  wliieh.  as  in  the  eas(.' (jf  C'jiinanien. 
is  often  denied.  So  these  two  men  wei'i'.  without  doidit.  inen:lH'i-s  of  the  Jewish 
congi'egatioii  which  at  that  ninineiit  wa>  hnildini;-  a  synaiioi;iU'  iindef  the  jn'oteetion 
id'  llhode  Island  law.  anil  now  IIh'V  wished  to  add  eitizenshi]i  to  i'idii;i(iiis  rii.dit. 
Mr.  C'harles  Deane  han  written  with  a  di-eriniinatiii:;-  jx'ii  (jii  this  pi^int.  He  com- 
plains of  a  inisapjjrehensioii  on  this  (pie.stioii  of  refusing  tu  admit  to  the  franchise 
those  who  were  not  Christians,  and  says: 

'The  charter  of  Ivhode  island  declared  that  no  one  should  he  "  molestecl  "  .  .  . 
or  called  in  cjuestion  for  any  diiferencc  of  oj)inion  in  matters  of  religion.  The  liiw 
in  question  does  not  relate  to  religious  liberty,  but  to  the  franchise.  Rhode  Island 
has  always  granted  liberty  to  persons  of  every  religiiuis  opinion,  Ijut  has  ])lace(l  a  hedge 
about  the  franchise;  and  this  clause  does  it.  AVas  it  not  natural  for  tlie  founders 
of  lihode  Island  to  keep  the  government  in  the  hands  of  its  friends,  while  \vorking 
out  their  e.\|)eriment,  rather  than  to  put  it  into  the  hands  (d'  the  enemies  of  religioiis 
liberty?  How  many  shipdoads  of  Ttoman  Oafholies  would  it  have  taken  to  swainj) 
the  little  Colony  in  the  days  of  its  weakness?"'" 

The  •clause"  tn  whi(/h  lie  refei's  is  the  so-called  'Catholic  exclusion.'  which  lias 
already  been  considered,  but  this  distiiu^tioii  between  the  civil  and  ludiginus  (pies- 
tions  involved  here  is  precisely  as  clear  in  the  case  of  the  Jews  as  of  the  Catholics. 

Arnold  well  says  : 

'The  right  to  be  admitted  a  freeman,  or  even  tn  be  naturalized,  was  puridy  a 
civil  one.  de|)enil(>nt  upon  the  view  that  tlie  town  cotincils  might  take  of  the  merits 
of  each  individual  case.  The  right  to  reject  was  absolute,'  as  well  in  the  case  of  a 
Baptist  as  a  Jew.  '  I'"reemeu,'  lie  continues,  "were  admited  into  the  Colony  by  the 
Assembly,  to  whom  the  application  should  have  been  made,  if  freemansliip  was 
what  these  Jews  wanted.  .  .  .  Naturalization  was  granted  properly  by  the  Courts, 
but  usually  by  the  Assembly,  who  exercised  judicial  prerogatives  in  this  matter  as 
ill  many  others.  .  .  .  The  decision  in  the  case  of  Lojiez  a])pears  to  be  irregular  in 
every  respec^t.  It  subverts  an  Act  of  Parliament,  violates  the  spirit  of  the  charter, 
enunciates  principles  never  acted  ujion  in  the  Colony,  and  finally  dismisses  the  case 
on  a  false  issue.  .  ,  .  The  reasons  assigned  for  the  rejection,  in  the  decree  above 
given,  were  false.  ...  If  that  had  been  the  fundamental  law  from  the  beginning, 
no  one  could  have  been  admitted  a  freeman  who  was  not  a  Christian :  but  Jews 
were  admitted  to  freemansliip  again  and  again  by  the  Assembly.  .  .  .  The  charter 
of  Rhode  Island  guaranteed,  and  the  action  of  the  ('olony  uniformly  secured,  to  all 
people  perfect  religious  freedom.  It  did  not  confer  civil  jirivileges  as  a  part  of 
that  right  upon  any  one,  such  only  were  entitled  to  those  whom  the  freemen  saw 
fit  to  admit."  '" 

At  the  time  that  the  Superior  Court  gave  this  decision.  Rhode  Island  was  pass- 
ing through  a  scene  of  high  political  excitement,  and  Arnold  attrifmtes  its  decision 
to  'the  strife  then  existing  between  Chief-Justice  Ward  and  Governor  Hopkins.  .  .  . 
For  many  years  prior  to  that  time  there  was  scarcely  a  session  of  the  Asscnd)ly, 
when  one  or  more  cases  of  the  kind  (naturalization)  did  not  occur,  in  which  the  names 


JEWISH   TESTIMOXY    TO   ROGER    WILLIAMS.  6S7 

ami  natiuiialitiuj  of  the  parties  slmw  them  to  he  eitlici-  Iloiiiaii  C^itholics  or  Jews.' 
Amongst  these,  he  meiitioiis  tlie  ease  of  ytei)heii  Deeatiir  (1753),  a  Genoese,  the 
father  of  the  celebrated  Coniuuulnre,  ami  that  of  Liicerna,  a  Portii^niese  Jew, 
in  17G1. 

No  class  of  ]ieo]ile  more  eariii'stly  ami  ifi'atefully  reeogiii/,e  Iioi:;er  Williams  as 
the  ajjostle  of  their  liherties  than  do  the  American  Jews.  (  )ik'  of  their  ablest 
writers  says  in  a  recent  work  : 

'  The  earliest  champion  of  religious  freedom,  or  "  sonl  liberty,"  as  lie  designated 
that  most  precious  jewel  of  all  liberties,  was  Roger  Williams.  ...  To  him  right- 
fully belongs  the  immortal  fame  of  having  been  the  first  person  in  modern  times 
to  assert  and  maintain  in  its  fullest  plenitude  the  absolute  right  of  every  man  to  "a 
full  liberty  in  religious  concernments,"  and  to  found  a  State  whei'ein  this  doctrine 
was  the  key-stone  of  its  organic  laws.  .  .  .  Roger  Williams,  the  first  pure  type  of 
an  American  freeman,  proclaimed  the  laws  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  that  "  the 
people  were  the  origin  of  all  free  power  in  government,"  that  God  has  given  to 
men  no  power  over  conscience,  nor  can  men  grant  this  power  to  each  other ;  that 
the  regulation  of  the  conscience  is  not  one  of  the  purposes  for  which  men  combine 
in  civil  society.  For  uttering  such  heresies,  this  great  founder  of  our  liberties  was 
banished  out  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Puritans  in  America.  ...  In  grateful 
remembrance  of  God's  merciful  providence  to  him  in  liis  distress,  he  gave  to  it  (the 
new  town)  the  name  of  Providence.  "  I  desired,"  said  he,  "it  might  be  a  shelter 
for  persons  distressed  for  conscience."  .  .  .  The  infant  community  at  Providence  at 
once  set  about  to  frame  laws  for  government,  in  strict  accord  wnth  the  spirit  of  the 
settlement.  "  Masters  of  families  incorporated  together  intoi  a  township,  and  such 
others  as  they  .shall  admit  into  the  same,  only  in  civil  thingsy  This  simple  instru- 
ment is  the  earliest  constitution  of  government  whereof  we  have  any  record,  which 
not  only  tolerated  all  religions,  but  recognized  as  a  right,  absolute  liberty  of  con- 
e.'  2" 
43 


CHAPTER    IV, 

THE     PROVIDENCE    AND     NEWPORT    CHURCHES. 

R(>(;KR  AV  I  I.l.IA  MS.  hiiviii--  ;ii1(iiiIcm1  ill,.  (,M  I'.aptist  iiriiiciple  of  aUsuInte 
muiI  lilii'i'iv  ami  iiivcii  il  [iraclicMl  clVcci  in  the  civil  |ii-(ivisiiins  wliicli  lie  liad 
<li'\is('il.  cdiilil  not  sto|i  llitTi'.  This  dec])  moral  li'ntli  caiTicd  willi  it  cci'tain 
loij;ic-al  ontwoi-kinus  conci'i-nin;;-  Imninn  dntyas  wrll  as  its  riu'lits,  and  as  hi>  iloctriiie 
cduld  not  .stand  alone  in  his  thoui^ht.  hr  was  comiirllod  to  take  another  >tL']»  for- 
ward. Ueliovcd  from  all  out^idL■  aiithm-ity  in  niatti-rs  nf  conscit'nce.  to  which  he 
had  t'oi'merly  suhniittcil.  \if  was  miw  dirccily  i'es)i<in>ilile  to  (iod  for  the  coiTectness 
<d'  his  faith  and  |ii-actice,  anil  hy  all  that  he  had  siillered  he  was  honnd  to  walk  in 
an  enliglitened  conscience.  This  conijicllcd  him  to  imjuiie  what  uhedienct:  GuA  de- 
iHiinded  of  him  jiei'sonally,  and  threw  him  directly  hack  npon  his  word  as  to  his 
personal  dnty  in  the  niattei-  of  haiitisiii.  ^Vhile  an  Infant  he  had  heen  christened, 
hut  havini;-  now  put  himself  under  the  >n]ii'eme  Headship  i.if  ('llri^t.  withcmt  the 
intervention  of  human  authoi'ity,  he  found  himself  at  a  steji  on  pure  ISaptist  ii'i'ound, 
and  di'termined  to  he  hajitized  on  his  own  faith. 

\\'illianis  witli  five  others  had  settled  i'rovideiice  in  dune.  l<;;;i;,  and  tlieir 
nunihers  soon  i;'rew.  so  that  in  ahout  tlii'ee  years  tliei-e  appear  to  liave  been  about 
tliirty  families  in  the  colony.  In  the  main,  the  Christian  portion  of  tluMu  liad  licen 
('onii'ren'ationalists,  hut  in  their  trying'  position  they  seem  to  have  been  left  unsettled 
religiously,  especially  regarding  Chui-ch  oi-ganization.  "Wintliroj)  says  tliat  they  met 
botli  on  week-days  and  the  Sabbath  for  tlie  worsliip  of  (ioii  ;  but  the  tir.st  sign  of  a 
( 'hurch  is  t'ouiid  some  time  pi'e\ions  to  IMarcli.  Iti.'J'.t.  when  \Villianis  and  eleven  others 
were  haptized,  and  a  Baptist  Clmrcli  was  foi'med  nnder  liis  lead.  Hubbard  tells  us  that 
he  was  baptized  '  by  one  H(dlinian.  then  Mr.  Williams  re-baptized  liini  and  some  tiMi 
nioi-e."  Kzekiel  Ilollimaii  had  been  a  mcmliend'  Williams's  ('hureli  at  8aleni.  which 
Church.  March  |-_'ih.  l(!;;s.  eharged  him  with  '  neglect  of  public  W(.irs]ii]i,  and  furdi'aw- 
ing  many  over  to  liis  persuasion.  For  this  lie  '  is  i-i>ferred  to  tlie  elders,  that  they  may 
endeavor  to  convince  and  bring  liini  from  his  principle  and  practice."  Through  its 
pastoi-,  Hugh  Peters,  the  ISalem  Chni-cli  wrote  to  the  Dorchester  Churcli  July  1st, 
1<!;>9,  informing  them  that  'thi^  great  censure'  had  l.)een  passed  upcin  'Roger 
>ViIliams  and  his  wife,  Thomas  Ohiey  and  his  wife,  Stukley  Westcot  and  his  wife, 
Alary  Holliman,  witli  widow  Reeves.' and  that  '  these  wholly  refused  to  hear  the 
Church,  denying  it  and  all  the  Churches  of  the  Bay  to  be  the  true  Churches,  and 
(except  two)  all  arc  re-baptised.''  ^ 


WILLIAMS    nAPrrZET).  6S9 

III  the  l)a]ni>iii  of  these  t\vi>lve  we  tiiid  a  Cll^;e  of  peculiar  iiecessitv,  such  as  that 
in  which  the  validity  of  '  laj-l)aptism  "  has  never  been  denied.  Tertullian,  Ambrose, 
Auyustiue  and  Jerome,  all  held  that  in  eases  of  necessity  ■laymen'  should  baptize 
and  the  Synod  of  Elvira  so  decreed.  Mosheini  writes:  'At  lirst,  all  who  wei-e  en- 
gaged in  propagating  Christianity,  administered  this  rite;  nor  can  it  be  calleil  in 
question,  that  whoever  jiersuaded  any  [)erson  to  end)race  Christianity,  could  baptize 
Lis  own  disciple.'  ^  Some,  amongst  whom  we  find  Winthro[),  have  thought  that 
Williams  became  a  Baptist  under  the  intiuence  of  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Hutchinson  ;  otliers, 
tliat  John  Clarke,  tlicn  of  Aquidneck,  was  very  likely  the  instrument  of  influencing 
him  to  tliis  choice.  But  Clarke  makes  no  reference  in  his  writings  to  the  baptism 
of  his  intimate  friend,  as  lie  probably  would  have  done  had  he  led  him  to  this  step. 
So  far  as  appears,  there  was  not  a  Baptist  minister  in  the  colony  at  the  time. 
Williams  was  an  ordained  minister  in  the  English  Episcopal  Clmrcli  and  had  been 
re-ordained  at  Salem,  May,  IfiS.j,  after  the  Congregational  order,  so  that  no  one 
could  question  his  right  to  immerse  on  the  ground  of  non-ordination.  He  has  left 
no  account  of  his  baptism,  and  some  have  questioned  whether  he  was  immersed,  a 
point  that  we  may  now  examine. 

Under  date  of  March  Kith,  1639,  Felt  says  :  'Williams,  as  stated  by  Winthrup, 
was  lately  immersed  ; '  *  and  that  he  was  immersed  has  never  been  questioned  by  any 
historian  down  from  Winthrop  to  Bancroft,  until  recently.  In  1879  this  question 
was  raised,  but  only  then  on  the  assumption  that  immersion  was  not  practiced  by  the 
English  Baptists  until  1641,  and  so,  that  in  America,  Williams  must  have  been  'af- 
fused  '  in  March,  1639 !  liichard  Scott,  who  was  a  Baptist  with  Williams  at  Provi- 
dence, but  who  afterward  became  a  Quaker,  writing  against  Williams  thirty-eight 
years  afterward,  says  :  '  I  walked  with  him  in  the  Baptists"  way  about  three  or  four 
months,  ...  in  which  time  he  broke  from  his  society,  and  declared  at  large  the  ground 
and  reason  for  it ;  that  their  bajitism  could  not  be  right  because  it  was  not  adniinis- 
tered  by  an  apostle.  After  that  he  set  upon  a  way  of  seeking,  with  two  or  three  of 
them  that  had  dissented  with  him,  by  way  of  preaching  and  praying ;  and  there  he 
continued  a  year  or  two  till  two  of  the  three  left  him.  .  .  .  After  his  society  and  he 
in  a  Church  way  Avere  parted,  he  then  wont  to  England.' '"  Here  he  gives  no  hint  that 
'the  Baptists'  way'  difl'ered  in  any  respect  in  1639  from  what  it  was  when  he  wrote. 
Hooker's  letter  to  Shepard,  November  2d,  16-tO,  shows  clearly  that  immersion  was 
practiced  at  Providence  at  that  time.  When  speaking  of  Ilunqihrey  inviting 
Chauncey  from  Plymouth  to  Providence,  on  account  of  his  immersionist  notions. 
Hooker  says:  'That  coast  is  more  meet  for  his  opinion  M\di jyractice.^  And  Cod- 
dington,  Governor  of  Rhode  Island,  a  determined  enemy  of  Williams,  ])ut  this  point 
unmistakably,  thus  :  'I  have  known  him  about  fifty  years;  a  mere  weathercock, 
constant  only  in  inconstancy.  .  .  .  One  time  for  water  baptism,  men  and  women 
must  be  plunged  into  the  water,  and  then  threw  it  all  down  again.' ^ 

But  Williams's  own  opinion  of  Scripture  baptism,  given  in  a  letter  to  Winthrop, 


660  ///•-■    IIMN   HIPPED. 

XoviMiiber  lOtli,  UU9.  slioulil  set  tlii>  point  :it  rest.  Sj)L'nkiii<r  of  Clarke,  the  foiiiulcr 
uf  the  J5aptist  Cliurch  at  Newixirt,  he  wi-ites:  -At  8eek(;iik  a  great  inaJiy  liave 
lately  concunvd  witli  Mr.  Clarke  and  our  I'l-nr'tdencc  moi  about  the  ])oint  of  a 
new  liaprisni  and  the  niaiinei'  of  di|)|)inL;,  and  .Mr.  ('larke  hath  Keen  there  lately,  and 
Mr.  Liiear.  and  hatli  dijiped  thi'ni.  I  helievi;  their  practice  conies  nearer  the  iirst 
]ii'actice  of  <iiii-  great  foundei'.  .lesiis  ('lii'ist.  than  (ither  practices  of  religion  do,  and 
yet  1  have  not  satisfaction  neither  in  the  antJK.iriry  liy  which  it  is  done,  nor  in  the 
nianni'r.'  The.se  wui'ds  were  written  ten  years  after  lie  repudiated  his  I'riividence 
baj)tisni  hy  lloliiuian,  and  al'tei-  he  iiad  cast  aside  baptism  altogether,  both  as  to 
'  authority '  and  '  niannt'r."  .\s  to  the  legitimate  use  of  the  ))lirase  '  new  baptism  "  by 
him,  its  sense  in  this  (;ase  Wdiild  relate  to  an  institution  administered  afresh  to  the 
candidates  at  iSeekonk  in  addition  to  tlieii'  infant  baptism,  and  to  the  recent  intro- 
duction of  that  pi'actice  on  tlii.^  continent,  a^  contrary  to  tlie  i-ntire  ])reviou>  jiractice 
here,  and  not  to  the  creation  of  a  new  rite,  or  tin'  revival  of  ;in  old  one;  for  even  in 
1(541)  he  tlniught  it  nearer  the  practice  of  .lesns  Cln-ist.  There  can  be  no  doubt  as 
to  what  these  elder,-,  Clarke  and  Liicar,  did  in  administering  liapti>iu  at  Si'ckonk,  for 
Clarke's  Confessii.n  of  Faith,  found  in  the  rccoi-d~  of  Idr  Clnircli  (_No.  32),  says:  'I 
believe  that  the  true  l)a])tism  of  the  (To.->pel  is  a  \  isible  believer  with  his  own  consent 
to  be  bajiti/.eil  in  common  water,  by  dying,  '//■,  «.v  it  'locri'.  ilroirnrnij.  tu  hold  forth 
death,  burial  and  re.-urrcctioii,  by  a  nu'ssenger  of  desus,  into  the  nana'  of  the  Father, 
Son  and  lloh'  Spirit.""  \Villiams  says  here,  that  "our  Providence  men  "  •  conctirri-d  " 
with  Clark  anil  the  converts  at  Seekoid<,  and  gives  no  intimation  that  the  Providence 
Baptists  had  ever  differed  from  his  own  views  c(inceruing  di|ij)iiig  as  '  neari'r  the 
first  i)ractice  of  our  great  founder,  desus  Christ,  than  other  pfa<-tices  of  religion  do.' 
Till'  hand  of  (iod  ;ij)pears  to  have  led  Roger  Williams  to  ]>lant  the  good  seed  of 
the  kingdom  in  that  colony,  and  then  to  step  aside,  lest  auy  tiesli  should  glory  in  his 
presence.  In  that  day  there  was  a  very  respectable  class  of  men,  both  in  England 
and  the  older  coloines.  nicknamed  '  Seekers,'  simply  because  they  were  earnest 
iiKjuirers  alter  truth  ;  and,  concluding  that  it  was  impos.-ible  to  tind  it  then  on  earth, 
they  looked  for  its  new  manifestation  from  heaven.  They  sougiit  a  visible  and  aj)os- 
tolic  line  of  purely  spiritual  character,  something  after  the  order  of  the  late  Edward 
Irving,  and  not  finding  this,  they  waited  for  a  renewal  of  Apostles  with  special  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  to  attest  their  credentials.  When  ^Villiams  withilrew  I'roni  the  Baptists 
lie  was  classed  with  these.  1 1  is  theory  of  the  apostolate  seems  to  have  been  the  cause 
of  his  withdrawal,  and  of  his  doul)t  concerning  the  validity  of  his  baptism.  A  few 
years  later,  in  his  '  liloody  Tenet'  and  his  'Hireling  Ministry,'  lie  denied  that  a 
ministry  existed  which  was  capable  of  administering  the  ordinances,  for  in  the  rule 
of  Antichrist  the  true  ministry  was  lost,  and  he  waited  for  its  restoration,  much 
after  John  Smyth's  view,  in  a  new  order  of  succession.  Of  course  he  looked  U)ion 
his  ba])tism  as  defective,  and  withdrew  from  the  Baptists.  His  was  not  an  unusual 
case  at  that  period. 


THE  riimcir  at  phovidexok.  66 1 

Waltei'  Crailiicl';  tells  us,  in  lti4S,  of 'a,  man  tliat  was  a  niciiilier  of  a  Cliurcli. 
and,  liecause  lu-  saw  infants  l)ai)ti/,(Hl  and  liiniseif  was  not,  \w.  broke  ofl:  from  them, 
and  said  tliat  tiiere  was  no  Cluircli,  and  all  the  streams  did  run  for  two  months  together 
on  baptism  ;  tliere  was  notliiiii;-  talked  of  but  that,  and  concdudeil  the  Anabaptists  and 
all  were  Antichristian,  and  tliere  was  no  Church  nor  any  thing  till  we  had  Apostles 
again.  As  I  told  you,  tliat  any  that,  hold  that  principle  and  follow  it  closely  and 
rationally,  tliev  will  infallibly  coined  to  Apostles,  and  miracles,  and  signs  from  heaven.'  ** 

The  withdrawal  ol  Williams  from  the  Baptists  did  nor  disiaipt  bi-otlierly  love 
between  them  to  the  eiui  of  his  life,  and  he  did  not  \n-\zQ  this  brotherly  fellowship 
lightly. 

In  reply  to  l''(ix,  lti72.  he  says:  'After  all  my  search  and  examinations  and 
considerations,  I  do  profess  to  believe  that  some  come  nearer  to  the  first  [)rimitive 
Churches  and  the  institutions  and  a])pointnients  of  Jesus  Christ  than  others  ;  as  in 
many  respects,  so  in  that  gallant  and  heavenly  and  fundamental  principle  of  the 
true  matter  of  a  Christian  congegation,  tiock,  or  society ;  namely,  actual  believers, 
true  disciples  and  converts,  living  stones,  such  as  can  give  some  account  how  the 
grace  of  (toiI  hath  ajipeared  unto  them." 

It  will  he  in  order  here  to  say  a  few  words  concerning  the  Church  which  he 
planted  at  Providence. 

The  advanced  views  of  Williams  in  regard  to  the  need  of  jiersonal  regeneration 
in  a  C-hrisriaii  and  his  utter  rejection  of  infant  bapti.^m,  views  radically  distinctive 
of  Baptists  both  ill  hi-  day  and  ours,  and  the  direct  opposite  of  those  held  by  the 
standing  order  in  the  New  England  colonies  of  his  time,  show  clearly  the  grounds 
of  his  baittism  by  Ilolliman.  Of  his  personal  regeneration  he  says:  "From  my 
childhood,  now  above  three-score  years,  the  Father  of  Lights  and  Mercies  touched 
my  soul  with  a  love  to  himself,  to  the  only  begotten,  the  true  Lord  Jesus,  to 
his  Holy  Scriptures."  ■'  Three  years  after  making  this  statement,  he  states  to  George 
Fox  that  a  Gospel  Church  must  be  made  up  of  such  regenerate  men,  and  calls  them 
'actual  believers,  true  disciples  and  converts,  living  stones,  such  as  can  give  some 
account  how  the  grace  of  (Tod  hath  appeared  unto  them  and  wrought  that  heavenly 
change  in  them."  This  change  he  calls  '  that  gallant  and  heavenly  and  funda- 
mental ]iriiiciple  of  the  true  matter  of  a  Christian  congregation,  flock  or  society.' '" 
And  as  these  were  the  views  which  he  held  in  1675,  thirty-six  years  after  his  own 
baptism,  it  is  only  fair  to  credit  him  with  them  at  the  time  of  his  baptism.  His 
tractate,  '  Christenings  make  not  Christians,'  published  in  London,  l<i45,  gives  a  full 
exposition  of  his  radical  views  on  this  subject,  in  language  so  full  and  round  as 
to  make  them  worthy  of  the  best  teachers  of  Baptist  theology  in  the  present  century. 
This  rare  book,  which  was  supposed  to  be  lost,  but  which  has  recently  been  found 
amongst  the  enormous  accumulations  of  the  British  Museum  and  republished  in 
Rider's  '  Rhode  Island  Historical  Tracts,'  must  speak  here.     On   page  5  he  says  : 

'To  be  a  Christian  implies  two  things,  to  be  a  follower  of  that  anointed  One  in 
all  his  otfices,  second  to  partake  of  his  anointings.'  On  page  7  he  ileplores  departure 
friim  the  true  kinirdoiii  of  (rod  as  shown  bv  the  marks  of  a  •  false  conversion  and  a 


662  iirs   vfKWs  OF  ciiiiisri-:\i.\r,. 

false  CKiistitiitioii  or  fraiuiiiji  of  national  ('liiirciies,  in  false  iniiiisti'ies,  the  iniiiistra- 
tioiis  of  baj>tisin,  SiippiT  of  the  Lord,'  etc.  lie  charges,  on  i)ages  10,  11,  tluit  false 
Ciiristians  had  iiiach^  amongst  tlio  heatiieii  '  monstrous  and  must  iidinmaii  conver- 
sions, yea,  ten  thousands  of  the  poor  natives,  sumetimes  \<y  wiles  and  subtile  devi(;es, 
somt'times  bv  force,  compelling  them  to  submit  to  that  which  they  understood  not, 
neitlier  l)efore  nor  after  such  their  monstrous  christening  of  them.  Thirdly,  for 
oui'  New  England  parts,  I  can  speak  uprightly  and  confidently.  1  l<iiiiw  it  to  have 
been  easy  for  myself,  long  ere  this,  to  have  bi-dught  many  thousand.- uf  these  natives, 
yea,  the  whole  country,  to  a  far  greater  antichristian  eonversiuu  than  ever  was  yet 
heard  of  in  .\merica.  I  have  reported  something  in  the  (-liapter  (jf  their  ivligion 
(in  his  Ivey)  how  i-eadily  1  could  have  brought  the  whole  country  to  have  (observed 
one  day  in  scximi  ;  I  ad<l  to  ha\c  rcceivinl  a  l)ai)tism  (or  trdft/inir/},  IIkukjIi  It  were  in 
rlvern  [(tn  flic  p'rxi  {'hrinthinti  (iml  ili>  f.iir<l  Jcsks  hiriiKcIf  did),  Xo  \v.iw  come  to  a 
stateil  Church  meeting,  maintained  pi-iests  and  foi'ins  of  prayer,  and  the  whole  form 
of  antichristian  worship  in  life  and  death." 

After  I'cpcating  that  he  could  so  ha\e  ccmxertcil  tli(>  Indians,  he  asks: 

'Why  liii\('  T  not  brought  them  to  such  a  couxersioii  i  1  answer:  Woe  In.'  to 
nie,  if  1  call  light  darkness,  or  darkness  light;  sweet  bitter,  or  i)itte]-  sweet  ;  woe  to 
nie,  if  I  call  that  conversion  unto  God,  which  is,  indeed,  subversion  of  the  souls  of 
iinllions  in  Christendom,  from  one  worshii)  t(_)  another,  and  the  pi'ofanation  of  the 
holy  name  of  (iod,  his  holy  Son  and  blessed  ordinances.  ...  It  is  not  a  suit  of  crim- 
son satin  will  make  a  dead  man  live;  take  off  and  change  his  crimson  into  white,  he 
is  dead  still.  Off  with  that,  and  shift  him  into  cloth  of  gold,  and  from  that  to  cloth 
of  diamonds,  he  is  l)ut  a  dead  man  still.  For  it  is  not  a  form,  nor  tiie  change  of  ona 
form  into  another,  a  liner  and  a  finer  and  yet  more  fine,  that  makes  a  man  a  convert 
— I  mean  such  a  convert  as  is  acceptable  to  God  in  Jesus  Christ  accoi'ding  to  the 
visil)le  rule  of  his  last  will  and  testament.  I  speak  not  of  hypocrites,  which  may 
hut  glitter,  and  be  no  solid  gold,  as  Simon  Magus,  .ludas,  etc.  i>ut  of  a  true  external 
conversion  | jjrobably  a  mispi-int  for  //^ternalj  I  say,  then,  woe  be  to  nie  I  if  intending 
to  catch  men,  as  the  Loi-d  .Jesus  .said  to  Peter,  I  should  j)retend  conversion,  and  the 
bringing  of  men,  as  mystical  fish,  into  a  Chui'ch  estate :  that  is,  a  converted  estate, 
and  so  build  them  up  with  ordinances  as  a  converted  Christian  jjcople.  and  yet 
afterward  still  pretend  to  catch  them  by  an  after  coi'.version.' 

On  pages  17,  IS,  \w  thus  more  fully  defines  what  he  held  re|)cntance  and  con- 
version to  In::  '  l'"ii-st,  it  must  be  by  the  free  proclaiming  and  preaching  of  repent- 
ance and  forgiveness  of  sins  (Luke  x.xiv)  by  such  messengers  as  can  pi-o\e  their  law  ful 
sending  and  commission  from  the  Lord  Jesus  to  make  discijjles  out  of  all  nations; 
and  so  to  baj)tize  or  wash  them,  E(c  to  oi'o/za,  into  the  name  or  profession  of  the  Holy 
Trinity.  Mart,  wviii,  Ifl  ;  Rom.  \.  14.  15.  Secondly,  such  a  coiiver.-iion.  so  far  as 
man's  judgment  can  reach,  which  is  fallible,  as  was  the  judgment  of  the  first 
messengers,  as  in  Simon  Magus,  etc.,  as  in  the  turning  of  the  whole  man  from  the 
power  of  Satan  unto  (iod.  Acts  x.wi.  Such  a  change,  as  if  an  old  man  became 
anew  babe  (John  iv);  yea,  as  amomits  to  God's  new  creation  in  the  .-^oul.  Eph. 
ii,  1(».' 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  AVilliams  remained  with  the  Baptists  l)ut  three  or  four 
months,  some  have  seriously  doubted  whether  he  formed  a  Chui'ch  there  after  that 
order  at   all,   and   amongst   these,   at   one  time,   was   the   thoughtful  and   accurate 


nrs  THOUBT.F  wfT/r  rrrK  church.  663 

Calleiider ;  Imt  lie  seems  at  l;i>r  to  luive  eoncludiil  dtlierwise.  Scott's  words  appear 
to  settle  this  point,  for  he  not  only  says  that  he  walked  with  Williams  in  the  Bap- 
tists' way,  but  tliat  Williams  •  l)roke  from  his  soeiety,  and  declared  at  large  his 
reasons  for  doing  so  ; '  that  two  or  three  '  dissented  with  him  ; '  and  that  he  parted 
with  •  Aw  society '  'in  a  Chiu'ch  way.'  Wiiat  became  of  Miis  society'  after  lie  h'ft 
it  is  not  vei'y  clear.  Cotton  Mather  says  :  •  Whereui)on  his  Church  dissolved  them- 
selves;' and  Neal,  that  'his  Ciiurch  hereupon  crumbled  to  pieces.'"  It  is  difficult 
to  know  how  far  the  so-called  '  Records'  of  the  rrovidenee  Cimrch  may  be  relied 
upiin,  as  we  shall  see,  but  they  say  that  "Mr.  IIiilHniaii  was  ciiosen  assistant  to  Mr. 
Williams;'  and  it  is  probable  that  ujwn  this  authority  Professor  Knowles  says,  in 
his  '  Life  of  Williams,'  that  Iloiiiman  •  became  a  preacher,'  and  fostered  tiie  society.  '- 
Scott's  account  carries  tiie  implication  througiiout  that  the  main  body  held  together 
as  Baptists  when  Williams  left  tlinii.  Great  lihime  has  been  tliniwn  upon  Roger 
Williams  for  leaving  the  'society'  in  Providence,  and  his  conduct  can  be  accounted 
for  in  part  by  his  preconceived  notions  of  a  succession  in  the  ministry,  as  is  indicated 
in  the  expression  already  cptoted,  from  his  pen  :  '  By  such  messengers  as  can  prove 
their  lawful  sending  and  commission.'  But  this  accounts  for  it  only  in  part.  We 
may  suppose  that  the  affairs  of  the  colony  demanded  the  greater  part  of  liis  time 
and  energies.  And  moreover,  we  are  not  without  indications  that  lie  found  it  about 
as  hard  to  get  along  with  compeers  in  that  'society'  as  they  found  it  to  get  along 
with  him  ;  for  none  of  them  were  made  of  the  most  supple  material  in  human  nature, 
as  their  after  contentions  and  divisions  about  psalm-singing,  laying  on  of  hands,  and 
other  things  show.  Also  the  following  shows  that  he  did  uot  regard  some  of  them 
as  any  more  orthodox  in  some  doctrinal  matters  than  they  needed  to  be.  He  says, 
in  a  letter  to  John  Whipple,  dated  Providence.  August  'irlth,  16(39:  'I  am  sorry 
that  you  venture  to  play  witii  the  lire,  and  W.  Wickenden  is  toasting  himself  in 
it.  and  my  want  of  tongs  to  rake  him  out  without  burning  my  fingers,  etc.  You 
know  who  it  is  that  counts  you  and  us  as  fools  for  believing  the  Scriptures  ;  namely, 
that  there  shall  be  any  hell  at  all.  or  punishment  for  sin  after  this  life.  But  1  am 
content  to  be  a  fool  with  Jesus  Christ,  who  tells  us  of  an  account  for  every  idle 
word  in  the  day  i;)f  judgment.'  This  rather  indicates  that  some  of  tlie  Providence 
brethren  were  tinctured  with  '  new  theology,'  while  Roger  stood  squarely  with 
Christ  Jesus  on  the  doctrine  of  future  retrilmtion,  and  had  his  own  trials  with  the 
rather  peculiar  people  of  that  old  First  (/hurcli  for  fully  half  a  century. 

From  this  time  on  the  early  history  of  the  Church  becomes  a  perplexing  confu- 
sion, from  the  absence  of  records:  if  any  minutes  were  kept  they  cannot  l)e  found. 
In  fact,  during  the  so-called  King  Philip's  War,  in  1676,  most  if  not  all  the  houses 
in  Providence  were  destroyed  by  the  Indians,  and  the  records,  if  there  were  any, 
of  course,  perished  in  tiie  flames.  xVbout  a  century  ago  Rev.  John  Stanford  preached 
for  a  year  to  the  Fir.st  Baptist  Clnirch  in  i'mvidence,  and  made  an  honest  attempt 
to  collect  the  most  reliable  iiiforni;ition  that  he  could  command,  and    formulated  a 


664  Vi:()Vll>KNCE    CIlVHCll    HKCtillDii. 

liiiuk  (if  IJecdPcls.  St:iiil'oi-(l".-  iirii^iiial  iii;iiniscrii)t  nl'  twenty  jiages  folio  lias  hucn 
prescfvcil  ill  till'  arcliisi-s  nf  the  society,  ami  al>o  cojiicd  into  tliu  first  volmiie  of  tlie 
t'liiircli  I'ccnids,  wliicli  liciiiii  only  in  Ajiril.  I  77"i.  His  iiistory  of  the  (JiiiircJi  was 
piiljlislied  liy  liippon  in  tlu'  •  l>a])tist  Anniuil  liei;ister"  for  l"^nl  2.  The  doctor 
possessed  niiiisnal  ai^iHty,  and  was  not  supposed  to  misrepi'eseiit  in  tlie  sjiirlitest  de- 
gree; hut  it  was  impossibk'  for  him  to  construct  a  reliable  Iiistory  without  authentic 
material.  .\1I  that  he  had  wa>  Irailition  and  a  W'W  frauineiits.  and  he  coiiijihiins  thus 
of  his  sciinty  supply  :  '  No  attention  to  this  necessary  article  has  been  paid;'  and  ho 
further  says  that  he  attempted  this  collection  '  under  almost  every  discouraging  cir- 
cumstance.' After  doing  the  best  that  he  couhl,his  supposed  facts  are  so  fraginent- 
ai'v  as  to  li'ave  long  gaps  untilleil.  with  their  value  so  impaired  that  few  careful  writers 
feel  at  libert}'  to  follow  tliein  entirely.  Tlieii  they  contain  some  few  contradictions 
which  the  doctor  was  not  able  to  explain,  and  which  perplex  all  calm  investigators  ; 
for  example,  they  state  that  Williams  was  paster  of  the  Church  for  four  years  instead 
of  four  months  ;  that  it  is  not  known  when  Thomas  (.)liiey  was  ba]itize<l  or  ord.iined, 
and  that  lie  came  to  Providence  in  KJo-i ;  whereas,  in  another  j)lace.  they  state  that 
he  was  in  the  canoe  with  AVilliams  when  the  Indians  saluted  him  with  "What 
cheer?"  and  his  name  always  appears  in  the  list  of  ineinbers  baptized  by  Williams, 
anil  amongst  the  thirtt'cn  <irigiiial  proprietors  of  Providence.  Pi'ot'e»nr  Knowles 
complains  of  these  errors;  also  Dr.  Caldwell,  a  most  candid  and  cai'cful  writer,  says 
in  his  history  of  this  Church,  that  this  record  •contains  many  errors,  which  have 
been  re])eated  by  later  writers,  and  sometimes  as  if  they  had  the  autlK>rity  of 
original  I'ccords.'  Of  the  above  contradictions  be  remarks:  '  ]\li-.  Stanford,  in  tlu; 
Kecords,  confounding  Mr.  Olney  with  his  son,  makes  tlie  following  .-tatenieiit,  which 
is  an  almost  unaccountable  mixture  of  errors.' 

Where  such  serious  defects  aliound  in  any  records,  it  is  clear  that  little  firm 
reliance  can  be  placed  upon  their  testimony,  and  this  without  reflection  on  tlu>  com- 
piler, who  stated  only  what  he  found,  and  atteni|ited  no  nianiifacture  of  facts  to 
ct)iupletc  his  story.  We  are  obliged,  therefore,  to  consult  side  lights  and  outside 
testimony,  and  take  it  for  what  it  is  worth,  according  to  the  means  of  information 
enjoyed  by  contemporaneous  and  immediately  succeeding  witnesses.  These  are  not 
numerous  in  tliis  case,  nor  art'  they  very  satisfactory,  because  their  testimony  does 
not  always  agree,  nor  had  they  e(pial  iiH'ans  of  knowing  whereof  they  spoke. 
Hence  several  different  theories  have  been  j)ut  forth  on  the  subject,  in  the  friendly 
discussions  of  those  who  have  cherished  them,  and  so  far  without  a  solution  of  the 
difficulties. 

In  1S50  Rev.  Samuel  Adiaiii.  then  pastor  of  the  First  Church  at  Xewport, 
wrote  a  pamphlet  in  wiiicli  he  attempted  to  show  that  if  Roger  Williams  established 
a  Church,  and  it  did  not  fall  to  ])ieces  after  he  withdrew  from  it,  that  his  successoi 
was  Thomas  Olney,  8r.  ;  and  that,  in  l(i.")*2  5;!.  the  CInirch  divided  on  the  subject 
of   laying  o\\  of   hands.      Then  that   \\'ickeiuU'ii  went  out  with  the  new  body,  while 


STATEMENT   Oh'  JOHN  COMEIi.  668 

Oliicv  rcMiiaiinMl  with  the  nlil  IkkIv,  wliirli  lie  continued  to  servo  as  pastor  until  his 
death,  in  1682,  after  which  tliat  Church  existcil  until  I71.">,  when  it  died;  and  so 
that  the  present  Church  at  Providence  dates  back  only  to  l(i52-5?>.  lie  founds 
this  claim  <in  the  statement  of  John  Comer,  who  left  a  diarv  in  manuscriiit, 
ami,  v.rifiun'  ahotit  17i'(!  -il,  said:  '  ^Ir.  William  N'anghn  tindiiin'  a  numlier  of 
Baptists  in  the  town  of  Providence,  lately  joined  together  in  special  Church 
covenant,  in  the  faith  and  j)ractice,  under  the  inspection  of  Mr.  Wiggington  [Wick- 
cnden),  being  heretofore  members  of  the  Church  under  Mr.  Thomas  Ohiey,  of  that 
town,  he.  that  is.  Mr.  William  \'aughn,  went  thither  in  the  iiKinth  of  October,  1^52, 
and  submitted  thereto  (^the  laying  on  of  hands),  whereupon  lie  returned  to  Newport, 
accompanied  with  Mr.  William  Wiggington  and  Mr.  Gregory  Dexter.' 

For  till!  above  reason,  Comer  believed  that  tlie  Newport  and  not  the  Providence 
Church  was  the  first  in  what  is  now  Rhode  Island,  and  the  first  in  America. 
Backus,  who  wrote  in  1777.  and  Staples,  in  his  '  Annals  of  Providence'  (1843),  both 
accept  Comer's  statement  in  relation  to  Olney  as  correct.  Backus  stating  tliat  Thomas 
Ohiey,  Sr.,  '  was  next  to  Mr.  Williams  in  the  pastoral  ofHee,  and  continued  so  to  his 
death,  over  that  part  of  the  Church  who  were  called  Five  Principle  Baptists,  in  dis- 
tinction from  those  who  parted  from  their  brethren  about  the  year  KJ.53,  under  the 
leading  of  elder  Wickenden,  holding  to  the  laying  on  of  hands  upon  every  Cliurch 
member.'  This  he  repeats,  and  adds  that  when  Williams  'put  a  stop  to  his  further 
travel  with  '  the  First  Church  in  Providence, '  Thomas  Olney  was  their  next  minister,' 
after  which  he  laments  that  darkness  fell  'over  their  affairs.' ''  Comer's  testimony 
carried  great  weight  with  these  authors,  and  justly  ;  for  he  was  a  most  painstaking 
man,  possessing  a  clear  and  strong  mind  under  high  culture,  ranking  with  the  first  men 
of  his  day.  He  was  born  in  Boston,  was  nepliew  to  llev.  Elisha  Callender,  pastor  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  there,  and  was  baptized  by  him  in  1725.  Ilis  parents  had 
been  Presbyterians,  but  on  reading  Stennett's  reply  to  Eussen,  became  Baptists. 
They  educated  their  son  at  Yale,  and  he  was  chosen  colleague  to  Peckham  at  New- 
port. Morgan  Edwards  says  of  him:  'He  was  curious  in  making  minutes  of  very 
remarkable  events,  which  swelled  at  last  into  two  volumes.  ...  To  this  manuscript 
am  T  beholden  fur  many  chronologies  and  facts  in  this  my  third  volume.  He  had  con- 
ceived a  design  of  writing  a  history  of  the  American  Baptists,  but  death  broke  his 
purpose  at  the  age  of  thirty  years,  and  left  that  for  others  to  execute.'  '*  Tliis  man- 
uscript is  now  in  possession  of  the  Pliode  Island  Historical  Society  at  Providence, 
and  ill  writing  it  he  gathered  many  facts  from  Samuel  Hubbard  and  Edward  Smith, 
botii  contemporary  with  the  events  which  they  related  to  him. 

Tiiose  who  do  not  accept  the  positions  taken  by  Comer  in  this  matter,  and  they 
constitute  the  great  majority,  claim  that  Rev.  Chad  i>rown  was  the  immediate  pas- 
toral successor  of  Williams;  that  when  the  division  tonk  place,  in  l()o2-r>.3.  it  was 
Olney  who  went  out  from  the  old  Church  with  a  new  interest,  and  not  Wickenden  ; 
that  the  Olney  interest  ceased  to  exist  in  1715,  and  so,  that  the  present  First  Church 


666  I.AVrXd    oy   OF  HANDS. 

;it.  I'l-uvidciice  is  the  vci-itiililc  ('IiiiitIi  wliii-li  Williaiii.s  I'oniiud  in  lO.'!;*.  All  admit 
that  tluTL'  was  a  division  in  llic  ('lini-cli  in  Ki^S-");-!,  hut  it  seems  impossiljlc  on 
ijix'sent  c'\  iilrnc'c  In  drtri'niinc  tuUv  wliii'h  was  the  scccilini;'  jiaiMv.  .luliii  (.'allundi.T, 
another  iie|>ln'w  of  Klisha  (juUendei-,  hoi-n  I  "Uii,  graduated  al  ilarvai'd,  iind  settled 
as  successor  to  Peckliam  at  Newport,  a  man  of  wonderful  attainments  and  accuracy. 
])rea(;hed  a  iiiTal  iiistorical  Sermon  in  17•'>^  on  • 'I'lie  History  of  Itiiode  Island' 
coveriii!^'  its  lii'st  centurv.  which  document  lia>  hi'Conie  standard  authority  ;  he 
states  the  case  with  the  widest  dilVereiice  iVuiii  (Joiner.      lie  says: 

'  Ahont  the  veai-  \^'i'i'.\  tliere  was  a  division  in  the  l!a])tist  Church  at  I'rovidence 
ahout  the  rile  of  hiyiiii;-  on  of  haiiils,  which  some  pleaded  for  as  essentially  necessary 
to  (Jhurcli  communion,  and  ihe  otlu'rs  would  lea\i'  iiidill'ei-ent.  lIereU]»on  they 
walkeil  ill  two  ( "liurche.>.  one  under  Mr.  ( '.  Urnwn,  W  ickendcn,  etc.,  the  other 
under  Mr.  Thomas  Olney,  hut  layin--  on  of  hands  at  leuo-th  jienerally  prevailed.' 
On  i)a,i;e  01,  in  the  lirst  etlition  of  his  sermon,  he  has  this  foot-note  :  'This  last  con- 
tinued till  ahout  twenty  years  since,  when,  hecomiiig  destitute  of  an  elder,  the  meni- 
hers  united  with  nthi-r  ( 'hurches.' 

Hteplien  Hoj)l<ins,  in  hi^  '  ilistoi'v  of  l'i-o\i<lence,'  ])nlili>lii'd  in  ITiI.'i.  >ay>,  with 
lioth  Comer  and  ('alleiider  hcl'ore  him  : 

'  I'he  lii'st  Chni'ch  i'ormed  at  Providence  hy  Mr.  Williams  and  othei's  seiMus  to 
]ia\'e  heen  on  the  nmdel  of  the  Congregational  Churches  in  tlu'  oihei-  New  England 
Colonies,  lint  it  did  not  c<_)ntinue  long  in  this  form;  for  most  of  its  meinhers  \-t'ry 
Soon  emhraced  the  [)rinciples  and  itractices  of  the  I5a])tists,  and  some  time  earlier 
than  It!.')'.)  gathered  and  formed  a  Church  at  Providcjuce  of  that  society.  .  .  .  This 
tirst  Church  of  l!a])tistsat  Providence  hath  from  the  hegiiming  kept  itself  in  repute, 
and  maintained  its  disciplini;,  so  as  to  avoid  .s(!andal,  or  schism,  to  this  day ;  hath 
always  been,  and  still  i.s,  a  luinierous  congregation,  and  in  wliich  I  have  with  pleas- 
ure observed  very  lately  sundry  descendants  from  each  of  rlie  above-mentioned 
foundi'rs,  except  ilolliman." '^ 

When  Williams  published  his  '  Pdoody  Tenet'  in  ir.4.'5-4-J-.  he  lield  the  doctrine 
of  laying  on  of  hands,  for  he  says  tliercMU  : 

'Concei'uing  baptism  and  laying  on  of  hanils,  Ciod's  people  will  be  found  to  be 
ignorant  for  many  hundred  years,  and  I  eainiot  yet  see  it  pi-ovcd  that  light  is  ri.-eii, 
I  mean  the  light  of  the  first  institution,  in  practice.' 

He  repeats  the  same  sentiment  in  the  '  IJloody  Tenet,  vet  i\r(»re  Bloody,'  1(>52, 
and  in  his  '  Hireling  Ministry,'  I().52.  "^  This  thi-ows  a  ray  of  light  upon  the  statement 
.of  Morgan  Edwards,  made  in  1770: 

'  At  first  laying  on  of  hands  was  held  in  a  lax  manner,  so  that  they  who  had  no 
faith  in  the  rite  were  received  without  it,  and  such  (saith  Joseph  Jeuk.s)  was  the 
opinion  of  the  Baptists  in  the  first  constitution  of  their  Churches  thnuighout  this 
colony.'  Again  he  says :  "Some  divisions  have  taken  place  in  this  Church.  The 
first  was  about  the  year  Ki.o-f,  on  account  of  laying  on  of  hands.  Some  were  for 
hani><hh)g  it  entirely,  among  which  liev.  Thomas  Olney  was  the  chief,  who,  with  a 
few  more  withdrew  and  formed  themselves  into  a  distinct  Church,  distinguished  by 
the  name  of  Five  Point  JJaptists,  aiul  the  fii-st  of  the  name  in  the  province  ;  it  con- 
tinued in  being  to  ITlTn  when  Mr,  Olney  resigned  the  care  of  it,  and  soon  after  it 
ceased  to  e.xist.' 


THOMAS  OLNKY,   JR.  667 

Mr.  Olncv,  to  wIkhii  Kil\v:irds  ri'tVrs  as  Imviiig  resigned  in  1  71."i,  cmdil  not  have 
been  tiie  Kev.  Thomas  Olney  who  was  one  of  tlir  constituent  members  of  the 
Ciiureh,  and  an  assistant  to  llev.  Ciiad  IJrowii.  He  died  in  KiSi'.  His  son,  Tiiomas 
(Jiney,  Jr.,  who  is  said  also  to  iiave  been  an  oMer,  died  in  1722,  at  tlie  advanced  age 
of  ninety-one.      He  was  tiie  town  clerk  until  his  deatli. 

It  seems  elcar  from  the  stalements  ni  tlie  must  reliable  historians  tliat  tlie  first 
wai'm  contention  on  tiie  subject  at  I'rovitlenee  was  between  Wickenden  and  Olney, 
as  to  whether  tlie  point  of  being  •  under  iiands'  should  lie  made  a  test  id"  fe]lo\vslii|)  ; 
that  Olncy  went  out,  that  Wielvendcn  and  iirown  remained  witji  tlic  ojil  ( 'hiircli.  and 
tiiat  in  tliat  l)ody,  according  to  ('allcndei',  laying  on  i.jf  hands  |irevailcd,  and  held 
its  own  till  the  days  of  Manning,  when  it  ceased  to  be  a  test  of  membership,  and 
gradually  died  out.  The  absence  of  records  and  coiiti'adictory  statements  from  vari- 
ous sources,  as  to  a  succession  of  pastors  until  the  coming  of  Dr.  Manning,  render  it 
next  to  impossible  to  follow  a  ri'gnlar  thread  liere.  aiidthe  tangle  is  made  worse  by  the 
statements  of  all.  that  in  its  early  history  the  Church  had  three  or  four  elders  at  once. 
Dr.  Barrows  says,  of  the  first  Newport  Church,  that  it  liad  elders  '  besides  a  pastor,' 
and  mentions  tliree  by  name  ;  and  Dr.  C!aklwcll  says,  that  the  Providence  Church  had 

'  two  or  three  elders'  at  the  same  tiiiu>.    At  the  time  of  the  divisi i<!."i2  :<■'>,  there 

were  four  elders  in  this  Clinrch— Brown,  Wickenden,  ( )lncy  and  Dexter.  From 
Williams  onward  they  were  a  glorious  body  of  men.  Some  of  them  were  Five  and 
some  Six  Principle  men  ;  but  there  was  not  one  Seventh  Principle  P.aptist  amongst 
them,  who  lield  to  the  'five  barley  loaves  and  two  small  fishes.'  For  two  genera- 
tions thev  served  the  Churcli  without  salaries,  a  practice  wliicli  must  have  mined  it 
witliout  special  grace.  Their  course  in  this  direction  induced  Morgan  Edwards  to 
say :  '  The  ministry  of  this  Church  lias  been  a  very  expensive  one  to  the  ministers, 
and  a  very  cheap  one  to  the  Churcli.' 

There  is  abundant  cause  for  gratitude  that  Dr.  Manning  found  his  way  to 
Providence  as  pastor  in  1771.  From  that  day  it  began  to  write  a  new  liistory,  but 
not  without  a  strui;'gle.     He  came  first  as  a  visitor  and  was  invited  to  preach.     But, 

'Being  Communion-day,  Sir.  Winsor  invited  Mr.  Manning  to  partake  with 
them,  which  the  president  'cordially  accepted.  After  this  several  members  were 
dissatisfied  with  Mr.  Manning's  partaking  of  the  Lord's  Supper  with  them  ;  but  at 
a  Church  meeting,  appointed  for  the  piirpose,  Mr.  Manning  was  admitted  to  com- 
munion bv  vote"  of  the  Church.  Notwithstanding  this,  some  of  the  members 
remained  "dissatisfied  at  tlie  privilege  of  transient  communion  being  allowed  Mr. 
Manning;  whereupon  another  meeting  was  called  previous  to  the  next  communion 
day,  in  order  to  reconcile  the  difficulty.  .\t  said  meeting  Mr.  Manning  was  con- 
firnied  in  his  privilege  by  a  nmch  larger  majority.  At  the  next  Church  meeting 
IVIr.  Winsor  appeared  witli  an  unusual  number  of  members  from  the  country,  and 
moved  to  have  Mr.  Manning  displaced,  but  to  no  purpose.  The  ostensible  reason 
of  Mr.  Winsor  and  of  those  with  him  for  objecting  against  President  Manning  was,_ 
that  he  did  not  make  imposition  of  liands  a' bar  to  communion,  though  he  himself 
had  received  it,  and  administered  it  to  those  who  desii-ed  it.  Mi-.  Winsor  and  the 
Cliurch  knew  Mr.  Manning's  sentiments  and   practice   for   more  than    six  years  at 


668  I'll.    .MAXM.\<i   -IS   PASTOR. 

\\[\vwu,  tlicisc,  tlii'i'i' flirt',  wliii  Were  \vcll-iiiti)rinci|  iitti-ihiittMl  llic  ii))|io.-itioii  to  the 
president's  Imldin^-  ti>  siiii;'iii^-  in  jiiihiic  wdi'slii]),  vvliicli  was  liiiiliiy  clisi;-iistful  to  Mr. 
Winsor.  Tiie  (liflicultj  iiicreasiiiii-,  it  was  resolved  to  refer  tiie  Imsiuess  to  tlie  next 
Association  at  Swansea.  ]>nt  wlien  the  case  was  presented,  tlie  Association,  after  a 
full  hearinii'  on  hoth  sides,  a^i-eed  that  they  had  no  right  to  detei'nnne,  and  that  the 
Ohurcli  iiiiist  acl  for  themselves.  Tiie  next  Church  ineetin<;-,  which  was  in  (Jetoher, 
was  nnconinionly  full.  .Ml  niattei's  relative  to  the  president  were  fully  debated, 
and  liv  a  much  larger  majority  were  determined  in  his  favoi'.  It  was  then  agreed 
all  should  sit  down  at  th(!  Lord's  Tahic  the  next  Sabbath,  wldch  was  accoi'dingly 
done,  lint  at  the  subsequent  communion  season,  Mr.  Winsor  declined  administer- 
ing the  ordinance,  assigning  for  a  reason,  that  a  number  of  the  brethren  were  di.s- 
satislicd.  A])ril  is,  1771,  l)cing  Chur(;h  meeting,  Mr.  Winsor  ajjpeared  and  pro- 
duced a  paper,  signed  by  a  number  iif  members  living  out  of  t<.iwn,  dated  -lonston, 
February  27.  1771."     Th(>se    pai'fie^  witlidi'ew  on   the   issue,  and   t'orme(laSi\   I'rin- 


ciulc  ( Ihurcli.'  '" 


<  )ii  .Imic  HhIi,  1771,  ilii'  lirst  ('liurch>ent  tu  Swansea,  invit  ing  cldcis  .lol)  and 
Kussel  Masiin  to  come  and  bi'eak  bi'cad  to  them  after  Samuel  W'ius.ir  had  left  them 
to  bii-in  a  new  (1ini-eh.  'J'liey  replied.  .Iiiue  ijsth  :  'Whereas,  you  have  sent  a 
r(!(pu'sl  for  one  of  us  to  brt'ak  lireail  among  you,  we  laid  yoni-  reipiest  befoi'e  oui' 
("hni-cli  nu'cting;  and  theri^  being  but  few  present,  and  we  not  being  able  to  know 
what  the  event  of  such  a  proceeding  might  he  at  this  time,  think  it  not  exjx'dient 
foi'  us  to  come  and  break  bi-ead  with  you.'  "  iiefore  Manning  accepted  the  pas- 
torate [)ermaiiently,  the  (Miurch  a|)j)ointed  him  to  break  bread,  and  he  acted  as 
pastory*/'«  t('iH.  .\ft(M-  the  Church  got  through  with  all  its  (juiddities  and  contentions, 
and  caiiK!  to  labor  eaiaiestly  for  the  salvation  ol'  men.  the  lIoK  Spirit  was  graciously 
outpoured  upon  it.  and  its  prosperity  became  marked.  In  1774  a  \dung  man  namt'd 
Eiggilo  was  accidentally  killed  in  I'roviik'iice.  and  his  death  >tirred  the  whole 
city.  Tamer  Cleinons  aiul  \'^(!nus  Arnold,  two  coloi-ed  women,  gave  themselves  t() 
Christ,  were  converted  and  baptized  ;  and  the  record  .says.  '  The  sacred  flame  of 
tlie  (ios|iel  began  to  sjiread.  In  til'teeii  months  one  hundri'il  and  I'oui'  confessed 
the  jiower  of  the  Spirit  of  (Mirist,  in  the  conversion  of  their  souls,  and  enteivd  the 
gates  of  /ion  with  joy.'  They  had  no  mceting-hotise  for  nearly  sixty  years,  liiit 
met  in  groves  or  piivate  houses,  till  noble  elder  Tillinghast  built  one,  at  his  own 
expense,  in  17t'<i.  I'nder  the  ministry  of  |)i'.  Manning,  this,  however  cea.sed  to 
meet  their  necessities,  and  in  1774  the  ]:resent  beautiful  ediliee  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  £7,000,  and  dedicated  to  God  on  May  2Sth.  I  77.'>.  Oui-  fathers  delighted  greatly 
in  its  tall  .steeple,  10(1  feet  in  height,  and  in  their  new  bell,  which  weighed  2,51.") 
pounds,  bearing  this  motto  : 

"  For  freeilom  of  conscience,  tlu^  town  was  lirst   planted  ; 

Persuasion,  not  force,  was  used  by  the  people; 
Tlii--  church  is  the  eldest,  and  has  not  recanted, 

Kiijoying  and  granting  bell,  teiuph',  and  steeple,'" 

]\Iind  you,  reader,  this  \vas  one  year  before  the  clang  of  that  grand   old   sister  bell 
at  I'liiladeljihia  wliich  rang  in  our  iiulejieiidence.      J)Ut,  alas  for  the   vanity  of  noisy 


1)1!.   .loIIX  CI.MIKI-:.  669 

iiH't;il,  tlic  Dajitist  Ix'll  split  its  sides  in  \~S~.  ;i)iil  lluit  at  Inclcpcniicncc  llall 
t'ulli)\ved  its  example,  since  which  time  the  I'rovideiice  people  have  kept  their  best 
bell  in  the  pulpit,  witliout  a  crack,  from  Manning  to  T.  Edwin  IJrown,  nottliesonof 
(Miad,  but  his  last  worthy  successor.  Few  bodies  on  earth  have  been  honored  witli 
such  a  line  of  pastors  for  two  ami  a  half  centuries,  and  few  Churches  ha,\e  been  so 
faithful  to  the  great,  tirst  principles  of  tlie  (iospel,  without  wavering;-  t'nr  an  hour. 
These  she  has  maintained,  too,  without  any  written  ci'eed  or  Ininiaii  declaration  of 
faith,  standing  tirndv  mi  the  text  and  spirit  id'  the  l!ible,  as  liei-  oidy  rule  of  faith 
and  practice;  not\^■itll^tandillg  that  for  a  lime  her  oi-gunization  was  followed  by  a 
set  of  criule  notions  and  practices  which  do  not  characteri/.i^  the;  l!a[)tists  of  to-day, 
and  wliich  do  not  entitle  her  founders  tt)  {■anonization  by  any  means.  Taking 
Koger's  Romish  ijuiddity  about  ap(^)stolie  succession  and  his  thesis  about  some  otlier 
things  into  account,  they  were  a  tail'  match  foi'  each  other. 

Tlie  First  Church  at  A'lowi'oiM  and  its  foundei'  now  invite  oui'  attention.  John 
Clarke,  M.I).,  has  few  peers  in  any  respect  amongst  the  founders  of  iS'ew  England, 
and,  except  in  point  of  time,  is  more  properly  the  father  of  the  Baptists  tliere  than 
Koger  Williams,  wlio  must  ever  remain  its  great  aj^ostleof  religious  liberty.  Clarke 
was  born  in  Sulfolk,  England,  in  l(j<»'.>  ;  was  liberally  educated  and  jii'acticed  as  a 
physician  in  London  for  a.  time  :  Ijut  seems  to  liave  been  ei^uaUy  versed  in  law  and 
theology,  with  medicine.  His  religious  and  political  principles  led  him  to  east  in 
his  lot  with  the  New  World  and  he  arrived  in  Boston  in  November,  1687.  Tliere 
is  no  evidence  that  lie  was  a  Baptist  at  this  time,  but  rather  he  seems  to  have  been 
a  Puritan,  much  like  Roger  Williams  when  he  landed  there  ;  and  as  Clarke  expected 
to  practice  medicine  in  Boston,  he  would  scarcely  have  been  tolerated  there  at  all 
as  a  Bajitist.  At  that  moment  the  Congregational  Churches  of  Boston  and  vicinity 
were  in  a  warm  eoiitrovi'rsy  with  Mrs.  Hutchinson  and  her  brother-in-law,  Mr. 
Wheelwright,  toui;hing  their  doctrines.  After  they  were  banished,  November  20th, 
1637,  excitement  ran  high,  and  a  number  of  persons  who  had  more  or  less  sympathy 
with  them,  either  on  account  of  their  views  or  their  Itanishment,  determined  to 
retire  from  the  colony  and  found  one  of  their  own,  where  they  could  have  peace. 
Clarke  went  with  this  band,  it  is  supjiosed  to  New  na,m[)shire,  where  they  spent  the 
winter  of  1637-38  at  or  near  Dover.  Finding  the  climate  too  severe,  in  the  spring 
they  determined  to  make  either  for  Long  Island  or  Delaware.  When  they  reached 
Cape  Cod,  they  left  their  vessel  to  go  overland  and  make  for  Providence,  where 
Roger  Williams  welconu'd  tliiMu  warndy,  from  which  time  the  names  of  Clarke  and 
Williams  become  inseparable  in  the  political  and  religious  history  of  our  country. 

Williams  suggested  that  they  remain  in  that  region,  and  after  deliberate  consid- 
eration, Clarke  purchased  of  the  Indians,  through  the  agency  of  Williams,  Aquid- 
neck,  otherwise  and  now  called  tlie  island  of  Rhode  Island,  whose  chief  city  is  New- 
port. Their  first  settlement  was  at  the  north  end  of  the  island,  at  what  is  now 
Portsmouth.     Here,  March  7th,  l(i3S,  their  first  step  was  to  form  a  civil  govern- 


670  I'OltrsMdl  Til   A.\J)   ITS    ClirilclIES. 

iiifiit,  ilcclai-ini;-  llieinsL'lvi's  :i  '  IiuiIn -])olii ic."  Mihiiiirtiiii,'-  tlii'iiiselves  to  Clirist  and 
ill's  hilly  •  tnitli,  ti)  1)1'  guiiiiMl  and  jiiili;rd  tlitTL-liy,"  iiiiich  after  tlie  form  of  tlie 
I'ilgriins  at  Plyiiumtli.  'I'lu'V  tlicii  chosu  Coddiiigtoii  as  judge  or  magistrate,  ap- 
pointetl  civil  oflicers,  and  voted  a  \viiii)piiig-])ost.  a  jail  and  a  pair  of  stocks. 
At  one  time,  it  \\as  ,sn])piised  tliat  this  was  a  religions  eompact,  because  they  ap- 
|iiiinted  'three  elders,"  .lanuary  'Jd,  l<i;>lt.  These,  however,  were  civil  officers,  or 
associate  judges  in  rlie  liehrcw  sense.  Tliey  were  to  assist  (joddingtoii  'in  tlio 
t'xeention  of  jnstiee  and  judgment,  foi-  tlie  ivgidating  and  ordering  of  all  oifenses 
and  oifendei's,'  and  they  were  to  I'eptirt  to  the  freemen  (piartei'ly.  They  also 
determined  that  in  laying  out  the  town,  two  civil  commissioners  should  locate  the 
mectingdiouse  for  I'ortsnii.inth.  These  settlers  muuhered  eighteen,  most  of  them 
being  C'ongregationalists  and  iiunid)ers  uf  Cotton's  Churcli  in  lioston,  ijut  some  of 
them  wei'e  under  its  censure  and  that  of  the  Court  of  Massachusetts  for  imbibing 
certain  peculiar  views  of  Christian  docti'ine.  Whether  .\inie  Ilutchinson  was  with 
them  at  the  moment  dot's  not  apjicai'.  but  her  liu>band  was.  So  far  as  appears 
none  of  them  were  Baptists,  but  sympathised  with  liei'  in  theological  sentiments,  as 
John  Cotton  and  Sir  Henry  Vane  did  at  one  time,  and  now  determined  to  enjoy 
the  freedom  of  tlu'ir  consciences.  It  is  not  (dear  whether  ('larke  was  at  this  time 
a  (jongregationalist,  but  they  formed  a  Clnii-ch,  to  wliicli  he  was  the  j)reaelier, 
whetlier  oi-  n(.)t  he  was  the  pastor.  Winthroji's  JouiMial  implies  that  there  were  no 
i!apti.-ts  amongst  them.  Iiuleed,  why  should  the  State  Chui-eh  at  IJoston  send  a 
<lcputation  to  a  liaptist  Church  at  Portsinonth^  He  .says  that  they  '  gath(>red  a  Church 
in  a  very  disordei-jy  way  ;  foi'  they  took  some  excommunicateil  person.-:,  and  others 
who  were  members  of  the  Churcli  in  ^(l^-toll  and  were  not  dismissed."  .  .  .  That 
'many  of  l'5oston  and  others,  who  were  of  Mrs.  llutcliiiison's  judgment  and  partly 
removed  to  the  isle  of  Aipiiday  ;  and  others  who  were  of  the  rigid  separation,  and 
savored  of  anabaptism,  removed  to  Providence.'  Had  lie  known  of  a  Paptist  at 
Portsmouth,  he  would  liave  been  likely  to  say  so,  and  would  not  have  contented 
himself  with  mentioning  that  this  Churcli  was  gathered  in  a  disorderly  way. 

In  February,  16-K),  the  Ijoston  Church  sent  three  of  its  members  '  to  understand 
their  judgments  in  divers  points  of  religion /v^rw/fv///  maintained  liv  all  or  divers  of 
tliem."  This  committee  of  discipline  reported  to  that  Church.  .March  Pith,  1(140.  that 
the  new  Church  at  Portsmouth  was  irregular  in  that  they  followed  the  unwarranta- 
ble practice  of  taking  the  Lord's  Sup])er  with  excommunicated  persons  ;  but  tlie 
dejMitation  gives  no  hint  that  any  of  them  were  Baptists.  The  Portsmouth  (Church 
refused  to  hear  these  messengers,  demaiuling  :  'What  jiower  one  Clnirch  hath  over 
another?'  When  they  reported  to  Cotton's  Church:  'The  elders  and  most  of  the 
Ciiurches  would  liave  cast  them  out,  as  refusing  to  hear  the  Church,  but  all  not  being 
agreed  it  was  deferred.' '"  In  1038  Newport  was  settled,  cat  the  south  end  of  the 
island,  where  a  Church  was  formed  in  IGil,  of  which  Clarke  was  pa.stor,  probably 
another  Congrega-tional  Church,  for  we  have  no  sign  that  even  then  he  held  Bap- 


FIRST  nAi'TTsr  cnrurn  at  yh-wi-mrr.  en 

tist  views  uf  the  ordinances.  Leclil'onl.  wlm  visited  tlie  Rli(.de  Island  colonies,  and 
speaks  freely  of  them  (16:?7 -il)  says  :  '  At  Providence,  whicli  is  twenty  miles  from 
the  said  island  (K.  1.),  lives  Master  "Williams,  and  his  com[)any,  of  divers  opinions; 
most  are  Anabaptists.'  But  of  IVewport,  which  he  also  visited,  he  says  :  *  At  the 
island  called  Acipiednev  are  alxiut  twn  liundrcd  i'aiiiilics.  'I'lu-re  wasaCliurcli  where 
one  Master  Clarke  was  elder.  The  place  where  the  Church  was  is  called  Newport. 
But  that  Clnireh,  I  hear,  is  now  dissolved.' 

The  ne.xt  most  reliable  aceount  of  Clarke  is  from  -lohn  Callendcr,  the  sixth 
snccesst)r  to  Clarke,  as  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at  Newport,  who  preaclied 
the  Century  Sermon  at  Newport,  Mareli  2ith,  173S.  In  his  discourse  he  uses  this 
lauiinage  :  '  It  is  said  that  in  U>4ri:  Mr.  John  Clarke  and  some  others  formed  a  Church 
on  the  scheme  and  principles  of  the  Baptists.  It  is  certain  that  in  1648  there  were 
fifteen  members  in  full  couunuuioii.'  In  LTot»  Comer,  an  earlier  successor  of  Clarke, 
says  that  this  body  maintained  '  the  doctrine  of  efficacious  grace,  and  professed  the 
baptizing  of  only  visible  believers  upon  personal  profession  by  a  total  immersion  in 
water,  though  the  first  certain  record  of  this  Church  is  October  Tith,  1648.'  An 
interesting  item  may  be  mentioned  here,  namely  :  That  Samuel  Hubbard  and  his  wife, 
of  Fairfield,  licid  to  the  baptism  of  believers,  and  she  being  arraigned  twice  for  this 
faith,  they  removed  to  Newport  and  united  with  Clarke's  Church  November  3d,  1648. 

These  things  taken  together  lead  to  the  highly  prol)able  conclusion,  that  Clarke 
became  a  Baptist  somewhere  between  1640  and  1644,  but  we  have  no  i-ecord  of  the 
time  of  liis  baptism,  or  that  of  his  Church.  A  long  train  of  circumstances  indicate 
that  his  steps  had  led  in  the  same  path  with  those  of  Williams  in  the  main  ;  through 
Puritanism,  love  of  religious  liberty,  disgust  at  the  intolerance  of  Massachusetts, 
and  so  into  full  Baptist  positions.  Williams  was  not  a  Baptist  when  he  first  met 
Clarke,  early  in  1638.  nor  was  he  immersed  till  March,  1639,  a  year  afterward. 
With  the  brotherly  affection  which  subsisted  between  them,  the  intervention  of 
Williams  in  securing  the  island  of  Kliode  Island  to  Clarke,  and  their  common  views 
on  soul-liberty,  is  it  reasonable  to  suppose  that  Williams  would  have  sought  baptism 
at  the  hands  of  an  immersed  layiuau,  if  Clarke,  his  next  neighbor,  was  then  a  Bap- 
tist';' True,  Williams  had  ceased  to  be  a  liaptist  when  the  Baptist  Church  of  which 
Clarke  Ijecaiiie  pastor  was  formed,  so  that  he  could  not  have  baptized  Clarke.  But 
other  elders  had  taken  the  Church  that  Williams  had  left,  and  Clarke  could  have 
received  baptism  of  one  of  them  at  Providence,  as  easily  as  William  Vaughn,  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  at  Newport,  could  go  to  Providence  and  receive  imposition  of 
hands  from  Wiekenden  in  1652.  Be  this  as  it  may,  however,  there  is  nothing  to 
show  that  Clarke  was  a  Baptist  in  England,  but  much  to  indicate  that  his  love  for 
liberty  of  conscience  led  him  to  embrace  Baptist  principles  and  practices  in  Rhode 
Island.     Morgan  Edwards  writes  of  the  Newport  Church  : 

'  It  is  said  to  have  been  a  daughter  of  Providence  Church,  wliich  was  constituted 
about  six  years  before.     And  it  is  not  at  all  unlikely  that  tiiey  might  be  enlight- 


672  rLM;i<i"s   ■/■!;/■:.{  TV  mov  ciimh.ks  ii. 

cnud,  in  tlu-  idlaii' of  liulieNcr's  Ijaptism,  liy  IJnii'cr  ^\'illi;^lns  and  his  ciinipMnv.  for 
wlioni  tlu^y  had  tlic  greatest  kinchie.-s.  .  .  .  Clarke,  its  lii-st  niiiiister,  l(i44,  reniaiiied 
pastoi-  tillKiTfi,  wlien  lie  died.  .  .  .  Tradition  says  that  he  was  a  ]ii-('a('her  befoi-e  he 
left  Hoston,  hut  that  he  heeanie  a  iJapti.st  after  his  settlement  in  Kliude  Island,  by 
means  of  Uoi;t'r  Williams."-" 

]Iis  .services  in  the  cause  of  (Tod  and  lilii'rty  were  a  marvel.  In  lOol  the 
colony  sent  him  and  Williams  to  obtain  a  new  charter,  which  would  set  aside  Cod- 
dini;ton"s.  Williams  i-ctui-ned  in  iri.">|.  leaving  Clarke  alone  to  manage  the  affair, 
which  he  did  during  the  I'rotec^torate,  aiid  in  li'M'A  he  secured  from  Charles  II.  that 
remarkable  document  which  was  held  as  fundamental  law  in  Ivhode  Island  till  1S42. 
It  was  an  ininicn>e  ti-iumjih  of  diplomacy  to  obtain  a  chartei'  from  Charles  II., 
which  declared  that  "no  person  within  the  said  colony,  at  any  time  hereafter, 
shall  be  anywise  molested,  ])uni.slied,  dis(piieted,  <ir  called  in  (pie.stion  for  any  dif- 
ferences of  opinion  or  matters  of  religion.'  No  wonder  that  he  was  hailed  witli 
delio-ht  on  his  return  to  Uhode  Island  in  lt;(;4,  after  an  absence  of  twelve  longyears 
on  this  high  mission. 

He  serveil  the  pul)lic  in  the  Genei-al  Assembly  as  DeiHity  Governor,  and  in 
othei'  capacities,  recpiiring  strength  of  judgment  and  versatility  of  talents.  IIi>  •  III 
News  from  New  Kngland,'  'Narrative  of  New  England  I'ei'secutions,"  with  several 
other  woi'ks,  bear  the  marks  of  a  powerful  pen.  Callender  said  of  him  :  ■  No  char- 
acter in  New  England  is  of  |>ui-er  fame  than  John  ( 'lai'ke."  Tiie  Historian  of  JUiode 
Island  says  that  'to  him  Uhode  Island  was  chielly  indebted  for  the  extension  of  her 
territory  on  each  side  of  the  l)ay,  as  well  as  for  her  royal  chai-ter.'  And  Roger 
Williams  bears  this  testimony  :  'The  grand  niotixc  which  tni'ned  the  scale  of  his 
life  was  the,  truth  of  God — a  just  liberty  to  all  men's  spirits  in  spiritual  matters, 
together  with  tlie  peace  and  prosperity  of  the  whole  colony.'  As  a  consistent  T>a]>- 
tist,  he  displayed  a  healthy  c(jmprehension  of  all  onr  ])i-inciples  and  gave  a  beautiful 
unity  to  our  infant  cause  in  the  colonies.  .\nd  it  is  (Mjually  beautiful  to  see  how  he 
accepteil  from  AVillianis  all  that  related  to  liberty  of  conscience,  although  Williams 
did  not  agree  with  him  in  regard  to  Church  life.  Williams,  at  Providence,  made  the 
distinction  between  {.hurch  and  State,  radical  and  compU'te  from  the  first.  Clarke 
at  first  took  the  Bible  as  the  code  of  the  civil  State,  so  that  in  Providence  Church 
and  State  were  distinct,  but  in  Aipiidneck  they  were  (v)nfouuded.  and  oidy  after 
severe  experience  did  that  (iolony  (tome  to  ado]it  the  Providence  do(-trine.  When 
this  was  done,  Baptist  Churches  sprang  up  in  different  directions,  under  the  mission 
ary  influences  of  the  Newport  Church,  and  people  came  from  many  places  to  unite 
in  its  fellowship. 

These  two  Baptists  shaped  the  early  history  of  the  present  State  of  Ehode 
Island,  and  her  religious  policy  has  since  shaped  that  of  all  the  States.  After 
the  Providence  Plantations  and  the  jieople  of  Narraganset  Bay  became  united  under 
one  chai'ter,  an  old  writer  said  of  them  :  '  They  are  much  like  their  neighbors,  only 


HONORABLE   HISTORY  OF  NEWPORT   CHURCH.  673 

tlic'V  luivi'  oiic  vice  loss  and  one  virtue  nuirc  than  tlicy  ;  inv  tliey  iievei'  persecMitud 
any  ;  Init  have  ever  maintained  a  j)ei-l'eet  liberty  of  consciunce.'  After  quoting  these 
M'ords,  Edwards  reniarlcs  ; 

'  In  ltJ5t)  the  Colonies  of  I'lynioiith,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  and  New 
Haven  jiressed  tlieni  hard  to  give  up  the  jjoint,  and  join  tiie  confedei-ates  to  crush 
the  (Quakers,  and  prevent  any  more  fi'oni  coming  to  JS'ew  England.  This  they 
refused,  saying :  "  We  siiall  strictly  adhere  to  the  founihition  princi])le  on  which 
this  colony  was  first  settled,  to  wit:  That  every  man  who  submits  peaceably  to  the 
civil  authority,  luay  peaceably  worship  God  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  own  con- 
science without  molestation."  This  answer  made  the  said  colonies  hate  them  the 
more,  and  meditate  their  ruin  by  slanderous  words  and  violent  actions.  Thev  had 
to  resist  Ohl  England  as  well  as  Xew  England.  Sir  Henry  Vane  admonished  them 
in  a  letter.  Williams  says:  "I  spent  almost  five  years'  time  with  the  State  of 
England  to  kee]>  olf  the  rage  of  the  English  against  us."  Letter-wi-iters  calumniated 
them  as  the  sciuu  and  runaways  of  other  countries  wliich,  in  time,  would  bring  a 
heavy  burden  ou  the  land — as  sunk  into  barbarity,  that  they  could  speak  neither 
good  English  nor  good  sense,  as  libertines,  antmomians,  and  every  thing  except  what 
is  good,  as  desjiisers  of  (iod's  worshiji,  and  without  order  or  government.  In  their 
address  to  the  I.urd  Protector,  10.5!l,  they  say  :  "  AVe  bear  with  the  several  judgments 
and  consciences  of  each  other  in  all  the  towns  of  our  colony,  the  which  our  neighbor 
colonies  do  not ;  wliich  is  the  only  cause  of  their  great  oft'en-se  against  us."  '-' 

Mr.  Clarke  passed  through  several  severe  controversies.  One,  on  the  'inner- 
light  '  question,  with  those  who  claimed  to  be  led  entirely  thereby.  Many  of  them 
wei'e  called  '  Seekers.'  and  some  became  '  Fi'iends.'  Against  this  doctrine  Clarke 
contended  manfully  for  the  Baptist  claim  of  the  sufficiency  of  the  Bible  as  the  rule 
of  faith  and  practice,  and  carried  the  public  sentiment  with  him.  In  l<)5ii,  while  he 
was  in  England,  the  question  of  '  laying  on  of  hands'  as  a  test  of  membership  arose. 
A  mimljcr  \vithdrew  from  his  Church  in  1(156,  on  this  issue,  and  formed  a  'Six 
Principle'  Baptist  Church  in  Newport;  then,  in  IfiTl,  audther  l.iody  went  out  and 
formed  a  'Seventh  Day '  Clnirch,  on  the  persuasion  that  the  seventh  day  is  the 
divinely'  appointed  Sabbath.  The  first  successor  of  Clarke  as  pastor  was  Obadiali 
Holmes,  1676-82 ;  the  second  Ilichard  Dingley,  1689-94 ;  then  William  Peck- 
kain,  1711-32;  John  Comer,  1726-29,  a  colleague  to  Peckkam.  John  Cal- 
lender  became  pastor  in  1731,  died  in  1748,  and  from  him  the  pastoral  suc- 
cession has  gone  on  in  a  line  of  worthies  which  would  honor  the  history  of 
any  Church,  while  many  nf  its  deacons  have  been  known  as  the  first  men  in  the 
comnu)nwealth.  Tin-  Churrh  has  always  been  Calvinistic,  aiul  has  practiced 
singing  as  a  part  of  public  worship,  excepting  for  a  time,  in  the  early  jiart  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  In  1726  it  voted  to  take  'a  weekly  contribution  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  ministry.'  It  has  been  a  living,  working  band  of  Christians  from  its 
organization,  and  stands  on  the  old  platfcu-m  where  it  has  stood  for  nearly  two  and 

a  half  centuries  as  prominent  and  healthful  as  a  city  on  a  hill. 
44 


CHAPTER    V. 

CHAUNCEY.—KNOLLYS.  — MILES   AND   THE   SWANSEA   CHURCH. 

SI-!\'  I'^KA  [.  liiiits  are  IuuikI  in  flic  early  culdiiial  \viMtini;-s,  that  an  individual  here 
and  thei-e  anuinu-^t  the  cohinists  in(diin-d  to  IJaptist  views  in  j-elatiun  to  infant 
l)a])ti.sni  and  inunersion  before  the  immersion  of  Williams.  Governor  AVinsh.w 
wrote  of  tlie  Baptists,  in  lt;4G:  'We  have  .some  living  amongst  us,  nay,  some  of  our 
Cluirches,  of  that  judgment  ;'  and  Mather  states  that  'many  of  the  first  settlers  of 
Massacliusetts  were  I'aptists,  and  they  were  as  holy  and  watclil'nl  ami  faitlifnl  and 
lieavenlv  a  ])eo|)le  as  anv,  pei'haps,  in  the  world."'  We  have  seen  that  when  Will- 
iams was  hiinished  he  was  not  a  Baptist,  nor  does  it  a])pear  that  there  was  tlien  one 
immersed  believer  in  .\meriea.  There  is  no  evidence  that  he  expressed  any  differ- 
ence with  his  J'eiloliaptist  brethren  as  to  the  pro])er  subjects  and  method  of  Ixiptism 
ln'fore  he  found  himself  in  the  wilderness.  Yet  we  liave  seen  that  while  he  was 
teacher  at  Plymouth,  Elder  Brew.ster  read  his  Baptist  tendencies  in  his  preaching, 
and  ]iredicted  that  he  would  run  into  '  xVnalia})tistry.'  It  is,  therefore,  a  singular 
fa<'t  that  Rev.  Charles  Chauncey,  who  had  l)een  an  Episcopal  clergvmaii  in  England, 
and  who  arrived  in  Boston  in  Ifi^S,  should  have  brought  the  doctrine  of  immersion 
with  him,  and  made  directly  for  that  same  Plymouth,  where  somehow  there  was  an 
'  Anabajttist '  taint  in  the  air,  to  tlie  scant  edification  of  Bi-ewstcr.  Eelt  writes  tliat 
Cliauncey  arrived  at  Plymoutii  •  a  few  days  before  the  great  cartlujuake  on  the 
1st  of  June,'  1638.  At  that  time  ]\Ir.  lieyner  was  teacher  to  the  Church  at 
Plymouth,  and  Morton's  manuscript  reports  this: 

'  After  ]\rr.  Reyner  had  been  in  place  a  considerahle  time  it  was  desired  that 
Mr.  Charles  Chauncey  should  be  invited,  who,  Ijeing  a  vei'V  gcidly  and  learned  man, 
they  intended  upon  trial  to  choose  him  pastor  of  the  ("hurch  here  for  the  more 
comfortable  performance  of  the  ministry  with  Mr.  John  Reyner,  the  teacher  of  the 
same;  but  there  fell  out  some  difference  about  baptizing,  he  liolding  it  ought  only 
to  be  by  di])])ing  and  ])utting  the  whole  body  under  watei',  and  that  sprinkling  was 
unlawful.  The  Church  yielded  that  immersion  or  dipping  was  lawful,  but  in  this 
cold  country  not  so  convenient,  ilut  they  could  not  and  durst  not  yield  to  him  in 
this — that  sprinkling,  which  all  the  Churches  of  Christ,  for  the  most  part,  at  this 
day  practice,  was  uidawful  and  a  human  invention,  as  the  .same  was  pressed  :  but 
they  were  willing  to  yield  to  him  as  far  as  they  could  and  to  the  utmost,  and  were 
contented  to  suffer  him  to  jtractice  as  lie  was  ])ersuaded,  and  when  he  came  to  min- 
ister that  ordinance  he  might  do  it  to  any  that  did  desire  it  in  that  w.ay ;  provided, 
he  could  peaceably  suffer  Mr.  Reyner  and  such  as  desired  it  to  have  tlieirs  otlierwise 
baptized  by  him,  l)y  spriid<ling  or  flouring  on  of  water  u]>on  them,  so  as  there  might 
be  no  disturbance  in  the  Church  thinvabouts.  lint  he  said  he  could  not  yield  thei'c- 
untii,  upon  which  the  Church  ])rocured  some  other  ministers  to  disjiute  the  point  with 


CONTROVERSY  AT  SCITUATE.  67S 

liiin  piil>licly.  as  Mr.  Tialpli  Patrick,  of  DiixluiiTow,  who  ditl  it  sundry  times,  ably 
and  sniliciently,  as  also  some  other  ministers  within  this  governnient ;  but  he  was  not 
satisfied  ;  so  the  Church  sent  to  many  other  Cinirches  to  crave  their  lielp  and  advice 
in  this  matter,  and,  with  liis  will  and  consent,  sent  them  his  arguments  written  under 
his  own  liand.  They  sent  them  to  the  Church  of  T'oston,  in  the  I'.ay  of  Mass;ichu- 
setts,  to  be  communicated  with  other  (.'hurches  there ;  also  they  sent  the  same  to  the 
Churches  of  Connecticut  and  Mew  IJavcn,  with  sundry  others,  and  received  very 
al)ie  and  sufficient  answers,  as  they  conceived,  from  them  and  their  learned  ministers, 
who  all  concluded  against  him.  Hut  himself  was  not  .satisfied  therewith.  Their 
answers  were  too  largo  here  to  relate.  They  conceived  the  Church  had  done  what 
w'as  meet  in  the  thing.' 

While  this  Baptist  principle  was  planting  itself,  by  the  hands  of  one  who  was 
not  a  Hajitist.  in  the  very  Mayflower  Church — and  possibly  Chaunccy  practiced 
immersion  from  the  very  rock  on  which  the  Pilgrims  landed — the  same  leaven  was 
working  its  way  into  the  heart  of  the  Plymouth  colony,  at  Seituate.  In  Chap.  II, 
of  the  British  Baptists,  we  have  seen  that  Spilsbury's  Church,  London,  came  out  of 
the  Church  of  which  Lathrop,  the  Separatist,  was  pastor,  in  1633.  In  1634Lathrop 
himself  left  Loudon,  with  about  thirty  of  his  members,  and  settled  at  Seituate,  Mass. 
Dean,  the  Seituate  historian,  agreeing  entirely  with  AVilson  about  the  troubles  of 
that  Church  in  regard  to  baptism,  .says : 

'  Controversy  respecting  the  mode  of  baptism  had  been  agitated  in  Mr.  Lathrop's 
Church  before  he  left  England,  and  a  part  had  separated  fi-om  him,  and  established 
the  first  Baptist  (Calvinistic)  Church  in  England  in  1633.  Tiiose  that  came  seem  not 
all  to  have  been  settled  on  this  point,  and  they  found  others  in  Seituate  ready  to  sym- 
pathize with  them.' 

Lathrop  remained  in  Seituate  as  pastor  until  1639,  when  he  and  a  majority  of 
his  Church  removed  to  Barnstable,  and  Ciiauncey  became  pastor  at  Seituate.  Dean 
further  says  that  a  majoritj^  of  those  left  at  Seituate  believed  in  immersion,  but 
'nearly  half  the  Ciuirch  were  resolute  in  not  submitting  to  that  mode.'  One  Jjarty 
held  to  '  infant  sprinkling ;  another  to  adult  immersion  exclusively  ;  and  a  third,  of 
which  was  Mr.  Chauncey,  to  immersion  of  infants  as  well  as  of  adults.'  Winthrop 
shows  that  down  to  June,  164-0,  Chauncey  was  still  at  Plymouth,  though  not  as 
pastor,  and  considerable  excitement  arose  there  about  his  views  on  baptism.  On 
November  2d,  1640,  Hooker,  Williams's  opponent,  wrote  to  Shepherd,  his  son-in- 
law,  thus : 

'  I  have  of  late  liad  intelligence  from  Plymouth.  Mr.  Chauncey  and  the  Church 
are  to  part,  he  to  provide  for  himself,  and  they  for  themselves.  At  the  day  of  fast, 
when  a  full  conclusion  of  the  business  should  have  been  made,  he  openly  professed 
he  did  as  verily  believe  the  truth  of  his  opinion  as  that  there  was  a  God  in  heaven, 
and  that  he  was  as  settled  in  it  as  that  the  earth  was  upon  the  center.  If  ever  such 
conlidence  find  success  I  miss  my  mark.  Mr.  Humphrey,  I  hear,  invites  him  to 
Providence,  and  that  coast  is  most  meet  for  his  opinions  and  practice.'  ^ 

He  seems  to  have  been  greatly  beloved  at  Plymouth,  fur  "Winthrop  writes  that 
the  Church  there  '  were  loath  to  part  with  him ;'  and  Bradford  that  ho  'removed  to 


676 


IIANSEIII)    hWOLLYS. 


Scituatc.  ajijainst  tlie  earnest  wi>Iic.-  nf  th.'  I'lvnidiitli  riiurcli  td  retain  him.'  lie 
Continued  liis  ministry  at  Scituati'  till  Iti.-il.  ami,  tin;  minurity  of  liis  CiniiX'ii  tliere 
liaviiij^-  fcirmed  a  new  Clnii-eli,  I'uliruary  2ii.  1(!12.  tln.i.-e  that  were  left  seem  to  liave 
lieen  a  '.mit  tin  tlie  snhjeet  of  iinmer>ion. •'  Some  of  tli(>  reeoi'ds  in  tliis  case  are 
interestinii'ly  ([iiaint,  such  as  this:  'Coilou  an.^wers  Ciiauncey"s  arguments,' and  tlie 
Ciini'cli  at  I'Jvniouth  di^.-enl,--  tVoui  (_'liannc-ey"s  views,  one  of  the  reason.s  In-inij  'that 
immersion  would  enilanii'er  the  \\\v>  (jf  infants  in  winter,  and  tcj  Iceep  all  liaptisms 
till  ^uiiiiiiri'  hath  no  wai'i'ant  in  (iod's  word."^  Jt  does  not  appear,  however,  that  he 
or  his  eoni;rei;ation  heeame  llapti>t>,  foi-  they  retaine<l  infant  Itajiti.-m. 

I''elt  says  of  him,  .Inly   Tlh.  hill';   '  ( 'hauncev   al    Scitnate  >till   adheres  to   his 
practice  of  imiiier>ioii,      lie  had  liapti/ei]  two  of  lii>  (jwn  children   in   this  way,      A 

Woman  of  his  cong'rei;ation  who  iuid  a 
child  of  three  years  old,  and  wi.shed  it 
to  receivi'  such  an  ordinance,  was  fearful 
that  it  iiiiL;ht  he  too  much  frightiMied 
hy  hcinii'  dipped,  as  Mime  had  lieen. 
She  desired  a  letter  i  rom  him,  recom- 
luendiiij;'  her  to  the  l!o.-ton  Church, 
^o  that  >he  ndirlit  ha\e  the  ehilil 
>priid<leil.  lie  complied,  and  the  rite 
was  accordingly  administered."  ■'  No- 
vember L'Ttli.  IC);")-!,  hi'  liecame  I'ri'si- 
di'iit  of  Harvard  (..'ollege. 

IIa.\.-i:i;|)  K.noi.i.v>  liad  a\<iwed 
him.-elf  a  Noii-confo|-ini>t  in  Kngland, 
and  liatl  heen  made  a  )irisonerat  Ito^ton, 
ill  i.incoln.-iiire,  hut  lii>  keeper  allowed 
him  to  usca])e,  and  with  his  wife  he 
arrived  at  Boston,  ^Ia.--s.,  July,  lt;;!s. 
'i'here  he  was  looked  upon  with  .-iis- 
jiicioii,  and  rejiorted  ti.i  the  authorities 
as  an  Antinoniian.  Two  men  in  Pis- 
eata(pia  (Dover,  N.  II.}  came  and  invit- 
ed him  there  to  preach,  and  in  .Vugiist 
lie  went.  He  remaiiieil  there  ami  formed  a  Church,  to  whi(di  he  preached  till 
Septemher,  lf'>41,  when  he  remoN'ed,  with  certain  of  his  ( ongregation,  to  Loii<j 
Island,  N.  \ .,  where  Forrett.  agent  of  the  Duke  of  York,  jtrotested  against  his 
remaining;  and  he  arrived  in  London,  Decemlier  24th,  lti41.  While  in  Dover  he 
iiad  troulile  into  which  hapti;-iii  entered  as  an  element,  although  i\nollys  was  not  a 
Baptist  at  that  time.  Lechford.  an  l^pisco])alian,  wdio  vi.-ited  Dover  in  Hi41,  speaks 
of  him  as  then  engaged  in  a  eontrover.sy  about  baptism  and  Clinrch  niember.sliip. 
The  ba])tisnial  jioint  a])pears  to  have  concerned  infant  baptism,  and  on  this  wi.se. 
Another  Church  sprang  up  in  Dover,  whetlier  de  novo  or  as  a  split  from  Knollys's, 


llAN.-jEiai    KMJI.LY.S. 


KNOLLYS  IN  LONDOX.  677 

does  not  appear,  Imt  a  majority  of  the  peiijilc  went  to  the  other  Olmrch,  iiiider  the 
lead  of  a  ilr.  Lai-khaiii,  an  Englisli  I'nritan  and  a  graduate  of  Cainhridge,  wlio 
could  not  agree  with  tlie  Congregationalists  here.  At  Dover  Larkhain  '  received 
all  into  his  Church,  even  immoral  persons,  wlm  ]iroiiusud  amendment.  He  bap- 
tized any  children  offered,  anil  intro(huHMi  the  K])iscopal  servii-t?  at  funerals.'' 

Knollvs  and  his  Church  excummuniiMtcd  f.ai'kham  an<l  his  adherents,  and  a 
tumult  arose  in  the  conunmiity  that  Kniught  no  great  honor  to  either  side.  One  of 
the  things  that  drove  Knollys  out  of  the  English  CJiurcli,  savs  AVilson,  was  his 
scruple  against  "the  cross  in  liaptism,  etc.,  and  he  oiijccted  to  the  admission  of 
notoriously  wicked  persons  to  the  Lord's  Sujiper.'  llis  refusal  to  take  immoral  ])er- 
sons  into  the  Church,  and  to  baptize  children,  'any  offered,'  as  Larkham  did,  implies 
that  he  believed  in  jjcrsonal  regeneration  as  a  (jualitication  for  niend)ershi]),  but  not 
necessarily  that  he  rejected  infant  l)aptisni  entiivly,  as  he  miM'ht  have  thought,  with 
John  Kobinson,  tliat  the  children  of  believei'S  only  should  l)e  christened.  Indeed,  it 
is  quite  probable  that  he  did  not  tiien  reject  infant  baptism  altogether,  f(jr  on  IMarch 
23d,  lOiO,  we  tiud  him  bearing  letters  from  the  Dover  to  the  Boston  Church,  asking 
advice  about  the  scruples  of  the  former  Church  as  to  whether  they  should  have  any 
fello\v^hip  with  exconununicatcd  persons,  'except  in  the  sacrament  of  the  Lcjrd's 
Supper?'  In  their  answer  the  iioston  Clinreli  calls  them  'godly  brethren,  who  came 
from  the  Ciuirch  of  Dover,'  and  tells  them  that  the  excommunicated  might  be 
present  at  preaching  or  prayers,  and  other  ordinances  of  the  Church,  but  not  at  the 
yup])er.  To  this  Knollys  replieil  :  •  It  is  desired  liy  our  Clnu-ch  tliat  the  elders  of 
this  Churcli  would  certify  their  judgments  by  letter.'  All  of  which  is  inconsistent 
with  the  idea  that  either  he  or  liis  Church  -were  Baptists  at  that  time,  while  seeking 
the  advice  of  a  Congi-egational  Church.  Nor,  had  they  been  Baptists,  should  we  have 
found  Knollys  first  writing  from  Dover  to  friends  in  Lemdon,  comjdaiiung  that  the 
government  of  the  Ba}-  was  'worse  than  a  high  commission,'  and  then  sending,  July, 
1639,  a  retraction  to  Winthrop,  and  aftci'ward,  February  2(ttli,  IGiO,  making  a 
public  confession,  in  a  lecture  delivered  before  the  elders  and  magistrates  of  New 
HlamiJshire,  that  lie  had  slandered  tiu;  Bay  government.  In  fact,  this  body  \vould  not 
have  heard  a  lecture  fri)ni  a  liaptist. '■  All  the  power  of  Englaml  cuidd  not  have 
compelled  him  to  humble  himself  thus  ten  years  later.  Baptist  ])rinciplcs  had 
clearly  begun  to  work  their  way  into  his  mind  in  Dovei',  and  on  his  return  to 
London  the  work  was  completed.  For  a  time  he  kept  school  in  his  own  house  on 
Great  Towei--llill ;  then  he  was  cho.sen  master  of  a  free  school  in  St.  i\Iary  Axe, 
■where  in  one  year  he  had  one  hundred  and  fifty-six  scholars;  after  which  he  went 
into  the  Parliament  army  to  preach  to  the  soldiers.  When  Episcopacy  was  laid 
aside  he  preached  again  in  the  parish  churches,  till  the  Presbyterians  began  to  per- 
secute him.  This  brought  out  his  Baptist  sentiments,  which  be  avowed  with  great 
boldness  when  preaching  one  day  in  l'>ow  Churcli,  Cheapside.  There  his  attack  on 
infant  baptism  was  so  strong  that,  on  a  warrant,  he  was  thrown  into  jirison.     As  in 


678  JOIIX  MILES. 

the  case  of  Clarke  and  IIdIiiics.  \vc  liavc  no  acCDUiit  ot'liis  ))aj)tisiii,  l)ut  we  liml  liiiii 
iimiicrsiiii;-  I  leiiry  ,Iesse  in  .luiie,  l(i4.">.  and  in  tiie  same  year  lie  t'oi'nu^d  a  l>aj)tist 
(Jlmrcli  at  (ii-eat  St.  ir(den"s,  London,  where  lie  |)i-eaclieil  to  a  thonsand  ])eople,  and 
became  one  ui' tlie  noblest  heroi's  lliat  e\ei'  |ii'oelainied  the  iiaptist  faitii  ;  ])robal)ly 
Kew  England  liavinir  more  to  do  in  makini;-  him  what  lie  was  as  a  Ha])tist  tliaii  Old 
England.'  This  aii'rees  with  l']\'ans,  who,  >[)rakini;  of  Knolly.s  liecominij;  a  ISaptist, 
say.s  ol'  hini  :  '  l\nollys.  some  years  before,  had  tied  from  the  tierce  antrer  of  tlic 
hicrai'chv  to  the  wilds  of  the  New  World,  bnt  had  now  retnrned." 

l!y  some  nii'ans  a  little  lja])tist  lea\cn  had  foniid  its  way  to  Weymonth,  _Mass., 
in  lO:!'.).  Robert  l-eiilhal  was  to  be  seltleil  there  as  pastor,  when  it  was  discovered 
that  he  lield  tliat  'all  the  reijni.-itc!  for  C'hnrch  memlierslii|)  should  be  bajitism,' 
wliatever  this  mi:;lit  mean,  lie,  thereb)re,  with  several  others,  attempted  to  et^liect 
a  Church,  and  i;'ot  many  subscribers  to  a  paper  with  this  in  view.  Tliey  were  .suni- 
nioned  before  tlu'  Coni't  in  ll(]slon,  Mai'ch  KUh,  ]<)o'.'.  whi'U  John  Smith  was  fined 
twenty  p(junds,  and  coinniitted  during-  the  pleasure  of  the  ( 'ourt  ;  Uiehard  Sylvester 
was  disfranchised,  and  fined  forty  slul lings;  Andirose  ilorton  was  iiiied  ten  pounds; 
Jolm  Sj)ur,  twenty  ])ounds ;  .Tames  Jb'ittane  was  sentenced  to  be  whipped  eleven 
stripes,  because  hi;  could  not  |iay  his  tine;  and  Lenthal  was  I'ccpiired  to  appear  at 
the  next  Court.  lie  went  to  llliodc  Inland,  and  we  find  him  thei'e  with  ( 'larke.  Jt 
is  hard  to  niKha-stand  exactly  what  his  views  were,  bnt  the  •  Ma>sa<'liusetts  lieeords' 
say  he  helil  'that  only  baptism  was  the  (hior  of  entrance  into  the  visible  Cliurcli.' 
such  a  Cliurch  '  as  all  baptized  ones  might  communicate  in,'  whicdi  looks  like  adult 
liaptism. 

John  Miles  and  the  Baptist  CncRcn  at  Sw' ansea,  Mass.  So  far  as  is  known 
Miles  was  the  first  Welsli  Baptist  minister  who  ever  crossed  the  Atlantic.  lie  was 
born  in  1(>21,  at  Newton,  near  the  junction  of  the  historic  rivers,  Olclion  and  Escle. 
lie  matric'ulated  at  lirasenose  College,  Oxford,  March  11th.  l<i:',(i,  and  is  on  record 
as  'a  minister  of  the  (tos[iel"  in  ItJf'.',  in  which  year  he  forme(l  the  first  Strict  Com- 
munion Chui'ch  at  Ilston,  near  Swanzea,  AVales  (so  spelled  at  that  time,  according  to 
Thomas),  now  Swansea.  His  love  of  truth,  liis  art  in  organization,  together  with  his 
2)erseverance  and  courage,  soon  made  him  a  leader  in  the  denomination  :  and  in  U'l.'il 
we  find  him  representing  the  Welsh  liaptists  at  the  Minister's  iVfeeting  in  London. 
Persecntion  soon  selected  him  as  one  of  its  first  victims,  and  when  tlie  cruel  Act  of 
Uniformity,  1002,  ejected  two  thonsand  ministers,  and  opened  all  sorts  of  new  suffer- 
ings to  God's  servants,  he,  Mith  a  large  number  of  his  Churcli,  removed  to  America, 
carrying  their  Church  records  with  them,  which  are  still  ]ii-eserved.  They  settled  at 
Waniiamoiset,  tluMi  within  the  bounils  of  fiehoboth,  but  afterward.  KKi",  called 
Swansea,  and  but  ten  miles  from  Pi-ovidence,  though  in  the  Plymouth  Colony. 

The  finger  of  God  guided  them  to  this  as  a  field  prepared  for  Baptist  culture, 
and  a  fruitful  one  it  became.  In  KiJiO  Oliadiah  Holmes  hacl  i-emoved  there  from 
Salem,  of  which  Church  he  had  been  a  mendjer  and  united  with  the  Congregational 


THE  8^^'ANSE.\    CnVRCII  ORGANTZED.  679 

Church,  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  Mr.  Ne\vii);iii.  But,  in  some  way  he  and  eight 
otiiers  hud  iiiibil)ud  J>a)>tist  ])i'iiK'iplcs,  possibly  from  Williams,  and  in  1649  tliey 
established  a  separate  meeting  ol'  their  own.  For  this  they  were  excommunicated 
and  j)unished  by  tlie  civil  autliority.  The  whole  commonwealth  of  Plymouth  was 
stirred  and  petitions  against  them  came  jxiuriiig  in,  one  signed  by  all  the  clergy  of 
the  colony  except  two,  and  one  from  the  government  of  Massachusetts  itself.  In 
June,  1650,  Holmes  and  Joseph  Torrey  were  bound  to  appear  at  the  next  court,  and 
in  October  tliey,  with  eight  others,  were  indicted  by  the  Grand  dury.  It  is  difficult 
to  lind  wliat  penalty  was  inflicted  on  them,  but,  suffice  it,  their  meeting  was  broken 
up,  and  Holmes,  with  most  of  his  brethren,  removed  to  Newport,  where,  in  due 
time,  he  became  the  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church.  The  following  is  the  present- 
ment l)y  the  grand  inquest :  '  October  the  2d,  1650.  We,  Avhose  names  are  beer 
under  written,  being  the  grand  inquest,  doe  presetit  to  this  Court,  Jtilin  Ilazael,  Mr. 
Edward  Smith  and  wife,  Obadiah  Holmes,  Josejjh  Tory  and  liis  wife,  and  the  wife 
of  James  Man,  William  Deuell  and  his  wife,  of  the  town  of  Rehoboth,  for  continue- 
ing  of  a  meeting  uppon  the  Lord's  day  from  house  to  house,  contrary  to  the  order 
of  this  Court  enacted  June  12th,  1650.'* 

Things  were  in  this  condition  ^\■hen  Miles  and  his  l}rethren  arrived  on  the 
ground,  and  in  1668,  soon  after  their  arrival,  they  formed  the  first  Baptist  Church 
in  what  is  now  the  State  of  Massachusetts.  Seven  men,  whose  names  have  come 
down  to  us  with  that  of  '  John  JVIiles'  at  their  head  (the  names  of  the  females  are 
not  given),  formed  a  Church  covenant  in  the  house  of  John  Butterworth,  and  a 
noble  band  they  were.  From  the  first,  Miles  was  a  favorite  in  the  community,  and 
on  March  13th,  1666,  the  people  of  liehoboth  voted  that  he  should  lecture  for  them 
on  the  Sabbath  and  once  in  two  weeks  on  the  week-day.  After  the  death  of  Mr. 
Newman,  who  opposed  Miles  earnestly,  Mr.  Symmes  had  preached  for  several 
years  in  the  Pedobaptist  Church,  and  still  preached  there.  Hence  tliis  action  made 
great  disturbance.  So,  May  23d,  the  town  agreed :  '  That  a  third  man  alone  for 
the  work  of  the  ministry  should  be  forthwith  looked  for,  and  such  an  one  as  may 
preach  to  the  satisfactiini  of  the  whole,  if  it  be  the  will  nf  Cod,  for  the  settling  of 
peace  amongst  us.'  liichard  Bullock  protested  against  this  act  '  as  the  sole  work  of 
tlie  Church.'  This  infant  Church  suffered  various  legal  difficulties,  and  the  Court  at 
Plymouth  fined  Miles  five  pounds,  July  2d,  1607,  for  setting  up  a  public  meeting 
without  the  knowledge  and  ajiprobation  of  the  Court.  They  were  ordered  to  stop 
the  meeting  where  it  was  then  held,  but  if  they  would  remove  to  another  jtoint, 
and  behaved  well  there,  jierhaps  they  might  be  permitted  to  remain  iu  the  colony. 

Soon  after,  this  Church  was  brought  face  to  face  with  a  new  and  great  danger. 
Finding  that  they  were  decent  citizens  after  all  their  heterodox}',  the  colony  was 
disposed  to  give  them  a  grant  of  land,  and  did  so  :  to  '  Captain  Thomas  Willet,  Mr. 
Paine,  Si-.,  Mr.  Brown,  John  Allen,  and  John  Butterworth,'  as  trustees  for  a  new 
town.     Willet  and  Paine  were  not  Baptists,  the  others  were,  and  amongst  other 


680  A    sy.inE  ESCAPED. 

tilings  Willft  ]u-()|i(is(.'il  :  ''I'liat  IK)  cn-iiiicoiis  ])ciV()iis  ho  ;iiliiiitri'il  into  tlio  towii^liij).' 
'I'liis  ti-ii'(l  tlie  ini't:il  of  ilic  Wrlsh  liiTtlu\-ii  nil  tlie  tenet  of  sonl-lilierty,  of  wliir-h 
suiijci't  tlicv  knew  hnt  little,  :in<l  \vell-niL;-li  ti-ippid.  (ilad  to  liinl  a  place  wliL're 
tliev  could  \v(>rslii|)  (iod  in  jteace,  thev  •  <i'atliere<l  ami  assembled"  as  a  Cliureli,  and 
addressed  an  '  exi)lieatii>n  '  to  the  tiaistees,  in  which  they  conceded,  that 

'Such  as  liold  daninalile  liei-esies.  incon>i>tent  with  the  faith  of  the  (iospel;  as, 
to  deny  llie  'I'l-initv.  or  any  peison  therein  ;  the  deity  or  siidess  liiiinunity  of  (Jhrist. 
or  tlie  union  ot'lioth  natures  in  him,  or  his  full  satisfaction  to  the  divine  justice  of 
all  his  elect,  liv  his  ai-tive  and  jiassive  oliedieiice,  or  Ills  resurrection,  ascension  into 
heaven,  intercession,  or  his  second  coniini;'  persoiiallv  to  judn'inent  ;  or  else  to  deny 
the  truth  or  divine  authority  of  tin;  Scriptures,  or  the  resurrection  of  tlie  dead,  or 
to  maintain  any  merit  of  works,  coiisnlistantiatioii,  transnlistantiatioii,  a;ivini(  divine 
ailoration  to  any  creature,  or  any  other  anticliristian  doctrine,  dii'ectly  ojiposintr  the 
priestlv,  prophetical,  or  kiiii^ly  ofiices  of  Christ,  or  any  part  thereof;  or  .such  as 
liold  such  opinions  as  are  ine<in>i.-tent  with  the  well  lieiliir  of  the  jilac'e,  as  to  deny  the 
iiuiijjistrates  power  to  punish  evil  doers,  as  well  as  to  eiicourau'e  those  tliat  do  well,  or  to 
deny  the  first  day  of  the  week  to  be  ol)Ser\'e(l  by  divine  institution  as  the  Lord's  day 
or  Christian  Sal)i)atli,  or  to  deny  the  ,<;Mvini;-  of  honor  to  whom  iioiior  is  due,  or  to 
oppose  those  civil  respects  that  are  nsnally  performe(l  accordiiii;  to  the  laudable  cus- 
toms of  oui'  nation  each  to  other,  as  liowiiii;'  the  kiU'c  or  body,  etc.,  or  else  to  deny 
the  office,  use,  or  authority  of  the  ministry,  or  a  comfortable  maintenance  to  be  due 
to  them  from  such  as  partake  of  their  teacliin^s.  oi-  to  s|)eak  i-e])roachfnlly  of  any 
of  llie  Churches  of  Clirl>r  in  the  countiw,  or  of  any  such  other  Chnrclies  of  Christ  in 
the  countrv,  or  of  any  such  other  < 'Imrches  as  are  ol'  rlie  same  conmioii  faith  with  lis 
or  them;  all  such  mii;'ht  be  excluded  I  ' '' 

AVhat  weie  tliosc  AVelslmieii  thinking;'  about;  ( 'learly,  they  had  not  been  to 
school  at  Salem  yet,  ami  we  may  bi'  thankful  that  they  were  corresponding;' with  a 
militia  otlicer  and  not  forniini;'  a  new  State,  or,  in  a  short  time,  vSwanseii  would  have 
been  as  bad  as  Glamori;aiishire,  from  which  they  had  lleil.  They  remind  one  of 
binis  in  the  stress  of  stoi'in,  wlio  make  for  the  first  brijrlit  lijjfht,  and  in  their  joy 
dash  themselves  ai^aiiist  it  to  destrnctiou,  rather  than  use  il  as  a  i;-iiidi'.  J!ut  their 
follv  is  more  apparent  still  wlien  we  find  them  drawiiii;-  a  distinction  lietween  essen- 
tial and  nonessential  Christian  doctrines  thus; 

'AVe  desire;  that  it  he  also  iiuderstood  and  declare  that  this  is  not  Tinderstood  of 
any  holdiiiiJ:  any  oiiiniou  ditfereiit  from  others  in  any  disputable  i)oint,  yet  in  contro- 
versy anionic;  the  godly  learned,  the  belief  thereof  not  being  essentially  necessary  to 
salvation;  such  as  j)edol)aptism,  antipedoljaptism.  church  discipline  or  the  like;  but 
that  the  minister  or  ministers  of  the  said  town  may  takt'  their  liberty  to  baptize 
infants  or  grown  jiersoiis  as  the  Lord  sliall  peivuade  their  consciences,  and  so  also 
the  inhabitants  take  their  liberty  to  bring  tlieir  childreii  to  bajitism  or  to  forbear.' 

It  is  sliLrhtlv  comforting  that  thev  were  so  far  in  advance  of  th(>  iieiijhboring 
colonies  as  to  allow  their  neighbors  to  christen  their  cliildren.  if  'tin;  Lord  shall 
persuade  their  consciences,'  while  their  neighbors  would  not  allow  them  to  be  im- 
nicrsed  on  their  faith  in  (^hrist,  whether  the  Lord  had  i)ersiiaded  their  consciences 
thereto  or  not.  Still,  as  J3aptists,  they  were  far  enough  from  hard-pan  at  that 
time,  on  the  subject   of  religious  liberty.     .\  little  of    linger  Williams's  back-bone 


MASSACHUSETTS   OX  LXFAXT   /lAPTlS.V.  681 

would  not  liave  hurt  tliciii  at.  all.  or  even  a  hit  of  honest  Joliu  rrice's  old  AVelsh 
obstinacy.  Jle  ■was  a  Baptist  minister  at  Dolan,  who  endured  ijji-eat  persecution,  and 
died  at  Xaiitnu'l,  ItiTo.  ili'Wduld  not  (■(int'urni  to  the  ( 'luii'rli  of  Kn;:;'laiid  in  any 
tliinij,',  and  as  that  Chni-cli  always  l>nried  its  deail  with  the  lioad  toward  the  west, 
he  ordered  his  buried  toward  the  ea^t.  Then,  a  l)rass  plate  was  to  be  put  on  his 
grave-stone  to  certify  that  he  would  not  conform  to  their  whims  dead  or  alive. 

John  Miles  soon  bei-anie  a  power  in  all  the  region  round  about.  December 
19th,  1074,  the  town  ajipointed  hlni  master  of  a  school,  at  a  salary  of  forty  ])ounds 
per  annum,  '  for  teaching  grannnar,  rhetoric,  arithmetic,  and  the  tongues  of  Latin, 
Greek  and  Hebrew,  also  to  read  English  and  to  write.'  His  house  was  made  the 
earrison  for  the  military  forces  wlien  the  town  was  assaulted  in  the  Indian  War 
under  King  ]*hili|>,  .lune  'i-ith,  1075.  The  (Miui'rh  multiplied  and  became  strong, 
taking  deep  root  in  tiie  colony.  They  built  their  tirst  meetingdunise  about  three 
miles  north-east  of  Warren,  and  in  1(j7!)  a  new  one  at  Kelley's  I'ridge,  with  a  par- 
sonage for  Miles.  But  they  were  stoutly  opposed,  until  the  whole  region  became 
Baptist.  It  is  reported  of  their  pastor,  that  once  when  brought  l)cfore  the  magis- 
trates for  preaching,  he  asked  for  a  Bible,  and  turning  to  Jol)  xix,  28,  read  :  '  Ye 
should  say.  Why  persecute  we  him,  seeing  the  root  of  the  matter  is  found  in  me?' 
He  said  no  more,  but  sat  down  and  the  Court  so  felt  the  power  of  the  passage  that, 
instead  of  cruelty,  he  was  treated  with  kindness.  He  died  at  Tyler's  Point,  Ft'bru- 
ary  3d,  1683. 

We  have  seen  that  tlie  authorities  of  Massachusetts  were  sorely  tried  with  the 
leniency  of  riymouth  in  the  case  of  Holmes  and  his  compeers  at  Kehoboth,  but  as 
they  conld  do  nothing  fm-ther  in  that  dii'ection,  they  proceeded  at  once  to  make 
things  as  stringent  as  po.ssible  for  the  persecution  of  Baptists  in  their  own  jurisdiction. 
Judging  by  their  excited  condition,  a  plague  broke  out  in  the  colony  which  miglit 
be  designated  the  '  annbaptistieal-phobia,'  and  fright  seized  them  as  if  some  one  had 
been  bitten  by  a  live  Baptist.  The  General  Court  caught  the  disease  badly,  and  on 
the  13th  of  J^ovember.  Kill,  decreed  : 

'It  is  ordered  and  decreed,  that  if  any  person  or  persons,  within  this  jurisdic- 
tion, shall  either  openly  condemn  or  oppose  the  baptizing  of  infants,  or  go  about 
secretly  to  seduce  others  from  the  ap]3robation  or  use  thereof,  or  shall  purposely 
depart  the  congregation  at  the  ministration  of  the  ordinance,  or  shall  deny  the  ordi- 
nance of  uuigistracy,  or  the  lawful  right  and  authority  to  make  war,  or  to  punish  the 
outward  bi'cakers  of  the  tirst  table,  and  shall  appear  to  the  Court  willfully  au<l  obsti- 
nately to  continue  therein  after  due  time  and  means  of  conviction,  every  such  person 
or  persons  shall  be  sentenced  to  banishment.' 

But  the  reasons  which  they  give  in  the  preamble,  are,  if  possible,  more  express- 
ive of  their  unhappy  condition  than  the  law  itself  ;  hence,  they  use  these  Avords  to 
introduce  the  enactment : 

'  Forasmuch  as  experience  hath  plentifully  and  often  proved  that,  since  the 
iirst  arising  of  the  Anabaptists,  about  one  hundred  j'ears  since,  they  have  been  the 


682  OVK/r ACT/OX  AXD    l!i:.\rTION. 

iiicciiiliarics  of  tlic  (•oniiniinw c-iltlis  ;iiiil  tlic  infcetors  of  persons  in  many  matters  of 
religiiMi,  and  tin'  troiiMcs  of  ('Inirclies  in  all  [ilaces  wiiei'e  tliev  have  been,  and  that 
tliov  who  have  held  the  iia|)tizini;;  of  infants  nidawfiil  have  nsually  lield  otlier  eri'')rs 
or  heresies  toicetlier  therewith,  though  they  have,  as  other  heretics  used  to  do,  con- 
ceale<l  the  nanie  till  they  s])ii'd  out  a  tit  advantap^  and  o])i)ortiinity  to  vent  tiiein  by 
way  of  i|iu'sfi(in  (ir  sciai|ile  ;  and  whereas  divers  of  this  kind  have,  since  our  coinini^ 
into  New  Eni;land,  a|)peared  auKinu'st  ourselves,  some  whereof  liave,  as  others  before 
them,  denied  the  ordinance  of  magistracy,  and  the  lawfulness  of  making  war,  and 
others  th(>  lawfulness  of  magistrates  and  their  insjiectinn  intu  any  breacii  of  tiic  iirst 
table;  which  opinions,  if  they  siiould  be  cmmived  a(  by  us,  arc  like  In  lie  increased 
aninngst  us,  and  so  must  necessarily  bring  guilt  upon  us,  infet'tion  and  trnuble  to  tlio 
Churches,  and  hazard  to  tlie  whole  commonwealth.' 

Tills  state  of  high  lexer  ln'nught  the  patient  to  a  cri>is.  and  lid't  him  (extremely 
weak  when  the  black  train  of  his  dreams  and  lion'ilile  l)Ui;lieai's  had  passed  away. 
In  nlliei-  words,  it  was  the  liegiiining  of  the  end  with  religious  tyi'anny  in  Massachu- 
setts, and  undi'r  tlie  ruling  of  divine  Wisdom  this  was  tiie  best  day's  work  tliat  its 
(Jourt  ever  did  foi'  that  ]ii-esent  glorious  State.  Men  of  conscience  and  common 
sense  felt  it  a  sorry  time  wlieii  their  common  lirelliren  in  Christ  Jesns  had 
come  to  lie  '  banishe(l  '  as  '  lieretich  "  in  a  free  land,  for  o|ipo>ing  the  baptism  of 
infants,  or  leaving  a  congi'egatiou  where  it  was  j)racticed.  as  liazarding  the  exist- 
ence of  a  Christian  commonwealth,  and  liringiiiir  '  guilt '  upon  the  vcnerabk'  heads  of 
those  who  could  not  keep  their  hands  olf  the  •  lir>t  table'  of  (^od's  law.  .\s  might 
liave  been  expected,  this  alui.-e  of  power  awakeiii'd  a  heart-felt  indignation  all  over 
the  colony,  bu'  it  touched  the  consciences  of  men,  and  without  guise  or  pretense, 
a.ssumed  control  over  them.  Remonstrance  and  petition  soon  found  expression  ;  many 
petitions  against  tin;  law  and  others  for  its  continuance  canu;  in  from  various 
sources,  some  in  ^fareh,  l<I4.j.  others  in  ^Fay.  Iti4ti.  Yet  the  Court  not  (iuly  I'efused 
to  ri'peal  the  law.  but  e\en  to  altei'  or  explain  it,  althongh  Samuel  Maxerick.  l)r. 
(Jliild  and  tive  others  of  great  intlueiice,  in.it  liaptists,  thi'eatened  to  appeal  to 
Parliament  on  this  and  other  subjects  of  grievance.  The  Court  was  comindled  to 
issue  a  '  Declai'ation  '  to  the  people  in  its  own  defense,  in  which  they  were  weak 
enough  to  confess  that  the  l!a|itists  wei'e  '  jieaceable  "  citizens  amongst  them.  They 
say,  .\o\ember  -Itli,   Iti-IG,  to  those  that 

'  Are  otfended  also  at  our  law  against  Anabaptists.  Tlu'  truth  is,  the  gi-eat 
trouble  we  luive  been  put  unto  and  hazard  also,  by  familistical  and  anabajitistical 
spirits,  who.so  eonncience  and  nliyioit  hath  been  only  to  set  forth  themselves  and 
raise  contentions  in  the  country,  did  j)rovoke  us  to  ju-ovide  for  our  safety  by  a  kiw, 
that  all  such  should  take  notice  how  unwelcome  they  should  be  unto  us,  eitlier  coming 
or  staying.  Jjut  for  such  as  ditfi>r  from  us  only  in  judgment,  in  i)oint  of  l)a])tism, 
or  some  otlier  points  of  less  consequence,  anil  li\e  peaceably  amongst  us,  without 
occasioning  disturbance,  etc.,  such  have  no  cause  to  complain,  for  it  hath  never 
been  as  yet  put  in  execution  against  any  of  them,  although  some  are  known  to  live 
auiong.st  us.' 

Why  could  tlu>y  not  l(>avc  Pilate  alone  in  history,  to  wash  his  hands  in 
innoceiicy  ?      That  Imsiness  belonged  to  the  Old.  not  the  New.  AVoi'ld.     Every  syl- 


WINSLO}y'S  LAME  APOLOdY.  683 

lable  here  sliows  their  iiii.si;'i\iiii;-s  and  (.■nuiifpr  consciousness  touching:  their  own  hiw. 

tin  O 

They  bei^iu  hy  depreciating  tlieir  enactment  into  a  '  notice ;'  tlie  law  itself  says  that 
it  is  a  jirdxis'iin  for  '  iKUiishuient.'  They  say  that  tiu^  naptist  'conscience  and 
religion'  have  raised  'contentions  in  the  country;'  tlieir  law  itself  says  that  they 
were  'incendiaries  of  the  coninionwealth.'  Here,  they  ta])er  down  the  Baptist 
ofiEense  to  a  difference  '  from  us  only  in  juduiuciit  in  point  of  baptism  ; '  the  law  calls 
them  'heretics'  and  •trouhlcrs  of  Cinirches.'  Their  Declaration  says  tiiat  those 
Baptists  who  'live  peaceahUj  amongst  us,  without  occasioning  disturbance,  shall 
liave  no  cause  to  complain  ; '  hut  their  law  also  says  that  it  is  disturbance  of  itself, 
'  to  opeidy  condemn  or  oppose  the  baptizing  of  infants,  or  go  about  secretly  to 
seduce  others  fi'oin  the  ap[)rol)ation  or  use  thereof,  or  shall  piirposclv  dcpai't  the 
congregation  at  the  ministration  of  the  ordinance.'  And  finally,  their  appeal  to  the 
public  says  that '  some  of  the  Baptists  were  known  to  live  peaceably  amongst  us,'  but  to 
deny  the  right  of  the  magistrates'  authority  to  punish  the  outward  breakers  of  ihofirnt 
table,  is  a  just  reason  why  they  should  '  be  sentenced  to  baTiishment,'  and  this  the 
most  '  peaceful '  of  them  denied.  It  is  a  sure  thing  that  both  their  '  Tenet '  and  its 
commentary  need  washing  again  thoroughly.  Com])laints  went  over  to  England, 
and  as  there  was  now  no  chance  to  glory  over  this  matter  under  the  pretense  of 
civil  wrong-doing,  as  in  the  case  of  Roger  Williams,  the  thing  must  be  met  there 
on  its  naked  merits,  as  a  scpiare  act  of  religious  tyranny.  Hence,  Governor 
Winslow  was  sent  to  England  to  answer  this  charge.^" 

Brought  to  an  account  before  the  home  government,  it  was  demanded  of  him  : 
'You  have  a  severe  law  against  Anabaptists,  yea,  one  was  wliipt  at  Massachusetts 
for  his  religion?  And  your  law  banisheth  them?'  To  which  the  gracious  old 
governor  meekly  answered  :  '  'Tis  true,  the  Massachusetts  government  have  such  a 
law  as  to  banish,  but  not  to  whip  in  that  kind.  And  certain  men  desiring  some 
mitigation  of  it;  it  was  answered  in  my  hearing:  'Tis  true,  we  have  a  severe  law, 
but  we  never  did,  or  will,  execute  the  rigor  of  it  upon  any,  and  have  men  living 
amongst  ns,  nay,  some  in  our  C'hurches  of  that  judgment,  and  as  long  as  they  carry 
themselves  peacefully  as  hitherto  they  do,  we  will  leave  them  to  God,  ourselves 
having  performed  the  duty  of  brethren  to  them.  And  whereas,  there  was  one 
whipt  amongst  us,  'tis  true  we  knew  his  judgmetit  what  it  was ;  but  had  he  not 
carried  himself  so  contemptuously  toward  the  authorit]]  God  hath  betrusted  us  with 
in  an  high  exemplary  measure,  we  had  never  so  censured  him  ;  and,  therefore,  he 
may  thank  himself  who  suffered  as  an  evil  doer  in  that  respect.  But  the  reason 
whei'eof  we  are  loath  either  to  repeal  or  alter  the  law  is,  because  we  would  have  it 
remain  in  force  to  bear  witness  against  their  judgment  and  practice,  which  we 
conceive  them  to  be  erroneous.'  " 

The  person  rejxjrted  by  the  governor  as  whipped  here  was  Thomas  Fainter,  of 
Ilingham,  whose  contemptuous  crime  against  the  'authority'  of  the  magistrates 
consisted  in  refusing  to  have  his  child  christened.  True,  the  governor  said,  they 
had  no  law  'to  whi[)  in  that  kind,'  which  only  aggravates  their  crime  against 
humanity,  foi-  they  did  wlii|)  him,  law  or  no  law,  and  for  what  the  governor  says, 
they  knew  to  be   simply  his  'judgment.'     l!ut   from  the   mild   mannei'  in  wliich  he 


684 


LADY   MOODY. 


spt'aks  (if  lliis  li;irmlrss  law,  as  a  mere  vurljal  '  wil  iii'>s  '  airainst  '  erroneous  '  '  jiKlj^mcnt 
anil  [iracliee,'  oil  tlie  pari  iif  the  l>aj)tists,  they  wisheil  \\\r  I'.i-itisli  <^(jverninent  to 
nnilerstaml  ;iiiil  treat  it  as  a,  ileail-li;tter.  Indeed,  Jie  j^ives  tlie  promise  in  tlio  name 
of  Massaelnisel  f>,  \\li(»e  iT]ireseiitati\"e  lie  was,  tiiat  altlioii<i:li  tlie  law  is  severe,  '  we 
ne\rr  did,  or  will,  cxeeiite  the  riyoi-  of  it  npdii  any.'  ilow  di<l  .Ma>saelnisetts  keej) 
this  saci'('(l   pi'oiiiise  '.      We  shall  see. 

'{'he  feehnL;-  eiiL;cndci-e<|  in  fjiLjland  hy  this  new  eiaisade  ai;aiiist  '  liei'etics '  in 
Aiiicrii-a.  It'il.'i.  \va--\rrv  deep.  Sonic,  who  had  pcr-eeiited  the  i)a])tists  tliert'.  >li])- 
jiiirlcd  the  eiili)ii\-  in  its  ri^ur,  and  soiiuM'ondeimied  it  se\ertdy.  iiiehanl  llollilig- 
worth  .saiil  :  •  (  )iir  lielief  uf  Xew  l']iiL;laiid  is,  that  they  Woldil  >utl'er  the  ijodly  and 
])eaeealili'  til  li\  e  aiiiiiiiM'st  thc-lii,  tliiJli^li  theydilTei-  in  point  of('hureli  government 
froni  iheiii."  And  anotlu'i-  aullinr,  a  nieiiilier  uf  .lohn  (Joodwin's  eongrei^atioii, 
'.I.  !'.."  wrote  in  as  cool  a  strain  :  '  Why  do  not  mir  ( 'oiigregation:d  divines  write  to 
the  lirethnn  i d'  New  Eiiufnid.  and  eoii\inre  them  of  their  eri'or,  wlio  give,  as  some 
sa\',  the  civil  )iiai;i-~t  rate  a  power  to  (piestion  doctrines,  censure  erroiv  ^  Sure  we 
are  sunie  lia\e  hi'cii  im|irisiineil,  smiie  liaiii>hed,  that  jileaded  religion  and  mere 
conscience,  and  were  no  otherwise  distiii-hers  of  the  civil  jieace  than  the  ( 'ongi'ega- 
tiiiiial  wav  is  like  to  he  here.  If  Old  iMiglaiid  he  said  lo  [lersccutc  for  snp|)ressing 
sects  and  opininiis  heeanse  threatening  the  tiaitli  and  civil  jieace,  why  may  not  the 
same  name  he  put  nimn  Xew  England,  who  are  found  in  the  same  work  and  way  ^ ' 
Another  thin:;'  which  deepened  the  intense  feeling  on  the  snhji'ct  was,  that  works 
on  infant  haptism,  yi/v  and  cw,  liegan  to  ilood  the  coliin\',  and  the  penjilc  easerlv 
incpiii'ed  wdiat  all  these  tcrrihly  lilighting  ii]iinionsof  the  '  .Vnahaptists  '  were  :  and 
when  they  found  that  the  hngahoo  lodged  in  the  right  of  a  man  to  keep  his  con- 
science whole  in  choosing  to  ha))tize  his  child  oi'  not,  like  reasonahle  beings  they 
began  also  to  think  whether  or  not  it  were  I'athcr  doiralile  to  exercise  such 
freedom  where  .lehovah  had  I'xacted  no  such  service.  Discussion  was  all  that  the 
IJaptists  needed  to  arrest  this  tyranny,  and  the  lawof  l(i44  liail  uiiinteiitionally  thrown 
the  door  wide  opi'U  for  such  discussion.  Tlulhard  sjieaks  of  •  many  books  coming 
out  of  Kngland  in  the  year  1<i-f.-).  some  in  defense  of  Anabaptism  and  other  error.s, 
and  for  lUnrtij  af  cimseicnci'^  as  a  .-belter  fur  a  general  tolcratiuii  of  all  ojiinions.* 

As  far  baek  as  l<i43  Lady  Deborah  _Moody,  who  had  bought  a  farm  of  4i'iO 
acres  at,  Swanipscott,  "was  obliged  to  remove  to  (Iravesend.  Long  Island.  '  for  deny- 
ing infant  bajitism.'  "Wintlirop  says  of  her:  'The  Lady  ]\[oody.  a  wise  and 
amiable  religions  woman,  being  taken  with  the  errors  of  denying  infant  iiaptism, 
was  dealt  withal  by  many  of  the  elders  and  others,  and  admonished  by  the  t'hurch 
at  Salem.  .  .  .  'I'o  avoid  further  tnmble.  she  removed  to  the  Dutch,  against  the 
advice  of  lii'r  friends.  ]\Iany  others  infested  with  Anabaiitism  removed  thither  also. 
Slu!  was  aftiM'  excommunicated."  '-  True,  she  was  a  member  of  the  Salem  Chundi, 
which  she  uniti'd  with  .\pril  ."itli.  liUii,  hut  li\ed  in  the  Ray  Colony,  and  left  it  'to 
avdid  further  trouble."     Salem  had  bi'come  disturbed  also  on  this  I'aptist   issue,  for 


NEW  PERSECUTIONS.  683 

July  Stli,  104."),  Tu\\iisi-ii(l  Hisliop,  a  i)rot)iiiieiit  iiuui  tliere,  was  'presented,'  says 
Felt,  for  '  turning  his  l)ack  on  the  ceremony  of  infant  baptism.'  lie  adds  with 
significance,  'he  soon  left  the  town.'' 

But  the  authorities  began  to  punish  Baptists  in  Massachusetts  Bay,  under  the 
law  of  1644.  William  Witter,  of  Lynn,  was  arraigned  before  the  Essex  Quai'terly 
Court,  February,  lt!4ii,  for  >aying  that  '  they  who  .stayed  while  a  child  is  baptized 
do  worship  the  devil.'  Mai-tha  AVest  ami  llniiy  Collense  testify  that  he  charged 
such  persons  with  breaking  the  Sahbath  and  taking  tln'  name  of  the  Trinitv  in  \ain. 
Brother  Witter  certainly  did  give  very  free  use  to  his  tongue,  but  the  Court  had  an 
effectual  cure  for  all  'heretics'  who  did  that.  The  law  would  not  connive  at  such 
' 0])inions,' they  were  a'hazai'd  to  the  whole  ciimmnnwealtli : '  he  had  openlv  con- 
deiniicti  infant  baptism,  ami  hail  '  jJiirposcly '  dcjiartcd  'the  cnngivgatiou  at  the 
ministration  of  the  lU'dinance,'  and  for  such  wickedness  he  must  be  recompensed, 
lie  was  sentenced  to  make  a  public  confession  before  the  congregation  at  LynU) 
on  the  next  Sabbath,  or  be  censured  at  the  next  General  Court.  John  Wootl  was 
arraigned  the  next  day  before  the  same  Court  ■  fVir  prufessing  Analjaptist  sentiments 
and  withholding  his  children  fi'oin  Itaptism,'  and  -lolin  Spnr  was  bound  to  pay 
a  line  of  ,£2<>.  On  July  13th,  Ifi.'il,  Spur  was  expelled  from  the  Boston  Church, 
'because  he  ceased  to  commune  with  tliem,  on  the  belief  that  their  baptism,  singing 
of  psalms  anil  covenant,  wei'e  human  inventions.'  By  this  time  a  spii'it  of  general 
discontent  was  settling  down  upon  the  public  mind,  ami  pei'sons  in  various  places 
were  begimnng  to  express  their  sympathy  for  the  Baptists  and  to  adojjt  their  senti- 
ments on  the  subject  of  infant  baptism;  a  state  of  things  which  the  magistrates 
found  it  difficult  to  repress,  and  which  at  last  forced  not  only  resistance,  but  direct 
aggression,  as  the  surest  mcthud  of  self-defense.  Relief  was  found  only  in  assuming 
a  firm  position  and  a  deternuned  stand  against  such  grinding  tyranny.  If  these 
Baptists  stayed  away  from  Congregational  Churches,  where  they  were  unhapp\', 
those  Churches  forced  them  to  attend  and  treated  them  shamefully  for  not  coming; 
then,  if  they  went  at  their  command,  their  jiresence  made  these  Churches  equally 
unhappy.  They  were  disturbers  of  the  peace  when  they  kept  away,  and  they  were 
contentious  when  they  went ;  a  contradictory  state  of  things  which  must  cure  itself, 
being  a  slander  on  the  Lamb  of  God  and  a  disgrace  to  the  seventeenth  century. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE     BOSTON     BAPTISTS. 

FIl'MK'K  liii;-(itrv  and  intolerance  did  niiirh  fm- tlie  aneieiit  liaptists  in  Jernsaloiii 
111'  (lid,  and  this  liisturv  rL'))eated  it>ell'  in  I'.n-tun  dni-ini,''  tlie  year  |t;r>l.  The 
story  is  \ery  siin[ile.  William  Wittei-,  a  ])lain  old  fanner,  lived  at  SwanipM-otr,  near 
Lvnn,  and  was  a  nienilier  id'  the  ( 'uni;rei;ati()nal  Chnrch  tiiere.  As  far  l)a(d<  as 
February  ;2Stli,  Kl-f:!,  he  reiiuuiieed  infant  liai)tisni,  and  was  l)ronii;lit  before  the 
Court,  cliar^-eil  with  siieakiii:;-  indecently  of  that  ordinance.  J>ut  haviniz;  made  some 
sort  of  an  ajioloo-N-,  he  was  arraii;'ne(l  a  second  time.  I''el)ruai-_v  l>>th,  \>tU>.  and  was 
formally  excommnnicated  -Inly  :i4tli.  Iti.M.  -for  alisentini;  himself  from  tlie  pul)lic 
ordinances  nine  months  or  more  and  for  hein^  rehapti/.ed.' '  Meanwliile  he  had 
become  a  mendicr  of  Clarke's  Chnrch  at  iSe\\-|)ort  ;  at  what  time  does  not  appear, 
but  evidently  some  time  bid'ore,  as  he  had  not  attended  the  Church  at  1-ynn  for 
more  than  nine  months.  Having  become  bliml  as  w(dl  as  old,  and  living  little, 
if  any  thing,  less  than  seventy -five  miles  from  his  Chundi,  he  was  unable  to  attend 
its  communion  or  to  sliarc  its  Christian  sym])athy  and  f(dlowsliip.  all  his  surroiuid- 
incs  being  hostile  to  him.  Wheth(>r  he  had  invited  a  visit  from  re])resentatives  of 
the  Newport  Church,  or  they  were  prom])ted  to  visit  him  in  his  atHietion,  is  not 
stated,  but  the  Churcli  records  say:  'Three  of  the  brethren,  namely,  Mr.  John 
Clarke,  pastor,  Obadiali  Holmes  and  James  Crandall,  were  taken  upon  the  Lord's 
day,  July  20th,  Iti.^l,  at  the  house  of  one  i)f  the  brethnMi  whom  tliey  went  to  visit : 
namely,  "William  AVitter,  in  the  town  of  Lyn.'  I'.ut  it  is  clear  from  the  record 
itself  that  he  was  a  '  brother'  in  that  Church,  as  Backus  calls  him  ;  also  Arnold,  in 
liis  'History  of  Rhode  Island.'  calls  him  'an  aged  nicniber,'  and  Dr.  Palfrey  men- 
tions him  as  a  '  iirother  in  the  Church  of  I'ajjfists.' 

The  above  named  three  started  on  this  mission  of  love  wortliy  of  Jesus  himself 
and  an  honor  to  his  servants.  They  passed  cpiietly  on  their  long  journey,  possibly 
through  Boston,  and  readied  Witter's  home  ou  Saturday  night,  lioj)ing  for  a  quiet 
Sabbath  under  a  Christian  roof.  I'ut  this  was  criminal,  much  as  Peter  and  John 
sinned  against  Jerusalem  by  helloing  a,  ]ioor  cripjile  there.  When  the  Sabbath 
dawned  they  thought  that  they  would  '  wm-ship  God  in  their  own  way  on  the  Lord's 
day'  in  Witter's  family.  Yes;  but  what  right  had  they  to  think  any  such  thing? 
Did  they  not  know  that  it  was  a  crime  to  worship  God  'in  your  own  way,'  even 
under  your  own  roof,  in  Massachusetts?  Notwithstandinir  this  Clarke  began  to 
preach  God's  word,  from   llev.  iii,  10,  to  Witter's  family,  his  two  traveling  com- 


WITTER' 8  HOUSE  INVADED.  687 

panioiis,  ami,  as  lie  says,  to  '  four  or  live  strangei's  tliat  eainc  in  uiioxpocted 
after  I  had  bc_ii-uii.'  Quite  likely  those  siiniers  of  the  (xeiitiles,  John  Wood, 
Josepli  Rednap  aud  Roger  Scott,  were  all  prc>M.'iit.  WiMjd  hail  heen  tried.  i'"ebruary 
19tli,  l()iO,  for  'professing  Anabaptist  sentiments  aud  withholding  his  children  from 
baptism  ;'  Kednap  had  broken  the  law  in  usually  '  depai'tiug  from  the  congregation 
at  the  time  of  aduiinisteriug  the  seal  of  baptism;'''^  and  Scott  was  that  drowsy 
sinucr  who  was  tried  by  the  Court,  l*'ebruary  L'^tli,  l<'i4;'),  'foreouinion  sleeping  at 
the  public  exercise  upon  the  Lord's  day,  and  for  sti'ikiug  him  that  wakcil  him.'  ami 
was  'severely  whipped'  for  the  same  in  the  ensuing  i)eeend)ei-.  'i'iiis  deponent 
saith  not  whether  he  really  was  at  AVitter's,  or,  if  so,  whether  lie  wautcd  a  ([uiet  nap 
unarouscd  i)y  a  pugnacious  riiritan  l)(jgi)erry;  perhaps  he  thought  that  a  stirring 
i3aj)tist  sermon  was  just  the  novelty  to  keep  him  wide  awake  on  that  Sunday  and  in 
that  particular  place. 

i>ut  no  matter  who  was  thei'c,  Clarke  had  begun  to  |)reach  powerfully  on  the 
faithfulness  of  God  to  liis  people  in  the  hour  of  temptation,  when  two  constables 
invailed  the  farm  house,  rushing  in  with  a  warrant  fi-om  lloliert  Bridges,  the  'lu-di- 
nary;'  and  the  Newport  brethren  were  brought  before  this  officer  of  justice  as 
prisoners.  Bridges  insisted  tliat  they  should  attend  service  at  the  State  Church,  and 
they  insisted  that  they  would  not.  Clarke  said :  '  If  thou  forcest  us  into  your 
assembl}-  we  cann(.)t  hold  communion  with  them."  Clarke  was  very  clear-headed, 
but  he  mistook  the ''squire,  for  it  was  not  'communion'  that  he  was  aiming  at. 
The  law  required  all  to  attend  the  State  Church,  and,  therefore,  them;  and  go  they 
should  anyhow,  so  tliey  were  forced  into  the  assembly.  Clarke  says  that  when  he 
was  taken  in  lie  removed  his  hat  and  'civilly  saluted  them.'  but  when  he  had  been 
conducted  to  a  seat  he  put  on  his  hat,  'opened  my  book  and  fell  to  reading.'  This 
troubled  tlie  '  ordinary,'  aud  he  commanded  the  constable  to  '  pluck  off  our  hats, 
which  he  did,  and  where  he  laid  mine  there  I  let  it  lie.'  When  the  service  clo-sed 
Clarke  desired  to  speak  to  the  congregation,  but  silence  was  commanded  and  the 
prisoners  were  removed.  Some  liberty  was  granted  them  on  Monday,  which  they 
nsed,  as  Panl  and  Silas  nsed  theirs  at  Philipin'.  when  they  entered  into  the  house  of 
Lydia  and  exhorted  the  bi-ethren.  So  here,  Clarke  and  his  brethren  entered  the 
house  of  Witter  and  actually  shocked  the  magistrates  by  commemorating  the  love 
of  Jesus  together  in  observing  the  Lord's  Supper.  This  act  iilled  the  cii]>  of  their 
iiiiquity  to  the  brim,  and  it  was  probably'  the  main  object  of  their  visit. 

On  Monday  they  were  removed  to  Boston  and  cast  into  prison,  the  chai-ges 
against  tliem  being,  for  'disturbing  the  congregation  in  the  afternoon,  for  draw- 
ing aside  others  after  their  erroneous  judgments  and  jiractices,  and  for  futspicion 
of  rebaptizing  one  or  more  amongst  us.'  Clarke  was  fined  £20,  Holmes  £30, 
Crandall  £5,  and  on  refusal  to  pay  they  were  '  to  be  well  whipped,'  although 
Winslow  had  told  the  English  government  that  they  had  no  law  '  to  whip  in  that 
kind.'     Edwards  says  that   while  'Mr.  Clarke  stood  stripped  at  the   whipping-post 


688  //o/.  )//•;>■  ■  vNMKitr'rFn.i.y   winppEi). 

Koiiic  liiiiiiaiic  person  wa>  su  allVcrcd  wilh  tlic  si,i;-lil  of  a  scliolar,  a  fi;L'iitk'iiiau  and 
revereml  di'vinc,  in  such  a  siluatidii,  that  hi\  with  a  siuii  of  money,  redeemed  him 
from  liis  liloody  toi-mciitorf.."  liefoiv  tliis  he  had  asiied  t!ie  Court:  •  Wliat  hiw  of 
(iod  or  man  liad  lie  lirokeii,  that  liis  hai-k  must  he  ^iveli  to  the  toi'mentors  for  it.  or 
he  lie  despoiled  of  his  i^oods  to  tile  amount  of  L:.'n  ; "  To  wliicli  Kndieott  replied: 
'  Voli  have  denied  infant  haptism  and  de>er\e  death,  i;oina-  up  and  down,  and 
secretly  insinuatiiiij,-  into  them  that  lie  weak,  hut  caniujt  maintain  it  ijetorc  our 
ministei-s.'  ( 'larkc^  tells  us  •  that  iniluli;cnt  and  teiider-liearted  friends,  witliout  Illy 
consent  and  eontrai'v  to  my  juili;nient.  |iaiil  the  hnc."^  Thus  some  one  paid  the 
tine  of  Clai-keand  (  !randall.  and  ])roposeil  to  pay  that  of  Holmes.  Tiic  first  two 
were  released,  wJiether  they  as.-ented  or  not.  hut  Holmes  who  was  a  man  of  learning, 
and  who  afterward  sticceeded  Dr.  ('Iai-ke  as  pa^tor  of  the  Newiwrt  Churcli,  would 
not  consent  to  the  paxim;-  of  his  line,  and  liec;m.-e  he  refused  he  wa>  whipped  thirty 
striiies,  Septi'udiei- C.tli,  If..".!.  He  .-aid  that  he  '  ilnivt  not  acce|it  of  (U>li\  eralice  in 
such  a  wav.'  He  was  found  i^iiilty  of  'hearing  a  sermon  in  a  private  manner,"  oi-, 
as  the  iiiittiiiuiK  issued  hy  Robert  Bridges  expresses  it, 

•For  heini;-  taken  l)y  tlie  constable  at  a  private  meeting  at  Lin.  ii|)on  tlie  Lord's 
day,  exercising  among  themselves,  to  whom  di\iM-s  of  the  town  re|)aired  atid  joined 
with  them,  and  that  in  time  of  |iulilic  exercise  of  the  worship  of  (4od  ;  as  also  for 
ofTeiisivelv  disturbiui;'  the  |icace  of  the  congregation,  at  their  coming  into  the  public 
ineetini;-  in  the  time  of  ])i'aver,  in  the  altei-uoou,  and  for  saying  and  manifesting  that 
tlie  ('htircli  in  Liti  was  not  con-titnted  according  to  the  order  of  our  Lord.  .  .  . 
And  for  suspicion  of  theii-  having  their  hamU  in  ri-baptizing  of  one  or  more." 

LJancroft  says  that  he  was  whijiped  '  umnercifully,"  and  (ojvciaioi-  ,leid-;s,  "that 
for  many  days,  if  not  some  weeks,  he  could  take  no  rest  but  upon  his  knees  and 
elbows,  not  being  able  to  sulTcr  any  |iart  of  his  body  to  touch  the  becl  whereon  he 
lay.'  While  enduring  this  torture,  he  joined  his  Lor(|  on  the  cross  and  Stejiheii,  in 
pi'aying  that  this  sin  might  not  be  laid  to  the  charge  of  lii>  persectitors;  and  when 
his  lacerated  tle.sli  quiyercM]  and  blood  streameil  fi-om  his  bodw  -o  powerfully  did 
the  n'race  of  the  Crucilied  su.-rain  him  that  he  cheerfully  said  to  his  tormentors: 
'  You  have  stiaick  me  as  with  roses!' 

LHs  remarkable  words  call  to  mind  the  su]ierliuinan  saying  of  another  noted 
Baptist,  James  liaiidiam.  the  learneil  liarrister  of  the  Middle  Tenii^le.  who  was 
martyred  in  the  days  of  Ht'ui-y  VIII.  Lo\  shows  (ii.  ]i.  'Jlti)  that  he  reputliated  the 
baptism  of  infants.  Sir  Thomas  More  lashed  him  to  thi'  whipping-post  in  his 
own  house  at  Chelsea,  and  the  whip  drew  blood  copiously  fi\)m  his  back  ;  then, 
when  lie  was  burinng  at  the  stake,  his  legs  and  arms  being  lialf-con.sumed.  he 
exclaimed  in  triumph:  '(),  ye  Papists !  behold  ye  look  for  miracles,  and  here  you 
may  see  a  miracle.  In  this  lire  I  feel  tio  more  jiain  than  if  I  were  in  a  bed  of  down; 
it  is  to  me  as  a  beil  of  roses  I'  Tlolmes  had  niucli  of  this  noble  martyr's  spirit. 
Most  touchinglv  be  himself  wrote: 


CIIRISTTAX  srV/'ATf/r  I'l'MsUED.  689 

'I  said  to  the  ])COj)lc,  tliough  my  flesh  sliould  fail  and  tny  spirit  should  fail,  yet 
God  will  not  fail;  so  it  pleased  the  Lord  to  come  in  and  so  to  till  my  heart  and 
tongue  as  a  vessel  full,  and  with  an  audible  voice  I  break  forth,  prayinij  unto  the 
Lord  not  to  lay  this  sin  to  their  charge,  and  telling  the  people  that  now  I  found  he 
did  not  fail  me,  and,  therefore,  now  I  should  trust  him  forever  who  failed  me  not. 
For,  in  truth,  as  the  strokes  fell  upon  nie  I  had  such  a  s|)iritual  manifestation  of 
God's  presence  as  the  like  thereof  I  never  had,  nor  can  with  tieshy  tongue  express, 
and  the  outward  pain  was  so  removed  from  me,  that,  indeed,  I  am  not  able  to  declare 
it  to  you.  It  was  so  easy  to  me  that  I  could  well  bear  it ;  yea,  and  in  a  manner  felt 
it  not,  although  it  was  grievous,  as  the  spectators  said,  the  man  striking  with  all  his 
strength — yea,  spitting  on  his  hands  three  times,  as  many  affirmed — with  a  three-corded 
whip,  giving  me  therewith  thirty  strokes.  When  he  liad  loosened  me  from  the  jjost, 
having  joyfulness  in  my  heart  and  cheerfulness  in  my  countenance,  as  the  spectators 
observed,  I  told  the  magistrates,  you  have  struck  me  as  with  roses,  and  said,  more- 
over, although  the  Lord  hath  made  it  easy  to  me,  yet  I  pray  God  it  may  not  be  laid 
to  your  charge.' 

The  vengeful  feeling  of  the  authorities  toward  these  harmless  men  illustrates 
the  severity  which  was  intended.  During  their  examination.  Governor  Endicott 
chai-ged  them  with  being  '  Anabaptists,'  said  they  '  deserved  death,'  and  that  '  they 
would  not  have  such  trash  brought  into  tlieii-  diJiiiininn.'  The  Court  lost  its  temper, 
and  even  John  Wilson,  a  clergyman  of  a  very  gentle  spirit,  struck  Holmes,  and 
said  :  '  The  curse  of  God  go  with  thee ; '  to  which  the  sufferer  replied  :  '  I  bless  God 
I  am  counted  worthy  to  suffer  for  the  name  of  Jesus.'  After  the  whipping  of 
Holmes,  thirteen  persons  suffered  in  one  way  or  another  for  the  sympathy  which 
they  manifested  foi-  him  and  were  unable  to  I'epress.  John  Spur  and  John  Hazel 
were  sentenced  to  receive  ten  lashes,  or  a  tine  of  forty  shillings  each.  Their  crime 
was,  that  they  had  taken  the  holy  confessor  by  the  hand  when  he  was  led  to  the 
whipping-post  by  the  executioner.  This  fine  was  paid  by  their  friends  without  their 
consent.  The  story  which  they  both  tell  in  detail,  of  their  arrest  under  warrants 
issued  by  Increase  Nowel,  as  well  as  of  their  trial  and  sufferings  for  greeting  their 
abused  brother,  are  most  affecting.  Hazel  being  about  sixty  years  of  age  and 
infirm,  had  come  fifty  miles  to  comfort  his  friend  Holmes  in  prison.  Professor 
Knowles  tells  us  that  this  old  Simeon  from  Rehoboth  died  before  he  reached  his 
home.  The  saint  paid  a  severe  penalty  for  allowing  his  soft  old  heart  to  pity  a  poor 
lacerated  Ijrother,  who  had  left  his  noble  wife  and  eight  children  to  visit  the  liliiul 
in  his  affliction. 

This  outrage  aroused  the  most  bitter  resentment  everywhere,  and  to  his 
honor  it  should  be  known  to  the  end  of  the  world,  that  Richard  Saltoustall,  one  of 
the  first  magistrates  of  Massachusetts,  who  was  then  in  England,  sent  a  dignified 
and  indignant  letter,  dated  April  25th,  1652,  to  Rev.  Messrs.  Cotton  and  Wilson,  in 
which  he  wrote : 

'  It  doth  not  a  little  grieve  my  spirit  to  hear  what  sad  things  are  reported  daily 
of  your  tyranny  and  persecutions  in  New  England,  as  that  you  fine,  whip,  and   im- 
prison men  for  their  consciences.     First,  you  compel  such  to  come  into  your  assem- 
45 


690  JUCllAni)   SALTijysTAlsL    liliMOysTUATKS. 

l)lics  as  yon  know  will  not  join  with  yon  in  worsliip.  and  wlicn  they  siiow  tlicir  ijis- 
]il<(!  tliureof,  and  witness  airuinst  it.  tlicn  y(jn  slii-  n|>  yonr  maf^isti'atrs  to  ])nnisli  tlicni 
for  sncli  as  yon  conceive;  tlicir  j)uhlic  affronts.  .  .  .  Tiicse  riicid  ways  have  laid  you 
vei'y  low  in  tlie  Jiearts  of  tlie  saints.  1  do  assni'e  yon  tjiat  1  have  heard  tlieni  pray 
in  the  public  nsseniblics  that  the  I.oi'd  woidd  irive  you  meek  and  humble  s|)irits.  not 
to  strive  so  much  for  unifoi-mity  as  to  keej)  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of 
]>eace.  Wlien  I  was  in  Holland,  ai>out  the  beginninii  of  ourwar.s,  I  reniend)er  some 
Christians  there,  that  then  had  serious  thoughts  of  planting  in  New  England,  desired 
me  to  write  to  the  governor  thereof,  to  know  if  those  that  diller  from  yon  in 
opinion,  yet  holding  the  same  foundation  in  religion,  as  Anabaptists,  Seekers,  Anti- 
iiomians,  and  the  like,  might  be  pei'mitted  to  live  among  yon,  to  which  1  received 
this  short  answer  from  your  then  governor,  Mr.  Dudley:  '(Tod  forbid,''  said  he, 
"our  love  for  the  truth  should  be  grown  so  cold  that  we  .should  tolerate  ermrnr 
I  hope  you  do  not  assume  to  your.selves  infallibility  of  Judgment.  .  .  .  Wo  pray  for 
you  and  wish  you  prosperity  eveiw  way  ;  lioped  the  Lord  would  have  given  you  so 
much  light  and  love  there,  that  you  might  have  Imhmi  eyes  to(iod"s  people  here,  and 
not  to  practice  these  courses  in  the  wilderness  wliii-h  you  went  so   far  to  j>i'event."^ 

Cotton  undertook  in  I'ejily  to  jiisiily  the  il.ii-k  deed,  and  made  as  shamelul  a 
failure  as  (!ver  an  in(piisitoi'  made  in  delense  of  the  Inquisition,  lie  saw  nothing 
in  Holmes's  conduct  but  willful  obstinacy,  and  if  a  citizc'U  is  obstinate  in  his  ojiinions 
is  it  not  the  liounden  duty  of  the  magisti'ates  to  whip  it  out  '.  And  so  he  threw  the 
I'utiiv  res|)onsiliility  upon  the  victim  hinixdf.      TJH'se  are  his  words: 

"As  for  his  whipping,  it  was  more  voluntarily  chosen  hy  him  than  inllicted  on 
him.  His  censure  by  the  Court  was  to  liave  paid,  as  I  know,  thirty  pounds  or  else 
be  whipped  ;  his  fine  was  offered  to  be  |)ai(l  by  friends  for  him  fi-eely  ;  but  he  chose 
rather  to  l)e  whipped  ;  in  which  case,  if  liix  siiff]  r!n<i  of  strijicx  hhik  anij  irarghip  if 
God  at  all,  siurli/  It  could  he  acconnti'il  no  Ji<  ft,  r  tlian  irill,-inors/u'/>.^ 

So  obtuse  was  his  conscience  in  all  that  related  to  the  freedom  of  iiiaiTs  sold  in 
the  worship  of  (toiI,  that  he  ciiuld  not  see  the  base  injustice  of  lining  a  man  for  his 
convictions  of  <luty  to  (-rod,  and  then  whipping  him  because  he  wonhl  not  consent 
to  recognize  the  righteousness  of  his  own  [junishment  by  ])aving  an  unjust  tine. 
Governor  Jeidis,  of  lihodc!  Island,  miderstood  the  matter  as  Holmes  understood  it, 
and  in  writing,  early  in  the  eighteenth  century,  said  : 

'The  paying  of  a  line  seems  to  be  luit  a  small  thing  in  coinpai'isou  of  a  man's 
parting  with  his  religion,  yet  the  paying  of  a  fiiu!  is  the  ackiu)wledguient  of  a  trans- 
gression ;  and  i'av  a  man  to  acknowledge  that  he  has  transgressed,  when  his  con- 
science tells  him  he  has  not,  is  but  little,  if  any  thing  at  all,  .short  of  parting  with 
liis  religion.' 

liut,  with  the  heartlessness  of  a  stone.  Cotton  says:  'The  imprisonment  of  either 
of  them  was  no  detriment.  I  believe  they  fared  neither  of  them  better  at  home, 
and  I  am  sure  Homes  had  not  been  .so  well  clad  in  manv  years  before.'  He  evi- 
dently respected  Holmes's  coat  more  than  the  shoulders  whidi  it  covered.  He  con- 
tinues : 

■  We  believe  there  is  a  vast  diti'('renc(!  between  men's  inventions  and  God's 
institutions.    Wu  tied  from  men's  inventions,  to  which  we  else  should  have  been  com- 


Tins  wmrr/xt;  um.awful.  69 1 

pelled  ;  wc  compel  none  to  men's  inventions,  if  our  ways,  rigid  ways  as  yon  call 
tliem,  Imve  laid  us  low  in  tlio  hearts  of  God's  people,  yea,  and  of  tiie  saints,  as  yon 
style  them,  we  do  not  believe  it  is  any  part  of  their  saintsliip.'° 

All  this  is  reiulercil  the  more  huuiiliating,  when  we  keep  in  mind  that  the  entire 
transaction  was  unlawful.  The  statute  of  Noveudu'r  l;3th,  IG-l-i,  called  for  the 
'banishment'  of  Baptists,  but  Winslow  said  that  they  had  no  law  'to  wlup  in  that 
kind  ;'  hence,  the  wanton  cruelty  of  the  whole  case,  without  even  the  show  or  pre- 
tense of  law.  Possibly  this  may  account  for  the  fact  tliat  so  many  able  historians 
have  j)assed  it  by  in  silence.  ,lohn>()n  does  not  refer  to  it  in  his  History  of  1G54, 
nor  Morton  in  his  Memorial  of  iWAK  nor  Hubbard  in  his  History  of  1(!S0,  nor 
Mather  in  his  of  1702.  Others,  who  did  make  the  record,  generally  palliated  the 
conduct  of  the  persecutors  as  best  they  could.  But  it  was  left  for  Dr.  Palfrey,  in 
the  latter  half  of  the  nineteenth  century,  to  make  light  of  this  helpless  confessor's 
suffering,  by  expressing  his  suspicion  that  the  magistrates  sought  '  to  vindicate  what 
they  thought  the  majesty  of  the  law,  at  little  cost  to  the  delinquent.'  It  is  difficult 
to  understand  how  a  grave  histoi'ian  can,  with  any  show  of  seriousness,  maintain  that 
the  majesty  of  law  was  jeoparded  by  refusing  to  attend  a  State  Church,  and  by  taking 
the  Lord's  Supper  elsewhere  without  disturbing  any  one;  or  if  it  were,  that  it  could 
be  vindicated  by  plowing  furrows  amongst  the  muscles  and  nerves  of  a  Christian's 
back  till  it  was  raw.  Besides,  there  was  no  law  to  be  vindicated  in  this  case.  The 
statutes  against  the  Baptists,  as  we  see,  provided  that  they  should  be  banished,  not 
flogged.  If  this  brutal  beating  were  a  mere  perfunctory  farce,  why  was  it  necessary 
to  deal  out  upon  the  (piivering  flesh  of  Holmes  the  last  lash  up  to  thirty  ?  Increase 
Nowel  was  a  ruling  elder  in  the  Chui-ch,  the  judges  sat  in  its  chief  seats,  and 
should  have  remembered  the  cruel  scourging  of  their  Saviour  by  a  heartless  judge. 
Instead,  as  Edwards  says, '  with  a  whip  of  three  cords  belaboring  his  back  till  poor 
Holmes's  flesh  was  reduced  to  jelly,'  so  they  recollected  their  Redeemer  in  his  servant. 
The  thirty  lashes  with  the  three-corded  whip  counted  ninety  strokes  in  all ;  though 
others,  whip]ied  at  the  same  time  for  rape  and  counterfeiting  money,  received  btit 
ten  !  And  what  does  it  count  to  the  honor  of  his  tormentors  that  the  patient  suf- 
ferer said:  'You  have  struck  me  as  with  roses?'  The  spiritual  exaltation  of 
martyrs  in  all  ages  has  asserted  itself  by  lifting  them  above  physical  suffering.s,  which, 
in  themselves,  have  been  most  excruciating.  Can  it  be  pretended  that  because  poor 
Bainham  cried  that  the  flames  were  like  a  bed  of  down,  they  therefore  did  not 
reduce  his  body  to  a  cinder  ?  Neither  can  it  lie  claimed  that  what  Holmes  called 
'  a  whip  of  roses  '  did  not  almost  flay  him  alive,  lie,  himself,  tells  us  that  his  pangs 
were  so  '  grievous'  that  with  strong  crying  and  tears  he  prayed  to  him  who  was  able 
to  save  him,  so  that  neither  his  flesh  nor  spirit  '  failed,'  but  like  his  Master  he  was 
heard  and  strengthened  to  endure  what  he  feared.  Surely,  Dr.  Palfrey's  notions  of 
law  and  its  '  majesty '  needed  as  much  revision  as  did  his  suspicions  and  tender 
mercies.     This  whipping  of  Holmes  was  as  grievous  a  piece  of  tyranny  as  ever  was 


692  !)/i'S.    I'AI.I'lli:)'    AM)    IiEXTEU. 

iiillictt'd  :it  llic  liaiids  uf  C'hristinu  men.  ami  it  can  liml  im  |)alliati(./n  in  the  divine 
grace  voudisafed  to  Iiis  s])iritnal  .-upimrt.  Often  wlu-n  thi'  Ijody  of  a  holy  iiiaii  is 
the  most  sc\'iTi'ly  rackc-il.  liis  spirit  seems  eonsciously  to  glaiiee  aside  and,  as  it  were, 
stand  apart  from  the  hody  to  cxnlt  in  its  own  su])eriority  to  ids  suffering  flesli. 
15ut  ail  (-ynicai  j)ooli-iioohnieiit  of  llieir  agonies  is  nnwortliy  of  a  man  wlio  jjretcMids  to 
Iniman  conseiousness.  Tluit  soullessness  which  excuses  the  whij)i)ing  of  Holmes 
woulil    in>(  ify  the  hurning  of   l-atinicr  and    Kidley. 

It  was  sufficient  ly  painful  thai  !))■.  Palfrey  sliould  tinge  tlie  cheek  of  the  nine- 
teenth  century  hy  a  gratuitous  lling  at  Holmes's  stripes  as  harndess  ;  iuit  it  was 
reserved  for  a  leariii'cj  and  aged  nunisterof  that  lowly  One  who  said,  •  Inasmuch  as 
ye  liave  <lonc  it  unto  one  of  the  li'ast  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto 
nu',"  to  select  for  himself  tiie  distinction  of  sneeiang  at  this  bleeding  child  of  God. 
In  187()  liev.  Dr.  Uexter,  in  his  woi'k  on  lioger  Williams,  not  oidy  cites  Palfrey's 
unworthy  remark  with  a|)pi'oval,  but  on  page  lio  reveals  an  unlovely  (in'iniHx  in 
doing  so,  by  the  sneer:  '  IIhIiikk  whlp^icd — li<(viii(j  inxiufcil  upon  it.'  Palfrey  might 
well  have  spai'cd  the  sensibilities  of  Christdike  men  ik>pite  the  studied  1ini>h  i.if  his 
sentence,  but  much  less  was  it  needful  for  this  venerable  scholar  of  three-score  years 
to  wound  i-elined  humanity  liy  studied  c<iarseness.  Though  thiaist  out  of  the  text, 
in  contrast  with  Palfrey's  words  and  cai'efully  veiled  in  hi>  Judex,  no  charitable 
man  can  ])ersuade  himself  that  the  red  soivs  on  liolmes">  Iwck  W(]uld  ha\e  suited 
the  doctor's  gloating  better  had  such  flowers  glowed  in  a  heap  at  the  sufl'erer's  feet, 
as  in  the  case  of  Baiidiaiu.  Palfrey  knew  that  his  ground  wa.-  delicate  and  trod 
lightly,  but  U>  use  l^aul's  words  of  Isaiah,  Dr.  Dexter  •  is  vei-y  bold,'  and  rushes 
wlieiv   Palfrey  'suspected"  that  he  would  like  to  trea<l  softly. 

Without  honor  to  ^las.-achusetts  history,  and  without  throwing  one  ray  of 
light  upon  this  dark  bh;t  on  its  [lages.  Dr.  Dexter  has  offered  himself  as  the 
apologist  of  this  barbarity  toward  his  P)a])tist  brethren,  and  foi-  this  purpose  adojits 
and  I'laborates  a  most  astounding  tlieoi'v  IVom  Dr.  i'alfrey.  I  le  claims  that  the 
object  of  this  pilgrinuige  to  Swampscott  was  not  to  administei-  sjiiritual  consolation 
to  Witter,  l)ut  as  he  jjuts  it,  to  float  '  the  red  flag  of  the  aiud)aptistical  fanaticism  ' 
'  full  in  the  face  of  the  Bay  bull.'  In  other  words,  taken  from  his  Index  again, 
'  Clarke  and  his  ])arty  leave  Newport  to  obtain  a  little  persecution  in  Massacluisetts,' 
and  that  to  accomplish  a  purely  political  end.  His  statemi'ut  of  the  case  is  briefly 
this.  8ome  time  before,  ('oddington,  of  Rliode  Island,  had  gone  to  London  to  obtain 
leave  from  England  to  institute  a  separate  government  for  the  islands  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Canonicut,  he  to  be  the  governor.      Dr.  Dexter's  words  are: 

'  In  the  autumn  of  U>.5(.>  it  was  understood  that  he  was  on  his  way  home  with 
this  new  instrument,  and  it  was  further  luiderstood  tliat  it  was  Mr.  Coddington's 
desire  and  intention  to  bring  about  under  it,  if  possible,  the  introduction  of  Rhode 
Island  into  the  confederacy  then  existing  of  the  other  colonics,  if  not  absolutely  to 
prevent  its  annexation  to  Massachusetts.'  Clarke  and  Coddington  were  not  on 
good   terms,  and   the  '  Anabaptist  pastor  was   bitterly  opposed  to  the  new-coming 


THIS    CIlVF.l.TY  INEXCUSABLE.  693 

order  of  tilings."  •  Wliuii  tliu  crisis  approac-lied,  lie  seems  to  iiavi;  felt  that  a  little 
liersecution  of  the  Aiialiajitists — if  sueli  a  thiiii;  eotild  he  managed — bv  Massachu- 
setts, might  serve  an  important  purpose  in  [nvjiidieing  the  lihotle  Island  mind 
against  Coddingtoirs  scheme.' 

Accordingh',  the  visit  td  ^Vittel•  was  carel'iilly  |daniird  and  execntetl  as  a  means  of 
enraging  the  '  Hay  hull  I  "  " 

l-*c)ssil)ly,  CoddiiigtiPii  had  llie  above  project  in  \  iew,  and  he  mas'  have  been 
opposed  by  Clarke:  bnt  ccirainly  and  iiatnrally,  this  cruelty  to  Ihilmes  raised  a 
storm  of  indignation  against  its  perpetrators.  These  are  the  only  facts  in  addition 
to  those  of  the  journey  itself  whicdi  Dr.  De.xter  adduces  in  support  of  his  [n'oposi- 
tion.  It  is  one  of  the  eartlinal  [)rinei[)les  of  jurisprudence  that  a  man  is  to  be  held 
innocent  until  piMved  to  be  guilty,  and  that  his  motives  are  to  be;  |u-(>sumed  good 
until  shown  to  be  evil.  .\  (.'hri>tian  historian  is  bonnd  to  ubst-rve,  at  least,  the 
same  measure  of  just  judgment  that  ol)tains  in  ordinary  tribunals.  And,  no  candid 
man  will  conclude  that  the  facts  recounted  here  are  inconsistent  with  good  inten- 
tions, or  that  they  point  to  t!ie  conclusion  that  Holmes  and  his  associates  went 
to  Massachusetts  to  carry  out  a  political  |)lot.  <  )ne  who  will  read  Dr.  Dexter's 
own  account  of  this  transaction  with  care,  will  see  that  the  alleged  ulterior 
designs  are  not  even  inferences  fi'om  facts.  They  are  supplied  entirely  by  the 
writer  himself,  and  are  artfully  woi-ked  into  the  thread  of  the  narrative.  Outside 
of  the  common  prcsum|)tioii  of  innocence,  the  actual  occurrences  tend  distinctl}-  to 
show  that  the  real  reason  of  the  visit  to  Swampscott  was  the  one  ojjenly  avowed. 
The  conduct  of  tlie  three  visitors  was  that  of  men  who  shunned  rather  than  courted 
publicity.  If  their  purpose  had  been  to  tlaunt  the  '  I'ed  flag  full  in  the  face  of  the 
Bay  bull,'  they  would  not  have  gone  cpiietly  to  Witter's  house  ami  held  religious 
service  there,  almost  in  secret.  They  would  have  made  their  presence  and  their 
infraction  of  the  local  law  as  conspicuous  as  possible.  As  it  was,  they  were  dragged 
from  their  quiet  and  seclusion,  and  forced  into  a  public  congregation  against  their 
will  and  remonstrance,  by  a  constable.  Then,  pre-eminent  amongst  the  three,  the 
behavior  of  Holmes  after  the  arrest  was  simply  that  of  strong  convictions  and 
heroic  consistency. 

AVhatever  may  be  .said  in  extenuation  of  the  action  of  the  I'uritans  of  Massa- 
chusetts in  this  case,  and  it  is  little  at  the  most,  they  were  intolerant  and  inquisi- 
torial. They  had  come  to  New  England  not  to  establish  religious  freedom,  but  a 
religions  absolutism  of  their  own.  As  Dr.  Dexter  naively  puts  it,  they  had  deter- 
mined •  to  make  their  company  spiritually  homogeneous.'  Give  them  the  credit 
of  being  children  of  their  age  for  what  it  is  worth ;  but  the  case  is  entirely 
different  with  a  minister  of  Jesus,  who  has  breathed  the  air  of  New  England  for 
half  a  century,  and  is  writing  in  the  last  quarter  of  the  nineteenth  century ;  who 
instead  of  asking  for  a  charitable  verdict  upon  their  faults,  .seeks  to  justify  them,  in 
the  warp  and  in  the  web,  and  to  that  end  sets  himself  systematically  to  revile  the 


694  Mil.    WTNSOR'S    VIEWS. 

il(.'ail  wliu  f-iiilVi'cd  tlic'ir  tvramiy.  1 1  i>  .-I  i-ictui-c>  ^llo\^■  liiii\  to  lie  so  ul)viou.<ly  tlie  coin- 
iiiittc'ii  advocate  of  an  iinteiialilr  tln'iir\.  tliat  wiili  all  \\\>  aciituin/ss,  liis  (loirmatiz- 
iiiH'  is  not  even  plausihle.  I'pun  liini  must  I'cst  tiie  stain  of  liaviny  inijmted  to  these 
eoni'essors,  without  tlii'  slij^litest  I'ouiulation,  only  wicked  intentions  in  the  iierf(jrni- 
ance  (if  an  act  of  (.'hristian  niei-ey.  l!anci-oft  is  not  alone  in  saving;-  that  Holmes 
was '  w  lii|i])ed  unmercifully,'  noi-  Arnohl.  that  he  was  •  cruelly  whijipecl."  Oliver,  in 
hi>  •  I'ui'ilan  ( 'omnionwealtli,' says  that  he  was'  livid  with  the  bruises  from  the  hish,' 
and  liay  wi'ites  in  I'ryant's  •  History  of  the  Ignited  Statt's  : "  'Such  was  liis  spiritual 
exaltation  thai  when  the  ijha^tly  spectacle  was  over,  and  his  clothes  were  restored  to 
him  to  cover  his  scoi-ei|  and  Moody  hack,  lie  tui'iied  to  the  magistrates  standing  hy, 
and  said,  "  ^  on  have  struck  me  with  rose>/"  ' 

A  writei-  of  the  present  day  is  no  m<ire  responsible  for  this  treatment  of 
liaptists  by  the  Massaehtisetts  authorities,  than  were  their  victims,  and  it  is  hon- 
orable to  the  liistoi'ic  pen  to  hear  men  who  havt'  no  special  inti-rest  in  those 
victims,  beyond  that  of  common  humanity,  e.\])ress  their  holiest  convictions,  as  Mr. 
Winsor,  Librarian  of  IIar\ard,  does  in  his  'Memorial  History  of  Lioston."  lie  says 
that  the 

'Anabaptists"  received  "  li'rievous  treatment  from  the  magistrates  of  tiie 
Puritan  eommonwealth.  .  .  .  ( )ar  rulers  were  most  perplexed  and  dismayed 
l»y  the  experience  already  referred  to,  namel}',  the  alarming  increase  in  the 
colony  of  niibaptized,  hecanse  their  parents  were  not  inenihei's  of  the  Church. 
.  .  .  It  is  a  sad  story.  Most  pure  and  excellent  and  otherwise  inoffensive  persons 
were  the  sufferers,  and  generally  patient  ones.  But  the  struggle  was  a  brief  one. 
The  IJaptists  eon(]iiered  in  it  and  came  to  equal  esteem  and  love  with  their  brethren. 
Their  fidelity  was  one  of  the  needful  and  effective  influences  in  reducing  the 
equally  needful  but  effective  intolerance  of  the  Puritan  comnioiiwealtli."  " 

There  is,  however,  a  sadly  ludicrous  side  to  Dr.  Dexter's  showing  which  few 
care  to  follow.  lie  counts  Massachusetts  out  of  his  theor}'  entirely,  for  he  fails 
to  show  that  she  was  in  such  a  lovable  frame  of  mind  as  to  court  union  with  lihode 
Island  and  with  her  frightful  'red  Hag.'  Whether  a  public  proposition  f(n'  the 
wdiolesale  importation  of  vipers  into  the  Bay  (Jolonv.  or  a,  confederation  with 
the  •  Anabaptistical  fanaticism'  of  Tlhode  Island,  would  have  most  alarmed  that 
commonwealth,  it  is  hard  to  say.      Bryant  thinks  that 

'These  Ilhode  Island  people  grew,  from  the  beginning,  more  and  more  intol- 
erable to  the  Boston  brethri'ii.  It  was  l)ad  enough  that  they  should  obstinately 
maintain  the  rights  of  independent  thought  and  private  conscience  ;  it  was  nn])ar- 
donable  that  they  should  assume  to  be  none  the  less  sincere  Christians  and  good 
citizens,  and  should  succeed  in  estahlisliing  a  governinent  of  their  own  on  principles 
which  the  Massachusetts  (reneral  Court  declared  was  criminal.  Even  in  a  coininoii 
peril  the  Massachusetts  magistrates  could  recognize  no  tie  of  old  fi-iendship — hardly, 
indix'd,  of  linnian  sympathy — that  should  bind  them  to  such  men.'* 

Another  aspect  of  this  very  cheap  persecution  theory  is  the  jocose  assninjition 
that  the  Rhode  Island  people  \vere  obtuse  and  slow  to  learn  that  the  '  Bay  bull"  ever 


THE   CHEAP  PEliSECUriON   THEORT.  693 

did  froth  at  the  moiitli  and  tear  tlie  turf  in  viuluiicu  vviiuii  iiu  .siuillcd  fresli  breezes 
fn)in  the  Providence  plantations  and  Aquidneck.  Sundry  occasions  had  arisen  in 
the  schooling  of  the  "  fanatical'  colony  to  educate  her,  tduchinj;-  the  temper  <jf  this 
I'auipant  bull  of  Bashan.  Some  of  her  best  colonists  had  been  driven  out  of  Massa- 
chusetts, from 'Williams  down  ;  and  iJhode  Island  must  liave  been  a  dull  scholar 
indeed  to  have  needed  a  'little'  new  persecution  to  awaken  her,  after  the  lesson  of 
November  l:'.tli.  It'i44. 

Last  of  all.  this  tlu'dry  of  iii;iiia,i;iim-  to  get  up  '  a  little  persecution  of  the  Ana- 
baptists' to  order  does  not  accord  with  Clarke's  acknowledged  ability  as  a  politician. 
To  be  sure  he  knew  that  old  farmer  Witter  had  been  up  bef<iri;  the  Courts  on  the 
charge  of  being  an  '  Anabajjlist '  on  two  occasions — eight  years  before  this  visit  and 
five  years  before — and  that  lie  had  not  been  to  the  Established  Church  for  more  than 
'nine  months,"  all  of  which  i-lmuld  have  shown  him  that  the  "Bay  bull'  was  not 
nearly  as  furious  on  that  [)articular  farm  as  in  some  other  places.  If  this  crafty 
elder  had  wanted  to  tire  the  Baptist  heart  of  Rhode  Island  to  some  effect,  why  did 
he  not  make  directly  tV>r  lioston.  instead  of  leaving  it  quietly  ;  and,  as  he  was  there 
on  Saturday,  too,  why  did  he  not  stay  over  Sunday,  go  to  Cotton's  Church,  and 
'flout'  the  flag  there  '.  Cotton  would  have  known  it  in  a  moment,  and  by  Monday 
ni'dit  the  roaring  of  the  '  bull '  would  have  traveled  on  the  wings  of  the  wind  from 
Plymouth  to  Providence,  from  Boston  to  the  horn  of  Cape  Cod.  But  instead  of  that, 
he  hides  himself  on  Sunday  in  a  Baptist  family  on  an  obscure  farm  two  miles 
from  a  Congregational  Church,  will  not  show  his  face  till  two  constables  drag  him 
out,  will  not  go  to  a  Congregational  Church  till  dragged  into  it,  and  does  not  act  at  all 
like  a  child  of  his  generation.  l)ut  altogether  like  an  unsophisticated  'child  of  light.' 
What  could  the  plotter  be  thinking  of  to  let  Mr.  Cotton  have  peace  when  he  was 
within  ten  miles  of  him,  and  when  one  wave  of  the  'flag'  would  have  turned 
Boston  into  Bedlam  ? 

Still,  these  three  Newport  evangelists  might  not  have  been  so  verdant,  after  all, 
as  they  seemed.  These  things  appear  clear  to  Dr.  Dexter,  namely  :  1.  They  knew  that 
the  '  Bay  '  kept  a  persecuting  'bull,' with  very  long  horns,  on  which  to  toss  defense- 
less Baptists.  2.  That  it  was  very  e.xcitable,  and  a  '  red '  Baptist  flag '  flouted  full  in 
its  face  '  was  sure  to  disabuse  all  minds  that  had  been  soothed  into  the  dangerous  be- 
lief of  its  loving  and  lamb-like  disposition;  but,  3.  They  could  hardly  know  tliat  it 
was  kept  on  that  Swampscott  fiirm,  or  that  it  would  make  all  Bashan  trendjle,  by 
tearing  up  the  turf  generally,  even  when  the  'red  flag'  was  not  'flouted  full  in  its 
face.'  The  meshes  of  Clarke's  net  are  very  open  if  these  were  his  notions,  and 
form  an  extremely  thin  w\\  for  the  eyes  of  the  quick-sighted  'Bay  bull.' 

The  entire  cliain  of  circumstances  render  it  much  more  rational  to  interpret  this 
visit  as  having  in  view  the  administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to  AVitter  by  the 
authority  of  the  Newport  Church.  This  service,  on  Monday  morning,  throws  a 
strong  light  upon  the  entire  transaction.      Backus,  quoting  from  the  Newport  ( 'lunch 


696  rill-:  Missioy  of  tiir  tutike. 

ri-ccird,  savs  tliat  the  tlircH'  wci-c  '  re)irescntativ('s  of  the  (,'liiircli  in  Xcwport,'  ami 
tint  Wiltn-  •  l(riiii;-a  linitlici-  in  tlic  Cliiii-cii,  hv  feasoii  of  lii#  a(l\'aiu-ed  airt',  foiild  not 
take  so  i^-reat  a  joiirnry  as  to  vi.sit  the  Ohm-cii.'  Ariiohl,  tlie  liiiode  Ishind  historian, 
says  that  '  thev  wore  dejjiited  1)V  tlie  Church  to  \isit  him.  for  he  'liad  re(|iiested  an 
interview  witli  Minie  of  iiis  h]-ethren,"  and  ilnhiies  liiinself.  in  his  letter  !■>  Sjiilsbiirv 
and  Killiii,  iiives  this  account  :  "  I  canie  u|ioii  neca.^ion  of  i)iisinc.ss  into  tlie  colony  ol 
Massachusetts  witli  two  other  hrethi-eii."  On  what  "  iiiisiiiess"  so  natural  as  that  of 
their  i,ord  and  his  ( 'hiirch.  lii'iiii;'  sent  as  a  deputation  to  'break  liread  '  with  this 
iiiliiinold  hrother,  wlio  Ini'  nearly  a  year  had  nut  been  to  the  Congregational  Chnrch 
at  i.yini,  and  eoiild  not  i;'et  to  his  own  at   Xt'Wjiort. 

N'erv  earlv  in  the  hi>tor\-  of  the  JMiiilish  Ileforniation  strong  ground  was  taken 
against  'hawking  about"  \W  I.ui-d's  Siip|>er,  as  an  a<-t  id'  superstition.  Kinghain.  in 
harmony  with  all  Clii'istian  anti(|nity,  says  that  in  the  I'riinifive  Chnrch,  the  Eucha- 
rist was  not  oll'ercd  in  a  corner  'inr  the  intention  ur  at  the  cost  of  some  particular 
persons,  Imt  for  a  communion  to  the  whole  Church,  as  the  primitive  Church  always 
used  it:  and  there  is  not  an  exampK'  to  be  found  of  the  contrary  ])ractice." '■'  ISiil 
so  far  was  this  custom  cast  aside  wlieii  the  ( 'hurcli  became  coi-riipl,  that  the  elements 
were  commonly  taken  t(.)  the  dying.  .Xccuriling  to  Limborch,  in  Spain,  suldiers  and 
a  bellman  attended  tin-  procession  thi-ough  tin'  streets,  and  whi'ii  the  bell  gave  three 
strokes  all  the  people  fell  on  their  knees,  even  the  actors  and  (lancers  on  the  stage,  if 
it  passed  a  theater."'  Many  reformers,  therefore,  deprecated  the  use  of  the  Supper 
amongst  the  sick  and  dying,  as  savoring  of  the  worst  superstition.  .\one,  however, 
opposed  this  practice  more  resolutely  than  the  liaptists,  because  they  held  that  tlie 
Church,  as  a  body,  had  control  of  the  Snpjicr,  and  should  partake  thereof  only  in  its 
Church  ca|)acity. 

In  .bilin  Sinvth's  confession,  (18)  he  says:  'The  Church  of  Christ  has  jiowcr 
delegated  to  themselves  of  anni>uticing  the  word,  administering  the  sacranient.s,"  and 
(15)  thiit  the  Supper  is  the  'sign  of  the  eommnnion  of  the  faithful  amongst  them- 
selves.' Article  XX XI I,  of  the  Baptist  Confession  of  1689.  takes  the  ground  that 
it  is  'to  be  observe<l  in  the  Churches,"  and  is  a  '  pledge  of  their  communion.'  The 
I'hiladelphia  Confession.  ]  7+2,  says  (iVrt.  XXXII)  that  the  Supper  is  '  to  l>e  oliserved 
in  the  Churches,'  and  deprecates  '  the  reserving  of  the  elements  for  any  pretended 
religiotis  use,  as  contrary  to  the  institution  of  Christ.'  Ba])tists  have  always  held 
that  the  Supper  is  a  jiurely  ("hurch  ordintuice,  the  whole  body  partaking  of  the  'one 
loaf,'  when  the  Church  'has  come  together  into  otie  place."  They  have  regarded  it 
as  the  family  feast,  to  indiciite  family  relationships,  aitd  hence  have  always  kept  it 
strictly  under  the  custody  of  the  Church,  thi^ir  i)astors  celebrating  it  only  wlien  and 
wiiere  the  Cliurch  appoints  it  to  be  held;  the  body  itself  determining  who  shall  or 
shall  not  partake  of  it  in  the  fraternity  ;  as  it  is  the  Lord's  tabic,  they  have  ever 
gathered  about  it  as  a  family  of  the  Lord.  Li  KUl  the  Boston  Congregational 
Church  guarded  the  table  so  closely  in  this  respect,  that  ■  if  any  member  of  another 


A   DEPUTATION   TO    BliEAK  niiKAD.  697 

Cliureli  be  present,  and  wishes  to  conunune,  lie  mentions  it  to  one  of  tiie  ruling 
elders,  ••  who  propounds  his  name  to  tlie  congregation,"  who,  if  having  no  objection, 
grant  liiiii  the  privilege."  "  (Jill  gives  a  clear  statement  of  the  Baptist  position  iu 
this  matter.     He  says  of  the  place  where  it  is  to  be  (•elel)rate(l : 


'Not  in  private  houses,  unless  when  the  GlmrcheH  are  obliged  to  meet  there  in 
time  of  persecution  ;  iiut  in  the  })ul)lic  place  of  worship,  where  and  when  the  Church 
convened  ;  so  the  disciples  at  Troas  came  together  to  break  bread;  and  the  Church  at 
Corinth  came  together  in  onejilar,'  to  eat  the  Lord's  Su]iper.  Acts  xx,  7  ;  1  Cor.  xi, 
18-33.  For  this,  being  a  Church  ordinance,  is  not  to  be  administered  privately  to 
single  persons;  but  to  the  Church  in  a  body  assembled  for  that  purpose.'  '" 

We  have  no  reason  ftir  believing  that  the  Church  at  Newport  diflfered  from  the 
Baptists  in  general  on  tliis  subject,  and  Clarke  would  scarcely  so  far  compromise 
his  Church  as  to  celebrate  the  Supper  in  Witter's  house,  if  liis  Church  had  not 
exercised  its  right  to  control  its  administration  by  deputing  liim  to  do  so,  in  its  name 
and  as  its  pastor,  and  by  sending  two  laymen  to  accompany  him  as  '  representatives  ' 
of  tlie  Church  on  the  occasion ;  'de[)uted  by  the  Churcii  to  visit  an  aged  member,'  as 
Arnold  expresses  himself.  Such  a  delegated  authority  would  gi\e  weight  to  the 
expression  used  by  Holmes  also,  that  he  went  to  Lv'nn  '  upon  occasion  of  business,'  and 
that  of  importance  too,  being  sent  on  the  '  King's  Imsiness  '  by  the  Church.  So  far  as 
we  have  information  in  the  case,  every  iiint  which  the  known  facts  give  point  in  this 
direction,  and  justify  Clarke  in  observing  the  Supper  in  Witter's  house  by  the  author- 
ity of  the  Church  of  which  they  were  all  members,  and  not  on  his  own  assumption. 

The  reaction  from  this  cruel  per.secution  was  immediate  and  strongly  mai-ked. 
Thoughtful  minds  raised  the  universal  impiiry :  'What  evil  have  these  men 
done?'  Every  man's  conscience  answered  promptly:  'None  at  all,  they  have  but 
obeyed  God  as  they  believed  duty  demanded  ;  niany,  who  had  not  before  thought 
on  the  subject,  found  their  attention  called  to  the  same  line  of  duty^,  and,  as 
usual,  many  were  added  to  the  Lord.  Holmes  says,  that  so  far  from  his  bonds 
and  imprisonments  hindering  the  Gospel,  'some  submitted  to  the  Lord  and  were 
baptized,  and  divers  were  put  upon  the  way  of  inquiry.'  Upon  this  state  of 
things  his  second  arrest  was  attempted,  but  he  escaped.  Henry  Dunster,  the  Pres- 
ident of  Cambridge  College  (now  Harvard),  was  so  stiri'ed  in  his  mind,  that  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  subject  of  infant  baptism,  and  soon  rejected  it  altogether. 
A  brief  sketch  of  his  life  may  be  acceptable  here. 

He  was  born  in  England  about  1*;12,  and  was  educated  at  Cambridge,  with 
Cudworth,  Milton  aiul  Jeremy  Taykir.  He  emltraccd  Puritan  principles  and  came 
to  Boston  in  1640,  four  years  after  Cambridge  College,  New  England,  was  estab- 
lished. Of  course,  at  that  time  it  was  a  mere  seminary,  but,  being  one  of  the  most 
learned  men  of  his  times,  he  was  put  at  its  head.  He  devoted  his  great  powers  to 
its  up-building,  collected  large  sums  of  money  for  it,  giving  to  it  a  hundred  acres 
of  land  himself,  and  his  success  in  furthering  its  interests  was  marvelous.     After  a 


698  piti:sn)KNT  in-:yiiY  dvnster. 

.■-rli(jhii-ly  ;iiiil  llior(jUi;Ii  (.'XaiiiiiKit  ion  ol'  tlir  i|iic.--lii>ii  of  li:i[)lisiii,  lie  hej^aii  to  ])rc'afh 
iiU'aiiisI  inlaiii  hapli.-iii  in  llu'  (.'liiii'cli  ai  ( 'aiiilirulgu,  Kiy.'J,  to  tlic  great  alarm  of  the 
whiik-  cuiiiiiiiiiiit y.  I'Or  \\\\>  iTiuie  lie  was  indicted  by  the  i^raiid  jury,  was  sen- 
tenced to  a  pnlilic  adiii(iiiili(jn,  |iiil  under  limids  for  bettei'  behavior,  and  compelled 
to  roil;!!  his  [ircsidency,  aftel'  a  lailiifnl  sel'vice  of  i'oui-ti.'en  yeai's.  Prince  pi'o- 
nonnceil  him  •one  of  the  greatest  !!ia>lei'>  <d'  lln'  Oi-ienlal  languages  that  liatli 
been  known  in  llicsi.'  ends  of  the  eai'tli,"  but  he  laid  aside  all  lii>  hoiioi's  and  positions 
ill  obedience  to  his  con\  ictioiis.  His  testimony  against  intani  ba])lisi!i  was  very 
strong.  ^\'llrn  r.n-liiddi'n  to  speak,  be  said,  accoi'ding  lo  the  MiiMlesex  (,'ou!'t 
I'ecoi'ds  :  "'riie  subjects  of  baptism  we!v  visible  ])enitenl  belicveis  and  they  only." 
Afte!'  pi'otcstiug  against  the  cll!■i^te!!ing  of  a  child  in  the  congi'egation.  he  saiil : 

'  Tliei'e  is  an  action  now  to  be  do!ie  which  is  not  according  to  the  institution  of 
Christ.  That  tiie  exposition  as  it  had  liecm  set  foi-tli  was  not  the  mind  (d'  (.'lirist. 
Thiit  the  (••Aeiiant  (d'  .Viji'aham  is  not  a  gi-ound  of  bapti.-ni.  no,  not  after  the 
institution  ihrrcol'.  That  thci-e  wei'e  sucli  coi-ruptioiis  stealing  into  the  Church, 
which  evei'v  I'aiflilid  ( 'li!-i>l  iaii  (Jiiglit  to  Ijcai'  witness  against." 

80  mastei'ly  wei'e  his  aigiiments.  tliat  Mi-.  .Mitclicl,  pastoi'  of  the  Chui'i-h,  went 
to  labor  with  him,  and  he  says  that  l)iiii>ter"s  I'l'asous  were  so  "  hui'l'yiiig  and  pi'ess- 
ing"  that  he  had  'a  ^ti'ange  experience."  They  weiv  '  ihii'ted  in  with  some 
impivssion,  and  left  ;i  sti-ange  coid'n^ion  and  sickliness  upon  my  spii'it."  So 
thoroughly  was  Mitchel  shaken,  that  he  fell  back  -on  Mi'.  iloopei''s  pi'inciple, 
that  1  Would  liave  an  ai'^aimeiit  able  to  I'emove  a  mountain  befoiv  1  woulil  recede 
fi-om,  o!'  appear  agaiiist,  ;i  truth  oi-  pi'actice  received  amongst  the  faithfid."  '■•  After 
I)u!isti'r  had  resigned  his  jire.-iilciicy,  April  7tli,  lti57,  he  was  ai'raigned  before  the 
Middle.'e.x  Court  for  refusing  to  have  his  child  baptized.  i!ut  he  was  tii-m,  and  gave 
bonds  to  appear  before  the  Coui-f  of  ,\ssistants.  1  le  i-cmoxi'il  to  Scituute,  in  the  I'lvni- 
outh  Colony,  whei'e  he  maintained  his  manly  jii'otest.     Cndwoi'th  says  of  him  thci'c: 

'  Thi-ough  mei'cy,  we  have  yet  amongst  tis  the  worthy  Mr.  Dunstei-,  whom  thi^ 
Lord  hath  made  boldly  to  hear  testimony  against  the  spirit  of  persecution.' 

lie  died  Fcbi-nai-y  27th,  Ki.')!*.  after  greiit  suffering  and  eminence,  and  in  that 
magnaiiimous  spii'it  which  a  nia!i  of  holy  conviction  knows  how  to  foster.  Cotton 
Mather  says  of  him,  that  he  fell  aslee]) 

'In  sucli  hai'iiioiiy  of  alfection  with  the  good  men  who  had  been  the  ;iiit]ioi's 
of  his  removal  from  Cambridge,  that  he  by  his  will  oi'ilered  his  boily  to  be  carried 
there  for  its  bui'ial,  and  bcfjiK^athed  legacies  to  these  very  pei'sons."  '^ 

There  is  abundant  jinxd'  that,  in  many  thoughtful  minds,  sei'ious  doubts  had 
arisen  concerning  the  sci'iptui'al  authoi-ity  of  infant  liajitism  and  the  right  of  the 
seculai'  power  to  interfei'e  in  I'eligious  atfaii's.  Dunster  had  done  much  to  bi'iiig 
about  this  thoughtfnlness,  ami  othei's  went  further  than  he  seems  to  liave  goi!e. 
It  was  obvious  to  all  that   the   I'ejection   of  infant  ba])tism   and    its  enforcement  by 


THE  BOSTOX   CHUItCII   OATHERED.  699 

law  must  lead  to  a  free  Cliurcli  and  a  free  State,  to  tlie  casting  aside  of  infant 
ba])tisiu  itself  as  a  nullity,  and  the  assertion  of  the  rights  of  conscience  and  private 
judgment  in  siilimitting  to  (iospcl  baptism.  Hence,  in  the  very  heart  of  the 
Puritan  ciimninnweahh,  Dunstei'  had  planted  seed  wliieh  was  indestructible. 
Cambridge  and  the  adjoining  town  of  Charlestown  had  been  tilled  with  these  jirin- 
ciples,  and  out  of  that  center  of  intlueuce  came  the  first  Baptist  (Miurch  of  Mas^a- 
chusetts  Bay  |iro|ier.  l'\ir  nioi'e  than  a  generation  Baptists  had  been  struggling  for 
a  footing  tliei-e,  and  at  last  it  was  secured.  As  noble  a  company  ui  men  as  ever 
lived  now  banded  together  to  withstand  all  the  tyranny  of  the  I'uritaii  inquisition, 
come  what  might;  and  no  body  of  nuigistrates  on  earth  had  their  hands  fuller  of 
work  to  suppress  the  rights  of  man,  than  had  those  of  that  (-olony.  The  struggle 
was  long  and  hard,  but  the  triumph  of  nuinhood  was  C(jmiilete  at  last. 

The  tirst  record  on  the  Ijooksot  the  First  Baptist  ( 'liurcb  in  Boston  reads  thus: 

'The  28tli  of  the  third  month.  Kid."),  in  ( 'hai-lestown,  Massachusetts,  the  Chiircli 
of  Christ,  commonly,  tluiugh  falsely,  called  Anabaptists,  were  gathered  together,  and 
entered  into  fellowship  and  communion  with  each  other;  engaged  to  walk  together 
in  all  the  a])pointments  of  our  Ltird  and  Master,  the  Lord  Jesus  Clu'ist,  as  far  as  he 
should  be  pleased  to  make  known  his  mind  and  will  tinto  them,  by  his  word  and 
y})irit,  and  then  were  baptized,  Thomas  Gould,  Thomas  Osboi-nt',  Edward  I)riid<er, 
John  George,  and  joined  with  Ilichard  Goodall,  William  Turner,  Robert  Lambert, 
Mary  Goodall  and  "Mary  Newell,  who  had  walked  in  that  order  in  Old  England, 
and  to  whom  God  hath  since  joined  Isaac  Hull,  John  Faridiam,  Jacol)  Barney, 
John  Kussell.  Jr.,  John  Johnson,  Geoi-ge  Farley,  Benjamin  Sweetzer,  Mrs.  Sweetzer, 
and  Ellis  Callender.  all  before  1009." 

This  step,  however,  was  imt  taken  until  the  heroic  band  had  ]iaid  a  great  price 
for  their  freeilom.  for  their  vexations  and  sufferings  ran  through  a  course  of  years, 
before  the  tinal  organization  was  effected.  Justice  to  the  memory  of  these  blessed 
ones  demands  futher  notice  of  several  of  them.  Next  after  the  influence  of 
Dunster  on  the  mind  of  Thomas  Gould,  of  Charleston,  a  meiidjer  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church  there,  the  Boston  Church  may  trace  its  origin  to  the  birth  of  a  child  in 
Gould's  family  in  1055.  When  this  little  John  the  Baptist  of  Charlestown  I'aised 
his  flrst  cry  in  that  home,  like  Zacharias  of  old,  its  godly  father  called  his  neighbors 
together  to  unite  with  him  in  thanks  to  God  for  the  precious  gift.  But  he  with- 
held it  from  baptism,  and  was  sunnnoned  to  appear  before  the  ('hureh  to  answer 
therefor,  when  still  refusing  to  have  it  baptized,  he  was  suspended  from  com- 
munion, December  30th,  1050.  The  Middlesex  Court  record  says  that  he  was  then 
brought  before  that  body  'for  denying  infant  baptism  to  his  clnld,  and  thus  put- 
ting himself  aiul  his  descendants  in  \k-v\\  of  the  Lord's  dis])leasure.  as  in  the  case  of 
Moses.'  He  was  brought  l)efore  the  same  Court  with  Dunster,  A])ril  7th,  1057  ; 
and.  worse  and  worse,  before  the  Charlestown  Church,  Februaiw  2Sth,  1004,  for 
having  a  meeting  of  *  Aiud)a|)tists' in  his  house  on  the  preceding  8th  of  Novem- 
ber.    October   11th,   1005,   he  was   before  the  Court   of   Assistants,  charged    with 


700  aOVl.D   AMI    orUF.lts   IMPniSONKD. 

'sclii.siiiiitit'al  rciidiiii;-  fnitn  tlir  cipiiiiiiiini'iii  of  tlie  Cluu'clics  lieiv,  and  setting  up  a 
public  iiiL'etiiii;'  in  oppusitimi  to  ilic  i)i-iliiKiiic('  of  ('ln-ij-t."  Si^veral  otiier  persons 
were  tricij  with  liim  for  the  .-aiiu'  olVcii>c.  and  as  they  all  professed  '  tlieir  resolution 
yet  further  to  proceed  in  .~uch  their  irreuuhir  practices,  tiiereby  as  well  contemning 
the  authority  and  laws  here  estahhshed  foi-  the  maintenance  of  godliness  and 
honesty,  as  coiitinuing  in  the  profanation  of  (Jod's  holy  ordinances:"  (loiild, 
Osborne,  l)riid<er,  TuriuM'  and  (ieorge  were  'disfranchised,"  and  threatened  with 
imjirisoiuiicnt  if  they  conlinued  in  this  'high  pre.-iim])tion  airainst  the  J^ord  and 
his  holy  ajipoinlmeiits."  /echariali  Rhodes,  a  lihode  Island  liaptist,  being  in  Court 
at  th(^  time  and  heai'ing  this  decision,  said  publicly,  that  "they  had  not  to  do  in 
matters  of  religio)i."  and  was  committed,  but  afterward  aclnioiiished  and  dismissed. 

<)ii  April  17th,  UJt'iCi,  (iould,  n>boi-ne  and  (n'orgc  were  presented  to  tlie  grand 
jury  at  Cambiadge,  for  al)sence  from  the  ('ongrcii'ational  {'liiirch  "  foi'  one  whole 
year."  TIh-n  pleaded  that  tliev  were  mendiers  of  a  (.Tospel  Church,  and  attended 
scripttiral  worshiji  regularly.  They  were  coiivi<-ted  of  •  high  ])resumption  against  the 
Lord  and  his  holy  appointments,"  were  HikmI  t'4  each,  and  put  under  bonds  cd'  I'iiO 
each;  but  as  they  would  not  pay  their  tines,  tln'y  were  thi'own  into  prison.  On 
the  Isth  of  i\ugiist,  Itltjtl,  according  to  the  (4eiU'ral  Court  ]>iipc-rs  of  Massacliiisetts, 
the  Assistant's  Court  decided  that  (iould  and  ( )sborne  might  be  rt'leased  fi-om 
prison  if  they  would  pay  the  line  and  costs,  but  if  not  theyslioidil  be  baiii.-hed  ;  they 
also  continued  the  injunction  against  the  assembling  of  15a])tists  for  worship. 
I\[afch  .".(1,  l<It;s,  (iould  was  brought  before  the  Court  of  Assistants  in  I'.oston,  on 
an  aj)pe;d  from  the  County  Cotirt  of  Middlesex,  when  the  previous  judgment  was 
confirmed  and  he  was  recommittiMl  to  jirison.  'i'hcn,  on  the  Tth  of  the  same 
month,  concltiding  tliat  fines  and  impriM'imients  diil  nothing  to  win  him.  and  having 
a  wholesome  dread  of  rejieating  the  Holmes's  whipping  experiment,  the  governor 
and  council  deciding  to  reduce  hini  and  his  bi-ethren  'from  the  eri-or  ol'  their  way, 
and  their  return  to  the  Lord,  .  .  .  do  judge  meet  to  grant  unto  Thomas  (iould, 
John  Fandiam,  Thomas  Osboi-ne  and  company  yet  ftirther  an  (jp])ortunity  of  a  full 
and  free  debate  of  the  grounds  for  their  practice."  They  aho  appointeil  llev. 
Messrs.  Allen,  Cobbett,  lligginson,  Danforth,  Mitclicl  and  Shepard  to  meet  with 
them  on  the  i4th  of  April  'in  the  nieeting-house  at  Uoston  at  nine  in  the  morning." 
The  Baptist  and  I'edobaptist  brethren  were  then  and  there  to  i)ul)licly  debate  the 
followuig  C[uestion  :  '  Whether  it  be  justifiable  by  the  word  of  (iod  for  these  persons 
and  their  company  to  de|)ait  from  the  communion  of  these  Churclu's,  and  to  set  uj) 
an  assembly  here  in  the  way  of  Anabaptism,  and  whether  such  a  practice  is  to  be 
allowed  by  the  go%'erninent  of  this  jurisdiction?'  Now,  who  was  flouting  tlie  'red 
flag  of  the  Anabaptistical  fanaticism  full  in  the  face  of  the  Bay  bull?'  Oould  Avas 
reipiired  to  inform  his  liajitist  brethren  to  apjiear,  and  the  liaptist  Church  at  Xew])ort 
sent  a  delegation  of  three  to  lielp  their  brethren  in  the  debate.  A  great  concourse  of 
people  asseml)led   and    Mitehel   took   the  laboring  oar  in  behalf  of  the  Pedoljaptists, 


THOMAS   OSBOhWK  A^^IJ    EDWAItli    IiHIXKF.Il.  701 

aided  stoutly  by  othur.s,  but  after  two  daj's'  denunciation  of  the  Baptists,  they  wore 
not  allowed  to  reply.  The  authorities,  however,  claimed  tlie  victory  and  berated 
them  soundly  as  'sciiismatics;'  but  as  this  did  not  convert  them,  they  returned  at 
once  to  the  ulii  ari^'iinu'nt  of  fine  and  imprisdniurnt,  n(j| witlistanding  manv 
remonstrances  were  sent  from  England  by  such  men  as  Drs.  Goodwin  and  (>w(n. 
and  Messrs.  Mascall,  Nye  and  Caryl.  Mitchel  gave  this  sentence  against  tlietn,  and 
that  ended  tiie  nuitter :  'The  man  that  will  th)  presumptuously,  and  will  not  hearken 
unto  the  [jriest  that  standetli  to  minister  there  l)et'ore  the  Lord  tli\'  <iod,  or  unto 
tiie  judge,  even  tliat  man  >iiall  die,  and  tliou  slialt  put  away  tiie  evil  trom  Israel.' 
That  sentence  had  been  pronounced  in  IJome  a  hundred  tinu's,  without  half  the 
noise  about  it  which  these  new-fledged  inquisitors  made. 

It  may  be  well  to  add  a  few  words  in  regard  to  Goidd's  companions  in  tliis 
holy  war.  Thomas  Osborne  ajjpears  to  have  been  to  Gould  what  Silas  was  to  I'aid. 
As  far  back  as  N()\'ember  I8th,  li)(18,  the  Charlestown  Church  records  say  that  he, 
'being  leavened  with  ])rinciples  of  Anabaptism,  and  his  wife  leavened  with  the 
principles  of  (Quakerism,'  that  Church  admonished  them.  But  the  admonition 
aj>pears  to  ha\'e  done  no  good,  for  .Inly  IHli,  1665,  they  were  up  before  the  Church 
again,  with  other  '  Anabaptists,"  on  the  ciiarge  that  they  had  '  eid)odied  themselves  in 
a  pretended  Church  way.'  Osborne  refused  to  have  his  babe  baptized,  and  his  wife 
said  that  she  could  not  '  conscientiously  attend  on  ordinances  with  us,'  and  they 
were  excommuincated  on  the  I^nth  '  for  tlieir  impenitency  ; '  and  on  May  15th,  1675, 
he  was  iiried  because  he  worshiped  with  the  Baptist  Society,  now  in  Boston.  Ed- 
Avard  Drinker,  another  of  these  worthies,  is  first  heard  of  at  Charlestown,  but  was  not 
a  memlter  of  the  Congregatiomil  Church  there,  yet  the  lioxl)ury  Church  records  say 
that  when  tlie  Baptist  Church  was  formed,  its  brethren  '  prophesied  in  turn,  some 
one  administered  the  Lord's  Supjjer,  and  that  they  field  a  lecture  at  Drinker's 
house  once  a  fortnight.'  This  good  man  was  baptized  into  the  fellowship  of  the 
new  Church,  but  was  disfranchised  by  the  Court  when  he  became  a  Baptist,  and 
was  imprisoned  for  worshiping  with  his  Church,  1669.  He  suffered  much  for  his 
conscience,  and  we  find  him  writing  to  Clarke,  at  Newport,  as  late  as  November 
30th,  1670,  in  respect  to  the  trials  of  the  Church,  which  at  that  time  had  left 
Charlestown,  and  met  at  Noddle's  Island,  now  East  Boston.  In  this  letter  lie  tells 
Clarke  that  Boston  and  its  vicinity  were  '  troubled,'  much  as  Ilerod  was  at  the 
coming  of  the  King  to  Bethlehem,  '  and  especially  the  old  Church  in  Boston  and 
their  elders.  Indeed,'  he  adds,  that  many  '  gentlemen  and  solid  Christians  are  for 
our  brother's  (Turner)  deliverance,  but  it  cannot  be  had ;  a  very  great  trouble  to 
the  town ;  and  they  had  gotten  six  magistrates'  hands  for  his  deliverance,  but  could 
not  get  the  governor's  hand  to  it.  Some  say  one  end  is  that  they  may  prevent 
others  coming  out  of  England  ;  therefore,  they  would  discourage  them  by  dealing 
with  us.'  He  then  states  that  they  had  received  several  additions  to  the  Church  at 
Noddle's  Island,  that  one  of  their  elders,  John  Ilussell,  lived  at  Woburn,  where 


702  uiaiir  <>!<■  ririrri<i.\  demkd. 

;tliT:ii|\'  IIm'  lirctlii'cii  iiii-t  with  liiiii.  and  oIIkts  in  that  town  \v<tc'  I'niln-aciiii;  their 
ojiiiiions.  William  'l'ni-ni-i-  and  IJuljrrt  l,ainl)crt  wci'c  from  1  )arinii>ui  ii,  lOnjilaiid, 
and  wvw  nirnihcis  (if  .Ml'.  Stead's  Cliiii'cli  iIrti',  liiit  Ijocanic  tVeunicn  in  _Masbii 
cinist'tts  l!a\-.  and  were  disiVancdiisc'd  for  iti't'oiuiii:;-  l!aj>li.sts,  and  when,  (jn  -May  7tli, 
KltiS,  tlie  (^ourl  demanded  wlietlier  Landiert  wciidd  eeasu  attending  the  Baptist 
\v<ir>hi]i,  lie  niisweri'd    that    he  \va>  iM.iind    to  eoiiiinue   in  that  way.  and  was  '  ready 

to  >eal    it  with   lii>    111 1;'   he  was  sentenced   to  lianisinnent,   with    ( iould,  Tnrner 

and  Farnham.  .\o\-emIier  Tth,  Ifitilt,  iniiahitants  uf  Buston  and  Cliarlestown  oll'ered 
a  petition  to  the  Conrt  in  tlieir  favor,  wIumi  ten  persons  were  arrested  for  daring  tu 
siiiii  tliis  jietitioii  for  nierevin  their  hehalf.  Afost  of  tlu'm  upoloyized  for  aijjieai'ini;- 
to  i-elleet  Upon  the  Couit,  i)iit  Sweetzer  was  fined  I'll",  and  Atwater  i;5.  Mareli  'lA, 
KWI'.t.  the  niai;i>trates  liberated  (ioidd  and  Tnrner  from  prison,  for  tliree  days,  tiiat 
tlii'v  min'lit  'appiv  themselves'  to  tlie  'ortliodox'  for  tlie  'further  eonvineenient  of 
tlieir  many  in-ei;-nlarities  in  those  jiraetices  for  which  tluy  were  sentenced.'  l?ut  in 
ordei-  to  enjoy  this  chance  at  '  eonvineenient  "  they  mnst  n'ivc;  i^ood  security  to  the 
prison  ki!epers  for  their  I'eturn  to  confinement.  They  were  imprisoned  because 
they  would  not  move  away.  In  Noveml)er,  1(371,  Swectzer  write.s  :  •  Brother  Turner 
has  been  near  to  death,  but  through  mercy  is  revived,  and  so  has  our  jiastor  Gould. 
'I'lie  persecnfinn'  >pii'it  bei;'ins  to  stir  ai;ain.'  lie  afterward  became  a  captain,  and  in 
a  fight  with  the  Indians  on  the  Connecticut  Ilivei-.  May  i'.tth  li'iT'^.  lieini,'-  ill,  he  led 
his  troops  into  battle  and  fell  at  tlieir  hi'ad.  lie  was  a  devout  (.'hristian,  and 
beloved  greatly  in  Boston. 

These  and  other  I'aptists  were  forbidden  attain  and  as^ain  to  hold  any  meetinjis. 
to  which  nK'asure  the  (ieneral  Court  was  moved  by  an  address  from  tlie  elders  in 
convention,  April  ;5(ttli,  16()S.  They  say:  'Touchini;-  the  case  of  those  that  s(;t  up 
an  assembly  here  in  the  way  of  Anabaptism,'  that  it  belongs  to  the  civil  magistrates 
to  restrain  iind  suppress  these  open  '  enormities  in  religion,'  and  for  those  reasons. 
'  The  way  of  Analiaptisni  is  a  known  and  irreconcilahle  enemy  to  the  orthodox  and 
orderly  Churches  of  (Jlirist.'  They  make  '  infant  biiptism  a  nullity,  and  so  making 
us  all  to  he  p.nlia])tized  ])ersons  .  .  .  by  rejecting  the  true  covenant  of  (Tod  ((-ieii. 
xvii,  7-14)  whereby  the  Church  is  constituted  and  continued,  and  cutting  off  from  the 
Cliiirc'hes  half  the  members  that  belong  to  them.  Il(>nce,  they  solemnly  conclude 
that  'an  assembly  in  the  w-ay  of  Anabaptism  would  be  among  us  as  an  anti- 
temple,  an  enemy  in  this  habitation  of  the  Lord  ;  an  anti-New  England  in  New 
England,  manifestly  tending  to  the  disturbance  and  destruction  of  those  (yhurehes, 
which  their  nnrsing  fathers  ought  not  to  allow.  ...  To  set  up  such  an  as- 
sembly is  to  set  up  a  free  school  of  seduction,  wherein  false  teachers  may  have 
open  liberty  to  seduce  the  people  into  ways  of  error,  which  may  not  be  suffere(l. 
At  the  .same  door  may  all  sorts  of  abominations  come  in  among  ns,  should  this  lie 
allowed,  for  a  few  persons  may,  without  the  consent  of  our  ecclesiastical  and  civil 
order,  set  up  a  society  in  the  name  of  a  Church,  themselves  being  their  sole  judges 
therein  ;  then  the  vilest  of  men  and  deceivers  may  do  the  like,  and  we  have  no 
fence  nor  bar  to  keep  them  out.  Moreover,  if  this  assembly  be  tolerated,  where 
shall  we  stop  'I  Why  may  we  not,  by  the  same  reason,  tolerate  an  assembly  of 
Familists.  Socinians,  t^naker.s.  Bapists  ^  yea, 'tis  known  that  all  these  have  elsewhere 
crejit  ill  under  the  mask  of  Anabaptism.' 


MEKTixa  norsi-:  xaii.hd  ir.  703 

They  say  tliat  'if  tliis  oiio  asseiiibly  be  alluwed,  liv  the  same  reason  may  a 
second,  third,  etc.  ;  scliools  of  tliem  will  soon  be  swarm iiiy-  hither.  If  once  that 
])arty  become  numerous  and  prevailing,  this  country  is  undone,  the  work  of  refor- 
mation being  ruined,  and  the  good  ends  and  enjoyments  wliich  this  people  have 
adventured  and  expended  so  much  for,  utterly  lost.  The  people  of  this  place  have 
a  clear  rigiit  to  the  way  of  religion  and  order  that  is  here  established,  and  to  a  free- 
dom from  ;dl  that  may  be  disturbing  and  destructive  thereunto.'  '° 

After  a  long  contest,  the  infant  Church  which  had  tii'st  l>een  organized  in 
Charlestown,  antl  then  removed  to  Noddle's  Island,  ventured  to  remove  to  Boston,  and 
as  by  stealth.  Philip  S(juire  and  l'"llis  Callender  built  a  small  meeting-house  in  1679 
•at  the  foot  of  an  open  lot  running  down  from  Salem  Street  to  the  mill-pond,  and 
on  the  north  side  of  what  is  now  Stillmau  Street,'  and  Thomas  (iould  became  the 
first  pastor.  This  building  was  so  small,  plain  and  unpretending,  that  it  did  not  dis- 
turb tlie  '  IJay  bull '  until  it  was  completed,  and  the  Church  entered  it  for  worship, 
Feiiruary  15th.  Then  that  amiable  animal  awoke  and  played  very  violent  antics, 
without  the  aid  of  Clarke's  'red  flag.'  In  May,  the  Genei-al  Court  passed  a  law 
forbidding  a  house  for  public  worship  without  the  consent  of  the  Court  or  a  town- 
meeting,  on  forfeiture  of  the  house  and  land.  Under  tins  jM>st /acto  law  the 
Baptists  declined  to  occupy  their  own  church  edifice  until  the  king,  Cliarles  II., 
required  the  authorities  to  allow  liberty  of  conscience  to  all  Protestants.  Then  the 
Baptists  went  back  again,  for  which  the  Court  arraigned  them,  and  March  Sth,  1680, 
ordered  the  mai-shal  to  nail  up  the  doors,  which  he  did,  posting  the  following 
notice  on  the  door : 

'All  persons  are  to  take  notice  that,  by  order  of  the  Court,  the  doors  of  this 
house  are  shut  up,  and  that  they  are  inhibited  to  hold  any  meetings  therein,  or 
to  open  the  doors  thereof,  without  license  from  authority,  till  the  Court  take 
further  order,  as  they  will  answer  the  contrary  to  their  peril. 

'Edwakd  Rawson,  Secretary.' 

The  i'ajitists  quietly  ]ietitioned  in  May,  asking  the  right  to  eat  their  own  bread, 
and  the  Court  gave  them  this  stone,  prohil)iting  them,  'as  a  society  by  themselves, 
or  joined  with  others,  to  meet  in  that  public  place  they  have  built,  or  any  public 
place  except  such  as  are  allowed  liy  lawful  authority.'  The  Baptists  did  not  break 
open  the  door,  but  held  their  public  Sunday  services  on  the  first  Sabl)ath  in  the 
yard,  and  then  prepared  a  shed  for  that  on  the  second  Sabbath.  But  when  they 
came  together  they  found  the  doors  open!  Never  stopping  to  ask  whether  the 
marshal  had  opened  them  or  the  angel  which  threw  back  the  iron  gate  to  Peter,  they 
went  in  boldly  and  said :  '  The  Court  had  not  done  it  legally,  and  that  we  were 
denied  a  copy  of  the  constable's  order  and  marshal's  warrant,  \vc  concluded  to  go 
into  otir  house,  it  being  our  own,  having  a  civil  right  to  it.'  Since  that  day  there 
has  alu-ays  been  a  'great  door  and  effectual'  opened  to  Boston  Baptists. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

NEW     CENTERS     OF     BAPTIST     I  N  FLU  ENCE.-SOUTH     CAROLINA. - 
MAINE.  — PENNSYLVAN  lA. -NEW    JERSEY. 

AS  H  wraihfiil  ti'iiii>ebt  scatters  swd  nviT  a  L-outincut,  so  persecution  lias 
always  forced  l!aj)tists  where  their  wisdom  had  not  led  them.  Tlie  tirst 
American  P)ai)tist  that  we  hear  of,  out  of  lihode  Island  and  .Massachusetts,  is  in  a 
letter  which  Humphrey  Churchwood,  a  resident  ni  what  i.s  now  Ivittery,  .Maine, 
addressed  . I anuai-v  .'Id.  ICS-j,  td  the  liapti^t  Church  in  I'.oston.  of  which  he  was  a 
meniher.  lie  states  that,  there  were  at  Kiliei'v  'a  comi)etent  number  of  well- 
established  people,  whose  heart  the  Lord  had  (ipened,  wiio  desired  to  follow  Christ 
and  to  partake  of  all  his  holy  ordinances.'  They  asked,  thcrefoi'e,  that  a  Baptist 
Churcli  slionld  be  I'stabli^hed  there,  with  William  Screven  as  i^a.-tor.  who  went  to 
iioston  and  was  ordained.  Jiefore  he  returned  ti.  ivittery,  Churchwood  and  others 
of  the  little  band  were  siimnioned  before  the  maj^istrates  and  threatened  with  tines 
if  they  continued  to  iiold  meetin,i;-s.  A  Church  was  orirani/.ed.  liowever.  September 
25th,  10S2.  So  bitterly  diil  the  Standinu'  Order  oppo>e  this  liajitist  movement,  that 
Mr.  Screven  and  his  associates  resolved  to  seek  an  asylum  elsewhere,  and  a  jjromise 
to  this  ett'eet  was  given  to  tlu'  magistrates.  It  is  supposed  that  they  left  Kittcry 
not  long  after  the  t)rganization  of  the  Church,  but  it  is  certain  froni  the  province 
records,  that  this  '  Baptist  (.Company'  were  at  Ivittery  as  late  as  October  0th,  ItiSS; 
for  undi'r  that  date  in  the  ri'cords  of  a  Coui't  occurs  an  enti-y  from  wliicli  it  appears 
tliat  Mr.  Screven  was  brought  before  the  Court  tbr  '  not  de|)ai-tiiig  tliis  province 
according  to  a  former  confession  of  Court  and  liis  own  choii-e." 

At  the  Court  held  at  Welis,  TVfay  2Ttli,  lti84,  this  action  was  taken  :  '  An  order 
to  be  sent  fm-  William  Screven  to  appear  before  y*"  (ieneral  Assend)ly  in  .Tune 
ne.xt.'  As  no  further  record  in  reference  to  Mr.  Screven  ajipears.  it  is  probable 
that  he  and  his  company  were  on  their  way  to  tiieir  new  liome  in  Soutii  Carolina 
before  the  General  Assembly  met.  They  settled  on  the  Cooper  River,  not  far 
from  the  present  city  of  ('harleston.  Some  of  the  early  colonists  of  Soutli  Can)lina 
were  Baptists  from  the  west  of  England,  and  it  is  very  likely  that  these  two  bands 
from  New  and  Old  England  formed  a  new  Chnrcli,  as  it  is  certain  that,  in  1685,  both 
parties  became  one  Church  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Cooper  River,  which  was 
removed  to  Charleston  by  the  year  1698,  and  which  was  the  first  Baptist  Church  in 
the  South.  In  l<><t9  this  congregation  became  strong  enough  to  erect  a  brick  meeting- 
house and  a  parsonage  on  Church  Street,  ujion  a  lot  of  ground  which  had  been  given 


HALM-:— UK V.    l)AMi:i.    MKlilULL.  703 

to  the  body.  It  is  not  known  whetluT  tlie  cliiircli  at  Kittory  was  dissolved  or 
wiietlier  it  was  transfenvd  tu  South  Carolina.  C!c'i-tainlv  no  church  orsanizatiou 
is  traceable  there  after  the  departure  of  ISFr.  Screven  and  his  company. 

Nearly  a  century  passed  before  we  iind  anntlier  Baptist  churcli  within  the  lim- 
its of  wliat  is  now  the  State  of  Elaine  Then,  as  the  result  of  the  labors  of  liev. 
Hezelviah  Smith,  of  Haverhill,  Mass..  a  Baptist  church  was  ort^anized  in  Berwick 
and  another  in  Gorhani.  Four  years  later,  in  Sanford,  still  another  church  was  or- 
ganized. In  April.  1  77tl,  William  Hooper  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  in 
Berwick.  This  was  the  iirst  ordination  of  a  l!ai)tist  minister  in  the  District  of 
Maine.  In  Wells,  in  1780,  a  fourth  church  was  ori:;anized,  of  which  Natham'el 
Lord  was  ordained  pastor.  All  of  these  churches  were  in  the  south-western  part  of 
Maine  and  became  connected  with  the  New  Hampshire  Baptist  Association. 

In  1782  Rev.  Job  Macomber,  of  Middlehoro,  Mass.,  visited  the  District  of 
ilaine.  Hearing  of  a  religious  interest  in  Lincoln  County,  he  made  his  way  thither 
in  December  and  engaged  in  the  work.  In  January,  1783,  he  wrote  a  letter  to 
Rev.  Isaac  Backus  of  Middleboro,  in  which  he  gave  an  account  of  his  labors.  This 
letter  ^fr.  liackus  read  to  Mr.  Isaac  Case,  who  was  so  impressed  with  the  need  of 
more  laborers  in  that  destitute  field,  that  in  the  autumn  of  1783,  after  having  been 
ordained,  he  made  his  way  into  the  District  of  Maine.  He  preached  awhile  in  the 
vicinity  of  Brunswick  and  then  visited  Thomaston,  where.  May  27,  178-4,  as  a  result 
of  his  labors,  there  was  organized  a  church,  of  which  he  became  pastor.  Three  days 
earlier  a  church  was  organized  in  Bowdoinham,  and  Rev.  Job  Macomber  was  soon 
after  called  to  the  pastorate.  January  19,  1785,  a  church  was  organized  in  Harps- 
well,  and  Mr.  James  Potter,  who  had  labored  in  that  place  with  Rev.  Isaac  Case, 
was  ordained  as  its  pastor.  May  24,  1787,  these  three  pastors,  with  delegates  from 
their  churches,  organized  the  Bowdoiidiani  Association  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Macom- 
ber, at  Bowdoiidiani.  ]\Ir.  Case  was  made  modei-ator  of  the  association,  and  Mr. 
Potter  preached  the  first  sermon.  In  1789  three  more  churches  and  one  ordained 
minister  had  been  added  to  the  association.  In  1790  the  number  of  Baptist  churches 
in  the  District  of  Maine  was  11,  with  about  500  members.  In  1797,  ten  years  after 
its  organization,  Bowdoiidiam  Association  com])rised  26  churches,  17  ordained  min- 
isters and  1,088  members.  The  Lincoln  Association,  embracing  18  churches,  chiefly 
east  of  the  Kennebec  River,  was  organized  in  1805. 

It  was  during  this  year  that  Rev.  Daniel  Merrill,  pastor  of  the  Congregational- 

ist  church  in  Sedgwick,  became  a   Baptist,  together  with  a  large  number  of  his 

former  parishioners.     He   was  graduated  at  Dartmouth  College  in   1789.  and  his 

church  was  one  of  the  largest  in  the   District  of  IVIaine.     He  thought  he  would 

write  a  book  against  the  Baptists,  but  his  study  of  the  Scriptures  convinced  him 

that  they  were  right  and  that  he  was  wrong.     He  at  length  called  the  members  of 

his  church  together  for  consultation,  and   they  asked  him  to  give  them  the  results 

of  his  investigations.     He  preached  seven  sermons  on  baptism,  and  not  long  after  ^ 
46 


706  HAi'Tisrs  or  i'i:.\.\syi.vAyiA. 

I!:i])tist  cliuivli  was  (ii-iiaiiizcil  of  wliicli  Ml'.  MLTJ-ill  hccaiiic  pastor.  His  sermons 
on  baptism  were  j)\il)lisiic(i  ami  in  siicix'ssivu  editions  wei'e  cxtiMisively  circnlatRil. 
Mr.  Meri'ill  pcrt'ormed  vahiahiu  niis.sionar_y  sersiee  also,  and  in  \arions  wavs  irreatlv 
adxiuiced  tlie  Baptist  cause  in  Maine. 

'J'lic  Cinnberiand  Association  was  oi-<;aiiixi'd  in  Isll.  Voi-i<  As.-ociation  in  \'6\\), 
and  tilt'  Ivislcrii  .Maine  Association  in  Isl'.t.  In  ISl'tl  there  wei'e  in  .Maine  19H 
churches,  Iliti  oi-dained  niiiustc'i-s,  and  l^.liii*  members,  'i'hal  vear  the  i^enobscot 
Association  was  oi'ivaiii/.ed.  AValdo  and  ().\t'ord  followed  in  182'.>  :  Ken?iel)ec  in 
1S30;  Hancock  in  1S.S5  :  Washinji'ton  in  ISut!;  Piscataquis  in  IS.T.t;  Saco  River  in 
1842;  and  Damai-iscotta  in  lS-i:i  No  new  associations  have  been  formed  since  that 
time.  There  are  now  in  Maine  247  Baptist  churches,  144  ordained  ministers,  and 
l'.t,87l  meml)ers. 

The  Baptists  of  Maim-  liave  at  Walei-ville  a  flourishing-  college — Colby  I'niver- 
sity,  with  an  endowment  of  over  !!?.">;>(), OOO,  and  also  three  endowed  preparatory 
schools,  namely,  CoImh-ii  ( 'lassical  Institute,  at  Watcrville;  llebron  Academy,  at 
Hebron,  and  Ricker  CHassical  Institute,  at  Houlton.  Tlic  Maine  Baptist  .Missionary 
Convention,  the  Mainc^  Piaptist  Education  Society,  and  the  Elaine  Baptist  Charitable 
Society  are  strong  and  etticient  organizations. 

It  now  fell  to  the  lot  of  Rhode  Island  to  send  forth  new  Baptist  influence  into 
tlie  then  distant  colony  of  I'cimsyK ania.  In  liiS4.  three  years  after  William  Penn 
obtained  his  charter  from  Charles  II.,  Thomas  Dungan,  an  aged  and  zealous 
Baptist  minister,  removed  from  Rliode  Island  to  Cold  Spring.  Bucks  County,  Pa., 
on  the  Delaware  liiver,  and  gathci-ed  a  Church  there,  which  maintained  a  feeble 
life  until  1702.  Thomas  Diingan  came  from  Ireland  to  Newport,  in  consequence 
of  the  persecution  of  the  J'aptists  there  under  Charles  II.,  and  appears  to  liave  been 
a  most  lovable  man,  whom  Keacli  characterizes  as  '  an  ancient  disciple  and  teaclicr 
amongst  the  Baptists.'  He  attracted  a  munbcr  of  influential  families  around  him. 
and  it  is  believed  that  the  father  of  the  noted  Dr.  Benjamin  Hush,  a  signer  of  tlie 
Declaration  of  Independence,  was  a  member  of  his  Church  at  Cold  Spring. 
William  I'enn,  it  is  supposed,  caught  his  liberal  views  from  Algernon  Sidney;  he 
had  suHVred  much  for  Christ's  sake,  and  had  adopted  quite  broad  views  of  religious 
liberty;  lor  at  the  very  ine(q)tion  of  legislation  in  Pennsylvania,  the  Assembly  had 
passed  tlu'  '  (ireat  Law,'  the  fii'st  section  of  which  provides  that  in  that  jurisdiction 
no  person  shall 

'At  anytime  be  compelled  to  frequent  or  maintain  any  religious  worship, 
place  or  ministry  whatever,  contrary  to  his  or  her  mind,  but  shall  freely  and  fully 
enjoy  his  or  her  Christian  liberty  in  that  respect,  without  any  interruption  or 
reflection  ;  and,  if  any  person  shall  abuse  or  deride  any  other  for  his  or  her 
different  persuasion  and  practice,  in  matter  of  religion,  such  shall  be  looked  upon 
as  a  disturber  of  the  peace,  and  be  punished  accordingly.' ' 

This  provision  scarcely  matched,  however,  the  radical  position  of  Rhode  Island, 
which  provided  for  the  absolute  non-interference  of  government  in  religion.     Hep- 


CnURCU  AT  PENNEPEK.  707 

worth  Dixon  tells  us  that  the  first  Pennsylvania  Legislature,  at  Chester,  1682,  decided 
that  '  every  Christian  man  of  twenty-one  years  of  age,  unstained  by  crime,  should 
be  eligible  to  elect  or  be  elected  a  member  of  the  Colonial  Parliament.'  Here,  to 
begin,  was  a  religious  test  of  oflice  and  even  of  the  i)()|)ular  franchise,  for  no  one  but 
Christians  could  either  vote  for  public  otiicers  or  serve  in  the  Legislature.  The  laws 
agreed  upon  in  England  by  Penu,  and  the  freemen  who  came  with  him,  restricted 
toleration  to  'all  persons  who  confess  and  acknowledge  the  one  Almighty  and  Eternal 
God  to  be  the  Creator,  Upholder  and  Ruler  of  the  world.'  The  Cliurch  at  Cold 
Spring,  located  between  Bristol  and  Trenton,  was  protected  under  these  laws,  but 
it  seems  to  have  died  with  Mr.  Dungan  in  1688,  or  rather  to  have  lived  at  a  dying 
rate,  for  in  1702  it  disbanded,  and  Morgan  Edwards,  writing  in  1770,  says  that 
nothing  was  left  there  in  his  day  but  a  grave-yard  bearing  the  names  of  the 
Dungans,  Gardners,  Woods,  Doyls  and  others,  who  were  members  of  this  Church. 

In  1687  a  company  of  Welsh  and  Irish  Baptists  crossed  the  Atlantic  and 
settled  at  Lower  Dublin,  Pa.,  otherwise  called  Pemmepeka,  Pennepek  or  Penny- 
pack,  a  word  of  the  Delaware  Indians  which  signifies,  according  to  Heckewelder,  a 
'pond,  lake  or  hay ;  tvatcr  n<it  having  a  current.''  This  company  organized  a 
Baptist  Church,  built  a  meeting-house  near  the  water  bearing  this  name,  and  sent 
forth  its  influence  all  through  Pennsylvania,  also  into  New  Jersey  and  New  York, 
Delaware  and  Maryland,  as  its  pastors  preached  in  these  colonies.  Its  records  were 
kept  with  care  from  the  first,  and  are  still  preserved  in  a  large  folio.  We  are 
indebted  to  Hon.  Horatio  Gates  Jones  for  the  following  and  many  other  interesting 
facts.     The  records  state : 

'  By  the  good  providence  of  God,  there  came  certain  persons  out  of  Eadnor- 
shirc,  in  Wales,  over  into  this  Province  of  Pennsylvania,  and  settled  in  the  town- 
ship of  Dublin,  in  the  County  of  Philadelphia,  namely,  John  Eaton,  George  Eaton 
and  Jane,  his  wife,  Samuel  Jones  anil  Sarah  Eaton,  who  had  all  lieen  liaptized  upon 
confession  of  faith,  and  received  into  the  communion  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
meeting  in  the  parishes  of  Llandewi  and  Nantmel,  in  Kailnorshire,  Henry  Gregory 
being  chief  pastor.  Also  John  Baker,  who  had  been  baptized,  and  a  member  of  a 
congregation  of  baptized  believers  in  Kilkenny,  in  Ireland,  Christopher  Blackwell 
pastor,  was,  by  the  ])rovidence  of  God,  settled  in  the  townsiiip  aforesaid.  In  the  year 
1687  there  came  one  Samuel  Vans  out  of  England,  and  settled  near  the  aforesaid 
township  and  went  under  the  denomination  of  a  Baptist,  and  was  so  taken  to  be.' 
These,  with  Sarah  Eaton,  'Joseph  Ashton  and  Jane,  his  wife,  William  P'isher,  John 
Watts  '  and  Rev.  Elias  Keach,  formed  the  Church.  Samuel  Vans  was  chosen  deacon, 
and  was  '  with  laying  on  of  hande  oi'dained  '  by  Elias  Keach,  who  '  was  accepted  and 
received  for  our  pastor,  and  we  sat  down  in  communion  at  the  Lord's  table.' 

Ashton  and  his  wife,  with  Fisher  and  Watts,  had  been  baptized  by  Keach  at 
Pennepek,  November,  1687,  and  '  in  the  month  of  January,  1687-88  (O.  S.),  the 
Church  was  organized,  198  years  ago,  and  remains  to  this  day.'  Hereby  hangs  a 
very  interesting  story  concerning  Keach,  showing  who  and  what  he  was. 

Elias  Keach  came  to  this  country  in  1686,  a  year  before  this  Church  was 
formed.     He  was  the  son  of  Benjamin  Keach,  of  noble  memory,  for  endurance  of 


708  ELLAS   KEACIL 

llic  jiilliirv,  ;inil  fur  ilic  autlmivliiji  ,,|'  a  key  to  Scri]itiii'('  inctiqilmrs  ami  an  cxposi- 
tidii  (if  all  the  jiai-alilcs.  Wlicii  I'llias  ai-i'i\(Ml  in  I'ciin.-yhaiiia.  lie  was  a  wild  scam)) 
1(1'  nineteen,  and  for  sport  dressed  like  a  cleriivnian.  His  nanu;  and  appearaiicu 
soon  obtained  invitations  for  him  to  ))ri'acli,  as  a  yonn<f  divine  from  Jjoiidoii.  A 
crowd  of  ])eople  came  to  heai-  him.  and  conchidiiiu-  to  hi-ave  the  tliin<;;  out  he  beijaa 
to  ])reach,  hut  suddenly  >tujipcd  j-liort  in  \\\>  sermon.  There  was  a  stronger  llutter- 
iiig  than  1k'  had  eounti'd  on  in  tin-  heart  which  had  eau<;ht  its  lil\(  fi'um  it.-  lioiiored 
father  and  motliei',  dopite  the  hlaek  coat  and  white  bands  nnder  which  it  beat. 
11 0  was  alarmed  at  hi.-  own  boldness,  sto])ped  short,  and  the  little  ilock  at  Lower 
Dublin  tliout;'ht  him  ^ei/.e(|  with  Muldeli  iilnes-.  When  a.-ked  for  the  cause  of  his 
leai'  he  burst  into  tear.-.  (•oiil'essc(l  his  im]>osture  an<l  threw  himself  upon  the  mercv 
of  (iod  for  the  jiartlou  of  all  hi>  sin>.  imnu'diately  he  ujade  for  Cold  Sprinji'  to 
ask  the  counsel  of  'I'liomah  I)uni;an.  who  took  him  lovingly  by  the  hand,  led  him  to 
Christ,  and  when  they  were  both  .sitislieil  of  hi,-  tlKjruugh  coinersion  he  baptized 
him;  and  his  Church  >ent  the  younu'  e\ani;elist  foilh  to  pi'cacli  .lc>u>  anil  the 
resurrection.  JJert'  we  ^ee  how  our  loxiui:-  Cod  had  bi-ouyht  a  congregation  of 
holy  inlliiences  together  fi'om  li-eland  and  A\'alef.  iiliude  Island  and  England, 
apparently  for  the  |iurpo.<e  of  forming  the  mini-ti-y  (d'  the  first  great  pa>tor  in  our 
k(!y-stom'  State.  Keach  njade  hi-  way  back  to  i'cmiepek.  wher'^  he  began  to 
preach  with  great  power.  The  four  already  name<l  were  ba](tized  as  the  tirst-fruit.s 
of  liis  nuinsfrv,  tlien  he  organized  the  ('hurch  and  threw  himself  into  his  (jospel 
work  with  consuming  zeal,  lie  traveled  at  large,  preaching  at  Trenton.  I'hiladeh 
phia,  J\li(klletown.  Cohansey.  Salem  and  many  other  places,  and  i>a|)tized  his 
converts  into  the  fellowshi|)  of  the  Church  at  IV^imepek,  so  that  all  the  liajjtists  of 
New  Jersey  and  I'ennsyhania  \\ere  coimer-ted  with  that  body,  I'xcejit  thi'  little 
band  at  Cold  Spiiny-. 

Morgan  Edwards  tells  ns  that  Iwici^ayear,  .May  and  October,  they  held '( ieueral 
Meetings' for  preaching  and  the  Lord's  Snpper.  at  Salem  in  the  spring  and  at  Dublin 
or  Burlington  in  tlie  autumn,  for  the  accommodation  of  distant  members  and  the 
spread  of  the  (Tosjjel,  until  se]iarate  Churches  were  formed  in  several  places.  "When 
Mr.  Keach  was  away,  the  Church  liehl  meetings  at  IVmn'jiek,  and  each  broflier  exer- 
cised what  gilts  he  possessed,  the  leading  speakers  generally  being  Samnel  .lones  and 
John  Watts.  Keach  married  Mary,  the  daughter  of  Chief-Justice  ^[oore,  of  I'cnn.syl- 
vania,  and  the  Church  ])ros]iere(l  until  1(!S9.  when  they  must  needs  fall  into  a  pious 
jangle  about  "laying  (in  of  hands  in  the  I'ecejition  of  members  after  baptism,  pre- 
destination and  other  matters.'  Soon  after.  Keach  brought  his  pastoral  work  to  a 
close  in  1(189,  and  returned  to  London,  where  he  organized  a  Church  in  Ayles  Street, 
Goodman's  Fields,  preaclied  to  great  crowds  of  people,  and  in  nine  months  baptized 
130  into  its  fellowship.  He  published  several  works,  amongst  them  one  on  the 
'Grace  of  Patience,'  an<i  died  in  17<»1,  at  the  age  of  thirty-four.  The  Pennepek 
Church,  after  some  contentions,  built  its  fir.-t  meeting-liouse  in  ITcT,  on  ground  pre- 


FIRST   Cnunril,    yEW  JERSET.  709 

sented  by  Rev.  Samuel  Jones,  wlm  l>ecaiiie  one  of  its  early  pastors;  for  many 
years  it  was  the  center  of  denominational  operations  west  of  the  Coimecticut  River, 
and  from  its  labors  sj)i'ang  the  l'hilatlel[)liia  Association,  in  I7<l7.  It  was  natnra! 
that  the  several  i)a])tist  companies  formed  in  dillerent  cunimiuiitics  by  this  Church 
should  soon  take  steps  for  the  organization  of  new  Churches  in  their  several  localities, 
and  this  was  first  done  in  JVew  .Jersey,  in  Middletown  in  KiSS,  Piscatacjua  in  1689, 
and  Cohansey  in  Id'.ni. 

Next  to  Rhotle  Island.  Xi:w  .Ii:i;si:v  had  peculiar  attractions  f(jr  Uajitists.  It 
had  been  ceded  to  Loivl  I'xTkcley  and  Sir  (Tcorge  Carteret,  by  the  Duke  of  York,  in 
1664,  and  in  honor  of  Sir  (ieorge,  who  had  iield  the  Isle  of  Jersey  as  a  Royalist 
Governor  of  Charles  II.,  it  was  called  New  Jersey. 

In  the  '  Grants  and  Concessions  of  New  Jersey,'  made  by  Berkeley  and  Carteret, 
published  in  1665,  religious  freedom  was  guaranteed  thus:  •  No  person  at  any  time 
shall  be  any  ways  molested,  punished,  disijuieted  or  called  in  question  for  any  dif- 
ference in  opinion  or  [u-actiee  in  matters  of  religious  concernments.'-  The  relig- 
ious freedom  of  Rhode  Island  seemed  to  be  as  broad  as  possible,  yet,  because  that 
colony  re(|uired  all  its  citizens  to  l)ear  arms,  some  Quakers  were  unwilling  to  be- 
come freemen  there,  but  under  these  grants  they  went  to  New  Jersey  and  became 
citizens.  From  the  first,  therefore,  New  Jersey  was  pre-eminent  for  its  religious 
lil)erty,  so  that  Baptists.  (Jiudcers  and  Scotch  Covenanters  became  the  permanent 
inhabitants  of  the  new  colony.  Many  of  them  came  fi'om  Massachusetts,  Connecti- 
cut, Rhode  Island  and  New  York,  for  the  two  lords'  proprietors  dispatched  messen- 
gers to  all  the  Colonics  proclaiming  the  liberal  terms  of  the  grants. 

Richard  Stout,  with  five  others,  had  settled  in  Middletown  as  early  as  1648, 
and  Obadiah  Holmes,  the  confessor  at  Boston,  had  become  one  of  the  patentees 
of  Monmouth  County.  It  is  certain  that  some  of  the  Middletown  settlers  emi- 
grated from  Rhode  Island  and  Long  Island  as  early  as  1665.  Amongst  the 
original  patentees,  James  Ashton,  John  Bowne,  Richard  Stout,  Jonathan  Holmes, 
James  Grover  and  others  were  Baptists.  There  is  some  evidence  that  John 
Bowne  was  an  uncirdained  ]ireachcr,  the  first  preacher  to  the  new  colony. 
Obadiah  Holmes  was  one  of  the  patentees  of  the  Monmouth  tract,  1665,  owning 
house  lot  No.  20  and  hill  lot  No.  6.  He  never  lived  in  East  Jersey,  but  his 
son  Jonathan  did  from  1667-80.  Obadiah  Jr.,  was  on  Staten  Island  in  1689, 
but  in  1690  he  resided  in  Salem  Cctunty,  West  Jersey.  Jonathan  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Assembly  of  East  Jersey  in  1668,  and  lived  in  Middletown  for  about 
ten  years.  About  1680  he  returned  to  Rhode  Island.  His  will,  made  in  1705, 
is  on  record  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  under  date  of  November  5th,  1713,  and  is  also 
recorded  at  Newton,  X.  .1.  lie  died  in  1715.  His  sons,  Obadiaii  ami  Jona- 
than, grandsons  of  the  Boston  sufferer,  were  meinl)crs  of  the  Middletown  Baptist 
Church,  and  their  descendants  are  still  numerous  in  ^lonmouth  County.  It  is 
very   likely  that  these   early  Baptists  had   first  taken    refuge   at  Gravesend,  Long 


7  1 0  CUURCn  AT  PIS CA  TA  q UA . 

Island,  i\.  V.  Public  worsliip  was  earlv  oh.-crvcd  in  Middietown,  and  some  of 
tiieiii  had  ('(inncctod  tlioniselves  with  t\w.  Pcnnepelx  C'linrcii,  because,  after  consulta- 
tion witli  tiiat  body,  they  'settled  themselves  into  a  Cliui-ch  state'  in  1G88.  About 
1690  Eiias  Keach  lived  and  preached  amongst  them  for  nearly  a  year.  This  inter- 
est pnispeix'd  until  the  close  of  the  centui-y,  when  they  fell  into  a  (piarrel,  divided 
inti)  two  factions,  wliich  mutually  excluded  each  other  and  silenced  their  pastors, 
.John  i«ray  and  .lohn  Okison.  After  a  good  round  light  about  docti-ine,  as  set  forth 
in  their  Confession  and  Covenant,  they  called  a  council  of  Churches  May  2.'Jtli,  1711, 
which  advised  them  to  'continue  the  silence  imposed  on  the  two  brethren  the  pre- 
ceding v^ar/ '  to  sign  a  covenant  relative  to  their  future  conduct,"  and  "to  l)ury 
their  proceedings  in  oblivion  and  erase  the  record  of  them.'  Twenty -si.\  would  not 
do  this,  but  forty-two  signed  the  covenant,  and,  as  four  leaves  are  torn  out  of  the 
Cliurch  book,  we  take  it  that  they  went  into  the  'oblivion'  of  lire.  AVhat  Itecame 
of  the  twenty  six  nubody  seemed  to  care  enough  to  tell  us;  it  may  be  lovingly 
hoped  that,  tpiarrelsome  as  they  were,  they  escaped  the  fate  of  the  four  leaves,  both 
in  this  world  and  in  that  which  is  to  come. 

A  most  interesting  Church  was  organized  in  lOSO  at  Piscataqua.  This  settle- 
ment was  named  after  a,  settlement  in  New  IIam])shire  (now  Dover),  which  at  that 
time  was  in  the  Province  of  Maine.  We  have  seen  that  Hanserd  Knollys  preached 
there  in  1038-11,  and  had  his  controversy  with  Larkliam  respecting  receiving  all 
into  the  Church  (Congregational),  aiul  the  baptizing  of  any  infants  offered.  Al- 
though Knollys  was  not  a  Baptist  at  that  time,  liis  discussions  on  these  sulijeets 
proved  to  be  the  seed  which  yielded  fruit  after  many  years.  In  16-lS.  ten  years 
after  he  began  his  ministry  at  Dover,  under  date  of  October  ISth,  the  authorities 
of  the  day  were  informed  that  the  profession  of  '  Anabaptistry '  there  by  Edward 
Starbuck  had  excited  much  trouble,  and  they  appointed  Thomas  Wiggin  and  George 
Smith  to  try  his  case.  Starbuck  was  one  of  the  assistants  in  tlu>  Congregational 
Church  there,  possibly  the  same  people  to  whom  Knollys  had  preached  ;  but  the 
results  of  the  trial,  if  he  had  one,  are  not  given.  The  Colonial  records  of  Massa- 
chusetts make  the  authorities  say  (iii,  p.  173) : 

'We  have  heard  heretofore  of  divers  Anabaptists  risen  up  in  your  jurisdiction 
and  connived  at.  Being  but  few,  we  well  hoped  that  it  might  Lave  pleased  God, 
by  the  endeavors  of  yonrselves  and  the  faithfnl  elders  with  you,  to  have  reduced 
such  erring  men  again  into  the  right  way.  P>ut  now,  to  our  great  grief,  we  are 
credibly  informed  that  your  patient  bearing  with  such  men  hath  produced  another 
effect,  namely,  the  multiplying  and  increasing  of  the  same  errors,  and  we  fear  may 
be  of  other  errors  also  if  timely  care  be  not  taken  to  suppress  the  same.  Particu- 
larly we  understand  that  within  these  few  weeks  there  have  been  at  Seckonk  thir- 
teen or  fom-teen  persons  rebaptized  (a  swift  ])rogress  in  one  town) ;  yet  we  hear  not 
if  any  effectual  restriction  is  intended  thereabouts.' 

When  Knollys  left,  in  IGil,  a  number  of  those  who  sympathized  with  his 
Baptist  tendencies  left  with  him,  and  when  he  returned  to  London  they  settled  on 


CHURCH  A  r    C0HANSE7.  7  i  i 

Long  Island,  luid  remained  there  until  that  territory  fell  under  tiie  power  of  English 
Episcopacy,  when  they  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  There 
they  formed  the  settlement  of  Piseataqua  (afterward  Piscataway,  near  Stelton) 
and  organized  a  Baptist  Church,  which  has  exerted  a  puwerfid  influence  down  to 
this  time,  being  now  under  the  pastoral  care  of  John  AVesley  Sarles,  D.D.  The 
constituent  members  of  this  Cliurch  form  an  interesting  study.  It  is  certain  that 
amongst  the  original  patentees,  in  lGti6,  Hugh  Dunn  and  .lolni  Martin  were  Bap- 
tists, and  amongst  their  associates  admitted  in  IGOS  the  Drakes,  Dunhams,  Smalleys, 
Bonhams,  Fitz  Eandolphs,  Mannings,  Runyuns,  Stelles  and  otliers  were  of  the  same 
faith.  About  the  time  of  organizing  the  Baptist  Church  at  •  New  Piscataqua,'  as 
they  called  the  place,  the  township  contained  about  80  families,  endxidying  a  popu- 
lation of  about  400  persons.  From  the  earliest  information  this  settlement  w'as 
popularly  known  as  the  '  Anabaptist  Town,"  and  from  1675  downward  the  names  of 
members  of  the  Baptist  Church  are  found  amongst  the  law-makers  and  other  public 
officials,  both  in  the  town  and  the  colony,  showing  that  they  were  prominent  and 
influential  citizens.  Their  connection  wirh  Pennepek  was  slight,  yet  some  of  the 
families  of  the  old  Church  may  have  been  in  the  new.  Amongst  them  were  John 
Drake,  Hugh  Dunn  and  Edmund  Dunham,  unordained  ministers,  who  had  labored 
for  several  years  in  that  region  as  itinerants.  Aliout  six  years  before  the  formation 
of  tlie  Church — 168q-90 — a  company  of  Irish  Baptists,  members  of  a  Ciiurch  in 
Tipperary.  had  landed  at  Perth  Amboy  and  made  a  settlement  at  Cohansey,  some  of 
whom  went  farther  into  the  interior.  It  is  quite  probable  that  Dunn  and  Dunham 
were  both  of  that  company,  and  quite  as  likely  that  Mr.  Drake  was  fi'oni  Dover,  N.  H., 
where  it  is  believed  that  his  father  had  settled  many  years  before  from  Devonshire. 
England.  Thomas  Ivillingswortli  also  was  present  at  the  organization  of  this 
Church,  but  .lolin  Drake,  whose  family  claims  kindred  with  Sir  F'rancis  Drake,  the 
great  navigator,  was  ordained  its  pa.stor  at  its  constitution,  and  served  it  in  that 
capacity  for  about  iifty  years. 

Another  Church  was  established  at  Cohansey.  The  records  of  this  Church 
for  tlie  first  hundred  years  of  its  existence  were  burned,  but,  according  to  Asplund's 
Register,  tlie  Church  was  organized  in  1691.  Keach  had  baptized  three  persons 
there  in  1688,  and  the  Cliureh  was  served  for  many  years  by  Thomas  Killings- 
worth,  who  was  also  a  judge  on  the  bench.  He  was  an  ordained  minister  from 
Norfolk,  England,  of  nuich  literary  ability,  eminent  for  his  gravity  and  sound  judg- 
ment, and  so  was  deemed  fit  to  serve  as  Judge  of  the  County  Court  of  Salem. 
About  1687  a  company  had  come  from  John  Myles's  Church,  at  Swansea,  near 
Providence,  which  for  twenty-three  years  kept  themselves  as  a  separate  Church,  on 
the  questions  of  laying  on  of  hands,  singing  of  psalms  and  predestination,  until, 
with  Timothy  Brooks,  their  pastor,  they  united  with  their  bretliren  at  Cohansey. 

It  was  meet  that  before  this  remarkable  century  closed  the  nucleus  of  Baptist 
principles  should  be  formed  in  the  great  Quaker  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  tliis  was 


712  FtnsT   CHURCH,    PIIILADEI.I'IirA. 

iluiie  ill  l(i'.t().  .Inliii  r'aniiiT  ami  his  wife,  frnm  Iviiujlv't,  ( 'liurch  in  Ldudcm,  landcHl 
tliere  in  tiuit  year,  and  wvw  juinci]  in  liI'.tT  liv  .lulm  Tu<l(i  and  Kebecca  Woosen- 
(Tot't,  fi'uni  the  (,'hnivh  at  Leaininii't<Mi,  JMiii-hind.  A  little  concrre'iatioii  was  held 
in  l'hila(lel[)hia  by  the  jireaehini;  of  iveaeh  and  Killinirsworth  and  slowly  increased. 
'i'lic  iiiectiiii;'*  were  lu'ld  iri'cL;uhirly  in  a  .-lure-licinsi'  mi  what  was  known  as  the 
'  IJarbudues  Lot,'  at  the  t'orner  of  what  ai'e  now  ealled  Second  and  Chestnut  Streets, 
and  formed  a  sort  of  out-station  to  I'ennepek.  In  IT.t"  .lolin  Watts  baptized  four 
persons,  wlio,  with  five  others,  anion^'st  tlicni  -lolni  llolnie,  f(jrnied  a  Chni-ch  on 
the  second  Sabbath  in  December,  Ki'.tS.  They  continued  to  meet  in  the  store-house 
till  ITi'T,  when  they  were  compelled  to  leave  under  jirotot,  and  then  they  wor- 
shiped, according'  to  Edwards,  at  a  place  'near  the  draw-bridge,  known  by  the  name 
of  Anthony  ^fori'is's  _New  House/  They  were  not  eiitii'ely  independent  of  Pennepek 
till  1723,  wliiMi  they  had  a  disjiute  with  the  ('hiircli  tliei'e  about  cei'tain  le<^acies,  in 
which  the  old  Church  wanted  to  share;  May  15tli,  174<>.  this  contest  resulted  in  the 
formation  of  an  entirely  independent  Church  of  fifty -six  membei's  in  Philadelphia. 

This  raj'id  review  of  the  Baptist  sentiment  which  had  shaped  into  oi'ganii;ation 
in  these  colonies  at  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  together  with  a  few  small 
bodies  in  lihode  Island,  besides  the  Churches  at  Providence  and  Newport,  Swansea, 
South  Carolina  and  New  Jersey,  give  us  the  I'esults  of  more  tlian  half  a  century's  strug- 
gle for  a  foothold  in  the  New  World.  The  new  century,  however,  opened  with  the 
emigration  of  si.xteen  Baptists,  from  the  counties  of  Pembroke  and  Carnuirtlien, 
Wales,  under  the  Icadcrshij)  of  Kev.  Thomas  Griffith,  whose  coming  introduced  a 
new  era  in  Penn.sylvania  and  the  region  round  about.  They  had  organized  them- 
selves into  what  Morgan  Edwai-ds  calls  '  a  ('liurch  emigrant  and  sailant '  at  Milford, 
June,  ITol,  and  landed  in  Pliiladeli)liia  in  Sejitember  following.  They  repniired 
immediately  to  the  vicinity  of  Pennepek  and  settled  there  for  a  time.  They  in- 
sisted on  the  rite  of  laying  on  of  hands  as  a  matter  of  vital  imjiortance,  and  fell  into 
sharp  contention  on  the  subject,  both  amongst  themselves  and  with  the  Pennepek 
Church.  In  1T<)3  the  greater  part  of  them  jnirchased  lands  containing  about  30,U00 
acres  from  William  Penn,  in  Newcastle  County,  Delaware.  This  they  named  tiie 
Wi'lsh  Tract  and  removed  thither.  There  they  ])rospcred  greatly  from  year  to  year, 
adding  to  their  numbers  both  by  emigration  and  conversion.     But  they  say  : 

'  We  could  not  be  in  fellow.shij)  (at  the  Lord's  table)  with  our  brethren  of 
Pennepek  and  Philadelphia,  because  they  did  not  hold  to  the  laying  on  of  hands  ; 
true,  some  of  them  believed  in  the  ordinance,  but  neither  jireached  it  up  nor  prac- 
ticed it,  and  when  we  moved  to  Welsh  Ti'act,  and  left  twenty-two  of  our  members 
at  Pennepek,  and  took  some  of  theirs  with  us,  the  ditiiculty  increased.' 

For  about  seventy  years  their  ministers  were  Welshmen,  sonu-  of  them  of  emi- 
nence, and  six  Churches  in  Pennsylvania  and  Delaware  trace  their  lineage  to  this 
Church.  As  early  as  1736  it  dismissed  forty-eight  members  to  emigrate  to  South 
Carolina,  where   they  made  a  settlement  on   the  Peedee  lliver.  and   organized  the 


liEV.    ABEL    MOItaAN.  7  13 

Welsh  Xcck  Ciuirch  there,  which  during-  the  next  century  became  the  center  from 
which  thirty-eight  Baptist  Cliurches  sprang,  in  the  iininediate  vicinity. 

Jlumauly  speai-cing,  we  can  distinctly  trace  the  causes  of  our  denominational 
growth  from  the  beginning  of  the  century  to  the  opening  of  the  Revolutionary 
War.  In  the  Churches  west  of  the  Connecticut  there  was  an  active  missionary 
spirit.  At  first  the  New  England  Baptists  partook  somewhat  of  tlie  conservatism 
of  their  Congregational  brethren,  but  in  tlie  Churches  planti'd  chietly  by  the  Welsh 
in  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  South  Carolina  and  Virginia,  the  missionary 
spirit  was  vigorous  and  aggressive.  As  from  a  central  fortress  they  sent  out  their 
little  bands,  here  a  missionary  and  there  a  handful  of  colonists,  who  penetrated 
farther  into  the  wilderness,  and  extended  the  frontiers  of  the  (k'Uoniinatinn.  Two 
men  are  deservedly  eminent  in  thus  diffusing  our  principles,  namely,  Abel  Morgan 
and  llezekiah  Smith.  These  are  fair  types  of  tlie  Baptist  ministry  of  their  day, 
and  their  work  is  largely  representative  of  the  labors  of  many  others. 

Abel  Morgan  was  born  at  Welsh  Tract,  April  IStli,  1713.  To  prevent  confusion 
of  names  here,  it  may  lie  well  to  state,  that  the  first  AVcIsli  minister  of  this  name 
was  born  in  Wales  in  1()T3,  came  to  America  and  became  pastor  of  the  Pennepek 
Church  in  1711,  and  died  there  in  1722.  Enoch  Morgan  was  his  brother,  born  in 
Wales,  167lJ;  he  also  came  to  this  country  and  became  pastor  of  the  Church  at 
Welsh  Tract,  where  he  died  in  17-iU.  The  Abel  Morgan,  therefore,  of  whom  we 
now  speak  was  Enoch  Morgan's  son,  named  after  his  uncle  Abel,  pastor  at  Penne- 
pek. The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  one  of  the  leading  minds  of  his  day.  He  was 
trained  by  Rev.  Thomas  Evans,  at  the  Peneader  Academy,  and  was  familiar  with 
the  langu  iges.  He  was  ordained  in  the  Welsh  Tract  Church,  1734,  and  became 
pastor  of  the  Middletown  Baptist  Church,  New  Jersey,  in  1739,  which  he  served 
until  his  death,  in  17S5.  He  bequeathed  his  library  to  this  Church  for  the  use  of 
his  successors,  and  many  notes  in  liis  hand  are  written  upon  the  margins  of  tlie  vol- 
umes in  Welsh  and  Latin.  Rev.  Samuel  Finley,  who  became  President  of  Princeton 
College,  being  disturbed  by  the  growth  of  the  Baptists,  cliallciigcd  him  to  a  dis- 
cussion. Finley  wrote  his  -Charitable  Plea  for  the  Speechless,'  and  Morgan  replied 
in  his  'Anti-Pa^lo  Rantism  ;  or,  Mr.  Samuel  Finley's  Charitable  Plea  for  the 
Speechless  examined  and  refuted,  the  Baptism  of  Believers  n)aintained,  and  the 
mode  of  it  by  Immersion  vindicated.'  This  treatise  was  printed  at  Philadelphia  by 
Benjamin  Franklin,  1747.  He  had  another  controversy  with  Rev.  Sanniel  Ilarker, 
a  Presbyterian,  of  Kingswood.  His  work  exhibits  careful  and  thorough  scholarship, 
and  the  ai)preciation  of  his  brethren  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  he  was  the  first  to 
receive  the  honorary  degree  of  M.A.  from  Brown  University.  In  his  disputation 
•with  Finley  quite  as  much  Welsh  fire  was  kindled  on  the  one  side  as  good  old  Scotch 
obstinacy  on  the  otlier ;  and  Morgan  did  great  service  in  setting  forth  the  scriptural 
and  logical  consistency  of  the  Baptist  position.  In  1772  Abel  Morgan  served  as 
moderator  of  the  Philadelphia  Association,  James  Manning  Iteing  clerk.     Morgan 


714  IlEV.    UEZEKIAH  SMITH. 

had  1hh-m  clurk  in  ITt!^.  and  in  1774  it  was  on  his  nujlion  that  the  Association  adopted 
tlie  use  ut'  till'  Circiihir  Letter. 

Hilt  his  ^reat  iit'e-wurk  is  found  in  preafliiiiu;  the  Gospel.  J)uring  his  pastor- 
ate oi  forty  years,  in  a  sparse  po])ulation,  his  Church  received  fully  300  j>ersons 
into  its  l'elli)\\>hi|)  u|)(iii  their  confession  uf  Christ.  He  held  I'egular  services  in 
two  Middletown  meeting-houses,  several  nules  apart,  besides  preaching  often  at 
Kreeliold,  ['pper  Freehold,  and  J>oug  IJranch,  making  the  whole  of  Monmouth 
County  his  parish.  l)esi(les  this  he  made  extensive  circuits  into  Pennsylvania  and 
Delaware,  preaching  the  word,  as  a   hurtling  and  shining  light. 

Rev.  llexekiah  Smith  is  anothei-  name  to  he  hail  in  t'verhusting  remendirance. 
He  was  born  on  Long  Island  on  the  21st  of  April,  1737;  was  baptized  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  by  Uev.  .lolin  (Jano,  and  in  17<I2  was  graduated  from  the  College 
of  New  Jersey,  at  Priiu;eton.  Immediately  on  graduating  he  set  out  on  a  horse- 
ba(!k  journey  through  the  South,  preaching  the  (T(jspel  for  fifteen  months  as  he 
traveled  from  place  to  place.  On  the  ^Oth  of  Sepfendier,  17H3,  hewas  j)ublicly 
ordained  at  Charleston.  S.  C,  for  the  W(jrk  of  the  Christian  ministry.  In  the  spring 
of  17<>4,  having  accompanied  JNIanning  to  Rhode  Island,  he  set  out  on  a  second  mis- 
sionary journey,  this  time  to  the  f]ast  through  Massachusetts.  He  arrived  at  Haver- 
hill, and  for  a  time  preached  in  a  Congregational  Church  in  the  West  Parish,  then 
without  a  pastor.  Ilis  piety  and  eloquence  attracted  crowds  of  hearers,  many  of 
whom  were  converted,  and  in  due  time  he  was  waited  upon  by  a  committee  of  the 
(^huich  with  a  view  to  permanent  settlement.  I'ndei-  these  circumstances  he  wai^ 
obliged  to  tell  them  frankly  that  he  was  a  liaptist,  winch  infoi-mation  not  only 
abruptly  closi'd  his  laliors  in  that  parish,  I)ut  led  to  his  jiersecution  on  the  part  of 
the  Standing  Order.  Tlis  friends,  however,  iiududing  some  leading  citizens,  pressed 
him  to  foi'm  a  Baptist  Church  in  the  center  of  the  town.  After  consulting  with 
his  spiritual  advisers  in  Rhode  Island,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey,  he  fitudly  con- 
sented, and  the  Church  was  constituted  May  0th,  1765,  and  he  remained  its  pastor 
for  forty  years.  The  memoirs  of  Dr.  Smith,  based  on  his  journals,  letters  and 
addresses,  have  been  prepared  by  Dr.  Cuild  and  recently  published.  They  furnish 
a  reliable  history  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived,  and  afford  a  charming  insight  into 
his  daily  life.  P^irther  reference  will  be  made  to  him  as  a  |-iroinincnt  chaplain  in 
the  army  of  the  Revolution. 

In  point  of  self-denying  and  restless  labor,  these  two  men  were  fair  rejiresent- 
atives  of  scores  of  Raptist  ministers,  North  and  South,  who  served  one  or  two 
Churches  near  their  homes,  but  who  traveled,  generally  on  horseback,  through 
woods  and  glades,  mountains  and  plains,  in  search  of  lost  men.  They  preached 
where  they  could,  in  house  or  barn,  in  forests  or  streets,  gathering  the  scattered  few 
in  remote  districts,  leading  them  to  Jesus,  baptizing  and  organizing  them  into 
Churches.  Generally  their  fame  drew  the  people  together  throughout  an  extensive 
circle,  in  many  instances  persons   coining  from   five   and  twenty   to  si.xty  miles  to 


ASSOCIATIONS   FORMED.  7  10 

hear  tliciii,  many  of  them  uevur  having  heard  any  tlihig  that  approached  the  warm 
and  simple  unfolding  of  the  riches  of  Christ.  Dwellers  in  log  cabins,  wooded 
mountains,  the  dense  wilderness  and  the  l)r«)ad  vales,  were  gathered  into  living 
Churches  which  still  abide  as  monuments  of  grace. 

The  formation  of  Associations  was  another  element  which  contributed  to  Bap- 
tist success.  At  first,  in  many  places,  tiiese  began  in  simple  annual  meetings  for 
religious  exerci-ses  simj)ly,  but  they  naturally  (li-iftt'(i  into  oi'ganic  bodies  including 
other  objects  as  well.  'Llic  Uaptists  wei'e  very  jealous  of  them,  fearinu;  that  they 
might  trench  on  the  inilependency  of  the  Churches  and  come  in  time  to  exercise 
autliority  after  tlio  order  of  presbyteries,  instead  of  confining  themselves  to  merely 
fraternal  aims.  This  lias  always  been  the  teiidenc}-  in  the  voluntary  bodies  of 
Christian  history,  and  for  this  I'eason  x\ssociations  will  bear  close  watching  at  all 
times,  as  they  are  simply  human  in  their  origin.  The  original  safeguard  atrainst 
this  tendency  was  found  in  our  colonial  times  in  the  fact  that,  except  as  the 
Churches  met  in  Association  for  the  purpose  of  helping  each  other  to  resist  the 
oppressions  of  the  State,  they  transacted  no  business.  The  cluster  of  Churches 
grouped  around  Philadelphia  were  strongly  bound  together  by  common  interests, 
particularly  as  Baptist  mission  work  extended  in  that  part  of  our  land.  As  early 
as  1(388  general  quarterly  meetings  had  been  held  at  the  different  Churches  for  mu- 
tual encouragement,  but  there  was  no  representation  of  these  Churches  by  dele- 
gates. In  1707  the  Pennepek,  Middletown,  Piscataqua,  Cohansey  and  Welsh  Tract 
Churches  appointed  representatives  and  formed  the  Philadelphia  Association.  At 
that  time  the  Philadelphia  congregation  was  a  branch  of  the  Church  at  Pennepek 
(Lower  Dublin) ;  hence  its  name  does  not  appear  in  the  list  of  the  Churches  ;  still 
the  name  of  tlie  largest  town  was  chosen.  The  essential  principles  controlling  this 
body  were  those,  with  .some  exception,  that  regulated  the  Englisli  Churches  which 
met  in  London,  September,  1689.  The  London  body  adopted  thirty-two  Articles 
as  a  Confession  of  Faith.  An  Appendix  was  also  issued,  but  not  as  a  part  of  the 
Articles,  in  which  these  words  are  used,  partly  in  explanation  of  the  position  held 
by  the  English  Churches  on  the  subject  of  communion  : 

■  Divers  of  us  who  have  agreed  in  this  Confession  cannot  hold  Church  com- 
munion with  any  other  than  baptized  believers,  and  Churches  constituted  of  such  ; 
yet  some  others  of  us  have  a  greater  liberty  and  fi-eedom  in  our  spirits  that  way  ; 
and  therefore  we  have  purposely  omitted  the  mention  of  things  of  that  nature,  that 
we  might  concur  in  giving  this  evidence  of  our  agreement,  both  among  ourselves 
and  with  other  good  Christians.' 

Dr.  Pippon  gave  the  Minutes  and  Articles  of  the  Assembly  in  his  Register 
closing  with  1703,  but  omits  the  Appendix,  as  also  does  Crosby,  clearly  not 
considering  this  a  part  of  the  Articles  nor  of  equal  authority  with  them,  while 
some  of  the  members  were  open  communists.  The  Philadelphia  Confession 
consists  of  thirty-four  Articles,  the  twenty-third  being  in  favor  of  singing  in  public 


710  rini.ADEI.l'IIIA    ASSOCIATION. 

wdrijlii]!,  and  the  tliirt v-tirst  in  Iunoi'  of  thu  laviiii^  dii  oi  \iAnih  aiU'i'  haptisiii.  There 
were  some  other  chaiijjes,  but  slii^lit,  and  tlie  publication  ut  the  Confe.ssiuii  was  ac- 
companied liy  a  foi-cot'ui  Dissei'tation  on  Oinircli  Discijiline.  The  I'liihidelj)liia  Asso- 
ciation ado])ted  this  Septendicr  'i.")tli,  1742,  and  it  will  be  of  intei'est  to  say  that  the 
first  ech'tion  was  pi'intcd  by  iiriijaiiiiii  i'raid<lin  in  I7b'>.  The  foregoing;  exti'act 
taken  from  tlu'  Lomlon  Apjicndix  is  nol  found  in  the  J'liiladuiphia  document,  as 
all  the  C'hui-ches  which  ad(»pted  it  there  were  strict  communion  in  their  practice ; 
licnce  they  never  acce])ted  the  London  Ap|iendi.\,  but  use  these  words  on  the 
Communion  (juestion  in  the  XXXi.oneof  the  new  Aiticlcs:  'We  belieNC  that 
laying  on  of  hands,  with  pi'aycr,  upon  baptizc(l  iielievers  as  such,  is  an  ordinance 
of  Christ  and  ought  to  lie  submitted  unto  by  all  >uch  persons  that  aiv  admitted  to 
partake  of  the  Lord's  Supper.'  Tliis  Confession  became  the  basis  on  which  almost 
all  the  Associations  (.)f  this  country  were  established,  until  what  is  called  tlie  IS'ew 
iianipshire  Confession  was  drawn  up  by  the  late  J)i'.  John   Newton  lirown. 

'J'he  value  of  this  Association  to  the  encouragement  and  maintenance  of  new 
Churches  is  indicated  by  Morgan  Edwai'ds,  who  says,  in  ITTt',  that  from  the  five 
Churches  whii-h  constituted  it,  it  had  'so  increased  since  as  to  contain  thirty-four 
Churches,  exclusive  of  those  wbitdi  have  been  detached  to  form  another  AsMiciation." 
Its  Confession,  as  a,  whole,  takes  the  doctrinal  ground  denominated  Moderate 
Calvinism,  as  laid  ihiwn  by  Andrew  Fullei'.  carelully  avoiding  all  extremes. 
es])eeially  that  known  as  iIypei'-Cal\  inisni.  The  many  sididivisions  into  which 
those  W'ere  dividtMJ  who  jiracticcd  the  immersion  of  believers,  but  created  tests 
of  fellowship  not  known  to  the  Chui'clies  of  the  .\ew  Testament,  found  ^cant 
comfort  in  tlie  unmistakable  language  of  this  Confession,  The  scriptural  character 
of  its  positions,  with  the  freedom  of  thought  which  it  left  to  the  Churches  on  matters 
not  comprised  in  its  Articles,  armed  it  with  a  jiowerful  moral  influence  against  heter- 
odoxy, and  yet  left  that  free  scope  for  the  exi'rcise  of  conscience  without  whicli 
Baptists  cannot  exist.  A  like  service  was  rendered  by  its  Treatise  of  Discipline, 
which  aided  the  Churches  in  administering  their  practices,  with  such  variations  as 
their  circumstances  of  time  and  place  dictated;  and,  without  that  crippling  effect 
which  liomanism  has  sometimes  assumed  in  l!apti.-t  ('liui'ches  under  the  monstrous 
guise  of  Baptist  usage,  which,  in  other  words,  simply  meant  Baptist  tradition. 

The  establishment  of  this  Association  formed  a  great  epoch  in  Baptist  liistory, 
because  it  fostered  those  educational  and  philanthropic  causes  which  needed  the 
co-operation  of  the  sisterhood  of  Churches,  and  could  not  be  sustained  by  jiurely 
separate  congregations.  When  Isaac  Eaton  had  it  upon  his  heait  to  raise  an 
academy  in  connection  with  his  Church  at  Hopewell,  N.  J.,  the  Philadelphia  Asso- 
ciation passed  the  following  resolution,  October  5tli,  175(1:  'Concluded  to  raise  a 
sum  of  money  tc>ward  the  encouragement  of  a  Latin  (Trammar  School,  for  tlu! 
promotion  of  learning  amongst  us,  under  the  care  of  Kev.  Isaac  Eaton,  and  the 
inspection  of  our  brethren,  Abel   Morgan.  Isaac  Stelle,  Abel  (Griffith  and   Peter  P. 


HOI'F.WICI.L    (IRAMMAR  SCHOOL.  717 

Van  Horn.'  It  is  said  that  the  first  stiuknit  at  this  academy  was  James  Maniiin<r, 
afterward  President  of  IJrown  University.  Samuel  Jones  and  Ilezekiaii  Smith 
were  aist)  amongst  the  early  students,  as  well  as  Samuel  StiUiiiaii.  .Inhii  (iaiio, 
Charles  Thompson,  Judge  Howell,  Benjamin  Stelle,  and  many  others  of  note,  both 
in  Church  and  State.  So  many  of  the  Churches  were  supplied  witli  able  pastoi's 
from  this  seminary  that  the  Baptists  were  moved  to  establish  a  college,  and  the 
result  of  their  ellort  was  the  fdunding  of  that  imted  seat  of  learning  iitiw  known 
as  Brown  Uni\iTsiry.  In  a  sense,  the  Philadelphia,  aided  by  the  Charleston  and 
Wari'eu  Associations,  gave  birth  to  all  the  Baptist  institutions  of  learning  in 
America  by  nursing  the  enterprise  at  Hopewell.  The  encouragement  and  assist- 
ance which  persecuted  Baptists  received  in  other  States  from  these  Associations 
in  relation  to  religious  fi'eedom  was  very  great.  We  have  seen  that  the  Philadel- 
phia Ass(wiation  was  f'ornu'd  in  IT^T;  then  followed  the  Charleston,  S.  (J.,  in  1751; 
the  Kehukee,  jS'.  C,  in  ITti.");  and  the  Warren,  R.  I.,  in  1707.  When  the  Warren 
Association  was  formed,  there  were,  according  to  Backus,  fifty-tive  Baptist 
(Jhurches  in  New  England,  but  according  to  Morgan  Edwards  there  were  seventy. 
Some  of  them  observed  the  Sabl)atli  on  the  seventh  day,  some  were  frankly 
Arminian  in  doctrine,  and  a  majority  of  them  maintained  the  imposition  of  hands 
upon  the  immersed  as  a  divine  ordinance. 

As  early  as  17^^11  the  (reneral  or  Arminian  Baptists  formed  an  Association  at 
Newport,  \l.  I.,  anil  in  1730  thirteen  Churches  of  that  colony  and  Connecticut  held 
yearly  meetings  upon  the  Six  Principles.  The  associational  idea  was  thus  early  at 
work,  but  the  Warren  Association  did  not  grow  out  of  this  previous  organizatioTi. 
Nor  was  it  related  to  the  quarterly  and  yearly  meetings,  as  was  the  Philadelphia 
l)ody,  the  Churches  which  formed  it  each  working  on  their  own  lines  for  a  long 
time.  The  idea  of  an  association  between  the  Calvinistic  Baptist  Churches  of  New 
England  probably  originated  with  Dr.  Manning.  The  growth  of  our  Churches  in 
Massachusetts  and  the  founding  of  Brown  University  were  so  interblended  in  the 
fornuition  of  the  Warren  Association  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  look  at  both  in 
connection  with  that  important  movement. 

As  far  back  as  1656  the  magistrates  of  Connecticut  asked  those  of  Massachu- 
setts some  questions  concerning  infant  baptism.  June  -Ith,  1657,  a  meeting  of 
ministers  was  held  in  Boston,  who  adopted  what  is  known  as  the  Half-way 
Covenant,  which  provided  '  that  all  persons  of  sober  life  and  correct  sentiments, 
without  being  examined  as  to  a  change  of  heart,  might  profess  religion  or  become 
members  of  the  Church,  and  have  their  children  baptized,  though  they  did  not 
come  to  the  Lord's  table.'  A  synod  of  all  the  ministers  in  Massachusetts  ratified 
this  provision  in  the  same  year.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  such  an  unscriptural 
step  opened  the  doors  of  the  Congregational  Churches  to  an  immense  influx  of 
unconverted  people  and  to  a  corresponding  worldliness  of  life.  The  Baptists  were 
obliged,  almost  single-handed,  to  stem  this  public  sentiment,  but  they  bravely  stood 


7  18  PERSECUTION  IN  MASSACHUSETTS  liELAXJW. 

liriii  For  (Tospel  principles.  Tiie  C'liurelies  iiicivused  in  numijiT  ^iiid  influence 
I'ontinnallv,  and  in  :i  larire  measure  they  counteracted  tlie.se  dangerous  influences 
upon  the  public  mind.  The  l^apti.st  Church  in  I'oston  built  a  new  church  edifice 
in  1(JS0,  and  in  l(iS3  John  Emblem  from  England  became  their  pastor;  after 
serving  them  foi'  fifteen  years,  he  died  in  l()9!t,  when  P^llis  Callender  succeeded  him. 
lie  was  followed  by  Elisha  (.'allendei-  and  .leremiali  Condy.  until  Samuel  Stillman 
took  charge  in  IT'iT).  J»y  the  time  that  the  second  Calleiider  became  pastor,  the 
spirituality  of  the  Baptists  IkkI  so  I'oininended  them  to  the  respect  of  the  better 
portion  of  the  community  that  the  three  ])rincipal  clergymen  in  Boston,  Increase 
]\Iather,  (Jotton  Mather  and  ■lohn  Welili,  not  only  consented  to  be  pi'esent  at  liis 
ordination,  but  Mr.  Mather  mo.st  cheerfully  preached  the  ordination  sermon,  May 
•Jlst,  171s.  And  what  was  as  noble  as  it  was  remarkable,  he  had  the  manliness 
to  select  as  his  subject,  '(Jood  Men  United  I  '  In  the  face  i.if  the  whole  colony  he 
condemned  'the  wretched  notion  of  wholesale  severities.'  These  he  called  '  cruel 
wrath,"  and  said  roundly  :  '  New  England  also  has,  in  some  former  times,  done  some- 
thing of  this  aspect,  which  would  not  now  be  so  well  approvecj  of,  in  which,  if  the 
brethren  in  whose  house  we  are  now  convened  met  with  any  thing  too  unbrotherly, 
they  now  witli  satisfaction  hear  us  expressing  our  dislike  of  every  thing  that  has 
looked  like  persecution  in  the  days  that  have  passed  over  us.' ^ 

In  I721t  the  bitterness  of  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts  was  so  far  relaxed 
against  Baptists  as  to  exempt  them  from  i)aying  the  parish  ministerial  taxes  if  they 
alleged  a  scruple  of  conscience  in  the  matter.''  This,  however,  by  no  means  ended 
their  sufferings,  for  in  1753  the  ('ourt  required  the  minister  and  two  princijxd 
members  of  a  Baptist  ('luirch  to  sign  a  certificate  that  the  person  to  be  exempt  was 
a  member  of  that  Church,  and  besides,  the  Church  of  which  he  was  a  member 
should  obtain  a  certificate  from  three  other  Baptist  Churches  to  ])rove  that  the 
Church  to  which  he  belongeil  really  was  a  Ba])tist  Church.  Of  course,  our 
C/hurches  resisted  this  provision  and,  in  1754,  remonstrated  with  the  Assembly  at 
J^oston.  At  once  it  was  moved  in  this  body,  but  not  carried,  that  the  signers  of  the 
remonstrance  should  be  taken  into  custody.  In  tlie  pa]ier  which  they  had  seiit  to 
the  Assembly  they  had  shown  how  tlie  I'aptists  had  been  thrown  into  jail,  their 
cattle  and  goods  sold  at  auction  for  a  quarter  of  their  value  because  they  refused 
to  pay  Church  rates,  and  they  held  that  all  this  was  contrary  to  the  royal  charter, 
which  gi-anted  them  liberty  of  conscience.  Manning  wrote  to  Dr.  Samuel  Stennett, 
June  5tli,  1771,  of  liis  brethren's  hard  treatment  in  Massachusetts  by  imprisonment 
and  the  despoiling  of  their  property.      He  says  of  the  authorities  : 

'  They  are  afraid  if  they  relax  the  secular  arm  their  tenets  have  not  merit 
enough  and  a  sufficient  foundation  to  stand.  This  has  been  so  plainly  hinted  by 
some  of  the  committees  of  the  General  Court,  upon  treating  with  our  people,  that 
I  think  it  cannot  be  deemed  a  breach  of  charity  to  think  this  of  them.  .  .  .  Some 
of  our  Churches  are  sorely  oppressed  on  account  of  religion.  Their  enemies  con- 
tinue to  triumph  over  them,  and  as  repeated   applications   have  been  made  to  the 


DE.    STKNyETT  AND    GEOHGK  III.  719 

Court  of  Justice  and  to  the  General  Courts  for  tlie  redress  of  sueli  iirievauces,  but  as 
yet  have  been  neglected,  it  is  now  become  necessary  to  carry  the  atl'air  tu  England, 
in  order  to  lay  it  before  the  king.' 

Dr.  Steiniett  was  known  persoiudly  to  George  III.,  who  greatly  respected  him  ; 
hence  he  used  his  intinence  with  the  king,  in  company  with  Dr.  F-lfWelyn  and  Mr. 
Walliii,  to  secure  relief.  On  -Inly  .'51st,  1771,  his  majesty  'disalhiwed  and  rejected' 
the  act  of  Massachusetts  in  oppressing  the  Baptists  at  .Ashtield  ;  and  Dr.  John  Ry- 
land,  in  writing  to  ^[anniug,  says  that  Di-.  Stennett  procured  that  oi'tler.  Three 
hundretl  and  innety-eight  acres  of  land,  belonging  in  part  to  Dr.  Ebenezer  Smith,  a 
Baptist  minister,  and  the  Ashtield  Baptists,  had  been  .seized  and  sold  to  build  a 
(■ongregational  meetiugdiouse.  On  this  land  was  a  dwelling-house  and  orchard, 
and  also  a  bnrying-grountl,  so  that  the  I!a]>tists  found  their  dead  taken  from  them  as 
well  as  their  property.  The  Warren  Association  met  at  Medtield,  Sept.  7th,  177ii, 
and  refused  to  carry  in  any  more  certificates  for  exemption  from  ministerial  taxes, 
because  to  do  so  implied  a  right  on  the  part  of  the  State  to  levy  such  a  tax,  and 
because  it  was  destructive  to  religious  liberty  and  the  proper  conduct  of  civil 
society.  They  demanded  the  right  to  stand  on  an  equality  before  the  law,  not  as  a 
sect,  but  as  citizens.  Meanwhile  the  Baptist  Churches  fast  nndtiplied  everj'where. 
A  second  Baptist  Church  was  formed  in  Boston  itself  in  17-1:3,  and  others  fol" 
lowed  at  various  places  and  dates,  as  Middlel)orough,  Newton,  etc.;  so  that  by  1776 
there  were  alxmt  forty  Baptist  Churches  in  Massacliusetts  alone.  Their  cause  in 
New  England  received  a  sti'ong  imjietus  from  the  preaching  of  Whitefield  and  Ids 
colaborers,  which  ushered  in  the  great  awakening.  While  Whitetield  was  not  a  Bap- 
tist, he  insisted  on  a  spiritual  Church  and  that  none  but  those  who  had  experienced 
the  new  birth  should  become  members  therein,  a  position  which  logically  carried 
men  to  the  Baptists  in  a  community  where  the  Half-way  Covenant  was  in  force. 
He  landed  at  Newport  in  September,  17-lrO,  and  for  three  months  preached  daily. 
Tennant,  Bellamy,  AVheelock,  Davenport,  and  many  others  followed  him,  and  it  is 
estimated  that  within  two  years  between  thirty  and  forty  thousand  persons  pro- 
fessed conversion  to  Christ.  Many  Churches  of  the  Standing  Order  arrayed 
themselves  against  him  ;  others  were  indifferent  to  Ins  movements.  Harvard  and 
Yale  Colleges  officially  took  ground  against  him.  Dr.  Chaunce}-,  of  Boston,  wrote 
a  volume  against  him  ;  and  the  General  Court  of  Connecticut  enacted  laws  restrict- 
ing ministers  to  their  own  pulpits,  unless  specially  invited  by  the  minister  of 
another  parish,  and  making  it  illegal  for  any  unsettled  nunister  to  pi'each  at  all. 

It  was  not  strange  that  these  converts,  finding  such  opposition  or  cold  welcome 
in  the  Congregational  Churches,  should  seek  homes  elsewhere.  In  many  cases  tliey 
formed  Churches  of  their  own  and  were  known  as  Separatists,  and  Backus  says  that 
between  September,  17-46,  and  ^lay,  1751,  thirty-one  persons  were  ordained  as  pastors 
of  Separate  Churches.  These  new  converts  were  insensibly  and  inevitably  led 
nearer  to  the  Baptist  position  than  to  that  taken  by  the  great  body  of  the  Congre- 


720  wiiiti:fii:i.i)  a.xd  the  seiwhatists. 

f^atioiial  State  Clmrclies.  Tlic  ('liurclit's  of  tlic  StaiKliii^'  Order  were  tilled  with 
inieiiinerted  persmis,  with  many  who  had  iirown  up  in  them  t'i-om  inl';mey,  bein^ 
introduced  at  tliat  time  by  ehristenin;^  ;  and  Imt  a  .--mall  proportion  of  their  nieni- 
b(>rs  made  aiiv  claim  to  a  spiritual  reii'cneratioii.  Tlu:  inniitionsof  a  converted  soul 
recoil  fi'om  Ciiurch  associations  with  those;  whose  onlv  claim  to  mendtership  in 
Christ's  mv>tii';d  bodv  is  a  cei'emonv  |ici-formed  o\('i-  :ni  unconscious  inlant,  foi'  the 
renewed  man  m'1'I<s  tellowship  with  those  who,  liki:  himself,  have  exercised  faith  in 
(^hrist's  s;i\  ini;-  merits,  and  he  is  likely  to  take  the  Scriptni'es  foi'  his  guide  in  seek- 
injj;  his<'hurch  home.  "Whitelield  him.'^elf  taii<:h!  his  con\'ei-ts.  when  preaching  on 
luHii.  vi,  1  1,  that  tlieii'  death  to  sin  enjoined  another  oi-dci-  of  duty.  He  .=ays  :  '  It 
is  certain  that  in  the  words  ot  our  text  thiu'e  is  an  allu>ion  to  the  manner  of  ba]5tisin, 
which  M'as  by  inniier.--ion,  which  our  ( 'hui-ch  |  Kpi.-cojjal  |  allows,  and  insists  upon  it, 
that  i-hildren  should  be  immersed  in  watei',  unless  those  that  bring  the  children  to 
be  bapti/.t'd  assure  tlie  minister  that  tliey  cannot  bear  the  plunging."*  in  these  and 
similar  words  he  showed  his  hearers  that  the  aXew  Testament  disttijjles  were  a  body 
of  immersed  believers:  and  when  Jonathan  Kdwards  reimdiated  the  Halt-way  (cov- 
enant, nund)ers  embraced  his  views;  some  'ivw  new  l)a])tist  Churcdies  were  foriried 
in  Massachusetts,  but  many  Whitelieldians  ami  Itaptists  attemptiMl  to  build  together 
in  what  were  |)opularly  known  as  New  Light  t>r  Separatist  Churches.  Of 
course  such  a  compromise  between  l.aptist  and  l'edobaj)tist  principles  could  not 
long  be  practiced,  and  gradually  the  IJaptists  withdrew  to  form  their  own  congre- 
gations. Backus  says  that  for  the  twenty  years  between  17(!i*and  ITsotwonew 
l!ai)tist  Cliurches  were  organized  each  yvwr. 

The  life  ami  ministry  of  Isaac  Ba(d\Us  himself  illustrates  the  sweep  of  tlie 
Jiaptist  movement  in  New  England.  lie  was  converted  to  God  during  this  great 
awakening,  and  with  many  misgivings  united  with  the  Congn^gational  Cliiirch  at 
Norwich,  Conn.,  but  afterward  joined  with  iifteen  others  in  forming  a  Sejxirate 
Clmrcli,  eoni])Osed  of  Baptists  and  Pedobaptists.  Two  years  afterward.  174-8,  hav- 
ing now  reached  tlie  age  of  twenty-six  years,  lie  formed  a  riiurch  of  this  mixed  order 
at  Middleboroiigh,  Mass.  Soon  the  ([uestion  of  baiitism  liegan  to  agitato  the  body, 
and  a  number  of  his  jieople  rejecfeil  int'ant  baptism  and  sprinkling  as  baptism. 
After  a  time  Mr.  P>ackiis  followed  them  on  conviction,  and  in  17r)()  he  formed  the 
First  Baptist  Church  at  Middleboroiigh.  The  story  of  his  change  of  faith  and 
denominational  relations  is  a  type  of  the  inward  and  outward  changes  through 
wliich  many  earnest  men  passed  at  that  time,  and  united  with  the  Baptists  or 
formed  new  (^hurches  of  that  order  and  Backus  acted  as  a  leader  in  this  direction. 

Wo  have  seen  tliat  ,Iames  Manning  was  first  a  student  at  Hopewell :  after 
spending  four  years  at  the  College  of  New  Jersey,  at  Princeton,  from  which  he  was 
graduated  in  1762  with  the  second  highest  honors  of  his  class,  lie  was  intrusted  by 
the  Philadelphia  Association  with  the  arduous  task  of  establishing  a  denominational 
college  '  on  some  suitable   part  of  this  continent.'     After  consulting   largely  with 


Dli.    JA.yfKS  J/.'IMVAVG'.  721 

fneiidi5,  amongst  thcni  Gardner,  tlic  Dcpnt3'-CTOvcriior  of  Tlliode  Island,  lie  estal)- 
lislicd  a  Latin  School  at  "WarriMi,  and  oro-aiiized  a  liaptist  Cliiircli  there  in  1764-. 
This  school  was  siibseqiu'iitlv  removed  to  I'rovideiice.  where  it  is  still  continued  as 
the  Fniversity  Granunar  School.  In  1TH5  lie  was  ajipointed  'President  of  the 
Gollege  of  Ehode  Island,  and  Professor  of  Languages  ajui  otlier  l)ranclies  of  learning, 
with  full  power  to  act  in  these  ca])acities  at  Warren  and  elsewhere.'  He  began  his 
work  with  one  student,  William  Rogers,  from  Xewpoi't ;  three  (jtliers  were  added 
within  a  vear,  and  at  th(>  first  coniincnct'incnt,  in  1769,  he  graduated  seven.  A  college 
charter  was  obtained  from  the  General  Assembly  of  Rhode  Island,  and  $2,000  were 
subscribed  for  building  and  endowing  the  college.  He  saw-  at  once  that  his  success 
depended  on  the  interest  which  the  Churches  took  in  the  institution,  and  seeing  that 
this  conld  only  l)e  accomplished  by  united  effort,  he  and  llezekiah  Smith  determined 
on  forming  an  Association,  with  the  double  purpose  of  resisting  the  oppressions  of 
the  Standing  Order  in  Xew-  England  and  of  securing  an  educated  Baptist  ministiy. 
This  was  accomplished  at  Warren  in  1767.  For  six  years  the  college  remained  at 
Warren,  when  a  contest  arose  between  Warien,  East  Greenwich,  New]3ort  and 
Providence  for  the  honor  of  the  permanent  location,  and  in  1770  the  college  was 
removed  to  Providence.  Manning  then  i-esigned  his  pastorship  at  Warren,  accepted 
that  of  the  Providence  Church  in  1771,  and  for  twenty  years  held  the  twofold 
relation  of  pastor  and  president.  The  Warren  Association  was  intimately  identified 
with  the  development  of  the  college  for  many  years,  thus  making  them  mutual 
blessings.  Backus  tells  us  that  a  number  of  elders  being  together  in  consultation 
about  the  affairs  of  the  young  institution,  they  sent  invitations  to  other  brethren, 
and  the  result  was  the  meeting  at  Warren  of  representatives  from  eleven  Churches, 
with  three  ministers  from  the  Philadelphia  Association  for  consultation  concerning 
the  organization  of  the  new  A-ssociation.  John  Gano  was  pastor  of  the  Baptist 
(^hurch  in  Xew  York  at  that  time,  and  brother-in-law  of  President  Manning.  Gano 
presided  over  their  delegations,  and  Isaac  Backus  acted  as  clerk.  After  full  deliber- 
ation, some  of  the  Churches,  fearing  that  an  Association  might  assume  jurisdiction 
over  them,  faltered,  and  that  body  was  formed  by  the  repi-esentatives  of  four 
Churches  only,  namely,  Warren,  Bellingham,  Haverhill  and  Second  Middleborough, 
but  the  latter  Church  withdrew  at  the  second  meeting,  1768. 

President  Manning  then  di-cw  up  a  statement  closely  defining  the  objects  of 
the  Warren  Association,  adapted  to  remove  misapprehensions,  and  in  1770  the  Mid- 
dleborough Church,  with  Backus  as  pastor,  returned,  '  upon  the  express  condition 
that  no  complaint  should  ever  be  received  by  the  Association  against  any  particular 
Church  that  was  not  of  the  Association,  nor  from  any  censured  member  of  any  of 
our  Churches.'  This  body  of  Churches  defined  that  its  union  was  '  consistent  with 
independency  and  power  of  jiarticular  Churches,  because  it  pretended  to  be  no  other 
than  an  advisory  council,  utterly  disclaiming  superiority,  jurisdiction,  coercive  right 

and  infallibility.'     On  these  principles  the  Association  won  its  way,  and  in  1777 
47 


722  nil-:  nAUh'KN  ASSOC/. \r/oy. 

it  cnilii-arcil  ill  ils  iiu'iiiliiTsliij)  '.'A  clmrclies  ami  l.tilT  (■iiniiimiiit'aiits.  Tlie 
service  wliicli  it  rciidrrcil  to  r.ai)ti>t  iiitric^ts  in  tlii>,<e  day*^  of  weakness  and  ti'iai 
\v;i.s  vcfv  ■^rcat.  lur  it  \v,is  a  iiiissionaiT  society  as  well  as  a  IVatei'iiai  hudy.  It 
iirii'anized  an  ivlucatiunai  I'lind  liif  ministerial  (■(iiK'atinii :  it  a])p(iinteil  a  eoiniiiittee 
111  present  serious  liaptist  i;-rie\anccs  to  tlic  i:(i\ crnnient  <.)f  Massaeliiisetts  and  Con 
nectieiit  ;  it  sent  an  ajient  ti>  ]Oiii;;laiiil  In  lay  tlicir  ease  lieiore  llic  i<in:;- ;  and  it 
apiicalfd  Jul-  sulisi-ript  ions  ti)  ail  tiie  J5aptist  Clmrclies  of  this  eontiiunit,  adinonisliinj^ 
tliein  to  rally  to  the  support  of  their  own  c-olleii-e  as  a  Christian  duty.  Also  it 
a])]>ointed  liciijainin  i''oster  and  others  to  ])re])are  ;i  s]iellini(-hook.  a  ^oorl  Enirlish 
li'raiimiai-  and  a  lla|)tist  catechism,  l-'or-ter  was  a  ijradnate  of '^  ale,  was  a]>pointed 
to  defend  the  i'e(loliaptist  position  in  the  exert-ises  of  that  college,  and  became  a 
Baptist  on  conviction  a-  the  I'esnll.  The  hallowed  inlluences  exerted  liy  the  ]''hila- 
delphia.  and  Warren  Associations  in  nioldiiii;'  the  IJaptist  di'iiomination  in  the  Xew 
World  can  ne\i'r  he  told. 

.justice.  howe\'er,  deniamls  as  hi^li  a  ti'ilinte  to  Moriian  Kdwarils  as  to  .lames 
Mannini;-.  foi-  his  Zealand  ability  in  establishing  the  college.  Indeed,  Dr.  (iuihi. 
tlie  present  lilirarian  of  lii'own  University,  fraid<ly  pays  him  this  tribute,  lie  says 
of  Mori;an  : 

'lie  was  the  prime  mo\'cr  in  the  eliterjirise  of  otablisliiiii;-  rhe  college, 
and  in  I7<i7  he  went  back  to  luiL:laiid  and  secured  the  first  funds  for  its  endow- 
ment. With  him  wei-e  associated  the  Rev.  Samuel  .Tones,  to  whom  in  ITIH  was 
ofi'ered  the  presidency;  Oliver  ilart  and  Francis  I'elot.  of  South  (Jarolina ;  .lohi' 
Hart,  of  Iloptiwell,  the  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  independence:  .John  Stites,  the 
mayor  of  i<]li/.abetlitown  ;  ilezekiah  Smith,  Samuel  Stillman,  .Tohn  Gano  and  others 
Connected  with  the  two  Associations  named,  of  kindred  zeal  anil  s]iirit.  The  final 
success  of  the  movement,  however,  may  justly  be  ascribed  to  the  life-long  labors  of 
him  who  was  apjioiiitei]  tlie  WvM  ])resident,  .James  ]\[anning.  I).!).,  of  New  .rersey." 

it  is  right  to  sav  here  that  lie.  being  a  A\'elshiiiaii.  it  was  meet  that  he  shoidd  be 
the  '  prime  mover"  in  establishing  the  first  I!a|)tist  college  in  .\mei'ica  on  the  very 
s<iil  where  ilogei-  \\'illiams,  his  conntryinan.  had  planted  the  lirst  free  re]inblic,  of 
this  land.  There  i>  also  wvy  much  jioetic  lore  in  the  thought  that  he  shoidd 
leave  his  Cliureh  in  Philadelphia  to  enlist  the  men  of  Wales  in  the  interests  of 
the  yoimg  institution,  lie  broni;-ht  ba(d<  a  lai'ge  smii  of  money  bir  this  obji'ct.  and 
had  so  stirreil  the  sympathies  of  Dr.  Iliehards,  of  South  Wales,  that  he  beipieathed 
his  librarv  of  l,.'3flO  volumes  to  its  use.  And  now.  probably,  theri;  is  not  such  a 
collection  of  Widsli  books  in  .\meriea  as  is  bmnd  in  tln'  town  id'  the  brave 
Welshman  who  founded  i'roviilence.  Welsh  affection  bir  lirown  merits  that  'po- 
etic justice'  which  led  its  ])resent  librarian  to  bless  the  memory  of  the  other 
immortal  AVelshinan,  Morgan  l<^dw^ards,  as  the  prime  mover  in  its  establishment.  Mr. 
Edwards  was  thoroughly  educated  and  became  jiastor  of  the  Philadelphia  Clnirch. 
on  the  reconnntmdation  of  Di-.  (iill,  in  I7<il.  and  remained  there  till  1771.  when  he 
removed  to  Delaware,  where  he  died   in   17l''>.      His   iidluenee   was  very  great,  but 


/.'AT.    MOHdAy   ICDWMtDS.  T2.Q 

would  have  been  much  enlarged  had  ho  ideutitied  himself  with  the  cause  of  the 
colonies  in  their  struggle  with  the  mother  country.  His  family  was  identified  with 
the  service  of  his  majesty  of  England,  and  Aforgan  was  so  full  of  Welsh  fire  that 
he  coild  not  hold  his  timgue,  which  iiiiich  atilieted  his  Itretlin  n  and  involved  him 
in  trouble  with  the  American  aiitiiorities,  as  we  find  in  the  following  recantation  : 
'  At  a  meeting  of  the  Committee  of  White  Clay  Creek,  at  Mr.  Henry  Dai-by's,  in 
New  York,  August  7th,  1775,  William  Patterson,  Esq.,  being  in  the  chair,  when  tlie 
Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  attended  and  .signed  tiie  fullowing  recantation,  wliicli  was 
voted  satisfactory,  namely : 

'  Whereas,  I  have  some  time  since  frequently  made  use  of  rash  and  imprudent 
expressions  with  respect  to  the  conduct  of  my  fellow-countrymen,  wlio  are  now  en- 
gaged in  a  noble  and  patriotic  struggle  for  the  liberties  of  America,  against  the 
;irbitrarv  measures  of  the  British  ministry;  which  conduct  lias  justly  raised  their 
resentment  against  me,  I  now  confess  that  I  have  spoken- wrong,  for  which  lam 
sorry  and  ask  forgiveness  of  the  public.  And  I  do  promise  that  for  the  future  I 
will  conduct  myself  in  such  a  manner  as  to  avoid  giving  offense,  and  at  the  same 
time,  in  justice  to  myself,  declare  that  I  am  a  friend  to  the  present  measures  pur- 
sued by  the  friends  to  American  liberty,  and  do  hereby  approve  of  them,  and,  as 
far  as  in  my  power,  will  endeavor  to  promote  them.  Moeo.vn  Edwakds.' 

How  sound  his  conversion  was  to  Revolutionary  'measures'  is  not  a  jiropcr 
question  to  raise  here,  but  as  the  oiiense  was  one  of  the  tongue,  he  made  the 
amend  as  broad  as  the  sin,  and  there  is  no  known  evidence  that  he  ever  gave  too 
free  rein  to  the  unruly  member  thereafter  on  the  subject  of  the  •  noble  and  pat- 
riotic struggles  for  the  liberties  of  America.'  It  is  sure,  however,  that  when 
American  liberties  were  secured  he  brought  forth  abundant  fruits,  'meet  for 
repentance,'  in  the  labors  which  he  devoted  to  the  cause  of  American  education. 
He  also  traveled  many  thousands  of  miles  on  horseback  to  collect  materials  for  the 
history  of  the  Baptist  Churches  in  the  colonies  which  he  had  done  so  much  to  build 
up.  His  purpose  was  to  publish  a  history  in  aliout  twelve  volumes.  He  issued 
the  first  volume  in  1770,  which  treated  of  the  Pennsylvania  Baptists  ;  the  second 
volume  related  to  the  New  Jersey  Baptists  and  was  published  in  1792 ;  his  treat- 
ment of  the  Rhode  Island  Baptists  was  not  sent  forth  by  him,  but  appeared  Iti  the 
sixth  volume  of  the  Rhode  Island  Historical  Collections  of  1867.  He  left  the 
third  volume  in  manuscript,  concerning  the  Delaware  Baptists,  which  is  now  in 
possession  of  the  Baptist  Historical  Society,  Philadelphia.  He  was  as  noble,  refined 
and  scholarly  a  servant  of  Christ  as  could  be  found  in  the  colonies.  He  died  in  Del-  ~ 
aware  in  1795 ;  his  body,  which  was  first  buried  in  the  Baptist  meeting-house.  La 
Grange  Place,  between  Market  and  Arch  Streets,  Philadelphia,  now  rests  in  Mount 
Moriah  Cemetery,  and  every  true  American  Baptist  blesses  his  memory. 


CHAPTER    VIIT. 

THE    BAPTISTS    OF    VIRGINIA. 

N(»  clKipttT  ul'  llaptist  lii.-tiiry,  EuropcMii  or  Aiiicrifaii,  jills  lioiicst  licartt;  witli 
wanuur  gratitude  and  thanksgiving^  tlian  tliat  of  Virginia.  Tlie  first 
settlers  of  this  coloiiN'  ^\^crv  cavaliers,  from  the  nppcr  classes  of  I■hlgH^ll  .-ioeietv,  ])ro- 
foiindiy  lo_yal  to  thc^  Engiisii  government  and  zealous  of  religious  ohservances.  The 
N'irginian  (diartei'  of  April  lOtli,  l(iO(i,  made  the  CliniY'h  of  England  the  I'eligion  of 
the  eolony,  and  devotion  to  the  king,  its  liead  and  defender,  (lie  test  of  loyalty  ;  hence 
all  were  taxed  for  its  su]iport.  ilefoi-c  i'lyiiioutli  Rock  was  known,  and  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  centui'v  liefore  Massachusetts  l!ay  ('olony  was  oi-ganized,  the  soil  of 
\'irginia  was  hallowed  by  praise  to  God  in  i)uhlic  woi'.-hiji.  ('a]itain  John  Smith 
tells  us  this  beautiful  story  of  his  religious  acts  ut  Jamestown  : 

'When  I  first  went  to  A'irginia,  I  well  remember  we  did  hang  an  awning, 
which  is  an  old  sail,  to  three  or  four  trees  to  shadow  us  fi'om  the  sun.  ( )m-  walls 
were  rails  of  wootl,  our  seats  unliewed  trees,  till  we  cut  planks,  our  ]iidpit  a  bar  of 
wood  nailed  to  two  neighboring  trees.  In  foid  weather  we  shifted  into  an  old 
I'otten  tent.  This  was  onr  (Oiurcli,  till  we  l)ui]t  a  homely  thing  like  a  barn,  set  up 
crotchets,  covered  with  rafts,  sedge  and  earth,  so  was  also  the  walls,  the  best  of  our 
houses  of  the  like  curiosity,  but  tiie  most  part  far  much  worse  workmanship,  that 
could  neither  well  defend  wind  or  rain.  Yet  we  had  daily  common  prayer,  morn- 
ing and  evening ;  every  Sunday  two  sermons,  and  every  three  months  the  Holy  Com- 
munion, till  our  ministei',  Mr.  Hunt,  died.  I'ut  our  ]irayers  daily,  with  a  homily  on 
Sunday,  we  continued  two  or  three  years  aftei-,  till  more  ])reachers  came.  And 
f-urely  God  did  most  mercifully  hear  us,  till  the  continual  inundations  of  mistaken 
directions,  factions  and  numbers  of  unprovided  libertines,  near  consumed  us  all,  as 
the  Israelites  in  tin'  wilderness.' 

Hajipy  had  it  l)een  for  the  colonists  if  tliis  freedom  and  simpli(>itv  of  volun- 
tary woi'sliij)  had  been  continued  amongst  them,  as  this  noble  character  commenced 
it  in  his  i-ude  .laiiiestown  temple,  without  doubt  the  first  ever  erected  in  Xorth 
America.  The  charter  made  withdrawal  from  the  Episcopal  Church  a  crime  equal 
to  revolt  from  the  government.  It  further  required  that  if  any  one  were  drawn 
away  from  the  '  (locti'ines,  rites  and  religion,  now  jirofessed  and  established  within 
our  realm  of  England,'  the  ])erson  so  offending  should  be  "arrested  and  imprisoned, 
until  lie  shall  fully  and  thoroughly  reform  him,  or  otherwise  when  the  cause  so 
requireth,  that  he  shall  with  all  convenient  speed  be  sent  into  our  realm  of  England, 
here  to  I'eceive  condign  ]iunishnient,  ior  liis  or  their  said  offense.' 

Each  successive   Governor   promulgated    his  own  code  of    laws,  directing  his 


n 


EARLY  AND    OPPRESSIVE  LAWS.  725 

siiljordinates  in  the  details  of  administration.  That  of  Sir  Thomas  Dale,  in  1611, 
provided  that  every  man  or  woman,  Miow  present  or  hereafter  to  arrive,'  should 
give  "an  account  of  his  or  their  faith  and  relii;-ion.  and  repair  unto  the  minister,' 
that  their  orthodoxy  might  he  tested.  Upon  refusal  tn  du  this  the  minister  should 
irive  notice  to  the  Governor  or  chief  otfieers  of  the  town,  and  for  the  first  refusal 
the  oifender  was  to  he  whii)i)ed,  for  tlie  second  to  be  whipped  twice  and  to 
acknowledge  his  fault  on  the  Sabbath  day  in  the  congregation,  and  for  the  third 
offense  he  was  to  be  \\liip[)i'd  every  day  until  the  aeknuwlcdgnu'iit  was  made  and 
forgiveness  craved.  The  very  severity  of  this  code  prevented  its  full  execution, 
and  succeeding  Governors  relaxed  these  provisions  in  their  several  codes.  But 
though  corporal  punishment  was  gnulually  abandoned,  the  spirit  of  intolerance  as 
to  any  departure  from  the  Church  of  Engknd  remained  the  same,  being  quite  as 
severe  as  that  nf  .Massachusetts  Bay  against  all  dissent  from  Congregationalism. 
Ilening  says  that  the  General  Assembly  appears  to  have  devoted  it.self  to  enforcing 
attendance  on  the  services  of  the  Church  of  England  in  the  colony.  In  1623  it 
provided  that  ])ul>lic  worship  should  be  held  in  every  plantation  according  to  its 
canons,  that  its  ministers  should  be  paid  by  a  tax  upon  the  people,  and  that  no  other 
ministers  but  those  of  that  Church  '  shall  be  permitted  to  preach  or  teach,  publicly 
or  privately,'  and  that  •  the  Governor  and  Council  shall  take  care  that  all  Non- 
conformists depart  the  colony  with  all  conveniency.' 

The  first  nine  Acts  of  liH>]  provided  for  the  support  of  the  State  Church  ;  in 
each  parish  a  church  edifice  was  to  be  built  out  of  the  public  treasury',  together  with 
a  parsonage  house  and  the  jjurchase  of  a  glebe  for  the  minister's  use.  He  was  to 
receive  a  salary  of  £80  sterling,  a  provision  subsequently  changed  to  16,000  pounds 
of  tobacco,  to  be  levied  on  the  parish  and  collected  like  other  taxes.  Each  min- 
ister must  be  ordained  by  a  Bisliop  in  England;  all  other  preacliers  were  to  be 
banished  ;  every  person  who  wilfully  avoided  attendance  on  the  parish  Church  for 
one  Sunday  was  to  be  fined  hfty  pounds  of  tobacco ;  every  Non-conformist  was  to  be 
lined  £20  for  a  month's  absence,  and  if  he  failed  to  attend  for  a  year  he  must  be 
apprehended  and  give  security  for  his  good  behavior,  or  remain  in  prison  till  he 
was  willing  to  attend  Church.  Much  pretense  has  been  made,  that  because  the 
early  settlers  of  the  colony  were  cavaliers,  they  were  less  austere,  moi'e  polished 
and  of  gentler  blood  than  the  Puritans  of  Massachusetts.  But  the  i)rutal  intoler- 
ance of  the  English  Court  was  faithfully  copied  by  them,  and  no  darker  or  more 
bloody  pages  stain  English  or  Massachusetts  history  than  those  that  defile  the  early 
records  of  Virginia.  *  White  tells  us  of  a  baud  of  men  who  were  driven  from 
Virginia 'for  their  religious  opinions'  in  1634r.i  Bulk  records  the  revolting  bar- 
barities inflicted  on  Stevenson  Reek  for  the  same  cause  in  1640.  lie  'stood  in  the 
pillory  two  hours  with  a  label  on  his  back,  paid  a  fine  of  £50,  and  was  impi'isoned 
at  the  pleasure  of  the  Governor,'  for  simjily  saying,  in  a  jocular  manner,  tliat  '  his 
majesty  was  at  confession  with  my  lord  of  Canterbury.'  -     Holmes  details,  at  length, 


726  QUAKERS  PUNISHED. 

tlial  in  I  Ills  fdiir  missionaries  were  sent  IVdni  Ma.--s;iclnisi'tts  to  Viri^iiiia,  Messrs. 
J:uncs,  Kiinlivs,  TliiiiiijisDii  aiul  Jlai-i'ison.  'J'jicv  iicld  a  few  iiieutiugs  tliere  in 
])rivate,  Imt  tlicii'  littlr  coiiyrcijatioiis  \wru  vii)iuiitly  broken  up  and  the  missionaries 
baiiislieil.  wiiili^  nianv  ol'  their  iiearers  wt-rc  iiiiprisoneil.''  James  Pyland,  a  nieiiiljer 
of  the  ilduse  of  liurgesses  fi-om  tlie  I>le  of  \Vii:lit  ("oimlv.  jn-epared  a  Catecliisiii 
which  was  jiroiiuiiiiccil  '  hhispheiiious.'  f(,r  whicli  he  \\'as  expelled  in  l<)r)i2;  and  for 
Some  other  ti'iN  ial  reli:;ioUs  olfeuse  a  meml>er  from  ^^'orfolk  was  e.\j)elled  in  h'AV.i. 
^'iri;inia  hail  adhei'ed  to  the  kiniz;  ai;;ainst  Cromwell  and  the  Commonwealth,  and 
l)r.  Iiawk>,  the  ehupient  l']j)i>copal  histoi-ian  of  N'irj^inia,  tells  of  four  of  Cromwell's 
soldiers  who  were  •  rudely  huiii;',  as  a  warning  to  the  remaim.ler'  in  ItlSi*,  for  their 
religious  opinions,  under  the  ])retense  that  'their  assemblages'  were  "perverted 
from  reliirious  to  treasonalile  purposes;"  tho>e  religious  iissemblages  themselves 
lieinu:  regarded  as  a  subversion  of  th(!  government.'' 

Ilening  states  that  tlie  llitli  Act  of  flu-  (Irainl  Assembly  of  li;(;i-(;2  declared 
that,  W/urcas,  Many  schismatical  jjersous,  out  of  their  averseness  to  the  orthodox 
established  religion,  or  out  of  the  new-fangled  conceits  of  their  own  lieretical  inven- 
tions, refuse  to  have  their  children  baptized;  Be  it  therefore  enacted,  by  tlic 
authority  aforesaid,  that  all  persons  that  in  contempt  of  the  divine  sacrament  of 
baptism,  shall  refuse  when  they  may  carry  their  child  to  a  lawful  minister  in  that 
eoiintv.  to  have  them  baptized,  shall  be  amersed  two  thousand  |)onnds  of  tobacco; 
half  to  tlu\  ini'ornier,  half  to  the  public."  -' 

This  was  a  blow  dealt  at  tlu^  (Quakers,  as  there  seem  to  have  been  no  I'.aptists 
in  the  colony  at  that  time.  Several  Acts  of  the  As.senil>ly  in  l<!.">'.t,  I(W.2  and  1(;93 
made  it  a  crime  for  parents  to  refuse  the  baplism  of  their  children.  .Jefferson 
writes:  '  If  no  execution  took  place  liere,  as  in  New  England,  it  was  ]U)t  owing  to 
the  moderation  of  the  Churcli  or  the  spirit  of  the  Legislature,  as  may  Ite  inferred 
from  the  law  itself,  but  to  historical  circumstances  which  have  not  l)eeu  handed 
down  to  us.'  ^ 

When  William  and  Mary  came  to  the  throne,  in  1089,  their  accession  was 
signalized  by  that  enactment  of  Parliament  called  the  Act  of  Toleration.  Even 
this,  as  Dr.  WooLsey  renuirks,  'removed  only  the  harsliest  restrictions  upon 
Protestant  religious  wor.ship.  and  was  arbiti-ary,  uiieipial  and  unsystematic  in  its  pro- 
visions.' Still,  it  was  the  entering  wedge  to  religious  freedom,  aiul  while  the 
P)aptists  of  England  gladly  availed  themselves  of  it  and  organized  under  it  in 
Loiulon  as  a  great  Association  for  new  work,  a  liundred  aiul  seventeen  Cliurches 
being  represented,  the  autliorities  of  N'irginia  thought  it  inojierative  in  tlieir  colony. 
It  was  not  until  a  score  of  years  after  the  passage  of  this  Act  that  the  colonial 
Legiskiture  gave  to  the  colonists  the  meager  liberties  which  it  granted  to  the  British 
subject.  When,  however,  news  of  this  Act  reached  Virginia,  the  few  individual 
P)aptists  then  scattered  abroad  there  resolved  on  their  full  liberty  as  liritish  subjects 
luider  its  ]irovisions.  They  entreated  the  London  Meeting  to  send  them  ministei-s, 
an  entreaty  which  was  followed  by  a  correspondence  running  through  many  years. 


FIRST  BAPTIST   CHURCH  IN    VIRGINIA.  727 

111  1714  K(.ibert  Noriliii  ami  'riimnas  W'liite  were  sent  as  urdaiiied  ministers  to  tlie 
coionj,  but  White  died  upon  tlie  voyage.  V•\^  to  this  time  there  seems  to  liave 
been  no  organized  body  of  Unptists  in  Virginia,  iiltiiougli  tliere  are  traces  of  indi- 
viduals in  Nortli  Carolina  as  early  as  1690,  who  had  fled  from  Virginia  to  escape 
her  intolerance.  Semple  finds  the  first  Baptist  Churclr  of  Virginia  oi'ganized  in 
association  with  the  labors  of  Nordin  at  Burleigh,  Isle  of  Wight  Count}',  in  1714,  on 
the  south  side  of  the  I'iver  and  (ip|i(isite  .laniest(.i\vn.  llowtdl  thiid^s  that  before 
the  coming  of  JS'ordin  tliere  had  been  a  gathering  of  citizens  there,  joined  by  others 
from  Surry  County  for  consultation,  and  that  they  had  petitioned  the  London  Bap- 
tists to  send  them  helj).  Be  this  as  it  may,  Nordin  was  soon  followed  by  two  other 
ministers,  Messrs.  Jones  and  Mintz,  and  under  the  labors  of  these  men  of  God  the 
first  Church  was  formed  in  that  year,  and  soon  after  (jue  at  Brandon,  in  the  County 
of  Surry.  The  first  is  now  known  as  Mill  Swamp;  it  is  thought  that  the  Otterdams 
Church  is  the  second.  These  were  General  I'aptists,  but  in  a  few  years  they  embraced 
('alvinistic  sentiments,  and  Noi'din  laliured  in  that  region  till  he  died,  in  1725. 

While  this  movement  was  in  progress  in  tlie  southern  ])art  of  Virginia,  tlic 
intluence  of  the  Welsh  Baptists,  in  Pennsylvania  and  Delaware,  began  to  be  felt  in 
Berkeley,  London  and  Roekinghani  Counties,  which  were  visited  by  tlieir  minis- 
ters. Semple  thiid\s  that  these  laborers  first  reached  the  colony  through  Edward 
Hays  and  Thomas  Yates,  members  of  the  Saters  Baptist  Church,  in  Maryland, 
and  that  Revs.  Loveall,  Heaton  and  Gerard  soon  followed  them.  Churches  were 
then  gathered  at  Opecon,  Mill  Creek,  Ketocton  and  other  points  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, which  became  members  of  the  Philadelphia  Association,  from  which 
they  received  the  counsel  and  aid  of  David  Thomas,  John  Gano  and  James  Miller, 
which  accounts  in  part  for  the  rapid  spread  of  Baptist  principles  in  North  Vir- 
ginia. They  were  soon  strengthened,  also,  by  the  labors  of  two  men  of  great 
power,  formerly  of  other  denominations,  who  became  Baptists.  Shubael  Stearns,  a 
native  of  Boston.  Mass.,  was  converted  under  the  preaching  of  George  Whitt'iield, 
and  united  himself  with  the  revival  party  of  the  Congregationalists,  called  New 
Lights,  in  174-5.  He  continued  with  them  for  six  years,  when  he  became  convinced, 
from  an  examination  of  the  Scriptures,  that  infant  baptism  was  a  human  institu- 
tion and  that  it  was  his  duty  to  confess  Christ  on  his  faith.  Accordingly,  he  was 
immersed  by  Elder  Palmer  at  Tolland,  Conn.,  May  20tli.  1751.  and  was  ordained  a 
Baptist  minister.  After  contiiiuing  in  New  England  for  aljout  three  years,  he 
longed  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  the  regions  beyond,  and  made  for  Berkeley  and  Hamp- 
shire Counties,  Va.  There  God  made  him  wonderfully  successful.  an<l  his  fame 
spread  through  all  the  region.  He  itinerated  largely  in  Nortli  Carolina  as  well  as  in 
Virginia,  and  gathered  an  inimen.se  harvest  for  Christ.  ^Morgan  Edwards  describes 
him  as  a  marvelous  preacher  for  moving  the  emotions  and  melting  his  audiences 
to  tears.  The  most  exciting  stories  are  told  about  the  piercing  glance  of  his  eye 
and   the  melting  tones  of  his  voice,  while  his  appearance   was  that  of  a  pati'iai'ch. 


728  EARLY    VIRGINIAN  PREACHERS. 

Tiilc'iicf  Lmik',  who  iil'tcrwanl  licciinic  :i  distiiiguislH'il  liujiti^r  miiiistur,  sa3's  that  he 
had  tlie  most  liatcl'ul  leu  line's  towanl  thu  J!a|iti.^t>,  l)Ut  c-ui'io.-itv  IimJ  liim  to  liuar 
Ml'.  Stearns : 

'  V\»)U  my  arrival,  I  saw  a  vciieral)le  old  man  nittiiig  iiiHler  a  peacli-ti'ee,  with  a 
hook  ill  Iiis  liand  and  the  peoj)lu  n'atheriiii;-  ahuut  liini.  Jle  lixed  liis  eyes  u])on  nie 
immediately,  wliicli  made  me  feel  in  sueli  a  manner  as  I  never  iiad  felt  hefore.  I 
turneil  to  (juit  tlie  phiee,  hut  could  not  ])roeeed  far.  ]  walked  ahout,  sometimes 
eatehing  his  eyes  as  I  walked.  JVIy  uneasiness  increased  and  became  intolerable.  I 
went  np  to  iiim,  thinkini>'  that  a  salutation  and  shakinij  of  hands  would  relieve  me: 
but  it  hapj)ened  otherwise.  1  bej^an  to  think  that  he  had  an  evil  eye  and  ouirht  to 
be  shunned  ;  but  shunnini;;  him  1  could  no  moi-e  elfect  than  a  bird  can  shun  the  rat- 
tlesnake when  it  lixes  its  eyes  upon  it.  When  he  hey-an  to  ])reacli  my  perturbations 
increased,  so  that  nature  could  no  longer  support  them  and  I  sank  to  tln'  ground.' 

llev.  Daniel  Marshall  was  l)rotIier-in-law  to  Stearns,  and  had  fm-merly  been  a 
Presbyterian  ministei-  at  Windsor,  Conn.,  but  had  served  for  some  years  as  a  mis- 
sionary to  the  liulians  on  the  U])])er  ISuscjuelianna.  Wai-  between  the  colony  of 
Maryland  antl  the  Indians  had  arrested  his  work,  and  on  examiniiii;-  the  Scriptui-es, 
lu',  too,  became  a  l!apti>t,  being  immei'sed  iK'ai'  AVinehester,  \'a.,  in  the  forty-eighth 
year  of  his  age.  lie  and  Stearns  preached  in  \'irginia,  North  and  South  Carolina, 
and  Churches  were  multii)lied  in  every  direction.  Dr.  Howell,  in  treating  of  this 
period,  says  that 

'The  iields  were  white  to  harvest.  God  poureil  out  his  Holy  Spirit.  One 
universal  impulse  pervaded,  apparently,  the  minds  of  the  whole  j)eople.  Evidently 
hungering  for  the  bread  of  life,  they  canto  ti.igether  in  vast  multitudes.  Every- 
where the  ministry  of  these  men  was  attended  with  the  most  extraordinary  success. 
Very  large  numbers  were  baptized.  Churches  sprang  up  by  scores.  Among  tlie 
converts  were  many  able  men,  who  at  once  entered  the  ministry,  aud  swelled  con- 
tinually the  ranks  of  the  messengers  of  salvation.' 

So  <]uickly  (lid  the  work  of  Cod  spread  amongst  the  people  in  every  direction, 
that  the  inlluence  of  our  Churches  began  to  be  felt  in  sha])ing  the  political  destinies 
of  the  colony;  and  that  iiiHuence  has  continued  to  our  times,  rroininent  amongst 
the  causes  of  this  rapid  growth  was  the  character  of  the  preaching.  The  preachers 
were  from  the  peoj)lc  to  whom  they  spoke,  so  that  they  understood  their  necessities 
and  difficulties.  Reports  of  many  of  these  early  sermons  are  extant.  They  are 
characterized  by  great  simplicity  of  thought  and  structure,  are  peculiarly  adapted 
to  arouse  the  conscience  to  the  need  of  Christ,  to  present  his  linished  work  in  all 
its  gracious  bearings,  and  to  lead  to  immediate  decision  in  his  service.  Colonial  life 
had  fostered  iiidepeiuleiit  thought  and  a  willingness  to  meet  ]>vv\\  in  shaking  ofl' 
the  State  Church,  whose  ministers  no  longer  commanded  the  respect  of  the  ])eoi)le. 
Formalism  had  engendered  license  in  the  pulpit  as  well  as  in  the  pew,  so  that  many 
of  the  clergy  were  not  only  cruel,  but  immoral,  also.  The  very  means  which  in  ear- 
lier years  liad  been  taken  to  hinder  the  sprt'ad  of  l)a]>tist  doctrines  now  contributed 
to  their  dissemination,  and  the  people  hungered  for  the  bread  of  life. 


THEIR    GREAT  SUFFERTNOS.  729 

Persecution,  as  usual,  over-reached  itself,  and  tlie  reaction  was  very  great.  John 
Leland  says,  the  Baptist  '  ministers  were  imprisoned  and  the  disciples  buffeted.' 
iJanies  Madison,  in  wiiting  to  a  Philadelphia  friend,  in  1774,  .said  : 

'That  diabolical,  hell-conceived  principle  of  persecution  rages  among  some, 
and  to  their  eternal  infamy  the  clergy  can  furnish  their  cpiota  of  imps  for  such  pur- 
poses. There  are  at  the  present  time,  in  the  adjacent  county,  ncjt  less  than  five  oi' 
six  well-meaning  men  in  close  jail  for  ])roclaiming  their  religious  sentiments, 
which  ai'c  in  the  nudn  (piite  orthodox.' 

Yet  this  liard  flint  of  persecution  struck  the  true  lire  of  soul  libertv.  Dr. 
Hawks  is  compelled  to  admit  of  the  State  clergy  that  they  were  in  many  cases  a 
disgrace  to  their  prufi's^idu  :  and  Ilaniiiiuiid  denounces  them  thus:  '  Man  v  came, 
such  as  wore  black  coats  and  could  babble  in  a  pulpit,  I'oar  in  a  tavern,  exact  from 
their  jiarishioners  and,  rather,  by  their  dissoluteness,  destroy  tlian  feed  their  flocks.' 
These  so  embittered  the  spirits  of  the  baser  class  against  the  pure  and  godly  men 
who  went  evcrywhei-e  preacliing  the  wi.ird  that,  even  after  the  Toleration  Act  had 
compelled  the  colony  to  modify  her  laws,  and  they  could  not  legally  be  imprisoned 
for  preaching  the  (lospel,  mob  law  was  let  loose  upon  them  everywhere,  and  they 
were  thrust  into  prison  for  the  sin  of  others  in  disturbing  the  public  jjeace.  Ever}-- 
wliei'e  their  congregations  were  disturbed  and  bi-oken  up.  Howe  says:  'A  snake 
and  a  hornet's  nest  were  thro\vn  into  their  meeting,  and  e\'en  in  one  ease  flre-arms 
were  brought  to  disperse  them."'     Tajdor  says  tiiat  the  Papti.st  ministers  were 

'  Fined,  pelted,  Ijeaten,  imprisoned,  poisoned  and  hunted  with  dogs  ;  their  con- 
gregations were  assaulted  and  dispersed ;  the  solemn  ordinance  of  baptism  was 
rudely  interrupted,  both  administrators  and  candidates  being  plunged  and  held  be- 
neath the  water  till  nearly  dead  ;  they  suffered  mock  trials,  and  even  in  coui-ts  of  jus- 
tice were  subjected  to  indignities  not  unlike  those  inflicted  by  the  infamous  Jeffreys.' 

Dr.  Semple,  actuated  by  the  same  sweet  spirit  and  sincere  honesty  which  moved 
Taylor,  gives  this  description  of  the  Baptist  ministers :  They  '  were  without  leai'n- 
ing,  without  patronage,  genei'ally  very  poor,  very  plain  in  their  dress,  unrefined  in 
their  manners  and  awkward  in  theii-  address;  all  of  which,  by  their  enterprising 
zeal  aiid  unceasing  perseverance,  they  either  turned  to  advantage  or  prevented  their 
ill  effects.' 

Yet  they  had  the  stoutest  hearts,  the  most  masculine  intellects,  and  some  of  them 
were  elocpient  to  a  proverb;  a  perfect  phalanx  of  Christian  Spartans.  About 
thirty  of  them  w'ere  put  in  prison,  some  of  them  several  times,  but  by  preaching  Jesua 
through  the  gates  and  on  the  high  walls  numy  were  brought  to  Christ.  Rev.  Ele- 
azar  Clay,  the  guardian  of  the  great  statesman,  lleiuT  Clay,  wrote  from  Chesterfield 
County  to  John  Williams  :  'The  preaching  at  the  prison  is  not  attended  in  vain,  for 
we  hope  that  several  arc  converted,  while  others  are  under  great  distress  and  made 
to  cry  out,  What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved  ^  and  he  begged  him  to  come  down  and 
baptize  the  converts.     Crowds  gathered  around  the  prisons  at  Fredericksburg,  in  tlie 


730  'HAD   IlOMir    TO   I'TtlSON. 

counties  of  Kiiri^  and  (^ueen,  Culjx'piicr,  .Middlesex  and  Essex,  Orange  and  Caro- 
line. They  were  preached  to  by  Jlarris,  Ii'eland,  Pickett,  the  Craigs,  of  whom 
thei'e  were  threes  brothers,  Cireenwood,  JJari'ow,  Weathersford,  Ware,  Tinsley,  Wal- 
ler, Webber  and  otliei'.-  whose  names  will  be  lion(jred  while  Virginia  exists.  And 
thei'e  ai'e  some  ncited  cases  (jf  holy  ti'iumph,  as  in  the  l)ri^on  at  ('iil])eiipei',  whence 
Ireland,  lunch  after  the  <M'der  of  Itnnyan,  who  was  'had  hoiKv  to  ])rison  in 
ihr  (■(iunt\'  jail  of  lU'dford,'  dated  his  letters,  from  'my  j)alace  in  Cnlpep])ei\' 
'Ml  ilic  \vY\  si)ot  where  the  ])rison ,  stood,  where  powder  was  cast  nnder  the  floor 
Id  lil(j\v  him  np,  and  briiii.'-tone  wa.-^  bni'iit  to  snlbicate  him  and  poison  was  ad- 
ministei'ed  to  kill  him;  on  that  spijt,  where  he  prt'ached  through  the  iron  grates  to 
the  jjcople,  there  the  l'>ai)tist  meeting-house  now  stands;  and  the  (.'hnrch  which  oc- 
c,ui)ies  it  numbers  more  than  %)'')  mi'mbers.  These  tliabolical  sciiemes  were  all  friis- 
trak'd  and,  after  much  suffering,  he  barely  escaped  with  hi.-  life;  yet  he  says:  'My 
pri>(in  was  a  place  in  which  I  cnjuycil  much  of  the  divine  presence;  a  day  seldom 
])as.sed  without  sciuie  token  of  the  divine;  goodness  toward  me.'  ^Valler,  a  most 
iiowcM'Tul  man,  who  before  hi>  couvei'sion  was  the  terror  of  the  good,  being  known 
as  the  '  DeviTs  .\djutant  and  Sweai'iug  .lack,'  spent  1  13  days  in  four  diiferent  pris- 
ons, besides  enduring  all  tiii-ms  of  al)use;  but  in  A'irginia  alone  ln'  immersed  •2,000 
believers  and  helped  to  constitute  eighteen  Churches.  Want  of  .-pace  demands 
silence  concerning  a  list  of  most  illustrious  ministers  and  laymen,  whose  names  will 
never  be  lionored  as  they  deserve,  until  some  equally  illustrious  son  of  Virginia 
shall  aiMMUge  and  shape  her  abundant  mass  of  r)a[)tist  material  with  the  integi'ity  of 
a  l!anci-oft  and  the  eloquence  of  a  Macaulay.  For  three  months  in  succession  thi'i^e 
men  of  (iod  lay  in  the  jail  at  Fredericksburg  for  the  crime  of  jireacliing  the  glo- 
rious (iospel  of  the  blissful  God — -Eldei's  Lewis  Craig,  John  Waller  and  James 
Childs.  lUit  their  brethren  stood  nobly  by  these  grand  confessors.  Truly,  in  the 
words  <.if  Dr.  Hawks, 

'No  disscnitei's  in  Virginia,  experienced  for  a  time  harsher  treatment  tlian  did 
the  liaptists.  They  were  beaten  and  imprisoned  ;  and  cruelty  taxed  its  ingenuity  to 
devise  new  modes  of  punishment  and  annoyance.  The  usual  consequences  followed. 
Persecution  made  friends  for  its  victims ;  and  the  men  wlio  were  iu)t  ])ermitted  to 
speak  in  public,  found  willing  auditors  in  the  sympathizing  crowds  who  gathered 
ai'ound  the  prisons  to  hear  them  pi'each  from  the  grated  windows.  It  is  not  im- 
probabh;  that  this  vei'y  opposition  imj)arted  stnmgth  in  aiiotlun'  mode,  inasmuch  as 
it  at  last  furnished  the  Baptists  with  aconnnon  ground  on  which  to  make  resistance.'* 

We  shall  see  much  more  of  their  struggles  for  liberty  to  ])reach  the  Gospel 
when  we  come  to  consider  the  period  of  the  Kevolutionary  War.  and  for  the 
present  must  look  at  their  internal  affairs  and  growth.  Although  they  multi- 
|)liod  rapidly  in  the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century,  they  were  nmch  di- 
\ided  by  controversies  amongst  themselves;  first,  on  the  question  of  Cahinism, 
and  then,  strangely  encnigh,  on  Episcopacy.  The  Calvinistie  controversy  had  been 
imported  by  the   Genei'al   and    I'articniar    Baptists,  who   had    come   from    England. 


VIRQINIA   BISHOPS    OR  APOSTLES.  731 

For  a  time  tlicy  lived  liappily  with  uacii  other,  pi'obably  held  together  by  the  eohe- 
sive  power  of  opposition  from  witiiout.  Bnt  by  and  by,  as  they  became  stronger, 
they  di-oppi'd  the  names  of  General  ami  l'arli<'iilar  and  (-ondncted  their  doctrinal 
contest  under  the  name  of  Separate  and  Jiegular  Baptists.  Samuel  Harris,  John 
Waller  and  Jeremiah  Walker  were  leaders  on  the  Arminian  side,  while  E.  Craig. 
William  Murphy  and  John  Williams  were  leaders  on  the  Calvinistic  side;  bnt  while 
they  conducted  their  debates  with  great  fi-eedoin  <if  utterance,  they  also  clmig  to 
each  other  with  brotherly  love.  Having  suffered  so  much  together  in  a  common 
cause,  the  thought  of  separation  was  too  painful  to  l)e  endured.  They,  therefore, 
treated  each  other  with  all  the  cordiality  of  (,'hristian  gentlemen,  or,  as  IMr.  Spurgeon 
woidd  say,  they  agreed  to  keep  two  bears  in  their  licjiise,  'liearand  forbear;'  and  the 
result  was,  after  a  long  and  full  discussion  in  1787,  they  agreed  to  know  each  other, 
and  to  be  known  to  others,  as  The  United  Baptist  Churches  of  Christ  in  Virginia. 

The  manner  in  which  our  Virginia  fathers  were  exercised  on  the  cpiestion  of 
Episcopacy  would  be  a  topic  of  amusement  to  the  I>aj)tists  there  in  our  times,  if 
reverence  for  their  sires  did  not  honor  all  their  sincere  convictions.  The  early 
General  Baptists  of  Englatul  raised  the  question  whether  Ephesiansiv,  11-13,  did 
not  continue  the  Apostolic  office  in  the  Church  after  the  death  of  the  Apostles;  and 
thinking  that  it  did,  they  selected  an  officer  whose  prerogatives  wi^vii  above  those 
of  an  Elder,  and  for  fully  a  century  this  officer  visited  their  Churches  as  a  Messenger 
or  Superintendent,  as  they  thought  Timothy  and  Titus  might  have  been.  He  was 
commonly  elected  and  set  apart  to  his  work  by  an  Association,  and  his  chief  duty 
was  to  itinerate,  preach  the  Gospel,  plant  Churches  and  regulate  their  affairs.  In 
the  Confession  of  the  General  Baptists  of  1078  his  duties  are  thus  laid  down  : 
'The  Bishops  have  the  government  of  tliose  Churches  that  had  snlfrage  in  their 
election,  and  no  others  ordinarily;  as  also  to  preach  the  word  in  the  world.'  Hook 
says  that  their  work  was  'to  plant  Churches,  ordain  officers,  set  in  order  things 
that  were  wanting  in  all  the  Churches,  to  defend  the  Gospel  against  gainsayers,  and 
to  travel  up  and  down  the  world  for  this  purpose.'  The  Virginia  Baptist  fathers, 
wanting  to  observe  every  thing  that  they  thought  was  done  in  the  Apostolic 
Churches,  decided  by  a  majority  vote,  at  the  General  Association  of  1775,  that  this 
office  was  to  be  continued,  and  appointed  Samuel  Harris  for  the  district  lying  south 
of  the  James  River  ;  slmrrly  after  which,  Elijah  Craig  and  John  Waller  were  ap- 
pointed for  that  on  the  north  side.  At  the  previous  meeting  of  this  l)ody,  after 
two  days'  debate,  they  had  deferred  the  further  consideration  of  the  subject  for  a 
year.  That  year  was  spent  in  warm  discussion  of  the  matter.  Walker  advocated 
the  doctrine  in  a  pamphlet.  Ford  opposed  it  in  another,  and  the  Association  tlu'ii 
unanimously  elected  Harris  an  Apodlc.  by  ballot.  They  observed  a  day  of  fasting 
before  the  ordination,  at  which  Elijah  Craig,  Waller  and  Williams  offered  prayer, 
then  eacli  t)rdaine(l  minister  present  laid  hands  upon  the  head  of  Harris  and  gave 
him    the  hand   of  fellowship.      At  the  autmnn    meeting  Waller  and    Craig    were 


732  El'ITAl'lI   OX    VIRGiyiA    A/'OsTf.ES. 

onhiinud,  ;uid  tliesL'  tliri'i'  Haptibt  IJisliops  wt'i'i-  \vl  Iohm.'   ujioii  the  C'liurclies  iiiHlcr 
this  rule  : 

'  If  our  Jlusseiit^er,  or  Apostle,  shall  ti'aiisgress  in  any  manner,  lie  shall  be 
liable  tt)  tlealini;'  in  any  (,'hurch  where  the  transyression  is  connnitted  ;  and  the  said 
(/Inireh  is  instructed  to  call  helps  from  two  or  tliree  neijfliborin<^  Churches;  and  if 
hy  them  found  a  traiisi;'ressor,  a  General  Conference  of  the  Churche.~  c-hal!  be  called 
to  excommunicate  or  to  restore  him.'  '■' 

As  might  ha\e  bci'U  expected  among>t  IJaptists,  tlie  advocates  ol'  tlie  measure 
were  not  chosen  ;  the  ('liui'ches  put  on  tlieii'  glasses  and  brought  out  their  New 
TestamiMits  to  see  whei-e  they  could  liiid  this  crolchct.  and  not  linding  it.  at  the 
next  year's  meeting  of  tlie  Association  the  'A])obtles'  were  \ eiT  chop-fallen,  and 
reporting  their  cold  rece])tion  aiul  discouragements,  quit  theii'  high  episco])acv  at 
once.  Tin;  Association  was  so  much  mortitied  at  this  play  at  ]irie>ts  that  it  had  not 
the  patience  to  ])ass  an  act  abolishing  the  ajio.stolate,  but  let  it  dii'  a  natural  (.leatli  ; 
afterward,  howevi^r,  the  body  took  a  .-olemn  farewell  of  its  defunct  bishopric  by 
recording  on  its  minutes  the  billowing  declaration,  as  a  sort  of  ejiilaph  :  'That  the 
ofiice  of  apostles,  like  that  of  prophets,  was  the  effect  u(  miraculotis  inspiration  ; 
and  does  not  belong  to  ordinary  times.'  x\or  since  that  day  have  \'irginia  I'aptists 
seen  any  times  extrani-dinary  calling  for  the  resurrection  of  their  '  apo.-tU's." 

The  primitive  iSaptists  of  Virginia  were  often  treated  with  contem))t  because 
many  of  tlieii'  nunisters  wei'e  not  classical  scholars,  and  yet  some  of  them  were  the 
peers  of  the  first  men  in  the  pulpits  of  the  colony,  no  matter  of  what  denomina- 
tion ;  not  only  in  all  that  enstamps  with  a  high  and  pi'ai'tical  niaidiood.  but  also  in 
the  higher  branches  of  education.  They  were  men  of  jirobuind  knowledge  iu  all 
that  relates  to  (iospel  truth,  to  the  true  science  of  huiiia)i  government,  and  to  that 
])atriotisni  which  has  made  the  Virginia  commonwealth  so  great  a  jiower  in  our 
land.  They  wi'ought  a  work  which  even  the  heroes  of  TJhode  Island  did  not  eipial 
ill  some  respects.  Just  as  it  is  harder  to  purify  a  corru])ted  system  than  to  originate 
one  tliat  is  right  and  true,  so  far  they  excelled  our  brethren  there.  Their  contest 
was  steady,  long  and  fiery,  yet  they  never  wavered,  took  no  rash  steps  nor  violent 
measures,  but,  with  true  loyalty  to  their  holy  convictions,  pressed  on  against  all  odds, 
until  their  resistless  wisdom  and  etieigy,  (lirecte(l  by  an  enduring  perseverance  that 
never  flagged,  gave  them  their  deserved  vietoi-y.  Touching  the  cpiestion  of  educa- 
tion, it  is  little  less  than  cruel  to  accuse  them  of  ignorance,  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
they  were  not  allowed  to  found  schools,  or  build  places  of  worship,  nor  to  be  at 
peace  in  their  own  homes.  But  as  soon  as  they  had  eoinpiered  the  right  to  breathe  as 
faithfid  citizens  and  to  organize  (^hiirches,  des[)ite  their  grinding  op]>ressions,  they 
at  once  betook  themselves  to  the  founding  of  schools  and  colleges,  which  have  since 
become  an  honor  to  the  State  and  nation.  As  it  was.  however,  with  their  slight 
classical  and  theological  attainments,  they  did  not  fail  to  ivach  some  of  the  lirst  minds 
in  Virginia.      So  pure  were  they,  so  biblical  and   sii    true   to   high    conviction,   that 


on.    ALEXANDEli  A.XD    THE   nAPTlSTK  733 

many  of  lici'  first  citizens  openly  identitied  tiiemselves  lioth  witli  tlieir  cause  and 
Churches.  Some  who  stood  liigh  as  statesmen  and  as  echicators  felt  and  confessed 
their  powerful  influence. 

Amongst  those  we  find  Dr.  .Vrehihald  Alexander,  boi-n  in  1772,  and  President 
of  Ilampden-Sidney  College  in  IT'.Hi,  one  of  the  first  seliohirs  and  divines  in  our 
country.     In  the  frankest  manner  he  unbosomed  his  heart  thus: 

'  I  fell  into  doubts  respecting  the  authority  of  infant  baptism.  The  origin  of 
these  doubts  were  in  too  rigid  notions  as  to  the  purity  of  the  Church,  with  a  belief 
that  receiving  infants  liad  a  corrupting  tendency.  1  communicated  my  doubts  very 
freely  to  my  friend,  Mr.  Lyle,  and  Mr.  Speece,  and  found  that  they  had  both  been 
troubled  by  the  same.  AVe  talked  much  privately  on  the  subject,  and  often  con- 
versed with  others  in  hope  of  getting  some  new  light.  At  length  Mr.  Lyle  and  I 
determined  to  give  up  the  ]iractice  of  baptizing  infants  until  we  should  receive 
more  light.  This  determination  we  publicly  communicated  to  our  peo])le  and  left 
them  to  take  such  measures  as  they  deemed  expedient;  but  they  seemed  willing  to 
admit  the  issue.  We  also  communicated  to  the  Presbytery  the  state  of  our  minds, 
and  left  them  to  do  what  seemed  good  in  the  case  ;  but  as  they  believed  that  we 
were  sincerely  desirous  of  aiming  at  the  truth,  they  took  no  steps  and  I  believe 
made  no  record.  Things  remained  in  this  position  for  more  than  a  year.  During 
this  time  I  read  much  on  both  sides,  and  carried  on  a  lengthened  correspondence, 
pai'ticularly  with  Dr.  Iloge.  Two  considerations  kept  me  bacdv  from  joining  the 
P>aptists.  The  first  was,  that  the  universal  prevalence  of  infant  baptism,  as  early 
as  the  fourth  and  fifth  centuries,  was  unaccountable  on  the  supposition  that  no  such 
practice  existed  in  the  times  of  the  apostles.  The  other  was,  that  if  the  Baptists 
are  right  they  are  the  only  Christian  Clmrch  on  earth,  and  all  otlier  denominations 
are  out  of  the  visible  Chui'ch.' 

The  soundness  of  the  conclusions  reached  by  this  great  head  of  the  Alexander 
family,  in  the  Presl)yterian  Church,  will  be  differently  estimated  by  different  minds ; 
but.  at  the  least,  he  shows  the  sjireading  influence  of  the  Virginia  Baptists  at  the 
close  of  the  last  century.  His  objections  to  the  Baptists  were  essentially  those  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  to  nuv  ])i-inciples  and  practices;  and,  ill-founded  as  they  were, 
they  ]irevonted  him  from  following  his  ccjuvictions  on  the  main  point  at  issue. 

In  another  chapter  it  will  be  needful  to  treat  of  the  Virginia  Baptists,  touching 
their  active  participation  in  the  Revohitionary  War,  together  with  their  prominence 
in  settling  the  State  policy  of  the  Old  Dominion,  and  the  character  of  the  Consti- 
tution of  the  Fnited  States.  This  chapter,  tlierefore,  must  close  with  a  reference 
to  their  alleged  molding  power  upon  Thomas  Jefferson,  in  his  political  career,  as 
one  of  the  founders  of  our  government.  JVfany  historical  writers  have  told  us  that 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  attending  the  business  and  other  meetings  of  a  Baptist 
Church  near  his  residence ;  that  he  closely  scrutinized  its  internal  democratic  policy 
and  its  democratic  relations  to  its  sister  Churches ;  that  he  borrowed  his  conceptions 
of  a  free  government,  State  and  Federal,  from  the  simplicity  of  Baptist  Church  in- 
dependency and  fraternity  ;  and  that,  frequently,  in  conversation  with  his  friends, 
ministers  and  neighbors,  he  confessed  his  indebtedness  to  their  radical  principles  for 
his  fixed  convictions  on  the  true  methods  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.     If  this  pop- 


734  .IHrh'ERSON  AM>    THE   ISM'TISTS. 

iilar  traditicjii  were  cntii'dy  iinsiqipoi-tiM]  hv  coiitciiiiiorai-v  tcstiiiiDiiv,  his  earnest 
and  imlilic  cii-oix'ration  with  till'  IJaptists  in  Virginia  ])oHties,  and  tlie  cio.so  identity 
ijctwcen  our  form  <^t'  ii'overnnicnt,  which  lie  did  so  nnicli  to  frame,  and  that  of  the 
llaptist  (,'hnrclies,  must  ever  contril^ute  to  keej)  it  alive;;  the  strenjj:th  of  the  eoin(d- 
diMicc  i)ein(;'  sufticicut  in  itself  to  create  such  a  tradition  even  if  it  tlid  not  already 
exist.     ( 'iirtis  says  : 

•  Tiicre  was  a  small  Baptist  Chui'ch  which  held  its  monthly  nieetin<;s  for 
ijiisiness  at  a  short  distance  from  Mr.  Jelferson's  house,  eight  or  ten  years  before 
the  American  lievolution.  Mr.  defferson  attended  these  meetings  for  sevei-al 
moTiths  in  succtession.  Tiic  j)astor  on  one  occasion  asked  him  how  he  was  pleased 
with  their  (!hnrch  government.  Mr.  .lelfei'son  rejdied,  that  it  struck  him  with 
great  force  and  had  interested  him  much,  that  he  considei-ed  it  the  oidy  form  of 
true  democracy  then  existing  in  the  world,  and  had  concluded  that  it  would  he  the 
best  plan  of  govermnent  for  the  AuKU-ieau  colonies.  This  was  several  years  before 
the  I  )(;claration  of  Jndcpcindencc." 


10 


This  author  also  says  that  lie  had  this  statement  at  second-hand  only,  from 
Mrs.  Madison,  wife  of  the  fourth  i'resident  of  the  United  States,  who  herself  had 
freely  (jonverseil  with  .IcH'ci'snii  on  rlie  subject,  and  that  her  rememl)rance  of 
these  conversations  was  'distinct,'  \w  '  always  declaring  that  it  was  a  Baptist  ('hurch 
from  which  these  views  were  gathered.'  iladison  and  Jefferson  stood  side  by  side 
with  the  Itaptists  in  their  contest  for  a  free  government,  and  they  served  together  in 
the  (Jouunittee  of  Seventeen  in  tlie  Assembly  of  Virginia,  when  it  was  secured  in 
1777.  '  After  desperate  contests  in  tliat  Committee  almost  daily,  from  the  llthof 
(October  to  the  nth  of  I  )ecendK'r,'  the  measure  was  cai-ried  ;  but  Jeffei'son  says  of 
this  struggle,  in  his  autobiography,  tliat  it  w;is  •  the  severest  in  which  he  was  ever 
engaged.'  No  person  then  living  had  bi'tter  opportunities  for  knowing  the  facts 
on  this  matter  than  had  Mrs.  Madison.  Then  the  records  of  the  early  I)a]itists  in 
AHrginia  show  that  there  were  Baptist  Churches  in  Albemarle  County,  where 
Jefferson  lived,  wdiich  fact  jiresents  strong  circum,stantial  evidence  to  the  accuracy 
of  this  report.  Seinplc  mentions  two  such  hodies,  the  Albemarle,  founded  in  17fi7, 
and  the  Toteer,  1775.  John  Asplund,  in  his  "Register  for  1790,  gives  four  Cluirches 
in  that  county,  namely,  '(irarrison's  met'tiug,  Pretey's  Creek,  Toteer  Creek  and 
White  Sides  (Jreek;'  Garrison's  having  been  organized  in  1774;  the  others  are 
given  without  date.  He  also  says  tliat  these  Churches  had  258  niomhers  and  n 
ministers,  namely  :  William  Woods,  Jacoli  Watts,  Bartlett  Bennet,  Martin  Dawson 
and  Benjamin  Burger.  This  renders  it  certain  that  liesides  Jefferson's  intimacy 
with  John  Iceland  and  other  welhku'jwn  names  of  our  fathers,  he  had  opportu- 
nities enough  at  home  to  become  acquainted  witli  Baptist  principles  and  practices. 
Though  he  was  skeptical  on  the  subject  of  religion,  he  always  spoke  warmly  of  his 
co-operation  with  tlic'  Haptists  in  securing  religious  liberty.  In  a  letter  written  to 
his  neighbors,  the  members  of  the  I'uck  Mountain  Baptist  Church,  1809,  he  says : 
•  We  have  acted  together  from  the  oriirin  to  the  end  of  a  memorable  revolution,  and 


REMMIKABI.E   /lA/'TIST   GliOWTlI.  733 

we  liave  fonti'ibutoci,  fach  in  the  line  allotted  us,  our  endeavors  to  render  its  issues 
a  permanent  blessing  to  our  country.' 

It  would  lie  a  pleasant  task  to  tracte  the  lives  of  some  of  the  distinguished 
servants  of  God  who  tilled  Virginia  with  Baptist  Churches  ;  but  their  work  erects  for 
them  an  imperishable  monument  to  which  it  is  only  needful  to  refer.  Wc  find  that 
while  the  first  Church  was  planted  in  the  colony  in  1714,  in  1T03  there  were  in  the 
State  "JiiT  churches,  272  ministers,  22,793  communicants,  and  14  Assoeiations. 
Abiel  Holmes  says,  in  his  •  Anu-rican  Annals"  (ii,  4SS  p.),  that  in  17'.*-'!  the  liaptists 
of  the  United  States  nun]!ieretl  7o,471,  so  that  at  that  time  \irginia  contained 
nearly  one  third  of  the  whole.  In  order  to  coml)ine  tlicii-  efforts,  a  Cend'al 
Association  was  formed  in  1771,  which  was  dissolved  in  17'"^-'<  and,  in  17><4,  a 
General  Committee  was  organized  to  take  its  ])lace,  consisting  of  two  delegates 
from  each  Association;  this  again  M'as  supersetled  in  1800  by  the  Genei'al  Meeting 
of  Correspondence,  which  was  composed  of  delegates  from  all  the  Associations  and 
acted  as  a  State  Board  of  Baptist  co-operation  on  all  sul)jects  of  general  interest. 
Till'  statistics  of  our  own  tunes,  lu.iwever,  far  eclipse  the  ratio  of  growth  in  the 
most  prosperous  days  of  the  last  century.  At  the  present  time,  1S8H,  the  Virginia 
Baptists  have  42  Associations,  8(38  ordained  ministers,  1,H0S  churches,  into  whose 
fellowsliip  there  were  baptized  last  year  12,182  persons,  making  a  total  meinbershi]) 
in  the  State  of  238,260;  bi-ing  the  largest  number  of  Ba])tists  in  any  State  excejit- 
ing  Georgia.  This  prosperity  is  the  more  remarkable  when  we  take  into  account 
that  within  the  present  century  the  largest  defection  from  the  regular  Baptist  ranks 
that  has  been  known  in  this  country  took  place  in  Virginia,  under  the  late  Ilev. 
Alexander  Campbell.  Without  a  brief  sketch  of  that  movement  the  history  of  the 
Baptists  there  would  be  very  imperfect,  hence  it  is  here  submitted. 

Alexander  Campbell,  a  seceding  minister  from  the  North  of  Ireland,  came  to 
America  in  1S07,  and  became  pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  Church  in  West  Pennsylvania. 
Soon  his  father,  Thomas  Campbell,  came  to  differ  materially  in  some  things  with 
that  Church,  and  set  up  worship  in  his  own  house,  avowing  tliis  jirinciple  :  '  When 
the  Scriptures  speak,  we  speak ;  where  they  are  silen.t,  we  are  silent."  A  number 
adopted  this  doctrine  and  gathered  at  the  meetings.  Andrew  Munro,  a  clear- 
headed seceder,  said  at  once  :  '  If  we  adopt  that  as  a  basis,  there  is  an  end  of  infant 
baptism.'  Soon  Imth  Thomas  and  Alexander,  his  son,  witli  five  otiiers  of  the  family 
rejected  infant  baptism,  and  on  June  12th,  1812,  were  innnersc^d  on  profession  of 
their  faith  in  Chri.st,  in  Butfalo  Creek,  by  Elder  Luce,  and  were  received  into 
the  fellowship  of  the  Bush  Run  Baptist  Church.  After  this  Alexander  began  to 
call  in  (picstiou  the  scripturalness  of  certain  Baptist  views  and  usages,  chiefly  in 
relation  to  the  pei'sonal  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  regeneration,  the  consequent 
relation  of  a  Christian  experience  before  baptism  and  the  effect  of  baptism  itself. 
As  nearly  as  the  writer  could  express  Mr.  Campbell's  views,  after  nnK^h  conversation 
with  him,  iie  held  :  That  no  man  can  be  born  of  (it>d  i)ut  by  the  word  of  truth  as 


736  nh:v.  AT.KXAyDF.n  cAyrvBEiJ.. 

founil  in  the  I5il)l(' ;  tli;it  tlif  Scriiiturcs,  Ijeiiii;  iiis|iiri'il  hy  tlic  Holy  Spirit,  tin; 
only  aii-cncy  of  tlic  Spirit  wliicli  acts  on  the  sou!  is  exerted  throuirh  tlie  word  of 
IScripture;  that  tlie  act  of  rej^eneration  is  not  conii)lete(l  until  tlu'  soul  oheys  C'iirist 
ill  tlio  act  of  baptism;  ami  that,  as  liajitism  is  ("iirist's  ap]iointed  nietliod  of  eoiifcss- 
iiiiT  him.  ihe  washiiit;'  away  of  .-in  is  cdimcetrd  with  that  act  or  e\iiice(l  tliereliy 
Tlie  l>a|)tists  from  whom  he  retired  also  held  to  ilic  full  inspiration  of  the  Holy 
Srri|itures,  and  that  (njil  addi'csscs  himself  to  the  soul  <if  man  through  that  word, 
liut  that  the  llolv  Spirit  applii's  that  woi-d  to  the  soul  in  so  powerful  a  manner,  hy 
his  direi't  and  ])ersonal  agency,  as  to  lead  it  to  a  |)erfect  tiaist  on  Christ  for  sahatioii 
and  that  then  he  i>  liorii  from  aliove.  or  rcgi'iiei-ati-d.  That  when  the  S])irit  lu-ars 
witness  with  his  spii'it  that  he  is  a  cliiM  of  (iod.  and  he  can  tt'stify  of  the  grace  of 
(lod  in  saving  him.  he  has  thru  hccomc  a  lit  suliject  foi'  l)a])tism  ;  and  so  tlie  act  of 
l)aptism  puMirlv  attests  his  love  for  Ohrist.  his  ohrdieiice  to  him  and  the  remission 
of  his  sins,  as  one  who  is  dead  indeed  unto  sin  and  alive  unto  (lod.  The  point  of 
divergence  between  him  and  the  baptists  was  so  \ital  and  radical,  that  i;\iiV\  step 
which  followed  wid(>ned  tin;  distance.  IMr.  Campbell  came  to  regard  what  is  known 
as  the  relation  of  Chi'istian  e\|ierience.  not  only  as  savoring  of  mere  impulse  at  the 
bc-t.  but  as  (d'teii  niiming  into  supi'i'stitioii  and  even  fanaticism;  wliili'  the  I'aptists 
insisted  on  satisfactory  testimony  from  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  convert's  heart,  and 
th(>n  from  his  own  lips  to  the  Church,  that  a  moral  renovation  was  wrought  in  his 
whole  moral  nature  bv  the  Holy  Spirit  himself,  in  which  work  he  had  used  the 
insjiireil  word  as  his  di\  iiie  instrument  in  elYecting  saKation. 

Of  course,  mneh  warm  controversy  ensued,  tlie  convictions  of  each  party 
deeiM-'iied  with  the  progress  ol'  the  contest,  divisions  took  ])lace  in  (/hurclics  and 
A.ssociations,  the  rent  ran  not  only  through  \'irginia  but  through  the  entire  South 
and  South-west,  and  the  two  bodit's  appear  to  be  about  as  far  ajiart  as  ever,  with  this 
difference,  that  time  and  cireti instances  have  softened  old  asjierities  and  cooled  the 
heat  of  fierce  debate.  The  leaders  in  the  combat  were  men  of  might  on  both  sides. 
Mr.  Campbell  possessed  a  jiowerful  intellect,  which  largely  predominated  over  the 
t'luotioiial  in  his  nature.  lie  was  of  French  descent  on  his  mother's  side,  of  Irish 
and  Highland  Scotch  on  his  fatlier's.  He  was  very  po.sitive,  unyielding,  fearless 
and  cajiable  of  wonderful  endurance.  Without  being  over-polite  or  ceremonious, 
liis  maniuu's  were  bland  and  conciliating.  While  his  mind  was  entirely  self-directing, 
there  was  no  show  of  vanity  about  him;  and  while  not  an  orator  in  a  high  sense,  his 
manner  of  speaking  was  pre]iossessing  from  the  utter  absence  of  cant  in  expression 
or  whine  in  tone.  There  was  a  warm  play  of  benevolence  in  his  face  and  a  frank 
open-hearted ness  in  his  speech,  which  was  clothed  in  the  dress  of  logic  and  armed 
with  pointed  artful  sarcasm  which  seldom  failed  to  intluence  his  hearers. 

Probablv  the  nearest  counterpart  to  himself  whom  he  t'oiind  amongst  all  his  op- 
ponents, and  who  most  counteracted  his  influence  as  a  strong  and  cool  reasoner,  wa.s 
Dr.  Jeremiah  B.  Jeter,  one  of  the  broadest  and  best  men  that  Virginia  ever  produced 


REV.    Dli.    JETER.  737 

either  in  the  Baptist  ministry  or  any  other.  He  was  a  native  of  that  State,  born  in 
1S02,  and  was  baptized  in  1821,  addressing  the  crowd  on  tlie  bank  of  tlie  Otter 
JRiver  as  he  ascended  from  tlie  water.  He  began  to  preacli  in  Bedford  County, 
and  was  the  first  missionary  appointed  by  tlie  General  Association  of  Virginia, 
in  1823.  He  tilled  various  pastorates  in  that  State  until  1835,  when  he  became 
pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  Richmond,  where  he  continued  for  fourteen 
years.  He  had  baptized  more  than  1,000  persons  before  he  went  to  Richmond,  and 
was  lioiiored  by  the  baptism  of  about  tlie  same  iuuiiIht  while  in  this  Church. 
In  1849  he  took  charge  of  the  Second  Church  in  St.  Louis,  but  returned  to  Rich- 
mond as  the  pastor  of  Grace  Street  Church  in  1852.  Tiie  last  fourteen  years  of  his 
life  were  spent  as  editor  of  the  '  Religious  Herald.'  As  early  as  1837  he  had  shown 
himself  a  master  of  the  pen  in  his  '  Life  of  Clopton,'  and  this  work  was  soon 
followed  by  the  memoirs  of  Mrs.  Schuck  and  of  Andrew  Broadus.  All  this  bad 
been  but  a  training  for  his  remarkable  polemic  work,  in  which  he  examined  and 
answered  the  positions  of  ilr.  Campbell.  It  is  in  this  work  chiefly  that  the  fullness 
and  roundness  of  his  character  appear.  Clear,  vigorous,  courteous,  unassuming 
and  child-like,  devoid  of  boastfulness,  forgetful  of  himself  and  aj)|)arciitly  uncon- 
scious of  his  own  ability,  he  throws  a  blending  of  beautiful  virtues  into  a  majestic 
logic  that  no  other  writer  has  approached  on  that  subject.  He  far  excels  Mr. 
Campbell  in  the  graces  of  style  and  in  suavity  of  spirit,  while  he  is  fully  his  equal 
in  self-possession  and  out-spoken  frankness,  and  more  than  his  match  in  that  manly 
aro-umentation  which  carries  conviction  to  devout  men.  Dr.  Jeter  did  splendid 
work  in  the  pulpit  and  in  building  up  the  educational  and  missionary  interests  of 
the  South. .  It  is  right  and  meet  that  a  statue  of  this  princely  man  should  adorn 
the  Memorial  Hall  at  Richmond  and  that  his  manuscripts  should  increase  its 
wealth,  but  his  truest  likeness  is  traceable  in  his  writings,  and  it  will  be  bright 
and  fresh  there  when  the  marble  has  nioldered  into  dust.  These  two  great  men 
of  Virginia  have  gone  to  give  their  account  to  God,  and  their  memory  is  cherished 
by  thousands  of  their  friends,  nor  will  either  of  them  be  soon  forgotten  as  gladiators 
for  the  truth  as  they  respectively  saw  truth.  While  the  name  of  the  one  lives,  that 
of  the  other  can  never  be  blotted  out.  This  chapter  may  properly  be  closed  by  a 
sketch  of  another  nobleman,  who,  though  not  a  native  of  Virginia,  is  perhaps,  taking 
him  in  all  things,  its  first  citizen  at  this  time. 

Jabez  L.  M.  Curry,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  was  born  in  Lincoln  County,  Ga.,  June  5th, 
1825.  He  was  graduated  from  the  University  of  Georgia  in  18i3,  and  from  the 
Dane  Law  School,  at  Harvard  University,  in  1845.  In  1847,  '53  and  '55  he  served 
in  Congress  from  Alabama.  He  was  known  there  as  an  active  friend  of  public  and 
higher  education  and  of  internal  improvements;  as  chairman  of  the  proper  com- 
mittee he  wrote  a  report  and  introduced  a  bill  favoring  geological  survey.  In  1856 
he  was  chosen  as  Presidential  Elector  for  Alabama,  and  in  1857-59  was  again  re- 
turned to  Congress  from  Alabama.  During  the  Civil  War  he  served  in  the  Confed- 
48 


738 


//o.v.  .\.\/>  i!i:v.  III!,  rriinr. 


LTMtc  ('(iiii;Tcss  ami  ai'iiiy,  at  its  close  was  elected  I'rc.-iiloiit  of  Ihiwanl  College,  in 
Aiaiiaiiia.  ami  two  yeai's  later,  Hrst  I'foi'essor  of  English  in  Kiehnioiid  College,  then 
Professoi'  of  Constitutional  and  International  Law.  ami  al.-o  of  I'liilosojiliy,  in  tlie 
same  institution.  When  lii'  re- 
signed liis  j)rofessorslii|is  lie  was 
chosen  I'rcsident  of  its  iJoard  of 
Trustees,  lie  was  appointed  (ien- 
enil  Agent  of  the  I'eabody  Educa- 
tion I'"niid  in  ISSl,  and  addfcssed 
every  !Southei-n  Legislature,  some 
of  them  two  or  three  times,  in  be- 
half of  public  and  normal  schools. 
He  is  one  of  tlic  most  ardent  and 
elo(jiiuiit  advocafx's  of  the  education 
of  the  Kegro,  as  the  best  (jualitica- 
tion  for  the  maintenance  and  exer- 
cise of  his  fullest  civil  and  consti- 
tutional rights.  No  man  in  our 
count I'v  has  written,  spoken  and 
planned  more  earnestly  in  behalf 
of  national  aid  for  the  removal  and 
prevention  of  illiteracy. 

Li  Seiitember,  1S85,  President  Cleveland  appointed  him.  without  application 
on  his  own  part,  Minister  l'leni])otent!ary  to  Spain.  His  reception  by  that  court 
has  been  most  cordial,  and  his  labors  there  for  the  j)rotection  of  American  rights 
and  the  promotion  of  .Viuerican  commerce  have  been  successful.  IJis  brethren 
repose  great  contidence  in  his  practical  wisdom  and  integi'ity.  ]''or  this  reason  they 
commonly  place  iiim  in  responsible  places  when  his  ))resence  is  available.  lie  is  an 
able  debater,  perfectly  conversant  with  parliamentary  law.  F(jr  several  years  he 
was  Clerk,  then  Moderator  of  the  Coosa  River  Association,  President  of  tiie  Ala- 
bama Baptist  State  Convention,  also  of  the  Virginia  (ieneral  Association,  and  of  the 
Foreign  Mission  I'.oai'd  of  tlie  Southern  Convention.  Dr.  Cun-y  is  a  powerful  and 
enthusiastic  preacher  of  the  (-iospel.  lie  received  the  degree  of  D.I),  in  Is.")?  from 
the  fiercer  University,  and  has  preached  much  ;  but,  though  often  invited,  he  has 
uniformly  declined  to  l)ecome  a  ])astor.  The  address  which  he  ilelivered  before 
the  Evangelical  .\lliance,  in  New  York,  in  187:5,  on  the  union  of  ('Imrcli  and  State, 
excited  universal  attention,  and  the  Liberation  Society  of  (Treat  IJritain  adojited 
and  stereotyped  it  as  one  of  their  effective  documents.  The  Rochester  I'liivcrsity 
conferred  upon  him  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  in  1ST2.  lie  demands  of  all. 
anil  in  himself  presents,  unsullied  integrity  in  public  life  and  the  inseparableness  of 
private  and  public  morality. 


CHAPTER   IX. 

BAPTISTS    OF    CONNECTICUT    AND   NEW     YORK. 

IN  foiisideriiig  the  introduction  and  spread  df  Baptist  principles  into  the  other 
colonies,  it  will  l)e  proper  to  take  tiieni  up  in  the  chronoloy-ical  order  in  which 
tlieir  tirst  Chnrclies  severally  wei'e  formed.  First  of  all,  tlien,  we  have  Connect- 
icut, wliich  colony  lived  under  the  (diarter  of  Charles  II.,  as  regards  religious 
privileges,  until  1^18.  As  early  as  A.  D.  l(3T-i  some  Baptists  of  Rhode  Island  occa- 
sionally crossed  the  liorders  and  immersed  converts  in  Connecticut,  who  united  with 
their  Churches  in  Riiode  Island.  These,  however,  were  regarded  as  unwarrantable 
innovations  ;  they  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Standing  Order  (Presbyterial-Con- 
gregational),  and  the  secular  power  was  invoked  to  suppress  them.  One  of  these 
invasions  took  phice  at  Waterford,  but  they  were  not  oft-re[)eated.  The  ministers 
of  the  State  Ciuirch  were  supported  by  levying  and  collecting  their  salai'ies  regu- 
larly with  other  taxes.  Trund)ull  informs  us  tliat  before  170()  the  jjcrsons  of  the 
ministers  were  free  from  all  taxation,  but  their  families  and  estates  were  taxable  ;  in 
that  year  the  Legislature  exempted  these  from  taxation.*  The  law  made  tlie  State 
Church  the  laii]ful  congregation,  and  subjected  all  persons  who  neglected  attend- 
ance there  on  '  the  Lord's  Day  '  to  a  fine  of  twenty  shillings.  It  also  forbade  'sep- 
arate companies  in  private  houses,'  and  inflicted  a  fine  of  ten  pounds,  with  ■  corporal 
punishment  by  whipping,  not  exceeding  thirty  stripes  for  each  offense,'  on  every 
'person,  not  being  a  lawful  minister,'  who  'shall  presume  to  profane  the  holv  sacra- 
ments by  administering  or  making  a  show  of  administering  them  to  any  person  or 
persons  whatever,  and  being  thereof  convicted.'  Connecticut  and  New  Haven 
were  separate  governments  till  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  when  they  were  united 
under  one  charter.  But  this  basis  of  government  did  not  contain  a  single  clause 
authorizing  the  Legislature  to  enact  any  religious  laws,  establish  any  form  of  relig- 
ion or  any  religious  tests,  and,  |iroperly  speaking,  the  attemjjt  to  bind  these  on  the 
colony  was  of  itself  a  usurpation. 

A  few  scattered  Baptists  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  colony  launbly  peti- 
tioned the  General  Court  in  1704  for  liberty  to  hold  meetings  and  establish  a  Church 
in  Groton.  Their  prayer  seems  not  to  have  been  noticed,  but,  nothing  daunted, 
the  same  band  sent  a  fraternal  request  to  Valentine  Wightman,  a  gifted  young 
preacher  in  Rhode  Island,  to  become  their  leader,  and  in  1705  he  came  and  organ- 
ized them  into  the  First  Baptist  Church  of  Connecticut.  This  pioneer  body  num- 
bered less  than  a  score,  but  they  were  firm,  united  and  liberal  minded.     Thev  pre- 


740  vM.i-:.\ri.\i-:  wimirM.w  at  nitorox. 

sentetl  tlicir  lii'ave  vniini;-  j);i>t()i-  ;it  once  witli  twenty  acfes  nf  liind.  ami  Dcacdii  Will- 
iam Stark  civftfd  ujion  it  a  suital)le  parsunaji-e.  It  is  still  a  tldurishiiiii  Cliiii-cli  in 
tin;  villaiiu  uf  Mvstic.  al'tci-  a  lite  ol'  one  liundi'L'ii  ami  eiijlity-onc'  years.  AVii^litnian 
was  a  (iesccndant  of  Kdward.  wlm  was  the  last  martyr  nnder  -lames  I.,  and  whose 
aslies  rell  aiiioiiiist  the  iai;nt>  .■!'  Liehlield  market-plaee  in  Itlll.  'i'liis  tirst  Bap- 
tist ])astiir  oi'  CiinncctiiMit  wa>  an  I'Xtremely  serene  and  ijniet  eharaetei'.  hnt  liis 
amiahlc  sonl  lla>hed  the  lire  id'  a  true  witness  from  lii.-  eye  upon  the  hi«-ots  wlio 
would  inierfere  with  him.  lie  |)(l^-^essed  sound  learniuic,  i:;reat  zeal  and  deep  piety. 
A  certain  ealm  di>i-retion  made  him  synnnetrieal  and  eonsistent.  and  adapted  him 
toeautiou>  hui  intrepid  li'adershij)  in  his  ne\\'  and  tryiiii;  position,  lie  was  a  close 
student  id  the  Scri]itm-es  and  a  powerful  preaciier.  carina'  tenderly  for  the  flock  of 
(,'hrist.  'I'hen,  he  hrouaht  Irum  \\\>  nati\e  cuimiion wealth  a  iinld  tolerance  of  spirit 
for  all  men,  with  a  l<>ve  for  their  >al\:irion  which  di.-armiMl  opposition.  \  et  no 
Church  i^ould  legally  exist  without  pcrmi»iiiii  from  the  sectilar  juiwcr  :  hut  it  was 
douMv  dillieult  to  se<'ure  this  tolerance  for  IJaptists.  Moreover.  W'ightinail  sought 
not  the  a|)prohation  of  the  tieighhoriiii;-  cleriry.  for  he  contended  that  it  was  the  right 
of  e\crv  man  to  worshi])  (4od  as  lie  pleased.  His  ipiiet  firmness  had  mucii  to  do 
with  that  gradual  rela.Ning  of  the  law  which  at  last  perinitfi'd  a  man  to  show  that  he 
was  a  meinher  in  a  IJaptist  ('htiich  and  paid  toward  its  support,  and  so  could  he  fur- 
nished with  a  certili<'ate  of  exemj)tion  from  liahility  to  distraint  or  imprisonment 
for  refusing  to  pay  the  nunister's  tax  of  the  State  e.stahlishment. 

Mr.  Wightman  and  his  tl(j(d<  never  were  so  severely  opjH'essed  as  were  some 
Baptists  in  the  colony.  His  sterling  worth  coimnaiided  the  n^spect  of  the  neigh- 
boring clergy  from  the  first,  and  the  cnlightetied  tact  l)v  whicii  he  led  his  peojtle 
often  silenced  the  clamor  of  the  Standing  Order  in  that  vicinity.  But  in  many 
other  places  nothing  could  prevent  seizure  of  the  property  of  Non-conformists  for 
refusing  to  ])ay  the  clerical  tax,  euforced  as  it  often  was  by  fiery  zc^alots  clothed  with 
brief  ;iuthority.  At  oik;  time  a  number  of  Baptists,  including  their  minister,  were 
taken  in  the  very  act  of  M'orshiping  God.  They  were  promptly  incarcerated  in  the 
Xew  London  county  jail  for  attending  a  religions  meeting  '  contrary  to  law  on  the 
Sabbath  day.'  One  of  the  prisoners  was  a  liabe  at  its  mother's  bretist ;  the  prison 
was  fireless  and  the  weather  bitterly  cold,  yet  the  child  lived  and  grew  up  to  be  a  suc- 
cessful ju'eaclier  of  the  Baptist  faith,  for  which  he  innocently  suffered.  Ebeuezer 
Frothingham,  of  Middletown,  wrote  a  hook  in  1767,  in  which  he  says  that  as  a 
Separate  he  was  confined  in  Hartford  ])rison  for  nearly  five  months,  for  nothing 
but  exhorting  and  warning  the  pct)ple  after  the  public  worship  was  done  and  the 
assembly  dismissed.  And  while  confined  there  five  others  were  imprisoned  for  the 
same  crime.     He  also  says  that 

'  Young  Deacon  Drake,  of  Windsor,  now  in  Hartford  prison  for  the  ministers' 
rates  and  building  their  meeting-house,  altho'  he  is  a  Baptist,  is  accounted  a  harm- 
less, godly  man  ;  and  he  has  plead  the  privilege  of  a  Baptist  through  all  the  courts, 


OPPRESSIVE    TAXES.  741 

and  been  at  great  expense,  witliont  relief,  till  ;it  last  the  Assembly  has  given  him  a 
mark  in  his  hand,  and  notwithstanding  tliis,  tliey  have  thrust  him  to  prison  for  for- 
mer rates,  with  several  aggravations  which  I  shall  omit.  Jjiit  as  to  wliat  the  Con- 
stitution does  to  I'elieve  the  poor  tleacon,  he  may  there  die,  and  the  ery  of  blood, 
blood,  go  up  into  the  ears  of  a  just  (iinl.^ 

In  other  eases,  venerable  miuistei's  of  the  Gospel  were  whipped  at  the  town- 
post,  or  at  the  tail  of  an  ox-eart,  as  they  were  diiven  tiirough  the  town.  Some- 
times they  were  placarded  and  placed  on  horseback,  ami  otherwise  ignominiously 
treated  for  preaching  ('lirist.  iS'athan  Jewett,  of  Lyme,  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
Church  there,  was  expelled  from  the  Legislature  because  he  was  not  of  the  Standing 
Order.  Still,  one  Church  slowly  grew  up  after  another.  In  1  Tin  a  Baptist  Church 
was  oi'ganized  at  Waterford  ;  in  1735  another  in  Wallingfoi-d  ;  cuie  in  Stonington, 
one  in  Lyuu!  and  one  in  Colchester  the  same  year,  and  one  at  Saylu-ook  in  1744. 
The  first  Baptist  meetings  were  not  held  in  Norwich  till  1770,  and  in  other  large 
towns  it  was  much  later  still  liefore  Churches  were  formed.  When  the  minister's 
tax  was  to  be  collected,  the  dissenting  layman's  cow  or  the  contents  of  his  coru- 
crib  were  seized  and  taken  to  the  town  post  to  be  sold,  and  the  contumacious  delin- 
quent considered  himself  fortunate  if  he  escaped  the  stocks,  always  found  hard  by 
the  sign-post  or  the  jail.  Here  follows  one  of  the  old  forms  under  which  these  out- 
rages were  connnitted  : 

'  Levy. 

' To  Samuel  Perkins,  of  Windham,  in  Windham  County,  a  Collector  of  Society 
Taxes  in  the  first  Society  in  Windham  : 
'  Greeting :  By  authority  of  the  State  of  Connecticut,  you  are  hereby  com- 
manded forthwith  to  levy  and  collect  of  the  persons  named  in  the  foregoing  list 
herewith  committed  to  you,  each  one  his  several  proportion  as  therein  set  down,  of 
the  sum  total  of  such  list,  being  a  rate  agreed  upon  by  the  inhal)itants  of  said  Society 
for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the  expenses  of  said  Society,  and  to  deliver  and  pay 
over  the  sums  which  you  shall  collect  to  the  Treasurer  of  said  Society  within  sixty 
days  next  coming;  and  if  any  person  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  pay  the  sum  at  which 
he  is  assessed,  you  are  hereby  commanded  to  distrain  the  goods,  cliattels,  or  lands  of 
such  person  so  refusing ;  and  the  same  being  disposed  of  as  the  law  directs,  return 
the  overplus,  if  any,  to  the  respective  owners  ;  and  for  want  of  such  goods,  chat- 
tels, or  lands  whereon  to  make  distress,  you  are  to  take  the  body  or  bodies  of  the 
persons  so  refusing,  and  them  commit  to  the  keeper  of  the  gaol  in  said  County  of 
Windham  within  the  pi'ison,  who  is  herel)y  commanded  to  receive  and  safe  keep 
them  until  they  pay  and  .satisfy  the  aforesaid' sums  at  which  they  are  respectively  as- 
sessed, together  with  your  fees,  unless  said  assessment,  or  any  part  thei'eof,  be  legally 
abated.     Dated  at  Windham,  this  12tli  day  of  September,  1794. 

•  Tabez  Clakk,  Just.  Peace.' 

The  efiforts  of  the  Baptists  to  throw  ofi  this  yoke  are  matters  of  well-attested 
history.  They  adopted  resolutions  in  Churches  and  Associations,  they  carried  up 
petitions  from  year  to  year  to  the  law-making  bodies,  and  sent  the  ablest  counsel,  at 
heavy  expense,  to  seek  the  redress  of  grievances  and  demand  complete  equality  be- 


742  srrnF.Ms  expelled  eu'dl  valp:. 

fiii'i' the  law,  fill-  many  yuars.  Jinlfcd.  tin.'  •  l!aj)fi>t  I'ctitidii,'  as  it  was  ciilleil,  canie  to 
he  almost  a  liy-W(il'il  aimninst  tlic  State  nflicers,  and  wlicn  at  la.-t,  in  I  >1  '^.  the  I'i^lits  iif 
conscience  were  seciired  in  tiie  new  constitution,  it  was  a  niattei'  of  surprise,  and  most 
oF  all  were  the  Baptists  themselves  surprised,  to  lind  that  tlie  article  which  chan<;(!d 
the  fundamental  law  on  that  suljject  was  drawn  by  Kev.  Asahel  ^^Forse,  one  of  their 
own  mini.-.ters  froni  ISuffield.  As  in  .Massachusetts,  so  in  Connecticut,  the  >«ew 
Jji;lit  or  Separate  mii\cmcnt  mider  Whitetield  and  Edwariis  restilted  in  the  rapid 
advancement  of  the  JJaptist  cause.  For  about  twenty  years,  fi'oni  1740  to  ITfiO, 
perpetual  excitement  abounded  and  abuiit  biriy  Sej)aratist  Churches  were  estab- 
lislicd,  taking-  the  very  best  I'lenn'iits,  in  many  cases,  out  of  the  State  Churches.  In 
process  of  time  a  nundier  of  tliein  became  Baptist  Churches  bodily,  and  in  other 
eases  they  gradually  blended  with  the  l>a[)tists,  for  their  cause  was  one  in  essence. 
They  demanded  deliveraiiee  from  the  cui'se  of  the  Half-way  Covenant  and  freedom 
to  worship  (iod  as  ix'i^enerate  j)eople.  So  enrai;'ed  did  the  State  Chui'ches  and  the 
Legislature  become,  that  they  re[)ealed  a  foi-mer  acl  undei-  which  liapti.-ts  and  others 
of  'sober  consciences'  liad  enjoyed  ])artial  liberty,  and  tln'ii,  as  Ti'unibuU  says,  there 
was  '  lu)  relief  for  any  jjcrson  dissenting  from  the  established  mode  of  woi-.-hij)  in 
Connecticut.  The  Legislature  not  oidy  enacted  these  severe  and  unprecedented 
laws,  bnt  they  i)roceeded  to  deprive  of  their  offices  such  of  the  justices  of  the  peace 
and  other  oilicers  !is  were  IS' ew  Lights,  as  they  were  called,  oi-  who  favored  their 
cause.'  The  two  Clevelands,  stiulents,  and  their  tutors  were  expelled  from  Yale 
College  l)y  President  C^lapp  because  they  attended  a  |ii-ivate  meeting  '  for  divine 
worslii]),  cai'rii'd  on  principally  by  one  Soloman  I'aine,  a  lay  exliorter,  on  several  Sab- 
baths in  Sej)teniber  and  October  last.'  These  two  young  men  pleaded  tliat  this  was 
the  meeting  wliere  tlieir  godly  fatlier  w^ent,  and  for  this  crime  of  bowing  before  (Tod 
tliey  were  excluded  from  tliat  honorable  institution.  The  same  sjiirit  prevailed  in 
the  (Congregational  ('hurches.  Accoriling  to  AVhittemore,  the  ( 'hurch  at  ^liddle- 
town  had  for  some  years  a  few  members  in  its  fellovvsliip  who  entertained  Baptist 
views.  But  at  a  meeting  held  August  itth,  1705.it  passed  the  following:  '  When 
members  of  this  Church  .sliall  renounce  infant  baptism  and  embrace  the  Bajjti.st 
)irinciples  and  practice  l)aptism  bv  imnuM'sion.  tliey  shall  be  considered  by  tliat  act 
as  withdrawing  their  fellowshi])  from  this  Chui'ch.  ami  we  consider  our  covenant 
obligations  with  them  as  (Jhurch  members  dissolved."  When  it  is  remembered  that 
their  membership  was  not  of  choice  but  of  law.  we  see  the  injustice  of  tliis  a('t. 
'  Rev.  Stepiien  Parsons,  who  had  been  ])astor  of  the  Church  for  st'ven  years,  aii- 
nounci'(l  one  Sabbath  mornini;-  that  he  had  embraced  the  o])inioiis  of  the  Baptists 
and  was  immediately  dismissed.  .  .  .  lie  witli  a  number  of  his  bretliren  and  sis- 
ters withdrew,  were  soon  after  baptized,  and  on  the  29th  of  October,  17!)o,  a 
meeting  was  held  in  the  house  of  a  Mr.  Doolittle  for  the  purpo.se  of  recognizing 
the  Chnrch.''  The  venerable  Judge  Wm.  II.  Potter,  an  alumnus  of  Yale,  thus  elo- 
(^uently  sets  forth  the  temper  of  the  times,     lie  says: 


SEPARATISTS  AND   BAPTISTS    UNITE.  743 

'Tlie  uiifortiinatu  Separates  were  pursiied  into  every  ealling,  liuiited  out  of 
every  place  of  trust,  liauled  before  clergy  and  Churcii,  dragged  before  magistrates, 
and  suffered  without  stint  and  witlujut  much  complaint  countless  civil  and  ecclesi- 
astical ])eiuxlties,  as  heretics  or  felons,  but  ojipression  only  conlirnied  their  faith  and 
thrust  them  into  a  closer  union  with  their  Baptist  fellow-sufferers  who,  as  in  duty 
hound,  joyfully  espoused  the  ca\ise  and  rights  of  the  Se[)ai'ates.  And  why  shotdtl 
they  not  fraternize?  The  I'aptists.  upon  whom  ])ersecntion  had  well-nigh  ex- 
hausted its  impotent  attempts,  either  to  extirpate  or  seduce,  were,  to  be  sure, 
I'egardcd  by  the  hierarchy  as  impracticables,  and  had  been  invidiously  permitted 
under  the  Act  of  the  first  year  of  William  and  Mary  to  organize  Churches.  But 
they  were  still  laboring  under  many  legal  im|)ediments  and  more  ])reiudices.  Their 
memories,  if  not  their  backs,  were  still  smarting  under  the  jnmgent  discipline  of  the 
same  hierarchy.  Their  ]:ireachers  had  been  familiar  with  hues,  f<irfi'itures  and 
])risons,  and  their  people  with  distraints,  ddinm  and  disfranchiseitient.  Herein 
there  must  have  been  a  conunon  sym[)athy.  Tlien,  the  soul-stiri-iiig  doctrines  of 
New  Lights  were  already  the  cherished  doctrines  of  the  Baptists.  The  same 
annunciation  of  the  rich,  free  and  sovereign  grace  of  God,  and  the  doctrines  of  the 
cross  which  Whitelield  and  Wheelock  made  on  a  wider  field  and  with  such  signal 
success,  were  iiientical  with  those  of  Wightmau  and  the  Callenders.  The  Separates, 
therefore,  had  little  to  sacrifice  in  coming  to  the  Baptists.'  ^ 

The  law  treated  the  Separates  as  malefactors  and  outcasts,  and  some  of  them 
were  handled  so  much  worse  than  nuiny  of  the  Baptists  that  the  latter  sympathized 
with  them,  succored  them  and  threw  open  their  doors  to  make  them  welcome  as 
brethren  in  like  triliulation. 

At  first,  when  a  Baptist  and  Separate  Church  became  one,  or  when  large  num- 
bers of  Separates  united  with  a  Baptist  Church,  the  chief  diflferenee  between  the 
two  was  found  in  the  lax  views  of  the  Separates  on  the  subject  of  communion. 
The  Supper  had  always  been  grossly  perverted  liy  the  Standing  Order  to  ecclesias- 
tical-politico us(!s,  and  these  notions  the  so-called  New  Lights  brought  with  them  to 
the  Baptists.  They  could  not  easily  rid  themselves  of  this  relic  of  State  Church 
life,  but  in  process  of  time  they  adopted  healthier  views  and.  falling  into  Ba])tist 
line,  fully  embraced  their  principles.  While  the  few  Baptist  ministers  of  that  day 
were  not  men  of  learning,  they  commonly  possessed  a  fair  ]:)ublic  school  educatiim, 
which  they  used  with  sound  sense  in  laying  broad  foundations  for  their  free  and 
independent  Churches.  They  had  slight  salaries  or  none  at  all,  which,  for  the 
general  good  of  Baptist  interests,  left  them  free  to  devote  a  portion  of  their  time  to 
other  fields  besides  their  own  pastorates,  doing  the  work  of  evangelists  and  jilaiiting 
new  Churches  in  many  places.  Wightnum  did  much  of  this  work,  extending  his 
labors  as  far  as  New  York  city.  Three  generations  of  Wightmans  succeeded  to 
the  pastorate  of  the  First  Church,  Groton,  (covering,  with  short  intervals,  a  century 
and  a  <puirter.  Our  few  and  feeble  Churches  were  thoroughly  evangelical  and 
simple  in  their  utterances  of  divine  truth,  and  their  Declarations  of  Faith  were 
little  else  than  a  succession  of  (piotations  from  the  Bible,  whose  text  alone  was  their 
creed.  Their  general  practice  also  was  as  consistent  as  their  di)ctrines,  but  at  one 
time  they  partook  to  some  extent  in  their  worship  of  the  general  e.xcitement  which 


744  \VIIITi:FIKLirs    I'UEACUjyG. 

iitteiided  tlic  preacliiiii;  of  ^VMiiteiiuld,  Davciipurt  ;iih1  tliu  elder  Edwards.  No  part 
of  America  was  inure  deeply  moved  than  Coniieeticnt  under  the  labors  of  these  men. 
^\'hitetield's  j)reaehini;-,  especiallv.  agitated  the  C'liiii'ches  of  tlie  SlandiiiH;  Order  to 
their  center.  They  had  f()iili>hly  closed  all  their  ))nlpits  against  him.  and  midtitudes 
assenililed  in  the  open  air  to  listen  to  his  pi-eaching.  A  fair  piMjioi'lioii  of  their 
clerjiT,  however,  sympathized  with  him  and  went  with  their  peojile.  nor  wei'e  tliey 
alarmed  at  those  physical  and  so-called  fanatical  manifestations  which  accompanied 
his  preachiiiii-,  described  by  Edwards.  Often  a  subtile  but  irresistible  iniinence 
Would  fall  Ujion  his  congregations,  somewhat  i-c.-i'inbling  u  |ianic  (jn  a  battle-field. 
Multitudes  would  surge  back  and  fi.irlh,  would  raise  a  simultaneous  cry  of  agony, 
many  would  fall  to  the  earth,  remaiiung  long  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness,  and 
then  awok(.>  as  fi-om  a  trance-like  state  enraptured  with  an  ecstatic  joy. 

'riif  liaptists.  with  such  of  the  Standing  ( )i'(Jer  as  co-operated  with  Whitclield  and 
Ins  immediate  loUowei's,  all  blended  in  his  support,  and  wonderful  things  occurred 
through  this  new  discipleship.  It  is  stated  on  good  authority  that  the  j)arsouage  at 
Center  (-irotoii  was  the  scene  of  one  of  the  most  remarkalde  sermons  of  this  gi-eat 
preacher.  The  upper  windows  of  the  house  were  reniowd  and  a  platfoi-m  raised  in 
front,  facing  a  large  yard  full  id'  forest  trees.  When  Whiteticld  passed  through  the 
window  to  this  stand  ami  cast  his  eye  over  the  multitude,  he  saw  a  number  of  young 
men  who.  imitating  Zaccheus  in  the  .sycamore,  had  climbed  these  ti'ees  and  were 
percheil  on  theii'  limbs.  Tiie  kind  hearted  orator  asked  them  to  come  down,  saying: 
'Sometimes  the  power  of  (irod  falls  (Hi  these  occasions  and  takes  away  the  ndght 
of  strong  mi'ii.  I  wisli  to  benefit  your  souls  and  not  liave  your  Itodies  fall  out  of 
these  trees.'  lie  exjieeted  to  .see  them  come  down  to  the  ground  as  birds  tiiat 
were  shot;  and  choosing  the  valor  of  discretion  they  came  down,  only  to  be  pros- 
trated under  the  sermon,  (-rreat  nundjers  of  his  hearers  went  home  to  lead  new 
lives,  and  it  is  said  that  more  than  one  of  these  young  men  became  pi'eachers  of  the 
new  faith. 

No  Baptist  Church  in  (Jonnecticut  fought  a  nobler  battle  for  life  and  freedom 
than  that  at  Noi'wich.  Dr.  Lm'd  was  the  ]iastoi'  of  the  Statt'  Church  there,  and 
apjjears  to  have  been  a  very  excellent  man.  He  was  inclined  at  first  to  work  with  the 
revivalists,  but  the  breaking  np  of  the  ancient  order  of  things  amongst  wliat  were 
known  as  the  Old  Liglits  alarmed  liim,  and  the  bent  of  circumstances  forced  him 
into  ultra-conservatism.  Then  he  began  to  oppress  and  ])ersecnte  those  of  his 
congi'cgation  who  took  the  other  side,  and  the  result  was  that  a  large  secession  from 
Ins  Church  formed  a  new  Separatist  body.  In  due  time  a  Baptist  Church  sprang 
chiefly  out  of  this  and  Norwich  became  a  large  source  of  Baptist  power.  Poor 
Parson  Lord  had  hard  times  generally  in  these  contests  and,  in  particular,  was  com- 
pelled to  collect  his  own  taxes. 

Denison  tells  us  that  *he  called  upon  a  Mr.  Collier,  who  was  a  barbei-,  when 
the  followinic  dialogue  ensued  : 


BAPTIST   TRIUMPH  IN   CONNECTICUT.  748 

'/>/■.  Z.  '-Mr.  CuUier,  1  have  a  small  bill  against  .you." 
'Mr.  C.  "  A  bill  against  me,  Dr.  Lord  i  for  what?" 
'Dr.  L.  "  Why,  your  rate  for  my  preaching." 

^  Mr.  C.  ••  For  your  ])reachiiig  ?  Why,  I  havu  never  heard  you.  I  dmi't  recol- 
lect that  I  ever  entered  your  meeting-house." 

^  Dr.  L.   "  That'.s  not  my  t'ault,  Mr.  CoUicM-.  the  meeting  house  was  open." 

'  Mr.  C.  "  Very  well.    But,  look  here  ;  I  have  a  small  bill  against  you.  Dr.  Lord." 

'  Dr.  L.  "  A  bill  against  me?  for  what  ?  " 

'  3/r.  C.  "  Why,  for  barbering." 

'Dr.  L.  •'  For  barbering?     I  never  before  entered  your  shop." 

'  Mr.  C.  "  That's  not  my  fault,  Dr.  Lord,  my  shop  was  open  !  "  '  6 

The  Norwich  Church  prospered,  and  our  brethren  met  for  worship  in  their 
own  houses  until  want  of  room  compelled  them  iirst  to  gather  in  a  rope-walk,  and 
then  to  erect  a  meeting-house  of  their  own.  But  they,  as  well  as  the  Separates, 
were  slow  of  heart  to  learn  all  that  the  Baptists  taught  them,  and  it  is  quite  delicious 
to  know  that  they  burnt  their  own  fingers  in  conseqtienee.  In  those  days,  when  the 
State  Churches  wanted  to  build  a  meeting-house,  they  commonly  asked  the  Legislature 
for  a  Lottery  Grant  on  which  to  raise  money.  The  Norwich  Baptists,  thinking  it 
no  harm  for  them  to  be  as  ridiculous  as  other  respectable  folk,  applied  to  the  General 
Assembly  for  such  a  Grant.  Whereupon,  that  august  body  refused :  iirst,  because 
the  Baptists  did  not  indorse  the  Ecclesiastical  Laws;  secondly,  because  they  were 
not  ]<nt)wn  in  law  as  a  denomination;  thirdly,  because  Rey.  Mr.  Sterry,  the  Baptist 
pastor  at  Norwich,  was  the  co-editor  of  a  Republican  paper.^  For  these  reasons,  our 
brethren  were  informed  that  they  could  not  be  allowed  to  gamble  like  good,  legal 
and  orthodox  saints.  This  word  to  the  wise  had  a  wholesome  effect  upon  them, 
for  although  they  have  now  built  a  number  of  excellent  church  edifices,  and 
have  liberally  helped  others  to  do  the  same,  they  have  never  once  since  asked  for  a 
State  Lottery  to  help  them  in  building  houses  for  God.  Few  States  in  our  Union 
can  show  a  nobler  list  of  pioneer  15aptist  pastors  or  a  more  illustrious  line  of  suc- 
cessors than  Connecticut.  Amongst  the  first  we  have  the  three  Wightmans, 
Valentine,  Timothy  and  Gano;  then  follow  the  four  Burrowses,  Silas,  Amos,  Peleg 
and  Roswell.  The  three  Aliens  follow:  Ichabod,  Rufus  and  Stephen;  and  the 
two  Bolles,  David  and  Matthew,  the  Palmers  and  the  Rathbuns ;  together  with 
Backus  and  Baldwin  and  a  list  that  cannot  now  be  named.  In  later  times  we  have 
had  Knapp  and  Cuslunan,  Swan  and  Ilodge,  Ives  and  Miller.  Tiirnlnill  and  I'helps, 
Palmer  and  Lathrop,  their  illustrious  peers.  l\Iany  of  these  have  long  since  entered 
into  their  Master's  joy,  and  over  a  few  others  the  sheen  of  their  holy  Home  begins 
to  glow,  falling  softly  on  their  scant  locks.  To  these  their  departed  brethren  begin 
to  look  like  shining  ones  sent  back  with  lamps  of  Christ's  trimming  to  escort  them 
to  the  celestial  gate.  Heaven  bless  the  waiting  band,  and  when  their  work  is  done 
give  them  a  triumphant  entrance  into  the  city  of  the  great  King.  The  Baptists  of 
Connecticut  now  number  6  Associations,  122  ordained  ministers,  124  churches 
and  21,G66  members. 


746  CONVEXTWLES  AND   MEETINGS   Foillll DIiHN. 

i\K\v  VnKK.  'I'hr  I  )i.cuiiicntan-  History  of  New  Vm-k  tir,-t  iijciitiniir-  liaptists 
ill  It'll  I,  ;iii(l  ciilj^  ihciii  •  Mnists,'  Mi'iiiiiiiiists  or  Mi'iiuoiiitcs,  hut  iliifs  Hot  tell  us  in 
wliat  ]):irt  of  tlic  coldny  tliev  were  fmiiiil."  Tiie  Director  and  Council  of  New 
Nctlieriaiui  treati'ij  tliein  harsliiy  enough.  On  tiie  (Uli  of  June,  IC-il,  tliey  gave  the 
'  free  exerciseof  reliiiion  '  to  the  Chnreii  of  Enii;hui(h  ami  (  »ct(iliei-  luth,  1(>45.  irranted 
a  s])ccial  chai-ter  1(1  the  tiiwii  of  i''lu>liini;-  with  the  >anie  )-iglit.  They  soon  found, 
ho\\e\-er,  that  sundry  hc-rctio.  Independents,  of  iliddleburg  (.Newtown),  and  Luther- 
an,-, of  JS'ew  Ani>ti'rdani,  were  using  the  same  lilierty,  and  they  took  the  alarm.  On 
Fehl'uary  1st,  IC.'ii;,  the  ailthcirities  decreed  that  all  '  (■(iii\rnticles  and  meetings'  held 
in  the  |ir(i\iiic(:,  'whethei-  piililic  or  prixate,"  should  lii'  'ahsohitelv  and  e\|)resslv 
lorliiildcn  ;  "  that  only  the  '  Ivefoi'uied  Divine  service,  as  this  is  ol)ser\ed  and  en- 
forced according  to  the  Synod  of  Dootrecht,'  shotdd  he  held, 

'  Under  the  i)enalty  of  one  hundred  i)ounds  Flemish,  to  ])e  forfeited  hy  all 
those  who,  being  unqualified,  take  nj)on  themselves,  eithei'  on  Sundays  oi'  othi'rdavs, 
any  ofiice,  whether  of  preaclier,  readi'r  or  singer,  in  siu-h  meetings  dilTering  from  the 
customary  and  legal  assendjlics,  and  twenty-live  like  pounds  to  be  forfeited  by  every 
one,  whether  man  or  woman,  mariied  or  unmari'ied,  who  is  fouml  in  such  meetings.' 

They  disclaimed  all  intention  to  jiut  any  constraint  of  conscience  in  \iolation  of 
'  pi'e\iously  granted  patents,' ami  imjirisoned  some  I>utlierans,  which  act  excited  such 
indignation  that  they  were  compelled,  June  I4th,  ]()50,  to  permit  the  Lutherans  to 
worship  in  tlieir  own  houses.  Not  content  with  this,  they  threw  themselves  into 
direct  collision  with  the  town  of  Flushing,  in  violation  of  their  |iateMt  grant- 
ing religious  freedom  lo  that  town.  Fnder  its  charter  Flu>liing,  by  re.--olution, 
claimed  the  right  of  (,)uakers  antl  other  sects  to  worshij)  (4od  within  their  juriMJic- 
tion  witliout  restraint.  On  the  26th  of  "^^arch,  l(i.">S,  thei'efore,  the  New  Xether- 
land  authorities  ])assed  an  ordinance  annulling  the  right  of  Flushing  to  hold  town 
meetings,  forl)idding  heresy  in  the  town  and  i'fi|iiiring  its  magistrates  to  select  'a 
good,  honest,  pious  and  orthodo.x  minister,'  subject  to  the  approval  of  tlie  provin- 
cial autliorities,  and  requiring  each  land-owner  of  that  town  to  pay  twelve  stivers  an- 
nually for  his  su])|)orf,  together  with  tenths  if  necessary,  and  that  all  who  would  not 
comjily  with  these  demands  within  six  weeks  should  lose  their  goods,  wliicdi  should 
be  sold,  and  they  must  take  themsch'es  'out  of  this  government.' 

We  have  seen  in  a  ])revious  chapter  that  many  of  the  New  J^ngland  colonists 
lied  to  the  Dutch  for  liberty  to  worship  (iod  and  keej)  a  good  conscienci'.  Amongst 
these  were  some  of  the  friends  of  llanserd  Knollys  in  KJ-H.  and  a  little  later  Lady 
Deborah  Moody,  widow  of  Sii-  Henry  of  (Tarsden,  in  ^\'iltshire.  She,  logt'ther 
with  IMrs.  King,  of  Swampscott,  and  the  wife  of  John  Tillton,  was  tried  at  the 
Quarterly  Court,  December,  1642,  '  for  houldinge  that  the  baptizing  of  infants  is  noe 
ordinance  of  (tod.'  It  does  not  appear  that  she  was  actually  banislicd  from  Massa- 
cliusetts,  hut  having  first  fled  from  ICngland  on  account  of  persecution,  and  liiiding 
herself  an    object   <d'  arraignnu'nt  and  rejiroat'h  in  her  new  home,  for  the    free  e.\- 


LADY  MOODY  ASD    UUAVESESD.  747 

pressioii  of  her  rcliirions  views,  lier  sensitive  and  high  spirit  revolted,  and  slic  deter- 
mined to  abandon  Massaciiusetts  and  seek  peace  amongst  strangers.  In  164:3  she 
went  to  >.\-\v  Anisterdaiii.  thirteen  years  before  tlie  New  Netherland  autliorities  is- 
sued their  tynumieal  decree,  (iovernor  Winthrii|)  ti'lis  lis  that  slie  did  tiiis' against 
tlie  advice  of  all  her  friends.  Many  otliers  affected  with  Anabaptisni  removed 
thither  also.  She  was  after  exconnnunicated  '  from  the  Salem  Church.  In  a  letter 
written  by  Endicott  to  Winthi-op,  dated  Salem,  the  22d  of  the  second  niuiith,  1644, 
he  says  that  ^[r.  Xurrice  had  infdi-ined  him  that  .~he  intended  t(.)  iTtui-ii.  and  he  ad- 
vises against  her  return,  '  unless  shee  will  acknowledge  her  ewill  in  opposing  the 
Churches  &  leave  her  opinions  behinde  her,  ffor  she  is  a  dangerous  woeman.  My 
brother  Ludlow  writt  to  mee  that,  l)y  meanes  of  a  booke  she  sent  to  Mrs.  Eaton, 
shee  questions  her  onrne  haptisme,  it  is  verie  doubtefnll  whether  shee  will  lie  n;- 
claymed,  shee  is  so  far  ingaged.'  On  her  way  from  Massachusetts  she  stopped  for  a 
time  at  New  Haven,  where  she  made  several  converts  to  her  new  views  and  fell 
into  fresh  difficulties  in  consequence.  As  Winthrop  tells  us,  Mrs.  Eaton,  wife  of 
the  iirst  Governor  of  New  Haven  Colony,  was  one  of  these  converts.  She  also 
was  a  lady  of  high  birth  and  culture,  the  daughter  of  an  English  Bishop.  Daven- 
port, her  pastor,  was  at  unwearied  pains  to  reclaim  her  from  the  'error'  of  'imagin- 
ing that  pedobaptism  is  unlawful.'  It  was  alleged  against  her,  that  she  importuned 
Lady  Moody  '  to  lend  her  a  book  made  by  A.  K.'  Tlie  records  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  New  Haven  show  that  she  was  severely  handled  for  stoutly  denying  that 
'  Baptism  has  come  in  the  place  of  circumcision,  and  is  to  be  administered  unto 
infants.'  By  some  Lady  Moody  has  been  called  a  follower  of  George  Fox,  but 
this  was  three  years  before  he  began  to  preach  in  England.  On  the  south-west 
coast  of  Long  Island,  near  New  Amsterdam,  a  settlement  had  been  formed  in 
164:3,  which  Governor  Kieft  had  named  Gravesend,  after  a  Dutch  town  on  the 
Maas.  Lady  Moody  took  a  patent  of  land  there  of  him.  December  19th,  164:5,  which, 
among  other  things,  guaranteed  '  the  free  libertie  of  conscience  according  to  the 
eostome  of  Holland,  without  niolestation  or  disturbance  fnnii  anv  madgistrate  or 
madgistrates,  or  any  other  ecclesiastical  minister  that  may  pretend  jurisdiction  over 
them.'  For  a  time,  her  religious  sentiments  disturbed  her  amicable  relations  with 
the  Dutch  authorities,  without  regard  to  her  patent.  Here  she  died,  it  is  sup- 
posed, about  16.")<>.  Many  others  of  like  sentiments  gathered  about  her,  '  with  liberty 
to  constitute  themselves  a  body  politic  as  freemen  of  the  Province  and  town  of 
Gravesende,'  according  to  the  ])atent.  The  learned  James  AV.  Gerard  says :  '  The 
settlers  at  Gravesend  seem  to  have  Ijeen  generally  affected  with  Anabaptist  views, 
and  to  have  had  no  settled  Chm-eh."'  Clearly,  there  were  two  Baptist  ministers  at 
Flushing  in  those  days,  the  first  in  order  of  time  being  Eev.  Francis  Doughty. 
Mandeville,  in  his  '  Flushing  Past  and  Present,'  says  that  he  fled  from  'the  troubles 
in  EngLiiul,  and  foinid  that  he  had  got  out  of  the  frying-pan  into  the  tire.'  He 
preached  at  Lynn  and  Taunton,  Mass.,  'and  denied  baptism  to  infants.'     At  Taunton 


748  REV.    Wn.lIAM    WIfKENDKN. 

he  was  (IniKi'ed  out  of  the  |)ul)hc  a.-^^■llllJl\■  and  hroiitrht  before  tlu,'  maffistrates, 
charged  with  saying  that  '  Aljraliaiii  miglit  to  lKi\e  lieen  baptized.'  He  then  fled  to 
Long  Island  and  becanu!  tiie  first  pastor  at  Flushing,  but  in  KJ.jG  went  to  Virginia. 
'  He  was  uncjuestionably  the  first  religious  teacher  in  Flushing,  and  liad  adoj^ted 
jiajitist  \iews  of  the  ordinanee  of  baptism."' 

Aside  from  Lady  Moody  and  ^L■.  Houghty,  the  first  full  account  that  we  have 
from  the  recortls  of  New  Netherland  that  tliere  wei'e  J>aptists  in  the  colony,  is  found 
in  an  official  paper  on  'The  State  of  licligion,"  drawn  up  '  and  signed  l)y  two  clergy- 
men of  the  liefoi-nied  Churcli,  .Mcga|iolensis  and  Drissius.  It  is  dated  at  'Amster- 
dam, in  X.  Netherland,"  the  .^th  (jf  .\ugust,  KJiT,  and  is  aildres>eil  to  the  '  (Jlassis  of 
Amsterdam.'     They  I'eport  Long  Island  ivligioii  as  in  a  sad  condition. 

At  '  Gravesend  are  re|)orted  J\[ennoiiites ;  yea,  they,  for  the  most  part,  reject 
hifaiit  ljaj}f/.s//i,  the  Sabbath,  the  office  of  preacher  and  tlie  teachers  of  God's  word. 
saying  that  through  these  have  come  all  sorts  of  contention  into  the  world.  AVlien- 
ever  they  come  together  the  one  or  the  other  reads  something  for  them.  At  Flush- 
ing they  hitherto  had  a  I'resbytei-ian  ])reacher  who  conformed  to  our  Church, 
but  many  of  them  became  endowed  with  divers  opinions.  .  .  .  Thev  absented 
them.selves  from  preaching,  nor  would  they  pa}'  the  i)reacher  his  pronnscd  stipend. 
The  said  preac'her  was  obliged  to  leave  the  place  and  rejiair  to  the  English  Wv- 
ginias.  .  .  .  Last  year  a  fomentei-  of  evil  came  there,  lie  was  a  cobMer  from 
Rhode  Island,  in  New  England,  and  stated  that  he  was  commissioned  by  Chi'ist. 
He  began  to  preach  at  Flushing  and  then  went  with  the  people  into  the  river  and 
(li])pe(i  them.  This  becoming  known  here,  the  fiseaal  proceeded  thither  and  brought 
him  along.      lie  was  banished  the  province.' 


10 


The  same  paper  states  that  at  Middleburg  (now  Newtown)  and  at  'Hcemstede' 
there  were  a  number  of  ]ieo])le  who  were  willing  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  Richard 
Denton  at  the  Dutch  ('Inirch  :  •  AVhen  he  began  tu  baptize  the  childi-en  of  such 
parents  as  were  ncjt  members  of  the  Clinrch  they  sometimes  burst  out  of  the  church.' 

'The  cobbler,'  a  mere  term  of  contempt,  who  •  dipped  "  his  converts  at  I'^hish- 
ing  '  last  year,' that  is,  in  IGSG,  was  Rev.  "William  Wickentlen,  of  Providence.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  that  city,  resided  there  in  1(!3(),  signed  the  first  com- 
pact in  Ifi;57,  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  in  IG-l-S,  and  from  1651  to  1655,  again 
16(14,  and  died  in  itilil*.  In  1(156  he  visited  Flushing,  preached,  inunersed  his  con- 
vei'ts  in  the  river,  aiul  administered  the  Lord's  Su])pei'.  Both  J'l'oadhead  and 
O'Callagan  give  a  full  account  of  his  treatment  in  consequence.  Under  date  of 
November  8tli,  1(!56,  O'Callagan  says  :  *  The  Baptists  at  Flushing  were  the  next  to 
feel  the  wrath  of  the  law.  \\'illiam  Ilallett,  sheriff  of  that  place,  "had  dared  to 
collect  conventicles  in  his  house,  and  to  permit  one  William  Wickendam  [properly 
Wickenden]  to  explain  and  comment  on  God's  Holy  Word,  and  to  administer  sacra- 
ments, tiiough  not  called  thereto  by  any  civil  or  clerical  authority."'  lie  had,  more- 
over, assisted  at  such  meeting  and  afterward  '"  acceiited  fi'om  the  said  AVickcudanrs 
hands  the  bread  in  the  form  and  manner  the  Lord's  Supper  is  usually  celebrated."' 
For  this  violation  of  the  statute  Ilallett  was  removed  from  olHce  and  fined  fifty 


I'liEACUING   AJSD   ISM'TlZlXii    L\   MCW    YOHK.  749 

pounds,  failing  to  i);i,v  whicli  lie  was  to  be  banislied.'  "  On  the  8tli  of  November, 
1656,  tlie  GeneiMl  Asseinblv  of  New  Netlierland  •  ordained  '  tliat  Wiekenden 
should  be  condeinm^d  to  pay  a  tine  of  one  hundrecl  piuind^  Fleinisn  and  lie  banished 
out  of  the  [irovince  of  New  Netlierland,  •  the  aforesaid  Wiekendani  to  remain  a  pris- 
oner till  the  tine  and  eost  of  the  j)roeess  siiall  be  paid." 

Tiie  Oonncil  being  informed,  however,  by  reliable  parties,  thai  he  was  a  very 
poor  man.  '  with  a  wife  and  many  ehildren.  by  pnifessiun  a  eobbler,  whieh  trade  lie 
neglects,  sn  that  it  will  be  iniintssiblc  tn  edlji'i't  aiiytliing  from  him,"  the  tiiu^  and 
costs  were  remitted,  and  he  was  condemned  on  the  11th  of  November  '  to  imme- 
diate banishment,  under  condition  that  if  ever  he  be  seen  again  in  the  province  of 
New  Netlierland  he  shall  lie  arrested  and  kept  in  confinement  till  the  tine  and  costs 
are  j>aid  in  full."  '-  JJk('  other  religious  tyrants,  the  more  the  Dutch  authorities 
persecuted  the  heretics  the  worse  o£E  they  found  themselves,  and  the  more  indig- 
nant they  became.     Hence,  on  September  21st,  16(12.  they  say  that  because  they 

'  Find  by  experience  that  their  hitherto  issued  publications  and  edicts  against 
conventicles  and  prohibited  assemblies  are  not  observed  and  obeyed  as  they  ought, 
therefore,  by  these  presents,  they  are  not  only  renewed  but  enlarged  in  manner  fol- 
lowing. Like  as  they  have  done  heretofore,  so  they  prohibit  and  interdict  as  yet, 
that  besides  the  Reformed  worship  and  service  no  conventicles  or  meetings  shall 
be  kept  in  this  province,  whether  it  be  in  houses,  barns,  ships,  barks,  nor  in  the 
woods  nor  fields,  upon  forfeiture  of  fifty  guldens  for  the  first  time,  for  every  per- 
son, whether  man  or  woman  or  child  that  shall  have  been  present  at  such  prohibited 
meetings,  and  twice  as  much  for  every  person,  whether  it  be  man  or  woman  or 
child,  that  has  exhorted  or  taught  in  such  prohibited  meetings,  or  shall  have  lent 
his  house,  l)arn.  or  any  place  to  tliat  purpose  ;  for  y*  second  time  twice  as  much, 
for  the  third  time  four  times  as  much,  and  arbitrary  punishment  besides.' '^ 

A  further  provision  prohibited  the  importation,  circulation  or  reception  of  any 
books,  writings  or  letters,  deemed  '  erroneous,''  fining  the  importers  and  circulators 
a  hundred  gulden,  and  the  receivers  fifty  gulden.  From  this  time  onward  there 
are  numerous  indications  that  many  individual  Baptists  were  found  around  Graves- 
end,  Newtown  and  Flushing,  and  some  signs  that  now  and  then  one  of  the  Men- 
nonites  from  Long  Lsland  had  crossed  the  river  into  what  are  now  New  York  and 
Westchester  Counties,  but  it  is  not  likely  that  they  had  any  visible  Church  existence. 

The  next  trace  of  Baptist  life  that  we  h'nd  in  New  York  came  also  from  the 
East.  Nicholas  Eyers,  supposed  to  have  been  a  native-liorn  citizen,  a  brewer,  residing 
'  in  the  broad  street  of  this  city,  between  tlu^  liouse  of  John  Michel  Eyers  and  Mr. 
John  Spratt,'  invited  Valentine  "Wightman,  of  Groton,  Conn.,  to  come  and  preach 
in  his  house.  Eyers  shows  in  his  petition  to  the  Governor  that  in  Febi'uary.  171.">. 
his  house  had  been  registered  In'  the  Quarter  Sessions  'for  an  Anabaptist  meeting- 
house,'and  '  tliat  he  had  been  a  ]Miblic  jireacher  to  a  Baptist  congregation  within 
this  city  for /owr  years.'  There  is  a  perplexity  of  dates  here,  as  between  1711, 
when  he  is  said  to  have  been  a  Baptist  preacher,  and  1714,  when  his  name  appears 
in  the  list  of  the  baptized,  which  the  writer  sees  no  way  of  reconciling  without  fur- 


7SO  Fiiisr  itM'Tisr  cinucii.  yrAv  yuhk. 

thcr  (lata.  In  1711  i'i-  1  7  1  u'  \\'ii;lilniaii  ijcua"  :i  scries  uf  pruacliiii^  vij;it:^,  coiitiiiiiiiig 
tliciii  I'cir  alioiit  two  vi'ai's,  ami  in  1714  lie  Kapli/cd  Nicholas  Myers  anil  eleven  others. 
At  lirst  it  was  resolved  thai  fur  Icai-  of  ihc  I'alihlc  these  twelve  (louverts  should  he 
liaptizcd  in  the  nij^lit  and  the  coniiiany  went  to  the  river,  where  the  five  females 
receivc(l  tlic  m-dinance.  At  that  jiuint  Mr.  Evers  was  seized  witli  the  conviction 
thai  ihi'V  were  doinii'  wroni;'  in  shunnini;-  |iulilicity.  He  reniendiered  the  words  of 
the-  Lord  Jesus  :  '  No  man  doeth  any  thini;-  in  .secret,  when  he  iiimself  seeketh  to  be 
known  o])eidy.'  He,  thercfoi-c.  (■on>nlted  with  the  other  si.\  brethren  and  they 
agreed  to  |)o>t|)oiic  theii-  liaptism  till  iiKii-ninLi;.  'I'lie  next  day  they  waited  on  l»ur- 
nel.  the  (iovei-noi-,  witli  a  re(|ll(■^t  for  protection  ;  this  he  not  only  gave  them  but 
Went  to  the  ri\er  >ide  with  many  of  the  most  respectable  citizens  to  witness  tlie 
ordinance.  All  stood  reverently,  and  at  its  close  the  (Tovernor  I'emarked  :  'This 
was  the  aiicit'iit  manner  of  b.iptizing,  and  is,  in  my  (jpinion,  much  preferable  to  the 
practice  of  modern  times."  In  I7l.'i  the  (Jiiartei'  Sc»i(>ns  licensi'd  Eyers'  lu)use  f<ir 
a  iJaptist  mc'cting  place.  ( )n  .lanu.irv  1.  1 72n.  he  seems  to  liave  hired  another 
place  of  meeting,  and  he  asked  the  (io\-ci'noi'  to  jiermit  liim  to  e.\erciso  the 
functions  '  of  a  minister  within  this  city  to  a  jiaptist  congregation  and  to  give 
him  pi-i.itection  therein."  under  the  Act  of  Tolei'at  ion.  JJip  \'an  I  >am,  'one  of 
His  ^Majesty's  Coiiiicil  lor  tlie  J'rovinee  of  New  Voi'k,"  had  renti'd  this  ])lace  to 
Eyers,  'only  to  be  a  publick  meeting  place  of  the  itaptists  wherein  to  wijrsiiip  Al- 
mighty God.'  On  the  liUli  of  the  same  nionth  tlie  Mayoi',  Recoi'der  and  Aldermen 
cei'tified  'that  to  the  best  of  oiir  knowledge  and  uiulerstandiug  lie  is  blameless  and 
free  from  anv  notorious  ami  jiiiblic  slander  and  \'ice,  has  given  himsell  the  yood 
name  and  reputation  <d'  his  neighbors  of  being  a  sober,  just  and  honest  man,  and  is 
said  to  bo  an  Anaba])tist  as  to  his  ])rofession  in  religion.'  January  23d,  1721.  (iov- 
ernor  Burnet  gave  him  a  ])ermit  to  jireach  under  the  laws  of  AVilliani  and  ]\Iary. 
1'his  curious  document  begins  thus  :  '  Wlu'reas.  Mr.  Xiedi.  Eyers,  brewei-,  a  freeman 
and  inhaliitant  of  y''  (!ity  of  New  York,  pretending  to  be  at  present  a  teacher  or 
preacher  of  a  cougi-egation  of  Anabaptists,  which  lias  had  its  beginning  about  live 
year.s  ago  within  this  city  and  lias  so  eoutinued  hitherto."" 

This  date  implies  that  the  congregation  had  taken  a  somewhat  settled  foi'in  in 
1715,  lint  Parkinson  states  that  the  Church  was  not  constituted  nor  Eyers  ordained 
till  September,  172-1.  when  Elders  Valentine  Wlghtman,  of  Groton,  and  Daniel 
Wightinan,  of  Newport,  conducted  tlie  services.  This  Churcli  was  so  prospered 
that  they  bought  a  juece  of  ground  on  '(iohh'ii  Hill"  and  built  a  meeting-hou.se  in 
172S.  A  map  made  from  a  survey  by  Win.  Brailford,  dated  1728,  shows  tliat 
'Golden  Hill"  took  itsri.se  at  (^ueen  Street  (now  Pearl)  and  continued  up  Jolin 
Sti'eet  to  William,  and  also  shows  this  meoting-house  to  liave  been  ioeateil  on  the 
west  side  of  Cliff,  a  little  north  of  the  north-west  corner  of  Cliff,  apparently  on  the 
property  now  occu])icd  by  Messrs.  Phelps,  no(!g(>,  it  Co.  Benedict  says  that  he 
found  a  letter  amongst  the  papers  of  Backus,  addressed  by  Elder  James  Brown  to 


BLOCK  ISLAM)    I'.APTISTS.  731 

his  Cliurcli  in  Providence,  askin^j  aid  toward  paying  tlie  debt  on  this  cliiircii  edihcc, 
which  liad  cost  a  considerable  sum.  lie  stated  tliat  the  liiiock;  Island  bretliren  had 
helped  them  the  year  beCoi-e,  lint  that  the  wealthiest  mendier  of  tlu;  New  Yoi'k 
Church  lia\  ing  left  them,  and  the  rest  being  poor,  they  were  unable  to  discharge 
their  debt.  Mr.  Brown  thought  that  £25  or  £80  would  be  the  just  proportion  of 
the  Church  in  Providence,  and  he  subscribed  £1  thereof.  A  number  of  others 
^ave  ^thirteen  hm^rels  of  cider.''  IJetween  the  brewer  of  New  York  and  the  eider- 
mills  of  Pi-ovideuce  tlicy  were  bound  to  float  that  (•hurch  building  on  (iolden  Hill ; 
yet  the  plan  would  not  work.  Eyers  removed  to  Newport  in  17'j1,  whei-e  he  died, 
and  John  Stephens  took  his  place  in  New  York.  But  he  soon  removed  to  South 
Carolina.  Then  one  of  the  trustees  claimed  the  church  building  and  sold  it  as  pri- 
vate [iroperty,  when  the  Church,  which  had  existed  about  eight  years  and  consisted 
of  twenty-four  members,  disbanded.  This  closed  the  history  of  the  first  General 
Baptist  Church  in  New  Y^ork  city. 

That  which  is  now  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  that  city  was  organized  on 
June  loth,  ITfii,  and  under  most  interesting  circumstances,  especially  interesting 
because  its  history  is  indirectly  connected  with  Roger  Williams  through  Long 
Island  and  Block  Island.  In  1661  a  company  of  sixteen  Baptist  emigrants  from 
England,  who  found  that  they  conld  n(.it  enjoy  religious  liberty  in  Massachusetts, 
united  in  purchasing  Block  Island  and  settled  there.  They  soon  applied  to 
Roger  Williams  and  John  Clarke  for  aid  and  counsel,  and  tluough  their  influence, 
in  1663,  Block  Island  was  admitted  to  share  the  privileges  of  the  charter  which 
Rhode  Island  had  secured  from  Charles  II.  In  1661:  a  deputation  was  sent  from 
Block  Island  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Rhode  Island  to  ask  for  civil  protec- 
tion. Their  request  was  referred  to  a  committee,  of  which  Roger  Williams  was 
chairnum,  who  reported,  that  as  his  majesty  had  granted  in  the  charter  '  that  no 
person  within  the  said  colony  at  any  time  hereafter  shall  be  in  any  way  molested, 
punished,  disquieted,  or  called  in  qtiestion  for  any  difference  in  opinion  in  matters 
of  religion,  and  do  not  actually  disturb  the  civil  peace  of  the  said  colony,'  the  peo- 
ple of  Block  Island  were  entitled  to  the  same  rights.  The  islanders,  therefore,  or- 
ganized a  miniature  democracy  for  local  civil  government,  and,  in  1665,  sent  their 
first  representatives  to  the  Rhode  Island  General  Court.  In  civil  polity  it  adopted 
the  principles  of  Roger  Williams,  and  in  the  exercise  of  its  religious  freedom  it  in- 
troduced worship  after  the  order  observed  by  Baptists.  The  sixteen  original  pro- 
prietors set  apart  a  portion  of  land  to  be  known  as  the  Ministers'  Lot,  for  the  main- 
tenance of  that  worshi]). 

James  Sands,  one  of  the  first  settlers  and  the  first  representative  from  Block 
Island  in  the  Rhode  Island  Assembly,  was  an  'Anabaptist,'  and  Niles,  his  grandson, 
the  historian  of  the  Island,  says  that  '  he  did  not  differ  in  religious  belief  from  the 
other  settlers.'  For  about  ninety  years  lay  preachers,  taken  from  amongst  them- 
selves, continued  regular  worship  after  the  Baptist  order,  and  without  the  fornuil 


732  AynruKu  ruriirn  tx  xfav  youk. 

()rir:iiii/.;ili(in  of  a  Cliui-cli.  I'litil  tliat  time  tlicv  iiii-t  in  i-m-\\  other's  liouses,  but  then 
tliuy  liiiih  a  iiiccliiiii-liDiisc,  ami  from  tliat,  pei'iod  to  tiiis  tliey  liiive  built  seven  in 
succession,  in  !  TM'  tliey  eni^ai^a'd  Tlcv.  David  Spraiiiie  to  jireacli  for  them:  'So 
lons^  as  said  Spi-anaie  sliall  serve  tlie  iiilialtitants  of  tlie  tow  ii  bv  ]irea<'liin,<j;  to  tliem 
tile  (4()S]H'I  of  Clirist  a('cording  to  tlie  Scri])tures  of  Ii-iitli.  maI<inL,''  tliem  and 
tlicni  (■nlv  the  rule  of  his  faitli,  doctrine  and  iiractiec"  A  i)aj)tist  ( 'liurch  was 
or:;ani/.eil  on  Hloek  Island  October  8d,  1772.  with  Elder  Sprairue  as  pastor  and 
Thomas  Dodire  as  deacon.  'I'hey  adojjted  the  onlinarv  articles  of  faith  used  at  that 
time,  that  on  the  ordinances  hein^'  the  nintli  and  readini;  thus  :  •  We  iielie\e  that 
ba|)tism  and  ihc  i.oi-dV  Su])i)er  are  ordinances  of  Christ  to  be  continued  in  his 
(/hurch  and  piacti(ad  by  ijelievcrs,  after  liis  own  exanqde  and  in  obedience  to  his 
commandments,  until  his  second  comin<>',  and  that  the  foi'iiier  is  requisite  to  the 
latter.'  frcjin  that  day  there  has  been  a  Baptist  ("liurch  on  the  island,  and  none 
other;  and  no\\-.  out  of  a  resident  po|)nlation  of  about  l..')n(i  the  Itaptists  number 
fiillv  ."iHU  nieiiibcrs  in  coinmunion.      bivermorc,  a  late  hi.-torian.  says  that 

•  In  no  part  of  the  world,  ])erhai)s.  has  relii;ious  fi-ce(lom  been  maintained  so 
purely  bir  two  hundred  years  as  on  Block  Island.  Mere  it  has  never  been  disturbed 
by  any  civil  enactments.  Here  no  ecclesiastical  authority  has  ever  infringed  iipon 
l)rivate  opinions  of  religious  faith  and  practice.  Here  the  Church  has  never  felt 
the  overruling  jiower  of  bishops  or  synod.  Here  no  religious  duties  have  been  en- 
forced upon  Jiel]iless  infants.  Here  the  ordinances  have  ever  been  administered  in 
their  primitive  simplicity.  Here  the  acts  of  sprinkling,  pouring  and  signing  with 
the  cross  have  iu;ver  been  witnessed.  Here  the  minister  has  no  incu-e  i-uling  auth(»r- 
ity  in  the  Church  than  the  youngest  member.  No  authority  is  recognized  in  it  ex- 
cept that  which  comes  from  the  Scriptures.'  '' 

Twelve  years  afti'r  the  organization  of  this  Cliurch  Thomas  Dodge  became  its 
pastor,  and  some  of  the  best  families  in  New  England  have  s])rung  from  this  .settle- 
ment, especially  the  descendants  of  the  Sands,  Ray,  Terry.  Kathboiie,  Dodge  and 
Niles.  Roger  "Williams  was  deeply  concerned  in  the  welfare  of  tliis  little  repub- 
lic, was  intimate  with  its  early  settlers,  and  Simon  Ray,  Jr.,  married  his  grand- 
daughter. Thomas  Dodge,  grandson  of  Tristram  Dodge,  one  of  tlie  original  settlers 
of  Block  Island,  settled  at  Cow  Neck,  Long  Island,  about  1 7<'».'>-l<>.  and  was 
soon  followed  by  Samuel,  another  grandson.  Thomas,  it  is  supposed,  built  the  old 
homestead  still  bmnd  on  Dodge  Pond,  and  from  there  the  family  spread  to  Cow 
Bay,  where  we  llml  Dodge  Island,  near  to  Sands  Point,  named  after  Jolin  Sands, 
who  was  one  of  Elder  Sands'  family  from  Block  Island.  .leremiah  Dodge,  a  great- 
grandson  of  the  original  Tristram,  was  born  at  Cow  Neck,  l\Iay,  171fi  ;  he  was  a  ship- 
builder, having  learned  his  trade  from  his  brother,  Wilkie.  He  removed  to  New  York 
to  follow  his  business  not  far  from  the  years  1737-40,  and  died  there  in  1800.  He 
i)rouglit  the  old  Baptist  principles  of  the  family  with  him,  and  in  174.")  we  find  the 
few  scattered  Baptists  of  New  York  meeting  in  his  house  and  that  of  Joseph 
Meeks  for  prayer-meetings.  Dodge  and  Dr.  Robert  North,  a  former  member  of  the 
disbanded  Church,  being  the  leaders  of  the  little  congregation.'* 


Itl'JV.    .lOlLX   OANO.  738 

Joseph  Meeks  was  converted  in  1745.  and  Elder  Benjamin  Miller,  of  Scotch 
Plains,  N.  J.,  came  to  New  York  to  baptize  him.  Soon  John  Pyno,  a  licentiate  liv- 
ing at  Fishkill,  was  invited  to  come  to  their  iiclp.  In  175(1  Mr.  Pynedied,  and  Elder 
James  Carman,  of  Cranberrv,  mar  Ilinlitstowii,  N.  J.,  visited  them  and  baptized  sev- 
eral. Thev  mimbered  thirteen  member.--  in  1753,  and  became  a  branch  of  the  Scotch 
Plains  Church.  Mr.  Miller  came  to  break  bread  to  them  once  in  three  months.  Their 
numbers  increased  so  rapidly  that  they  were  obliged  to  hire  a  room  to  contain  the 
congregation,  fn  what  is  now  called  William  Street  (between  Fulton  and  John) 
there  was  a  rigging-loft,  on  wliicli  hung  a  large  sign  of  a  horse  and  cart,  from 
which  the  street  was  known  as  Cart-and-llorse  Lane.  Here  they  met  from  three 
to  four  years,  wlien  its  owner  sold  it  and  they  returned  to  Mr.  Meeks'  house,  where 
thev  met  about  a  year  longer.  They  then  purchased  ground  and  built  the  second 
Baptist  meeting-house  on  Golden  Hill,  and  entered  it  in  March,  17*i(>.  A  map  in 
Valentine's  ]\Ianuals  shows  the  location  of  this  building  to  have  been  in  Gold  Street, 
on  the  west  side,  just  south  of  the  south-west  corner  of  wluit  is  now  Fulton.  Their 
membership  having  increased  to  twenty-seven,  tliey  took  their  letters  from  Scotch 
Plains  and,  with  the  assistance  of  Benjamin  Miller  and  John  Gano,  were  consti- 
tuted a  Church  in  1762,  adopting  tlie  London  Confession  of  1688.  On  the  same 
day  they  elected  Mr.  Gano  their  pastor.  As  he  was  one  of  the  first  men  of  his 
times  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  may  be  necessary  liere. 

John  Gano  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Huguenots  of  France,  his  grand- 
father, Francis,  being  obliged  to  ily  from  persecution  in  the  Isle  of  Guernsey  in 
consequence  of  tlie  bloody  edict  revoking  the  Edict  of  N"antz.  He  settled  in 
New  Rochelle,  in  the  State  of  New  York.  His  son,  Daniel,  lived  at  Hopewell, 
N.  J.,  and  was  the  father  of  John,  who  was  born  at  Hopewell,  July  22d,  1727. 
While  (piite  young  John  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  there,  and  was  ordained 
by  that  body  May  29tii,  175-1:,  Isaac  Eaton  preaching  the  sermon.  Before  his  ordina- 
tion he  liad  gone  witli  Mr.  Miller  and  Mr.  Thonuis  on  a  tour  into  Virginia,  and 
while  there  had  followed  what  he  lielieved  to  be  a  divine  impulse  to  preach.  On 
returning,  his  Church  called  him  to  account  for  such  disorder,  but  before  proceeding 
to  condemn  him,  asked  him  to  i)reach  before  them,  hence  his  ordination;  and  at  the 
ne.xt  meeting  of  the  Philadelphia  Association  he  was  sent  on  a  mission  to  the  South. 
There  he  traveled  extensively  as  far  as  South  Carolina.  While  in  the  back  settlements 
of  Virginia  he  lodged  with  a  family  and  overlieard  one  of  them  sav  :  '  This  man  talks 
like  olie  of  the  Joneses."  On  inquiry  he  was  told  that  they  were  a  family  living  over 
twenty  miles  thence  who  did  nothing  but  pray  and  talk  about  Jesus  Christ.  He 
said  :  '  I  determined  to  make  it  my  next  day's  ride  and  see  my  own  likeness.''  He 
found  a  large  family,  many  of  whom  had  been  lately  converted,  engaged  in  wor- 
ship. The  sick  father  was  lying  before  the  fire  groaning  with  pain,  and  Gano  asked 
him  how  he  did  ?     He  replied :  '  Oh  I  I  am  in  great  pain.'     '  I  am  glad  of  it,'  said 

the  young  preacher.     The    old  man  demanded  with  spirit  what  he   meant.     He 
49 


754  (!.i\(i    rUHACIIKS    TO     WlllTKFl ELD. 

;iiKs\veri'(i  :     •\Vli<iiii    llu-    l-ord    lu\clli    lie    cliastenetli."  inid    the    sick    iiiaii    tell    in 
love  witii  liiiii. 

On  rcacliiiig  Nortli  Carolina,  in  company  with  another  younji;  man,  tliey  ar- 
rived at  a  jilantation  where  they  w(>re  invited  to  stay  all  iiii^ht.  The  ))lanter  asked 
him  '  if  he  was  a  trader,"  tu  which  he  answercnl  'yes.'  lie  then  asked  him  how  he 
succeeded,  (iaim  replied,  not  so  well  as  lie  wished.  I'rohably  the  goods  did  nut 
suit.  The  ])reachcr  said  that  no  one  had  conij)lained  of  that.  The  ])lanter  suii- 
gested  that  he  might  be  holding  his  goods  too  high,  to  which  his  friend  rejilied  that 
any  one  might  have  them  helow  their  own  price.  The  man  said  that  he  wonld 
trade  en  the^e  tt'rms.  (iano  then  asked  him  :  '  If  gold  tried  in  tlie  lire,  yea,  that 
which  was  better  than  the  line  gold,  wine  and  milk,  durable  riches  and  rigliteousness, 
without  money  and  without  pi'ice,  would  suit  him^'  '(),'  said  tiie  plautei',  'I  be- 
lieve you  are  a  minister,'  and  then  lie  declared  to  him  the  freeness  and  fullness  of 
grace. 

On  arriving  at  Charleston,  he  ])reached  there  for  Mr.  Hart;  and  in  his  account 
of  the  services  Mr.  (iaiio  writes  :  '  When  I  arose  to  speak,  the  sight  of  so  brilliant 
an  audience,  among  whom  were  twelve  ministers  and  one  of  whom  was  Mr.  "White- 
lield,  for  a  moment  in'ought  the  fear  of  man  ujion  me;  Init.  bh'ssed  lie  the  Lonl  I  I 
was  soon  relieved  from  this  embarra>smeiit.  Thi>  thought  passed  my  miuil,  i  had 
none  to  fear  and  obey  l)Ut  the  Lord.'  On  his  return  to  North  Carolina,  during  the 
French  War,  he  was  infoi-med  that  he  wa^  to  be  seized  as  a  spy ;  l)ut  when  he  reached 
the  place,  instead  of  passing  through  secretly,  he  stopped  at  the  public  house  and 
asked  the  hiiKilord  whether  the  jieople  Would  come  to  hear  a  sermon  <in  a  week-day. 
The  man  replied  that  shortly  there  was  to  be  a  general  muster  there  for  the  county, 
and  Gano  sent  to  the  colonel  who  was  to  arrest  him,  to  know  if  it  would  be  pleasant 
to  him  to  have  a  short  sermon  addressed  to  the  regiment  before  military  duty. 
Thev  all  jxiid  profound  attention  but  one  man.  to  whom  Gano  said  that  he  was  ashamed 
of  him  and  wondered  that  his  officers  would  bear  with  him.  The  colonel  thanked 
the  preacher,  rebuked  the  man,  and  the  evangelist  pushed  on  his  way.  On  reaching 
the  Blue  Kidge  he  entered  a  house  in  a  .storm,  the  owner  of  which  was  alarmed  and 
asked  him  if  lie  was  'a  press-master.'  lie  rej)lied  that  he  was.  in  great  alaiMii  the 
man  wished  to  know  whether  he  '  took  man  led  men.'  Gano  told  him  that  he  surely 
did,  that  his  M;ister's  service  was  good,  with  high  wages,  and  he  wanted  his  wife 
and  children  to  enlist  also.  The  man  was  very  uneas}',  however,  while  he  was  ex- 
horted to  volunteer  for  Christ.  On  reaching  Xew  Jersey  he  first  settled  at  Morris- 
town  for  two  years,  and  then  at  Yadkin,  N.  C,  whence  he  was  obliged  to  Hee  before 
the  Cherokee  Indians  in  the  ravages  of  war.  Shortly  after  this  he  took  the  Xew 
York  pastorate,  in  which  he  remained  five  and  twenty  years  with  the  nuist  marked 
success,  when  he  removed  to  Iventucky.  where  he  died  at  Frankfort  in  ISO-I.  We 
shall  meet  him  again  in  the  Ilevolutiouary  War.  It  is  but  needful  to  add  here  that 
he  was  one  of  the  most   remarkable  men    in   America  in  all  the  resources  which 


FIRST   rinurll  DCHiyu    THE   WAR.  7SS 

native  strength,  sound  judgment,  wit,  ingenuity,  retentive  memory,  zeal  and  godliness 
furnish  in  times  wiiicli  tr}'  men's  souls. 

The  First  C'liurcli  [)rospered  so  largely  under  Mr.  (rano's  tninisti-y  tiiat  tiie 
meeting-house  was  enlarged  in  17<>3  ;  crowds  flocked  to  hear  liim.  The  late  Ur. 
Bowen,  of  the  Episcopal  Cinirch  in  New  York,  says  that  his  father,  M'ho  was  a 
clergyman  in  the  city  in  those  days,  told  him  tliat  '  .Mr.  Gano  jiossessed  the  best 
pulpit  talents  of  any  man  that  he  ever  lunird.'  Till  1763  this  Cliurcli  numbered  only 
forty-one  members,  and  two  years  before  that  it  was  scarcely  known  at  all,  nlthough 
the  little  meeting-iiouse  had  been  built.  Morgan  Edwards  came  from  Wales  in 
1761,  and  tells  this  pleasant  anecdote : 

'  When  I  came  to  New  York  I  landed  in  the  morning  and  thonght  I  would  try 
if  I  could  tind  any  Baptists.  I  wandered  np  and  down,  looking  at  the  place  and 
the  people,  and  wondering  who  of  all  the  people  I  met  migiit  be  Baptists.  At 
lengtli  I  saw  an  old  man,  with  a  red  cap  on  his  head,  sitting  in  tlie  porch  of  a  respect- 
able looking  house.  Ah,  thought  I,  now  this  is  one  of  the  old  inhabitants  who 
knows  all  about  the  city  ;  this  is  the  man  to  inquire  of.  I  approached  him  and  said  : 
"  CTOod-morning,  sir!  Can  you  tell  me  where  any  Baptists  live  in  this  city?" 
"Baptists!  Baptists!"  said  the  old  man,  musing  as  if  ransacking  all  the  corners  of 
his  memory  ;  "  Baptists !  I  really  don't  know  as  1  ever  heard  of  any  body  of  that 
occupation  in  these  parts."  ' 

During  the  Revolutionary  War  the  First  Church  was  dispersed  and  its  records 
suspended.  No  baptisms  are  recorded  between  that  of  Hannah  Stillwell,  April 
2Sth,  1776,  and  that  of  Samuel  Jones,  afterward  a  deacon,  on  Sej^tember  4th,  178-i. 
The  British  forces  occupied  New  York  above  seven  years,  dui-ing  whicli  time  it  was 
nearly  ruined.  No  city  in  America  was  so  long  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy  and 
suffered  so  much.  Its  best  inhabitants  found  shelter  in  other  colonies,  and  the  To- 
ries made  it  their  place  of  refuge.  Pestilence  and  two  great  tires  swept  it,  and  the 
soldiery  inflicted  all  the  damage  that  they  could.  At  the  opening  of  the  war 
there  were  nineteen  churches  in  the  city,  but  when  it  closed  only  nine  of  them 
could  be  used  for  worsliip.  Tlie  Baptist  meeting-house,  having  been  used  for  a 
horse-stable,  was  almost  in  ruins.  On  his  return  to  the  city  Gano  found  emptiness, 
desolation  and  ashes.  The  angels  of  God  liad  not  looked  upon  a  more  touching 
procession  since  that  which  united  Calvary  with  Joseph's  tomb,  than  that  which 
solemnly  moved  into  the  wasted  citv  from  Harlem  Heights.  Washington  and 
Clinton  led  it  on  horseback,  followed  by  Knox  with  the  remnant  of  the  patriot 
army,  some  mounted  and  some  on  foot,  with  gaunt  cheeks,  weather-beaten,  foot- 
sore and  ragged,  scai'red  and  limping.  Men  who  had  left  their  bloody  foot-prints 
upon  the  sharp  frozen  snows  of  Valley  Forge  were  there,  with  the  man  at  their  head 
who  had  shivered  with  them  through  the  dreariest  winter  of  the  war  ;  the  man 
who  had  carried  them  to  God  in  prayer,  night  and  morning,  wlien  anguish  sat 
heavily  on  his  cam])  and  liis  own  soul  was  struggling  through  tlie  darkest  days  of 
life.     John    Gano  soon  followed  and  says:  'We   collected  of  our  Church    about 


766  37; »'  riirnriiKs  fohmki). 

tliii'lv-si'\cii  mi'iiilii'i's  iilit  of  ii|iw:ii-il  (if  rwn  liiinili'i-d.  miuk-  lu-iiii;' licad,  ;iih1  otlu'i's 
scattered  into  almost  cvitv  ]>arl  ol'  the  I'liioii."  |!iii  as  soon  as  llie  .saiictuaiT  eotild 
he  decently  cleansed,  he  I'allied  his  people  and  pi-eached  to  them  fi-om  ilau'-  ii,  •' : 
'  Wlio  is  left  anionij-  you  that  saw  tliis  lioiisc  in  her  lii'st  jz;lory  '.  and  liuw  do  ye 
.see  it  now-;"  I'nder  Jiis  ministry  tin-  days  of  |n'o>])ei'ity  soon  ivturned  nntil  lie 
liaptized  his  last  con\H'rt  Api-il  .")lh,  17>>s,  mid  Icit  for  Kmtucky.  I)iii'ini;'  his 
pastorate  he  had  l)a|)tized  into  the  Church  2'.t7.  and  rcc(.-ived  '!'■'>  hy  letter.  Anioiiji'st 
tiie  first  IJegents  of  tln'  Tniversity  of  _Xe\v  ^  ork  we  tind  llie  name  of  tliis  iieroic 
man.  with  tliis  notice:  'Rev.  .lohn  (Jano,  a  clerical  scholai' of  I'ai'e  culture,  pastor 
of  thr  int'ant  l!a[ilist  (  hui'ch  I'oi'  sixteen  years  jirior  to  the  war;  had  lieen  a  chaplain 
in  tin'  ai-my,  and  upon  returnini;-  to  tlie  city  with  the  estal)lishment  of  peac^e.  could 
tind  hut  thil■t\■-^(■\  (11  our  of  his  two  liiindre(.l  (.'hurcli  inenihei's.' "  His  family  raised 
a  l)eautiful  moinimenl  to  his  ii'ienuiry  in  Cincinnati.  .Vn  altar-like  pedt'stal  hears  an 
obi'lisk  of  much  i;race,  with  deep  niches  on  each  side.  In  every  one  of  these  tliere 
is  an  alle(>'urical  iiiiure.  while  ani;el>  and  rich  wreaths  of  flowers  adoi'U  the  various 
parts,  the  whole  beinj;'  ci'owned  by  an  elaborate  ca])ital  and  a  lambent  ui'ii.  In  the 
haxm-rdievo  a  shattered  sepidcher  is  seen,  from  which  a  family  has  risen  from  tiie 
dead.      Six  vears  were  spent  in  executiiiy  this  delicate  piece  of  workmaiishiji. 

Time  fails  to  trace  the  remarkable  history  of  this  \-eneral)le  Church  thi'oue^h  the 
striking;  ministry  (.>f  Dr.  Foster  and  AVilliani  Colliei-  to  the  close  of  the  century. 
Shortlv  after  (iano  left,  the  (piestion  of  sinii'ini^- disturbed  them.  The  usaiic  had  j)i'e- 
vailed  of  liniiiii'  the  ver.ses  of  hymns  sunu,  and  now  many  wanted  t(_i  sin^■  from  the 
books.  whereu))on  fourteen  persons,  who  wanted  the  hymns  •deaconed,'  left  and 
started  the  Second  Bajjtist  Cliurcli.  1790  this  new  Churc^h  got  into  a  contention  and 
divided,  both  parties  claimiuj^  this  name,  but  after  a  time  they  botli  dropped  it,  one 
takinif  the  name  of  Bethel  and  the  other  of  Fayette  Street.  The  Bethel  ceased  to 
exist  manv  years  ago.  but  tlie  Fayette  Street  had  an  illustrious  Iiistory,  first  as  the 
Oliver  Street,  and  is  now  a  noble  body,  known  as  the  Baj)tist  Church  of  the  Epiph- 
any, with  Dr.  Elder  as  pastoi-.  Dr.  Foster  became  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in 
1788,  and  before  long  some  of  the  members,  who  could  .scent  heresy  from  afar,  di.s- 
eovcred  heterodoxy  in  his  sermons.  A  serious  disturbance  followed,  whicli  resulted 
in  the  exclusion  of  thirteen  persons  in  1781*.  In  1790  twenty  others  took  letters 
of  dismi.ssion  and  the  Second  Church  received  the  excluded,  which  fact  probably 
fermented  their  own  contentions  and  led  to  their  division.  The  New  York  l>aptist 
Association  was  formed  in  1791,  compi-ising  the  Scotch  Plains,  Oyster  Ba}',  Morris- 
town,  Connoe-Brook  [Northfield],  Staten  Island,  with  the  First  and  Second  Xew 
York  Churches.  So  rapidly  and  noi.selessly  did  the  leaven  of  our  principles  and 
practices  spread  that,  by  the  close  of  the  century.  Churches  were  planted  in  .seven- 
teen counties  of  New  York,  extending  from  Sag  Harbor  to  the  New  Jersey  line, 
and  from  Staten  Island  to  the  Canada  line.  In  1  794.  according  to  Asplund,  the 
churches  numbered  S-i,  the  ministers  109,  and  the  members  5,263. 


CHAPTER    X. 

THE    BAPTISTS   OF    NORTH    CAROLINA,    MARYLAND,    NEW    HAMP- 
SHIRE, VERMONT    AND    GEORGIA. 

STILL  following  tli(>  clironologieal  order,  we  note  the  rise  of  L'aptists  in  these 
several  colonies.  We  have  seen  that  individual  Baptists  fmni  Virginia  were 
f.nnid  in  North  Cakoijxa  in  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century ;  but  the  Shiloh 
Church,  formed  bv  Paul  Palmer  in  Camden  County,  on  the  Chowan  River,  in  1727, 
was  the  first  Church  founded  in  that  colony.  Palmer  was  from  the  Welsh  Tract,  in 
Delaware,  and  was  a  correspondent  of  John  Comer,  according  to  wlujse  -lournal  this 
Church  numbered  thirty-two  niend}ers  in  1729.  Joseph  Parker,  probably  one  of 
Palmer's  converts,  formed  the  .second  Church,  at  Meherrin,  in  1729;  hut  it  was  not 
until  1740  that  the  third  was  formed,  at  Sandy  Run,  by  mend)ers  dismissed  from 
the  Meherrin  Church.  Emigrants  from  Virginia,  in  company  with  William  So- 
journer, formed  the  fourth  Church,  in  Halifax  County,  in  174-2  ;  and  in  1752  these 
had  increased  to  sixteen  (Jluirches,  all  being  (-Jeud'al  Baptists. 

They  were  not  thoroughly  spiritual  Churches.  They  held  to  the  scriptural 
authority  of  the  ordinances  of  Baptism  and  tlie  Sapper,  but  some  of  them  did  not 
demand  faith  and  conversion  l)efore  receiving  these,  and  they  added  to  them,  as  of 
about  ecpial  authority,  the  rites  of  love-feasts,  laying  on  of  hands  after  baptism,  wash- 
ing of  feet,  anointing  the  sick,  the  right  hand  of  fellowship,  the  kiss  of  charity,  and 
the  public  devoting  of  children  without  christening,  or  what  John  Leland  called 
•di-y  christening.'  This  state  of  things  existed  when  that  region  of  country  was 
visited  by  Robert  Williams,  of  South  Carolina;  Benjamin  ^Filler,  Peter  P.  Vanhorn, 
and  John  Gano,  of  New  Jersey;  with  Shubael  Stearnes,  of  Virginia.  Then  God 
raised  up  a  spiritual  people  who  accepted  the  whole  truth.  It  is  remarkable  to  see 
what  a  missionary  spirit  pervaded  our  American  Churches  from  the  very  first. 
especially  put  forth  in  practical  efforts  to  take  the  Gospel  into  the  new  settlements. 
This  subject  is  too  interesting  and  vital  to  ]iass  in  silence,  for  the  journey  of  a  Bap- 
tist missionary  meant  the  personal  visitation  of  the  scattered  pioneers,  who  had  gone 
to  make  homes  for  themselves  in  the  wilderness.  These  men  of  God  gathered  the 
families  in  the  region  round  about,  preached  to  them,  and  frequently  found  mem- 
bers from  the  older  settlements  who,  far  away  from  the  helps  and  restraints  of 
Christian  fellowship,  had  become  careless  about  their  religious  life.  The  godless 
were  led  to  Ciirist,  the  careless  were  reanimated  by  the  missionary's  earnest  appeals, 
those  who   lielieved  were  baj)tized,  frequently   the  whole   community    was  moved 


788  Ol'EX  ATH  MEKT/yOS   LX  yOHTlI   rAl{(il.l.\.\. 

rcliiriiin.-l\.  nihl  (illc-ii  :i  l'.a|ili>t  C'lmi-cli  was  i>riraiii/.f(l.  A  st'CDinl  \i>it  cdiiiiiioiiIv 
resulted  in  IIr'  scttK'iiH'Hl  of  a  pa^tiJi-  and  the  eslubli.slniK-iit  (if  a  hniiieli  (  luii'cli  in 
sciUK'  adjacent   nfii;hliiil'li(ind. 

'rill'  SdUtli  \va>  |iartii-ularly  favored  by  such  lahorsi.  Sncli  men  as  William 
Tristne,  Ahraliani  Mar.-liall,  Oliver  Hurt  and  liieliard  Furnian  cantrht  iniieli  of  the 
liriinitive,  ajiostolic  zeal  and  entei'eil  wiih  all  tlici]-  [KAver.-  intu  this  wurk.  An 
unknown  coiTesjiondenl  of  •i;ijtjiiin"s  Keu'i.>ter  '  f^ives  us  u  jrlinipse  of  such  toils,  in 
a  letter  of  Aiii;-ust  24tli,  IT'.tH.      He  writes: 

'In  several  ciuinties  of  North  Carolina  I  have  prcaclied  to  very  numerous 
assenihlies.  At  a  "  hit:,- meeting,"' as  they  call  a  eonvention,  or  when  a  stranj^'er  of 
any  note  visits  them,  it  is  seldom  that  the  i)laee  of  worship  will  contain  half  tlie  con- 
»'re<ration.  H'  they  have  timely  notice,  luindreds  think  nothing  of  a  distance  of  ten 
or  twentv  miles  td'meeting.  Everyone  has  a,  horse,  yes,  even  our  poorest  people 
have  a  horse  to  ride,  and  hence,  when  you  arrive  at  the  place  apixiinted,  you  will 
see  more  horses  tied  all  about  the  roads  than  can  be  seeTi  at  a  fair  in  KnglaiKl,  my 
native  country.  A  stage,  also,  is  erected,  which  yon  stand  on  to  i)rcach,  and  some- 
times to  two  or  three  tliousaiid  hearers.  I  liave  preached,  as  was  su|)i)osed.  to  three 
or  four  thousand.  The  meeting  continues  two  or  three  days.  Then'  are  fre(|uently 
ten  or  a  dozen  ministers  iiresent,  most  of  whom  pray,  jireach,  or  e.xhort,  as  they  find 
freedom.  Afti'i-  the  j)nlilic  service,  tho.se  who  live  near  the  place  of  meeting, 
whether  members  or  not,  ask  every  person  who  comes  from  a  distance  to  go  home 
with  them  ;  and  generally  the  greater  the  nund)er  wlio  accept  the  invitation  the 
better  are  they  i)leased,  cs^pecially  if  a  minister  can  be  jirevailed  u])on  to  be  one  of 
the  guests.  When  you  come  to  the  house,  they  entertain  you  with  the  wry  best 
they  have,  both  horses  and  men,  and  as  soon  as  you  have  all  dined,  to  preaching, 
praying,  exhortation,  etc.  Near  midnight  you  retire  to  rest ;  by  sunrise  in  the 
morning,  to  prayers;  then  breakfast,  and  to  ])ublic  worship  again,  but  not  before 
yourcolnpanvis*re(]uested  for  the  next  night,  if  the  meeting  continues.  This  is  the 
connnon  practice  in  Georgia.  South  and  North  Carolina,  in  what  we  call  the  back  part 
of  the  country.  To  a  gVi'at  many  of  these  meetings  I  have  been,  and  sometimes 
have  seen  a  great  deal  of  religioi],  and  enjoyed  the  most  solemn  pleasures  and  com- 
fortable opportunities  I  have  ever  had.' 

The  AVcst  ;iiiil  North-west  in  those  days  meant  Central  and  "Western  New  York, 
but  there,  many  of  these  inspiring  features  of  large  and  enthusiastic  meetings  were 
lacking.  The  journeys  were  often  long  and  perilous,  attended  with  much  hardsliip. 
Then,  sometimes,  these  godly  men  were  not  welcomed,  and  they  fonnd  it  necessary 
to  shake  oil  the  dust  of  their  feet  against  American  .settlements  as  Christ's  Apostles 
did  ai^ainst  the  towns  of  Palestine.  The  missionaries  were  generally  volunteers,  but 
sometimes  the  Associations  commissioned  them.  Messengers  from  the  South 
appealed  to  the  rhiladel])hia  Association,  in  lTr)4.  for  the  labors  of  a  mi.ssionary,  and 
they  sent  John  Gano,  who  traveled  as  far  as  Charleston.  J  Ion.  (I  S.  Todd,  for- 
nierlv  the  American  ricpresentative  to  Kussia.  draws  this  picture  of  Gano: 

'  He  was,  in  jierson,  below  the  middle  stature,  and  when  young,  of  a  slender 
form,  but  of  a  tirm,  vigorous  constitution,  well  fitted  for  performing  active  services 
with  ea.se,  and  for  suffering  labors  and  privations  with  constancy.  .  .  .  His  pres- 
ence was  manly,  open,  and  engaging.      His  voice  strong  and  connnanding.  yet  agree- 


MARTLAND   BAPTISTS.  739 

able  and  capable  of  all  those  inflections  whicli  are  suitable  to  express  either  the 
stronil  or  tender  emotions  of  an  intelligent,  feeliny  mind.  In  mental  endowments 
and  aV([uired  abilities  he  appeared  highly  respectable;  with  clear  conception  and 
ready  diseernnient,  he  formed  readily  a  correct  judgment  of  men  and  things.  His 
acquaintance  with  the  learned  languages  and  sciences  did  n(.>t  commence  till  he 
arrived  at  maidinod,  and  was  ubtained  chiefly  by  private  instruction.  To  the  refine- 
ment of  learnini::  he  did  not  aspire;  his  chief  object  was  such  a  competent  ac(jiuunt- 
ance  with  its  principles  as  would  enable  him  t(j  apply  them  with  advantage  to  pur- 
poses of  general  usefulness  in  religion,  and  to  the  most  important  interests  of  society  ; 
and  to  this  he  attained.' 

Thus  endowed  and  armed,  this  holy  man  and  his  brethren  of  like  si)irit  went 
to  the  Sandy  (h-eek  region  in  North  Carolina.  An  Association  was  formed  there 
in  1758,  a  monument  to  their  fruitful  labor,  and  by  1766  the  Sandy  Creek  Church 
had  aided  in  forming  forty-two  Churches.  The  Little  River  Church  was  another 
remarkable  body.  Formed  in  1760,  it  increased  to  five  hundred  persons  in  three 
years  and  built  Ave  meeting-houses.  These  Churches  liad  many  contentious  and 
alienations  as  Regulars  aiul  Separates  for  years ;  but  these  j^assed  away  when  they 
became  a  thoroughly  worlcing  people ;  they  were  too  busy  to  quarrel,  and  now 
there  is  not  a  more  efficient  body  of  Baptists  in  the  United  States  than  those  of 
Nortii  Cai\'lina.  Some  of  the  mightiest  names  in  our  history  have  arisen  in  that 
State.  Silas  and  Jesse  Mercer,  William  T.  Brantly,  Basil  Manly  and  a  long  line 
following,  as  Kerr  and  Howell,  Poindexter  and  Minis,  Brooks  and  Saunders, 
Emerson  and  Solomon,  with  a  host  of  living  men  who  would  honor  any  Christian 
community.  As  far  I)ack  as  1793,  Asplund  reports  that  they  had  112  churches,  172 
ministers,  and  8,017  communicants.  But  in  1886,  they  have  2,177  churches,  915 
ministers,  and  211,98-1:  communicants. 

Maryland.  The  question  of  religious  liberty  in  this  colony  will  be  noticed  in 
another  place.  For  the  present  it  is  only  needful  to  note  that  in  1649  the  Assem- 
bly enacted : 

'That  no  persons  professing  to  believe  in  Jesus  Chi'ist  shall  be  molested  in 
respect  of  tlieir  religion,  or  the  free  exercise  thereof,  or  be  compelled  to  the  belief 
or  practice  of  any  other  religion,  against  their  consent,  so  that  they  be  not  unfaith- 
ful to  the  proprietary,  or  conspire  against  the  civil  government.  That  persons 
molesting  any  other  in  respect  of  his  religious  tenets  shall  ]Kiy  treble  damages  to  the 
party  aggrieved  and  twenty  shillings  to  the  proprietary.  That  the  reproaching  any 
with  opprobrious  epithets  of  religious  distinctions  shall  forfeit  ten  shillings  to  the 
person  aggrieved.  That  any  one  speaking  reproachfully  against  the  Blessed  Virgin 
or  the  Ajiostles  shall  forfeit  Ave  pounds,  but  blasphemy  against  God  shall  be  inin- 
ished  with  death.' ' 

When  tlie  flrst  liaptist  (^'hurcli  was  founded  in  Maryland,  it  was  a  Roman  Cath- 
olic colony,  but  our  brethren  were  not  persecuted  in  the  proper  sense  of  the  term, 
although  their  protest  against  Rome  was  very  strong.  Henry  Sator,  an  English  Gen- 
eral Baptist,  appears  to  have  formed  the  first  Baj)tist  Church  in  the  colony,  at  Chestnut 
Ridge,  near  Baltimore,  in  1742.     Four  years  afterward   it  numbered  181  members, 


760 


HEV.    I)H.    FlLl.KH. 


iiiiil,  lli<iUi;;li  IVt'lik-.  it  (■(intiiUK-s  until  tins  time  In  1  7">4  it  .-iiii|ilitMl  mi'iiihei-.s  to  form 
the  Winter  Uun  Clnircli,  in  HaiiMnl  Countv.  luul  tliis.  in  turn.  (li.-niissc'<l  t-k'ven 
nieiulHTs  in  17^")  to  I'orui  the  First  Cliurcli  in  IJaltinmre.  This  hist  body  has  been 
>;;re;itly  bk'ssed,  i>  now  surrounded  i)v  many  stronji  Clmrehes,  and  ha.s  enjoyed  tlie 
pastoral  care  of  I  )r.  Williams  for  thirty -six  years.  The  Waverly,  Seventli  and  Lee 
Street  Churelie.-  ai-e  all  ollshoots  from  the  Fii'st.  The  Seventli  is  the  Church  served 
so  long  and  .-ueeessfuUy  by  the  late  Dr.  Jiichard  Fuller  before  he  formed  the 
Kutaw  I'laee  Cliureh.  His  sueeessor  in  the  Seventh  Chureh  wa.s  that  lovely  spirit. 
Dr.  W.T.  iirantly.     F'l-om  the  first,  Baptist  growth  has  been  very  slow  in  ^Maryland. 

It  containt'd  only  17  cliurehes,  13 
ministers  and  !)2U  members  in 
1791:) ;  to-day  it  has  5G  ehurehes, 
4(1  ministers,  and  12.1  (i2  mend)ers. 
The  Accomaek  Association  of  Vir- 
ginia, however,  was  set  olf  from 
the  Salisbury  in  1.SU8. 

There  is  no  name  which  the 
Maryland  Hajttists  nioi-e  delight  to 
lionor  than  that  of  IiEV.  Uii'makd 
Fui.t.KR,  D.I).  lie  was  born  at 
Beatifort,  S.  ('.,  April  22d,  1804, 
and  was  prepared  to  enter  Flarvard 
College  by  Uev.  Dr.  lirantly,  but 
bi'oken  health  compelled  him  to 
leave  that  institution  when  in  his 
junior  year.  .Vide  to  return  after 
an  absence  of  live  years,  he  was 
graduated  in  1824  at  the  head  of 
his  class.  lie  then  studied  law 
and  rose  to  eminence  in  his  j)ro- 
fession.  In  1^:11  he  was  converted  at  iK-anfort,  and  says:  •  My  soul  ran  over  with 
love  and  joy  and  praise;  for  days  I  could  neither  eat  nor  slee]).'  He  was  baptized 
by  Itev.  II.  ().  AVyer,  of  Savannah,  and  united  with  tlie  Baptist  Church  in  his  native 
place,  lie  was  soon  chosen  its  pastor,  was  ordained  in  18S2  and  laboi-ed  in  this  field 
for  fifteen  years.  When  he  left  his  lucrative  law  business  to  enter  the  ministry  the 
Clnirch  was  feeble,  but  under  his  faithful  care  it  increased  to  about  20i>  white  ])er- 
sons  and  2,400  colored.  His  zeal  was  .so  great  that  he  preached  for  weeks  together 
in  various  parts  of  the  South,  and  great  luunbers  were  brought  to  Christ.  But  in 
1830  he  was  obliged  to  travel  in  Europe  for  his  health.  In  1847  he  became  pastor 
of  the  Seventh  Fiajitist  Chni-eh  in  Ilaltiniore,  a  Church  which  ninnbered  but  87 
members  at  that  time.      L'nder  his  faithful  toils  it  grew   to  the  nund)er  of  1,200, 


lUeilARIi  FULLER,  D.D. 


HIS  STUDY  A.yn    IT  [.PIT.  761 

and  a  Ijudy  of  its  inenibers  retirwl  willi  liini  to  establisli  the  new  congregation,  in 
which  lie  remained  live  years,  and  I'roni  wiiich.  aftei'  much  suffering,  lie  was  called 
to  his  reward  on  high,  on  the  20th  of  October,  ISTt!. 

As  a  preacher  Dr.  Fuller  was  appreciated  throughout  the  nation,  for  he  found 
liut  one  answer  to  tiie  (|uestion,  IIow  can  a  man  preach  wifii  powi'r  ^  lie  believed 
the  word  of  God  with  all  his  soul  and  wallced  with  its  Autlior  continually.  His 
might  lay  where  his  heart  was,  in  his  holy  bivathings  after  the  Holy  Spii'it.  Jiichard 
Fuller  would  have  retired  from  the  [)iilpit  in  a  moment,  if  the  balancing  query  of 
skepticism  had  arisen  in  his  niiinl  as  to  whether  the  line  of  Divine  Inspiration  ran 
here  or  there  through  the  Book  of  God.  He  rested  with  all  his  weight  on  tiie  Bible 
as  God's  book,  and  came  to  his  congregations  not  with  every  kind  of  light  and  idle 
speculation,  but  fresh  with  holy  ardor  from  the  footstool  of  tiiat  throne  from  which 
that  word  had  been  spoken.  To  this  he  added  the  most  painstaking  study  to  ascer- 
tain by  every  form  of  help  what  the  Scriptures  n^quircd  him  to  preach.  Aside  from 
the  dutiful  visitation  of  the  sick  and  sorrowful,  and  other  indispensable  duties,  his 
mind  was  bent  upon  the  divine  results  of  the  coming  Sabbath.  Superticial  men,  who 
are  total  strangers  to  the  tlirobbings  of  soul-agony  and  tin'  toilsome  exertions  of 
soul-thought,  flippantly  attributed  bis  great  power  to  the  absence  of  half  a  (piire  of 
paper  from  his  pulpit,  and  prated  about  his  being  an  extempore  preacher.  But 
neither  paper  nor  its  absence  ever  made  preachers  of  them,  simjily  because  they  were 
flippant.  Dr.  Fuller's  printed  sermons  bear  the  attestation  of  noon-tide  and  mid- 
night to  the  industry  of  his  pen.  Each  .serniou  witnesses  that  it  had  been  curiously 
inwrought  in  the  depth  of  his  soul  from  Monday  morning  till  Saturday  night,  and 
when  it  went  with  him  into  the  pulpit  it  was  a  part  of  himself,  whether  the  paper 
which  contained  its  words  went  with  him  or  stayed  at  home.  Hence,  no  offensive 
froth,  fustian,  rant,  or  dilletanteism,  found  a  home  in  his  puljiit.  There  be  found 
lujthiug  unworthy  of  his  crucified  Lord  and  the  solicitude  of  perishing  men,  l)ecause 
he  took  nothing  with  him  but  the  worthy. 

He  preached  like  a  man  of  God,  who  had  received  from  him  a  majestic  per- 
sonal presence,  bordering  on  the  imperial.  He  feared  God  enough  to  cidtivat(!  bis 
voice  and  manner,  framing  their  management  on  the  best  of  rules  and  using  them 
with  consnnnnate  skill.  Having  a  message  from  the  Man  of  Calvary,  he  wislied  to 
deliver  it  as  an  accomplished  pleader  with  men,  for  Jesus"  sake.  Relieving  that  his 
body  belonged  to  the  crucified  One,  he  gave  himself  no  liberty  to  abuse  it  by 
injurious  food,  the  use  of  degrading  stimulants,  or  any  other  indulgence  which 
siiowed  that  he  despised  tlic  gift  of  God.  He  placed  his  great  power  of  fancy,  his 
vividness  of.  perception,  his  methods  of  clear  statement  and  his  heart-pathos  upon 
the  altar  of  God's  Lamb,  and  altogether  the  zeal  of  God's  house  consumed  him. 
The  writer  once  heard  him  when  he  showed  himself  to  be  a  perfect  master  in  the 
art  of  oratory,  by  denouncing  the  tricks  of  the  orator  in  preaching.  He  wove  one  of 
the  most  fresii,  vivid,  and  finished  pieces  of  oratorical  denunciation  against  depend- 


762  A  Xrr-MISSIONISM. 

t'licf  nil  |Hil]iit  iii'aturical  ellVet,  llial  man  fdiild  ]iut  tn;:ctlier.  ruder  this  spell  ho 
ln-ld  his  aiiilieiict'  in  ijix-atlilessiiess,  and  when  thev  found  a  IVeu  iireathinf(  j)lace  men 
i;'|-ew  |)alc  and  nodded  In  their  ni-ii;hli(irs  wilh  a  louk  wliii-li  plainly  said:•^\'hat  a 
hiiri-ible  thini;-  it  is  To  he  elo(|uenl  in  the  j(uli)itl'  The  i)i'.  did  not  intend  to  soar  to 
the  third  heavi^ns  on  the  \vind>  of  insj)ired  invec'tiv(»  alJain^t  ])ul])it  elo(pienee,  but  Le 
did,  \\  hitlur  he  intended  it  or  not,  and  when  we  all  returned  to  the  eai'th  with  him, 
every  nuin  (.)f  us  was  I'eady  to  .-ubseribe  to  the  new  litany  :  "  I'l'oni  talse  doetrine, 
heresy,  and  eluquenve,  good  J^ord  deliver  us  I' 

Tlie  Sator  Clinrch  started  with  a  keen  /.est  against  the  Koman  (.'atholie  ('onimun- 
ion.  in  what  she  eidled  her  '  solemn  league  and  eovenaiit,'  her  members  ])oiind  them- 
selves tt) '  alihoi- and  <_i|>[io>e  "  •  Konie,  l'ii])eand  popery,  with  all  her  antiehri>tian  wavs,' 
whieh  was  all  well  enough,  but  it  had  been  much  better  to  have  set  up  a  strong  de- 
fense against  the  grinding  ^Vntinomian  and  Auti-missioii  I'ope,  whieh  divided  and 
eri|)pled  the  early  IJaptists  of  Afaryland  so  sorely.  A  jirairie  fire  does  not  desolate 
the  phtin  woi-se  than  this  blight  eriiijiled  our  i)eople  there  at  one  time.  In  IS.'JCi  the 
Ijaltiuiore  Assueiation  was  I'ent  iisundei-  by  this  double  eui'se.  That  year  the  Asso- 
ciation met  at  Black  llock,  and  those  who  ari'ayeil  themselves  against  missionary 
movements.  Sunday-schools,  I5ible  and  other  benevolent  societies,  under  the  abomi- 
nable ])retense  that  they  contlieted  with  the  sovereignty  of  God  in  the  kingdom  of 
Christ,  found  themselves  in  a  majority.  Tiiey  denounced  these  institutions  as  "  cor- 
ru]itions  which  were  pouring  in  like  a  Hood  ujion  the  Baptist  Cluirch,"  and  as  '  cun- 
ningly devised  fables.'  Then  they  resolved  that  the  A.ssociation  could  not  liold  fel- 
lowsliip  with  such  Churches  as  united  with  such  societies  and  encouraged  others  to  do 
so,  and  dropped  all  these  Churches  from  their  minutes.  Of  coui-se.  the  efforts  of  a 
few  aggrt'ssive  brethren  were  ueutralizcd,  and  for  a  time  all  missionary  work  was 
susjiended,  lest  the  Churclies  shotdd  be  doing  the  Lord's  work  instead  of  their 
own.  Instead  of  being  left  free  to  spread  the  Gospel,  the  faithful  minorit}'  found 
their  hands  full  to  resist  this  mad  tide  of  ultra-Calvinism,  and  in  a  small  degree  its 
inihicnce  is  felt  there  to  this  day.  Yet,  as  if  to  illustrate  the  truth  that  ex- 
tremes meet  and  embrace,  it  is  true  that  some  of  the  most  wise  and  zealous  advo- 
cates of  missionary  work  amoug.st  Baptists  liave  sprung  from  the  bosom  of  our 
Maryland  Churches.  Amongst  them  we  find  Noah  Uavis,  the  real  founder  of  the 
Publication  Society,  and  I]enjamin  (Triflith,  its  great  Secretary;  AVilliam  Crane, 
"William  Gary  Crane,  Bartholomew  T.  Welsh,  Franklin  Wilson,  and  the  present 
Baj)tist  leaders  there  generally,  who  love  missionary  work  as  they  love  their  lives. 
The  very  repression  which  they  were  obliged  to  opjwise  with  all  their  might  has 
only  increased  the  intensity  of  these  missionary  advocates  and  supj)orters,  and  so 
the  valiant  little  band  of  Bajjtists  in  Maryland  are  ni>t  a  whit  behind  their  sister 
Churches  elsewhere  in  their  sacrifices  for  Christ. 

Nkw  HAMPsniEE.     Massachusetts  claimed  jurisdiction  over  New  Hampshire  in 
1652,  and  it  remaiuiMl  under  that  jurisdiction  until    H!"'.' :  but   when   the  separation 


MRS.    SCAMMON.  763 

took  place,  New  Hanipsliire  retuiiied  tlic  law  wliicli  compcllcil  all  to  .suppdrt  the 
Congregational  Churches  by  publiL-  tax.  The  tirst  iinquestioiiaijje  IJaptist  of  that 
colony  is  found  in  the  person  of  Ivachel  Scaninion.  Before  her  marriage  she  was  a 
Miss  Thurber,  and  lived  at  Rehoboth,  Mass.,  but  removed  with  her  husband  to 
Statham,  X.  11.,  in  172lK  After  entering  her  new  Imnie,  she  held  tu  her  Haptist 
convictions  and  frequently  talked  of  them  to  her  neighbors,  but  for  forty  years 
only  one  woman  embraced  her  sentiments.  This  friend  went  to  Boston  and  was 
immersed  by  Elder  Bound,  of  the  Second  Church.  Late  in  life  Mrs.  Scanimon 
found  Noreott's  work  on  baptism,  and  went  to  Boston  to  get  it  printed  for  <nr- 
culation,  when  the  printer  told  her  that  he  had  one  hundred  copies  on  hand,  which 
she  bought  and  distributed  in  and  around  Stratham.  She  believed  that  a  Baptist 
Church  would  arise  in  that  place  and  her  faith  was  honored,  but  not  until  after  her 
death.  Some  years  before  this  result  of  her  faithfulness,  independent  influences 
were  at  work  in  the  small  town  of  Newtown,  near  Haverhill,  Mass.,  which  resulted 
in  the  establishment  of  a  Baptist  Church  in  that  place,  as  the  first  in  the  colony. 
As  in  some  other  provinces,  the  preaching  of  George  Whitetield  had  much  to  do 
with  the  origin  of  this  inception  of  Baptist  life.  He  had  visited  Ipswich,  New- 
bui-y  and  ilamptoii  in  the  autumn  of  1740,  and  the  Congregational  Churches  in 
that  region  were  all  astir,  for  the  Half-way  Covenant  was  in  danger. 

In  Boston,  this  Covenant  had  been  a  fire-brand  from  the  first,  and  twenty- 
eight  members  having  seceded  in  consequence  of  its  adoption  formed  the  Old 
South  Chui'ch.  Many  of  the  Churches  of  the  Standing  Order  went  to  such  an 
e.xtreme  as  to  vote  that :  '  Those  who  wish  to  offer  their  children  in  baptism,  join 
with  the  Church  and  have  a  right  to  all  the  ordinances  and  privileges  of  the 
Church.'  '^  Dr.  Dexter  puts  the  point  clearly  in  these  words  :  '  Starting  with  the 
theory  that  some  germ  of  true  faith,  in  the  absence  of  proof  to  the  contrary, 
must  be  assumed  in  a  child  of  the  covenant,  sufficient  to  transmit  a  right  of 
baptism  to  his  children,  liut  not  sufficient  to  entitle  him  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
Supper;  not  many  years  passed  before  the  inference  was  reached  that  an  amount 
of  saving  faith,  even  in  the  germ,  which  would  justify  the  baptism  of  a  man's 
children,  ought  to  justify  his  own  admission  to  the  taljle  of  the  Lord.'  In 
keeping  with  this  idea,  Stoddard,  of  Northampton,  wrote  to  prove  that  'the 
Lord's  Supper  is  instituted  to  be  a  means  of  regeneration,'  and  that  men  may 
and  ought  to  receive  it,  '  though  they  knew  themselves  to  be  in  a  natural  condi- 
tion.' Of  course,  this  state  of  things  in  the  menibei'sliip  of  the  Churches  was 
succeeded  by  an  unconverted  ministry.  Right  here  Whitefield  struck  his  first 
blow.  In  1741  he  describes  his  preaching  in  his  New  England  Journal:  'I  in- 
sisted much  on  the  necessity  of  a  new  birth,  as  also  on  the  necessity  of  a  min- 
ister's being  converted  before  he  could  preach  aright.  Unconverted  ministers  are 
the  bane  of  the  Christian  Church.  I  think  that  great  and  good  man,  Mr.  Stoddard, 
is  much  to  be  blamed  for  endeavoi'ing  to  prove  that    unconverted  men  niiglit  be  ad- 


764  CHURCH  AT  NEWTON  OUQANlZEh. 

luittcd  to  tlie  ministry.  A  sunnuii  lately  pulilishcd  by  (JilbiTt  'J'ciiiieiit,  entitled  '"  The 
]Jan<jer  of  an  I'nc-onverted  Afinistry  "  I  tliiidv  luianswerahle.' 

In  this  condition  of  thinij;s  Whitetield's  [H'eachinii;  startled  the  coiiiinnnity 
about  Tsewtown,  wliei'c  i'"i'aneis  and  Abiier  (.'base  were  converted  under  liis  minis- 
try. They  desired  to  hold  })ray('r-meetings  in  connection  with  the  Cong'regatioiial 
Clnircli  at  West  Amesbiirv.  of  wliich  they  were  members.  Their  minister,  Paine 
Winijate.  opposed  them  in  this,  for  he  and  the  iieiii'hlioriiii;'  ministers  had  signed  a 
remonstrance,  dated  December  2Gth,  1744,  against  the  admission  of  \Vhitetield  into 
their  pnlpits.  As  tin'  Chases  could  not  enjoy  the  ministry  of  one  whom  they 
thought  iiiicoinerted,  they  left  his  ministry  and  held  ])rayer-meetings  in  theii-  own 
houses.  'I'lir  records  of  the  Amesbiiry  ('liiii'ch  |  \Vest  Parish]  show,  that  from  1747 
to  171'.'  f'raiicis  Chase  was  undei- discipline  in  that  Cliiircb  ■for  greatly  neglecting 
tile  public  worship  of  (iod."  A  comnnttee  of  tlu,"  same  body  al.so  visited  Jlr.  Abner 
Cliase  in  1 74'.*  for  '  absenting  himselt'  from  pul)lic  worship.'  The  reason  that  lie 
gave  for  doing  so  was:  "A  discord  or  contention  that  tlieii  was  bcrween  the  Chiireli 
oi'  jiarish  and  Mr.  Wingate,  as  also  the  ("hnri-li  iiR'cting  |treated|  ]''rancis  (Miase,  as 
he  thought,  mdiamlsoniely.'  \\'(n'th  says  tliat  A[arv  Morse,  of  W^est  A'ewbury. 
'after  Mrs.  Aimer  Chase,  ex|)erienceii  religion  when  about  seven  years  of  age,  and 
was  ba])ti/.ed  when  about  sixteen.  Mr.  i''rancis  Chase,  of  Newton,  a  member  of  the 
(jongregational  ('hiircli  in  .\iiiesbiiry,  was  I)a])tixed  tw^i  or  three  wt'eks  jirevious. 
Tiiese  are  sup]K(Sed  to  ha\'e  been  the  lir.-r  ])ersons  (,'ver  ba|)tized  in  the  Merrimack, 
which  was  probal)ly  in  17"><>.  It  is  bidieved  that  the  admitnstrator  was  Kev.  Mr. 
llovcy,  who  was  afterward  settled  at  Xewton."  These  and  >ome  oi'  the  following  facts 
are  taken  from  the  discourse  preachi'd  before  the  New  llainp>liire  l!:ipti>t  ( 'on  vent  ion, 
October,  1870,  by  Rev.  W.  II.  Eaton,  I).!).,  oi'  Ki-eiie,  who  says  in  a  private  note: 
'  Tti  tlio  fall  and  winter  of  1871-2  I  spent  six  months  in  .Xewton,  .\.  II.,  i)reaching 
to  tlie  little  Chin'ch  there  and  sjiending  mucli  time  in  searching  old  papers  in  fami- 
lies that  descended  from  the  earliest  settlers,  also  the  records  of  neigliboring 
Churches.' 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  Newtown  [now  Newton]  Church  was  the  first  of  the 
Paptist  order  founded  in  Xcnv  Hampshire,  but  tliere  is  a  disjiute  as  to  whether  it 
was  organized  in  17.")!^  or  17.">5.  Packus  and  others  have  tixed  u])on  the  last  of  these 
dates.  Put  there  is  an  old  inanuseri|>t  preserved  amongst  his  un]iublishe(l  pa])ers, 
which  appears  to  throw  light  upon  this  point,  written  by  Francis  ('hase,  who  was 
one  of  the  constituent  mend)ers  of  the  (,'liureh,  for  some  years  its  clerk,  and  toward 
the  clo.se  of  life  a  deacon  in  the  First  Church  at  Haverliill.  (cliase  writes:  •  A  brief 
account  of  the  iirst  incorporation  of  the  I'^irst  Paptist  Church  and  Society  in  New- 
town, N.  H.,  in  the  year  1750.  January  loth.  We  increased  in  number  till  the 
year  1755.  In  .Tune  28th  Elder  Powers  was  ordained  our  pastor."  Dr.  Eaton  says 
that  he  submitted  this  document  to  Dr.  Weston,  the  late  editor  of  Backus's  History, 
who  gave  the  ojiinion  as  most  jirobable  :   •  That  the  history  of  the  Church  in  New- 


1>I{.    SIIKPAIU)    COyVHin'ED.  768 

ton  is  analogou.s  to  tliat  of  the  Cliurcli  in  l!eliini;liani  ;  tiiat  it  was  forinud  January 
10th,  1750,  was  weak  and  liad  no  stated  preaching  till  1755,  when  it  had  become 
strong-  enough  to  settle  a  ])astor  and  let  its  existence  be  known ;  that  Backus,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Bellingliani  Church,  gives  the  date  of  its  revival  as  that  of  its  con- 
stitution, l)ul  that  its  seal  as  given  by  the  first  clerk  in  his  sketch  is  1750.'  Chase's 
direct  statement,  with  all  the  collateral  evidence,  renders  this  the  most  likely.  No 
records  of  this  Church  are  found  earlier  than  October  7th,  1707,  when  the  minutes  of 
a  meeting  occur,  but  tlun'  reveal  its  severe  struggle  for  existence.  Two  (jf  its  mem- 
bers were  in  the  iinii  grij)  of  the  law,  and  the  Church  resolved  that  if  one  member 
snffered  all  wciiilil  suffer  with  him.     It  was  therefore  'voted'  thus: 

'  1.  To  carry  on  "S[y.  Steward's  and  Mr.  Carter's  law-suits,  M-liich  are  now  in  the 
law  on  account  of  rates  imposed  on  them  by  the  Standing  Order.  2.  To  give  Mr. 
llovev  foi'  the  year  ensuing  for  his  labors  witli  us  fifty  pounds  lawful  money  in  such 
things  as  he  wants  to  live  on.  .3.  That  Andrew  Whittier,  John  Wadleigh,  and  Jo- 
seph Welsh  be  chosen  to  say  what  each  man's  part  shall  be  of  what  we  promised  to 
give  Mr.  Ilovey.  4.  That  these  men  shall  take  the  province  rate  for  their  rate,  and 
do  it  as  light  as  they  can.  5.  That  these  men  are  to  abate  such  men  as  they  think 
are  not  able  to  pay  their  parts  with  the  rest.  6.  That  those  who  will  not  pay  their 
eipud  proportion  accordirig  as  these  men  shall  tax  them,  thcii-  punishment  is  this, 
that  they  shall  have  no  help  from  us  to  clear  them  from  paying  rates  other  where.' 

It  is  as  refreshing  as  a  breeze  from  their  own  mountains  to  find  so  much  hu- 
;nan  'granite'  in  this  little  band  of  New  Hampshire  Baptists.  They  refuse  to  su])- 
port  a  State  Church  by  force,  and  they  resolve  to  support  their  own  chosen  pastor 
cheerful]}'.  This  suit  continued  for  three  years,  aiul  must  Iiave  been  very  vexatious, 
for  at  a  '  meeting  legally  named,  holden  at  the  Antipedo-Baptist  meeting-house,' 
they  resolved  to  'proportion  the  whole  costs  of  these  suits;  to  examine  the  ac- 
count and  settle  what  is  honest  and  right.'  Such  a  Church  deserved  to  live,  and  it 
exists  to-day. 

At  Stratham  a  young  physician,  Dr.  Shepard,  a  member  of  the  Congregatioiial 
Church,  chanced  to  be  visiting  a  patient,  and  taking  up  Norcott's  book  he  carefully 
read  it,  became  a  Baptist  and  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  denomination.  Soon  a 
Church  was  established  in  that  place,  and,  becoming  a  minister,  he  was  a  Inirning 
and  shining  light  to  the  whole  colony.  The  Churches  at  Madbury  and  Weare 
appea;  to  have  been  formed  in  17(58,  but  it  was  not  till  1770-71  that  our  churches 
began  to  multiply  rapidly,  when  we  have  Brentwood  in  1771,  Gilmanton  in  1772, 
and  a  number  of  others  by  1780.  The  itineracy  of  Whitefield  and  others  had 
stimulated  several  men  of  God  to  visit  many  destitute  places.  Amongst  the  most 
prominent  of  these  was  Dr.  Hezekiah  Smith,  of  Massachusetts,  an  able  preacher, 
full  of  zeal.  He  visited  Concord  in  1771  and  preached  there  with  great  power. 
But  the  Standing  Order  resented  his  presence  as  a  daring  impertinence  which 
threatened  the  peace  of  the  town,  and,  in  the  absence  of  newspapers,  Parson  "Walker 
advertised  him   extensively  by  thundering  at  him  from  the  pulpit,  as  much  exas- 


768  nit.    llM.DW'iy  AM)   II fs   liy.)f.\. 

perated  as  a  farnipr  ctjuld  well  hu  to  llnd  sti'iuige  cattlu  in  Ins  coi'u  Held.  In  tlie 
same  year  Dr.  Siuilli  preaclied  at  >.'uttiiii;liaiii,  Jirentwood  and  Stratliaiii,  and  bap- 
tized tliirty-eiglit  persons,  amongst  whom  were  Dr.  Sliepard  and  liev.  Eliplialet 
Smith,  the  pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church.  In  Deerlield  many  wei'C  baptized, 
amongst  them  Jo.shua  ymitli,  who  afterwards  became  an  evangelist  of  great  power. 
TliirtfL-n  olhei-s  were  baptized  with  I'astor  \\.  Smith,  and  on  the  same  day  were  or- 
ganized into  a  l>aj)tist  Cluirch  at  Deeitield.  Tlie  Brentwood  Churcli  was  formed  in 
1771,  and  .soon  spread  out  into  twelve  branch  Churches,  which  in  171^3  numbered 
443  members,  with  Dr.  Samuel  Sliepard  for  their  ])astor. 

Eight  persons  from  Killiiigworih,  Conn.,  in  17Gri,  and  another  band  from  Wor- 
cester County,  Mass.,  in  17!S0,  settled  at  iS'ewjiort,  near  Croydon.  Most  of  tliem 
wei'e  Baptists,  and  their  settlement  was  soon  known  as  'Eajitist  Hill.'  The  religions 
destitution  of  that  region  of  iS'ew  Hamjjshire  was  soon  made  known  to  the  Warren 
Association,  wliirh  sent  Messi's.  Jacobs,  Ledoyt.  Seamans  and  Jiansom  as  missiona- 
ries. Ledoyt  and  Scanians  followed  the  (.'onnccricut  KiviT  as  far  as  Woodstock, 
preaching  mainly  (jii  the  New  Hampshire  side,  but  alsi)  on  the  Vermont  side  of  that 
stream.  A  Church  of  eight  members  was  organized  at  Baptist  Hill  in  May,  1778, 
called  the  First  Church  of  Newport  aiul  Croydon,  but  was  soon  after  known  as  tlic  New- 
])ort  r!a])tist  Clmi'ch.  Biel  Ledoyt  l)ccanie  pastor  of  this  body  in  1  791,  and  in  1795  it 
mmdjered  eighty-nine  members.  Seamans  established  a  C'hnrch  in  New  London,  of 
which  he  was  pastor,  which  numbered  about  one  liundred  inend)ers  at  the  close  of 
the  centui'v.  For  years  the  Newport  Church  worshiped  in  a  l)arn  by  the  side  of  tlie 
rivei",  which  became  noted  chiclly  because  Thomas  Baldwin  the  (Tood,  afterwards  of 
Boston,  preached  a  most  memorable  sermon  there.  At  that  tiini'  he  was  the  pastor 
at  Canaan,  in  New  Hampshire.  On  this  great  occasion  the  Assembly  was  so 
charmed  that  it  was  reluctant  to  leave,  and  the  meeting  continued  to  a  late  hour  in 
the  night,  but  Mr.  liahhvin  was  ol)liged  to  retui'n  to  meet  an  engagement  at  home 
in  the  morning.  He  mounted  his  horse,  picked  his  way  through  the  almost  track- 
less forest  as  best  he  could  by  tlie  light  of  the  stars,  and  as  lie  mused  over  the  pre- 
cious meeting  in  the  barn  his  heart  burned,  and  he  l»egan  to  sing.  The  words  which 
sprang  to  Ids  lips  were  those  of  his  union  hymn,  which  have  since  been  sung  all  over 

the  continent: 

'From  whence  doth  this  union  arise, 
I'hat  hatred  is  conquered  by  love.' 

Those  who  love  that  hymn  may  be  glad  to  know  that  it  was  born  at  mid- 
night in  the  New  Hampshire  wilderness,  while  its  author  was  alone  with  (xod, 
after  preaching  to  his  desinsed  Baptist  brethren  in  a  barn.  This  Church  built  their 
first  meeting-house  in  179S,  a  building  forty  feet  square,  which  Dr.  Baron  Stow 
describes  in  181 0.     He  says: 

'  I  am  in  that  jilain  edifice,  with  a  superabundance  of  windows,  and  a  porch  at 
each  end  ;  with  its  elevated  pul])it,  sky-blue  in  color,  overhung  b3'a  sounding-board; 


Dii.  iiAiioy  stow:  lei 

witli  tlie  deacon's  scat  half-way  up  tlio  pulpit ;  witli  tlie  square  pews  occupied  by 
families  ;  with  a  fjallery  containing  one  row  of  pews  fronted  by  the  singers'  seats. 
There  is  the  horse-shed,  there  is  the  horse-block  ;  there  are  the  horses  with  men's 
saddles  and  pillions,  and  a  few  women's  saddles,  but  not  a  carriage  of  any  descrip- 
tion. On  occasions  of  baptism  the  whole  congregation  would  go  down  the  hill, 
and,  standing  in  a  deep  glen  on  the  banks  of  Sugar  Jiiver,  would  witness  the  cere- 
monies. Elias  McGregor  played  the  bass-viol,  Asa,  a  l)rotlier,  led  the  choir,  and  his 
sisters,  Lucy  and  Lois,  sang  soprano  and  alto.  In  the  choir  were  Asaph  Stowe, 
Moses  Paine  Durkee,  Philip  W.  Kibbey,  and  more  than  one  of  the  Wakeiields.' 

It  was  in  this  church  that  Baron  Stow  was  converted  and  baptized,  and  from  it 
he  went  to  the  Academy  at  Newport  and  the  Columbian  College,  Washington,  whence 
he  graduated  and  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  where  lie 
served  five  years  before  he  removed  to  spend  his  wonderful  life  in  Poston.  He  was 
succeeded  at  Portsmouth  by  the  late  Duncan  Dunliar,  of  ISTew  York.  In  1820  the 
Newport  Church  introduced  the  system  of  supporting  itself  by  assessing  a  tax 
upon  its  members,  'in  proportion  to  the  invoice  of  each  member  of  the  society,  as 
taken  by  the  selectmen.'  For  years  this  self-imposed  tax  wrought  only  contention 
and  it  was  abandoned.  This  body  was  in  the  Woodstock  Association  till  1828,  when 
the  Newport  Association  was  formed,  which  has  frequently  enjoyed  the  hospitality 
of  the  old  Church.  When  the  Woodstock  Association  met  with  it  in  1826,  a  com- 
mittee of  four  was  appointed  '  to  distribute  cake,  cheese  and  cider  to  the  members 
of  the  Association  during  the  session.' 

These  were  the  beginnings  of  Baptist  history  in  New  Hampshire,  from  which 
powerful  Churches  and  able  ministers  of  the  New  Testament  sprang  in  every  direc- 
tion. Our  people  have  now  increased  to  six  Associations,  eighty  Churches,  and 
8,851  communicants.  In  consequence  of  the  severity  of  the  New  Hampshire  cli- 
mate and  the  limited  area  of  its  territory,  this  State  has  sent  forth  a  large  and  valu- 
able population  to  all  the  new  States  and  Territories,  especially  to  California,  which 
immigration  accounts  in  part  for  its  small  Baptist  statistics.  And  a  second  reason 
for  this  is  found  in  the  fact  that  in  1780  Rev.  Benjamin  Randall,  a  Baptist  preacher 
of  ability  and  influence,  established  the  Free-Will  Baptist  denomination,  which  ab- 
sorbed a  number  of  our  Churches  and  became  a  sti'ong  body  in  the  State.  The 
Free  Baptists  differ  from  the  old  body  chiefly  in  rejecting  (Jalvinistic  doctrine  and 
the  practice  of  strict  communion. 

The  list  of  noble  ministers  which  New  Hampshire  has  given  to  our  Churches 
in  addition  to  those  already  named  is  very  marked.  It  includes  Alonzo  King,  the 
biographer  of  George  Dana  Boardman,  Enoch  and  Elijah  Hutchinson,  and  John 
Learned.  Thomas  Baldwin  served  the  Church  at  Caanan  for  seven  years,  during 
which  time  he  planted  other  Churches  at  Grafton,  Hebron  and  Groton.  In 
later  years,  one  of  the  most  noted  men  of  the  State  was  found  in  Dr.  E.  E.  Cum- 
miugs.  He  was  one  of  the  most  faithful  of  men  to  his  trusts.  Born  in  Clare- 
mont,  N.  H.,  November  9tli,  1800,  he  joined  the  Baptist  Church  there  in    1821, 


768  ihh'.yo.xr  jiAi'iisrs. 

i;;ra( Inured  :it  \\';ilcrvillc  ('()llc:;c  in  1S2S,  und  was  that  year  urdaincil  pastor  of  tliu 
t'linicli  in  Salislinrv.  lie  liccanic  pastor  of  the  First  Ciinndi,  ( 'oiicord,  in  1832, 
and  remained  tliere  till  l>.")l,  when  he  took  the  ])astorat('  of  tlie  I'leasaiit  Street 
(,'hureli.  After  serxiny  tlii'.~e  two  ( 'liui-(dies  for  thii'tv-tlireu  vears,  lie  spent  the 
hist  years  of  liislife  as  a  nussioiiai'v  in  the  State  at  lai;i;:e.  dyiiiii'  February  :i2d,  I88(i. 
It  is  said  that  he  hd't  a  n]ann^eri|lt  on  the  history  id'  onr  ndinstry  for  tlie  lirst  Inin- 
dretl  veai's  (d'  its  existence  in  New  Ilanipsliiiv.  whirh  ci'i'tainly  should  he  i;i\cn  Xo 
the  world. 

\  I  liMo.sr.  The  (ireat  A\\akenini;',  or  New  l.iiiht  I'evival.  had  swept  over  \'i'i'- 
nioiit  (|nile  as  powerfnlly  as  it  had  over  New  llani|)shire.  or  e\en  nioi-e  so.  possibly 
because  it  was  nearer  the  set-ne  cd'  tiie  stei'liest  eoidlict.  .bmallian  Fdwai'ds  had 
succeeded  his  graiidfatiier,  Solomon  Stoddard,  as  pastor  at  Northampton,  and  had 
attempted  to  close  the  door  of  Clinrch  mend)ership  ayainst  the  tinconverteil.  whim 
that  ('hlii'<di,  weddi.'d  to  the  llall'-way  ( 'oveiiant,  dismisse(l  him.  and  he  was  obli^'ed 
to  n'o  into  1  hi'  wilderness  to  pi'i'aeh  the  (iospel  to  the  Ilousaloiiie  Indian^.  'I'iieiv. 
tliouii,-]!  broken  in  health,  the  great  nieta[diysician  and  tlieoloi^ian  spent  six  years 
in  comiiii;'  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  truth  on  all  that  relatcMl  to  the  anti-sacranieiita- 
rian  docirini'  and  a  I'ei^enerated  ('linrcdi,  until  on  these  ]ioints  he  stood  side  by  side 
with  the  I'.aptists.  I  lis  doctl-ine  sj)read  i-api<lly  tlii-oni;]i  X'ei'inont  :  but  nowliere 
did  it  take  lirmer  hold  than  in  the  town  ni  Shafl>bnry.  In  17(18.  the  first  Uajjtist 
Cliureh  of  \'erniojd,  sprani;-  from  the  movement  in  that  town,  chiefly  under  the 
leadershij)  of  Bliss  "\Villoni;bb\'.  the  pastor  of  a  Se]>aratist  ('hin-ch.  who  went  a  step 
further  than  Ivlwai'ds  in  the  pi'oper  observance  oi  (iospel  orilinances,  and  bi'came 
a  Baptist  in  1T<M.  'Jdiree  other  ( 'Imi'idies  went  out  fi'om  tbi>  ( 'linrch,  in  the  same 
town,  within  the  ensiutig-  ten  years;  after  which  came  a  niunber  of  otlier  Chtirches 
in  ipn(d<  snccessioii.  amonji'st  tliein  that  at  Powiial  in  1773.  at  Woodsto(d<  in  1779, 
those  at  (ruilford,  I  )unnner.~ton  and  many  other.-,  mmdierini;;  41  Churches  in  179;-;, 
with  dU  nninstiTs  and  ii.'J'i!    mendiers. 

As  these  interests  increased  I>a])tist  miinsters  were  sent  for  from  other  ]iarts  of 
New  England,  and  some  removed  to  Vermont  foi-  ]>ermanent  residence.  More 
than  a  score  are  mentioned  by  name,  amoiigst  them  Kansoiii  and  Ledoyt,  Fllisha 
Ransom  becoming  pastor  at  Woodstock  in  1780.  .\s  in  the  re?t  of  Xew  England, 
the  Vermont  Baptists  paid  a  great  pi'ice  for  their  liberty  ;  everywhere  liaving  to 
fight  the  old  battle  with  the  Standing  Order.  Hansom,  under  date  of  Afandi  23d, 
1795,  writes  of  a  member  of  Elder  Drew's  Ciiurch  at  Hartford,  Vt.,  who  was  sent 
to  jail  fi>r  rid'using  to  pay  the  State  Church  rates,  yet  was  oliiiged  to  pay  them. 
He  contested  the  case  with  the  authorities  at  a  cost  of  more  than  £50.  but  in  each 
trial  tlie  deinsion  was  against  him.  Ransom  says  that  five  petitions  with  more  than 
two  hundred  signatures  were  sent  up  to  the  Assend)ly  asking  for  redress  ;  then  he  adds  : 

'  T  went  to  speak  for  tliem;  and  after  my  averment  that  the  certificate  law  w.ts 
contrarv  to   the  rights  of   man.  of  conscience,  the  first,  third,  fonrth  and  seventh 


VERMOyr  BAPTISTS   OF  NOTE.  769 

articles  of  our  Constitution,  and  to  itself,  for  it  took  away  our  rii,rlits  and  tlien  offered 
to  sell  them  haek  to  us  for  a  eertiticate,  some  stretched  their  muuths,  and  though  no 
man  contradicted  me  in  one  argument,  yet  they  would  shut  their  eyes,  and  say  that 
they  could  not  see  it  so.      I  had  many  great  friends  in  the  lujuse,  but  not  a  majority.' 

The  liaptists  of  N'ei'indnt  liavc  lieen  clKiractcrizcd  liy  hoth  ministers  and  lay- 
men of  signal  ability.  Sume  of  our  tirst  educators  have  sprung  from  their  ranks, 
for  they  have  always  been  distinguit-hed  for  their  love  of  learning.  Amongst  these 
we  have  tlie  late  Trah  Chase  and  Daniel  Hascall,  Rev.  Drs.  A.  (".  Ki'iidrick  and  T.  J. 
Conant.  Laymen  of  note  are  ftuuh I  in  I  Ion.  .Iimas  (Jalusha,  at  one  time  Governor 
of  Vermont ;  lion.  Ezra  Butler,  also  Governor  of  the  State,  and  Hon.  Aaron  Le- 
land,  Lieutenant-Governor ;  yet  each  of  these  preached  the  Gospel.  Ephraini  Saw- 
yer and  John  (Jonant  (though  born  in  Massachusetts)  were  men  of  renown,  the 
former  as  a  soldier  in  the  lievolutionary  War,  and  the  latter  as  a  justice  of  the  peace 
and  a  niemiu'r  of  the  Vermont  Legislature  for  many  years.  Hut  our  (h-uoiiiination 
has  never  been  strong  in  that  State.  Like  New  Hampshire,  its  [)eo[i]e  have  removed 
West  with  the  great  tide  of  emigration,  especially  to  western  Kew  York,  in  earlier 
times,  and  then  markedly  to  Ohio  and  the  still  newer  States.  At  present  we  liave  7 
Associations  in  Vermont,  11(1  churches,  lO-i  ministei's  and  S,SS()  mendjers.  It  may 
be  well  here  to  note  the  excitement  which  existed  in  many  of  the  Vermont  Baptist 
(churches  in  tlie  year  1843,  on  the  question  of  our  Lord's  second  advent.  Deacon 
William  Miller  lived  near  Poultney,  a  num  of  strong  but  uncultivated  mind,  who 
devoted  most  of  Ins  time  to  the  study  of  the  prophecies  and  Rollin's  '  Ancient 
History,'  making  this  and  other  such  works  an  index  to  the  interpretation  of 
prophecy.  Having  created  for  himself  a  system  of  interpretations,  by  a  metliod 
])eculiarly  his  own,  he  believed  that  he  liad  demonstrated  that  Christ  would  come 
on  or  about  February  15th  18-13.  He  exerted  large  influence  on  all  who  knew  him, 
from  his  many  excellencies  and  spotless  character.  Lie  had  been  a  captain  in  the 
War  i)i  1812  and  fought  valiantly  at  the  battle  of  Plattsburg ;  he  was  also  a  civil 
magistrate  in  his  own  town.  In  person  he  was  large  and  heavily  built,  his  head 
broad  and  his  brt>w  high,  with  a  soft  and  expressive  eye,  and  all  the  inflections 
of  his  voice  indicated  the  sincerest  devotion.  His  imagination  was  quite  fervid, 
and  having  drawn  Lis  conclusion  from  a  defective  premise  it  became  to  him  a  real 
fact.  In  this  state  of  mind  he  went  about  lecturing,  using  large  charts  illustrative 
of  the  visions  of  Daniel  and  John.  Immense  throngs  came  to  hear  him,  a  number 
of  miiusters  and  laymen  of  large  nnud  embraced  his  views,  and  the  greatest  excite- 
ment prevailed  over  the  eastern  and  northern  parts  of  our  countrj'.  Many  Churches, 
especially  amongst  Baptists,  Methodists  and  Congregationalists,  were  seriously 
disturbed  by  the  controversy  and  some  were  rent  to  pieces.  The  press  teemed  with 
discourses  and  panqihlets  on  the  subject,  manv  of  them  absurd  enough  on  both 
sides.     Much  ill-feeling  also  sprang   up.  as  is  usual   in  such    cases,  and   both  sides 

arrogated  to  themselves  a  tone  of  plenarv  infallibility  in  the  interpretation  of  dis- 
50 


770  wrrj.iAv  Mii.i.Fi;,  ix  a.  d.  is/^i. 

])iit((l  jiassages.  The  coTitroverM'  surj^cil  Un-  iiHiiiths  iiround  tlie  passage,  'Of  tluit 
dav  ami  liour  kiiowetli  no  man,'  tlie  anti-Adveiitists  taking  tlie  sage  ground  tliat  as 
tliey  did  not  know  tliat  he  would  come,  tlierefore  he  would  not  ;  and  the  Ad- 
ventists  replying,  that  because  thi'V  did  not  know  that  he  would  not  come,  there- 
foiv  he  surely  would.  What  made  the  excitement  the  moi-e  fui'jous  was  the  sudden 
rush  of  an  enorinoiis  comet  U2)on  the  heavens,  unannounced,  early  in  January,  wliicli 
blazed  for  weeks,  until  its  sworddike  train  divided  into  two  blades.  Then  came 
a  heavy  fall  of  ivd  snow,  such  as  is  often  found  in  the  Arctic  regions  and  the  Alps; 
and  although  Profes>or  Agas>iz  had  demon>l  rated,  three  years  before,  that  this  tinge 
was  occasioned  by  the  proence  of  animalcules  in  the  tlakes,  it  made  no  dillerenee  in 
the  interpretation  of  the  pheiujmenon,  which  was  to  tlic  effect,  that  they  were 
sui)ernaturally  impregnated  with  some  gelatinous  and  chemical  element,  whic^h  was 
simply  fuel  for  Imi-niiig  up  the  earth.  The  ci-aze  went  so  far  that  many  made  white 
ascension  robes  and  stood  shivering  in  the  snow  on  the  inglits  of  February  i-itli  and 
15th,  expecting  to  be  caught  up  into  the  air,  and  mt'etings  were  held  in  hundreds  of 
places  of  worship  during  those  inghts,  while  many  sold  all  that  they  had  and  pro\cd 
their  sincerity  by  giving  the  money  to  the  sick  and  sulTering.  The  writer  had 
much  conversation  with  Mr.  Miller,  and  has  in  his  ]iossession  a  miinber  of  books 
bought  from  thi;  library  of  the  late  Kev.  George  Storrs.  one  of  the  leading  advocates 
of  Mr.  ^Miller's  tloctritie,  wlio  so  used  his  money.  The  same  order  of  delusion  has 
appeared  in  the  earth  several  times  during  the  ages,  and  is  sure  to  occur  again,  judg- 
ing from  present  ap]iearances. 

(ticok(;ia.  Governor  Oglethrop  settled  this  colony  in  173;J,  and  at  least  two 
Baptists,  Messrs.  Campbell  and  Dnnham,  came  over  in  the  ship  with  him  ;  otliers 
soon  followed,  amongst  them  Mr.  Polhill.  AVhen  AVhitefield  came,  in  ITol, 
Kicholas  Bedgewood  accom]ia,ided  him  to  take  chaige  of  the  Orjihaii  House,  which 
was  soon  erected  near  Savannah.  Tliis  young  man  had  a  classical  education  and  was 
a  fine  speaker.  Five  years  after  his  arrival  he  M-as  baptized  by  Rev.  Oliver  Hart, 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Charleston,  and  two  years  later,  he  was  ordained, 
and  liai>tized  Benjamin  Stirk  and  several  other  coinerts  at  the  Or[)han  House, 
where  many  suppose  that  a  branch  Church  to  that  at  Charleston  was  formed  ;  in  his 
turn,  he  became  a  minister  in  1707,  preaching  in  his  own  house  at  Xewington  above 
Savannah,  and  formed  a  brancli  Church  to  that  at  Eutaw,  S.  C.  Edmund  Botsford 
came  from  England  in  1771,  was  converted  in  the  Charleston  Churcli,  and  went  as 
a  missionary  into  Georgia,  Daniel  Marshal!  also  removed  from  South  Carolina  into 
Georgia  in  1771  :  and  Botsford  falling  in  with  Colonel  Barnard,  at  Augusta,  intro- 
duced him  to  Marshall  at  Kiokee,  where  he  had  formed  the  first  Baptist  Church 
proper  in  the  colony,  in  1772.  Botsford  was  then  but  a  licentiate,  and  his  meeting 
witli  this  veteran  was  very  interesting.     ^Marshall  said  : 

'Well,  sir,  you  are  to  preach  for  us  ?' 

'  Yes,  sir,  b}-  your  leave,'  Botsford  replied,  '  but  I  ain  at  a  loss  for  a  text.' 


HEV.    DANIEL   MARSHALL.  771 

'  Look  to  tlie  Lord  for  one,'  was  Marshall's  answer. 

He  preached  fruiii  tiie  words,  'Come  and  iiear,  all  ye  that  fear  God,  and 
I  will  declare  what  he  has  done  for  my  soul.'  Marshall  was  greatly  blessed  under 
the  sermon, and  at  its  close  said:  '  I  can  take  thee  by  the  liand  and  call  thee  brother, 
for  somehow  I  never  heard  convarsion  better  explained  in  my  life ;  but  1  would  not 
have  thee  tliink  thou  preachest  as  well  as  Joe  Ileese  and  I'liiliji  Mulkey ;  however, 
1  hope  thee  will  go  home  with  me.'  lie  did,  and  they  were  like  David  and  Jona- 
than to  each  other  to  the  close  of  life. 

Botsford's  ministry  was  greatly  honored  of  God,  and  he  organized  several 
Churches,  amongst  them  the  second  in  Georgia,  called  the  Botsford  (^'hurch, 
near  Augusta,  in  1773.  (Jther  Churches  were  soon  formed,  for  in  178i  the 
Georgia  Association  was  organized  by  five  Churches,  which  number  increased  so 
rapidly  that  in  1793  there  were  in  Georgia  sixty-one  Churches,  with  3,227  conuuu- 
nicants.  Baptist  Interests  were  established  too  late  in  this  colony  to  subject  our 
brethren  there  to  the  persecutions  which  they  endured  in  many  of  the  older 
colonies.  Yet,  on  January  11th,  1758,  the  General  Assembly,  meeting  at  Savannah, 
passed  a  law  making  the  Church  of  England  the  Church  of  the  province.  It  estab- 
lished two  parishes,  '  Christ's  Church,'  at  Savannah,  and  '  St.  Paul's,'  at  Augusta, 
and  provided  foi-  their  siippdrt  by  pui)lic  tax,  also  for  the  establishment  of  other 
parishes  in  due  time.  Under  this  law  Daniel  Marshall  was  arrested  one  Sabbath  '  for 
preaching  in  the  parish  of  St.  Paul '  contrary  to  the  '  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Cliurch  of  England.'  His  congregation  was  assembled  in  a  beautiful  grove,  under 
the  blue  sky,  and  he  was  on  iiis  knees  making  the  opening  prayer,  when  a  hand  was 
laid  on  his  shoulder  and  a  voice  interrupted  him  saying:  '  You  are  my  prisoner! ' 
He  was  then  sixty-live  years  of  age  and  his  hair  was  white  as  snow.  The  man  of 
God  arose  and  gave  security  to  appear  for  trial  the  next  day  at  Augusta,  and  the 
constable,  Samuel  Cartledge,  released  him,  without  a  word  of  remonstrance  or  rebuke 
from  the  venerable  preacher. 

But  Mrs.  Martha  Marshall,  a  woman  of  a  most  powerful  mind,  and,  as  she  dem- 
onstrated on  several  occasions,  of  remarkable  eloquence,  not  only  remonstrated 
stoutly,  but  with  all  the  solemnity  of  a  prophetess  exhorted  Cartledge  to  flee  from  the 
wrath  to  come  and  be  saved  from  his  sins.  Dr.  J.  II.  Campbell  says  that  the  man 
was  so  moved  that  he  did  repent  and  seek  his  salvation,  that  Marshall  baptized  him 
in  1777,  when  he  finst  became  a  deacon  in  the  Church  at  Kiokee,  and  in  1789  he  was 
ordained  a  minister.  He  was  little  more  than  twenty-one  when  he  was  converted, 
and  preached  the  Gospel  for  half  a  century,  dying  in  1843  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
three  years.  The  early  history  of  the  Georgia  Baptists  was  marked  by  many  ex- 
tensive revivals  of  religion,  sometimes  adding  many  thousands  to  their  Churches  in  a 
year,  as  in  1812-13,  1820  and  in  1S27,  when  between  1.5,000  and  20,000  persons  were 
added  to  them.  This  great  revival  was  largely  promoted  by  the  labors  of  Adiel 
Sherwood,  D.D..  who  seemed  to  be  endued  with  power  from  heaven.     He  was  pas- 


772  ADIEL   SHERWOOD,   D.I). 

tur  at  tliat  time  of  tlic  Cliui-clics  at  MillfdirL'ville,  (Ti'C'Ciieborou>!:li.  and  Eatoiitoii.  at 
tlie  la.-t  of  wliicli  jilat-i's  lie  taiiiilit  in  an  acadeniv.  Une  Sal)l)ath  in  Sei)tenil)c-i'  liu  was 
jJivacliini;  in  tin:  open  air.  licforo  tiic  Ocniui^ee  Association,  at  Antioeli  ('liurcli,  in 
^[ui'gan  County,  wlien  the  jiower  of  (lod  fell  upon  the  ])eo])le  in  the  most  wonder- 
ful manner.  At  the  e!o^e  of  hi.s  sermon  he  asked  all  who  wished  for  the  pravei-B 
of  the  assemhlv  to  jire.-eiit  themselves.  The  tii-st  one  to  accept  the  invitation 
was  one  of  the  most  accomplislied  young  yentlemeii  in  (ieoi-ifia.  in  all  tliat  I'elate.s 
to  <;Tace  of  person,  courteous  manner.s,  breadth  (jf  mind  and  natural  eloquence. 
This  was  Dr.  .lohii  Iv  Dawson,  who  afterw.irds  liecann'  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and 
pathetic  j)reaehers  in  the  South.  It  is  estimated  that  4.000  persons  followed  him 
that  day  in  asking  the  j)rayer.N  of  tlie  congregation,  and  within  two  years  about 
lti,Ot)0  people,  ac("oi-ding  to  Dr.  Sherwood's  pi'ivatc;  memoranda,  were  added  to  the 
Oiiurclies,  as  the  fruit  of  that  meeting  more  or  le>s  directly. 

i)r.  Shei'woo(l  wa,- one  of  the  most  godly  men  in  .\nicrica.  Tie  was  l)orn  at 
Fort  Edward,  N.  V.,  in  IT'.tl,  and  was  the  son  of  a  Jievolutionary  .soldier,  a  tirni 
personal  friend  of  (itnieral  Washington.  In  1^17  Adiel  graduated  at  I'nion  Col- 
lege,  and  then  passed  a  year  at  the  Andovei-  'I'heological  Seminary,  when,  his  liealth 
bi'coming  somewhat  impaii-eii,  he  went  to  (ieorgia.  He  was  oi'dained  to  tlie  work 
of  the  ministry  in  that  State,  and  in  1S2.S  he  preached  :V.Vd  sermons  in  forty  coun- 
ties, with  astonishing  suc.ct!ss.  After  tilling  many  places  of  trust,  he  became  tlie 
Professor  of  Sacred  Literature  in  Marshall  College  and  llnally  its  President.  In 
person  he  was  large  and  digniticd,  very  vehement  in  manner,  though  tendei'  in  spirit, 
possessing  a  prudent  and  executive  mind  ;  tlioughtful  and  learned,  he  stood  in  the 
front  ranks  as  a  speaker  and  writer.  (Georgia  owes  nnudi  to  him  for  its  ))re-enn- 
noncc  as  a  Baptist  State,  especially  in  that  zeal  and  intelligence  which  have  made  our 
Chiiri'hes  and  ministry  so  strong  wirhin  its  bounds.  No  oiii'  else  has  ext'i-ted  so  wide 
and  healthy  an  influence  in  advancing  our  cause  there  excepting  his  true  yoke-fel- 
low.  Rev.  .Fesse  ]\rcrcer,  whose  ajmstolie  wisdom,  zeal  and  s])irituality  have  rendered 
him  immortal.  And  yet,  a  noble  army  of  godly  men  lia\e  filled  their  jjlaces  and 
each  done  an  oi'der  of  work  which  none  other  could  have  done.  This  is  equally 
true  of  the  li\ing  and  the  dead,  .\mongst  the  laymen  we  have  had  (4overnors 
Pabun  and  T.mnjtkin,  with  the  lieeveses,  Wellhorns  and  Stocks,  statesmen  and 
jurists  of  the  first  class  ;  and  the  name.?  of  her  ministers  are  held  in  univer.sal 
reverence,  as,  the  two  ]\Inrslialls,  the  two  Mercers,  with  Ilolcomb.  Saunders, 
Clay,  Johnson,  Pinney,  Crawford  and  Dagg.  Pi-um  the  tirst  our  lircthrcn  tlu're 
have  been  Calvinistic  in  their  doctrines,  strict  in  their  communion,  as  well  as 
the  firm  friends  of  educational  and  missionary  work.  Taking  all  things  into 
the  account,  the  Georgia  Baptists  have  been  characterized,  and  still  are,  for  their 
mental  vigor,  their  extraordinary  knowledi^a^  of  human  naturi',  their  deep  con- 
victions of  Gospel  truth,  and  an  o\erpowering  native  eloquence  in  \\  inning  men  to 
Christ. 


SENATOR  JOSEPH  K.    BROWN. 


773 


Hon.  Joseph  E.  Brown,  United  States  Senator  from   Georgia,  has   long  been 
one  of  tlie  leading  llaptii^ts  of  that  State.     He  was  born   in  South  Carolina  April 
5th,  1821,  but  while  young  his  father  removed  to  Georgia.     He  enjoyed  no  educa- 
tional  advantages   until    he  was 
nincti'cn  years  of  age,   when  he 
determined  to  leave  his  father's 
farm  to  jirocure  a  collegiate  edu- 
cation.    His  mother  made  him  a 
suit    of    homespun    clothes,    his 
father  gave  him  a  pair  of  young 
oxen   for  his   pati-imony,  and  ho 
started  oti   a  nine  days'  journey 
to  the  ( 'alhoun  Academy  in  South 
Carolina.     A    farmer   airreed    to 


give  hit 


it  months'  board  ii 


HON.   JOiiEPH    K.    liKOWN. 


payment  for  his  oxen,  Wesley 
Leverett,  the  principal  of  the 
school,  promi>ed  his  tuition  on 
credit,  and  so  the  young  hero  be- 
gan life.  He  made  rapid  prog- 
ress with  his  studies,  and  at  the 

einl  of  the  eight  months  he  taught  school.  Having  earned  money  enough  to  pay 
his  in^tiairtor,  lie  returned  to  the  academy  and  began  a  new  credit  both  for  tuition 
and  board.  In  two  years  he  \vas  ready  to  enter  an  advanced  class  in  college,  but 
was  obliged  to  forego  that  high  jirivilege,  to  teach  school  in  Canton,  Ga.  While 
again  earning  money  to  pay  his  debts  he  became  a  private  tutor  in  the  family  of 
Dr.  Lewis,  at  Canton,  and  gave  his  spare  time  to  the  study  of  law.  In  1845  he  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  after  a  searching  examination  ;  but  not  satisfied  M'ith  this,  by 
the  aid  of  the  doctor  he  entered  the  law  school  at  Yale  College,  where,  in  184-f!,  he 
was  awardcii  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws,  when  he  returned  to  Georgia  and 
rapidly  rose  in  his  profession.  He  was  elected  to  the  Senate  of  Georgia  in  1849, 
Judge  of  the  Su|)erior  Court  in  1855,  and  Governor  of  the  State  in  1857.  lie 
served  in  this  high  office  for  four  terms,  being  re-elected  the  last  time  in  18(>3.  In 
1869  he  was  appointed  Chief-Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Georgia  for  the  term 
of  twelve  years,  l)ut  I'esigned  his  office  after  filling  it  witli  much  ability  for  two 
years,  when  he  accepted  the  presidency  of  the  Western  and  Atlantic  Kailroad  (^>ni- 
pany.  He  was  appointed  by  Governor  Colquitt,  in  1880,  to  fill  the  vacanc}'  occa- 
sioned by  the  resignation  of  General  Gordon  in  the  United  States  Senate.  Since, 
he  has  Ik'cu  elected  to  the  Senate,  the  last  time  with  but  one  vote  against  him. 

While  at  Calhoun  Academy,  and  when  but   twenty-two  years  of  age,  he  was 
bai)ti/.ed,  on  the  profession  of  his  faitli,  b\-  Elder  C.  P.  Dean,  and  has  been  marked 


774  D1:MAM)S    for   UELIGIOVS   l.UiKHTT. 

1(11'  liis  devotion  tu  the  c;iusc  of  Clirist  over  t^iiict'.  Ilu  i.s  a  man  nf  well  balanced 
iuid  stroller  luinil.  hiil  iif  few  words.  His  understanditig  is  cleai',  liis  temper  ealm, 
liis  will  iirm.  and  lie  possesses  that  satracinus.  matter-ol'-faet  eommoii  sense  which 
never  fails  liim  in  time  nf  trial.  \\'illial,  hciii^  ljle>.--ed  with  lar;:c  wealth  and  a 
heiievolent  heart,  his  lilici-alitv  is  m  idid y  felt  in  siip])iirtiii<^  eliaritahle,  educational 
and  reliijious  plans.  Wlim  tin'  Suiithern  I'aptist  Theoloji'ical  Seminary  was  passing 
through  its  most  trying  days,  he  (piiotly  gave  it  $.")U,(lO()  and  infused  new  lifi-  into 
its  endowment.  Tins  act  could  not  fail  to  reach  the  jmlilic  <'ai-.  though  hi'  was  un- 
ostentatiou>  in  his  gift.  iScnator  lii'own  is  a  trustee  of  the  I 'ni\-ei'sity  (.)f  (Jeorgia, 
and  f<jrenio.-t  in  ail  the  ini])orlan!  movements  of  the  |Iapli>t  dononiination  in  that 
State. 

'i'lu!  (ieoi'gia  Itaptists  of  early  times  lirmly  withstood  all  the  aggressions  of  the 
State  u]ion  the  Cliureli  until  they  secui-e(l  their  i-eligious  liberties.  ( )n  the  one 
haml  thev  could  not  be  loreeil  to  pay  a  tax  foi'  the  State  Church,  and  on  the 
uthei',  thev  could  not  be  cajoled  into  the  acceptance  of  State  money  for  the  support 
of  their  own  Clnirches.  ( )n  the  ^Ist  of  February.  I  TS-"),  an  Act  was  j)assed  by  the 
Legislature  for  the  su])piu't  of  i-cliui<iii,  wliieh  pi'(]\  ided  that  '  thirty  heads  of  families' 
in  anv  commuinty  might  choose  a  ministei-  'to  e.\|ilain  and  inculcate  the  duties  of 
I'cligion,' and  'four  peiu'c  on  every  huiiilrccl  poun<ls  valuation  of  property  '  slioidd 
be  taheii  out  of  tlic  ])ublic  tax  foi-  the  .-up])ort  of  such  minister.  The  l>aptists 
foriiK'd  a  lai'ge  ma  jority  in  many  ])ai'ts  (d'  the  State,  ami  eouM  have  chosen  many 
ministers  under  this  Act,  but  instead  of  doing  >o.  they  united  in  a  remonstrance  to 
the  Legislature  in  the  following  May.  and  sent  it  by  the  haiuls  of  Silas  Mercer  and 
Peter  Smith,  insisting  that  the  obnoxious  law  shoidd  ite  repealed,  on  the  ground  that 
the  State  had  ncithing  to  do  with  the  support  of  religion  by  pid)lic  tax,  and  it  was 
repealed.  (Pub.  Ivecs.  of  Ga.,  MS.  \'ol.  15.,  p.  284,  ISfarsliall  Papers.)  Yet  as  late 
as  1S03  they  found  it  neces.sary  to  light  anotlier  battle  on  that  subject.  Tiic  Xew 
Code  of  Georgia  provided,  in  Section  1376,  that  'it  shall  be  unlawfid  for  any 
Church,  society  or  otlu'i-  bodv.  or  any  pt'rsons,  to  grant  any  license  or  (_)ther  authority 
to  anv  slave  or  fi'ee  jiei'sou  (d'  coloi'  to  preach,  or  I'xhort,  or  otherwise  otticiate  in 
Church  matters."  This  aroused  the  Paptists  of  the  State,  and  a  very  powerful 
pa])er,  drawn  by  Dr.  IL  \\.  Tucker,  and  largely  signed  by  his  brethren,  was  sent  in 
remonstrance  and  protest  to  the  Legislature,  demanding  the  repeal  of  this  iniijuitous 
])rovision.  They  denounced  it  'as  a  seizure  by  force  of  the  things  that  are  (xod's, 
and  a  rendering  them  unto  Cirsar,'  an  'usurpation  of  ecclesiastical  ])ower  by  civil  au- 
thorities.' They  resisted  it  as  a  trespass  upon  the  rights  of  conscience  and  a  viola- 
tion of  religions  liberty.  They  claimed  that  '  it  is  the  sacred  right  of  the  black  to 
jireach,  exhort  or  pray,  if  Goil  lias  called  and  connnaude<l  him  to  do  either.'  They 
protested  that  it  was  an  offense  against  1(K),0()0  Paptist  coinnninicants  in  the  State, 
and  that  the  Paj>tist  Church  in  Columbia,  '  with  the  new  Code  spread  open  before 
their  eyes,  and  with  a  full  knowledge  and  understanding  of  the  intent  and  meaning 


PROSPERITY  OF   OEOROIA   BAPTISTS.  775 

of  Section  1376,  and  after  a  tliorough  discussion  of  its  provisions,  deliberately  vio- 
lated the  same,  and  i>rdainL'd  two  negroes  to  officiate  in  Cluircli  matters  in  the  office 
of  deacon.'  Tiiey  claim  that  the  obnoxious  law  'trespasses  not  oidy  on  the  rights 
of  men  but  on  tlie  rights  of  God.  It  dictates  to  the  Almiglity  what  color  his 
preachers  shall  be  .  .  .  and  says  to  Omnipotence  :  "  Thus  far  shalt  Thou  go  and  no 
further."  It  allows  Jehovah  to  have  ministers  of  a  certain  complexion,  and  so 
e.Kacting  and  rigid  are  these  regulations  imposed  on  the  Almighty  that  they  notoidy 
forbid  his  liaving  preachers  such  as  he  may  choose,  but  also  prescribe  that  none  shall 
even  exhort,  or  in  any  way  wiiatever  "officiate  in  Church  matters,  unless  they  be 
approved  by  this  self-exalted  and  heaven-defying  tribunal.''  Nor  is  there  aii}'  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  spirit  which  prompted  the  act  now  under  protest  would  stop,  if 
uiK'heeked,  at  its  present  point  of  audacity.  Having  prescribed  color  as  one  cjualifi- 
cation  for  the  pulpit,  it  might  prescribe  another  qualitication  to-morrow.'  The  ob- 
noxious section  was  repealed,  and  the  State  no  longer  imposes  restrictions  on  the 
freedom  of  the  Churehes. 

The  contests  which  the  Georgia  Baptists  pushed  against  all  that  is  narrow  in  igno- 
rance and  bigotry,  especially  from  1S27  to  184-0,  in  the  shape  of  Anti-effort,  has  made 
the  entire  denomination  their  debtors.  As  in  Maryland,  the  old  school,  or  Primitive 
Baptists,  as  they  loved  to  call  themselves,  arose  in  great  strength,  dividing  Churches 
and  rendino;  Associations  with  great  bitterness.  This  Antinomian  element  assailed 
their  brethren  with  bitter  satire,  an  element  not  known  in  the  New  Testament.  One 
of  the  periodicals  of  the  times  published  a  sermon  intended  to  caricature  their  mis- 
sionary bretliren  who  were  s])ending  their  lives  in  beseeching  men  to  be  reconciled  to 
God.  Its  text  was  taken  from  Prov.  xxvii,  27  :  '  Thou  shalt  have  goats'  milk  enough 
for  thy  food,  for  the  food  of  thy  household,  and  for  the  maintenance  of  thy  maidens.' 
The  preacher  said  that  those  who  raised  money  for  missions  were  first  milking  the 
sheep  of  Christ's  flock;  then  turning  to  the  non-professing  goats,  they  obtained 
goat's  milk  enough  for  their  editors,  agents  and  secretaries,  who  were  the  maidens  of 
the  household,  and  so  the  poor  drained  goats  fattened  a  few  sinecures.  Hard 
pushed  with  such  trash,  they  brought  ridicule  upon  our  Lord's  commission  to  'go 
into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.'  Our  brethren  had  the 
wisdom  and  tirnniess  to  resist  this  Idight  most  steadfastly  ;  one  result  of  which  is 
seen  in  the  fact  that  now  the  laborious  and  aggressive  Baptists  are  left  nearly  alone 
in  the  field.  Their  success  has  been  astonishing,  so  that  to-day  the}'  have  the  largest 
Baptist  population  of  any  State  in  the  Union.  They  have  102  Associations,  1,601 
ministers,  2,623  Churches,  and  261,314  ineinl)ers.  Nearly  half  the  Baptists  of  Geor- 
gia are  colored  people,  who  in  latter  years  have  been  greatly  aided  by  forming  sepa- 
rate Churches  and  Associations  of  their  own,  and  the  present  prospect,  both  of 
the  white  and  colored  Baptists,  is  more  bright  and  prosperous  than  ever  before. 


CHAPTER  XI. 


BAPTISTS    AND    THE     REVOLUTIONARY    WAR. 


AS  tiiiu!  is  tlic  only  ri-liuhlo  iiiti'i'|)rt'ti'r  nt"  pi'iipliecv,  su  liisturv  best  traces  tlie 
liaiid  of  <i(iil  ill  prepai'iiii^  men  for  yrcat  ("vents.  It  was  inipossihlu  for  the 
Baptists  of  tlic  colonics  to  luiilci'stanii  wliy  they  endured  so  nuu!li  for  their  princi- 
ples and  secured  so  little  in  I'ctiirn.  I'roiu  the  settlement  of  New  Eiii^land  to  the 
time  of  the  i;e\  oiiil  ion.  The  I  )ecl;irat  ion  of  lii(ie|>endeiice  was  made  duly  4th, 
ITTi'i.  and  the  nation's  struii'y-le  for  liberty  lasted  about  seven  years.  .\s  nearly  as  we 
can  n'et  at  the  ti<;-ures,  there  were  but  07  I'ajitist  Churches  in  all  the  colonies  in  1770, 
and  many  of  these  were  so  very  small,  that  (.me  jiastoi-,  where  they  had  jiastors,  sup- 
])]ied  s-jveral  of  them  lyiii;;'  m:iny  miles  apart  and  iireached  to  them  only  at  long 
intervals  of  timi',  while  otliers  were  dependent  entirely  on  occasional  visits  from 
itinerant  pi'cachi'rs.  There  was  a  lari;-e  increase  of  ( 'hurches  duriiii!;  the  war,  although 
many  Churches  wiu'e  scattered,  but  in  l7S-f  our  total  menibershi])  in  the  thirteen 
colonies  was  only  about  o."iJ >'•((,  although  one  hiindriM]  and  foi'ty-tive  years  had 
passed  since  the  Church  at  I'ro\idence  was  coiistitiitetl.  and  one  humlred  and 
niiU!teen  years  since  the  Church  at  liostoii  was  gathered.  Where  they  had  houses 
of  worship  they  were  of  the  comnmnest  character,  aiul  the  most  of  tlieir  niinister.s 
received  no  salary.  So  common  was  it  for  the  Churches  to  content  themselves 
with  one  sermon  a  month,  tliat  thest' came  to  bt'  known  as  'Thirty-day  liaptists,' 
and  so  ignorant  or  mean,  or  both,  were  many  of  them,  that  they  thought  it  the  abso- 
lute duty  of  their  pastoi-s  to  snp]iort  themselves  by  a  profession,  by  farming,  or 
some  other  form  of  manual  labor,  and  tlien  jirove  their  Apostolic  calling  by  preach- 
ing for  nothing.  This  class  of  Baptists  took  the  greatest  possible  comfort  in  the 
thought  that  while  the  'starched  genti-y  '  of  the  Standing  Order  peeled  them  by 
taxation,  theii'  jjastors  were  strangers  to  'filthy  lucre." 

Under  these  conditions  our  ministry  could  not  be  eminent  for  learning.  When 
Manning  estalilished  his  pi-e])aratorv  school  at  Warren,  he  and  llezekiah  Smith,  who 
had  studied  witli  him  at  Princeton,  together  with  Jeremiali  Condy  and  Edward 
Uphani,  graduates  of  Harvard,  were  the  only  liberally  educated  Baptist  ])astors  in 
New  England.  Some  who  snbsetjuc'ntly  became  known  as  scholars  liad  studied  with 
Isaac  Eaton,  at  Hopewell.  In  addition  to  the  above  named,  Dr.  (Tiiild  mentions 
Sanniej  Jones  and  a  number  more  who  were  students  at  tliat  academy,  and  also  in  tliat 
opened  at  Lower  Dublin  in  1776.  Several  years  later,  William  Williams,  one  of  tiie 
first  graduates  of  lihode  Island  College,  was  added  to  the  list  of  the  educated,  and 


BAPTISTS  DEMAND    REIJGTOV^i   LIBERTY.  777 

opened  an  academy  at  ^Vl•entllam,  ^fass.  Tliiiijjs  existed  iiuieli  after  thesame  order 
ill  tiio  Middle  and  Sinitiierii  ('oloiiies,  for  down  tr>  tliat  time  tlie  eliief  educatiun  of 
our  ministry  liad  consisted  in  that  moral  strength  and  fortitude  which  hardship  and 
severity  inspire.  God,  who  foresaw  the  times  which  were  to  try  men's  souls,  was 
clearly  educating  one  class  of  his  people  to  meet  the  high  destiny  for  which  only 
scourging,  bonds  and  imprisonments  can  discipline  men.  lii-own  University  hail 
begun  its  work,  and  the  Denomination  was  feeling  after  its  future  ;  but  for  the  then 
present  necessity,  what  our  ministry  lacked  in  the  work  of  the  schools,  when  com- 
pared with  their  Congregational  brethren,  was  marked  by  a  like  disparit}'  in  favor 
of  the  Baptists  in  consecration  to  the  saving  nf  men.  Their  doctrine,  that  none  Imt 
the  regenerate  should  enter  the  Church  of  Christ,  inspired  that  effort  to  bring  men 
to  repentance  which  could  not  spring  from  faith  in  Ijirthright  memliership.  The 
social  and  political  forces  combined  against  them  only  contributed  to  maintain  their 
zeal  and  devotion.  To  falter  in  maintaining  the  truth  was  to  be  (-rushed  out  of 
existence.  I'esides,  nothing  but  aggressive  work  conld  keep  them  alive  to  their 
pecidiar  views  of  religious  liberty.  Others  were  moved  to  resist  the  aggressions  of 
Britain,  simply  on  the  ground  that  they  were  the  victims  of  political  oppression. 
This  the  Baptists  felt  also,  but  their  circumstances  impelled  them  to  seek  a  higher 
onU-r  of  liberty  than  that  sought  by  their  fellow-citizens.  AVhatever  oppressions 
England  inflicted  upon  the  colonies  she  seldom  deprived  them  of  their  religious 
liberties,  but  from  the  first  left  them  to  manage  these  alone.  Excepting  in  Virginia, 
the  colonies,  and  not  the  mother  goveniment,  laid  the  heavy  yoke  of  religious  op- 
pression upon  the  Baptist  neck.  On  several  occasions  they  had  appealed  to  the 
crown  and  their  religious  grievances  had  been  redressed,  as  against  their  colonial 
oppressoi-s.  Hence,  in  the  Revolution  they  were  to  light  a  double  battle;  one  with 
their  political  enemies  on  the  other  side  of  the  sea,  and  the  other  with  their  religious 
tyrants  on  this  side.  The  colonies  were  not  about  to  begin  a  revolution  for  re- 
ligious liberty;  that  they  had  ;  but  the  Baptists  demanded  botli,  and  this  accounts  for 
the  desperation  with  which  tliey  threw  themselves  into  the  struggle,  so  that  we  have 
no  record  of  so  much  as  one  thorough  Baptist  tory. 

Down  to  the  Kevolution,  all  the  colonies,  with  the  exception  of  Rhode  Island, 
New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania,  had  a  Church  established  either  by  law  or  custom 
as  the  rightful  controller  of  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  people,  and  those  of  Massa- 
chusetts and  A'irginia  were  peculiarly  intolerant.  In  these  the  influence  of  the 
Baptists,  as  the  champions  of  religious  equality,  was  especially  felt,  as  they  resisted 
the  legislative,  judicial  and  executive  departments  combined.  Tlu-y  were  embold- 
ened in  this  resistance  from  the  fact  that  they  took  and  held  a  footing  despite 
this  combination  against  them,  and  by  piece-meal  wrenched  from  their  foes  the 
recognition  of  their  rights.  In  1753  a  law  was  passed  in  ]\Iassachusetts  exempting 
Baptists  from  taxation  to  sujiport  the  Standing  Order,  on  condition  that  they  con- 
fessed and  proved  themselves  '  Analjaptists,'  by  certiflcates  fn.im  three  such  Churches. 


778  MASSACirC'SIiTTS   RELAXES  JfEIi  SEVERITY. 

Muotiiigs  vvurc  callud  in  l>(ist(>ii,  Mcillicld  ami  Jje'llinyliain.  to  ilcvisc  methods  of 
rulief  fi'uiii  iliis  (jfTriisivc  at-l.  .Iulm  i'roc-tor,  a  publicscliool  tuaclier  of  Boston,  and 
one  of  the  oi'iginul  niciiihcrs  nf  ilu;  Socund  IJaptist  (.'liureli  there,  wa.s  appointed  to 
carry  tlie  case  to  Eni;land.  He  also  di-cw  ii]>  a  ivirionstrance  to  the  Legislature 
claiiiiin^  that,  niidcr  the  charter  (/!'  William  and  Mary,  the  i>apti.st.s  had  as  good, 
amplr  and  extensive  a  right  tn  think  and  act  for  themselves  in  matters  of  a  relig- 
ious natiii'e  as  any  other  Christians.  This  action  somewhat  lightened  the  execution 
witliout  lessening  the  severity  of  the  laws,  for  the  last  statute,  j)assed  in  1771,  simply 
relieved  the  IJaptist  tax-payi'i-  from  the  necessity  of  i)resenting  a  certilicate  fr<jm 
three  other  Churches  to  pi-o\e  him  an  *  Anabaptist.'  The  Jiioral  elfeet  of  many  of 
the  able  doenments  drawn  up  by  the  Warren  Association,  Isaac  IJackus,  and 
otiiers,  against  these  unrii-hteous  laws,  was  \QYy  great  on  the  thinking  ])ortion  of 
the  C(]nimunit  V.  which  eompelled  moderation  when  banishment  and  whipping  became 
impossible.  N'irginia  IJaptists  wrung  some  similar  amelioi-ations  from  their  Tegis- 
lature  which  led  them  to  throw  themselves  with  all  their  hearts  into  tlie  Revolu- 
tionary struggle,  foi-  they  knew  that  if  they  secured  full  political  indejjendeiice 
religious  freedom  must  necessarily  b>llow. 

It  Would  I'uriiish  a  sjilendiil  chapter  in  .\merican  Baptist  lli-tory  to  sketch  the 
hoiioi-roll  of  the  great  fathers  whom  (iod  was  raising  uj)  fi'om  the  first  ipiai'ter  of 
the  eighteenth  century  to  .serve  in  the  last,  and  who  were  to  become  the  leadei's  in 
theii- contest  for  ])erfect  religious  emancipation.  In  addition  to  many  <itliers  who  had 
fought  the  lirst  battles,  he  I'aised  up  a  special  host  who  were  to  push  this  contlict 
to  its  (dose,  from  Isaac  iiackus  to.Iohn  Lt'land  ;  the  man  who  saw  the  last  vestige  of 
religious  ojjpression  wiped  off  the  statuted)ook  of  Massachusetts,  in  lS3i.  She 
was  the  first  of  all  the  colonies  to  begin,  and  the  last  of  all  the  States  to  end  relig- 
ious intolerance. 

We  have  seen  that  Isaac  Backi  s,  the  Baptist  historian,  was  born  in  Con- 
necticut, January  Hth,  172-1,  so  that  dying  as  late  as  November  'intli,  ISiKi,  he  lived 
through  all  the  stages  of  the  Revolution  and  saw  liis  l)rethren  as  well  as  his  country 
free.  When  tin-  Wari'en  Association  ap]ioiiiteil  a  committee  to  .se(!k  redress  of 
grit'vances  foiMlie  Ba|itists.  and  appointe(l  tirst  I  lezekiab  Smith,  and  then  Kev.  .lohn 
Davis,  their  agent  to  the  Court  of  (ireat  IJritain,  Dr.  I'ackus  was  exerting  himself 
to  the  utnsost  in  this  direction.  In  the  admirable  biograjihy  of  Backus  by  Dr. 
Ilovey  we  have  a  graphic  picture  of  the  enthusiasm  with  wdiich  he  thi'ew  himself 
into  the  work  of  changing  the  legislation  fivmi  which  his  own  Church  at  Middle- 
borough  had  suffered  so  much,  as  well  as  his  brethren  elsewhere.  lie  had  been 
fichooled  in  siifTering  for  conscience' sake.  His  mother,  Elizabeth  Tracy  Backus,  was 
a  descendant  fi-om  the  Winslow  family,  and  became  a  devout  Christian  three  years 
l)efore  Isaac  was  boiai  :  she  was  of  a  very  strong  chai'acter,  and  brought  up  her  son 
in  the  love  and  fear  of  (iod.  With  many  others  .she  became  a  Separatist  at  Xorwicli, 
and    when    left   a   widow    refused    to    pay    the    State-Church    tax,  for   conscience' 


DR.    ISAAC  nACKUS. 


779 


sake.  On  tlic  night  of  October  IStli,  1752,  wlien  she  was  ill,  and  seated  before 
the  tire  wrapped  in  thick  clothing  to  induce  [)urspiration,  the  officers  came,  and 
as  she  says  in  a  letter  to  her  ?on,  dated  Xovenibei'  -ill:,  1 752,  '  T<jok  nie  away 
to  prison,  about  nine  o'clock,  in  a  dark,  rainy  night.  Jirotlicrs  Hill  and  Sabins 
were  brought  thei'e  the  next  niglit.  A\'e 
lay  in  prison  thirteen  days,  and  wei' 
then  set  at  liberty,  by  what  means  I 
know  not."  Her  son  Saniuel  lay  ii 
prison  twenty  days  for  the  same  ci'imc 
She  evinced  the  essence  of  heroism,  tin- 
genuine  s[)irit  of  a  confesscn-.  The 
officer  thought  that  she  wonld  yield 
wIrmi  sick  of  a  fever,  and  jiay  her  I'ates 
rather  tli:in  be  cast  into  a  doleful  jail 
on  a  chill,  siorniy  niglit  in  mid-Octo- 
ber. \  et,  hear  her  sonl  triumph,  for 
she  says : 

'Olil  the  condescension  u{  heaven! 
Thongh  I  was  bound  when  cast  into  this 
fuiiKice,  yet  I  was  loosed  and  found  .Fesn- 
in  the  midst  of  a  furnace  with  me.  Oh, 
then  1  could  give  u])  my  name,  estate,  fam- 
i]}-,  life  and  health  freely  to  (jod.     JS'ow 

the  prison  looked  like  a  palace  to  me.  I  could  bless  God  for  all  the  lano-hs  and 
seoifs  made  at  me.  Oh,  the  love  that  ilowed  out  to  all  mankind  ;  then  I  could  for- 
give as  I  would  desire  to  be  forgiven,  and  love  my  neighbor  as  myself.  Deacon 
Griswold  was  ])nt  in  prison  the  8th  of  October,  and  yesterday  old  Brother  (ii'over, 
and  [they]  are  in  pursuit  of  others,  all  \chicli  calls  for  humiliation.  This  Church 
has  appointed  the  13th  of  November  to  be  spent  in  prayer  and  fasting  on  that  ac- 
count. I  do  remember  my  love  to  yon  and  your  wife  and  the  dear  children  of 
God  with  you,  begging  your  prayers  for  us  in  such  a  day  of  trial.  AVe  are  all  in 
tolerable  health,  expecting  to  see  you.  These  are  from  your  Io\ing  mother, 
Elizabeth   Backus.' 

The  spirit  of  the  mother  was  cherished  by  her  son  to  the  close  of  Ids  life.  The 
high  esteem  in  Mdnch  lie  is  held  is  evinced  in  a  private  letter  to  Dr.  Guild  from 
Hon.  George  Bancroft,  the  historian,  dated  at  Newport,  R.  I.,  September  2.jtli, 
1885,  in  which  he  writes:  •  I  look  always  to  a  ISaptist  historian  lor  the  ingenuous- 
ness, clear  discernment,  and  detei-mined  accuracy  which  form  the  glory  of  their 
great  liistorian  Backus." 

SAMrEL  Stii.lman,  D.D.,  w1h>  was  boi-n  in  Philadelphia  February  27tli,  1737, 
and  died  March  12th,  1807,  was  another  great  Bajitist  leader  during  the  Kevolu- 
tionary  jjerii.id.  At  the  age  of  eleven  lie  ri'moved  with  his  parents  to  South  Carolina, 
where  he  enjoyed  the  tuition  of  Mr.  Bind,  a  classical  tutor  of  renown.  When  still 
a  youth,  he  was  converted  under  the  labors  of  Mr.   Hart,  by  whom  he  was  bap- 


780 


Dli.    l<TlLLMAy. 


ti/.ed  and  with  wlioin  lie  studied  theoloiry.     In  1758,  wlicii  lie  was  but  twenty-one 

years  of  aj^i',  lie  hciran  to  ])ri'acli  on  James  Island,  near  Cliai-Ieston.  Ill  health 
f'oni])i'lic(l  him  to  >|)cnd  two  vcars  at  IJoidcntown,  N.  .1..  when  lie  was  invited  to  he- 
comc  assistant  to  lu-v.  .Mr.  iiound.  in  tlie  Second  ('Inireh,  IJostoii,  where  he  spent 
about  a  year;  and  January  t'lh.  ITOJ,  lie  heeanie  ])astor  of  the  First  Chureli,  Hoston, 
which  he  served  until  his  dciath,  a  period  of  forty-two  years.  The  distin<.ruisliing 
traits  of  liis  eliaraett'r  were  jiurity  of  heart,  and  lideiity  to  his  eoiivietions.      lie  was 

brilliant,  and  souirJit  the  hi^li- 
est  intelleetiial  attaiinnents,  but 
instinctively  eschewed  all  lit- 
erary pomj)  and  display.  i)ar- 
ticidarly  tliat  academical  don- 
nishness of  style  which  many 
seholastie  notabh's  affect.  And 
yet,  because  of  his  extreme 
taste  in  manners,  dress  and  hear- 
ing;'. cl(j\vni>Il  fii|l<.  whose  \lll- 
izarity  wa>  an  annoyance  to 
liim  and  an  ullense,  were  ever 
really  to  assail  him.  even  wirh 
cen>o|-iollsne>s.  hike  Dr.  IJald- 
win,  he  was  dii;nilied  in  his 
bearing:,  observini^  all  those 
points  of  decormn  which  dis- 
tinguished the  careful  jiastor 
of  New  Knjrland  in  foi'mer 
days.  Elias  Smith,  an  eccen- 
tric ininistei'  of  l>oston.  who 
caused  his  bretliren  consider- 
able trouble,  comjdains  of  Di-s.  Stillman  and  Baldwin  for  insisting;  that  he  should 
dress  more  beconnn<<ly,  and  for  enforcini;;  proper  order  in  (■■mnection  with  his  induc- 
tion into  the  pastoral  office.  Dr.  Cornell  says,  in  his  •  Recollections  of  \'  Oldcii 
Time,"  that  when  Smirli  was  settled  as  pastor  over  the  liaplist  Chui-cli  at  AViibuiai. 
in  178!),  tliev  riMpni'ed  him  to  be  •  in.-talled."  This  he  denounced  as  a  "new-fangled 
ceremony,'  hut  they  insi.-tt'd  and  he  submitted.  However,  he  took  his  revenge  in 
saying : 

'Our  poperv  was  ]ierfornied  in  the  Congregational  meeting-house,  and  it  was  a 
high  day  within.  We  made  something  of  a  s))lendid  appearance  as  it  resjiected  the 
ignorant.  We  had  two  doctors  of  divinity,  one  or  two  A.}>\.'i^,a7id  we  all  wo/'c  hmx/s. 
When  we  came  out  of  the  council  chamber  and  walked  in  procession  to  the  meet- 
ing-house, we  looked  as  much  like  the  cardinals  coming  out  of  the  conclave  after 
electing  a  pope,  as  our  jiractice  was  like  them.     Dr.  [Ilezekiah]  Smith  said  to  me 


SAMUEL    STll.I.MAN,    ll.U. 


mS   GREAT  INFLUENCE.  781 

after  installation  :  "T  ailvisc  you  to  wear  a  liand  on  F.ord's  days."  This  was  a  ))ieee 
of  foppL'i-y  I  always  hated,  and  when  1  walked  ovur  with  it  on  I  then  thonj^ht  I 
acted  with  it  as  a  pig  does  when  he  is  lirst  yoked,  and  almost  stiniek  it  with  niv 
knees  for  fear  I  should  hit  it.  I  should  not  have  worn  it  that  day  but  that  Dr. 
IStilhnan,  who  was  as  tond  of  foppery  as  a  little  girl  is  of  tine  baby  rags,  brought 
one  and  put  it  un  nie." " 

But,  Elias  Smith's  crotchets  to  the  contrary,  Samuel  Stillnian  was  as  noble  a  man 
and  as  holy  a  patriot  as  ever  tnjd  American  soil.  He  read  the  signs  of  the  times 
with  a  true  eye,  and  stood  in  his  lot  to  breast  the  Revolutionary  storm  as  lon<r  as  it 
was  possible.  lie  was  ever  delicate  in  health,  liut  earnest  and  fearless.  lie  was 
deeply  stirred  by  the  outrages  intiicted  u|)on  the  Baptists  of  Massachusetts,  and 
especially  upon  those  of  Ashtield,  and  signed  a  powerful  petition,  of  which  he  was 
evidently  the  author,  to  the  General  Coui't  for  redress.  That  l)ody  had  ali-eadv 
taken  the  ground  politically  •  that  no  taxation  can  be  ecpiitable  where  such  restraint 
is  laid  upon  the  taxed  as  takes  fi'oiu  him  the  liberty  of  giving  his  own  moiii'v  freely.' 
With  the  skill  of  a  statesman  Dr.  Stillnian  seized  this  concession  and  used  it  thus  : 
'  This  being  true,  permit  us  to  ask :  AVith  what  equity  is  our  property  taken  from 
us,  not  only  without  our  consent,  but  violently,  contrary  to  our  will,  and  for  such 
purposes  as  we  cannot,  in  faithfulness  to  that  stewardship  with  which  (iod  hath 
intrusted  us,  favor?'  lie,  therefore,  asked  a  I'epcal  of  their  unjust  laws,  damages 
for  the  losses  of  the  Baptists,  and  their  perpetual  exemption  from  all  State  Church 
rates  thereafter.  In  1766,  ten  years  before  the  Declaration,  lie  denounced  the  Stamp 
Act  from  his  ]iiil|iit  ;  again  sustained  the  Colonial  cause  in  a  sermon  on  the  gen- 
eral election,  1770,  and  did  not  leave  his  post  till  the  British  troops  occupied  Boston, 
in  1775.  Then  his  Church  was  scattered  and  for  a  short  time  he  retired  to  Phila- 
delphia, but  in  1776  he  returned,  gathered  his  flock  anew,  and  kejit  his  Church 
open  all  through  the  war,  when  nearly  all  otiiers  were  closed  at  times.  His 
eh)quence  was  easy,  sympathetic,  warm  and  cheerful ;  it  was  inspired  with  the 
freshness  of  a  June  morning,  and  it  fascinated  his  hearers.  He  was  nervous, 
kind,  pure,  healthful  and  welcome  to  all ;  his  motions  were  all  grace,  his 
voice  was  as  cheerful  as  the  truth  that  he  told,  his  eye  was  full  of  light, 
and  altogether  he  was  the  pulpit  orator  of  Xew  England.  The  late  William  11. 
Williams  pronounced  him  *  probably  the  most  eloquent  and  most  universally  beloved 
clergyman  that  Boston  has  ever  seen.'  Nor  would  he  on  any  account  swerve  from  the 
radical  principles  of  the  Gospel.  The  i'lifi'  of  Boston  crowded  his  place  of  wor- 
ship. Dr.  Pierce,  late  of  Brookline.  said  that  many  a  time  he  had  walked  from 
Dorchester  when  a  boy,  to  get  standing  room  in  Stillman's  meeting-iiouse.  And, 
commonly,  John  Adams,  John  Hancock,  General  Knox  and  other  dignitaries 
delighted  to  mingle  with  the  throng  and  listen  to  his  expositions  of  depravity,  sover- 
eignty, retribution  and  redemption.  ( )n  niie  occasion  his  denunciation  of  sin  was 
so  scathing  and  awful  that  a  retined  gentleman  on  leaving  the  house  remarked  : 
'The  doctor  makes  us  all  out  a  set  of  rascals,  but  he  does  it  so  gracefully  and  elo- 


782  nil-:  run-:  pastou. 

(jueiitly  tliiit  I  am  imt  disposud  to  timl  I'aiilt.'  'I'lir  forh'  years  wliicli  lie  spent  in 
Boston  covcrod  the  i^Tout  discussion  of  all  that  led  to  tiie  war,  tiu;  war  itself,  the 
birth  of  a  new  nation,  and  the  aijoijtion  of  the  new  Federal  Constitution,  together 
with  the  I'l-esidfUev  of  ^\'a>l]ini;■ton,  Adams  and  .Iell\T.~on  ;  he  was  a  very  decided 
l'\'diTalist  in  his  political  views.  V>\\\  all  this  time  he  was  a  leader  in  the  councils  of 
his  l)rcthr<Mi;  and  in  their  determined  efforts  to  secni'e  the  sacred  rights  for  which 
they  hiillVrcd  he  never  failed  them. 

W'illial.  \h-  was  everything  that  a  Church  coulil  ask  in  a  jiastor;  diligent,  ten- 
dcrdirarted  and  s|)ollcss  in  his  sanctity.  His  niiiii.-try  lirought  many  to  the  Lord, 
mai'kcd  rc\  i\als  of  religion  crowned  his  lifl'orts.  and  he  was  the  hap[)iest  of  mortal.s 
in  aii>wci-iiig  the  (|ucslion,  •  AV'hat  must  1  do  to  be  saved  f  His  Church  loved  him 
with  a  peculiar  rc'\ei-ence.     ])r.  Neale,  <ine  of  his  immoi-tal  successors,  .says  of  hiui  : 

'  No  pa;-lor,  before  or  >ince.  was  ever  more  bchived  by  his  ('hui'eh.  His  jiojui- 
lai'itv  was  unintei'i-iipled,  and  greater  if  possible  in  his  old  age  than  in  his  youth.  A 
few  iiiilividuals  who  sat  under  his  ministry.  an(.l  who  were  (piite  young  when  lie  was 
an  irld  mail.  >iill  survive  and  are  present  with  us  to-day.  They  never  weary  of  talk- 
ing about  him,  and  even  now  sjieak  of  this  as  Dr.  StiUiuan's  Cluireli.  They  looked 
at  the  venerabU?  pastor  not  only  with  the  profoiindest  ri'spect,  but  with  tlii'  oliservant 
e\-e  (if  child  111  Hid.  They  noticinl  and  remembered  everything  in  his  external  a])])ear- 
aiice,  his  wig  aud  gown  and  bands,  his  lior.se  and  carriage,  and  negro  man,  .Jei)htha; 
how  lie  walked,  how  he  talked,  liow  lu;  baptized  ;  the  peculiar  inanner  in  wdiich  ho 
began  his  pi'ayers :   "  ()  thou  I''atlier  of  mercies  and  (iod  of  all  grace."' 

lie  oft-  cxpi^^siMl  the  wish  that  he  might  not  outlive  his  influence,  and  (bid  hon- 
ored his  desii'e.  His  last  sermon  was  on  the  ascension  of  Christ,  ami  two  weeks 
after,  he  died  of  paralysis,  his  last  woi'd.s  being:  'Cod's  government  is  infinitely 
perfect.'  Dr.  I'aldwin  preacheil  his  funeral  sermon  from  '1  Tim.  iv,  T,  8,  and  Dr. 
Tierce  says:  '  1  have  a  distinct  recollection  of  the  funei'al.  All  the  members  of  the 
society  appeared  with  liadges  of  inoiirning,  the  women  with  black  bonnets  and 
handkerchiefs.  If  the  [lastor  had  been  removed  in  the  bloom  of  youth  his  people 
coidd  not  have  been  more  deeply  at^eeted.'  ^ 

.I.\MKs  ^Fa.nm.no,  D.D.,  may  be  mentioned  next  in  chronological  order,  as  a 
Baptist  leader  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  He  was  boi-n  at  Elizabeth,  X.  J.. 
October  22d,  IToS,  and  died  July  29th,  17!>1,  so  that  in  1776  he  was  in  the  prime  of 
his  days.  ITuderhis  influence,  the  Rhode  Island  College  had  come  to  be  an  estab- 
lished fact,  tlu!  AVan-eii  Association  had  become  a  jiowerful  body,  aud  his  intluence 
throughout  New  England  was  very  great.  Tiie  exactions  of  the  crown  upon  the  Col- 
onies had  become  so  onerous  in  177-1-  that  they  determined  to  meet  in  a  common 
Congress  for  the  pur]ioses  of  calm  delilieration  and  resistance,  if  necessary,  hut  to 
defenil  their  rights  under  any  circumstances.  The  delegates  met  in  Carpenter's 
Hall,  Pliiladel))liia,  September  oth,  1774.  At  the  meeting  of  the  "Warren  Asso- 
ciation, held  at  Medfield,  Sei)teml)er  J4tli,  they  resolved  to  address  this  fir.st  Conti- 
nental Congress  not  only  upon  the  political  wrongs  inflicted  on  the  Colonies  but 


DR.    JAMEf!   yfANNINO. 


783 


upon  tlicir  (iwii  privations,  in  tliat  tlicy  were  denied  tlieir  rights  as  men  to  tlic  free 
worship  of  God,  and  they  sent  Isaac  Backus  to  present  their  case.  He  reached 
Philadeljiliia,  October  Stli,  and  on  the  12th  of  that  month  the  rhila(k'l})iiia  Asso- 
ciation appointed  a  large  com- 
mittee to  co-operate  with  the 
agent  of  tiie  Warren  Associa- 
tion. After  coiisniting  with 
a  number  of  leading  C^)uakers, 
tliey  determined  to  .«eek  a 
conference  with  the  Massa- 
chusetts delegates  rather  than 
to  address  the  Congress  as 
such.  Such  a  meeting  Iiav- 
ing  been  arranged,  they  went 
to  Carpenter's  Hall,  where 
they  met  Samuel  and  John 
Adams,  Thomas  ("ushing  and 
liobert  Treat  I'aiiie,  from 
Massachusetts;  James  Ken- 
zie,  of  New  Jersey;  Stephen 
Hopkins  and  Samuel  Ward, 
of  Tvhode  Island;  .](>se])li 
Gallowav  and  Thomas  Mif- 
fin.  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
several  other  members  of 
Congress ;  with  many  members  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  as  Joseph  Fox,  Israel 
and  James  Pemberton,  who  sympathized  witli  the  suffering  Baptists.  Dr.  Manning 
opened  the  case  in  l^ehalf  of  his  ])retbren  in  a  brief  but  eloquent  address,  and  then 
submitted  a  memorial  which  they  had  adopted.  Dr.  Guild  sa}s  of  this  paper,  that 
it  •  should  be  written  in  letters  of  gold  and  preserved  in  lasting  remembrance.' 

The  first  sentence  couches  the  full  Baptist  doctrine  in  these  ringing  words  : 
'  It  has  been  said  by  a  celebi'ated  writer  in  politics,  that  but  two  things  are  worth 
contending  for — Religion  and  Liberty.  For  the  latter  we  are  at  present  nobly  exert- 
ing ourselves  through  all  this  extensive  continent;  and  surely  no  one  whose  bosom 
feels  the  pati'iotic  glow  in  behalf  of  civil  liberty  can  remain  torpid  to  the  more 
ennobling  flame  of  RELiorous  Freedom.'  They  go  on  to  declare  that  tlie  inalien- 
able rights  of  conscience  rank  too  higli  to  be  subjected  to  fallible  legislators,  as  that 
dignity  belongs  to  God  alone.  Men  may  legislate  In'pocritical  consciences  into  exist- 
ence, but  camiot  decree  their  fellow-men  Christians.  They  liad  come  to  the  free  soil 
of  Pennsylvania,  to  plead  for  that  inestimable  blessing  which  every  lover  of  man- 
kind  should    desire.     They    then    described   the   sufferings   of   their   brethren   in 


DR.   MANNING. 


784  .1/.1A.\7-V'V    AT    Till-:   COMI M':.\r.\l.    coMlllKSS. 

M;is.-;icliiisetts,  ainoiij^'.st  those  who  liiid  Hi-d  from  ()ppre.ssioii  hocuiise  tliey  scorned 
iloiiiinatiuri  over  eiinseieiiee,  and  yet  had  become  iiriioljle  oppressors  tlieniselves. 
Tlicv  chiiiiifd  their  rii;hr  to  tlie  free  exereise  of  tlieir  religion  under  tlie  eiiai-- 
ter,  and  I'eferi'ed  to  >ome  anielinratinns  whicli  liad  l)een  granted  to  them  in 
JMassaeinisetts,  but  sliovved  tliat  these  were  a  hollow  nioekerv.  For  example, 
in  \~-l'^  their  persons  were  exemiifed  from  the  religious  tax,  hut  not  tlu'ir  pi-operty, 
if  tlic\-  did  not  live  within  live  nnles  of  a  l^aptist  meeting  house ;  yet.  in  17:^'.', 
thii-t  V  |K-rsiins,  many  of  thciii  iJapti.sts,  were  coiiliiiiMl  in  lii-istol  jail.  In  1  72'.t,  1  7-">;5, 
17:'.t,  and  17(7,  under  pretense  of  exenii)ting  their  j)ropei-ty  IV(ini  this  tax,  they  had 
lieen  sidijeeted  not  oidy  to  all  sorts  of  anuDyanees  hut  to  much  severe  sull'ering, 
nnlil  these  svsteniatie  wi'ongs  eulminateil  in  the  outrages  which  robbed  tlie  Baptists 
at  Ashtield,  and  sold  iheii-  iiurying  grnurnU  to  linild  a  ( '(Higregational  meeting- 
house; and  thev  elo>ed  their  a]ipeal  by  p(jinting  out  the  limits  of  human  legislation, 
the  just  tenure  of  propei'ty,  and  the  holy  [irinciples  of  Christianity,  with  the  (h-elara- 
tion  that  tlie\  wei-e  lailhfid  citizens  to  , ill  civil  com])acts;  and  hence,  as  Christians, 
tlie\-  bad  a  right  to  stand  .side  by  side  with  other  Christians  in  the  tise  of  their  con- 
sciences in  religion. 

This  conference  lasted  four  lioui's,  and  tlu!  Massachusetts  delegation,  having  a 
haid  case,  tried  to  t'xplain  away  the  allegiMl  facts  as  best  they  ccjidd.  but  exhibited 
nmeh  ill  tenipei- at  the  bare  relation  of  these  stinging  facts,  dohn  Adams  betrayed 
"■I'eat  weakni'ss  in  this  direction,  lie  says  that  having  been  informed  by  Governors 
lU)pkins  and  Ward,  that  President  Manning  and  ^^r.  i!aid<us  wished  to  meet  them 
on  'a  little  business,'  they  went  to  Car])enter's  Hall,  and  there: 

'To  my  great  sur])rise  found  the  hall  almost  fidl  of  peo])le.  and  a  great  niunber 
of  (^uaker.s  seati'd  at  tin;  long  table  with  their  broad  brinnned  beavers  on  their  heads. 
We  were  invited  to  seats  among  them,  and  informed  that  they  had  received  com- 
plaints from  some  Anaba])tists  and  sonu>  Friends  in  ^lassachnsetts,  against  certain 
laws  of  that  pi'ovince  restrictive  of  tlie  liberty  of  conscience,  and  some  instances  were 
mentionetl  in  tiie  General  Court,  and  in  the  courts  of  justice,  in  which  Friends  and 
Baptists  had  been  grievously  oppressed.  1  know  not  how  my  colleagues  felt,  but  I 
own  I  was  greatly  surprised  and  somewhat  indignant,  being,  like  my  friend  Clia.se, 
of  a  tcin]ier  naturally  ipiick  and  warm,  at  seeing  our  State  and  her  delegates  thus 
summoned  before  a  self-created  tribunal,  whi(;h  was  neither  legal  nor  constitutional. 
Isaac  remberton,  a  (^)uaker  of  large  property  and  more  intrigue,  liegan  to  speak, 
and  said  that  ('oiiii'ri'ss  was  here  endeavoring  to  foian  a  union  of  the  Colonies;  but 
there  were  ditliculties  in  the  way,  and  none  of  more  imjiortance  than  liberty  of  con- 
science. The  laws  of  New  England,  and  particularly  of  Massachusetts,  were  incon- 
sistent with  it,  for  they  not  only  compelled  men  to  pay  to  the  building  of  churches 
and  the  supported'  ministers,  Init  to  go  to  some  known  religious  assembly  on  first 
days  etc.,  and  that  he  and  his  friends  were  desirous  of  engaging  us  to  assure 
them  that  our  State  would  repeal  all  those  laws,  and  place  things  as  they  were 
in  Pennsylvania.' 

He  then  goes  on  to  call  the  simple  Quaker  'this  artful  Jesuit,'  and  to  accuse 
him  (d'  attempting  to  break  up  the  Congress  by  drawing  oil  Pennsylvania;  and 
then  he   put  in  this  tliiiisy  plea,  which  none  but  an  'indignant'  man  would  have 


JOHN  ADAMS  INDIGNANT.  783 

submitted  when  lie  was  representing  u  great  people  in  deliberation,  concerning 
the  surest  wa}-  to  break  their  fetters.  lie  says  that  this  was  the  substance  of  liis 
own  remarks : 

'  That  the  jieople  of  ]\rassaehusetts  were  as  religions  and  eonseientions  as  the 
people  of  Pennsylvania,  that  their  eonscienee  (lietate(l  to  them  that  it  was  theirduty 
to  preserve  those  laws,  and,  thereioi-e,  the  very  liberty  of  conscience  which  Mr. 
Pemberton  inv(.)ked  would  demand  indulgence  for  the  tender  consciences  of  the 
people  of  Massachusetts,  and  allow  them  to  preserve  their  laws.  .  .  .  They  might 
as  well  turn  the  lieavenly  bodies  out  of  their  annual  and  diurnal  courses  as  the  peo- 
ple of  ^Massachusetts  at  the  present  day  from  their  nieetingdiouse  and  Sunday  laws. 
Pemberton  made  no  reply  but  this:  "O!  sir,  pray  don't  urge  liberty  of  conscience 
in  favor  of  such  laws !  "  .  .  .  Old  Isaac  Pemberton  was  quite  rude,  and  his  rudeness 
was  resented.' 

Clearly  it  was  ;  but  not  much  to  the  honor  of  John  Adams,  by  his  own  show- 
ing. The  Baptists  had  less  objection  to  the  Congregationalists  taxing  themselves 
to  support  their  own  ministers  for  conscience  sake,  if  their  consciences  were  'ten- 
der '  on  that  subject,  than  they  had  to  that  tenderness  of  Massachusetts  conscience 
which  compelled  Baptists  to  sujiport  the  Congregational  ministi-y  and  their  own  too. 
This  distinction  seems  to  liave  been  the  i-udeness  in  which  Isaac  Pemberton  indule-ed 
and  which  Adams  '  resented,'  but  just  how  '  indignant '  Adams  would  have  been  if 
Lord  North  had  insisted  that  the  tender  conscience  of  England  compelled  her  to  en- 
force her  laws  in  Massachusetts  does  not  appear.  Probably  he  would  have  been  more 
'  indignant'  still.  Every  kind  of  misrepresentation  went  abroad  concerning  this  con- 
ference, and  in  high  quarters  the  Baptists  were  accused  of  trying  to  pi'event  the 
Colonies  from  uniting  against  Bi'itain,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  throw  stigma  on 
them  as  the  eneniies  of  their  country,  and  it  is  even  said  that  Backus,  their  unHineh- 
ing  agent,  was  tlireatencd  with  the  gallows.  This  slander  they  refuted  in  various  doc- 
uments, but  the  answer  which  silenced  all  such  empty  clamor  was  the  hearty  una- 
nimity with  which  the  whole  body  threw  themselves  into  the  support  of  the  war  when 
independence  of  Britain  was  proclaimed.  Anotlier  strange  episode  of  hatred 
revealed  itself  in  this  desperate  struggle.  When  they  could  obtain  no  justice  here, 
they  appealed  for  help  to  their  own  brethren  in  London,  and  Dr.  Stennett  appeared 
with  a  plea  for  them  before  his  majesty's  Commissioners  for  Trade  and  Plantations. 
He  begged  their  lordships  to  induce  the  king  : 

'To  disallow  an  act  passed  in  the  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay  in  ,Iune, 
1767,  by  which  the  Antipedo-Baptists  and  Quakers  are  compelled  to  pay  to  the 
su])port  of  a  minister  of  a  different  ))ersuasion.  Their  lordsiiijis  thereupon  read  and 
considered  the  said  act,  and  it  was  ordered  that  a  draught  of  a  re])resentation  to  His 
Majesty  should  be  prepared,  proposing  that  it  may  be  disallowed.'  On  July  31, 
1771,  the  King  held  a  council,  and  'His  Majesty  taking  the  same  into  consideration 
was  pleased  with  the  advice  of  his  Privy  Council  to  declare  his  disallowance  of  the 
said  act,  and  to  order  that  the  said  act  be  and  it  is  hereby  disallowed  and  I'ejccted. 
Wiiereof  the  Governor,  Lieutenant-Governoi',  or  Cominan(k'r-in-('hief  of  His  Majes- 
ty's said  Province  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  for  the  time  being,  and  all  others  whom 
it  may  concern,  are  to  take  notice  and  govern  themselves  accordingly.' 
51 


786  ACT/OX  or  rill-:  MAs^Aciirsirrrs  roxoiiEss. 

'I'he  loyallv  n{  tin-  l'>a|)ti>tf  to  tlic  Aiiici-icaii  caiisr  \va.-  su  clcarlv  I'viiict'd,  rlicir 
appeals  for  iMjua!  riuiits  were  so  \vcll-l)alaiK'i'il  and  iva>uiial)lc,  and  tlii-ir  iiiiyifldiiiij 
stniirirles  for  lilicrtv  were  r-o  opuii  and  nianlw  that  at  last  tliev  hciran  to  !«;  felt  and 
respected  in  pulilic  allairs.  Scliooled  in  coiiseience  and  s('onr<;ed  to  iinccjiKpiurable 
re>i>tanec  to  t\i:inii\'.  lljev  were  driven  to  tlir  use  of  everv  lioiioi'aMc  im-entivc  ; 
like  wist'  men  tlu-v  oryanixed  for  a  long  and  se\ere  eontt'st.  witli  liackus.,  Man- 
nini;'  and  Stillnian  at  tjieii-  head,  and  made  their  lii'st  attaeks  upon  tiie  stronijliolds  of 
political  Pui'itanisin.  'I'lieii-  powerful  committee  at  iioston  addressed  a  most  states- 
maidike  <|ii(Mniii'nt  lo  the  Cony-ress  of  Massachusetts,  which  met  at  (yanihridirc,  Xo- 
\emher  L'lM.  1  774,  in  wliicli  they  olicf  nioi'e  suhmitted  their  ca>e.  .lolin  ilanco(di, 
the  |)ri'sident,  ])rescnte<l  the  pajier,  and  a>ked  whether  or  not  it  shoidd  he  read.  1'lie 
intolerants  cried  with  one  accord,  '  Xo.  no."  I  Jut  a  more  considei'ate  mendier  risiuir 
said  :  'This  is  very  e.Ntraordinary.  that  we  shoidd  pay  no  i-egard  to  a  denomination 
\\dio.  in  the  ])hiee  where  he  lived,  were  as  ^uod  mendiers  of  society  as  any.  and  \^'ei'e 
equally  eiigai;;eil  with  othei-s  in  the  defence  of  their  civil  lihertie>.'  lie  moved  that 
it  be  read,  and  tlu;  nu)tion  was  adopted.  Alter  the  reading  the  general  dispo.sition 
was  to  throw  it  out  imaeteil  upon,  liy  that  time  Mr.  Adams  l)egan  to  feel  uneasy, 
and,  rising  to  his  tV'et,  said  that  he  a])prehended  if  it  were  thi'own  out  it  might  cause 
a  division  amongst  the  provinces,  and  \\v  moveil  its  i-td'erence  to  a  c<immittee.  On 
eonsid(>ration  the  Congivss  sent  this,  soft  and  civil  answer: 

'  In  I'kovi.nciai.  Com.kicss,  ('AMiiiiiiK;!';,  DeeemherVi.  1774. 

'  ( >n  reading  the  memorial  of  the  llev.  Isaac  I'ackus,  agent  to  the  iiaptist 
Churches  in  this  government  : 

•  I,'<  sdli'fiJ,  That  the  establishment  of  civil  and  religions  liberty  to  each  denom- 
ination in  the  province  is  the  sincere  wish  of  this  Congress;  but  being  by  tio  means 
vested  with  |)owers  of  civil  government,  whereby  they  can  redress  the  grievances  of 
any  ])erson  whatever,  they  therefore  recommend  to  tlie  ]>aptist  Churches  that  when 
a  (-Jeneral  Assembly  .shall  be  ('onvcned  in  this  colony  they  lay  the  real  grievances  of 
said  Churches  before  the  same,  wdien  and  where  this  petition  will  most  certaiidy 
meet  witii  all  that  attention  due  to  the  memorial  of  a  deTiomination  of  Christians 
so  well  disposed  to  the  public  weal  of  their  (wuntry. 

•  By  order  of  the  Congress.  'JOlIX    HANCOCK,  President. 

'Ben.jami.n   Li.nooi.n,  Secretary. 
'  A  true  extract  from  the  mimites.' 

The  moral  ell'eet  of  this  action  on  the  public  mind  was  \ery  great,  for  it 
advised  the  Baptists  what  course  to  take  in  the  matter  of  their  '  real  grievances,' 
aiul  when  the  Assembly  met,  in  ()ctobei',  1  777),  a  new  and  ,-trong  j)aper  was  .sent  for 
its  consideration,  [^pon  its  ])resentation  Major  Ilawley  declared  to  the  l)ody  that 
without  doubt  the  Baptists  had  been  injuriously  treated,  and  tTie  memorial  was  com- 
mitted to  seven  members  for  deliberate  consideration.  Dr.  Asaph  Fletcher,  a  Bap- 
ti.st,  was  on  that  committee,  and  after  long  debate;  it  recommended  redress  of  Bap- 
tist grievances.  This  caused  great  conunotion  in  the  House, and  the  memorial,  with 
those  who  sent  it,  was  severely  attacked.     Major  Hawley  defended  both,  and  told 


ELDER  jnnx  I.I-:i..\XD.  787 

the  Asseml)ly  ■  tliat  tlic  cstalilislictl  reliijiciii  nf  tins  I'.iluiiy  was  not  worth  a  iri'oat, 
and  wislicil  it  iiiii;-ht  fall  to  the  iiTouiul,"  as  Di'.  FlctcluT  writt-s.  At'tur  loni;  discus 
siun  it  ordurud  that  Or.  Fletcher  ■  have  liberty  to  hrini;-  in  a  hill  for  the  redress  of 
snch  grievance's  as  lie  a]>|)rehends  the  JJaptists  lahor  iindci-.'  \Vlien  this  was  passed, 
Mr.  Gerry  moved  that  the  l-!a[)tists  witiidraw  their  nieiaorial.  foi-  he  was  offended 
with  the  ])lain  and  soniiil  niainicr  in  which  it  had  put  their  wrdii^-.-  (Jii  record. 
Ilawley  oj>posed  this  motion,  wishing  the  pa|)er  to  lie  put  on  lilc.  for  it  was  wortliv; 
'and  he  lioped  it  woidd  lie  there  till  it  had  eaten  out  the  present  estahlishnu'nt.' 
Fletehei'  broiiglit  in  a  hill,  which  was  reail  hut  never  acted  upon. 

Di-.  .Manning  was  sent  h\  the  (General  Assemlily  of  Fihodi^  Island  to  the  Con- 
tinental ('ongress,  lTS(i,  where  he  served  as  their  representative,  with  great  honor 
to  himself  and  his  constituents,  his  voice  and  ])en  being  ever  ready  to  treat  the  great 
subjects  under  consideration  with  niarknl  skill.  He  had  great  influence  with  the 
j)eopk'  of  New  England,  and  I'specially  in  Massachu.setts  and  Rhode  Island  ;  which 
was  felt  in  the  most  wholesome  manner  when  the  adoption  of  the  Federal  Constitu- 
tion was  strongly  opposed,  for  he  cast  his  entire  weight  in  its  favor  when  it  was  in 
danger  of  rejection.  He  was  far  in  advance  of  his  times,  both  as  a  I.ajjtist  and  an 
American.  Jiroad,  disinterested  and  self-sacrificing,  liis  meniorv  cannot  be  too 
saci-c(lly  cherished.  He  was  manly  and  engaging  in  his  addi'css,  spontaneous  and 
foi'ceful  in  his  eloipience,  symmetrical  and  powerful  in  body  and  mind,  and,  better 
than  all  besides,  he  was  true  to  his  holy  convictions  and  liis  i-edeeming  Lord.  Another 
grand  l)ut  very  different  Baptist  leader  of  those  days  was: 

John  Lelaxd.  born  May  14th,  1  75-1-.  at  (ii-afton,  Mass. ;  died  January  14th,  IS-H. 
No  three  great  men  could  differ  more  widely  than  Stillman,  Manning  and  Leland. 
They  were  all  wise  in  council  and  miglitj'  in  execution,  but  they  worked  in  various 
departments  of  patriotic  activity  and  reached  different  classes.  Leiand's  convictions 
were  as  clear  and  deep  as  they  well  could  be,  but  his  tastes  and  liabits,  as  well  as  his 
early  training,  all  ran  in  otiier  channels  than  those  of  his  compeers.  They  were 
drilled  in  classic  thonght  and  expression  ;  his  associations  had  been  with  the  pure, 
robust  and  sturdy  plebeians  of  his  youtli.  His  powers  were  rare  and  tiatural ;  theirs 
were  molded  by  culture.  They  were  polished,  measured,  graceful  ;  he  followed 
the  instincts  of  mother-wit,  quick  adaptation  and  eccentric  eloquence.  They  reached 
the  grave,  the  conservative  and  thoughtful ;  he  moved  the  athletic  masses.  They 
did  more  to  begin  the  liaptist  struggle  under  the  Federalism  of  the  East ;  he  lived  to 
finish  the  triumph  in  the  radical  denincracy  of  the  South.  It  is,  therefore,  wonder- 
ful to  see  how  exactly  God  adapted  them  to  their  fields  and  made  them  true  yoke- 
fellows in  the  same  holy  cause. 

Leland  was  baptized  by  Noah  Aldeu,  of  Bellingham,  Mass.,  in  1774,  only  two 
years  before  the  war,  and  after  the  most  intense  soul-agonies  on  account  of  his  sins 
and  exposure  to  the  .second  death.  A  year  afterwards  he  took  his  first  journey  to 
New  Jersey  and  Virginia.     In  1776  he  united  with  the   Baptist   Church  at  Mount 


788 


LELA  Mrs  I'm:. \  i  lirxr;. 


Vi)\w)\  ill  CiilpcinT  Conntv,  ami  lor  :i  time  \va~  its  pastor  until  lif  removed 
til  Oraiiu'c  County.  He  spent  niiieli  of  his  time  in  ti'avelinji:  at  larije  and  preaeli- 
ini^  the  (iosi)el,  spendiiifj:  ahont  fifteen  years  (d'  liis  ministry  in  \'iriiinia,  where 
lie  hapti/ed  ahoiit  70(i  juTsons  on  their  faith  in  Clirist.  Dr.  Sfni])le  said  tliat  he 
was  |ir(ilialilv  ihe  most  popiilai-  prcaidici'  who  ever  resided  in  \'irii:inia.  'J'he  late 
Di-.  Cone  loved  to  doi-rilie  him  as  he  heard  him  preacdi  ;  in  iiis  own  inimitable 
manner  he  would  i;ive  the  tones  of  his  vuiee,  his  fertile  genin>  in   times  of  strait. 

his  astonishini;-  memory,  espe- 
cially of  Sci-iptui'e.  and  his  vi- 
vacity and  wit  in  handlinir  an 
antagonist,  e.\])re.s.sed  in  home 
tlirusts  and  coijent  logic.  And, 
withal,  lu;  always  .spoke  of 
Leland"s  awful  solemnity  in  ad- 
dressing the  Throne  of  Grace, 
and  in  enforcing  the  claim.s  of 
God's  justice,  truth  anil  benev- 
olence. There  was  little  of  the 
.sensational  about  him,  but  a 
tender  unction  often  moved  the 
crowd.s  tliat  followed  liini  and 
led  thrm  without  resistance  to 
I  lie  atoning  l.amb.  lie  had 
many  struggles  of  mind  as  to 
the  most  sncce.s.-^ful  way  of  ad- 
dressing sinners  and  of  leading 
them  to  repentance,  lie  was  a 
Calvinist,  but  would  not  be 
bound  by  the  methods  of  (iill  ; 
neither  did  Wesley  or  Andrew  fuller  suit  him  :  and  for  ]irartical  purposes  he 
thought  that  two  grains  of  .Vrmiuianism  with  three  of  Calvinism  made  a  good 
))roportion  in  preaching.  He  .-^ays  that  one  time  he  was  preaching  when  his  soul 
got  "into  the  trade  whidn,'  and  when  the  S|iirit  of  the  Lord  fell  upon  him  he 
paid  no  attention  either  to  Gill  or  Fuller,  and  live  of  his  hearers  confessed  Clirist. 
He  was  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  successful  advocates  of  civil  and  religious 
liberty,  and  did  a  noble  work  with  the  Virginia  Baptists  in  tliat  direction.  He 
believed  that  God  had  called  him  to  a  special  mission  to  stand  by  his  brethren 
in  his  adopted  State;  so  that  we  find  him  side  by  side  with  Harris,  Ford, 
Williams.  AValler  and  others  on  every  occasion  where  an  imdi  id'  ground  could  l)e 
gained.  He  entered  the  State  too  late  to  suffer  by  persecution  as  a  prisonei-,  but 
ho  was  there   in  the   thickest   of  the  legal   tight.     To    use    his  own   words  :  '  The 


<5  #*' 

Jl)H.\    LELAND. 


BAPTIST   I'ATRWriSM.  789 

dragon  roared  witli  hideous  peals,  but  was  not  red ;  tlie  beast  appeared  formi- 
dable, but  was  not  scarlet  colnred,"  ;ui(l  his  Virginia  chronicles  show  that  he  was 
right. 

Scarcely  was  the  first  shut  tired  at  Lexington,  when  every  IJaptist  on  the  con- 
tinent sprang  to  his  feet  and  hai  Km  I  its  echo  as  the  pledge  of  delivtTanee,  as  well 
from  domestic  as  foreign  opjjressors.  They  were  amongst  the  first  to  suffer  and  to 
sacrifice,  and  then  their  enemies  were  mean  enough  to  charge  them  with  ingratitude 
to  the  king  who  had  interposed  for  their  help  in  Massachusetts.  But  nothing 
moved  them  fri)m  their  steadfastness ;  hence,  wherever  the  Bi'itish  standard  was 
triunjphaiit,  their  pastors  were  obliged  to  fiee  from  their  Hocks,  their  meeting- 
houses were  destroyed,  and  they  were  hated  of  all  men.  In  common  with  all 
Whigs  they  were  traitors  to  the  crown,  and  the  State  Churches  in  Is'ew  England  and 
N'irginia  rendered  it  hard  for  them  as  fellow-patriots  to  fight  comfortably  at  their 
side,  because  they  set  at  naught  religious  exactions  which  these  regarded  in  force, 
intle.\ible  as  laws  of  Media  and  Persia.  It  required  plain,  honest  men,  of  Leland's 
will  and  nerve,  to  meet  this  state  of  things,  and  he  never  flinched,  nor  did  his 
Yirginia  brethren.  They  organized  their  resistance  as  a  denomination,  and  in  May, 
1775,  sixty  Churches  met  at  the  Dover  Church,  when  their  representatives  resolved 
to  address  the  Convention  which  Virginia  had  called  to  consider  the  state  of  the 
country.  The  address  of  the  Baptists  is  spread  upon  the  Journal  of  this  political 
body.  It  states  that  they  were  alarmed  at  the  oppressions  which  hung  over  America, 
and  had  determined  that  war  should  l)e  made  with  Great  Britain,  that  many  of  their 
brethren  had  enlisted  as  soldiers,  and  many  more  were  ready  to  do  so,  and  that  they 
would  encourage  their  young  ministers  to  serve  as  chaplains  in  the  army  which 
should  resist  Great  Britain.  Also,  they  declared  that  'Toleration  Ity  the  civil  gov- 
ernment is  not  sufficient ;  that  no  State  religious  establishment  onglit  to  exist ;  that 
all  religious  denominations  ought  to  stand  upon  the  same  footing ;  and  that  to  all 
alike  the  protection  of  the  government  should  be  extended,  securing  to  them  the 
peaceable  enjoyment  of  their  own  religious  principles  and  modes  of  worship.' 
These  positions  they  argued  and  foitified  at  length,  and  they  sent  this  memorial 
to  the  Convention  by  a  Committee  composed  of  Jeremiah  Walker,  John  AVilliams 
and  George  Roberts.  This  Convention  instructed  the  Virginia  delegates  in  Con- 
gress to  declare  American  independence  on  May  15th,  1776.  Our  brethren  were 
wise  in  their  generation  ;  their  deputation  succeeding  in  enlisting  Jefferson,  Madison, 
and  Patrick  Henry,  in  their  cause  of  full  religious  freedom.  Dr.  Hawks,  in 
his  •  History  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Virginia,'  says :  '  The  Baptists  were  not 
slow  in  discovering  the  advantageous  position  in  which  the  political  troubles 
of  the  country  had  placed  them.  Their  numerical  strength  was  such  as  to 
make  it  important  to  both  sides  to  secure  their  influence;  they  knew  this,  and 
therefore  determined  to  turn  the  circumstances  to  their  profit  as  a  sect.  Perse- 
cution had  taught  them  in)t  to  hjve  the  establishment,  and  now  they  saw  before  them 


790         nf-:spr-:n.\TK  coxtests  for    fhekdom. 

\i  i-cnM)n;il»k'  |ii'(i>])ccl  1)1'  ovci-tiii-niiiij;  it  (•iitirfly.  In  tlu-ir  .Association  they  liad 
caliiily  (IIscusschI  tliu  iiialtcr.  ami  iv>(>i\cti  (in  tlu'ir  cuiii'.sl- ;  in  tiiis  (•inirse  tliev  wc-ru 
consistent  to  tiic  end." 

The  liittcl'rst  persccnt iuii.s  \\  liicli  llicy  liaij  cndnrcd  I'an  tliniui,di  the  twelve 
years  l)i't ween  IT'i^tand  1 77"i.  and  tliey  u'aiiied  their  1'nll  freeciuni  only  point  Ijy 
point  and  ineh  li\  ini'li  ;  as  is  evident  I'loni  tiie  tact  tliat  all  which  the  Convention 
coidtl  he  induced  to  do,  under  the  lead  of  the  three  j;reat  statesmen  named,  was  to 
retuiMi  a  coinplinienlary  a]iswi'r  to  the  i!apti>ts,  and  to  ])a>s  an  order  that  the  minis- 
ters of  oilier  denominations  .-liould  he  placed  on  the  same  footinix  as  clKiplain>  of  the 
\'ii-i;inian  ai'niv  wilh  1  lio>e  of  the  Episcopal  (diurch.  liiit  this  was  really  the  lirst 
^lep  gained  towar<l  eipialitv  h\'  our  liaptist  hrethriMi.  A  second,  and  much  moi-e 
impoi'*ant  one,  was  taken  in  ITTti.  when  under  tlie  same  inlluences  the  \  ii'irmia 
Declai'ation  of  Ki^htswas  adopted.  . I  une  12lh,  the  With  Article  of  which  lays 
the  IJaptist  pi-inciph'  of  souldiherty  a;-  the  corner-stone  of  \'irLdina"s  irovern- 
ment.  This  was  followed  hv  a  ^I'Ueral  petition  that  all  sects  >hould  he  e.\enipt(;<.i 
from  Icii'al  taxes  tor  the  sU|iport  of  aiiv  one  particular  Church,  and  on  October 
Till,  ITT'i,  the  State  salaries  of  the  I'^piscopal  clergy  w  ere  susj)i'nded.  .lell'erson 
savs  that:  'The  tir>t  IJepulilican  Leu'islal  ui-e  which  met  in  1770  was  crowded  with 
pelitiipus  to  alioli>h  this  sjiiritual  tyranny.  The.~e  liroUijht  on  the  severest  contest 
in  which  I  wa>  e\cr  eii<;-aii,-ed,"  and  he  ,idds  that  the  measure  to  suspend  this  and 
certain  otiiei'  old  laws  touching;  the  estaMi.-hed  Church  was  carried  only  aftei-  '  Des- 
perate contents  "  in  the  Connnittee  of  the  whole  liouse,  "almost  daily  fi-om  the  11th 
of  (.)ctol)er  to  the  5th  of  l)ecendK>r."  It  was  not  until  177'.'  that  those  salaries  ]iaid 
bv  leu'al  taxation  were  abolisheil  Ibi'ever. 

Durino-  the  stru<i-ii'le  to  aljolish  the  State  reli;j;ioii  tliei-e  ai'ose  a  fear  in  the 
minds  of  many  devout  people,  that  Christianity  itself  nui;-ht  fall,  or  be  so  far  itn- 
iiaired  as  to  endanger  the  safety  of  the  State,  which  is  founded  on  true  morality 
and  relii;ion.  Even  Patrick  Henry  felt  some  alai-m  liei-e.  chani]kiiin  as  he  was 
foi-  reiiii'ious  lil)ertv.  lie  looked  upon  the  success  of  the  Republican  movement, 
anil  i-ii^htlv,  as  dependiui;'  upon  the  \irtue  of  the  people,  without  which  it  must 
nuserablv  fail,  lie  .saw  that  the  influence  of  the  war  would  be  corrupting,  that 
the  countrv  was  threatened  wdtli  the  destructive  ideas  of  France,  and  tlie  religious 
ti^achers  of  the  country  were  so  poorly  supported  that  he  was  alarmed,  for  he  had 
never  seen  the  working  of  the  voluntary  system  on  a  large  scale.  In  common, 
therefore,  with  manv  others,  he  caught  the  idea  that  the  State  authorities  should 
regidate  religion  by  imposing  a  tax  on  all  its  citizens,  leaving  each  person  at  liberty 
to  appropriate  his  tax  to  the  supjiort  of  his  own  Church.  This  measure  seemed 
healthful  to  and  was  sup]iorted  by  nearly  all  Christian  di'nonnnatious  in  A'irginia 
except  the  Baptists,  who  refused  to  be  taxed  by  the  State  even  for  the  sujiport 
of  their  own  Churciies.  They  took  this  gromul  on  princi])lc.  namely  :  That  the 
State  had  no  jurisdiction  in  the  mattei-,  as  the  question  of  religion  was  left  amongst 


BAPTIST  nFvni.rTToxAnr  soldiehs.  791 

liis  inalienable  rights  in  'lu'  hands  of  evci'V  man,  subject  to  his  choice,  and  tiiat 
Cliristianity  needed  no  State  siippm-t  h_v  eonipuisory  measures;  therefore,  it  was 
an  abuse  and  a  usurpation  of  power  over  the  citizen  for  the  State  to  toucli  the 
subject  at  all. 

Tliev  said  in  tiieir  reninnstrance :  'Who  doc-s  not  see  tliat  tlie  same  authority 
wliicli  can  establisii  C'iu'istianity  in  exclusion  of  all  other  reii!;-ions  may  establish, 
with  tiie  same  ease,  any  jjarticuhir  sc(;t  of  Christians,  in  exclusion  of  all  otlusr  sects  ', ' 
They  argued  that  an  established  Ciiurch  destroys  all  eijuality  before  the  hiw,  in  the 
matter  of  religion,  as  it  ini])oseh  Ininlens  on  some  and  exempts  others.  They  insisted 
that  the  liberties  of  man  and  the  prosperity  of  the  Comnionwealth  required  \"irginia 
to  renounce  all  interference  in  the  religion  of  her  citizens.  In  consequence  of  their 
resistance  the  Assessment  Bill  was  defeated,  and  Dr.  Hawks  writes:  'The  Baptists 
were  the  principal  promotei-s  of  this  work,  and,  in  truth,  aided  moi'e  than  any  other 
denomination  in  its  accomjjlishment.' 

A  volume  would  be  necessary  for  a  full  detail  of  the  service  which  the  Baptists 
rendered  tn  their  connti-y.  in  her  civic  aiul  military  departments,  during  the  Revoln- 
tiiiiiai'y  Wai-.  A  few  indivitlual  cases  may  serve  to  illustrate  the  general  interest 
which  they  took  in  the  issue.  In  Viiginia.  Capt.  M'Clanahan,  a  minister  of  Cul- 
peper  County,  raised  a  militaiw  company  of  Baptists,  with  whom  he  served  on  the 
field  both  as  captain  and  chaplain.  Howe  say^  that  the  Legislature  had  invited  the 
f(.iniiation  i)f  such  companies  'under  officers  of  tlieirown  princi])les.' ■"  Semple  tells 
us  that  Rev.  David  Barrow  took  his  musket  and  did  good  service  for  his  country  in 
the  conflict,  winning  great  honor  for  himself  also.  Di'.  Cone  states  that  his  grand- 
father. Col.  Joab  Houghton,  while  attending  worship  in  the  Ba])tist  meeting-house 
at  Hopewell,  N.  J.,  met  a  messenger  out  of  breath  with  the  news  of  the  defeat  at 
Lexington.  He  kejst  silence  till  the  services  werc^  closed,  then  in  the  open  lot 
before  the  sanctuary  detailed  to  the  congregation:  'The  story  of  tlie  cowardly 
murder  at  Lexington  by  the  royal  troops,  the  heroic  vengeance  following  liard  upon 
it,  tlie  retreat  of  Percy,  and  the  gathering  of  the  children  of  the  Pilgrims  around 
the  beleagured  hills  of  Boston.  Then  pausing,  and  looking  over  the  silent  crowd, 
he  said  slowly:  "  Men  of  New  Jersey,  the  red  coats  are  murdering  our  brethren 
in  New  England.  Who  follows  me  to  Boston?"  Every  man  in  that  audience 
stepped  out  into  line  and  aitswered,  "  I !  "  There  was  not  a  coward  nor  a  traitor  in 
old  Hopewell  meeting-house  that  day.'  Col.  Houghton  continued  in  the  army  to  the 
close  of  the  war  and  fought  valiantly.  At  one  time  a  band  of  nuirauding  Hessians 
had  entered  a  New  Jersey  house  at  Moore's  Mill,  to  plunder  it,  having  stacked  their 
arms  at  the  door.  He  seized  their  arms  and  made  their  leader  and  a  dozen  men  his 
prisoners,  almost  in  sight  of  the  British  army.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Hopewell 
Baptist  Church,  and  died  in  1795. 

General  Scriven,  of  Georgia,  the  grandson  of  Rev.  William  Scriven.  was  a 
brave  soldier.     After  Savannah  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  British  forces,  the  otlicer 


792  TUIC   GAS  PICK   DESTROYED. 

ill  coiiiiiiand  ordered  liiin  to  give  up  Suiibui-y  also,  and  received  the  answer:  '  Come 
and  take  it.'  Afterwards  iie  was  slauglitered  in  an  ambuscade  of  IJritisli  and  Tories 
at  Laurel  Ilill.  ("olonel  Mills,  who  coiiuiiandL'd  l.n<">  rillcnR'ii  with  groat  skill  at 
the  battle  of  Long  I>Ian(l,  was  a  deacon  in  tlu^  First  Ha])tist  ('luirch.  Philadelphia. 
Although  captured  with  (ienerals  Sullivan  and  Stei'ling,  he  was  nuule  a  Brigadier- 
General  for  his  valor.  Cohtnel  Lo.\le3',  who  commanded  the  artillery  at  the  battle 
of  Germantown,  of  whom  of  it  was  said,  '  he  was  always  foremost  when  great  guns 
wcri'  in  (piestion,'  was  a  meiiilicr  of  the  same  Church.  .lohn  lirown,  of  Providence, 
\i.  I.,  lu'other  to  Xi<-holas,  and  a  firm  ]ia])tist,  owned  twenty  vessels  liable  to  destruc- 
tion iiy  the  enemy.  In  1772,  when  the  British  war  vessel  Gaxjxe  entered  Xarra- 
ganset  Bay.  to  enforce  l>ritish  revenue  customs,  she  ran  aground,  whereupon  J>rown 
sent  eight  boats.  aniic(l  by  sixty-four  miMi.  iinilci'  the  command  of  Abraliani  \Vliij)- 
ple,  oiu'  of  his  shijvmasters,  to  destroy  her.  On  opening  tire  Lieutenant  Duddington 
was  wounded,  the  rest  of  the  oliicers  and  crew  left,  and  the  Gasjjee  was  blown  up. 
It  has  been  said  that  *  this  was  the  first  British  blood  shed  in  the  AVar  of  Indepen- 
dence.' AVe  have  another  great  patriot  in  the  person  of  .John  Hart,  who  was  a  rejj- 
resentative  of  New  .Icrsey  in  the  Continental  Congress,  and  signed  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.  ()n  the  'i;!(l  of  October,  1770,  he  had  taken  a  leading  part  in  pass- 
ing the  following  resolution  in  the  New  Jersey  Assembly:  'That  no  further  pro- 
vision be  made  foi-  the  su]iply  of  His  AFajesty's  trooj)s  stationed  in  this  colony." 
This  resolution  startled  the  people,  and  the  Governor  threatened  the  Assembly  so 
seriously  that  it  annulled  this  action  and  voted  toUd  for  the  use  of  the  army.  Hart 
stood  tirm,  voted  against  reconsideration,  and  in  April,  1771,  sustained  the  resolu- 
tion, which  was  passed  the  .second  time.  He  was  elected  Speaker  of  the  Xew  Jersey 
Assembly  after  that  State  had  declared  itself  free,  and  he  was  hunted  as  an  arrant 
traitor.  The  Legislature  was  oltliged  to  tlee  from  place  to  place,  its  meuibers  hiding 
themselves  as  best  they  could,  and  (Tovernor  Parker  says  that  when  Hart  returned 
to  visit  his  home  he  found  it  deserted;  'the  hcidth  of  his  wife,  to  whom  he  was 
devotedly  attaciied,  impaired  l)y  the  cares  of  a  large  family  ami  the  alarm  created 
by  the  near  approach  of  the  Hessians,  had  given  way,  and  she  died  in  the  absence 
of  her  husband.  His  children  had  i^ed,  and  were  concealed  in  various  places  in  the 
mountains.  His  crops  had  been  consumed  by  the  enemy,  and  his  stock  driven  away. 
He  was  compelled  to  fly  to  save  his  life,  and  for  weeks  he  was  a  fugitive,  hunted 
from  house  to  house,  wandering  through  the  forests  and  sleeping  in  caves.'  A\'^heD 
Washington  crossed  the  Delaware,  iu  the  snow  and  hail  and  rain  of  that  immortal 
night,  December  25th,  177G,  and  found  himself  and  his  little  band  of  heroes 
safe  in  Trenton  the  lU'Xt  mornimr,  honest  John  Hart  came  forth  from  his  hiding 
place,  convened  the  Legislature  for  January  22d,  1777,  and  held  his  tidelity  till  liis 
death,  full  of  years  and  honors.  He  executed  a  deed  to  the  Baptist  Church 
at  Hopewell,  in  1771,  giving  the  land  on  which  their  meeting-house  is  built, 
and    led    in    the    erection    of    the    building    where    he   and   his    family   worshijied 


JOHN  BART.  79S 

God.  On  July  -1-tli,  lSt)5,  the  Statu  of  New  Jersey  erected  a  beautiful  inuiiu- 
iiient,  of  Quiiu-y  granite,  over  his  bones  at  IIoi)e\vell.  lie  is  represented  as  being 
tall  and  very  prepossessing  in  person,  very  kind  in  his  disposition,  and  he  made  a 
great  favorite  of  his  negro  servant,  Jack.  Jack  cotnniitted  larceny  on  some  of  his 
master's  goods  in  his  absence,  and  many  wished  Hart  to  punish  hiiu  ;  but  he  said  that, 
as  he  had  confided  all  his  movables  to  Jack's  care,  he  must  let  the  offense  pass  as  a 
breach  of  trust.  AVheii  he  was  secreted  in  the  Sourland  Mountains,  in  1776,  he 
rested  where  lie  could  in  the  day-time,  and  slept  at  night  in  an  init-house,  with 
his  companion,  tiie  family  dog.  A  marginal  note  on  the  journal  of  the  Legislatui-e 
for  ITT'J,  and  the  probate  of  his  will,  sliow  that  he  died  in  that  year;  the  lirt-t  of 
these  being  May  lltli,  and  the  last  May  23d. 

These  few  instances  show  the  general  tone  of  American  patriotism  amongst 
tlie  American  Baptists,  for  their  ranks  were  almost  unbroken  on  this  subject. 
Judge  Curwen  was  an  ardent  Tory ;  he  mentions  926  persons  of  note  who  sym. 
pathi/.ed  with  the  British,  and  a  still  more  numerous  array  of  Tories  exiled  by  Colo- 
nial law;  but,  so  far  as  is  known,  there  is  not  the  name  of  one  Baptist  on  the  list.  ^ 
Most  of  the  officials  of  Rhode  Island  and  about  two  fifths  of  her  people  were  Bap- 
tists. In  176J:  she  formed  a  Committee  of  Correspondence,  whose  design  it  was  to 
secure  the  co-oj^eratiou  of  the  other  Colonies  in  maintaining  their  liberties.  This 
chapter  may  well  close  with  a  brief  notice  of  several  Baptist  ministers  who  served 
as  chaplains,  for  out  of  twenty-one  whose  names  are  now  known,  six  of  them,  or 
nearly  one  third  of  the  numljer,  were  our  own  bi-ethren,  who  rendered  marked  serv- 
ice, some  of  them  being  of  national  re]nitation  and  influence.  Mention  may  be 
made  of : 

Hezekiah  Smth,  D.D.,  of  Haverhill,  Mass.  He  entered  the  army  in  177<), 
and  so  noted  did  he  become  as  a  patriot  that  he  not  only  attracted  the  notice  of 
Washington,  but  became  his  personal  friend,  corresponded  freely  with  him  after 
tlie  war,  and  was  visited  by  him  at  Haverhill  in  1789.  Smith  set  an  example  of 
bravery  to  tlie  soldiers  in  battle,  as  well  as  of  devotion  to  their  country  and  purity 
of  character.  His  recently  published  journal  throws  considerable  light  upon  the 
movements  of  Gates  in  foiling  Burgoyne's  attempt  to  join  Clinton,  and  on  his  ovei-- 
throw  at  Stillwater  and  Saratoga.     We  have  already  spoken  of 

Rev.  John  Gang,  who  was  a  patriot  of  tlie  best  order,  as  well  as  a  noble  pastor. 
He  began  his  services  in  the  army  in  Clinton's  New  York  Brigade,  and  was  inde- 
fatiirable  in  aiiimatin<r  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Chatterton's  Hill.  The  arniv 
was  in  something  of  a  panic,  and  with  cool  courage  he  took  his  post  in  what  seemed 
a  forlorn  hope.  Many  w^ere  abandoning  tlieir  guns  and  flying  without  firing  a  shot, 
so  that  a  mere  handful  were  holding  their  ground  when  he  sprang  to  the  front. 
He  states  that  lie  knew  his  station  in  time  of  action  to  be  with  the  surgeons,  and  he 
half  apologizes  for  his  daring,  saying  :  •  In  this  battle  I  somehow  got  to  the  front  of 
the  regiment,  yet  I  durst  not  quit  my  place  for  fear    of  dampening   the  spirits  of 


794  liAI'lIST    ill.\l-I..\L\S. 

tlie  soldier!,  or  hriiiijiiii:;  on  iiiy.-c'll'  an  inii)iit;iti(>n  of  (cowardice.'  lie  was  at  Fort 
Montji'oniery  wlieii  it  was  taken  by  Btorni,  but  knew  iiotliini^  of  fear.  Webb,  War- 
ren, Hall  and  Wiishinifton  were  all  his  personal  friends.  An  iiiterestini;  incident  in 
liis  eliaiilaincv  is  related  bv  Kuttenbeer,  in  his  ■  History  <jf  N.'ewl)uri;.'  .Xews  was 
received  that  hd.-tilitic'.-  had  cea.sed  and  that  the  preliminary  articles  of  peace  were 
settled;  and  on  .\pi-il  IHth,  17S3,  Washington  proclaimed  peace  from  the  'New 
r.nilding,'  and  called  on  the  chaplains  with  the  several  brigades  to  render  thaidcs  to 
(idd.  IJofh  lianks  of  the  lIiidMiii  were  lined  by  the  patriot  hosts,  with  dniiii  and 
life,  bui-nishcd  ai'iiis  anil  llnatiiii;-  baniiei's.  At  hi^li  noon  thirteen  iruns  from  l'"ort 
I'ntnam  awoke  the  echoes  of  the  Highlands,  ami  the  army  tired  a  volley.  At  that 
moment  the  hosts  of  fi-ee<lom  i)o\ved  before  (iod  in  ])rayer,  after  which  a  hymn  of 
t  hanksgivinij  Ihiated   fi-mn  all  xoici-s  to  tlu'   iMci'iial  throne.     This  building  was  not 

Washington's  lirad-ijuartt-rs.  but  was  a  lai'ge  i- n    for  public  assfndilies,  sometimes 

called  the  'Temple,"  located  in  New  AVindsor,  between  Xewburg  and  West  Point. 
Thatcher  savs  in  his  -.lournar  that  when  this  touching  scene  occuri'ed  the  proclama- 
tion made  from  \\\v  steps  was  followed  by  thi-ee  huzzas,  then  |M-ayer  was  olfcred  to 
the  Almighty  Kuler  of  the  world  l)y  Kev.  .Iiui.\  (Jano.  and  an  anthem  was  per- 
formed by  voices  and  instruments.  AffiT  these  services  the  army  returned  to 
ipiarters  and  s|)ent  the  day  in  suitable  fe>tivitic>s.  Then,  at  sundown,  the  signal  gun 
of  Fort  Putnam  c;dle<l  the  soldiers  to  arms  and  another  volley  of  joy  rang  all  along 
the  line.  This  was  three  times  repeated,  cannon  discharges  followed  wirh  the  flash- 
ing of  thousaiuls  of  firearms,  and  the  !)t'acons  from  the  hill-top<.  no  longer  'harbin- 
gers of  dangei-,'  lighted  up  the  gloom  and  rolled  on  the  tidings  of  ])(>ace  through 
New  Enghuul  and  sIumI  their  radiance  on  tlie  blood-stained  field  of  Lexington.^ 
Every  pati-iotic  Christian  heart  in  the  nation  JimiumI  in  the  thanksgiving  to  which 
this  patriot  i!apti>t  pastor  gave  exjiression  in  the  presence  of  his  immortal  Vom- 
niander-in-chiei'. 

liKV.  David  JoxKs,  born  in  Delawari',  May  12tli.  ITofi.  was  another  eminent  Bap- 
tist chaplain,  lie  had  been  a  student  at  tljc  Hopewell  Academy  for  three  years, 
pastor  at  Freehold,  X.  .1.,  and  missionary  to  the  Shawni'c  and  Delaware  Indians. 
At  the  outbreak  of  thi'  war,  however,  he  was  ]iastor  at  Great  ^'alley,  Chester 
County,  Pa.  He  was  a  bold  and  original  tliiid<er,  and  had  highly  offended  many 
Tories  in  New  Jersey  by  the  free  utterance  of  his  Whig  sentiments.  The  (Conti- 
nental Congress  appointed  a  day  of  fasting  and  jn'ayer  in  Iti"."),  when  he  preached  a 
powerful  sermon  in  defense  of  the  war  to  Colonel  Dewee's  regiment,  which  exerted 
a  powerful  influence  on  the  public  mind  when  printed.  He  became  Chaplain  to 
Colonel  St.  Clair's  regiment  in  1776,  and  greatly  aroused  the  patriotism  of  the  sol- 
diers in  a  sermoti  just  before  the  conflict  at  Ticonderoga.  He  served  also  nnder 
Gates  and  Wayne,  and  was  so  heroic  that  General  Howe  offered  a  reward  for  his 
capture,  and  one  or  more  plots  were  laid  to  secure  him,  but  failed.  He  preached 
to  the  army  at  A'alley  Forge,  when   the  news  came  that   France    had   recognized 


nAPrrsT  chaplains.  798 

American  iiidepeiidciice.  It  seein.s  to  have  been  liis  eustuin  to  preach  as  often  as 
possible  before  going  into  battle,  and  lie  remained  in  the  aiiny  until  the  surrender 
of  Cornwallis,  at  Ydrktnwn.  AN'^lien  Wiiynewas  sent  against  the  Indians,  in  1794  '.'•'), 
he  accompanied  him  as  chaplain,  and  again  in  the  same  capacity  he  went  through 
the  war  with  liritaiii  in  Isli'.  under  Cienerals  Brown  and  Wilkinsdn.  lie  was  the 
father  of  Horatio  Gates  J(;nes,  I).  I).,  and  grandfather  (.)f  the  present  lli.iii.  Horatio 
Gates  Jones,  of  Philadelphia. 

Rev.  "William  Vanhorn  was  another  r)a|)ti.-t  chajilain  of  note.  His  educa- 
tion had  l)een  committed  to  Dr.  Samut'l  Jones,  of  Lower  DiiliHn,  Pa.,  and  for  thir- 
teen years  lie  was  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Southampton,  in  tiiat  State.  His  life  in 
the  army  appears  to  have  been  marked  by  consistency,  piety  and  industry,  rather 
than  by  stirring  acts  of  enterprise  and  daring.  For  twenty-one  years  he  was  pastor 
of  tiie  Church  at  Scotch  Plains,  X.  J.,  where  he  closet!  Ins  useful  life  greatly  be- 
loved by  his  flock. 

IvEV.  Charlks  Tuompsox  ranked  equally  with  his  fellow-chaplains  as  a  man  of 
culture  and  vigor.  He  was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  171S,  and  was  the  valedictorian 
of  the  first  class  which  graduated  from  Rhode  Island  College  nndei'  the  Fresidencv 
of  L)r.  Manning,  numbering  seven,  m  1769;  he  also  succeeded  the  doctor  as  ])astor 
at  Warren.  There  he  l)a])tized  Di'.  AVilliam  Williams,  one  of  his  classmates, 
who  afterwards  established  the  Academy  at  Wrentham.  In  1778  the  meet- 
ing-house and  parsonage  at  Warivn  were  burned  by  the  Bi-itish  and  Hessian  ti'oops, 
and  Thompxin  entered  the  American  army  as  cha])lain.  where  he  served  for  three 
years.  He  was  a  thorough  scliolar  and  a  finished  gentleman,  winning  great  distinc- 
tion in  the  army.  This  expo-ed  him  to  the  special  hatred  of  the  enemy,  who  made 
him  a  j)risoner  of  war  and  kt'pt  him  on  a  guard-ship  at  Newport.  He  served  many 
years  as  pastor  at  Swansea,  and  died  of  consumption  in  isuy.  The  last,  and  in  some 
respects  the  most  noted  of  our  ciiaplains,  was 

William  Rogers,  D.D.  He  was  born  in  Rliode  Island  in  1751,  and  graduated 
in  the  same  class  with  Tiiompson.  He  was  the  first  student  received  at  that  college, 
enteriii<r  at  the  agt^  of  fourteen,  and  on  the  day  of  his  graduation  delivered  an  oi'a- 
tion  on  benevolence.  In  177-J  he  became  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church  at 
Philadelphia,  and  had  been  there  three  years  when  Pennsylvania  raised  her  (piota 
of  soldiers  for  that  province;  he  was  first  appointed  chaplain,  and  aftei'wards 
Brigade  Chaplain  in  the  Continental  Army.  In  1778  he  accompanied  General 
Sullivan  in  Ids  expedition  against  the  Six  Xations,  at  the  head  of  3,000  troops  gath- 
ered at  Wyoming.  They  marched  north  to  Tioga  Point,  then  on  the  frontier.  His 
eminent  ability  and  refined  manners  placed  him  on  relations  of  intimate  friendship 
witli  General  Washington,  and  made  him  an  ornament  in  our  Churches.  For  years 
he  served  as  Professor  of  English  and  ( )ratoi-y  in  the  ( 'ollege  of  Philadelphia  and  in 
the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  In  battle,  in  camp,  in  hospitals  (jr  in  the  pulpit 
and  the  professor's  chair  he  was  alike  at  home,  and  a  blessing  to  all  around  him. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

THE    AMERICAN     BAPTISTS    AND    CONSTITUTIONAL     LIBEHTY. 

DR.  LKOX.MH)  l^ACOX  writes  of  the  JJapti.sts  in  lii.s  '  Xew  EiijrkiKl  Tlie- 
iMTacy  "  iliiis:  '  It  lias;  been  claimed  fui-  tliesc  Cimrclies  tliat  t'roin  tlie  age  of 
tlie  Kefoniiation  diiward  tliey  liave  been  always  foremost  and  always  consistent  in 
maintainini;-  llic  doctrine  nf  rcli;;'ions  liijerty.  Let  me  not  be  nnder.<tood  as  calling 
in  (question  their  right  to  so  great  an  honor."'  Ihit  until  the  American  Kevolutioii 
they  had  scant  means,  comparatively,  to  demonstrate  the  practical  soundness  of  this 
claim.  'W't  whc'n  the  Held  was  Ojien  for  experimental  pr(jof  that  it  was  well 
foniidcd,  they  were  nut  fiinnd  faithh>s  in  their  I'elations  lither  to  the  tree  constitu- 
tions of  the  several  States  or  to  that  of  the  United  States.  They  had  little  to  hope 
from  most  of  their  fellow-colonists,  who  had  gone  to  the  verge  of  their  power  in 
using  all  social  and  legal  forces  to  persecute  and  destroy  them  as  a  religious  iwdy, 
and  that  pliasi^  tif  the  (|nesliiiii  was  solenndy  cdnsidei'ed  bythiMn.  When  1  )r.  Samuel 
Jones  went  as  one  of  their  committee  to  present  their  appeal  to  the  Continental 
Congress  he  said:  '  It  seemetl  nnreasDnalde  to  lis  that  we  should  be  called  to  stand 
up  with  them  in  tlefense  itf  liberty,  if,  after  all,  it  was  to  be  a  liberty  for  one  ]iarty 
to  ojiprcss  another."  The  little  Baptist  coltjuy  of  Kliode  Island  had  mon,'  to  lose  and 
less  to  gain  i>y  i-evohitioii  than  any  of  her  twelve  sister  colonies.  Unlike  .Massachu- 
setts and  \'irginia,  she  had  no  (Tovernor  a])pointed  by  the  Crown,  who  could  veto 
her  acts  of  legislation.  Baticroft  tells  us  that  this  State  enjoyed  after  the  revolu- 
tion,- "a  form  of  government  under  its  chai'ter  so  thoroui;'hly  ri'|)ublican  that  no 
change  was  re(piired  beyond  a  renunciation  of  the  King's  name,  in  the  style  of  its 
public  acts."  Uevolutit)!!  woidd  imperil  her  largest  liberties,  while  complete  success 
in  the  attem])t  to  secure  independence  of  Britain  would  add  little  to  the  rights 
whicli  she  already  possessed.  But  should  she  be  compiered  she  must  relinquish  even 
these,  for  the  Crown  woidd  appoint  her  a  (iovernor  and  control  her  legislation,  at 
least  by  the  ])ower  of  the  veto. 

Yet  no  selfish  consideration  of  this  sort  weighed  with  the  Baptists  of  Rhode 
Island.  They  saw  their  brethren  of  other  colonies  oppressed  more  than  they  were, 
and  as  their  own  love  i<(  lil>erty  was  a  gemune  growth,  tlu'V  demanded  it  as  the  birth- 
right of  all.  Hence,  they  were  as  ready  at  once  to  resist  encroachment  upon  the 
civil  liberties  of  all  the  colonies  as  they  had  been  to  defy  the  unjust  exactions  of  a 
spiritual  tyranny  u])ou  themselves.  They,  therefore,  carried  with  them  into  the 
struggle  against  civil  oppression  the  same  spirit  which  liad  moved  them  in   resisting 


nilODK   IS/.AXI)    .l.V/>    VIHGIMA.  797 

:ill  ('iicroacliint'iit  iiixm  tliu  liberties  of  tiic  >(Hil.  Two  I'lioiitlis  before  the  Declara- 
tion of  Jndepeiiiieiiee.  and  tliirty-two  days  before  \'irginia  renounced  allef^iance  to 
tlie  Crown,  Rhode  Island  repudiated  all  allegiance  to  George  HI.,  May  -Ith,  1776  ; 
and  iniinediately  after  the  retreat  of  General  Gage  from  Concord  and  Lexington, 
iier  Legislature  voted  to  send  1,50(1  men  to  rhe  scene  of  conflict.  It  is,  tlierefore.  a  sig- 
nificant testimony  to  tlie  character  of  the  teaching  of  Williams  and  Clarke  that  the 
boon  which  they  had  given  the  Khode  Islanders,  flrst  the  town  meeting  and  then 
the  Colonial  Assembly  shorn  of  all  power  to  touch  the  question  of  'conscience' 
and  shut  up  to  'civil  tilings,'  shduld  in  the  next  century  have  l)orne  such  good  fruit. 
Nearly  live  generations  had  passed  since  the  colony  was  first  planted,  and  now  it 
was  willing  to  imperil  its  own  religious  freedom  in  order  to  advance  the  political 
liberties  of  other  communities.  This  brought  no  small  strain  upon  its  unselflsh 
patriotism. 

The  Baptists  of  Virginia  took  an  equally  resolute  step  in  favDi-  of  independ- 
ence, but  though  under  different  circumstances,  not  a  jot  less  honorable.  Not- 
withstanding their  persecutions  by  the  Colony  itself,  the  moment  that  the  State 
Convention  met  to  determine  the  duty  of  the  Colony,  sixty  Baptist  Churches  said 
to  this  civil  body  :  Strike  the  blow  !  '  Make  military  resistance  to  Great  Britain,  in 
her  unjust  invasion,  tyrannical  oppression  and  repeated  hostilities,'  and  we  will  sus- 
tain you,  ministers  and  people.  Virginia  had  no  sympathy  with  Puritanism, 
and  in  her  old  devotion  to  the  Stuarts  had  refused  to  recognize  the  authority 
of  the  Commonwealth.  Fur  this  Massachusetts  had  prohibited  all  intercoui-se 
with  her,  and  under  the  administration  of  George  III.,  when  Patrick  Henry  in- 
troduced his  famous  Fifth  Resolution  into  the  Virginia  Legislature,  containing 
the  doctrine  of  revolution,  denouncing  the  Stamp  Act,  and  refusing  taxation 
without  representation,  the  leading  men  of  tluit  l)ody  cried  with  horror,  '  Trea- 
son I  treason!'  Campbell,  in  liis  history  of  Virginia,  says:  'Speaker  Robinson, 
Peyton  Randolph,  Richard  Bland,  Edward  Pendleton,  George  "Wythe,  and 
all  the  leaders  in  the  House  and  proprietors  of  large  estates  made  a  strenuous 
resistance.'  ^  True,  the  wonderful  eloquence  of  Henry  secured  a  majority  for  the 
resolution,  but  the  men  who  voted  for  it  were  so  alarmed  by  the  cry  of  treason 
which  it  provoked  that  the  next  day  they  secured  its  erasure  from  the  i-ecords.  One 
of  the  paradoxes  of  American  histor^^  has  been  that,  despite  the  sentiment  of  many 
of  its  leading  men  thus  loyal  to  the  Crown,  Virginia  should  have  finally  taken  front 
rank  amongst  the  revolting  colonies. 

Jefferson,  in  his  '  Notes  on  Virginia,'  incidentally  supplies  the  clue  to  this  prob- 
lem. He  states  that  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution  two-thirds  of  her  population  had 
become  Dissenters ;  for  the  most  part  they  were  Quakers,  Presbyterians  and  Bap- 
tists. By  the  intolerable  sufferings  and  indefatigable  labors  of  the  Baptist  preach- 
ers they  had  cherished  and  diffused  their  own  love  of  liberty  throughout  the  whole 
colon}'  for  half  a   century.      Their  memorial  to   the  Convention   had  deeper  root 


798  rill-:  iiM'Tisrs  am)  the  viiicima   convention. 

tlian  tilt'  feoliiiii'  nf  the  lidur;  it  «a>  i;romHlcd  in  tliusu  cvaiiirelical  oonvietions 
wliicli  wen;  sliiircd  l)_v  ;i  iiiaj<>rity  nf  ihc  ijcuplc  df  N'ir^inia.  Tliat  N'iriiiiiia  cast 
lnT  liiivalisi  aiitcccHlents  aside  and  lovallv  opoiix-d  liie  cause  of  tlic  rcvdliitioii  was 
largely  due  to  the  fact  that  Itaptist  siillcriii::-.  iiriMchiiii;-  and  deiiio<-i-atie  |)ractice  had 
(idncated  her  |irii|ilc  lor  the  issue.  Thomas  Jeffursoii,  possibly  an  advanced  Unita- 
rian ;  l^lIl■i(•l^  Henry,  a  devout  Pi-eshytei-ian  :  aiul  James  Madison,  thought  to  be  ii 
lilicral  l\|)i><'o|i:dian,  felt  the  tlii-oli  of  t  he  pulilic  heart,  saw  that  its  patriotism  was 
founded  \\\i><\\  religions  convietioii.  and.  like  wise  men,  instiad  of  stemmiuir  the 
sti'ong  li(k'  they  gave  it  tlieii-  leadership,  under  which  it  swept  on,  not withstaiidinir 
the  upjiosition  of  English  rectors  and  the  entangling  traditions  of  a  grinding  hier- 
archy. The  l>a])tists  of  \'irginia,  however,  did  not  rush  hastily  into  this  sti-nirgle. 
no|- were  they  without  a  detinite  purpose;  tlu-y  counted  the  (-ost  and  anticij)ated  the 
legitimate  result  of  their  ]iosition.  The  records  of  the  ( 'olonial  ('(invention,  .Iiine 
'Ji»th.  ITT*!,  say  that  : 

*  A  petition  of  sundry  ]iersons  of  the  Baptist  CInirch,  in  the  County  of  Prince 
AVilliam,  wliose  names  are  thereunto  subscn-ibed,  was  presented  to  the  Convention 
and  read,  setting  forth  that  at  a  time  when  this  colony,  with  the  others,  is  contend- 
ing for  the  civil  I'ights  of  inaidcind,  against  the  enslaving  sciiemes  of  a  powerful 
enemy,  they  are  persuadi'd  the  strictest  unanimity  is  necessary  among  ourselve.^ ; 
and  that  ('very  remaiin'ng  cause  of  division  may,  if  possible,  i)e  removed,  they  thiidc 
it  their  duty  to  petition  for  the  following  religiotis  privileges,  which  they  have  not 
yet  been  indulged  with  in  this  ])art  of  the  world,  to  wit  : 

'That  they  l)e  allowed  to  worship  Cod  in  their  own  way,  without  interru])tion  ; 
that  they  be  permitted  to  maintain  their  own  ministers  and  none  others;  that  they 
may  be  married,  Iniried  and  the  like  without  |)aying  the  clergy  of  other  denomina- 
tions ;  that,  t/icxe  thin f/x  f/ra?it{'d,  they  will  gladly  unite  with  their  lirethren.  and  to 
the  utmost  of  their  ability  promote  the  common  cause. 

Oi'dcred,  that  the  said  ])etition  be  I'cferi-ed  to  tlie  Committee  of  Pi-opositions 
and  (iric^vances  ;  that  they  in(pure  into  the  allegations  thereof  and  report  the  same;, 
witli  their  (.>piiuons  thereupon,  to  the  Convention.' 

The  Baptists  concealed  nothing.  For  full  lilun'ty,  civil  and  religious,  they  were 
ready  to  give  their  lives  and  all  that  they  had,  but  for  less  they  would  risk  nothing: 
they  nnght  as  well  he  the  civil  vassals  of  Pritain  as  the  I'cligious  vassals  of  a  n'public 
in  Virginia.  This  was  understood  all  around,  and  hence  they  kept  influential  com- 
missioners in  constatit  attendance  on  the  Legislature  and  Conventions  of  the  State, 
from  the  beginning  to  the  close  of  the  struggle  for  perfect  religious  freedom;  or, 
as  Bishop  ]\Ieade  expresses  it,  when  their  full  i-ights  were  secureil  :  •  The  warfare 
begun  by  tlie  Baptists  seven  and  twenty  years  before  M'as  now  finished." 

They  had  a  great  advantage  in  the  fact  that  the  three  men  who  were  tlie  most 
prominently  identified  with  the  Kevolutionary  cause  in  Virginia  espoused  their 
cause  and  co-operated  with  tluMii — Jefferson.  Henry  and  Madison.  This  was  not 
due,  perhaps,  on  their  part,  to  the  same  deep  religious  conviction  whicli  actuated  the 
P)aptists.  But  in  tlieir  immense  breadth  of  mind,  logical  adherence  to  conclusions 
drawn  from   those  premises  which  justitied  the  Kevolution,  brought  these  mighty 


jEFFEESoy  Axn  Tiih:  rrnaixr.i  haptists.  799 

iiu'ii  to  the  s{iiii(>  positions.  Jcffcrsoii  coiiiprelu'iiiicil  IJaptist  ;iiin>  perteetly,  for 
lie  was  in  iii'i-pftua!  intercourse  witii  their  icadiiii;'  ini'ii.  and  tliey  intrusted  him  witii 
the  fliarge  of  riieir  public  documonts.  His  niotiiur  was  an  t]piscopalian,  but  liis 
favorite  aunt,  licr  sister.  Mrs.  Woodson,  was  a  llaptist.  These  two  sisters  M'ere  the 
daughters  of  i^liain  iiaiiilolj)ii,  ^[rs.  Woodson  residiny-  in  (ioocliland  County. 
Wiien  vouni:'  lie  loved  to  visit  her  house  and  accompany  hei-  to  the  I!a|itist  Church, 
of  which  she  and  her  husband  were  uienii)ers.  It  is  thi'ough  tlie  members  of  his  uncle's 
and  aunt's  family,  as  well  as  through  tlu^  Madisons.  that  the  tradition  has  come 
down  that  he  caught  his  first  views  of  a  democratic  form  of  government  while 
attending  these  meetings.  A  letter  lies  befoi-e  the  writer  from  Mrs.  O.  P.  Moss,  of 
Missouri,  whose  husband  was  a  direct  descendant  of  the  Woodson  family  ;  his 
mother  knew  Jeii'ersoii  intimately,  and  has  kept  the  tradition  alive  in  the  family. 
She  says  that  'when  grown  to  manhood  these  impressions  became  so  fixed  that  upon 
them  he  formulated  the  plan  of  a  free  government  and  based  the  Declaration  of 
Independence.'  Jefferson  himself  speaks  of  his  close  intimacy  with  the  Baptists  in 
the  following  epistle,  already  referred  to  in  Chapter  VIII  : 

'To  the  membei's  of  the  Baptist  Church  of  Buck  ^lountain,  in  Alliemarle  ; 
Monticello,  April  13th,  1809: 

'  I  thank  you.  my  friends  and  neighbors,  for  your  kind  congratulations  on  my 
return  to  my  native  home,  and  of  the  opportunities  it  will  give  me  of  enjoying, 
amidst  your  affections,  the  comforts  of  retii-cment  and  rest.  Your  approbation  of 
ni}'  conduct  is  the  more  valued  as  you  have  best  known  me,  and  is  an  ample  reward 
for  any  services  T  may  have  rendered.  We  have  acted  together  from  the  origin  to 
the  end  of  a  memorable  revohitioii,  and  we  have  contributed,  each  in  tlie  line  allotted 
to  U.S.  our  endeavors  to  render  its  issues  a  ])ermanent  blessing  to  our  country.  That 
our  social  intercourse  may,  to  the  evening  of  our  days,  lie  cheered  and  cemented  by 
witnessing  the  freedom  and  happiness  for  which  we  have  labored,  will  be  my  con- 
stant prayer.     Accept  the  offering  of   my  affectionate  esteem  and  respect.'  ■• 

Elder  John  Lcland  speaks  of  his  intimacy  with  Jefferson.  In  his  Address  on  an 
Elective  Judiciary,  he  found  it  necessary  to  repel  certain  charges  against  his  heau  ideal 
statesman,  and  says  :  '  I  lived  in  Virginia,  from  December  1776,  until  April,  1791, 
not  far  from  iMonticello  ;  yet  I  never  heard  a  syllable  of  either  of  these  crimes.'^ 
There  was  a  oneness  of  views  and  a  mutual  esteem  in  all  that  relates  to  religious 
liberty  between  him  and  the  Baptists.  John  Leland  was  in  constant  communication 
with  him  on  this  subject,  and  he  only  spoke  their  sentiments  when  he  said  of  Jeft'ei'- 
son,  that  '  By  his  writing  and  administration,  he  has  justly  acquired  the  title  of  the 
Apostle  of  Liberty.'  The  replies  of  Jefferson  to  three  Baptist  Associations,  and  to 
the  Baptists  of  Virginia  in  General  Meeting  assembled,  speak  of  the  satisfaction 
which  the  review  of  his  times  gave  him.  in  remembering  his  long  and  earnest  co- 
operation with  them  in  achieving  the  religious  freedom  of  America. 

Early  in  Ins  life  Patrick  Henry  evinced  his  deep  sympathj'  with  them  on  the 
same  point,  for  Semple  says  of  the  immortal  patriot  and  orator  and  of  the  eft'orts  to 
attain  full  liberty  of  conscience: 


800  I'A  THICK   IIEyiiV   A\D    Till:  ISM'TISTS. 

'  Tt  was  ill  in;ikiiii;  those  :ittciiii)ts  tliat  tliey  wei-c  su  fortunate  as  to  interest  in 
their  Itelialf  till- celehratrfl  Patrick  lleni-y;  l)eiii>r  ahvavs  tlie  friend  of  iiiferty.  lie 
only  nt'eiii'd  to  he  int'oi-iiie(i  of  their  opjyression — witlioiit  iie?-itation,  lie  stopped  for- 
ward to  tiieir  i-elief.  I'VcJiii  that  time,  until  the  day  of  their  complete  emancipation 
from  the  sliackles  of  tvrami\',  the  Baptists  found  in  Patrick  Ilenrv  an  unwavering 
friend."' 

it  is  >nppo.-i'd  that  he  drew  uj)  tlie  nohle  petition  of  the  i'reshytery  uf  Hanover, 

addressed  to  tlie  Virginia  Colonial  Convention,  in  favor  of  reliirious  liberty.  Oct.  7tli, 

I  77*i.  and  if  he  did,  it  is  enough  to  rendt-r  his  name  immortal,  for  im  ahler  document 

on    tin;   subject   was  ever   submitted    to   that   or  any  other  body.       William    Wirt 

Ilenrv,  his  <>-randsoii,  claims,  that  his  renowned  ancestor  was  tlie  real  author  of  the 

sixteenth  section  of  the  Virginia  ]5ill  of  Eights,  which  guarantees  perfect  religious 

libertv.      (ieorge  l\rason,  Kdmuiid   Kainlolph  and    I'atrick    Henry  were  all   mend)ei's 

of  the  Committee  that    frame(l   it;  and  Kainlolph  says,  that  when  Mason  subnutted 

his  draft  for  the  consideration  of  the  (Joinniittee.  he  had  not  made  ])roper  provisions 

for   religious   libertv.     Whereupon,  Patrick  Henry  proposed   tlie   lifteenth  and  si.\- 

teentli  sections  in  these  words: 

'Thtit  no  free  government,  or  the  blessings  of  liberty,  c;in  be  preserved  to  any 
people  but  by  a  iirm  adherence  to  justice,  moderation,  temperance,  frugality,  and 
virtue,  and  by  fre(iuent  recurrence  to  fundamental  principles.  That  religion,  or  the 
dufv  we  owe  to  our  Creator  and  the  manner  of  discharging  it,  can  be  directed  only 
I)V  reason  and  conviction,  and  not  by  fonte  or  violence ;  and,  therefore,  that  all  men 
should  enjoy  the  fullest  tol(>ration  in  tiie  exercise  of  riiligion,  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  conscience,  unpunished  and  unrestrained  by  the  magistrates,  unles.?,  under 
the  color  of  religion,  any  man  disturb  the  peace,  the  ha])piness,  or  the  safety  of  so- 
ciety ;  and  that  it  is  the  mutual  duty  of  all  to  practice  Christian  forbearance,  love, 
and  charity  toward  each  other.' 

Mr.  Madison,  however,  who  was  also  a  member  of  the  Committee,  detected  seri- 
ous danger  lurking  in  the  word  '  toleration,"  and  moveii  this  amendment,  which 
was   adopted,  first  by  the  Committee,  and  on   ISfay  H.  177<">.  by  the  Convention: 

'That  religion,  or  the  duty  which  we  owe  to  our  Creator,  and  the  manner  of 
discharging  it,  can  be  directed  only  by  reason  and  conviction,  not  by  force  or  vio- 
lence ;  ami  therefore  all  men  are  equally  entitled  to  the  free  exercise  of  religion  ac- 
cording to  the  dictates  of  conscience;  and  that  it  is  the  mutual  duty  of  all  to 
practice  C'hristian  forbearance,  love  and  charity  toward  each  other.' 

Jefferson  was  not  in  the  Convention  which  framed  this  Bill,  but  nine  years 
afterwards  he  served  on  a  Committee  of  the  (Tcneral  Assembly  to  revise  the  laws 
for  the  new  State,  when  he  submitted  the  following,  which  was  adopted,  Dec.  16, 
1785,  and  is  still  tlu'  fundamental  law  of  Virginia. 

'  An  Act  to  establish  Religious  Freedom  : ' 

'  Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly.  That  no  man  shall  be  compelled  to 
frequent  or  support  any  religious  worship,  place,  or  ministry  whatsoever,  nor  sliall 
be  enforced,  restrained,  molested,  or  burthened  in  his  body  or  goods,  nor  shall  other- 
wise suffer  on  account  of  his  religious  opinions  or  belief ;  but  that  all  men  shall  be 
free  to  profess  and  l)y  argument  to  maintain  their  opinions  in  matters  of  religion, 
:md  that  the  same  shall  in  no  wise  diminish,  enlarge,  or  affect  their  civil  capacities." 


JAMES  MADISON  AND    THE  nAPTrsrS.  80 1 

James  Madison  liad  as  close  relationship  to  the  Baptists  as  his  two  illustrious 
peers,  and  made  himself  intimately  acquainted  with  their  radical  views  on  the  sub- 
ject of  religious  equality.  Honest  John  Leland  says  of  him  :  '  From  achild,  he  was 
a  pattern  of  sobriety,  sturdy  and  inflexilile  justice.  From  an  inthnate  acquainiancfi 
vyith  him,  I  feel  satisfied  that  all  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  for  a  l)ril>e,  would  not 
buy  a  single  vote  of  him.  A  saying  of  his  is  fresh  in  my  memory  :  ''  It  is  ridicu- 
lous for  a  man  to  make  use  of  underhand  means  to  carry  a  point,  although  he  should 
know  the  point  is  a  good  one  ;  it  would  be  doing  evil  that  good  might  come."  This 
saying  of  his  luttei'  describes  tlic  man  than  my  pen  can  do."'  (ieneral  Madison,  his 
brother,  was  a  member  of  a  Baptist  Chuicli,  and  their  family  took  a  deep  interest  in 
the  struggles  of  the  denomination.  James  was  one  of  the  youngest  mend)ers  of 
the  Convention  wliich  adopted  the  I'ill  of  Rights,  and  it  rcfjuired  no  small  judg- 
ment and  ner\e  to  oppose  the  idea  of  '  tol(M'ation  '  on  abstract  princi]il('s  there,  or  to 
support  the  tenet  that  'all  men  are  entitle<l  to  the  free  exercise  of  I'cligion,  accord- 
ing to  their  own  consciences.'  (,)ne  measure  succeeded  another,  in  o])position  to  the 
legally  established  religion  of  Virginia,  in  wliich  the  Baptists  took  the  leading  pai't 
at  times,  and  c>n  some  measures  stood  entii'ely  alone,  until  in  the  niiiin.  through 
tlu^  intluence  of  these  three  great  stiitesmen.  the  last  step  was  takcni  in  1S02;  the 
glebes  were  ordered  to  be  sold  in  ]);iyinent  of  the  public  debt,  on  tlu;  ground  that 
they  had  been  purchased  by  m  public  tax.  and  belonged  to  the  State.  Thus  ended 
the  struggle  for  religious  liberty  in  \'irginia,  and  with  the  disappearance  of  tlie  Es- 
tablished Chui-cli,  the  last  vestige  of  ecclesiastical  tyranny  was  wiped  from  the 
statute-books  of  that  State. 

The  most  worthy  Baptist  writers  have  never  claimed  that  their  Baptist  fathers 
achieved  this  grand  result  alone,  nor  could  such  a  claim  be  sustained.  They  were 
the  mo.st  numerous  body  of  dissenters  in  N'irginia,  and  were  a  unit  in  this  effort, 
l)ut  they  were  earnestly  aide<l  by  all  the  Quakers  and  most  of  the  Presbyterian.*,  as 
lesser  but  influential  bodies.  '  Tories  "  and  '  traitors  '  were  held  at  a  large  discount 
in  both  these  denominations,  and  there  were  few  of  them.  Indeed,  so  far  as  aji- 
pears.  the  twenty-seven  Presbytei-ians  who  met  at  Charlotte.  K.  C..  Viwx.  ITT-"),  to 
represent  the  County  of  Meckleid)urg  in  patriotic  convention,  were  tlie  first 
American  body  which  declared  itself  'a  free  and  independent  people;  (who)  are, 
and  of  right  ought  to  be,  a  sovereign  and  self-governing  association,  under  the;  con- 
trol of  no  power  other  than  that  of  our  Cod  and  the  general  government  of  the 
Congress.'  Besides,  at  that  time,  there  were  good  reasons  why  the  Quaker.?,  Pres- 
byterians and  Baptists  should  stand  tirndy  together  in  favor  of  religious  liberty. 
From  1749,  a  plan  liad  been  oj)enly  pushed  in  England,  to  force  an  American  E])is- 
copate  on  all  the  American  Colonies;  it  excited  the  deepest  alarm  in  all  the  non- 
Episcopal  Churches,  and  did  much  to  f;in  the  revolutionary  flame.  In  1773  the 
'  Quebec  Act,'  to  prevent  Canada  from  uniting  with  the  thirteen  colonies,  had  given 

full  freedom  of  worship  and  right  of  property  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  there. 
52 


802  A.\  AM  Hill  CAN  KPI.SCOPATK. 

Eiiitlaiul  also  enlarged  that  province,  liv  cxIeiKliiiir  its  lines  to  tlie  Mississippi  on  the 
west,  and  tlic  Ohio  on  the  sontli.  so  tiiat  tiie  five  States,  now  nortliwest  of  the  Oliio. 
were  then  ineJuded  in  ('anada.  Most  ol'  the  Pi'otestants  in  the  tliii'teen  colonies  re- 
gardeij  this  a?-  an  Kna;li^h  atleiiipl  to  otalilisli  that  ( 'iinrcli.  As  to  thi>  I'rotestant 
E])iseupate.  (irahani  says,  in  his  'Colonial  History  of  tjje  I'nited  States."     (ii..  I'.'l)  : 

• 'J'he  most  politic  of  all  the  schemes  that  were  at  this  time  proposed  in  the 
Uritish  ("ahiiiet.  was  a  project  of  introdncini;-  an  ecclesiastical  estahlishment.  derived 
from  the  model  of  theChnrch  of  Kn<^land.  and  particularly  the  order  of  the  bishops, 
into  ]S'orth  America.  'I'he  pretext  assi^-ned  fur  this  innovation  was.  that  many  non- 
jnring  clergymen  of  the  Episcopal  persuasion,  attached  to  the  cause  of  the  I'retender, 
had  recently  emigrated  from  Britain  to  America,  and  that  it  was  desirable  to  create 
a  ]>oard  of  ecclesiastical  dignitaries  iVir  the  pui'pose  of  e(jntrolling  their  ])roceedings 
and  counteracting  their  iniluence  ;  hut  doubtless  it  was  intendecL  in  part,  at  least,  to 
answei' the  ends  of  strengthening  royal  prerogative  in  Amei'ica  -of  giving  to  the 
State,  through  the  Ohnrch  of  i'higland.  an  accession  of  infiiience  over  the  colonists — ■ 
and  of  imparting  to  their  institutions  a  greater  degree  of  aristocratical  character  and 
tendency.  The  views  of  the  statesnuni  by  whom  tliis  design  was  entertained  were 
inspired  by  the  suggestions  of  Butler,  Bishop  of  Durham,  and  were  contirnied  and 
seconded  by  St'cker,  Archbisho])  of  (Ainterbury.  and  the  .society  instituted  for  the 
))ro|iagation  of  thi'  (iospel.  This  society  had  ri'ceived  \iiY\  erroneous  impressions  of 
the  religions  character  of  tlu'  iroloiiists  in  general,  i'roiu  some  worthless  and  incapable 
missionaries,  which  it  sent  to  America  ;  and  Seeker,  who  partook  of  these  impres- 
sions, liad  jjromulgated  tliem  from  the  pulpit  in  a  strain  of  vehement  and  presumpt- 
uous invective.  Such  demeanor  l)y  no  means  tended  to  conciliate  the  favor  of  the 
Americans  to  the  proposed  ecclesiastical  establishment.  From  the  intolerance  and 
bitterness  ui  spirit  disclosc'd  by  the  chief  promoters  u{  the  scheme,  it  was  natui'al  to 
forebode  a  total  absence  of  moderation  in  llu'  conduct  of  it." 

This  ini(juitoUs  ]>lan.  added  l<i  all  the  other  ojipi-essioiis  of  iii'itain.  alaianed  New 
England,  for,  as  ,lohn  ,\dams  said  :  "The  objection  was  not  merely  to  the  office  of 
a  bishop,  though  e\en  that  was  dreadeil,  but  to  the  authority  of  Parliament,  on 
whicli  it  must  be  founded.  ...  If  I'arliameiit  can  eivct  dioceses  and  appoint 
bishops,  they  may  introduce  the  whole  hierarchy,  estaljlish  tithes,  forbid  marriages 
and  funerals,  establish  religion,  forbid  dissenters.'  In  1T68,  the  Assembly  of  ^[as- 
sachusetts  appointed  its  Speaker,  Mr.  (^ushing.  James  Otis,  Mr.  Adams.  .John  Han- 
cock and  livi'  others,  a  (Committee  on  the  C\insideratiou  (if  Public  .\lTairs.  In  treat- 
ing of  this  grievance  they  say  to  IMr.  Deberdt.  tlie  agent  of  Massachusetts  in  1-higlaud  : 

■  The  establishment  of  a  Protestant  episcopate  in  America  is  also  very  zealously 
contended  for;  and  it  is  very  alarming  to  a  ])eoplc  whose  fathers,  from  the  hard- 
ships wiiich  they  suffered  under  such  an  establishment,  were  obliged  to  fly  tlieii- 
native  country  into  a  wilderness,  in  order  peaceably  to  enjoy  their  privileges,  civil 
and  religious.  Their  being  threatened  with  loss  of  both  at  once,  must  throw  them 
into  a  disagreeable  situation.  AVe  hope  in  (iod  such  an  establishment  may  never 
take  place  in  America,  and  we  desire  yon  would  strenuously  oppose  it.  The  revc- 
mie  raised  in  America,  for  aught  we  can  tell,  may  be  as  constitutionally  applied  to- 
wards the  support  of  prelacy,  as  of  soldiers  and  pensioners." ' 

It  is  not  needful  to  quote  authorities  to  show  that  Connecticut,  New  York,  and 
New  Jersey  were  specially  excited  on  the  subject,  but  it  may  be  stated  that  Virginia 


VIRGINIA   RESISTED    TUFS  EPISCOPACY.  803 

resented  tlie  aggression  as  warmly  as  any  of  lier  sister  folonifs.  Boucher,  the  Epis- 
copal historian  in  \'irginia,  espoused  the  scheme  warmly,  anil  in  a  sermon  cm  'The 
American  Episco])ate,'  preached  in  Caroline  County,  ^'a.,  in  1771,  says: 

'  The  constitution  of  the  Church  of  England  is  a])proved,  coiilirnie(l  and  adoiited 
liy  our  laws  and  interwoven  with  them.  No  other  form  of  Church  go\ei-nmcnt  tiian 
that  of  the  Church  of  England  would  he  compatible  with  the  form  of  our  civil  govern- 
ment. No  other  c()lony  has  retained  so  large  a  pctrtion  of  the  monarchical  part  of  the 
Britisli  constitution  as  Virginia  ;  and  between  that  attachment  to  monarchy  and  the 
government  of  the  Church  of  England,  there  is  a  strong  connection.  ...  A  ]evellin<' 
republican  spirit  in  the  Church  naturally  leads  to  re])ublicanism  in  the  State;  neither 
of  which  would  hithei'to  have  been  endured  in  this  ancient  dominion.  .  .  .  And 
when  it  is  recollected  that  till  now  the  (Ji)position  to  an  American  e))isco])ate  has 
been  confined  chietly  to  the  denuigogucs  and  independents  of  the  New  England 
provinces,  but  that  it  is  now  espoused  with  much  warmth  by  the  people  of  Virginia, 
it  requires  no  great  depth  of  political  sagacity  to  see  what  tlie  motives  and  views  of 
the  foi'mer  have  been,  or  what  will  be  the  consequences  of  the  defection  of  the  lattci-.'  ^ 

The  tobacco  crop  in  Virginia  was  light  in  1755  and  again  in  1758,  and  the  price 
ran  up.  Debts  had  been  paid  in  that  staple,  but  the  Assembly  decreed  that  tliev 
might  now  be  paid  in  money  at  the  rate  of  two  pence  for  a  pound  of  tobacco.  The 
salaries  of  sixty-five  parish  ministers  were  jxiyablc  in  tobacco,  and  at  this  rate  thev 
were  heavy  losers.  Through  Sherlock,  Bishop  of  London,  tiicy  indiu'cd  the  Council 
there  to  pronounce  this  law  void  and  commenced  suits  to  recover  the  difference  be- 
tween twopence  jier  pound  and  the  value  of  the  tobacco.  As  a  lawyer.  Patrick  Ileni'v 
tciiik  sides  against  tlie  ])ai'sons.  In  the  case  of  Maury,  who  was  to  be  paid  in  KJ.Odii 
pounds  of  tobacco,  he  raised  the  issue  that  the  King  in  Council  could  not  ainiul  the 
law  of  Virginia.     This  was  his  plea  in  part  : 

'  Except  you  are  disposed  yourselves  to  rivet  the  chains  of  bondage  on  your  own 
necks,  do  not  let  slip  the  opportunity  now  offered  of  making  such  an  example  of 
the  Kev.  plaintiff,  as  shall  hereafter  be  a  warning  to  himself  and  his  brothers  not  to 
have  the  temerity  to  dispute  the  validity  of  laws  authenticated  by  the  only  sanction 
which  can  give  force  to  laws  for  the  government  of  this  colony,  the  authority  of  its 
own  legal  rcpresentati\'es.  with  its  council  and  gox'ernor.'  '" 

When  the  jury  fixed  the  damages  at  one  penny,  the  Bishop  of  London  said  thiit 
the  'rights  of  the  clergy  and  the  authority  of  the  king  must  stand  or  fall  together." 
and  so  a  joint  constitutional  and  ecclesiastical  question  met  the  new  question  of  an 
episcopate  at  the  first  step.  This  question  brought  the  Presbyterians  and  Baptists  to 
connnon  ground,  with  slight  exceptions.  The  Presbyterians  had  not  been  true  to 
the  principle  of  full  religious  liberty  in  the  Old  World  more  than  the  Coufreo-a- 
tionalists  had  been  in  the  Xew,  and  thousands  of  them  had  found  a  home  in  Vir- 
ginia as  early  as  1738,  under  the  promise  of  protection  from  that  colony.  Thev 
came  to  have  a  touch  of  fellow-feeling  with  their  suffering  Baptist  brethren,  hence 
they  were  able  to  say  in  their  Hanover  Memorial,  of  1777  :  "  In  this  enlightened  age, 
and  in   a  land   where   all   of  every  denomination  are  united  in  the  most  strenuous 


804  coNnTirvTioy  of  the  usited  states. 

oiforts  to  1)0  free,  we  liope  iiiiJ  expect  that  our  rejjreseiitatives  will  cheerfully  con- 
cur in  i-einoving  evcrv  species  of  reliiri'»us  as  well  as  civil  hoiidiijje.  Certain  it  is. 
that  K^'scvy  arijuinciir  for  civil  liberty  i^ains  additi(jnal  strength  when  ap])lied  to 
liherty  in  the  concerns  of  I'eligion."     '  Honor  to  whom  lic>noi'.'  the  Bible  deiuan<is. 

\\'liile  this  contest  was  in  progress,  however,  another,  ipiite  as  warm  and  vastly 
more  im|>ortant.  was  waged  in  regard  to  the  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and 
chietiy  through  the  same  agencies.  This  great  civil  document  was  adopted  by  the 
Constitutional  ('on\cntion  and  sul)mirrcd  for  ratitication  to  the  sevei'al  States,  Sep- 
tember ITili.  1  7S7,  nine  States  being  needed  to  ratify  the  .same.  Immediately  it  met 
with  strong  op))osirion  from  all  the  States,  some  for  one  reason  and  some  for  another. 
Its  only  |>ro\  ision  on  tlu'  .-ubjcct  of  religion  was  found  in  Article  \'I.  thus:  'No 
religious  Test  shall  ever  Ix'  re(piired,  as  a  Qualiticatiou  to  any  oflice  or  public  Ti'ust 
undei'  the  Ignited  States.'  (ireat  dissatisfaction  prevailed  with  many  of  its  pro- 
visions, and  there  was  sei'ious  danger  of  its  rejection  for  a  time.  Dissatisfaction 
with  this  provision  lodged  with  the  Baptists  in  all  the  States,  but  A'irginia  became 
their  great  battle-field.  On  the  7th  of  ^larcli.  17^^^.  the  rejirc-entatixi's  .)f  all  their 
Churches  mot  in  their  (ieiiei'al  ( '(jniniittee  in  Ciooehland.  and  the  minutes  of  the 
meeting  say  :  The  first  Religious  Political  subject  that  was  taken  up  was:  •Whether 
the  new  Federal  Constitution,  which  had  now  lately  made  its  a])pearance  in  public, 
made  sutlicicnt  provision  for  the  st'cnre  enjoyment  of  religious  liberty  ;  on  which  it 
was  agreed  unanimously  that  it  <lid  not."  Many  of  the  jiolitical  and  social  leaders  of 
Virginia  were  opposed  t(^  the  Constitution,  and  amongst  them  I'atrick  Henry,  who 
resisted  its  adoption  in  th(>  \'irginia  Convention,  because,  as  he  phi'a.-ed  his  ditKculty, 
it  ■sipiinted  toward  monarchy."  and  gave  no  guarantee  of  religious  liberty. 

Ili'i'e  a  pleasant  incident  niav  be  imtict'd.  in  which  John  Leland  figures  verv 
lioiioraljly.  .lanu's  Madison  le(l  the  X'ii'ginia  l)arty  which  favored  ratitication.  but 
was  in  Philadelphia  during  the  election  of  delegates  to  the  State  Convention,  en- 
gaged witii  .lohn  .lay  and  Alexander  llaniiltoii  in  ])re])aring  that  iiu'niorable  series 
of  Jiolitical  papt'i's,  written  in  defense  of  the  Constitution,  and  know  as  the  •  Feder- 
alist." When  he  returned  to  Virgiina,  he  found  that  Leland  had  been  nominated  in 
Orange,  lii>  own  county,  by  the  party  opposed  to  ratification,  against  himself,  as  the 
delegate  in  fa\dr  of  that  measure.  (Governor  George  N.  Eriggs,  of  Massachusetts, 
says,  that  Leland  told  him  that  Madison  called  on  him  and  carefully  explained  the 
purposes  of  the  Constitution  with  his  arguments  in  its  supjiort.  The  opposing  can- 
didates soon  met  at  a  politu'al  meeting,  in  the  presence  of  most  of  the  voters,  when 
Madison  nuranted  a  hogshead  of  tobacco,  and  for  two  hours  addressed  his  fellow- 
citizens  in  a  calm,  candid  and  statesniaidike  manin'r,  presenting  his  side  of  the  case 
and  meeting  all  the  arguments  of  his  opponents.  Though  he  was  not  eloquent,  the 
people  listened  with  profound  res))ect.  and  said  Leland  :  '  When  he  left  the  hogshead, 
and  my  friends  called  for  me,  I  took  it,  and  went  in  tor  ^fr.  Afadison.'  'A  noble 
Christian  patriot,"  remarks   Governor    Briggs ;    'that    single    act,  with  the  motives 


ITS  PIWPOSED    AMKNDMENT.  805 

which  prompted  it  and  tliu  ecinsetjui'iict's  whicli  followed  it.  entitled  liim  tu  the  re- 
spect of  inankiiui."  i.eland's  advocacy  of  IMadisoiTs  elaiiu  to  a  seat  in  the  Conven- 
tion led  direct]}'  to  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  by  N'irginia,  for  at  the  time  of 
his  election  it  was  contirnied  by  oidy  eight  States.  Hence,  tiie  ninth  was 
absolutely  necessary,  and  at  the  moment  every  thing  appeared  to  turn  on  tlie 
action  of  \'iri;inia.  New  IIani|isliire,  however,  approved  the  insti-unient  on  the 
21st  of  June,  but  five  days  before  \'irginia,  and  Xew  York  followed  one  month 
later,  namely,  on  July  20th,  1788.  Uj)  to  this  time,  none  of  the  other  States  had 
proposed  the  full  expression  of  religious  liberty  in  the  organic  law  of  the  United 
States;  this  honor  was  reserved  foi'  Virginia.  But  the  struggle  was  a  hard  one,  and 
Madison,  who  at  first  insisted  on  its  ratification  precisely  as  it  was,  was  obliged  to 
save  it  by  shifting  his  position.  Ilenr}'  submitted  a  numbei'  of  amendments,  de- 
manding that  they  be  engrafted  into  the  instrument  before  it  received  N'irginia's 
sanction.  Amongst  these  was  a  IJiU  of  liiglits,  of  wliich  the  following  was  the 
20th  section,  namely : 

•  The  religion,  or  the  duty  which  we  owe  to  onr  Creator,  and  the  manner  of  dis- 
charging it,  can  be  directed  only  by  reason  and  conviction,  not  by  force  or  violence  ; 
and  therefore  all  men  have  an  equal,  natural,  and  inalienable  I'ight  to  the  free  exei-- 
cise  of  religion  according  to  the  dictates  of  conscience,  and  that  no  particular  sect 
or  society  ought  to  be  favored  or  established  by  law  in  pi'eference  to  others.' 

At  last  ^Mr.  Madison  conceded  the  need  of  amendments,  but  urired  the  dano-er 
of  disunion  and  the  jeopardy  of  losing  the  Constitution,  and  reconunended  that  the 
Convention  ratify  it  then,  which  it  proceeded  to  do;  Ijut  in  connection  with  that 
act  it  also  recommended  the  amendments  and  directed  its  representatives  in  Con- 
gress to  urge  their  embodiment  in  the  Constitution.  On  the  26th  of  June,  1788, 
Virginia  ratified  the  great  charter,  but  by  the  narrow  majority  of  eight  votes  out 
of  lOS.  From  that  moment  a  most  exciting  controversy  arose  in  other  States  on 
the  subject  of  so  altering  the  Federal  Constitution  as  to  make  it  the  fundamental 
law,  providing  for  religious  ]il)erty  and  equalit}-  as  the  right  of  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land.  The  I)a])tists  of  the  whole  country  aroused  themselves  and  opened  a 
simultaneous  movement  in  that  direction.  Those  of  Virginia  sent  I. eland  to  their 
brethren  of  Xew  York.  Rhode  Island,  Massachusetts  and  other  States  to  solicit  their 
co-operation,  which  was  granted  with  but  few  excc])tions.  There  seems  to  have  been 
a  direct  iniion  of  effort  between  the  I?a])tists  and  the  Virginia  statesmen  on  this  sub- 
ject, altlK.iugh  the  ^'irgillian  It'adei's  were  divided  on  other  subjects.  I'atriek  Henry 
became  the  leader  in  the  next  State  Legislature  and  induced  that  body  to  memorial- 
ize Congress  Xo  amend  the  new  Constitution.  I'ut  fearing  that  after  all  Mr.  Madison 
might  not  heartily  sustain  that  measure,  he  defeated  Madison's  election  to  the  I'nited 
States  Senate,  and  secured  the  return  of  Richard  Henry  Lee  ami  William  (irayson, 
who  were  pledged  to  sustain  the  amendments.  Madison  was  then  elected  to  the 
lower  house  of  Congress  from  his  own  district,  under  the  pledge  that  he  woulil  sus- 


806  WASlIINdTO:;  AMI    TUE   liAI'TISTS. 

Iain  rlunii  tliciv.  At  tin's  stage  tlie  P>;q)tists  cuiisiilted  with  Madison  as  to  what 
tlicv  liad  bettur  do  iindci'  the  cii-cmnstaiicfs,  and  lie  refOiiinieiuled  tliciii  to  address 
( iciicral  Wasliiiiirtuii.  tlir  ni-w  PrusidiMit  i)t'  tin'  liepnblic,  on  the  ijuestioii.  This 
suggestion  they  IhIIhwimI.  'I'hcy  drew  u]>  a  foi-nial  ami  well-digested  presentation 
cif  the  case,  di'afted,  it  is  said,  by  Eldci-  Lcland.  and  sent  it  to  (ieneral  ^Vashington 
bv  a  special  delcgatiim.  Tliis  ]>a]ier  is  too  long  to  transcribe  here,  but  a  synopsis 
may  be  o-jven.  It  was  entitled  an  •.  b /'//■<  ,v,v  nf  the  CcDinuitfcc  iif  tlif  I'n'iftil,  Buptixt 
CJni  I'i'liix  of  \"ir<l'i  ii'ii(.  (iss)  nihil  (1  III  till  Citij  iij'  I!  irliiiiinul.  '6tli  Ainjuxt,  ITSlt.  to  tin- 
President  (if'  till  I'liiti  il  Sloti  s  of  A  no  r'n-ii.'  Alter  a  full  i'e\iew  of  the  teri'ible 
conllicts  antl  saeritices  of  the  li(,'\olntion,  and  the  acknowledgment  i>f  debt  on  the 
part  of  the  country  to  his  gi-eat  skill  and  leadership,  they  say: 

'The  want  of  t;fHciency  in  the  confederation,  the  I'edundani-y  of  laws,  and 
their  partial  adniinisti'ation  in  tlie  States,  called  aloud  for  a  new  arrangement  of  our 
systems.  The  wisdom  of  the  States  for  that  j)urpose  was  collected  in  a  grand  con- 
vention, over  which  you,  sir,  had  the  honoi'  to  preside.  A  national  government  in 
all  its  parts  was  recommended  as  the  only  pi-eservation  of  the  T'nion,  which  plan  of 
ii'overnment  is  now  in  actual  operatiiJU.  When  the  (Jonstitution  first  made  itappear- 
ance  in  X'iiginia,  we,  as  a  society,  feared  that  the  liberty  of  c<jnscience,  dearer  to  us 
than  i)r<iperfy  or  life,  was  not  sutliciently  secured.  Perhaps  our  jealousies  were 
heightened  by  the  usage  we  received  in  Virginia,  under  the  regal  government,  M'hen 
mobs,  fines,  Ijonds  and  pi-isons  were  our  freqiu'nt  ri'past.  Convinced,  on  the  one 
hand,  that  without  an  effective  national  g(jvernnient  the  States  would  fall  into  dis- 
uni(jn  and  all  the  subse(pient  evils;  and,  on  tlie  otliei-  hand,  feai'ing  that  we  .should 
be  accessory  to  some  religious  oppression,  should  any  one  society  in  the  Union  pre 
dominate  over  the  rest ;  yet,  amidst  all  these  incpiietudes  of  mind,  our  consolation 
arose  from  this  consideration — the  plan  must  be  good,  for  it  has  the  signature  of  a 
tried,  trusty  friend,  and  if  religious  liberty  is  rather  insecure  in  the  Constitution, 
"  the  Administration  will  certainly  prevent  all  oppression,  for  a  AVasiiixgto.v  will 
))reside.'"  .  .  .  Should  the  horrid  evils  that  liave  been  so  pestiferous  in  Asia  and 
Kurope,  faction,  andjition,  war,  perh'dy,  fraud  and  j)ersecution  for  conscience'  sake, 
ever  approach  tin'  borders  of  our  happy  nation,  may  the  name  and  admini.-tration  vA 
our  Ix'loved  Tresident,  like  the  radiant  soui'ce  of  day,  scatter  all  those  dark  clouds 
from  the  American  hemisphere.' 

After  gracefully  expressing  their  gratitude  for  his  'great  and  un]iaralleled  serv- 
ices,' and  confiding  him  in  pi'ayer  to  the  '  Divine  Being,"  the  paper  is  signed:  *  By 
order  of  the  Committee,  S.\MrKi.  I1aki;is.  ('JiiiifiiiaiKan(\  llKriiicv  Foun,  Chrl: 

General  AVashington's  reply  was  addressed  'To  the  Ceionil  Comiiiittee,  repre- 
sent imj  the  Uniteil  Baptht  Churchen  in  Virginia.'  After  thanking  them  for  their 
congratulations,  and  expressing  his  own  gratitude  to  "  Divine  Providence'  for  bless- 
ing his  public  services,  he  proceeds  to  write  thus  : 

'  If  I  could  have  entertained  the  slightest  apjirehension  that  the  Constitution 
framed  by  the  Convention  where  T  had  the  honor  to  preside  might  possibly  endanger 
the  religious  rights  of  any  ecclesiastical  society,  (certainly  I  would  nevei-  have  placed 
my  signature  to  it;  and  if  I  could  now  conceive  that  the  general  government  might 
ever  be  so  administered  as  to  render  the  liberty  of  conscience  insecure.  I  beg  you 
will  be  persuaded  that  no  one  would  be  more  zealous  tlian  myself  to  establish  effect- 


THE   nnXSTrTrTfOX  AMRXnED.  807 

iial  barriei-s  aj;;aiiist  the  horrors  of  spiritual  tyranny  and  every  species  of  religinu> 
persecution.  Tor,  you  doubtless  remember,  1  have  often  expressed  my  sentiments 
tliat  any  man,  conducting  liimself  as  a  good  citizen  and  being  accountable  to  God 
alone  for  his  religious  opinions,  ought  to  be  protected  in  worshiping  the  Deity 
according  to  the  tlictates  of  his  own  conscience.  While  I  recollect  with  satisfaction 
that  the  religious  society  of  which  you  are  members  liave  Iteen,  throughout  America, 
uniforudy  and  almost  unanimously  the  firm  friends  to  civil  lil)erty.  and  the  persever- 
ing promoters  of  our  glorious  revolution,  I  cannot  hesitate  to  believe  that  they  will 
be  the  faithful  su])porters  of  a  free  yet  efficient  general  government.  Under  this 
pleasing  expectation,  I  rejoice  to  assure  them  that  tiiey  may  rely  upon  my  best  wislies 
and  endeavors  to  advance  their  prosperity, 

'  1  am,  gentlemen,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

•(teou(;k  Washington.' 

A  month  after  this  correspondence  James  Madison,  with  the  approval  of  Wasli- 
iugton,  brought  si'veral  Constitutional  auicudments  before  the  Ibniseof  Representa- 
tives, and  amongst  thcni  nuivcil  the  adnpticiu  nf  riiis:  •Ai'tidc  I.  Congress  shall 
make  no  law  respecting  an  establishment  of  religion,  or  pr()hil)iting  tlie  free  exercise 
thereof,  or  abridging  the  freedom  of  speech  or  of  the  press,  or  the  I'ight  of  tlie 
people  peaceably  to  assemble  and  to  petition  the  Government  foi-  a  redress  of  griev- 
ances.' The  chief  difference  between  the  old  Ai-ticle  \V  and  this  amendment  lay  in 
the  fact  that  in  the  first  instance  Congress  was  left  at  liberty  to  impose  religious  tests 
in  other  cases  than  those  of  'office  or  public  tru^t  under  the  ITiuted  States,'  whereas, 
this  amendment  removed  tiie  power  to  make  any  •  law  respecting  an  establishment  of 
religion,  or  prohibiting  the  free  exercise  tliereof.'  This  proposition  met  with  great 
opposition  in  Congress,  but  it  passed  that  l)ody  September  23d,  1789,  and  was  sub- 
mitted to  the  several  States  for  ratification.  Eleven  of  the  thirteen  States  adopted  it 
between  November  20th,  1789,  and  December  1.5th,  1791,  New  Jersey  voting  on  the 
first  of  these  dates  and  Virginia  on  the  last,  and  all  tlie  rest  between  those  periods 
excepting  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts.  Thus,  tlie  contenuied.  spurned  and  hated 
old  Baptist  doctrine  of  soul-liberty,  for  which  blood  had  lieen  shed  for  centuries, 
was  not  only  engrafted  into  the  organic  law  of  the  United  States,  but  for  the 
first  time  in  the  formation  of  a  great  nation  it  was  made  its  chief  corner-stone.  For 
the  first  time  on  that  subject  the  (piii't,  pungent  old  truth  asserted  its  right  to 
immortality  as  expressed  by  Scripture  :  'The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected  is 
become  the  head-stone  of  the  corner." 

But  this  august  event  did  not  eml  the  strife  for  religious  freedom  on  Amci'ican 
soil ;  the  battle  must  be  still  j)i-essed  on  the  soil  of  New  England.  Di's.  James 
Manning,  Samuel  Stillman  and  Isaac  Backus  had  work  enough  left  in  Massachusetts. 
The  loyalty  of  all  classes  to  the  full  principles  of  the  Revolution  was  not  so  easily 
won,  because  a  large  body  of  the  people  there  were  not  in  favor  of  entire  separation 
between  Church  and  State.  Even  John  Adams  wrote  :  '  I  am  for  the  most  liberal 
toleration  of  all  denominations,  but  I  lio|)e  Congress  will  never  meddle  with  relig- 
ion further  than  to  say  their  own  prayers.'  "  Yet  he  thought  it  as  impossible  to 
'  ciiange  the  religious  laws  of    Massachusetts   as  the  movements   of  the   heavenly 


808  THE   CONTEST   nEXEWEI)    IN  MASSAClIVSETTFi. 

!)odies.' '^  Tliere  was  tlie  same  o])i)osiii(iii  in  Massacliiisctts  tu  tin;  ratification  (if  tlie 
UiiitcHi  Statt's  ('oiistitiitidu  that  tliiTc  was  in  \'iri;;iiiia,  and  miul-Ii  fur  the  satiu;  rea- 
sons. Isaac  i!a('kn>  Imik  iilmut  tlie  same  i;'r(jU!Ki  that  Patrick  Ilenrv  liad  taken 
in  X'irii'inia,  hecau.-e  he  cunlil  not  see  tliat  it  sutHeiently  iiuarantei'ij  i-eli^idiis 
iiiiertv.  Mamiina-  ami  Stilhnan  were  wiser  in  tlieir  i;(.Miei-ation.  Stilhnan  liad 
heen  chiiseii  a  di'K'i^ate  fi'oni  ]>oston  to  the  State  ( 'on\entioii  of  .Mas>achiisetts. 
which  was  to  accept  or  ivjeet  tliis  instrument,  a  hodv  numhei-ini;-  iieai-ly  4tHt  mem- 
l)ers.  Mamiini;-  liastt'ned  to  Massaclnisett-.  and  for  twu  wee  ks  wa.s  indefati<:;aliie  in 
ariiiimeiir  and  appeal  ti>  induce  all  lJaj)ti>t  delegates  and  other  iiaptists  nt  inliuence 
to  aid  in  securini;'  lir.-t  all  that  the  unamended  (Jonstitution  tliii  secure.  Ii  was  a 
\(>r\-  ii-rave  crisis,  the  puhlic  spirit  was  in  a  feverisii  state,  and  these  two  great  men 
liad  their  liaiid.^  full  to  secure  the  full  >uppoi'l  nj'  t  lieii- nwn  liretlii'cn.  They  knew  that, 
this  diiruiiient  had  iml  ^eciireil  everything  needful  to  them,  hut  they  al.-o  knew 
that  such  a  i-c\ uJutiiJii  cuuld  nut  gn  lla(•k^\•al•d  excepting  thrtnigh  alienation  lie- 
tween  the  States,  'i'lie  ( 'ouveiition  was  in  >ession  for  a  month,  half  of  wjiieh  time 
Stillmau  and  Manning  were  at  work,  and  whi;n  the  tiiial  vote  was  taken  the  (Jonsli- 
tutioii  was  ratilieil  liy  |s7  tn  ItiS  votes.  Afai-achusetts  adopted  the  Consrituf icili  oi 
the  I'nired  States  Fehruary  I'llh.  1  7>i>.  After  the  vole,  in  which  the  IJapti>ts  held 
the  balaiu'e  of  ]K.)Wer,  Jolin  ilaiieock,  the  l'ri\~ident  nf  the  (convention,  invited  Dr. 
Manning  to  return  thaid<s  to  (iod,  and  it  is  said  that  the  lofty  spirit  of  purity  and 
jjatrii.itism  which  mai-ked  his  prayer  tilled  the  ( 'oin'entinn  with  reverence  and  awe. 
So  far  as  the  JIassaclm>etts  i'>apti>ts  were  conct'i-neil,  this  ifreat  opjiortunity  was 
neither  missed  nor  mismanaged,  but  wa^  made  an  important  >tep  tnward  alisolute 
freedom.  Massachu.setts  liad  fornuHl  a  Stare  ( 'oiistitution  in  IT^t.  and  in  that  (.'oii- 
vention  the  iiaptists  cdntcniled  with  pertinacity  fcii-  their  religiou.s  rights.  Kev. 
Noah  .Mdeii,  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  Plymouth  family,  was  a  niemher  of  tliis 
Convention,  and  at  that  time  ]>astor  of  the  Baptist  ("hiirch  at  liellingham.  lie  \va.s 
also  a  meniher  of  the  Convention  which  framed  the  Constitution  of  the  Ignited 
States.  \\'hen  the  fanmus  Massachnsetts  Bill  of  Tlights  was  reported  hi;  moved  to 
reeomiiiit  the  tliinl  article,  which  gave  power  to  tlu^  rulers  in  religious  affairs.  He 
wa.s  made  a  memlier  of  a  conunittee  of  seven  to  consider  the  subject,  and  although 
lie  could  not  secure  equality  before  the  law  for  all  sects  in  Massachusetts,  he  did 
procure  so  much  concession  as  to  excite  marvel  at  the  time,  it  was  so  far  in  advance 
of  anything  tliat  this  State  had  |>reviously  kiiiiwu  in  religious  liberality.  It  recog- 
nized the  power  of  the  (rivil  rulers  to  provide  for  the  .sujiport  of  religion  in  towns 
where  sucii  provision  was  not  made  voluntarily  ;  it  required  attendance  on  piddic 
worship,  if  there  were  any  religious  teachers  '  on  whose  instructions  they  can  con- 
scientiously ar.d  coiiwniently  attend":  it  ))rovided  that  the  people  should  "have  the 
exclusive  right  nf  electing  their  public  teachers,  and  of  contracting  with  them  for 
their  support  and  maintenance;'  it  gave  the  right  of  the  hearer  to  apply  his  public 
payments  of  religious  tax  '  to  the  support  of  the  public  teaclier  or  teachers  of"  his 


THE  MASSACHUSETTS  BILL    OF   RIGHTS.  809 

own  i-L'ligious  sect  or  (li'iuiiiiiiuitiiin,  [irdvidcd  tlii'i'e  \w  any  on  whose  instruction  lie 
iitteiuis,' and 'every  denomination  ot  Christians,  demeaning  themselves  peaceably 
and  asgooil  subjects  of  the  commonwealth,  shall  be  equally  under  the  protection  of 
the  law,  and  no  subordination  of  any  one  sect  or  denomination  to  another  shall  ever 
be  establishccl  by  law.'  This  wonderful  gain  in  the  l!ill  n{  Rights  did  not  dis-estab- 
lish  the  Church  in  Massachusetts,  which  was  still  protected  under  the  several  excep- 
tions of  the  article,  but  it  broke  its  tyrannical  power,  and  in  a  little  more  tiian  half 
a  century  it  wrought  the  entire  separation  of  Church  and  State  in  Massachusetts. 
It  met  with  the  most  violent  resistance  in  the  Convention,  and  a  leader  of  the  oppo- 
sition said  :  "We  believe  in  our  consciences  that  the  best  way  to  serve  God  is  to 
have  I'eligion  ])rotected  and  ministers  of  the  Gospel  supported  by  law,  and  we  hope 
that  no  gentleman  here  will  wish  to  wound  our  tender  consciences.'  '  The  plain 
English  of  wliieh,-  says  i>eland,  '  is,  our  consciences  dictate  that  all  the  common- 
wealth of  Massachusetts  must  sulmiit  to  our  judgniciits,  and  if  they  do  not  they  will 
wound  our  tender  consciences." '"  Aldeii  was  nobly  sustained  in  this  Convention  by 
J)r.  A:!aph  Fletcher,  who  was  also  a  member,  and  a  strong  advocate  of  this  measui'c. 
Under  its  provisions  many  ungracious  acts  were  perpetrated,  and  all  sorts  of  cpiib- 
bles,  pretexts  and  pleas  that  ingenious  but  wounded  pi-iile  could  invent  were  invoked 
to  annoy  the  Baptists,  but  this  JSill  struck  a  death-blow  at  persecution  [U'oper  in 
Massachusetts. 

The  new  Constitution  was  soon  put  to  the  test,  for  sevei-al  persons  were  taxed 
at  Attleboro,  in  ITSO,  to  support  tlie  j)arisli  Church,  although  they  attended  else- 
where. Elijah  Balkom  was  seized,  and  having  sued  the  assessors  for  damages,  judg- 
ment was  had  against  him  ;  but,  on  an  appeal  to  the  County  Court  at  Taunton,  he 
obtained  damages  and  costs.  In  1783  a  similai'  case,  in  many  respects,  occurred  in 
Cambridge,  where  Baptists  were  sued  to  support  the  Standing  Order,  and  their 
money  extorted,  but  they  sued  for  its  return  and  it  was  paid  back.  These  annoy- 
ances continued  and  sometimes  were  grievous  enough.  In  a  letter  from  Dr.  iJackus 
to  William  iJiehards,  dated  May  L>Sth,  1796,  he  says:  '  Though  the  teachers  and  rulers 
in  the  upiirnudst  party  in  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  ISTew  Hampshire  and  Ver- 
mont aiv  as  earnest  as  ever  Pharaoh  was  to  hold  the  Church  of  Christ  under  the 
taxing  power  of  the  world,  yet  that  power  is  daily  consuming  by  the  spirit  of  God's 
mouth.'  To  meet  and  thwart  these  attempts  the  Warren  Association  kept  a  vigilant 
committee  in  existence.  In  1797  it  consisted  of  Drs.  Stillman,  Smith  and  Backus, 
with  Mr.  Baldwin  and  Mr.  Grafton,  to  whom  the  oppressed  Churches  appealed  for 
counsel  and  help,  and  they  did  good  .service  indeed.  John  Leland  said,  ISO!  :  •  In 
the  year  IStHi  about  six  hundred  dollars  were  taken  from  the  Baptists,  in  Partridge- 
field,  for  the  building  of  a  meeting-house  in  said  town  for  another  denomination. 
The  case  is  now  in  law.  hungup,  and  what  the  event  will  be  we  know  not.' "  Great 
hopes  were  entertained  that  the  Convention  held  November  3d,  1820,  to  amend  the 
Constitution,  would  entirely  dissolve  the  last  bond   of  union   between    Church  and 


810  Fll.l.    ItKLKUOis    I.UiKirry   JJlCMAXDKJ). 

Stiite  ill  Massaoluisotts  ;  but  tin's  was  dcfeatod.  cliiclly  \>\  tlic  (ictcnaiiicMi  opposition 
of  .lolui  Adams,  wiio  was  a  in('inl)er  i>i  that  hody. 

Isaac  Backus  died  in  I S( it;,  after  a  life  of  astoiMsliiiiLr  activity  in  the  cause  of 
ivlifxi'iiis  frecMldin.  itilt  his  survi\iirs  adojitecl  the  iiidtto  of  ( 'ic^ar.  ■  that  iiDthiiijf  is 
dune  while  aiiylhinii'  j'lMUains  undone."  and  they  pressed  tlieii'  case  with  new  zeal, 
t'ncoiiraiii'd  hy  I  lieii' ^ains  in  securini;-  a  iiK^dilication  of  the  iiill  of  liii^lits.  The 
dissatisfaction  with  the  pai'tial  inea-nre.  however,  was  very  i;reat.  I.eland  <fave 
it  \iiice  in  many  addresses  and  in  nnmei'ons  articles  from  the  jiress.      lie   said  : 

''I'he  late  ('onvention,  calh/d  to  re\  i.~e  the  ( 'onstitntion,  still  retains  the  same 
jirinciple.  Strange,  iiidi'cd,  that  ^[assachiisetts,  all  alone,  in  opposition  to  all  the 
other  States,  slionld  still  view  relii;ion  a  princijde  of  State  policy,  the  Church  a 
creature  of  State,  and  ministers  in  tln'  liji-ht  of  State  jjensioners  I  That  the  J^egis- 
lature  should  have  the  ])ower  to  clothe  the  majority  of  eacli  town  or  ])arish  with 
anthoritv  to  ctunptd  the  jieople,  liy  a  legal  ta\.  to  support  the  religious  teachers 
amoiiij;  them.  What  a  pity  !  Wlii'ii  will  men  realize  that  a  constitution  of  civil 
government  is  a  charter  of  ])owers  liestowed  and  of  rights  retained,  and  that  private 
judgment  and  religious  o]iinions  are  inalieiialile  in  their  nature,  like  sight  and  hear- 
ing, and  cannot  lie  surrendered  to  society.  ( 'onsei|Ui'ntly,  it  must  he  impious  usur- 
pation for  ec(desiastics  or  civilians  to  legi.-late  aliouf  religion."  '"' 

In  1S11  .Ind^i'  {'arsons  ga\(' a  decision  to  the  I'Hect.  that  no  congregation  or 
•societv  not  incoi'porated  li\'  law  could  claim  all  thi'  privileges  which  the  dissenters 
claimed  undci'  the  iiill  of  Kiglits,  and  alarm  awakened  tlieni  throughout  the  State. 
Petitions  were  cii'culate<l  e\'ei-y whei-e  and  sent  t<i  the  Lei.dslattire.  praying  for  a 
revision  id'  the  religious  laws,  and  the  people  of  Cheshire  electe(l  KMer  L(da)ul  to 
that  liodv  foi-  the  ]iurpose  of  pleading  their  cause.  There  he  ileli\-ered  that  I'cmark- 
alile  siieech,  in  which  reasoning,  satire,  eloquent  declamation  and  sound  statesnian- 
shij)  hold  such  ecpial  and  changeful  parts.  The  following  characteristic  extracts  are 
not  faunliar  to  the  jiresent  generation  of  Baptists  and  may  lie  reproduceil  : 

'  ]\Ir.  Speaker,  according  to  a  late  decision  of  the  heneh,  in  the  County  of  Cnm- 
lierland,  whicdi,  it  is  presumed,  is  to  he  a  precedent  for  future  decisions,  these  non- 
incorporated  societies  are  nobody,  can  do  nothing,  and  are  never  to  be  known  except 
in  shearing  time,  when  tlieir  money  is  wanted  to  supjiort  teachers  that  they  never 
liear.  And  all  this  must  be  dotie  for  tlie  good  of  the  State.  One;  hundred  and 
.seventeen  years  ago  wearing  long  hair  was  considered  the  crying  sin  of  the  land. 
A  convention  was  called  March  IS  1694-,  in  Boston,  to  prevent  it ;  after  a  long  ex- 
]iostulation  the  Conv(>ntiou  close  thus:  "If  any  man  will  now  presume  to  wear 
long  hair,  let  hiin  know  tltat  God  and  man  witnesses  against  him."  <  )ur  pious  ances- 
tors were  for  bobbing  the  hair  for  the  good  of  the  Colony;  but  now,  sir.  not  the 
hair  but  the  ])urses  must  l)e  bobbed  for  the  good  of  the  State.  The  petitioners  pray 
for  the  right  of  going  to  heaven  in  that  way  which  they  believe  is  the  most  direct, 
and  shall  this  be  denied  theiu  ^  Must  they  be  obliged  to  pay  legal  toll  for  walking 
the  King's  highway,  which  has  been  made  free  for  all  ?  .  .  Since  the  Revolution,  all 
the  old  States,  except  two  or  three  in  Xew  England,  have  established  religious  liberty 
ni)on  its  true  bottom,  and  yet  they  are  not  suidv  with  earthquakes  or  destroyed  with 
tire  and  brimstone.  Shotdd  this  commonwealth.  i\Ir.  Speaker.  ])roceed  so  far  as  to 
distribute  all  settlements  and  meeting-houses,  which  were  procured  by  public  ta.xea 


LELAND'S   GREAT  SPEECH.  811 

amoiiir  all  tlio  inlial)itants,  without  retiard  to  deiioiiiiiiation,  it  is  pi-obablo  that  the 
uiitcrv  of  sacrilege,  jirofanity  and  intidelity  would  be  echoed  around  ;  and  yet,  sir, 
all  this  has  been  done  in  a  8tate  which  has  given  birth  and  education  to  a  Henry,  a 
Washington,  a  Jefferson  and  a  Madison,  each  of  whom  contributed  their  aid  to  effect 
the  grand  event.  .  .  .  These  jietitionert;,  sir,  pay  the  civil  list,  and  arm  to  defend 
their  country  as  readily  as  others,  and  only  ask  for  the  liberty  of  forming  tlieii' 
societies  and  paying  their  preachers  in  the  only  way  that  the  Christians  did 
for  the  first  three  centuries  after  Christ.  Any  gentleman  uijou  this  floor  is  invited 
to  prothice  an  instance  that  Christian  societies  were  ever  formed,  Chi'istiaii  ISab- 
baths  ever  enjoined.  Christian  salaries  ever  levied,  or  Christian  worship  ever  enforced 
by  law  before  the  reign  of  Constantino.  Yet,  Christianity  did  stand  and  flourish, 
not  only  without  the  aid  of  the  law  and  the  schools,  but  in  oj)position  to  both.  We 
hope,  tlierefore,  JVli'.  Speaker,  that  the  prayers  of  thirty  thousand,  on  this  occasion, 
will  be  heard,  and  that  they  will  obtain  the  exemption  for  which  they  pray."  '" 

liul  their  [}rayers  were  not  iieard,  and  their  mo>t  strenuous  efforts  at  reform 
were  unaxailing,  until  the  j)eople  arose  in  thcii'  might  and  sn  amended  the  Bill  of 
Rights  in  1833  that  the  Church  and  State  were  forever  separated,  since  which  time 
what  Leland  called  'the  felonious  principle'  has  been  banished  from  the  statute 
books  of  all  the  States,  and,  as  Leland  did  not  die  until  IS-il,  he  breathed  free  air 
for  the  last  seven  years  of  his  life,  to  his  great  health  and  delectation.  He  lived  to 
be  eighty-seven  years  of  age,  and  deserved  ten  years  of  fresh  air  after  he  had  labored 
sixty-seven  years  to  vindicate  the  civil  and  religious  rights  of  all  men.  Rest,  royal 
old  warrior,  rest  on  the  Cheshire  hills,  which  thou  didst  so  much  to  nudce  free ! 

In  Vermont  the  contest  was  neither  so  long  nor  so  severe.  The  huuls  which 
now  form  A'ei'inont  were  claimed  in  jiai-t  by  New  Hampshire  and  in  part  by  New 
York,  and  were  originally  km iwn  as  the -New  Hampshire  grants.'  Their  inhabit- 
ants applied  to  the  Continental  Congress  for  admission  into  the  confederacy  in  1776, 
but.  New  York  opposing,  they  withdrew.  The  next  year  they  proclaimed  them- 
selves indc]iendent  and  formed  a  Cunstitution,  and  were  admitted  into  the  Union 
in  17iM.  Dr.  Asa|ih  Fletcher  liad  removed  from  Massachusetts  to  Cavendish, 
Vermont,  in  1787,  and  was  a  nieml)er  of  the  Convention  w'hich  applied  for  the  ad- 
mission of  the  State  into  the  Union.  He  was  also  a  member  of  the  Convention  of 
1793  to  revise  tlie  State  Constitution,  when  he  contended  for  the  separation  of 
Church  and  State,  Init  the  contrary  idea  prevailed.  Such  a  vital  subject  could  not 
long  rest,  however,  especially  with  Dr.  Fletchei-  in  active  service  as  a  member  of  the 
Legislature,  a  Judge  of  the  County  Court,  a  member  of  the  Council,  and  a  State 
Presidential  elector.  In  1789,  two  years  after  Fletcher's  settlement  in  Vermont, 
he  was  foUnwed  l)y  Rev.  Aaron  Leland.  from  Bellingham,  Mass.  His  liberal 
political  sentiments  soon  commended  him  to  his  fellow-citizens,  and  he  was  elected 
to  the  (ieueral  Assend)ly.  There  he  served  as  Speaker  of  the  House  for  three 
years,  an<l  for  foui-  years  he  was  one  of  the  Governor's  Council.  For  five  years, 
also,  he  was  Lieutenant*  ioxeruor  of  the  State,  and  for  eighteen  he  was  an  Assistant 
Justice  in  the  County  Court.  He  had  large  influeiu-e  among.st  the  Baptists  of  the 
State,  as  well  as  with  its  citizens  generally,  and  in  18:28  he  declined  a  nomination  fur 


812  T)t;.  nicnAiii)  Fvn.vAX. 

(ii)\iTiiiji-,  fearing  tliat  tlic  uflict;  woiilil  intci-rcrc  ton  much  witli  liis  pastDral  duties, 
lie  ua.s  a  Fellow  of  MiiMlolmry  Colleiie,  i>o.-.sessetl  ijivut  mental  j)ower,  and  was  a 
very  forcii)le  debater.  While  he  wa.s  Speaker  of  the  Ilou.'^e  a  |)ropo.-ition  eame  be- 
fore it  for  a  dis.'^olution  of  ( 'liui'ch  and  Stale,  ami  in  the  di.>eu.<sii)n  some  one  wa.s 
weak  enough  to  say  that  ( 'lirisi  ianitv  would  go  down  if  the  State  withdi'ew  its  snp- 
])orl.  'I'his  tftii'red  all  the  fervoi-  of  hi.s  .■'j)irit.  He  left  the  ehair  and  took  [lart  in 
the  di'liate,  delivering  one  of  the  strongest  speeches  ever  lieard  in  Vermont  in  favor 
of  religious  libertv,  the  main  .■>ti'engtli  of  his  ])osition  being  that  (iod  had  founded 
his  Church  upon  a  I'ock,  and  that  the  gates  of  hell  shoidd  not  prevail  against  her. 

.\  third  \'ermoiit  IJapti,--!  chamjiion  of  religious  freetlom  is  found  in  Ezra 
IJuller.  who,  in  1  7s."i,  remo\ed  from  ('lai-enioiit.  ,\,  II.,  to  Waterbiiry.  \'t.,  where, 
about  I  "^t in.  he  became  a  liaplistand  foi'iiied  a  Church,  whii  h  he  served  as  pastor 
for  more  than  thirty  years.  His  tah'iits  and  high  character  induced  his  lellow-eiti- 
zeiis  to  intrust  him  with  civil  office,  lirst  as  town  ck'rk,  justice  of  the  jieace.  and 
then  ;is  member  of  the  Legislature,  also  as  Chief  Justice  for  A\'ashingl(jn  County. 
In  l>lo  l.">  hi'  served  his  State  in  Congress,  and  from  iSi^t!  to  \S-2S  lie  was 
(Toveriior  of  \'ermonr,  with  Aaron  I. eland  as  Lieutenaiit-(  io\ernor.  both  being 
l>aptist  miiusters  at  tin:  time.  I  iider  these  great  headers  and  their  compeers  the 
])ublie  sentiment  linally  threw  aside  the  union  of  Church  and  State  in  N'ennont, 
distancing  ilassachnsetts  by  a  nundjer  of  years  in  that  race. 

South  ('.\iioi.i.\A  Itaptists  stood  lirmly  for  religious  liberty.  The  State  formed 
its  Constitution  ill  1  TTti,  anil  amended  it  in  fT7s>  and  I  T'.to  ;  but  the  l'>a|)tists  were 
early  awake  to  tlie  need  of  securing  their  rights,  and  as  early  as  1771*  the  Charleston 
Assi-)ciation  made  it  tlie  duty  of  a  standing  committee  to  lalior  for  the  perfect 
equality  of  all  religious  jieople  before  the  law,  and  for  this  piir))ose  thi'V  were  *  to 
treat  with  the  government  in  behalf  of  the  Churches.'  No  one  contributed  more 
to  the  result  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  in  ( ieorgia  than  did  the  noted  Iliehard 
Furman,  D.l).,  of  whom  a  brief  sketch  may  here  bo  given.  He  was  born  at 
^Kso])us,  M.  '\'.,  in  1755,  but,  wliile  an  infant,  his  ])aretits  removed  to  South  Caro- 
lina and  settled  on  the  High  Hills  of  Santee.  llen>,  after  a  good  early  education, 
he  beeaine  a  Christian,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen  began  to  preach,  with  a  remark- 
able degree  vi  clearness,  devotion  and  force,  for  a  youth.  The  district  where  ho 
labored  lay  to  the  oast  and  north  of  the  rivers  Wateree  and  Santee,  where  wick- 
edness abounded.  lie  formed  many  Churches,  wliicli  united  with  the  Charleston 
Association.  He  was  e.'Ctremely  modest,  but  his  unassuming  ardor,  with  his  ripe- 
ness of  judgment  in  interpreting  Scripture,  and  his  uncommon  pungency  of  appeal 
awakened  universal  surprise  and  admiration.  Ih'  was  scarcely  twenty-two  when 
the  Revolution  commenced,  and  he  avowed  himself  at  once  a  firm  Whig  and  threw 
all  his  ])owers  into  the  American  cause.  When  the  liritish  invaded  South  Carolina 
he  was  obliged  to  retire  into  North  Carolina  and  N'irginia,  and  afterwards  (\)rnwallis 
]iut  a  price  on  his  head.     In  V'ii'ginia  he  became  intimate  with  i'atrick  llonry,  who 


TUIBVTK   IIY  Dl{.     WILLIAMS.  813 

presented  him  with  certain  buoks,  wiiich  are  cherished  in  the  Furnian  family  to  this 
day.  In  IVST  he  accepted  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Baptist  Chnrcli  in  Charleston, 
where  he  remained  for  eight  and  thirty  years,  and  became  intimate  with  those 
patriot  families,  the  Pinckneys,  Ilntledges  and  Sumters,  together  with  whom  he 
labored  earnestly  for  the  Revolutionary  cause.  When  independence  was  achiev(!d, 
and  the  leading  men  of  the  State  were  selected  to  meet  in  convention  and  form  a 
new  Constitntion,  their  suffrages  made  him  a  member  of  that  i)ody.  in  wliicii  he 
contiMided  eai'ne^rly  against  the  exclusion  of  ('hristian  ministers  frnm  certain  civil 
ortices,  and  did  much  to  secure  soul-liberty  in  the  IState.  So  nobly  had  he  blended 
his  ])atriotisni  with  the  refinement  and  urbanity  of  a  holy  character,  that  on  the 
death  of  Wasiiington  and  Hamilton  he  was  appointed  by  the  Cinciimati  and  the 
Kev(.ilution  Sotnety  to  deliver  orations  in  trii>ute  to  their  memory: 

Taken  altogetliei',  he  was  a  most  eminent  servant  of  (iod  and  of  his  country. 
The  late  Dr.  W.  \l.  Williams  .said  : 

•  Of  this  eminent  servant  of  the  Lord  it  is  difficult  to  express  what  is  just  and 
proper  without  the  appearance  of  excessive  partiality.  To  represent  him  in  the 
ordinary  terms  of  eulogy,  or  to  depict  his  virtues  by  any  of  the  common  standards 
of  description,  would  be  the  direct  way  to  fall  short  of  the  truth.  The  Providence 
of  God  gives  few  such  men  to  the  world  as  Dr.  Furman.  .  .  Where  others  were 
great  he  was  transcendent,  and  where  others  were  fair  and  consistent  in  chai'acter, 
he  stood  forth  lovely  and  luminous  in  all  the  licst  attributes  of  man.  .  .  In  general 
learning  he  had  made  such  progress  as  would  have  raidced  him  among  men  of  the  lirst 
intelligence  in  any  country.  .  .  liis  studies  were  chiefly  confined  to  mathematics, 
metaphysics,  belles-lettres,  logic,  history  and  theology.  He  cultivated  also  an  acquaint- 
ance with  the  ancient  classics,  particnlarly  Homer,  Longinus  and  Qnintillian,  with 
whose  beauties  and  precepts  he  was  familiar.  He  read  with  sedulous  attention  all 
the  writers  of  the  Augustan  age  of  English  literature,  and  whatever  the  language 
possessed  valuable  in  criticism  and  immortal  in  poetry.  There  are  few  men,  it  is 
believed,  who  have  had  their  minds  more  richly  stored  with  the  fine  passages  of 
Milton,  Young,  Pope,  Addison,  Butler  and  other  great  authors  than  Dr.  Furman. 
From  them  he  could  cpiote  properly,  and  appositely  for  almost  every  occasion,  what 
was  most  beautiful  and  eloquent.  He  possessed  uncommon  talent  in  discerning  the 
utility  of  those  .studies  connected  with  the  mind,  and  in  condensing  them  into  such 
abstracts  as  to  make  them  clearly  intelligilile  to  every  capacity.  In  this  way  he 
could  analyze  and  expound  the  principles  of  moral  philosophy  and  logic,  with  a 
facility  which  could  only  have  resulted  from  a  ready  mastery  over  the  subjects. 
But  that  which  imparted  a  charm  to  his  whole  life  was  the  godly  savor  which  })er- 
vaded  and  sweetened  all  his  superior  endowments  and  qualifications.  All  the  vigor 
of  his  noble  intellect  was  consecrated  to  God.  All  the  matured  fruit  of  his  long 
experience  was  an  oblation  to  the  Father  of  Mercies.  All  the  variety  of  his  ac- 
quirements, and  all  tlie  vastness  of  his  well-furnished  mind,  were  mei'ged  in  one  pre- 
\ailing  determination  to  know  nothing  save  Christ  cnicified,' 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

FOREIGN     MISSIONS.— ASIA  AND   EUROPE. 

SCjAIK'KI,^'  liad  the  l!a|)ti.sts  ad jiL-lud  iheiiiselvc-^  tn  their  new  ciiruiiistaiiccs 
in  tht'  .\iiieriean  i'epul)lic,  when  a  I'resli  element  \va.-  tliroun  into  tlieir  life 
hv  enlai'i;inii-  theii-  ei)nceiitii>ns  of  (hity  tu  Ciirist.  both  in  sendinu'  the  (Jospel  to  t'or- 
ei^n  hinds  and  in  doidilini;-  tlieir  elt'orts  to  evan<;eli/,e  tlieir  own  eoniitrv.  .Vnieriean 
liauti.sts  were  called  to  |oi-cit;ii  mission  work  in  LS14  on  tliis  wi>e.  In  lsl2  Kev. 
Aihjnirani  Jndf-on  and  \\\>  wife,  Ann  llasseltine  Judsoii.  with  Kev.  Lnther  Rice, 
were  appointed  hv  the  Ami'i'ican  IJonrd  <>['  Conimissioner.s  for  Fort-iirn  Missions  to 
estahlisii  missions  in  Asia.  Messrs.  .Indson  and  Kice  sailed  in  ditferent  vessels  to 
India  and  on  their  \ovai;e,  withont  consnltal  ion  with  t-ach  other,  tiiey  re-e.xaniined 
the  New  Testament  teachiiii;-  on  iiai)tism.  The  residt  was  that  tiioy  I)otii  adopted 
the  views  of  the  Bii])tists.  amh  in  loyalty  to  (iod"s  word,  when  tliey  reached  Cal- 
cutta, they  were  innnersed  <in  a  jiersonal  profession  (d'  their  faith  in  Christ.  At 
once  tliev  made  this  cliann'e  known  to  the  world,  and  were  cut  off  from  their  former 
denominational  support.  Mr.  IJice  returned  to  the  United  States  to  awaken  in  the 
Baptist  (Churches  a  zeal  for  the  establi.shment  of  missions  in  India.  He  was  heartily 
welcomed,  and  measures  were  adopted  for  the  temporary  supjiort  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judson.  Mr.  Uice  traveled  from  iJo.ston  throu(;h  the  ^liddle  and  Southern  States, 
and  his  addresses  kindled  a  wide-spread  enthusiasm,  which  resulted  in  the  iratliering 
of  a  convention,  compo.sed  of  thirty-si.\  dele(2;atcs  from  eleven  States  and  the  District 
of  Columhin,  who  met  in  l'hilarlel]>hia.  May  I'^th,  ISU.  when  a  society  was  former), 
called  The  IJaptist  Ceneral  Convention  for  Foreign  Missions.  T)r.  Funnan,  of 
South  Carolina,  was  President  of  this  body.  Dr.  Baldwin,  of  Massachusetts,  Secretary, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  .ludson  were  adopted  as  its  first  missionaries. 

Eev.  Dr.  ISaldwin,  of  ISoston.  was  also  elected  President  of  a  Hoard  which  was 
to  conduct  the  operations  of  the  Convention,  which  office  lie  filled  till  liis  death  in 
1825,  and  Drs.  llolcondi  and  Pogers  were  elected  Vice-Presidents.  Mr.  John 
Cauldwell  was  chosen  as  Treasurer,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Staughton  as  Corresponding  Sec- 
retary.    Ml".  Rice  was  chosen 

'  To  continue  his  itinerant  services  in  these  TTiiited  States  for  a  reasonable  time, 
with  a  view  to  excite  the  ]iublic  mind  more  generally  to  engage  in  missionary  exer- 
tions and  to  assist  in  organizing  societies  and  institutions  for  carrying  the  missionary 
design  into  execution.' 

The  Convention  itself  came  to  be  known  as  the  'Triennial  Convention.'  from 
the  fact  that  it  met  once  in  three  years,  and  the  Board  of  the  Convention  was 


DR.    JUDSOy  ANT)    TUE  EMPEROR.  813 

located  in  Boston  Mi-.  Kice  collected  a  considerable  aniount  of  money,  and  in  1815 
Mr.  Houjrli,  of  .New  Iliunpshire,  and  Miss  White,  of  Philadel])hia,  were  appointed 
missionaries.  The  lirst  triennial  session  of  the  Convention  was  held  in  Pliiladel- 
phia,  Mav,  1>17,  when  Dr.  I'ninian  was  re-elected  President,  and  \)y.  Sharp,  of 
Boston,  Secretary.  At  this  meeting  the  ConventiDii  eiihirged  its  wnik  l>y  appro- 
priating a  portion  of  its  funds  to  domestic  missionary  purposes,  and  also  hy  deter- 
mining '  to  institute  a  ehissical  and  tlu'olngical  seminary  '  to  train  young  men  for  the 
ministry,  wliich  measures,  as  we  shall  see,  diverted  the  Convention  considerably 
from  the  primai-y  intentiuu  of  its  foundei's. 

Meanwhile,  .Mi',  and  INfrs.  .lu'lson  were  driven  by  tlu;  intolerance  of  the 
government  from  Ijcngal  and  pi'uceeded  to  Uangoon,  to  counnence  missionary  work 
in  Burma,  where  they  arrived  July  13th,  1813.  llangoon  was  the  chief  sea-port  of 
l.hirma,  and  the  most  imixirtant  center  of  Ihiddhism.  A  feeble  attempt  to  establish 
a  mission  here  had  been  made  by  a  son  of  Dr.  Carey,  but  it  hail  been  abandoned; 
and  Mr,  and  Mrs.  Jndson  found  themselves  in  this  heathen  city,  without  an  En- 
glish-speaking helper,  a  gi'ammar,  a  dictionary  or  a  printed  book.  They  began  the 
study  (if  the  language,  in  which,  twenty-one  years  later,  Mr.  Judson  was  able  to  lay 
the  whole  Itible,  faithfully  translated,  before  the  Burman  people.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Judson  celebrati'd  the  Lord's  Suj)per  alone  in  llangoon,  September  19th,  1813  ;  but 
Jfr.  and  Mrs.  Hough  joined  them  in  October,  18 Id,  and  Messrs.  Wheelock  and 
Coleman  in  181!*.  A  zayat,  or  shed,  for  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  was  o})ene(l 
on  the  way-side;  in  April.  1S19.  Though  they  had  labored  much  privately,  this  was 
their  first  attempt  at  public  worship.  Their  first  congregation  numbered  fifteen, 
but  was  both  inattentive  and  disorderly.  Besides  the  Sabbath  service,  the  mission- 
aries used  the  zayat  from  morning  till  night  every  day  in  the  week,  to  teach  the  way 
of  salvation  to  all  who  c;ime.  The  first  convert,  Moung  Nan,  was  baptized 
June  27th,  1811) ;  two  others  were  innnersed  in  November  of  that  year.  As  the 
laws  of  Burma  made  it  a  capital  crime  for  a  native  to  change  his  religion,  Messrs. 
Judson  and  Coleman  thought  it  prudent  to  visit  the  Emperor  at  the  capital,  that 
they  might,  if  possible,  secure  toleration  for  the  converts  who  had  become  Chris- 
tians. They  went  u])  on  this  errand  to  Amarapura  in  December,  carrying  to  the 
Emperor  an  elegant  Bible  in  six  volumes,  enveloped,  according  to  Burman  taste,  in 
a  beautiful  wrapper.  A  tract,  also,  was  prepared  and  presented,  containing  a  brief 
summar}'  of  Christianity.  The  Emperor  read  but  two  sentences  of  the  tract  and 
threw  it  from  him  in  displeasure  ;  he  also  declined  to  accept  the  Bible.  The  mis- 
sionaries returned  to  Rangoon  to  report  their  failure  to  the  (converts,  dreading  its 
possible  effect  upon  their  minds  ;  but,  to  their  surprise,  these  remained  steadfast  to 
their  profession,  and  begged  their  teachers  to  abide  with  them  until  there  should  be 
eight  or  ten  converts,  at  least.  If  then  they  should  depart,  one  of  the  converts 
would  be  apjiointed  to  teach  the  rest,  and  so  the  new  religion  might  spread  itself. 

Mr.  Coleman  went  to  Chittagong,  a  part  of  India  which  had  been  ceded  to  the 


8lU  THE   l<Allt:\   MISSIOX. 

Va\<j,\'\A\  Crown,  to  provide  a  rct'uire  lor  tlic  conviTtii  in  ease  they  sluMild  he  driven 
liy  |n'rs('cntion  to  seciv  tiie  ])r(»toction  oT  ihc  British  <;overnnieiit,  and  lie  died  wliile 
on  this  niis>ion  of  lo\c.  Mrs.  .ludson  \  i>iti'd  I-liiiiland,  Scotland,  and  the  rniti-d 
States  and  awakened  a  deep  interest  in  the  work.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wade  joined  the 
mission  ;  hut,  jnsi  as  |)ro>|)ei'itv  l)et;-an  to  dawn  on  the  missionaries'  hdiors.  tiie  first 
l!iii-mese  war  hroke  (.)tit.  siispendini;'  their  operations  for  nearly  three  years,  and  siih- 
jiTl  iiij^-  them  t(i  llie  n'l-avest  apprelieiision>  foi'  their  own  li\('s.  The  lim'maiis  did 
nol  understand  the  dilTereiice  hetweeii  I'Ji^Hshmeii  and  .\  inericans,  and  arretted 
indisei'iniinately  evi>rv  pei'soii  weai-in:;-  a  hat.  An  (.■.\eeniioner  was  }>la('ed  over 
Messrs.  .Indson  and  Wade,  who.  with  heiit  lieaiis  and  hared  neeks,  awaited  the  fatal 
Mow,  the  order  ha\inu'  lieen  i;-iveii  that  the  lliii'inan  execntioner  shonld  strike  o|f 
their  head>  the  monieiil  that  a  l!riti>h  shot  shonld  he  firt'd  n]ion  Kan<roon.  The 
shot  was  fired,  hut  the  exeeuiioner  lleil  in  terror,  and  the  two  met]  of  (iod  escaped. 
Afler  this,  Jiidson  was  conlined  in  \arions  prisons  for  two  years  and  three  months, 
the  victim  of  aijoni/.in^' siilh'riiii;-s.  Meanwhile,  liis  precious  mannsci-ipt  id' the  New 
'I'estanient  was  for  a  si-axui  Imi'it'd  in  the  eai'th  mider  a  tIi>or.  .ind  afterwards  sewt'il 
np  in  an  old  pillow,  which  was  tossed  ahont  from  hand  to  hand  till  the  (dosi'  of  the 
war,  too  hai'd  to  tempt  the  head  of  the  |iooi-e>-i  Ky  the  thon^iit  that  it  was  worth 
desfriu'tion. 

I'ni'in::'  the'  \var  a  native  preaehei'  remained  in  jianii'oon  ;  \-et  the  converts  were 
s('altere(l,  and  the  pastor  sulTered  seonri;inii',  the  sto(d<s  and  im|)risonnient,  for  the 
name  (d'  Christ.  in  a  short  time  aftei'  the  war,  howexcr,  the  Church  nundiered 
Iweiilv  memhers.  nearl\'  all  hapti/.ed  liv  him.  'i'lic  lei'in.-  of  pc^ace  annexec]  a  lari^e 
poilioli  of  Ihii'inan  teri'itor\'  to  Itritish  India,  and  from  that  time  the  mission  fell 
under  r>i'ili>li  protection.  .Not  fai'  from  this  period  the  I\\i;i;ns  tirst  i-eceive<l  the 
(iosjx'l.  They  had  loiii;'  heen  oppressed  hy  their  lini'man  neiirhhors,  and  liveil 
hidden  in  the  hills  anil  forests.  It  was,  tlierefore,  a  thrillim;-  scene  when  thirty-four 
<d'  that  peo]ile  were  haptized  liv  ^Ir.  ^^ason,  in  the  presence  <if  Ml'.  IJoardmaii,  their 
apostk'.  T^p  to  that  time  there  had  heen  hut  twenty-two  converts  in  hffeen  year.s, 
including  the  cajiital  of  Ihirma,  Amherst  and  Tavoy.  .\t  the  close  of  this  bap- 
tismal scene,  the  first-fruits  of  Mr.  Jjoardman's  hihor  amongst  the  Karens,  his  joyful 
spirit  ascende'd  to  its  rest.  This  peo]i1e  seemed  rijie  for  the  Gospel  from  the  begin- 
ning, while  the  jn'onder  I!ui'man  race  have  rt'ccived  the  (ios])el  slowly,  only  ahont 
1, '200  having  hectnne  memhers  of  our  churches  down  to  this  date;  about  30.000 
Karens  have  become  Christians,  and  are  now  gathered  into  (rospel  churches.  I'^or 
the  general  convenience  of  our  Knrman  missions,  the  i>riiiting  department,  the 
Karen  College,  and  the  Theological  Seminary  are  located  in  Uangoon.  Mr. 
Bennett  first  established  the  press  and  had  charge  of  it  for  more  than  half  a  cent- 
ury, accomplishing  incalculable  good  thereby  to  all  Burma.  The  Karen  College 
was  opened  in  ls72,  with  seventeen  students,  under  the  Presidency  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Ihnnev.  in  buildings  endowed  by  the  late  Professoi-  Ruggles,  of  Washington.     The 


THE  MAVLMMX  MISSION. 


817 


Theological  Seiniiuu-y  was  established  by  Dr.  Biiiiiey,  in  1859,  though  iustnictiou 
iiad  been  previously  given,  at  different  times  and  places,  by  Dr.  Wade  and  others,  to 
candidates  for  the  ministry.  Rev.  D.  A.  W.  Sniitii,  D.D,,  lias  presided  over  tlie 
seminary  since  the  deatli  of  Dr.  Biimcy,  aided  ijy  four  native  Karen  teachers,  edu- 
cated men,  pre])ured  for  tiieir  oOice.  It  nunibei's  about  sixty  studrnts,  and  yearly 
graduates  about  one  fourth  of  that  number  to  preach  to  their  own  people.  Dr. 
Smith  has  nearly  finished  a  complete  commentary  of  the  Bible  in  Karen,  and  pre- 
pared and  issued  for  tlie  use  of  Karen  students  an  elementary  treatise  on  logic  and 
Waj'land's  '  Elements  of  ]\[oral  Science,'  and  for  several  years  be  lias  put  intu  Karen 
the  'International  Sunday-School  Lessons'  for  Karen  Sabbath-schools.  Besides 
superintending  the  Burman  work  in  and  around  Rangoon,  Dr.  Stevens  has  instructed 
several  Burman  assistants.  The  liist  female  convert  in  Burmali,  Mah  Menla,  was 
baptized  by  torch-liglit,  on  the  night  of  July  ISth,  1820.  Such  has  been  the  growth 
iif  the  I'urnian  missions  that  amongst  the 
various  peo[)les  of  the  empire  there  are 
98  missionaries,  male  and  female,  118 
ordained  native  preachers,  and  25,371 
members.  The  war  of  1826  was  followed 
by  the  death  of  the  heroic  Mrs.  Judson, 
in  Amherst,  where  she  now  sleeps  in 
Jesus.  After  her  death,  her  liusband  trans- 
ferred most  of  his  personal  property  to 
the  missionary  treasury. 

Maulmaix,  the  chief  station  of  the 
British  power  in  Burm.i,  was  thencefor- 
ward made  the  head-quarters  of  the  mis- 
sion. Work  was  begun  there  in  1827, 
between  which  time  and  September, 
1828,  twenty-one  converts  were  baptized 
and  a  native  Church  was  formed,  number- 
ing thirty  members.  In  1834  Dr.  Judson 
completed  the  revision  of  the  New  Testament  and  finished  the  translation  of  the 
Old.  A  mission  press  was  set  up  in  Mauhnain  by  Mr.  Bennett  in  1S30,  which  was 
followed  witliin  a  brief  interval  by  three  others.  The  printing  of  the  Bible  in  four 
or  live  languages  and  dialects,  besides  tracts,  school-books  and  other  works,  has 
kept  the  press — which  in  1862  was  transferred  to  Rangoon — constantly  busy. 
Maulmain  was  the  fii'st  seat  of  the  Karen  Theological  Seminary  and  of  Miss  Has- 
well's  school  for  native  girls,  established  in  1867,  which  in  five  years  numbered  103 
pupils.  Here  also  Dr.  Ilaswell  translated  the  New  Testament  into  Pegnan,  and  here 
he  rests  in  hope  of  a  blessed  resurrection.     A  Baptist  Church  was  formed  here,  in 

connection  with  the  British  army,  and  many  English  soldiers  became  the  disciples  of 
53 


ANN   HASSELTINE  JUBSON. 


818 


DIl.    ./I'DSOys    T/!Ays;.AT/0.\. 


Clirist.  Tlic  native  Cliristiaiis  arc  well  traiiic(|  in  liic  art  of  irivinf;:  for  religions 
purpu.ses.  Jii  su\eii  years  tiicy  gavi'  over  s;),iiiiii  in  ui,|J  for  tlie  sii])])(irt  of  tlie 
Ciospel  and  mission  sdiools.  In  connoftii)ii  willi  tiic  station  at  Maiiiniain  there 
\vci-('  |-cp(ii-|i'i|  in   1^^^I  aliout  twenty  ( 'hnrelio  ami  nim-e  llian  l.lni)  members. 

i)i-.  .hi(l>nn  (lid  lii>  last  work  at,  Maulmain.  lie  had  .-pent  ten  years  at  Kan- 
goon,  twoal  .\.\a.  and  a  hrief  time  at  Andiei'st,  after  which  he  removed  to  ilaul- 
main  and  ('(jntinncd  there  to  the  close  of  life,  (diietly  pnrsuing  the  work  of  transla- 
tion ;  though  he  kept  the  ovei'sight  of  the  llnrmest^  Chiii-ch  there.  The  last  leaf  of 
his  translation  of  the  .^ci-iptiii-t's  was  lini.~hcd  on  daiiuarv  :')l.-t.  ls;'>l.  and  he  put  his 

revised  li-anslation  to  press 
in  IS4().  When  his  health 
hecame  thoroughly  broken, 
he  left  this  ])lace  under 
the  advice  of  his  physician, 
on  board  the  French  bark 
Ar/'xti'ff  .)/"/■/'(•,  bonnd  for 
the  l.>laiid  of  llourbon.  in 
the  hope  that  the  \oyage 
]inght  j)rolong  his  lift'.  But 
nine  days  after  his  enibark- 
meiit.  when  scarcely  thi'ee 
■  \ny>^  out  of  sight  of  the 
liurmese  mountains,  he  be- 
gan to  siidc  ra])idly.  All 
tliat  love  and  ^kill  e<]uld  do 
lor  him  were  done,  but  at 
lifleen  minute>  past  four 
o"clo(d<  I'.  M..  on  the  1:>th 
of  April,  isrtil.  he  passed 
to  the  bt)som  of  Jesns,  as 
peacefully  as  a  child  would  drop  asleep  in  its  mother's  arms.  At  eight  o'clock  the 
same  evening,  the  crew,  his  two  broken-hearted  Ihirman  assistants  and  I\lr.  Kanney 
assembled  on  the  larboard  ]iart  of  the  ship,  and  in  re\-erent  silence  committed  his 
l)oily  to  the  keeping  of  the  Indian  ( )ceaii.  No  eye  now  rests  upon  the  spot  that 
closed  over  him  but  that  of  the  trui'  (Jod.  In  latitude  13  degrees  north,  longi- 
tude 93  degrees  east,  God  found  a  grave  for  one  of  his  noblest  sons  on  this  globe. 
None  can  drop  a  tear  or  raise  a  shaft  there,  but  his  eternal  monument  lives  in 
redeemed  I'.ui-ma.  She  glorifies  (-iotl  in  him  who  to  her  was  made  the  .sivor  of  life 
unto  life. 

T.woY  was  the  third  of  the  Uurman  missions  ;  its  establi.«limcnt  being  due  to  a 
suggestion  of  the  tirst  native  Burman  preacher,  who  proposed  to  make  a  missionary 


uu.  jrij.~.ui  .-.  ii.a.\.m.aiuj.n   iimmiuu. 


TIIK    TAVOY  MISSION.  819 

journey  there  in  1827.  Here  tliat  great  work  amongst  the  Karens  commenced  ;  here 
the  first  Karen  preaelier  was  baptized,  and  near  Tavoy  Mr.  Mason  performed  his 
iirst  official  act  as  a  missionary  in  baptizing  thirty-four  Karens.  It  is  nearly  two 
Iiundred  miles  distant  from  Manlmain  and  thirty-five  miles  from  the  sea,  on  Tavoy 
River.  Its  population  at  the  opening  of  the  mission,  April  18th,  1S2S,  was  about 
6,000  ;  it  is  in  British  Burma  and  a  stronghold  of  idolatry.  Two  converts  soon 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  Church,  and  a  missionary  spirit  possessed  the  con- 
verts, who  visited  many  villages  far  and  near  with  the  word  of  life.  The 
Karens  of  the  vicinity  held  a  tradition  that  at  some  time  messengers  from  the 
West  would  bring  to  them  a  revelation  from  God.  Hence,  they  were  prepared 
to  receive  our  missionaries  with  open  arms  and  to  accept  their  message.  The 
printing-press  was  located  at  Tavoy  for  some  time,  and  a  chapel  was  built 
in  the  town,  not  far  from  the  grave  of  Boardman.  Tlie  Karen  Chuicli  in  tlie 
town  is  weak,  but  many  Churches  exist  in  the  forest  and  jungle,  some  miles  away. 
Mr.  Morrow  is  the  faithful  missionary  to  the  Karens  there,  and  his  wife,  an  edu- 
cated physician,  is  his  efficient  helper.  The  Tavoy  Association  nund^ers  23  Ciiurches, 
U50  members,  11  ortiained  and  10  unordained  preachers,  and  13  schools. 

The  second  war  between  Burma  and  Great  Britain,  1852,  was  brief,  but  had 
an  important  influence  on  the  missionary  work.  It  resulted  in  the  annexation  of  a 
large  portion  of  Southern  Burma  to  the  British  realm  in  India,  which  opened  a 
wider  field  for  preaching  and  relieved  the  converts  from  the  fear  of  persecution  by 
a  heathen  government:  our  mission  in  Ihirma,  therefore,  took  a  sudden  expansion. 
New  stations  wei'e  commenced  in  Toungoo,  on  the  Sitang  River,  Henthada,  and 
other  places,  and  many  triumphs  crowned  the  labors  of  our  brethren.  Toungoo, 
one  of  the  new  stations,  opened  by  Dr.  Mason  in  1853,  was  one  of  the  most 
fruitful  in  converts.  The  zeal  of  Sau  Quala,  a  narive  preacher,  Avas  awakened 
through  a  man  from  Toungoo,  who  had  l)een  converted  three  years  previously.  The 
second  day  after  the  beginning  of  the  mission,  a  hundred  Burmans  called  on  Dr. 
Mason  to  inquire  about  the  new  religion,  and  in  a  few  weeks  found  several  dis- 
ciples. Ill  health  compelled  Dr.  Mason  to  leave  for  the  United  States  for  a  time ; 
but  the  mission,  left  in  charge  of  Sau  Quala,  seemed  to  be  blessed  with  a  new  Pen- 
tecost. Active,  fiiithful,  wise  and  energetic,  this  native  preacher  took  a  broad  field, 
planned  prudently,  superintended  efficiently,  and  commended  himself  to  all  by  his 
self-denying  labors.  In  the  first  year  of  the  mission  7-11  were  baptized.  Within  a 
year  and  nine  months  he  had  administered  the  ordinance  to  1.860  converts  and  formed 
28  churches,  while  hundreds  of  converts  were  still  waiting  to  be  baptized.  In 
1856  zayats  were  erected  in  forty  villages,  where  the  people  had  renouncetl  idola- 
try, and  ten  native  preacliers  in  the  district  were  supported  by  the  Manlmain  Mis- 
sionary Society.  In  a  single  mouth  of  1857  Mr.  Whitaker  baptized  233  converts; 
two  Associations  were  organized,  and  various  Karen  tribes  were  brought  under 
Christian  influences. 


820  IIKMIIADA    AM)    Mini  CAN. 

Dr.  Mason  iWvd  in  1S74.  Mr.  linnkcr.  Mr.  Kvck-tli,  Dr.  Cross  and  others,  Iiad 
in  tlio  lucaiitinic,  joinud  the  i^tation.  Dr.  .Mason  luid  transhitt-d  tiu'  whole  Hihle 
into  Sgau  Karun,  and  hiter,  Mr.  Bravton  translated  it  into  l*\vo  Karen.  Dr.  Masuii, 
heiiiii;  a  man  of  scientilic  tendeneie.s,  contribnted  lari^elv  to  the  knowledge  of  natural 
history  in  the  Ihirman  enipii'e.  The  mission  in  and  ahont  Tonngoo  nuiidjers  102 
native  i)reaehors,  llU  Churches,  and  ;i,8(i;i  memhci-s.  From  this  point  the  mission 
to  the  Slums  began,  and  the  Bible  has  been  translated  into  Shan  by  Dr.  Cushing. 
The  statistics  of  1SS6  give  144  churches,  4,788  members,  and  84  native  j)reacher6. 

II  i:.N  I  iiAiiA  was  oi)ene<l  as  a  mission  station  after  the  war  of  |s.",2.  .Mi'.  Thomas 
was  the  first  missionary  to  the  Karens  of  this  mission,  and  Mr.  Crawley  to  the  Bur- 
mans.  At  first  many  of  the  natives,  atti'acted  by  curiosity,  thronged  as  visitors  to 
the  mi.ssionaries,  who,  after  the  (iospel  was  introduced,  became  zealous  converts; 
for  at  the  end  of  the  fii-st  year  the  ivai'en  dejiail  iiieiit  reported  S  churches  and  15(1 
members.  At  the  end  of  ten  years,  tin'  mission  reported  Tol  lUiniiaii  converts  and 
live  j)reachers.  Mr.  Thomas  instructed  a  class  of  twenty  or  more  native  helpers 
every  year,  during  the  I'ains,  and  kept  the  chai-ge  of  his  field  twehe  or  thirteen 
years,  traveling  in  every  part  of  his  district,  ])reaching  and  ba]>ti/cing  constanth', 
eni<iving  ahnost  a  perpetual  re\i\al.  At  length,  broken  in  health,  for  a  time 
he  changed  his  field  for  that  of  IJassein,  and  Mr.  Smith  took  tlie  post  at  Ilenthada. 
In  a  short  time  l\[r.  Thomas  was  compelled  to  return  to  tlie  I'nited  States,  where 
he  died  on  the  dav  after  his  arrival.  His  widow  returned  {o  lli^nihada,  wiiere 
she  efKciently  coiitinue(l  the  work  which  her  husband  had  begun  ;  their  son, 
Williston,  joined  his  nu)ther  in  IsSd,  and  is  still  toiling  in  a  spirit  worthy  of  his 
parents. 

AEE.\rAN,  on  the  western  coast  of  Burma,  became  a  mission  .■-tat ion  in  1835, 
and,  at  difYerent  times,  thirteen  missionaries  anil  their  wives  labored  there  with  much 
success.  A  chain  of  mountains,  parallel  with  the  coast,  divided  Burma  Proper 
from  the  territory  which  had  been  ceded  to  Great  Britain.  In  many  instances,  the 
converts  on  the  Burman  frontier,  having  embraced  Christianity,  crossed  the  mount- 
ains into  English  territory,  and  being  l)a]itized.  returned,  to  live  a  Christian  life 
amongst  their  fellow-countrymen.  The  work  prospered  and  multitudes  believed. 
The  names  of  Abbott,  Comstoek,  Stilson,  Ingalls  and  others,  are  a  memorial  in  this 
mission.  All  of  them  passed  away  early,  and  the  Arraean  ]\Iission  disappeared;  but 
out  of  it  grew  the  mission  in  I>a>sein,  one  of  the  fairest  portions  of  the  Christian 
heritage  in  Burma.  It  has  become  one  of  tlie  great  centers  of  evangelical  labor 
amongst  the  Karens.  In  1872,  a  Burman  preacher,  supported  almost  wholly  by 
native  contributions,  visited  540  hou.ses.  conversed  on  religious  themes  with  1,397 
persons,  and  distributed  fiOO  or  700  tracts.  As  early  as  1848,  there  were  36 
teachers  and  more  than  400  pupils  in  the  schools  of  the  Karen  department.  Day- 
schools  existed  in  nearly  every  village,  and  the  native  Christians  sustained  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel  in  their  own  neighborhoods.     The  plan  of  self-support  has 


PROME  AND  AS.^AM.  821 

been  effectively  developed,  and  native  Christians  liavc  contributed  much  to  send 
the  Gospel  to  others.  A  memorial  hall,  servinir  the  double  purpose  of  a  place  of 
worship  and  for  higher  education,  spacious  and  provided  with  every  facility,  was 
dedicated  at  Bassein  in  1878,  on  the  tiftietli  anni\  ersary  of  the  baptism  of  the  first 
Karen  convert.  This  building  was  paid  for  mainly  by  tlie  liberality  of  the  native 
Christians.  In  1S8G  there  were  D'J  churches,  8,490  members,  and  97  native 
preachers. 

Peome  lias  ever  been  a  scene  of  missionary  interest,  on  account  of  the  visit 
paid  to  that  city  b}'  Dr.  Judson  in  1830,  although  for  twenty-four  years  after  that 
visit  no  missionary  returned  there.  But  the  work  was  iigain  taken  up  by  Messrs. 
Kincaid  and  SItuous,  and  still  later  by  Mr.  E.  O.  Stevens,  son  of  the  veteran  mission- 
ai-\-  in  Kaiigooii,  and  it  has  yielded  good  fruit.  Four  Churches  connected  with  the 
mission  are  self-supporting,  and  there  are  now  11  native  preachers,  4  churclies,  and 
241  members.  Many  other  stations  in  Burma  have  missionaries  and  native  preachers, 
churches  and  schools,  and  are  fully  organized  for  Christian  work.  Thongzai,  an 
exclusively  Burinan  station,  is  remarkable  for  the  labor  of  Mrs.  Ingalls  and  a  female 
associate,  who  have  stood  firmly  at  their  post  for  many  years.  She  has  won  the 
confidence  and  affections  of  the  converts  and  of  the  heathen,  and  is  held  in  high  es- 
teem by  travelers  of  all  ranks;  for  the  railroad,  e.xtending  between  Ilangoon  and 
Pronie,  passes  directly  through  Thongzai.  In  1877  Bhamo  became  a  station  of  the 
Missionary  I'liion,  and  since  the  absorption  of  Burma  proper  into  British  India, 
Mandelay,  the  capital,  is  also  occupied  by  that  body.  All  upjjer  Burma  is  now 
included  in  the  territory  cultivated  by  the  American  Baptists.  A  recent  enterprise 
has  been  entered  upon  in  a  station  amongst  the  Karens  at  Ciiiengmai,  in  northern 
Siani. 

Assam  was  opened  as  a  mission  in  1836  by  Messrs.  NathaTi  Brown  and  O.  T. 
Cutter,  who  had  been  previously  stationed  in  Burma.  The  first  station  of  the  mis- 
sion was  Sadiya,  400  miles  nortli  of  Ava,  and  about  200  from  Yunnan,  on  the  borders 
of  China,  lint  about  a  dozen  stations  are  now  occupied,  mostly  on  the  south  side  of 
the  Brahmaputra,  and  are  accessible  by  British  steamers.  A  printing-press  was  estab- 
lished by  Mr.  Cutter,  and  the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  into  Assamese  was 
begun  by  Dr.  Brown,  Jan.  1,  1838.  Mr.  Bronson  imdertook  to  open  a  mission 
amongst  the  Nagas,  in  their  hills,  l)nt  on  account  of  the  insalubrity  of  the  climate 
lie  changed  his  residence  to  Nowgong,  where  lie  baptized  the  first  Assamese  convert, 
June  13,  1841.  The  Nowgong  Orphan  Institution  was  for  several  years  a  fruitful 
part  of  the  mission  work,  for  in  it  many  were  converted  and  trained  for  usefulness. 
The  school  was  dispersed  after  twelve  years,  but  more  native  helpers  were  brought 
out  of  this  school  than  from  any  other  source.  Other  stations  were  occupied  in  suc- 
cession by  new  missionaries,  ]\ressrs.  Ward,  Whiting,  Danforth  and  others,  whose 
labors  were  crowned  by  abundant  blessings.  In  1851  the  second  edition  of  the 
New  Testament  was  issued,  and  revivals  of  religion,  with  large  additions  to  the 


822  77/ A'   SUM  MJSSJOX. 

Clinrclios,  fi)ll(i\vi'(l.  Tii  I^^.^T.  at  the  time  <>f  tlic  Iiulian  iiiutiiiy,  iniicli  appi-elieii.sion 
was  i'ult  ;  l)iit  the  stunn  jia-scil,  aud  not  a  liair  of  tlie  licad  of  any  iiiis.siuiiary  was 
toiiclic'(l. 

Tilt'  (iAKcis  weTe  tiist  visited  in  ls.")7,  anil  that  iinivcnifnt  ojicncil  nnc  of  tlie 
briiilitt'st  (.'liaptei-s  in  tin.'  history  of  tlic  nii.->ion  to  x\ssani.  A  toi'n  tract,  swept  out 
of  a  Imililinu'  wliicli  had  hccn  idcancil  and  pr('j)ared  for  n  new  tenant,  w;is  picked 
np  \>\  a  Sepoy  iiiiard  and  read.  Il  led  to  his  (-on version  ;  lu;  l>ecaine  an  efficient 
jircaclicr  to  liis  tribe,  and  in  ls<i7,  a  Cliurch  was  formed  anionj^st  them,  inunberini^ 
4(»  nienihers.  'I'lie  next  year  the  niindier  increased  to  81,  and  in  ISC'J  to  Hit  ;  from 
these  s]iriin!j;5  native  churches.  8  native  preachers,  and  a  Normal  School.  The  mission 
lias  conveyed  the  (iospel  to  tribe  after  tribe  in  the  hills  and  on  the  jilains  adjoining 
the  j'.raliinapiilra.  Two  Assamese  native  preachers  and  oiieOaro  have  visited  the 
I'liitecl  States,  and  tlie  latter,  who  had  learned  Engdisli,  spent  a  year  in  the  Newton 
Theological  Institution.  The  statistics  of  iSSli  show,  ;'>(•  churches,  l,S.^;.t  members, 
and  27  native  preachers,  with  7  stations  and  '2\  missionaries,  male  and  female. 
Tlie  station-;  of  the  Assam  Mission  ai-e  divided  into  three  Assam,  three  Naga,  and 
one  (4ai'o,  amongst  which  there  are  7-  s(/liiiols  and    i.L'"_".i  pupils. 

SiAM   was  the    s( iid    iiii>^ioii    undertaken   by    .\merican   Baptists    amongst    tlie 

heathen  iiihabilaiits  of  .\sia.  Kev.  -lohn  Taylor  .loues  was  the  first  Tuissionary.  He 
had  labored  about  two  years  in  I'urma,  and  had  become  so  proficient  in  that;  lan- 
guage as  to  preach  to  the  natives  in  tlieir  own  tongue.  lie  reached  l.aiigkok  in 
IMarcli,  1S.'>'{,  and  the  first  converts  wvw.  baptized  in  l)e<!enil)cr  of  that  year.  They 
were  all  Chinese,  which  race  foi-m  the  majority  of  the  people  of  that  city.  I>r.  Jones 
translat(Ml  the  New  Testament  into  Siamese  and  made  much  ])rogress  in  preparing  a 
J  )ictionarv  of  the  language,  a  grammar  and  other  works,  ^frs.  .lones  prepared  a 
Catechism  of  the  Christian  religion.  From  the  mission-])ress  in  Bangkok,  much 
Christian  literature  was  scattered  abroad.  I)r.  Dean  jfiined  the  mission  in  18;'-!-.  and 
devoted  himself  to  the  Chinese  dejiartnient :  left  Siam  in  1842.  and  returned  to 
Bangkok  in  JSiIf.  in  .\ugust,  ISo,").  he  preached  his  tirst  sermon  to  .'>4  natives,  and 
in  ls4  1,  Ion  I  led  a  class  ol'  ( 'liinese  j)reaclicrs,  which  he  continued  till  lie  left  for  Hong 
Kong.  Mr.  .1.  11.  Chandler  joined  the  mission  in  1843.  lie  was  not  a  preacher,  hut 
possessed  remarkable  mechanical  skill,  and  largely  through  his  influence  the  king 
became  one  of  the  most  progressive  native  lailers  of  Asia.  In  the  palace  is  a  working 
ju'inting-press,  ami  one  or  more  steamboats  lu'longing  to  the  government  jily  in  the 
rivi'r  b(d"ore  Bangkok. 

During  the  ne.\t  ten  years  Messrs.  L)aveiiport.  (ioihlard,  .Tencks  and  Ashniore, 
with  their  wives,  joined  the  mission,  and  Miss  Harriet  II.  ^loi'se,  the  latter  to  labor 
in  the  Siamese  departnu'ut.  the  others  in  the  Chinese.  Dr.  dones  died  in  1851.  A 
decree  was  issued  tolerating  Christian  worship,  and  by  authority  of  the  king  the 
ladies  of  the  mission  were  invited  to  the  palace  daily  to  teach  the  court  ladies  En- 
glish.    After  the  death  of  l)i-.  Jones,  the  Siamese  work  was  continued  by  Mr.  S.  J. 


TUE   TKLUaUS.  823 

Smitli,  wlio,  with  liis  wife,  lias  remained  until  tiiis  date,  to  superintend  a  school,  to 
prepare  and  distribute  tracts  and  to  teach  thi^  people  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God. 
Mr.  Smith  supports  himself  and  his  work  \)\  secular  employment.  Mcssr.s.  Lisle, 
I'artridiie  and  C'hilcott  and  Miss  Fieldc  iia\c  lalmrcd  in  the  Chinese  department. 
In  the  year  lS7-t  there  were  large  additions  to  the  uundjcr  of  converts,  two  new 
Churches  were  formed  and  twD  native  pastors  ordained.  Eleven  were  baptized  at 
one  station,  seventeen  at  another,  twenty-five  at  a  third,  and  eighty-four  at  a  fonrth. 
In  1S77  tliere  were  six  churches,  418  members,  and  sixty-one  were  baptized  during 
the  year.  Dr.  Jones  labored  in  Bangkok  eighteen  years,  Dr.  Dean  nmre  than 
twenty-five,  Messrs.  Davenport  and  Telford,  nine  years  each  ;  Dr.  Ashmore  and 
Miss  Moi-se,  seven  years  each  ;  Miss  Fielde  six  years,  Mr.  Partridge  four,  and  Mr. 
Ciiilctitt  (inc.  About  thirty  mi.-siouarics  have  i)een  connected  with  this  missinn.  Its 
latest  statistics  report  five  chui'chcs  and  one  luuKbvd  members.  Many  of  those  who 
have  been  baptized,  being  but  temporary  I'esidents  of  Siam,  have  returiu'd  to  China 
and  been  inunbered  with  the  discipU's  of  Christ  tliere. 

TuK  Ti:i.r(as.  This  Indian  mission  lias  been  amongst  the  most  successful  and 
renowned  in  moiK'rn  times.  The  Telugu  nation  uuinbcrs  about  18,000,01)0,  resid- 
ing mainly  in  India,  west  of  the  J»ay  of  Bengal,  and  between  Calcutta  on  the  north 
and  Madras  on  tlu;  .south.  The  mission  was  commenced  in  1830,  by  JMessrs,  Day 
and  A"an  Husen.  Its  jubilee  M'as  celebrated  with  great  joy  at  Nellore,  in  February, 
1886.  Tlic  •  i.onc  Star.'  as  it  has  been  often  called,  has  expanded  into  a  constellation. 
For  the  first  twenty  years  the  work  was  discouraging  and  many  proposed  to  abandon 
it,  but  a  few  pleaded  for  its  continuance  and  prevailed.  The  first  permanent  station 
of  the  mission  was  Nellore.  Eev.  Mr.  Jewett  joined  the  mission  in  April,  1849, 
and  pi\'ac!ied  his  first  sermon  in  Telugu  in  December,  eight  months  after  his  arrival. 
At  the  close  of  1852  he  and  his  wife,  with  two  or  three  native  Christians,  visited 
Ongole,  and,  before  leaving  the  place,  they  ascended  a  slope  of  ground  overlooking  this 
village,  since  named  •  Pi'ayer-meeting  Hill,'  and  while  kneeling  together  there,  prayed 
that  a  missionary  might  be  sent  to  Ongole.  In  the  meantime  the  work  of  preach- 
ing, teacliing  and  trai-t  distribution  was  continued,  and  a  few  converts  were  gathered 
as  the  tirst-fruits  of  these  efforts.  In  1858  several  were  added  to  the  Church, 
and  twelve  years  after  the  prayers  on  Prayer-meeting  Ilill,  Rev.  J.  E.  Clough 
formed  the  mission  and  ]ilaiited  his  standard  at  Ongole.  On  the  1st  of  June,  1867, 
eight  members  formed  a  church  at  Ongole.  Divine  influences  have  been  wonder- 
fully shed  abroad  amongst  this  people.  After  the  Week  of  Prayer,  in  the  beginning 
of  January,  five  <lays  were  spent  in  a  tent-meeting  devoted  to  reading  the  Sci'ipt- 
ures,  prayer  and  preaching;  at  the  close  twenty-eight  asked  for  baptism.  In  1868 
when  Mr.  Timpany  joined  the  mission,  twenty-three  wt're  baptized  in  Xellore  and 
sixty-eight  in  Ongole.  More  than  eighty  villages,  in  a  circuit  of  foi'ty  miles  around 
Ongole,  had  heard  the  word  of  life.  Mr.  McLaurin  came  to  the  help  of  the  mis- 
sionaries in  1870,  when  1,000  villages  had  heard  the  Gospel.     This  year  a  Church 


824  .1    HKMM!h'.\]}I.IC  ]iAl'TISMM.   SCEXE. 

was  organized  in  Il;uiiai)at;iin,  uml  tlu;  number  of  l)apti.sni.-  rejjortod  for  the  year 
was  ttl5.  The  Thenlugieal  Seminary,  for  native  preaeliers,  was  opened  liere  in  1872, 
with  eii^'hteen  slucU'iits.  a  liodv  that  has  increa^rd  to  mni-u  tlian  ^mi  memliei's.  Mr. 
Downie  an-i\cd  in  \>'l'-',.  and  Mr.  (Jampixdl  in  1^71.  Tlien  came  a  year  of  famine, 
a  year  of  cholera,  and  >till  anotlier  of  famine.  During  tiie.se  years  tiie  government 
came  to  the  help  ni  tiie  perisjiing  people  l)y  employing  tliem  in  digging  canals 
forthe  develiipmctit  (jf  tli(!  eotiiitry.  Mr.Clmigh  tdcik  eontrae.ts  lor  certain  ])ortions  of 
tills  woi'k.  and  paid  i;'ood  wages  to  the  starving  natives  (.)!'  his  district,  and  while 
thev  lahori'il  for  their  hi-cad,  his  native  preachers  laid  hefore  them  the  (iospel. 
Many  askeij  loi-  luipiisin,  hut  lie  refusc^d  to  l)a])tize  any  while  the  famine  lasted  lest 
they  should  profess  ( 'liristiaiiity  from  wi'oiig  motives.  When  the  three  years  of 
jiestilciice  and  famine  weix'  over,  he  oll'cred  l)a|)lism  to  all  true  helievers.  In  one 
ilay  'I.'l'l'I  wvw  imnu'i'sed  upon  the  profession  of  their  faith.  Wi;  detailed  the  pro- 
cess to  the  writer  with  great  care,  stating  that  there  were  six  administi-ators ;  three 
of  them  immersing  at  a  time,  as  the  can<lidates  were  hrought  to  them  into  the 
water,  and  when  they  became  wearv  tlie  three  reste(l  while  the  others  proceeded  with 
till'  baptisms.  Everything,  he  said,  was  done  with  ])erfect  deliberation,  the  Gospel 
foi-mula  was  carid'ully  ]ironounced  over  each  candidate  before  his  burial  ;  that  he 
stood  by  and  supei-inteiided  the  administration,  but  baptized  none  liimself,  and  that 
only  about  t-iglit  hours  were  passed  in  the  great  baptism.  From  June  to  Septem- 
ber, it.  147  were  immersed,  and  the  numbers  incr(>ased  until  K.iMiu  Ikk]  been  immersed 
on  their  profession  of  faith  in  Cliiast.  The chnrcli  register  in  Ongole  alone  contained, 
in  1881,  more  than  IC.uiiii  muucs.  During  the  first  half  of  tin;  year  1881.  l,(lCi«.t 
were  baptized,  and  from  -luiie,  1878,  to  .Tnne,  ls8I.  the  total  number  reached 
ir),84:().  For  years  the  native  preachers  had  faithfully  iireached  throtigliout  the  dis- 
triei,  and  the  American  missionaries  were  deliglited  to  see  them  thus  honored  of 
(mhI  in  their  labors.  The  Ongole  ('hureh  having  become  the  largest  in  the  world, 
the  nndtitude  was  organized  into  fonrteen  Chnrches  for  convenience.  The  wliole 
number  of  niembci-s  reported  in  188(!  is  2(l.o8<t,  the  church  at  Ongole  still  immber- 
ing  l-i,.8!JU.  Jii  the  mission,  at  the  same  (hite,  there  were  287  stations,  40  missiona- 
ries, male  and  female,  160  native  preachers,  46  cliurehes,  292  schools,  and  4,270 
juipils. 

Cni.N'.v.  The  IMissionary  Union  has  two  missions  in  the  empire  of  China,  the 
Southern  ;ind  the  Eastern.  Mr.  Shuck  and  IMr.  l!oberts  founded  the  Southern 
mission,  being  followed  by  Dr.  William  Dean,  who  reached  Hong  Kong  in  1842.  Mr. 
Lord  reached  Ningpoo  in  June.  1847,  and  Mr.  Goddard  went  from  Bangkok  to  ^S'iiig- 
j)oo  in  1849.  There  was  a  tem])oraiy  station  at  Macao,  where  the  first  Chinese  con- 
vert of  the  mission  was  bai>tized.  A  chapel  was  built  in  \'ictoria  ami  another  in 
Chekchee.  Thirty-three  services  were  held  every  week  in  Chinese,  and  in  1S44 
nineteen  were  baj^tized.  Ii;  1848  Mr.  Johnson  joined  the  mission,  and  in  that  year 
20,000  tracts  were  distributed  ;  also.  Dr.  Dean's  •  Notes  on   the  (iospel  of  Matthew 


CHINA   AXD  JAPAX.  828 

and  the  Book  of  Genesis.'  Mr.  Aslunuiu  joiiiL'd  the  mission  in  1858,  and  in 
ISGl  the  seat  of  the  mission  was  transferred  to  Swatow.  The  Church  there  num- 
bereii  tliirty  nieuihcrs  in  ist;;;,  hut  suffered  great  perseciirinn.  A  liturarN-  araduate, 
however,  confessed  Christ;  two  Chinese  preachers  were  oi'dained  in  1807  and  Ije- 
came  pastors  of  churches.  Miss  Fielde  and  Mr.  Partridge  were  transferred  to 
Swatow ;  tlie  former  prepared  a  synopsis  of  tiie  Gospels  in  Ciiinese  and  a  diction- 
ary of  the  Swatow  dialect.  In  1S70  forty-nine  were  haptized,  ami  the  next  vear 
169,  making  the  number  of  members  512.  Mr.  McKibben  labored  hirgely  amongst 
the  hill  tribes,  answering  to  the  Karens  in  Burma;  the  statistics  of  1886  give 
36  out-stations,  1,433  niembei's,  36  native  preachers,  14  missionaries,  11  schools,  and 
175  pupils. 

KiNoi'o,  or  the  Eastern  China  mission,  has  its  ])rincipal  station  at  Ningpo.  Tt 
has  been  occupied  from  1843,  when  i)r.  Macgowan  opened  a  hospital.  In  eight 
months  of  the  ne.xt  year  2,139  cases  were  treated.  A  chapel  was  opened  in  1846, 
and  a  congregation  of  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  attended,  some  also  being  bap- 
tized. In  1853,  Mr.  Goddard,  who  had  joined  the  mission  at  Ningpo,  completed  an 
independent  version  of  the  JS'ew  Testament,  pronounced  by  competent  judges  the 
best  Chinese  version  that  has  been  made.  Mr.  Knowlton  joined  the  mission  in 
1855,  and  various  outlying  stations  were  established,  so  that,  in  1859,  nineteen  were 
baptized,  two  of  them  literary  men,  and  an  unusual  inunber  of  females.  Two 
women  became  Bible-readers,  and  the  Church  at  Ningpo  supported  its  own  pastor. 
Five  young  Chinamen  ])ecame  candidates  for  the  ministry,  and  iu  December,  1872, 
the  first  Baptist  Chinese  Association  was  formed  there,  nundieriug  six  Churches, 
twenty-three  delegates  being  present,  membei-s  of  Churches  219,  and  native  ]Hvaclicrs 
fifteen.  Dr.  Barchet  re-established  the  medical  work  in  1877,  and  IMr.  Jcidcin^  issued 
a  Reference  Testament.  Sometimes  sixty  cases  of  disease  were  treated  iu  a  day,  and 
many  of  the  pupils  were  able  to  i-ecite.  word  for  word,  the  whole  books  of  Genesis 
and  Matthew.  At  this  time,  1886,  the  Churches  of  the  Eastern  China  mission 
number  seven  ;  members  246,  native  preachers  thirteen,  Bible-wnmen  four,  schools 
six,  pupils  184. 

Japan.  This  mission  was  commenced  by  the  appointment  of  Dr.  Nathan 
Brown,  once  missionary  to  Assam,  in  May,  1872.  He  arrived  on  his  field  in  Febru- 
ary, Ls73.  ,Iapau  was  just  awakening  from  the  slumber  of  centuries,  and  its  perse- 
cuting edicts  against  Christianity  were,  about  that  time,  abandoned  by  imperial 
proclamation.  Mr.  Arthur  and  wife  joined  the  mission  in  October,  and,  while  study- 
ing the  language,  found  numbers  of  young  men  who  had  forsaken  the  gods  and 
were  ready  to  listen  to  the  (Tospel.  A  Church  of  eight  nu^mbcrs  was  formed  at 
Yokohama  in  1873.  ]\[r.  Arthur  stationed  himself  at  Tokio,  the  capital,  and  sevei-al 
Buddhist  priests  offered  him  quarters  in  one  of  their  temples.  A  Scripture  ]\Ianual 
in  Japanese  was  prepared  by  Dr.  Brown,  for  the  use  of  schools,  and  put  in  circula- 
tion.    The  first  baptism  in  Tokicj   was   in   October,   1875.     At  Yokohama  a  daily 


826  THE    coy  no    MISSION. 

liibk;  t'lass  was  cstahlislicd  and  a  !Sal)l)atli-sclii)ol  ;  a  native;  jn-caelifr  luhorud,  and  by 
IS"*)  tlief'lnircli  nnniht'fod  twenty-two  nienihcrs,  wliilc  at  Tokio,  tlic  saniu  year,  tlie 
("Inii-cli  had  iliii-ty-si\  nicndicrs  ;  Mr.  Ai'tlini- di(Ml  in  1^77.  W'iliun  thrue  yearss  tlie 
mission  |irinlcd  nim-t'  than  :'),(i(t(>,(iU()  jiagi-s  of  Scriptnivs  and  ti'acts,  and  tlie  first  Go.s- 
])('!  ever  |irintc'd  in  .lapan  was  ])rint('d  at  tlic  IJaptist  niission  press.  In  1.S7S  twenty- 
('ii;lit  conNcrts  wvw  added  to  tlie  two  Clnirclies,  and  ])r.  JJrown's  translation  of  the 
Xe\\-  'l\'>tanient  was  issned  in  Is7'.V  I  )r.  lli'iiwii  was  one  of  the  lovi'lii'st  nii.-n  ever 
kiiiiwn  ti>  the  writer,  and  one  of  the  best  scholars.  liefore  his  death,  in  Is^Stl.  he 
tran>laled  the  New  Testament  into  tlie  langnatje  of  two  heathen  ]ieoples  :  tlic  A>sam- 
ese  and  the  Japanese.  A  Cate'cliism  ol'  forly-i'ii;lit  pai,'e^,  by  iMr.  Arthur,  remains 
as  a  precious  nieniiirial  of  his  literary  labors  for  the  .la|iaiie.~e.  iie\'.  'I'homas  I'oate 
joined  the  niissinu  in  !)eeenibel',  lS7'.t.  He  was  formerly  a  teacher  in  the  Imjii'rial 
C.'olieii-e  of  Jajian.  In  a  journey  to  the  north  he  found  tlie  Japanese  remarkably 
open  to  ('liri.-.fianity,  and  diiriiii;-  lSS(t  baptized  twenty-six  and  organized  three 
Churches  in  that  part  of  the  empire.  In  ISsC  there  were  live  stations,  four  Clnirclies. 
-lO'J  members,   lifteeii  native  pre;ichers  and  ^' I  .">  pupils  in  scIk.ioIs. 

Am;ic.\.  The  mission  to  the  continent  ol'  A  IVica  was  commeneed  almost  simul- 
taneously with  that  in  Kmana,  and  sevei-al  de\citeil  missionaries  sacrificed  their  lives 
in  tliat  inhospitable  climate.  'I"he  missiuii,  be^^nn  in  AbmrnNia,  Liberia,  was  continued 
with  iiidiiVei'ent  success  and  under  many  discoiirauements,  until  \>'i*k  The  labors 
of  Messrs.  Lott  Carey  (c<.ilored).  Skinner  and  others,  were  amongst  Africans  restored 
to  their  own  country  from  America,  and  the  liassa  tribe  in  the  vicinity,  ^fr.  Clarke, 
one  of  the  missionaries,  ])repai'ed  a  dictionary  of  tlie  I'assa  language,  and  nine  ]]assa 
young  men  were  con \-ei-ted.  ( )ne  native  came  to  the  I'nited  States,  was  bajitizcd 
here,  learned  the  ])riiiter's  trade,  and  was  about  to  return  to  his  own  ])eople  when 
lie  <lied.  So  many  of  the  mi.ssionaries  died  aftei'  a  brief  period  on  the  Held  that  the 
mission  was  suspended  in  185f) ;  in  ISiiS,  tlie  wm-k  was  renewed,  and  Robert  Hill 
(col(ireil)  appointeil  a  missi(in;iry ;  he  never  reached  his  field.  In  lS(ii1-T0,  153 
were  baptized,  and  the  mission  repoi'ted  218  converts;  in  ls71  two  Clmrches  were 
organized  and  a  place  of  woi'sliip  dedicated.  Two  years  afterwards,  lit  Bassas  east 
off  idolatry  and  embraced  Christ,  but  aside  from  several  heroic  liible-reader.s  who 
wei-e  on  the  ticM  in  isso,  the  work  is  in  a  languishing  state,  in  the  absence  of 
trained  missiouarit's. 

Tni-;  Congo  i\rissioN,  in  Central  Africa,  was  first  sustained  by  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
(iuiniiess,  of  London,  and  much  money  was  expended,  largely  out  of  their  own  pos- 
sessions, in  buildings  and  the  maintenance  of  a  steam-boat  to  ply  on  the  river  Congo 
and  its  braiiches.  with  other  ]>rovisions  for  ])roseciitiug  niissiou  woi'k.  They  )iro- 
posed  to  turn  over  to  the  American  l)a])tists  all  the  mission  property  in  the  Congo 
country,  including  land,  buildings,  the  steam-boat  and  the  missionary  force,  on  con- 
dition that  the  work  be  carried  forward  on  the  principles  of  the  Mi.ssionarv  Union. 
In  1885  this  jiroffer  was  acce|)ted,  ami  the  woi-k  undertaken.     On  grounds  of  e.x- 


MISSIONS  ly  GERMANY.  827 

pcdiency,  some  of  the  stations  were  transferred  to  another  society  laboring  near 
tlieni,  and  ai'rangenients  were  made  to  bring  the  worlv  into  line  with  the  general 
methods  of  woi'k  pursued  by  the  Union.  In  188(5  five  stations  were  reported,  thir- 
teen ijialf  missionaries,  of  wlmm  three  are  married,  and  two  single  women.  One 
missionary  and  wife  have  been  sent  from  the  United  States,  and  two  colored  mission- 
aries will  soon  be  added  to  the  force.  At  present,  this  noble  enterprisi;  is  in  its 
infancy,  and  altliough  several  coUNcrts  have  been  ba])ti/,ed,  the  fruits  of  the  mission 
Iiave  been  lai-gely  the  anticipation  of  prayerful  liopc  until  vi'ry  recently.  Intelli- 
gence is  received  that  a  powerful  wi>rk  of  grace  is  in  progress  at  lian/.a  Manteka, 
where  more  than  1,00U  converts  have  been  baptized,  two  of  the  king's  sons  being 
amongst  them.  At  Mukimbungu  about  30  have  been  converted,  and  the  work  of 
God  is  spreading  in  various  directions. 

European  Missions.  Eiforts  to  establish  missions  in  Europe  have  been  put  fortii 
by  American  Baptists.  In  France  in  1832,  in  Gernuiny  and  adjacent  countries  in 
1834,  in  Greece  183f).  in  Sweden  18()6,  and  in  Spain  187(i.  Some  of  these  efforts 
have  met  with  l)ut  limited  success,  while  others  have  been  very  largely  blessed.  The 
mission  was  commenced  in  France  by  Messrs.  Wilmarth  and  Sheldon.  Mr.  Rostan, 
a  native  J'rcnchman.  had  previously  made  explorations,  which  awakened  hope  for 
the  success  of  the  undertaking.  In  May,  1835,  a  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in 
Paris,  and  later,  ^[v.  Willard  instructed  a  few  young  men  in  studies  preparatory  to 
the  ministry.  Messrs.  Wilmartli  and  Willard  returned  to  this  country,  and  the 
work  in  Paris  was  left  mainly  in  tlie  hands  of  native  ministers.  From  1810  to 
1872  the  Church  there  struggled  hard  for  existence.  In  the  last  of  these  j-ears  a 
costly  chapel  was  built  in  the  Rue  de  Lille,  in  which  the  Church  still  worships. 
There  are  also  several  small  Churches  in  other  parts  of  France,  so  tliat,  as  nearly  as 
can  be  ascertained,  there  are  13  native  Baptists  laborers  in  France,  male  and  female, 
with  al)out  770  communicants. 

Germany.  Hase,  the  Church  liistorian,  pronounces  tlie  German  Baptists 
'  after  the  American  type  of  Christianity,'  and  Jlr.  Oncken,  their  apostle,  demands 
notice  here  as,  under  God,  their  honored  founder.  He  was  born  at  Varel,  in  the 
Duchy  of  Oldenburg,  Jan.  26th,  1800,  and  while  young  went  to  England,  wliere  lie 
became  a  Christian.  In  1823  he  acce]ited  an  appointment  from  the  British  Conti- 
nental Society'  as  a  missionary  to  Germany.  lie  preached  on  the  shores  of  the  Ger- 
man Ocean,  chiefly  in  Hamburg  and  Bremen,  till  1828,  when  he  took  an  agency  for  the 
Edinburgh  Bible  Society,  being,  meanwhile,  a  member  of  the  English  Independent 
Church  at  Hamburg,  under  tlie  pastoral  care  of  ilr.  Matthews.  In  the  winter  of 
1830-31,  Captain  Tubbs,  master  of  tht^  brig  MiD's,  and  a  member  of  the  Sansom 
Street  Baptist  Church,  Philadeliihia,  found  his  vessel  ice-bound  at  Hamburg,  and 
while  detained  there  made  his  home  in  the  family  of  Mr.  Oncken.  During  his 
stay,  Tubbs  and  Oncken  spent  much  of  their  time  in  examining  the  Xew  Testament, 
and  the  captain  explained  to  him  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  the  American  Baptist 


828 


pi:i{si:<vTiox  /.v  iiAMUviid. 


Cliin-clics.  ( >ncl<cn  was  cun  viiiccil  tliut  tlii'S(.'  (  liiirclu-s  were  modeled  ul'tcr  the 
(t()S|)cI  patliTii.  anil  cxiu'i'ssimI  liis  \vi>li  to  lif  ii]iiii('r.--(_'il  uii  his  faitli  in  Clirist. 
A\'hcii  ( 'aptaiii  Tlililis  ivlui-iu-il  to  i'hiladi-l|ihia,  Ijc;  I'fjiortuil  tiiesr  tiling's  to  l)i-. 
l)a<;ii-.  liis  ])astor,  and  to  Dr.  Coni'.  of  XfW  Voi-lv.  In  ls:>;5  I'rof.  iiarnas  Suars,  of 
tlie  Th(H)lc>ii-ical  rnstitution  at  llanulton.  went  to  (ici-niany  to  pi-osecute  certain 
studies,  and  wliiic  tlnTe  I'dl  in  witii  .Mi'.  <)ncl<i'n  and  ^i.\  otlu'i's  wlio  liad  embraced 
tlic  same  views,  and  on  April  L'L'd.  ls;;i,  iniiMi'i'>cil  the  se\'cn  in  the  Iii\-er  l']ll)e,  at 
Altona.    neai'    1  laiiilmi'i;',    and   on    tlie    'I'-'A    they    were    organized    into    a     I)aj)tist 

Clnirch  witli  Mi-.  ( )nc]<en  for 
])astor.  W'iien  tliis  Ijccanie 
i<no\vn.  thei'c  \\'as  no  small  stir 
in  llandiuri;.  'I'he  Established 
Clnireh.  l.utiieran,  was  in  arms 
at  once  :  and  the  old  "Anabap- 
tist" skeleton  was  bronght  ont 
fri>ni  the  cn|iboard  pi'omjitly, 
the  njiper  room  wheri'  t!ie  little 
band  Worshiped  was  suri-ounded 
bv  a  mob,  its  dooi's  and  win- 
dows broken,  and  (  )nck('ii  was 
dragged  bel'ore  the  magistrates 
and  tiuMist  into  prison.  This  at 
once  gave  tlanu;  to  the  move- 
ment thi'oiig'liout  :dl  (iermany; 
the  clei'gy  I'aged,  the  mob 
tlireatened,  and  the  magistrate 
punished,  but  it  all  amounted 
to  nothing.  I'or  a  time,  tliej 
weiv  driven  from  place  to  jdace, 
and  Dnckon  snys  that  liis  citations  to  ajipenr  licforc  the  police  avei-aged  about  one  a 
week  for  a  time,  but  '  the  threats  only  gave  me  a  greater  imjudse."  He  was  lined  as 
well  as  imprisoned,  his  goods 'ivere  seized,  and  he  savs:  •  It  ha|iiiened  that  tlie  Senator 
Jliidtwalker,  who.  at  that  time,  stood  at  the  head  <d'  tlie  ])olice,  wasaii  esteemed  Chris- 
tian, who,  although  no  liajitist,  considered  my  religious  activity  as  fraught  with  bless- 
ing. .  .  .  He  was  pressed  hard  to  proceed  against  us,  but  he  was  not  able  to  reconcile 
with  hiseonscienco  the  persecution  of  Christ  in  his  nu'inbei's.'  IMr.  Oncken  detailed 
to  the  writer,  in  his  own  house  at  Altona,  some  of  the  arguments  by  which  he  moved 
this  chief  of  police.  One  was  so  novel  that  it  must  be  repeated  here.  lie  said  :  "  ^fr. 
Senator,  the  law  of  Hamburg  provides  that  no  hnvd  w<iinan  of  the  city  can  ])ly  her 
wicked  calling  until  she  brings  a  certificate  to  the  authorities,  from  the  clergyman  of 
hi'r  jiarish.  stating  that  she  was  baptized  in  infancy,  and  is  now  a  communicant   in 


iVTSSIOXARY  SPrniT  AT  nAVIima.  829 

good  staiiiiiiii;-  ill  tlie  State  Cliurdi ;  then  a  lit'ciise  is  givi-ii  to  Iut.  to  protect  lier 
from  all  liariu  in  her  wiolvcdness.  Jjiit  if  we  persuade  her  to  renoiineo  her  evil  life 
and  turn  Xo  Christ,  and  liaptize  her  for  the  remission  of  her  sins,  as  Peter  taught  at 
Pentecost,  we  are  thrust  into  ]irison  with  tlie  ]ieiiittMit  woman  for  the  erime  of  sav- 
ing her  !  "     This  argnmeiit  had  weight  with   1  Iiidl  walkei-.      Hut  says  Oiickeii  : 

'  His  successor  in  otlice  (who,  however,  afterwards  became  our  friend,  and  lias 
shown  us  much  kindness),  declared  to  me,  at  that  time,  that  he  would  make  every 
effort  to  exterminate  us.  Wlien  I  reminded  liini  that  no  religious  movement  could 
be  sujipressed  by  force,  and  said  to  him,  "  Mr.  Senator,  youwill  find  that  all  your 
trouble  and  labor  will  be  in  vain,"  he  answered:  '  Well,  then,  it  will  not  be  my 
fault,  for  as  long  as  I  can  move  my  little  finger  I  shall  continue  to  move  against 
you.  If  you  wish  to  go  to  America,  1  will  give  you,  together  with  ycuir  wife  and 
childiH'n,  a  free  passage;  but  here,  such  sectarianism  will  not  be  endured." ' 

Tills  state  of  things  continued  for  years,  but  the  word  of  (iod  prevailed,  and 
the  work  of  grace  spread  all  through  the  German  States;  and  from  Ilambui-g  it  has 
spread  to  Prussia,  Denmark,  Austria,  Poland,  Hungary,  Russia  and  Turkey. 
Within  a  little  more  than  four  years  from  its  commencement,  there  were  4  churches 
and  Il'h  ineiiibers  under  Oncken's  direction.  In  iS-t-f  he  had  sent  forth  17  jireachers, 
organized  20  Churches,  and  their  communicants  numbered  1,500  members.  The  true 
prosperity  of  the  mission,  however,  oidy  began  to  be  felt  after  the  great  Hamburg 
fire  of  IS-iS.  At  that  date  the  Baptists  had  control  of  a  large  warehouse  in  the  city, 
three  stories  high,  \\-liere  they  received  and  distributed  fV)od  and  raiment  amongst, 
and  gave  shelter  to,  tlie  hoineler-s  poor.  Here  many  %vere  saved  from  death,  ami  for 
the  first  time  heard  the  (-iospel.  and  the  (ioveriiment  felt  itself  a  debtor  to  those 
whom  it  had  per-secuted.  In  May,  ISSH,  Mi-.  Onckcn  yisited  the  United  States  and 
remained  for  fifteen  months.  Out  of  70  Churches  in  Germany,  only  8  had  regular 
chapels  built  for  the  worship  of  (iod.  and  the  American  Churches  aided  them  in 
erecting  a  number,  §8,000  a  year  being  promised  to  him  for  live  years.  During  the 
last  twenty-six  years,  the  Hamburg  Church  has  had  additions  yearly,  the  smallest 
number, being  5,  and  the  largest  121,  making  a  total  of  1,317,  an  average  of  nearly 
one  every  Sabbath  for  the  entire  pei'iod.  The  largest  Church  connected  with  the 
Mission  in  1867  was  at  Meinel,  in  Eastern  Prussia,  numbering  1.524.  Two  missions 
were  supported  by  the  German  Clnirches  at  this  time,  one  in  China  and  another  in 
South  Africa,  and  still  later,  one  in  the  region  of  Mount  Ararat,  besides  a  number 
which  they  jilanted  in  the  Fiiited  States  and  South  America.  The  Theological 
School  at  Hamburg,  having  a  four-years'  course  of  study,  is  a  constant  source  of 
supply  for  the  ministry,  twenty  students  having  graduated  therefrom  in  1886.  The 
Churches  are  gathered  into  Associations,  and  the  Associations  into  a  Ti'iennial  Confer- 
ence. The  (•hurches  within  the  territory  of  Russia,  which  have  sprung  chiefly  from 
the  German  Clnirches  «hosc  preachers  have  traveled  into  Switzerland,  Poland, 
Hungary,  Lithuania  and  Siberia,  have  i-ecently  formed  the  '  Union  of  Ba]itist  Churches 
in  the  Russian  Empire.'     Dissent  from  the  Greek  Church  in  Russia  is  relentlesslj 


830  Till-:  SWEDISH  MI  SSI  US. 

crii.-Iiecl  out,  yet  in  ni:uiy  places  little  hiinds  of  Baptistt;  have  sprung  up  numbei'ing  in 
all  ahuut  12,000  persons.  Itincr;uit  missionaries  in  many  provinces,  such  as  Esthonia, 
are  successfully  winning  men  to  Ciirist.  In  St.  Petersburg,  Mr.  Schiewe  has 
gathei'eil  cruwds  nf  penjili.'  in  his  dwn  house,  until  the  authorities  havf  t'i)rhi(!(len 
their  futher  assemhiing  on  the  ])retensc  of  danger  to  healtli.  Within  two  years  lie 
has  baptized  above  four  hundred  converts  there  and  elsewliere.  Hut  these  men  of 
God  ])ay  a  great  price  for  the  privilege  of  saving  their  fellow  Jlussiuns.  One  of 
llieiii  has  iieen  imprisoned  more  than  birty  times  fur  jireaching  the  (iospel.  An 
(lid  man  of  si'venty  years  was  put  in  cliains  and  cumpt'lliMl  to  walk  sixty  Engli>h 
miles  for  this  crime,  the  bluod  i-unning  from  his  ankles  and  wi'ists.  In  one  town 
the  preacher  and  all  who  listened  to  him  were  imjirisoncd,  and  few  Baptist  p'each- 
ers  in  Russia  have  escapeil  the  pi'i.-oii.      _Mr.  Schie\\'e  says: 

i,  also,  have  not  been  frei^  fmm  it,  having  been  impi'isoned  sevt'ii  times  for  the 
Gospel's  sake,  an<l  was  forbidden  the  country  for  the  same  reason.  In  the  year 
isCiit  I  was  inipriMineil  fur  the  lirst  time;  during  the  year  1^72  live  times,  and  in 
the  year  ISTT  I  was  laken  away  by  the  police  from  my  bretlircn  ami  from  my  wife 
and  children,  and,  tdgether  with  five  other  1)rethren,  was  c<jnducted  over  the  frontier 
by  guards  arnu'd  with  revolvers  and  side-arms,  aiul  banished  into  exilu. 

The  amount  cuiitribiited  by  the  Mi>si(inai'v  I'ninn  in  Iss.").  in  behalf  of  the  Ger- 
man Mission,  was<inly  !j;,5,40(),  and  no  American  missionary  has  ever  been  engaged  in 
the  Wdi'k  in  (  u'i-iiiaiiy.  Tlie  statistics  c if  this  missiun,  in  lSS(i,  give  ltJ2  ( 'hurchcs.  1.52 
chajjels,  and  32,244  members.  Tlius,  in  luve,  is  (bid  avenging  the  liludd  of  the  uld 
Gernuin  Baptist  nuirtyrs. 

SwKDEN.  As  \\w  (lennan  missiun  was  an  outgi'owtb  of  a  Baptist  Clnn'cb  in 
Bliiladelphia,  tlii'uugli  tlie  iMptaiii  of  a  sea-going  vessel,  so  the  Swedish  missiun  was 
directly  the  outcumc  (if  tlu'  ]\[ariuers'  Chui'cli  in  New  Yurk,  through  a  coiumon 
sailor.  This  ('hui-ch  for  Seamen  had  liccn  rccugnized  as  a  regular  Baptist  Church 
by  a  Council  of  (^hurchcs,  December  Itli,  ls4.'5,  and  Rev.  Ira.  K.  Steward  liecame 
its  pastor.  Abuut  two  years  after,  ^Ir.  Isaac  T.  Smith,  one  of  its  members,  found  a 
Danish  sailor  at  the  Sailors'  lloine,  and  brought  him  to  the  service  of  this  (.'hurch. 
The  man  becanu'  interested,  and  came  again  about  a  year  after,  walking  with  a 
ci-utcli,  for  lie  had  then  lost  a  leg.  After  lying  in  the  hospital  in  Charleston,  S.  V., 
he  had  debated  (Ui  the  choice  of  returning  tu  his  lujuie  in  Denmark,  or  to  Xew  York, 
but  decided  un  the  latter  course.  After  his  bajitism,  his  lirethren  procured  for  him 
an  artilicial  leg,  thus  eiudiling  him  to  walk  easily.  He  soon  manifested  great  zeal  in 
missionary  work.  In  1S4S  he  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  soon  the  ladies  of  the 
Bethel  Union  sent  him  as  their  missionary  to  Denmark.  There,  meeting  another 
sailor  who  had  lost  a  leg,  he  cunsti-uctcd  one  fur  him  like  his  own  artificial  limb,  and 
his  fanu!  soon  spread  amongst  the  wounded  and  crippled  of  the  n.avy.  The  king  sent 
for  him  and  offered  to  set  him  up  in  that  business  in  CopenhagCTi,  if  lie  would  cease 
preaching  and  furnish  legs  for  the  disabled  of  the  royal  navy.     But  F.  L.  Rymker, 


FUEDEIUCK   0.   M^LtiON.  831 

for  tins  was  his  name,  concluding  that  it  was  better  for  liis  brethren  that  they  sliouid 
enter  into  life  maimed,  determined  to  preach;  which  he  continued  to  do  in  Den- 
mark for  seven  or  eight  years,  when  he  went  to  labor  in  the  north  of  Norway.  The 
result  of  about  ten  years'  labor  there  was  the  fornuitioii  of  fi\x'  or  six  chui-ches,  the 
ordination  of  two  preachers,  the  employment  of  five  unordained,  and  the  conversion 
and  baptism  of  between  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  two  liundred  Norwegians,  scat- 
tered over  a  territory  of  two  hundred  miles  in  length.  This  was  the  condition  of 
things  there  in  1868. 

Right  here  we  begin  to  trace  the  origin  of  the  Swedish  Mission  to  the  same 
Church.  Not  long  after  Eymker  had  united  witli  this  body,  Gustavus  AV.  Schroeder, 
a  young  Swedish  sailor  who  iiad  just  landed  at  the  wharf  in  New  York,  came  to 
the  meeting  on  a  Sabbath  nioniing.  He  had  been  converted  on  his  voyage  and  in- 
tended to  unite  with  tlie  Alcthodist  Churcii,  l)ut  another  sailor  in\ited  him  to  attend 
the  service  with  him  that  day  at  the  Baptist  Bethel.  During  the  service  Mr. 
Steward  immersed  two  converted  sailors  on  their  faith  in  Christ.  This  was  the  first 
time  that  young  Schroeder  had  seen  the  ordinance,  and  ho  was  dee]ily  affected,  and 
said  :  •  This  is  the  way  that  the  Loi-d  Jesus,  who  redeemed  me  with  his  l^lood, 
was  baptized,  and  now,  it  would  be  ungrateful  for  me  not  to  follow  him.'  Tin's 
decided  the  matter;  he,  too,  was  immersed,  and  soon  after  sailed  for  Gottenburg, 
Sweden.  Tiiere  he  fell  in  with  Rev.  Frederick  O.  Nelson,  a  Methodist  missionary 
of  the  Seanien"s  Fi'lend  Society,  mIio  must  here  tell  his  own  story.  lie  says,  that 
through  the  instrumentality  of 

'The  dear  brother  Scliroe<k'r,  the  Loi'd  has  been  pleased  to  awaken  a  spirit  of 
inijuiry  in  my  mind  on  the  subject  of  Ba[)tisin  and  the  ordinances  of  God's  house. 
Tiie  result  of  the  inquiry  has  been  that,  after  a  long  and  sore  conflict  with  myself, 
T  have  at  last  been  obliged  to  submit  to  and  receive  the  truth.  I  was  baptized  in 
.Inly,  1S47,  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Oncken,  in  Hamburg;  and  on  the  9th  of  September, 
this  year,  my  wife  and  four  others  were  baptized  by  a  Danish  brother  by  the  name 
of  Foster,  a  missionary  of  the  Baptists  in  England.  Thus  the  Loi-d  has  l)een 
pleased  to  connnence  a  (Jhurch  on  New  Testament  principles  even  hei'c  in  Sweden, 
the  spiritual  Spain  of  the  North.  .  .  .  Wc  e.xpect  great  trials  and  suffering  for  our 
]irineiples;  and  we  have  had  thoughts  of  leaving  the  country,  but  our  consciences 
would  not  suflier  us,  till  wc  were  driven  out  by  the  authorities.  ...  If  we  are  pun- 
ished according  to  an  existing  law,  it  is  a  question  if  we  do  not  suffer  death.' 

Again,  under  date  of  March  5th,  1S4S,  Nelson  writes: 

'We  liavL'  now  twenty-eight  Baptists !  m\n(\,t\\-iin\\-e\ght  Baptist  believers  m 
Sweden.  Two  years  ago,  as  I  aiul  my  wife  were  talking  aliout  Baptist  principles,  we 
said  to  one  another:  ''Yes,  it  is  right  ;  if  the  Bible  is  true,  the  Baptist  principles  are 
the  only  Apostolic,  the  only  true  ones  ;  but  no  one  in  Sweden  will  ever  emiu-ace  them 
besides  ourselves.  .  .  .  Just  as  we  were  about  in  good  earnest  to  prepare  for  emigration 
to  America,  some  persons  began  to  inquire,  and  to  listen  to  our  reasoning  from  the  New 
Testament,  for  as  yet  we  have  had  nothing  but  the  Holy  Scriptures  l)y  which  to 
convince  people.  We  are,  however,  not  all  in  one  ))lace.  In  (TOttenburg  there  are 
four  brethi'cn  and  two  sisters.  In  another  place,  thirty-six  English  miles  from  town, 
there  are   three  brethren   and  six   sisters;  about  eighteen  miles  from  there,  are  six 


832  rr<:nsEcuTioN  /.v  swedex 

hrctlii'cn  :iii(l  si'vcn  si>t('rs ;  luakiiii;-  Mltn^'ctluT  twciity-cighr.  'I'cn  days  later  lie 
wrote,  that  lie  had  lia|iti/.ed  anothci'  "  in  the  M'a  ;  '  Init  on  the  '1\{\\  of  April  he  says: 
'The  truth  has  iieji;!!!!  its  eoiii'.-e  ami  is  iiiaUiiiii  distiirbaiice  in  the  enemy's  eaiup.  \Ve 
are  now  thirty-live  I'aptists  in  Sweden.'  and  some  of  his  hi'ethren  had  been  ar- 
rested hecanse  tlu-y  re-fused  to  have  their  children  christened.  On  July  4th,  1^;49, 
Nelson  was  bi-oui;ht  before  the  (_'oui-t  of  Consisloiw,  in  (iotteid)wrg,  on  tlie  eliai-<^e  of 
spreadiniT  '  religions  ei'rors,'  w  lien  the  presiding  J'ishop  demanded  :  '  Doyou,  Nelson, 
acknowledu'e  that  yon  have  been  in  such  a  place,  at  such  a  time,  and  there  preached 
aii;ainst  our  Kvanijelical  I^ntherun  religion,  and  enticed  people!  to  join  the  errors  of 
the  l)a])tists;  and  that  vow,  even  there,  baptizeil  several  ]>ersons  f  To  this  he  re- 
])lied:  '1  have  often,  there  and  elsewhere,  sjioken  the  truth  according  to  the  \voi-d 
of  (lod  ;  but  as  to  the  charge  that  I  have  enticed  any  one  to  end>race  eri-or.s,  I  could 
ntjt  assent,  as  I  always  jiroved  every  thing  I  said  by  the  iiible,  and  directed  the  people 
to  the  Uible  to  seai'cli  tor  themselves.      1  al.~o  acknowledge   having  baptized  persons.' 

At  that  time  the  punishment  for  forsaking  the  State  I'eligion  was  banishment, 
and  foi-  inducing  oilier.-  to  lea\e  it,  a  line  of  two  hundred  thalers  silver  and  banish- 
ment for  life.  In  Is.'i;!  .Nelson  and  his  ('hurch  \\ere  banished,  and  they  came  to 
America.  About  this  time,  another  Mr.  Nt'lson  was  banished  from  Sweden  for  be- 
coming a  Roman  Catholic,  and  the  friends  of  religious  liberty  in  England  souglit 
i-eiief  for  the  o|)pr('ssed  ones  through  J^ord  I'almerston,  who,  at  the  time,  was  Premier 
there.  Dr.  Steane,  of  London,  opened  a  coi'resj)ondencc  with  a  Committee  in  ]S'ew 
York  who  sought  to  iiiHuence  the  Swedish  government  in  the  interests  of  religious 
freedom,  thi'ough  the  .Vnierican  government.  |)r.  ('one  and  the  wi-iter  wei'e  mem- 
bers of  that  (jomnuttee,  and  earnest  appeals  were  made  to  the  Swedish  government, 
through  Lord  I'almerston  and  General  Ca.ss,  Secretary  of  State,  at  Washington,  from 
IS;")"  to  1860.  The  correspondence  was  of  a  most  interesting  character,  showing  the 
Jii-itish  Minister  and  the  .\merican  Secretai-y  to  be  the  firm  friends  of  religious 
liberty.  These  hitters  were  laid  befoi-e  the  JyOiulon  and  New  York  Committees, 
aiul  their  contents  showed  that  his  Majest}'  of  Sweden  was  (piite  willing  to  sign  a 
bill  giving  toleration  to  his  subjects,  but  he  was  hedged  in  with  diOiculty.  Indeed, 
he  had  infroihiced  a  measure  in  the  Diet,  in  fa\di'  of  i-nlai'gcd  i-eligious  liljerty,  liut 
it  was  rejected.  The  cast!  sttiod  about  this  way:  1.  The  laws  of  Sweden  recognized 
all  its  subjects  as  born  religiously  free  until  they  took  religious  vows  upon  tliem 
to  support  the  State  religi.m.  2.  E\-ery  pari-nt  was  rerpiired  to  put  his  child  under 
those  Vows  within  a  month  of  its  birth.  .''..  If  these  vows  were  ever  cast  off",  the 
])enalty  was  banishment.  4-.  This  law  could  not  be  altered  without  the  joint  consent 
of  the  Houses  of  Peers,  Commons  and  IJishops,  thi'ee  separate  bodies,  and  tlie  royal 
assent.  5.  lender  the  appeals  of  the  English  and  American  governments,  aided  by 
the  rising  jxipiilar  opinion  of  Sweden,  a  bill  for  larger  religious  freedom  had  twice 
passed  the  Peers  and  Commems,  Imt  th(>  House  of  liishops  had  defeated  it  before  it 
reached  the  king,  who  was  prepared  to  give  it  signature.  In  time,  liowever,  Nelson's 
sentence  was  revoked,  and  he  returned  to  labor  in  Sweden. 

Shortly  before  Nelson's  banishment  a  Mr.  Forsell  and  a  small  company  in 
Stockholm  had  seen  the  need   of  a   holy  life,  the   abandonment  of  infant  baptism. 


RKV.    A.     WIIlEliG.  833 

and  a  Gospel  order  of  tliiiiiis ;  und  further  north  still,  Rev.  Andrew  Wiherg,  a  cler- 
gyman of  the  State  Church,  had  readied  the  conclusion  that  unregenerate  men 
should  not  be  admitted  to  the  Lord's  Tabic.  While  in  that  state  of  mindjie  visited 
Germany  in  company  witli  .Mr.  Forscll.  At  Hamburg  they  consulted  Oiickcn,  but 
Wibcrg  held  fast  to  his  infant  baptism  and  returned  to  ytockholm.  On  leaving 
Hamburg,  some  brother  presented  him  with  '  I'engiily  on  lja2)tisni,'  and  on  full 
examination  he  adopted  Baptist  jtrinciplcs.  Accordingly,  lie  was  inimer.scul  in  the 
Baltic  by  Mr.  Nelson  at  eleven  o'clock  on  the  nigiit  of  ,1  uly  2-'>d.  1S52,  in  the  presence 
of  many  brethren  and  sisters.  In  (]uest  of  health  he  came  to  New  York,  united 
with  the  Mariners'  Church,  was  ordained  by  advice  of  a  council  March  'id,  1853, 
and  in  due  time  returned  to  Sweden,  wliere  his  labors  have  been  greatly  blessed. 
Tiiis  interesting  fact  is  connected  with  his  return  to  his  native  land  :  At  the  Baptist 
amiiversaries  in  Chicago,  1855,  a  letter  was  read  dated  from  >  a  cell  in  Stockholm 
Prison,  January  25th,  1855,'  and  signed  by  a  pastor,  telling  of  the  imprisomnent  of 
fifteen  brethren  and  sisters,  on  bread  and  water  diet,  for  taking  communion  outside 
of  the  State  Church.  The  reply  of  the  American  Baptists  was  the  appointment  of 
Mr.  Wiberg  as  a  missionary  of  the  Publication  Society  to  Sweden.  During  his 
absence,  fourteen  pamphlets  had  been  published  against  the  Baptists,  the  court 
preacher  had  entered  the  house  of  Forsell  with  a  policeman,  and  by  force  had 
sprinkled  the  forehead  of  a  six-months'  child.  [Was  he  a  Pedobaptist  fanatic  ?]  In 
another  place  two  cows  had  been  seized  and  sold  for  the  fees  of  a  j^riest,  wiio  had 
christened  two  children  against  the  protest  of  their  parents,  and  a  Bishop  liad  given 
the  solemn  decision  that  the  Baptists  might  exist,  but  they  must  not  increase.  Still, 
one  of  our  brethren  had  visited  Norberg,  and  the  owner  of  the  iron  works  let  his 
men  stop  work  to  listen,  and  afterwards  came  with  his  superintendent  120  miles  to 
Stockholm  to  be  immersed.  Returning,  he  built  a  chapel,  and  Wiberg  found  23 
persons  there  ready  for  bajitisin.  A  converted  Jew  came  to  Stockholm  for  baptism  in 
May,  185S,  and  returned  to  labor  in  the  island  of  Gottland,  and  by  the  close  of  the 
next  year  there  were  six  Churches,  with  373  members  on  the  island.  A  Baptist  preacher 
was  sent  to  Stockholm  with  a  set  of  thieves,  where  he  was  imprisoned  for])rcacliing. 
He  not  only  preached  in  prison,  but,  summoned  from  court  to  court,  he  traveled 
2,-±0U  miles  to  obey.  Yet  he  was  careful  to  hold  ll-l  meetings  and  baptize  116  con- 
verts on  the  journey.  One  night  he  was  put  in  a  cell,  where  he  preaelied  all  night 
through  a  wall  to  a  prisoner  in  the  next  cell,  and  in  the  morning  they  bade  each 
other  good-by  without  having  seen  each  others  face. 

A  young  nobleman,  Mr.  Drake,  a  graduate  of  the  State  Church  ministry,  at  the 
University  of  Upsala,  was  converted  and  baptized  in  1855,  when  the  peoj)leset  him 
down  for  a  lunatic.  In  1880  this  solitary  convert  met  a  Baptist  Association  in  the 
same  town,  representing  38  churches  and  3,416  members.  Mr.  Wiberg  found  24 
Baptists  at  Stockholm.     Soon  their  place  of  worship  could  not  contain  the  people. 

His  work  on  baptism,  an  octavo  volume  of  320  pages,  had  been  published  at  Upsala. 
54 


834  aWHDlsll    TOLI-niATlON. 

lie  started  a  scini-inoiitlily  i)aper,  called  tlie  '  Evaiifreli^t,'  and.  in  ISfil.  lie  was 
obliged  to  visit  Kiiglaiid  to  enllect  money  tor  a  new  cluireli  editice.  There  lie  raised 
,£1,100;  tlu'ii  lie  canie  to  the  I'niled  Stales  for  the  same  iiur]iose,  and  now  in  Stock 
holm  tliiTe  are  three  r.apti.-l  ('Imrches.  'J'he  house  of  worslii])  here  spoken  of  is 
lari>-e.  scatiiiii'  1.2<Hi  persons,  hnilt  of  lii;ht  eolori'd  stone;  it  is  well  situated,  verv 
convcniciitlv  arraiiiivd,  cost  ahout  slTi.ikmi,  ;inil  is  paid  for.  This  ehiirch  is  known 
as  the  ■  Hc'thcl  Kniijielet  :'  it^  eonminnicaiils  iiumljcr  aliout  2.4<in;  tlun-  a]ipeai'ed  to 
the  wi-iti'i-  to  he  of  the  middle  ami  workiiii;'  classes.  Thev  siii-taiii  several  stations 
in  tlu'  out>kirt>  of  the  city  and  ari'  active  in  fori'ii;-ii  mission  woi'k.  helping  to  sup- 
poi't  a  missionary  in  Spain  and.  perhaps.  >oiiic  in  other  countries.  Also  in  Stoek- 
liohii  is  the  Theological  Seminary,  of  wliicii  Rev.  i\.  ().  JJroady,  a  former  student  of 
Madison  I'liiversity,  is  ]iresident.  It  ha>  >ciii  out  at  lea.-t  2.">0  ministers,  and  now, 
in  its  lieautifiil  new  hiiildiiig,  has  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  students.  Rev.  J.  A. 
Ediii-en.  D.I).,  loi-  xiiiic  time  principal  of  the  Scandinavian  Dejiartinent  of  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Chicago,  and  Ficv.  Mr.  Truve.  formerly  a  student  at  Mad- 
ison, wlio  worked  ill  this  Held  with  .Me.->i>.  Drako.  lirady,  ^Vil)el•g  and  others, 
created  an  evangelical  litiM-atuii'  for  Sweden  which  is  working  wonders.  The  work 
has  crossed  the  iialtic  and  entered  Finland.  Six  or  seven  Churclies  have  been  formed 
in  Norwav  ;  one  of  them  in  Tromsoe.  north  of  the  Arctic  Circle,  and  the  most 
iiortherlv  I'.aptist  Church  on  the  glohe.  Here  our  hrethreii  find  no  more  diffi- 
eultv  in  iiiimeiviiig  helievers  once,  in  .laiiuary  and  Fehruary,  than  the  (Jreek 
Church  does  in  dipping  babes  three  times;  and,  in  187-1  they  reported  a  Laplander 
amongst  tlic  converts.  In  IStiG  the  Swedish  Mission  was  transferred  from  the  Tub- 
lication  Society  to  the  Missionary  I'liioii.  The  statistics  for  the  ])resent  year,  188(i, 
M'ive  this  aa'gregate  :  4:U  ('Imrches,  2S,Tt!(i  members,  478  preachers,  the  number  im- 
mersed in  1885,  3.217.  and  the  apjiropriatious  frtnii  the  missionary  treasury  in  I'oston 
for  tbat  year,  $(),7r)(). 

The  Swedish  Baptists  are  yet  the  victims  of  cruel  laws.  The  government  still 
holds  the  absurd  theory  that  all  Swedes  are  born  in  the  National  Church,  and  that 
they  cannot  be  legally  separated  therefrom.  Yet  the  trend  of  modern  public  opinion 
has  compelled  it  to  make  some  provision  for  dissent.  Under  the  ])retense  of  relief 
it  made  a  Dissenter  law  in  18l)0.  full  of  ol)noxious  restrictions,  and  in  1873  amended 
it,  under  the  further  pretense  of  removing  them  ;  iuit  still  it  exacts  from  them  con- 
ditions to  w  liicli  they  cannot  yield  and  retain  their  self-respect.  They  must  ajiply 
to  the  King  in  order  to  be  recognized  liy  the  State,  laying  their  creed  before  him 
and  certifying  their  intention  to  leave  the  State  Church  ;  if  he  grants  them  the  right 
to  exist  as  a  Church,  tliey  must  give  notice  to  the  civil  authorities,  that  the  pastor 
mav  be  beld  responsihle  for  their  worship  according  to  the  creed  ;  all  change  of 
pastors  and  the  internal  affairs  of  the  Church  must  be  reported  as  a  matter  of 
information  to  the  civil  authorities;  no  person  can  unite  with  a  Bajitist  Church  till 
he  is  eighteen  years  of  age  ;  no  person  can  leave  the  State  Chnrch  to  unite  witli  Bap- 


MTSSTON  TO   SPAIN.  838 

tists  without  notifying  the  priest  of  liis  jiurish  two  months  before  doing  so ;  thc^y 
sliall  have  no  seliools  for  tlieir  children  who  are  under  fifteen  years  of  age,  for  tlie 
teaching  of  religious  truth,  without  sjiecial  permission  of  tiie  King  in  indivi(hial 
cases,  under  a  fine  of  from  5  to  500  rix  dollars;  a  public  officer  who  joins  the  Bap- 
tists shall  be  dismissed  from  dfKce  ;  a  royal  decree  may  revoke  the  freedom  of  wor- 
sliip  at  any  time,  under  the  pretense  that  it  is  absurd,  and  non-compliance  withtliese 
provisions  subjects  the  pastor  or  Church  to  heavy  fines.  By  a  comical  construction 
of  the  law,  the  State  holds  them  all  as  members  of  the  State  Church,  unless  they 
comply  with  these  provisions.  Our  brethren  ridicule  their  forced  legal  construc- 
tions, and  leave  the  authorities  to  classify  them  as  they  please,  but  go  not  near  the 
State  Church,  receive  no  support  from  it,  and  have  no  respect  for  its  jn-etensions. 
but  stand  alone.  They  yield  no  promise  to  be  governed  by  the  Dissenter  law ;  they 
consider  Christ  the  King  of  their  Churches,  and  the  demands  of  the  State  and  the 
King  to  manage  or  take  cognizance  of  their  internal  Chui'ch  affairs  a  usurpation. 
Thev  claim  that  believers  under  eighteen  years  of  age  have  the  right  from  Christ 
to  think  for  themselves,  and  they  also  claim  the  right  to  teach  their  own  children 
under  fifteen  the  Gospel  of  Christ  in  Sunday-school  or  any  other  school.  For  these 
and  other  reasons  they  say  that  if  they  placed  themselves  under  the  Dissenter  law 
they  would  make  a  State  Church  of  themselves,  with  the  King  at  their  head  and 
the  civil  authority  for  their  rulers.  Thus,  keeping  a  clear  head  and  clean  hands,  it 
is  a  matter  of  indifference  to  them  whether  the  law  counts  them  in  or  out  of  the 
State  Church.  The  result  is  that  in  Stockholm  and  other  large  towns,  wliere  the 
sentiment  of  the  people  is  opposed  to  the  enforcement  of  the  law  of  1873,  its 
enforcement  is  not  attempted.  But,  in  more  remote  districts,  fine  and  imprison- 
ment are  still  frequent.  If  our  brethren  stand  firmly,  freedom  to  worship  God 
must  in  tinu'  be  their  inheritance. 

Spaix.  This  mission  grew  out  of  the  temporary  residence  in  that  kingdom  of 
Professor  W.  J.  Kuapp,  formerly  of  Madison  University,  afterwards  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. Previous  to  IStiO  he  had  established  himself  as  an  independent  missionary  in 
Madrid,  and  the  work  grew  upon  his  hands  until  he  was  obliged  to  ask  aid  of  the 
Missionary  Union.  In  ISTO  eighteen  of  his  hearers  asked  to  be  baptized,  and  a 
Church  of  thirty-three  members  was  formed  in  Madrid,  anothei'  in  Alicante,  one  in 
La  Scala,  and  one  in  Valencia.  At  Linares  forty-one  were  baptized,  and  several 
native  preachers  were  raised  up.  But  Mr.  Knapp  was  obliged  to  return  to  the 
United  States,  political  changes  connected  with  the  government  occurred,  and  much 
of  the  work  ceased.  Mr.  Eric  Lund,  an  earnest  Swedish  minister,  sustained  for  a 
time  by  the  Baptist  Churches  in  Sweden,  was  adopted  as  its  missionary  by  the  Mis- 
sionary Union,  and  is  its  only  laborer  now  in  Spain.  He  resides  in  Bai-eelona,  and 
gives  much  attention  to  the  Swedish  seamen  who  visit  that  port.  A  colporteur 
evangelist  holds  weekly  meetings  at  Figueras,  and  a  monthly  service  at  La  Scala ;  a 
monthly  evangelical  paper  is  also  issued  at  Barcelona  by  Mr.  Lund. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

OTHER     BAPTIST     IVI ISSIONS— FOR  E IGN    AND    HOME. 

AMEUICAN  l!a|ilist.'-  had  heen  deeply  interested  in  I^'di-ciirn  Missions  from 
tlieir  cstal>li.<linient  l>j  the  English  Jniptists  in  17'.»2;  as  is  shown  in  their 
nii'ts  to  the  mission  at  Hei'anipore  in  ISOC)  and  18o7.  In  those  years  ^(i.dOu  were 
sent  to  aid  Dr.  Carey  in  his  work,  liy  American  Cln'istians,  eliielly  liaptists.  From 
the  or<2;ani/,ation  of  the  •  liajjtist  (ienera!  ('(invention  t'oi-  Foreiijn  Missions,'  in 
1814,  to  the  year  1844,  the  Northern  and  Southern  IJaptists  woi'ked  earnestly  to- 
getlier.  Bnt  at  the  latter  date  the  (juestion  of  domestic  slavery  not  only  entered 
larsijely  into  American  politics,  hut  into  the  Churches  and  reli_<i;ious  .societies  of 
most  American  Christians.  At  that  tinje  it  so  divided  the  councils  (if  Amei'ican 
Baptists,  that  the  North  and  South  deemed  it  expedient  to  work  in  separate  mi.ssion- 
arv  organizations  both  at  home  and  abroad.  Hence,  in  1845,  a  society  was  organized 
under  tlie  title  of  the  'Southern  Baptist  Convention,'  and  in  184B  the  Northern 
Baptists  re-organized  their  mission  society,  undei'  the  title  of  the  '  ]ia]itist  ^lissionarv 
Union.'  The  Southern  Society  was  located  at  Iiichmond,  Va.,  where  it  has  c(in- 
tinued  its  operations  with  great  zeal  and  "wisdom.  J.  B.  Jeter,  I).i).,  was  elected 
President,  which  office  he  filled  with  great  efficiency  for  the  following  twenty  years, 
and  Rev.  James  B.  Taylor,  Secretary,  wIk.i  continued  to  sei-vi;  till  his  death,  in  1>71. 
The  great  work  which  the  Southern  Convention  has  aecomplislied  well  deserves  the 
volume  which  Dr.  Tupper  has  devoted  to  the  narration  of  its  sacritici's  and  successes. 
It  has  sustained  missions  in  Brazil,  Mexico,  Africa,  China  and  Italy,  and  does  an 
inestimable  amoiint  of  home  mission  work  in  the  Tnited  States,  for  the  Convention 
coml)iues  both  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  labor.  A  review  of  its  work  in  eacli  of 
its  iields  will  excite  gratitude  in  all  Christian  hearts. 

CuiNA.  When  the  Southern  Convention  was  formed.  Rev.  .1.  L.  Shuck  and 
Rev.  I.  J.  Roberts,  niissioTiaries,  transfci'red  themselves  to  its  direction  and  sujiport. 
Mr.  Shuck  and  his  wife;  had  been  the  Baptist  missionaries  in  Canton,  from  1886, 
and  iiad  formed  the  lirst  Baptist  Church  there.  In  1842,  when  Ilong  Kong  fell 
into  the  hands  of  the  Britisli,  the  missionaries  left  Canton  for  a  time  and  sought 
protection  here.  Mr.  Shuck  had  baptized  his  first  converts  in  Macao,  in  1887,  but 
the  Church  at  Canton  was  not  formed  till  1844.  when  lie  returned.  The  Spirit 
of  God  was  poured  out  upon  his  work,  and  he  found  it  needful  to  erect  a  place 
of  worship.  At  that  time  he  lost  his  noble  wife,  and  finding  it  necessary  to  bring  liis 
children  to  the  United  States,  he  brought,  also,  one  of  the  Chinese  converts  with 


SHANGUAI  AND  AFRICA.  837 

liiin,  and  raised  $5,000  for  a  cluipil.  Init  it  was  thouglit  tliat  wisdom  called  for  tlie 
establislinieiit  of  a  mission  at  Shanghai.  Jle  accordingly  returned  to  China  in  1847, 
and  labored  faithfully  till  1851  at  Shanghai,  where  he  lost  his  second  wife,  and  re- 
turning to  the  L'nited  States,  closed  his  useful  life  in  South  Carolina,  aftei-  laboring 
in  California  from  1854  to  1861. 

In  1850  Messrs.  Clopton,  Pearcy,  Johnson,  Wliilden,  and  Miss  Baker,  were 
added  to  the  Canton  Mission,  and  between  the  years  1854-t!0,  Messrs.  Gaillard, 
Graves  and  Schilling  tuUowed.  A  mnnber  of  these  soon  fell  on  tlu'  iicld,  were 
transferred  to  other  stations,  or  were  obliged  to  return  in  brdkcn  health,  but  in 
18C0.  40  baptisms  and  58  Church  members  were  reported.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams 
and  Miss  Wliilden  went  out  in  1872  and  did  a  good  work,  especially  in  st-hools 
amongst  Chinese  women.  Mr.  Simmons  and  wife  reached  Canton  in  1871,  and  are 
still  on  the  field,  and  Miss  Stein  joined  them  in  |S7<».  E.  H.  Graves,  D.D.,  has 
been  in  Canton  since  1856,  and  for  a  generation  has  consecrated  his  life  to  his  holy 
work  with  his  faithful  wife.  She  was  a  Miss  Norris,  of  Baltimore,  known  to  the 
writer  almost  from  childhood  as  a  Christian  wlio  counted  no  sacrifice  too  great  for 
Jesus,  and  who  has  stood  firmly  at  her  husband's  side  since  1872.  Dr.  Gi'aves  has 
published  a  Life  of  Christ  in  Chinese,  also  a  book  on  Scripture  (ireogi'a])liy,  another 
on  Homiletics,  still  another  on  our  Lord's  Parables,  and  a  Hymn  Book. 

SiiANouAi.  As  already  stated,  this  mission  was  founded  in  1847,  by  Messrs. 
Yaites,  Shuck  and  Tobey,  when  a  Church  of  ten  members  was  formed,  and  two 
native  preachers  were  licensed  to  preach.  When  Mr.  Pearcy  joined  the  mission,  in 
1848,  500  natives  attended  the  services.  Li  1855,  18  public  services  a  week  were 
held,  five  day-schools  were  kept,  a  Chinese  woman  was  immersed,  and  about  2,500 
persons  heard  the  Gospel  weekly.  Various  other  missionaries  joined  the  mission,  but 
after  1865  Dr.  Yates  and  his  wife  were  left  alone.  Dr.  Yates  has  done  a  great  work 
for  China  in  the  translation  of  the  Scriptures  into  the  Chinese  colloquial,  the  speech 
of  30,00tt,000,  and  in  the  issue  of  Chinese  tracts.  This  veteran  has  pushed  his 
Bible  translation  to  1  Timothy,  and  continues  on  the  field  in  full  vigor.  The  Shantung 
Mission  consisted  of  the  Chefoo  and  the  Tung-chow  stations,  which  have  been  fully 
cultivated  from  1860;  the  first  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hartwell  and  Mr.  Crawfijrd. 
In  1868  a  native  preacher  baptized  20  converts.  There  are  now  in  China  56  mis- 
sionaries and  native  assistants,  654  Church  members  and  145  pupils  in  the  schools. 

Afkk'A.  In  1846  the  Convention  established  a  mission  in  Liberia,  and  appointed 
John  Day  and  A.  L.  Jones  (colored)  their  missionaries ;  who,  at  different  times  have 
been  followed  by  others.  Stations  were  established  in  Liberia  and  Sierra  Leone, 
against  all  sorts  of  difficulties  and  discouragements,  largely  arising  in  the  opposition 
of  tlie  Africans  themselves,  who,  in  many  cases,  have  driven  out  the  missionaries, 
esjjecially  in  the  Beir  country.  Many  of  those  sent  have  died  on  the  field,  while 
others  have  not  only  lived,  despite  the  trials  of  the  climate,  but  have  risen  to  great 
usefulness  and  induence  as  teachers  and  preachers.     John  Day,  the  first  pastor  of 


838  IIHA/JL   ANT)   MEXICAN  MISSION'S. 

tlie  Cliurcli  at  J\luiii-u\  ia,  estalilislicMl  a  liiii'li  scIiodI  tliere,  in  wliicli  iiut  only  llie  ele- 
mentary braiurlies  wxtc  tauirht,  but  <-Ia>>ical  and  tlieolnj^ical  instruction  was  given. 
lie  cjicii  ill  Is.'i'.t,  lait  not  until  lie  had  plaiiicil  a  niiiiilicr  of  ( 'liurclies,  numy  8un- 
(lay-schuojs,  and  ])reaclied  the  Goisjiel,  as  he  thought,  to  about  10,00(1  heatlieii. 
Rev.  T.  .1.  l>o\ven  established  the  "^'oriiba  Mission  in  1s.">h,  and  between  1853  and 
1S5<')  about  a  dozen  missionaries  \v<-iil  to  iii,-  hel|).  Hut  after  they  liad  planted 
niauv  Churches  and  si-hools.  inany  oi'  them  fell  victims  to  African  disease,  and  others 
wcic  dri\fii  out  itv  wars  and  African  perseeiitiou.  .Mi-.  liowi'ii  labored  with  mucli 
zeal  and  success  for  a  considerable  time,  but  returned  to  the  United  States,  and  dur- 
int,''  till'  Civil  W;ir  in  the  Ignited  States  the  Convention  was  coin])elled  to  discontinue 
the  .\frican  Mission  tor  want  of  means.  i!ut  in  IsT-J  it  was  reorganized  by  Messrs. 
|)a\id  and  Collcv,  who  were  welcomed  by  such  of  the  native  converts  as  had  held 
fast  their  coiilidcnce  in  Christ.  At  present,  Messrs.  David  and  Eubaidv,  with  Mrs. 
Eubank,  and  four  native  laborers,  are  on  the  field  at  Lagos,  where  a  new  chapel  has 
been  (■rectecl  and  iiciod  ))ronnse  fVu'  the  future'  is  held  forth.  There  are  stations  also 
at  .Mibeokuta  and  ( )i;bomoshaw,  with  several  minor  ])oints ;  seven  ur  eight  mission- 
aries, naliv((  ami  foreign,  are  laboring  eariU'stly.  In  18<;5,  IS  converts  were  baptized. 
Tiiere  are  12.")  Church  members  in  the  mission  and  220  scholars  in  the  s('hools. 

l')ii.\zii,i.\N  Mission.  This  work  was  begun  in  isTi),  and  has  met  with  tlie  nu>st 
determined  o[)|iosition  on  the  ground,  so  that  the  missionaries  have  suffered  much  in 
their  work  of  lo\'e  and  reaped  light  fruit.  The  missionaries  have  been  Messr.s. 
Quillan,  IJagby  and  iiowen,  and  the  stations  Kio  de  Janeiro,  Santa  Barbara,  Baliia 
and  Macio.  The  brethren  liave  pul)lishe(l  two  works  in  Portuguese,  '  The  True 
Baptism,'  and  '  Who  are  the  Baptists,'  and  have  circulated  many  copies  of  Mr.  Taylor's 
tract  on  the  •  aXcw  I'.iitli.'  The  field  is  very  liard,  but  the  Convention  is  full  of 
perseverance  and  hope.  The  present  Churcli  membership  is  ICtS,  of  whom  23  were 
baptized  in  the  mission  year  18-i5— ifi. 

Me.xican  Mission.  This  mission  was  taken  up  with  Rev.  J.  ( ).  Wi-strup,  in 
1880,  and  had  scarcely  been  adopted  when  that  devoted  servant  of  Christ  was  mur- 
dered by  a  band  of  Indians  and  Mexicans.  Ihit  Mr.  Powell  is  now  on  the  field  and 
abotit  12  missionaries  and  teachers  are  laboring  with  him  in  ]\[exico,  at  Saltillo, 
Patos  and  Parras,  also  in  the  Monclova  and  Ivio  (irande  Districts,  in  which  several 
stations  there  are  at  present  alxuit  27(i  Church  members  with  2l(i  scholars  in  the 
schools. 

TiiK  Italian  Mission.  This  has  become  one  tif  the  most  interesting  fields 
occupied  by  the  Convention.  Kot  only  must  Home  and  Italy  ever  present  a  peculiar 
charm  ft)r  Baptists,  because  of  their  iiiimorta!  connection  with  Apostolic  triumphs, 
but  because  during  the  Middle  Ages  there  was  always  a  little  remnant  left  there 
who  held  fast  to  some  of  the  Ba])tist  principles  of  the  primitive  times.  The  archives 
of  the  Inquisition  in  Venice  furnish  proof  that  in  a  score  of  towns  and  villages  of 
Northern  Italy  the  '  Brothers  '  were  found,  although  they  were  obliged  to  escape  to 


THE  ITALIAN  MLSSION.  839 

Moravia.  Then,  from  1550,  that  court  had  its  liaiuls  full  in  the  attempt  to  exter- 
minate tiiem.  Gherhuidi  and  Saga,  especially,  are  of  precious  memory.  Gherlandi's 
father  had  desi<rned  him  for  the  priesthood,  but  the  holy  life  and  teaching  of  the 
'Brothers'  won  him,  and  in  1559  he  lahoi'ed  in  Italy  to  bring  men  back  to  Apostolic 
truth.  His  capture,  however, soon  cut  short  his  toils,  and  when  thrust  into  prison  his 
incjuisitors  pressed  him  to  change  ins  opinions.  '  They  are  not  ojiinions.'  he  said,  '  but 
tlie  truth,  for  which  I  am  ready  to  die.'  Though  they  di'owned  liim  in  the  lagoon  at 
night,  nevertlieless,  say  the  'Baptist  Chronicles:'  'His  death  will  be  fur  tiie  revela- 
tion of  truth.'  Saga  was  born  in  1532  and  studied  at  Padua,  where,  while  sick,  he 
was  converted  through  tlie  words  of  a  godly  artisan.  Dr.  Henrath  says  in  ^  Studieii 
und  Kritiken,'  1SS5,  that  when  he  became  a  Baptist,  his  relatives  cast  him  off;  and 
that  when  he  was  ready  to  conduct  twenty  disciples  to  Moravia,  he  was  betrayed 
and  taken  to  Venice,  w'here,  after  a  year's  confinement,  sentence  of  death  was  passed, 
and  in  15()5  he  was  drowned  at  night  in  the  Sea  of  Venice. 

TVIodern  Bajttists  prize  any  land  where  such  heroism  has  been  displayed  for  the 
truth,  and  when  the  temporal  power  of  the  pope  fell  and  Italian  unity  opened  the 
gates  of  Rome  to  free  missionary  labor,  the  Southern  Convention  was  not  slow  to 
send  a  man  to  that  post.  Dr.  W.  N.  Cote,  one  of  its  missionaries  on  the  Continent 
of  Europe,  formed  a  Church  of  eighteen  members  in  Rome  in  1871,  but  the  little 
flock  passed  thi'ough  grave  troubles,  and  Mr.  Cote's  connection  with  the  Convention 
ceased.  In  1873  Rev.  George  B.  Taylor,  sou  of  the  first  Secretary,  James  B.  Taylor, 
was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  mission.  He  made  his  way  to  Rome,  a  beauti- 
ful place  of  worship  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $30,000.  and  after  laboring  with  the 
greatest  devotion  and  wisdom,  and  with  large  success,  ill-health  compelled  him  to  re- 
turn to  Virginia  in  1885.  Meanwhile  the  mission  is  conducted  under  the  general 
direction  of  Rev.  J.  II.  Eager,  and  is  in  a  prosperous  condition.  The  Italian  Bap- 
tists are  beset  with  peculiar  difficulties  from  many  sources,  but  they  are  pronounced 
Baptists,  and  stand  resolutely  by  their  principles.  For  mutual  aid  they  have  formed 
themselves  into  an  '  Apostolical  Baptist  Union,'  and  supj)ort  a  journal  known  as  '  II 
Testimonio.''  They  are  also  developing  the  practice  of  self-support  somewhat 
rapidly.  They  have  stations  at  Rome,  Tone  Pellice,  Pinerola,  Milan,  Venice,  Bo- 
logna, Modena,  Carpi,  Bari,  Barletta  and  the  Island  of  Sardinia.  Many  of  these 
interests  are  small,  but  they  aggregate  about  288  members.  The  Foreign  Mission 
Stations  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  numljer  altogether.  Stations,  27; 
Out-stations.  2(3 ;  Male  Missionaries,  Foreign  and  Xative.  41 ;  Female  Mis.sionaries,  33  ; 
Churches.  iO ;  Communicants,  1,450 ;  number  added  in  1885-8(),  209. 

Indi.\n  Missions.  A  great  work  has  been  done  for  the  Christianization  of 
many  Indian  tribes  by  the  Southern  Convention,  chiefly  the  Cherokees,  Creeks, 
Clioctaws,  Chickasaws  and  Semiuoles.  Noted  amongst  the  white  missionaries  to 
these  aborigines,  have  been  Messrs.  Ruckncr,  Moffat,  Burns,  Preston  and  ]Mnrrow, 
and  of  converted  Indians  themselves  there  have  been  Peter  Folsom,  Simon  Hancock, 


840  INDIAN  MISSIONS. 

Ixwis  ;u:(l  William  Cass  and  John  .liinijici-.  Aiiii)ii<,'st  tlie  various  tribes  there  are 
")  Assut^iatioiis,  ciiilirac-iiig  about  S,UUU  cuiuiiiuiiicuiit.-;,  with  many  secular  and  Sun- 
day-8cli()o!s  ami  nicetinic-houses. 

TiiK  llnMi-:  MissKiN  Work  iif  tlu'  Coiivuntion  is  dmie  cliiclly  through  tlie  State 
Mission  Hoard,  and  i>  known  as  the  J)oniestic  work.  Tlie  J)oinestic  Board  first  took 
its  sc|)arate  e.xistence  in  ls4.">.  witli  Rev.  Russell  Ilohnan  as  Corresponding  Secre- 
tarv,  who  was  followed  in  due  time  by  Rev.  Thomas  F.  Curtis,  licv.  .loseph  Walker, 
and  again  by  Mi-.  Ilolniaii.  His  successors  were  Rev.  M.  T.  Sumner  ami  Dr. 
Mcintosh;  all  of  whom  did  a  great  work  for  the  feeble  ('hurehes  in  almost  every 
Southern  city,  and  in  i'wvs  Southern  State,  esj)ecially  in  Te.xas,  P'lorida.  Arkansas 
and  (ieorgia.  Over  $1,100,00(1  have  been  expended  on  the  field,  and  fully  40,UUU 
persons  have  been  baptizt'd  on  their  faith  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Missionary  efforts  for  the  Indians  of  North  ,\meiica  were  commenced  by  the 
I!a])tist  (ieneral  Convention  in  1817,  and  prosecuted  by  the  Baptists  of  the  ]S'orth 
and  South  together  until  1840.  After  that  the  Missionary  Union  ])rosecnted  its 
Indian  nn.-sionary  work  alone  till  18t)5,  when  it  traiisfi'rred  that  depai-tment  to  the 
American  r>a])tist  Home  ^lission  Society.  The  trilns  in  which  this  work  was  ])ro8e- 
cuted  during  this  jteriod,  were  the  Pottawatomies  and  ^Miamies,  1S17;  Cherokees, 
in  Noi'th  Carolina.  ISlS;  Ottawas,  1822;  Creeks,  1S2;3;  Oneidas  and  Tonawandas, 
including  the  Tuscaroras,  1824;  Choctaws,  182<i;  Ojibwas.  1S2.S;  Shawnees.  18;J1  ; 
Otoes,  18:i:;;  Omalias,  Is;;;',;  Delawares,  including  the  Stoekbridges,  1838;  and 
Kickaj)oos,  1834.  The  missionaries  employed,  male  and  female,  numbered  upwards 
of  (iO,  and  the  missions  which  yielded  the  largest  fi'uit  were  those  anu)ngst  the 
Cherokees,  (Choctaws,  Creeks,  Ojibwas,  Delawares.  and  Shawnees.  The  wlnJe  num- 
ber of  converts  baptized  were  about  2,000,  of  whom  threi'  ipiarters  were  of  the 
Cherokee  nation. 

In  182<!  seven  young  Pottawatomies  were  sent  as  students  to  Hamilton  Theo- 
logical Sennnary  for  instruction,  and  two  to  Vermont  as  students  of  medicine.  In 
1833  a  Cherokee  native  preacher  was  ordained,  another  in  1S44;  in  is.")!)  two  more, 
and  in  1852,  yet  another.  In  1835  there  was  a  Choctaw  native  preacher,  and  in  1842, 
there  were  two  others;  a  Creek  Indian  became  a  preacher  in  1837,  and  a  Tuscarora 
chief  was  ordained  pastor  in  his  own  tribe  in  1838.  The  earliest  stations  amongst  the 
Pottawatomies  were  called  Carey  and  Thomas  stations,  in  honor  of  the  missionaries  in 
India.  Rev.  Isaac  McCoy  was  the  founder  of  both  these  missions.  In  1831  these 
Indians  were  removed  farther  westward  by  the  government  of  the  rmteil  States, 
became  nnxed  with  other  tribes,  and  the  work  was  suspended  in  1844.  In  1822 
schools  were  formed  anmng  the  Ottawas  and  a  Church  in  ls;i2,  with  24  members. 
They  contributed  a  sum  equal  to  thirty  cents  per  member  for  missions  in  1849;  and 
in  1854  the  work  was  transferred  to  the  Indian  Territory.  The  Cherokee  station,  in 
North  Carolina,  was  begun  by  Rev.  Evan  Jones  and  Mr.  Roberts  in  1825.  and  in 
1838,  156  natives  were  baptized  in  the  space  of  ten   months.     After  they  wciv  re- 


DOMESTIC  MISSIONS.  841 

moved  to  the  Indian  Territory  the  work  progressed,  and  in  two  years  tlieir  Churcli 
numbered  COO  members.  Mr.  Fry  joined  tlie  station  in  184:2,  and  tlie  members 
were  estimated  at  1,000.  All  the  Cherokee  Churches  had  meeting-houses,  and  there 
was  also  amongst  them  a  printing-office  and  a  I'emale  high  school.  A  missionary 
periodical  was  established  in  lS-1-1,  and  the  translation  of  the  New  Testament  was  com- 
pleted in  18-16.  The  tribe  may  well  be  considered  a  civilized  and  Christi;in  nation. 
The  mission  amongst  the  Delawares  began  with  two  preaching  placi's  ;  tluir  first 
missionary  was  Rev.  .1.  (i.  I'latt.  This  mission  was  tinally  altsorhcd  in  that  to  the 
Shawnees.  Mr.  Bingham  conducted  the  mission  to  the  Ojibwas  at  Sault  Ste.  Mary, 
from  1828  to  1857  ;  the  tribe  had  dwindled  away  through  death  and  emigration,  and 
the  work  was  given  up.  Rev.  l\[oscs  ^[errill  laljorcd  amongst  the  Otoes  from  183.") 
to  1840,  when  he  died  on  the  Held  after  translating  portions  of  yci'i]itni'e  into  the 
Otoe  language;  after  his  death  that  mission  was  discontinued.  ]\[r.  Willard, 
formerly  missionary  to  France,  and  others,  remained  amongst  the  iShawnees  from 
1831  to  1SG2.  At  an  earlier  date,  there  were  missions  amongst  two  or  thi-ee  tribes 
in  Western  New  York,  but  the  advancing  tide  of  civilization  swe|)t  them  away. 
Schoolcraft  estimates  the  number  of  Indians  at  the  discovery  of  America  within  the 
present  ai'ca  of  the  United  States  at  1,0(10,000,  but  the  Report  of  the  United  States 
Commissioner  for  1882  gives  their  number  as  only  259,032, 

After  the  Revolutionary  War  the  disjointed  condition  of  the  Baptist  denomina- 
tion unfitted  it  for  general  missionary  work.  It  needed  ct)ncert  of  action,  and  yet, 
nothing  could  force  organization  upon  it  so  effectually  as  the  i)ressure  of  missionary 
work.  From  the  beginning  our  people  felt  the  need  of  pressing  the  work  of  per- 
sonal I'egeneration,  and  yet  every^  form  of  jealousy  for  reserved  rights  repelled  them 
from  formal  organization.  Still,  the  Associations  were  impelled  to  co-operation,  and 
helped  the  Churches  to  feel  their  way  to  concert  of  action.  The  Shaftesbury  Asso- 
ciation, M'liich  comprised  North-eastern  New  York  and  Western  Massachusetts,  in 
1802,  sent  otit  Caleli  P>lood,  paying  his  traveling  expenses  through  Central  New- 
York  and  over  tlie  Niagara  River  into  I)  p|)er  Canada.  At  that  time  the  Associations, 
especially  tlie  Philadelphia,  the  Wairen  and  the  Shaftesbury,  had  largely  imbibed 
the  missionary  spirit  and  were  engaged  in  home  evangelization.  The  first  missionary 
organization  in  which  xVmerican  Baptists  were  active,  outside  of  these,  so  far  as  is 
known,  was  the  '  Boston  Female  Society  for  Missionary  Purposes.'  It  was  formed 
in  1800  with  14  members,  part  of  whom  were  Congregationalists.  For  the  first 
year  it  expended  $150  in  New-  England.  Several  years  after  this,  1802,  a  few 
brethren  in  Boston,  without  the  action  of  the  Churches,  formed  the  '  Massachusetts 
Domestic  Missionary  Society,'  the  object  of  w-hich  was  '  to  furnish  occasional  preach- 
ing, and  to  promote  the  knowledge  of  evangelic  truth  in  the  new  settlements  of  these 
United  States,  or  further,  if  circumstances  should  render  it  jiroper.'  In  the  first 
year  of  its  operations  it  sent  Joseph  Cornell  through  the  north-w-estern  part  of  the 
State  of  New  York,  and  two  other  missionaries  to  Maine  and  New   Hampshire. 


842  FIRST   CHURCHES   OF  KENTUCKY. 

Curiifll"s  journey  occupied  six  months;  lie  traveled  l,iiOti  miles,  and  jjreaclied  in  46 
townships,  reporting  that  in  41  of  these  the  people  had  no  religious  instruction, 
and  that  in  i:!  iiu  minister  had  ever  jti-eached.  This  Society  existed  thirty 
years  and  had  missionaries  in  ten  States,  West  as  fai-  as  Illinois,  and  South  as  far 
as  "Mississippi.  John  Ide,  Edward  Davenport,  Amos  Chase,  >>athanael  Kendrick, 
•lohii  I\r.  I'lck  and  James  E.  Welch  were  amongst  its  missionaries.  It  afterward 
iiecame  the  parent  of  the  ])resent  Home  Mission  Society. 

There  had  been  scattered  communities  of  Baptists  in  Missouri  from  the  settle- 
ment of  that  country.  Thomas  Johnson,  of  Georgia,  had  visited  it  in  17'.*'.),  while 
it  was  undei'  foreign  dominion  and  lioman  Catholic  control.  A  few  families  from 
the  Carolinas,  alioiit  17'.**>,  made  a  settlement  in  St.  j.ouis  County.  Jnhn  ('lark,  an 
Irish  Metluxlisl,  Iiecame  a  Hajitist,  and  prolmlily  was  the  lirst  Baptist  who  ever 
piTaclied  west  of  the  Mis.sis.-ippi.      He  gathered  a  (Jhurch  in  lS(iT. 

ISefore  considering  the  next  mission  organization,  it  will  be  in  chronological 
order  here  to  notice  that  gi'eat  movement  of  explorers  and  first  settlers  which 
])lanted  Baptist  Churches  in  Kentucky  at  so  eai'ly  a  date.  Most  of  its  early  inhabit- 
ants were  from  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas,  jirincipally  from  ^'irgiuia ;  most  of 
them  were  Baptists  in  tiieii'  religion,  ami  their  early  ministers  brought  the  strong 
marks  and  earnest  spirit  of  their  ministry  with  them.  The  settlers  of  Kentucky 
were  generally  men  of  powerful  frame  and  dauntless  courage,  backwoodsmen,  sj)leii- 
didly  adapted  to  the  sulijugation  of  this  great  empire  of  forests,  and  tliese  ministers 
met  exactly  the  wants  of  the  people.  For  about  a  score  of  years  they  were  exposed 
to  the  wrath  of  the  savages,  who  abounded  in  this  world  of  wilderness.  The  en- 
croachments of  the  whites  had  (li'iven  them  back  from  their  sea-coast  domains, 
and  as  these  slipped  out  of  their  hands,  as  was  natural,  they  became  sullen  and 
vengefid.  White  emigrants  found  their  crops  destroyed,  their  stock  driven  off, 
their  buildings  burnt,  and  their  wily  foe  in  ambush  to  slaughter  them  in  the  dark 
forests.  Dr.  Spencer  gives  an  illustrative  case.  'Y\\v  Conk  family,  from  which 
sprang  Abraham  Cook,  a  di'vout  Baptist  minister,  had  removed  in  1780  to  the  forks 
of  Elkhorn,  when  the  father  died,  leaving  his  widow  and  a  large  family  unprotected 
on  this  frontier.  She  struggled  with  poverty  and  danger  till  the  year  17'.t2,  when 
her  sons,  Ilosea  and  Jesse,  married.  One  day  a  l)and  of  Indians  fell  upon  these  two 
sons,  while  they  were  shearing  sheep,  and  murdered  one  of  them.  The  other,  mor- 
tally wounded,  tied  to  the  house,  barred  the  door  and  fell  dead.  The  two  women 
must  now  tight  the  Indians  to  save  themselves  and  their  babes.  They  had  one  ritie, 
but  no  shot.  Finding  a  musket-ball,  liowever,  in  her  desperation  one  of  the  women 
bit  it  in  two  with  her  teeth,  and  fired  one  half  at  an  Indian  through  a  crevice  in  her 
log-house.  He  sprang  into  the  air  and  fell  dead.  The  savages  then  tried  to  force 
the  door,  but  failing,  sprang  to  the  roof  to  fire  the  house.  As  the  flames  began  to 
kindle,  one  of  the  heroines  climbed  the  loft  and  quenched  the  fire  with  water.  The 
Indians    tired    the    roof  the    second   time,  Imt   the  women,  having  no  more  water 


KENTUCKY   VOSTISUED.  843 

in  the  house,  took  e^i:;*  :iii(l  queiu'licd  tlie  fire  witli  tliein.  The  Indians  kindled  tlie 
rianies  tlie  third  time,  when,  havini;'  neither  eggs  nor  water  left,  the  poor  woman 
tore  the  jac'ket  from  her  murdered  husijand,  saturated  with  his  blood,  and  smothered 
the  riames  with  that.  Thus  batiied,  the  savages  retired,  leaviiii;-  these youni;-  mothers 
clasping  their  i)abes  to  their  bosoms,  obliged  themselves  to  l)ury  theii'  slaughtered  hus- 
bands. Many  of  the  early  ministers  suffered  much  from  the  Indians.  It  is  supposed 
that  liev.  John  Gerrard  was  murdered  by  them. 

The  Severns  Valley  Baptist  Church  was  the  first  organized  in  Kentucky, 
about  forty  miles  south  of  Louisville,  at  what  is  now  Elizabethtown,  though  the 
church  still  bears  its  ancient  name.  On  June  18,  1781,  eighteen  Baptists  met  in 
tlie  wilderness,  under  a  green  sugar-tree,  and  there,  directed  by  Kev.  Joseph  Bai'- 
nett,  from  \'irginia,  formed  themselves  into  a  Baptist  Church,  choosing  Rev.  John 
Gerrard  as  their  pastor.  Cedar  Creek  was  the  second,  founded  July  4th,  1781,  and 
Gilbert's  Creek  the  third,  constituted  under  the  leadership  of  Lewis  Craig.  For 
several  years  these  Churches,  and  others  that  were  formed,  met  with  no  marks 
of  signal  prosjierity  ;  but,  in  1785,  they  were  visited  by  a  blessed  revival  of  religion, 
especially  those  in  Upper  Kentucky.  In  1784  a  Church  was  gathered  in  the  Bear 
(-Jrass  region,  about  thirty  miles  from  what  is  now  Louisville.  At  that  time  several 
able  ministers  had  settled  in  the  new  territory,  and  the  young  Churches  were  greatly 
prospered.  In  1787  Kev.  John  Gano  left  his  pastoral  charge  in  Xew  York  and 
settled  in  Kentucky,  greatly  strengthening  the  hands  of  his  brethren.  This  State 
has  now  become  the  fourth  Baptist  State  in  the  Union  in  point  of  numbers,  having 
61  Associations,  890  ministers,  1,731  C'hurches,  183,688  members.  Last  year,  1885, 
10,748  persons  were  immersed  into  the  fellowship  of  those  Churches.  Our  brethren 
there  have  always  expected  and  received  '  lai'ge  things.'  In  the  olden  times  Jere- 
miah Vardcinan  baptized  8,000,  Gilbert  Mason  4,0()0,  James  M.  Coleman  4,()()0,  and 
Daniel  Bnckner  2,500. 

In  returning  to  speak  of  organized  missionary  effort,  it  may  be  stated  that  in 
1807  a  number  of  brethren,  within  the  limits  of  the  Otsego  Association,  met  on  the 
27th  of  August,  at  Pompey,  Onondaga  County,  N.  Y.,  and  organized  the  Lake  Mis- 
sionary Society,  for  the  '  promotion  of  the  missionary  enterprise  in  the  destitute 
regions  anjund.'  Its  first  missionary  was  Rev.  Salmon  Morton,  who  was  engaged  at 
§4  a  week.  Two  years  later  the  name  of  the  society  was  changed  to  the  '  Hamilton 
Missionary  Society.'  It  was  the  day  of  small  things,  foj-,  in  1815,  the  society  was 
able  to  provide  only  for  forty  weeks'  labor  in  the  course  of  a  year,  and  it  was 
greatly  encouraged  to  receive  from  the  '  Hamilton  Female  Missionary  Society '  in 
1812,  'twenty  yards  of  fulled  cloth,'  to  replenish  its  treasury. 

Still,  the  missionary  spirit  possessed  the  hearts  of  the  American  Baptists.  At 
the  meeting  of  the  Triennial  Convention,  held  in  Philadelphia,  May  17th,  1817, 
the  sphere  of  its  operations  was  enlarged  by  authorizing  the  Board  '  to  appropriate 
a  portion  of  the  funds  to  domestic  missiouary  pui'poses.'    This  action  diverted  atten- 


844  THE   TRIENNIAL    CONVENTION. 

tiiiii  fur  :i  time  from  tlic  orii:iiial  purjiu^e  uf  tin;  CuiiNuiitioii,  for  liiiriiiir  tho  tlirce 
ciisuiiiji-  vi.'ars  only  tliri'e  additional  mi.sKioiiaries  were  sent  iiitcj  foreign  lands.  Tiie 
Coini'ntioii  was  feeling  its  way,  in  the  alisenee  of  missionary  e.\])erience,  ami  its 
lu'art  de.-iivd  to  take  in  the  woi'ld.  Luther  liice  had  inihieneed  its  aetion  hy  liis 
enlarged  plans  and  holy  aims.  He  possessed  great  ahility,  was  of  most  commanding 
|iresence  and  an  earnest  speaker,  and  his  recent  conversion  to  JJaptist  principles  liad 
stinT(l  the  whole  I'onntry.  After  his  tour  through  the  South  and  West,  he  ivpoi'ti'il 
a  recommendation  that  a  nns^ion  .-hould  be  established  in  the  West,  nut  only  un 
account  of  the  importance  of  the  I'egion  in  itself,  but  it  was  ■  indispensably  necessary 
to  satisfy  the  wishes  and  expectations  of  pious  peoj)le  in  all  parts  of  the  United 
States,'  aiul  the  ( 'oiis'ention  took  his  \iew  of  the  case.  Jlence,  it  gave  power  to  the 
iioard  to  si-nd  missionai'ies  into  •  such  parts  of  this  country  wliere  the  seed  of  the 
Woi-d  may  be  advantageously  cast,  and  which  mission  societies  on  a  small  scale  do 
n(jt  elfectively  reach.'  The  direct  result  of  this  vote  was  the  appointment  of  John 
M.  Peck  and  .lanu's  H.  Welch  to  this  work,  and  the  aj)propriatiun  uf  §l,<M)n  for 
their  support.  They  went  Wi'st,  acting  under  this  conuiiission.  where  they  established 
many  Ohurches,  amongst  them  the  Church  at  St.  Louis,  in  the  year  1817.  dames 
!Mc("oy  and  llum])hrcy  Posey  were  sent  out  under  similar  commissions  to  the  Indians. 

In  1820  tlu'  Convention  saw  that  it  had  attempted  too  nnu-h,  and  withdrew  its 
support  fi'oiii  Messrs.  Peck  and  Welch.  Mi'.  Welch  returned  Last,  and  Mr.  Peck 
was  taken  up  ami  supi)orte(l  by  tlu;  JVIassacliusetts  Society.  For  years  he  tried  in 
vain  to  induce  tlu;  Ti'iennial  (convention  to  resume  its  work  in  the  West,  and  so  from 
1820  to  l.S.'>2  home  mission  work  was  tin-own  back  upon  local  organizations,  Asso- 
ciations and  State  Conventions.  In  Xew  York,  the  (Convention  was  formed  in 
1821,  in  Massachusetts,  182-4;  and  12  otiiers  previous  to  1S32.  After  nine  years, 
labor  in  the  AW'st,  Mr.  Peck  returned  to  Xew  p]ngland  to  arouse  new  interest  in  the 
work  of  western  evangelization,  ami  e.\])lained  to  the  Massachusetts  Society,  in  Dr. 
liald win's  (Jliurch,  in  lioston,  the  necessities  of  this  tield.  He  also  visited  Dr. 
(Toing,  ])astor  of  the  Church  in  AVorcester.  Mass.,  and  moved  his  bold  but  sound 
judgment  and  warm  heart  to  examine  the  subject  sei-iously.  The  two  men  corre- 
sponded constantly  on  the  subject  for  five  years,  when  Drs.  (4t)ing  and  Bolles  resolved 
to  visit  and  inspect  the  West  for  themselves.  The  result  was,  that  the  three  men 
sketched  a  plan,  'to  lend  efficient  aid  with  promptitude ;"  and  on  returning.  Dr. 
(ioing  convinced  the  Massachusetts  Society  that  a  Ceneral  Home  Jlission  Society 
should  be  formed.  It  was  willing  to  turn  over  all  its  interests  to  a  new  society,  and 
nsed  its  influence  to  secure  its  organization  ;  the  result  was,  that  on  April  27th,  1832, 
the  American  Paptist  Honu!  "Mission  Society  was  formed  in  New  York  city,  with 
Hon.  Ileman  Lincoln,  of  Massachusetts,  for  its  President,  Dr.  Going  for  its  Corre- 
sponding Secretary,  and  William  Colgate  for  its  Treasurer. 

In  Dr.  (doing's  first  report  to  tho  Executive  (Committee  of  the  new  society, 
he  made  an  elaborate  statement  of  Baptist  strength  in  the  I'nited  States,  and  the 


Tin-:   HOME   MfSsrOX  society.  84S 

ratio  of  ministerial  supply  in  various  pai'ts  of  the  country,  lie  estimated  the  whole 
number  of  eommunicants  at  3S5.ii59,  ministers  3,02i,  Churches  5,321,  and  Asso- 
ciations, 302.  He  reckoned  the  destitution  in  the  Western  States  as  17  per  cent, 
greater  than  in  tiie  Eastern  ;  ami  while  the  Churches  of  New  York  and  ^'ew 
England  were  supplied  with  ministers  seven  eighths  of  the  time,  the  Middle  States 
were  only  su])plic(l  three  eighths,  and  the  Western  one  eighth,  lie  further  calculated 
that  all  the  miiii>terial  lui)o)'  in  the  Valley  of  the  Mississippi  was  only  e(jnal  to  that 
of  200  pastors  in  the  Ivist.  'J'lie  managers  of  the  new  society  '  Resolved  '  with  what 
they  regarded  as  great  boldness,  that  $10,000  ought  to  be  raised  and  e.xjjcnded  dur- 
ing the  first  year,  and  felt  very  grateful  when  Mr.  Colgate  reijorted  $6,580  73,  as 
the  result  of  the  year's  work.  iJut  on  this  sum  they  had  carried  89  missionaries, 
laboring  in  19  States  and  Territories  through  that  year.  In  the  sixth  year  the 
receijjts  wvvv  $17,232  18,  missionaries  116,  and  1,421  pei'sons  baptized.  It  is  dif- 
ficult to  get  at  the  separate  statistics  for  all  the  preceding  five  years,  as  they  were 
mixed  up  with  the  State  Conventions,  which  held  certain  auxiliary  relations  to  the 
society.  In  October,  1837,  Dr.  Going  accepted  the  presidency  of  the  Literary  and 
Theological  Institute  at  (iranville,  Ohio,  and  in  1839,  lie  v.  Benjamin  M.  Hill,  ut 
Troy,  N.  Y.,  was  elected  to  till  his  ])lace  as  Home  Mission  Secretary.  As  Dr.  Going 
has  become  so  thoroughly  historical  amongst  American  Baptists,  a  fuller  sketch  of 
him  will  be  desired. 

Jonathan  Going,  D.D.,  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  was  born  at  lieading,  Ver- 
mont, March  7th,  1786.  He  graduated  frona  Brown  University  in  the  class  of  1809  ; 
and  during  his  first  year  at  college,  April  ti,  1800,  he  united  with  the  First  Bapti.st 
Church  at  Providence,  under  the  care  of  Kev.  Stephen  Gano.  He  piri'sued  his  the- 
ological studies  for  a  time  after  his  graduation,  with  President  Messer,  and  then 
became  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Cavendish,  Conn.,  1811-1815.  In  1815  he  became 
pastor  of  the  Church  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and  during  the  first  year  of  his  service 
organized  the  lirst  Sunday-school  in  Worcester  Co.  At  that  time  ardent  spirits 
were  in  common  use  amongst  Church  members  and  ministers,  but  Mr.  Going  took 
high  ground  against  this  practice.  It  is  said  that  a  neighboring  Church  applied  to 
the  Doctor  for  aid,  when  he  asked  if  that  congregation  could  not  support  itself  by 
economizing  in  the  use  of  liquor?  The  reply  was :  'I  think  not,  sir,  I  buy  mine 
now  by  the  barrel,  at  the  lowest  wholesale  rates.'  The  personal  influence  of  Dr. 
Going  made  him  a  sort  of  Bislio|i  in  all  the  surrounding  country.  During  his  pas- 
torate of  16  years  at  Worcester,  350  additions  were  made  to  his  Church.  Hon. 
Isaac  Davis,  for  many  years  a  member  of  his  Church  and  a  personal  friend,  said  of 
him  :  '  If  there  was  an  ordination,  a  revival  of  religion,  a  difJiculty  in  a  Church,  or 
a  public  meeting  in  aid  of  some  benevolent  object,  within  30  or  40  miles,  the 
services  of  our  pastor  were  very  likely  to  be  called  for.  Every  body  saw  that 
his  heart  was  in  the  great  cause,  not  onl}'  of  benevolent  action  but  of  the  common 
Christianity,  and  every  body  expected  that  he  would  respond  cheerfully  and  effectively 


846  /i'/-;r.  im.  iiii.i.. 

tu  mII  rcusonnhli'  claims  tluit  were  iiiaile  iiimii  liiiii."  After  takiiii,'  cliargc  nf  fTran- 
villc  College,  his  iiilhieiicc  in  Ohio  bcfaiiie  as  extensive  and  healthful  us  in  Massa- 
dinsetts,  but  he  was  jierinitted  to  till  his  place  only  till  November  9,  1S4-4,  when  he 
fell  aslee])  in  Jesus,  lamented  I>y  all  who  knew  him. 

Afueh  might  be  said  of  Dr.  IliU's  seeretar_yshi|)  in  the  Home  Mi.ssion  Soeiety, 
which  lie  filled  for  ii'2  yeai's.  Ife  was  a  native  of  Newport.  K.  T.,  Ijorii  .\pril  5, 
ITilS.  lie  entered  the  l*eiinsyl\ania  ITniversity  to  ))i'e))are  for  the  medical  jirofes- 
siciii,  but  was  converte(l  at  the  age  of  f'.t  and  became  a  pastor  at  'J.').  He  served  two 
smaller  (!luirches  tii-st,  then  spent  It  years  as  jiastor  of  the  Fir.-t  Cliurcli,  New 
TIaven.  Coini.,  and  10  years  as  pastoi-  of  tlie  First  (,'hureli  Troy,  N.  Y.,  before  he 
aeeepte<l  the  ))lace  vacated  by  i)i'.  (ioing.  Dining  tlie  period  of  his  secretaryship 
the  country  and  the  Sot'iety  were  agitated  by  .se\'eral  very  exciting  and  perjilexing 
(juestions.  but  under  his  iinii  and  judiciou.s  maiuigement.  it  derived  no  serious  injury 
from  any  of  them.  lie  ke]>t  his  head  and  heart  upon  the  one  aim  of  the  Society, 
'  Xortli  Amei-ica  for  Christ.''  and  he  did  much  to  bi-ing  it  to  the  Saviour's  feet.  One 
of  the  serious  practical  diltii-uhies  which  beset  the  v'^()cicty  in  the  pru^ccutiou  of  its 
western  work  was  not  readily  overcome.  In  many  sections  a  salaried  ministi-y  was 
denounced,  and  many  otherwise  sensible  jieople  looked  u])on  the  plan  of  missions  as 
a  s])eculation  and  the  missioiiaiacs  were  set  down  as  liirelings.  In  Xovembei',  1S33, 
a  CouNcntion  met  in  Cincinnati,  where  representative  men  from  various  portions  of 
the  Sduth  and  \Vest  met  I'cpresentatives  of  tli(>  Ilnme  Mission  Society,  face  to  face, 
to  exchange  views  on  the  subject.  This  meeting  did  nnich  to  dispel  prejudice 
and  ignorance.  Still,  fVu-  many  years  the  narrow-minded  folk  in  tlie  West  treated 
tlie  honest,  hard  working  missionaries  much  as  tliey  wmild  be  treated  by  fairly 
decent  pagans.  Only  persistent  work  and  liigli  Christian  cluiracter  coiirpiered  the 
recognition  of  tlieir  gifts  and  self-sacriticing  life. 

The  settlement  of  the  interior  in  regard  to  intelligence,  virtue  and  religion,  as 
well  as  free  governnicnt,  had  been  a  matter  of  great  solicitude  with  the  earlier  .states- 
men of  the  country.  Fiider  the  coldiiial  date  of  duly  2(1,  17"><>,  lieiijaiiiin  Franklin 
wrote  to  George  Whitefield  : 

'  You  mention  ^-our  frequent  wish  that  yon  were  a  chaplain  in  the  American 
Army.  1  sometimes  wish  that  you  and  1  were  jointly  employt'd  liy  the  crown  to 
settle  a  colony  on  tlie  Ohio.  I  imagine  that  we  could  do  it  effectually,  and  without 
putting  the  nation  to  much  expense  ;  but,  I  fear,  wc  shall  never  be  called  upon  for 
such  a  service.  What  a  glorious  thing  it  would  be  to  settle  in  that  fine  country  a 
large,  strong  body  of  religioiis  and  industrious  people !  AVliat  a  security  to  the  other 
colonies,  and  advantage  to  P>ritain,  by  increasing  her  })eople,  territory,  strengtli  and 
commerce  !  Might  it  not  greatly  facilitate  the  introduction  of  jMire  religion  among 
the  heathen,  if  we  could  by  such  a  colony,  show  them  a  better  sample  of  Christians 
than  they  commoiily  see  in  our  Indian  traders!' — the  most  vicious  and  abandoned 
wretches  of  our  iiati<jn !  Life,  like  a  dramatic  piece,  should  not  only  be  conducted 
with  regularity,  but,  methinks,  it  should  finish  liandsomely.  Being  now  in  the  last 
act,  I  begin  to  cast  about  for  something  fit  to  end  with.  Or,  if  mine  be  more  prop- 
erly compared  to  an  epigram,  as  some  of  its  lines  are  but  barely  tolerable,  I  am 


FliASKLiy  AM)    WIllTEFIELD.  847 

very  desirous  of  conclmliiiir  witli  ;i  hriiilit  |)(iint.  In  such  an  (niterpi'ise,  I  could 
spend  tlie  reniaindcr  of  lit'u  wirii  i>lea.s\iie,  and  I  lirnily  believe  (Tod  would  bless  us 
with  success,  if  we  undertake  it  with  a  sincere  regard  to  his  honor,  the  service  of 
our  gracious  king,  and  (wiiioii  is  tlie  same  thing)  the  public  good.' 

Altiiougli  the  wisii  of  Franklin  to  enter  the  heart  of  the  country  with  Wliite- 
Held,  as  luissionaries,  for  "  the  introduction  of  pure  religion  among  the  heathen,'  and 
to  found  a  colony  to  the  "  iiundr"  of  God,  it  was  reserved  to  others,  as  lionorable  and 
as  nol)le,  to  compose  an"  epigram'  there,  under  a  Ke|iublic(if  which  ni'ithi'ripf  these 
great  men  dreamed  when  tlie  philoso2)her  expressed  this  wisii.  In  a  quiet  way 
single  missionaries  there  have  done  an  almost  superiiuman  work.  Fourteen  of  the 
strongest  Churches  in  Illinois  and  I\Ii(;higan  were  planted  by  that  pure-hearted  man, 
Thomas  Powell,  as  well  as  tlie  Illinois  River  Association.  Out  of  this  liody  in  turn 
have  come  the  Ottowa,  Rock  River,  East  Illinois  River  and  the  McLean  Associations, 
whieii  were  organized  under  his  direction.  Dr.  Temple  wrote  liis  friend,  Dr.  Som- 
mers,  in  1833,  concerning  Chicago,  then,  a  mere  trading  post :  '  We  liave  no  servant 
of  the  Lord  Jesus  to  proclaim  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation.  ...  I  write  to  beg  that 
you  will  see  Brother  Goini>'  ami  ask  that  a  young  man  of  tirst-rate  talent,  whose 
whole  heart  is  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  may  bo  sent  to  it  immediately.  I  will  myself 
become  responsible  for  $200  per  annum  for  such  a  missionary.'  Dr.  Going  found 
tlie  young  man  in  Rev.  A.  B.  Freeman,  who  had  just  graduated  from  Hamilton, 
and  justified  what  seemed  hasty,  by  saying  that  '  Chicago  promises  to  become  a  very 
important  place  on  very  many  accounts,  and  it  is  deemed  highly  important  that  we 
have  a  footing  there  at  an  early  date.'  In  October,  1833,  the  First  Church  in 
Chicago  was  organized  in  what  is  to-day  one  of  the  centers  of  power  in  our  land. 

Under  the  administration  of  Dr.  Hill,  the  work  of  the  Home  Mission  Society 
began  to  assume  its  fuller  proportion  of  importance  to  American  Baptists.  In  1832 
its  principal  field  was  the  Mississippi  Valley,  extending  from  Galena  to  New  Orleans 
embracing  about  4,000,000  people,  but  in  twenty  years  from  that  time  the  vast 
stretch  west  of  the  great  river  was  opened  up  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  What,  in  1832, 
stood  upon  the  maps  as  the  '  Great  American  Desert,'  an  immense  empire  of  black 
waste,  became  Kansas,  Oregon,  Minnesota,  as  States;  while  Nebraska,  Wasliington, 
Dakota,  Nevada  and  Colorado  were  becoming  rapidly  colonized  in  1852.  At  the 
close  of  Di-.  Hill's  service,  the  operations  of  the  Society  extended  into  Kansas  and 
the  Territory  of  Nebraska,  160  miles  up  the  Missouri  River  from  the  Kansas  line ; 
up  the  Mississippi  to  its  junction  with  the  St.  Croix,  thence  to  the  Falls  of  the  St. 
Croix,  and  to  the  head  of  Lake  Superior.  The  necessity  had  been  forced  upon  the 
Society  of  doing  something  to  assist  infant  Churches  to  secure  houses  of  worshij). 
This  was  a  new  order  of  wiu'k,  and  at  first,  appropriations  were  made  in  the  form  of 
loans  at  a  light  interest  of  two  per  cent.  Many  of  the  Churches  were  paying  8  to 
12  per  cent.,  and  the  aim  was  to  help  them  to  help  themselves,  by  making  the  interest 
as  nearly  nominal  as  might  be,  and  when  the  principal  was  re-paid,  to  re-loau  it  to 


848  n/>-s.    IIACKIS  AND   sr.V.UO.XS. 

otlicr  Cliiu'clifs  fur  similar  use.  I  )r.  Hill  |iiil)li.-lK-i|  a  pluii  for  the  Cliurcli  Edifice 
Fund,  aiiiiiiiii  to  raise  s!i)ii,nuii  I'or  this  jun-jiose.  The  plan  was  a  wise  one,  hut  the 
inovciiKMit  had  scared v  ijccii  iiiaui;iii-atfd  when  the  linancial  |>anic  of  l^.'iT  fell  upon 
tlic  country,  and  th('  I'esponses  in  money  were  li^iit.  In  ISfWi,  wlieu  the  funds  were 
used  only  in  tlie  foi-in  of  loans  and  the  <;ift  system  had  ceased,  the  rccei])ts  ran  up 
to  !?72.nor)  l;^.  of  which  ft;{(t,n()()  was  made  a  permanent  fund.  Ilev.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor, 
|).l)..  of  l!i-ooklyn,  X.  '^'.,  a  man  ol'  larne  aliility  evei'y  way  and  a  most  successful 
l)astor,  was  ap])ointed  to  raise  the  ])ermanent  fund  to  §500,000.  lie  laltored  iiohly 
in  his  work  till  1874,  when  his  L(jrd  called  him  to  his  temple  above.  lie  had, 
however,  secured  $1:5(1.000  for  the  fund. 

r)r.  Hill  decliiicd  further  service  in  jsdi!.  and  I)r.  .lay  S.  llackus,  one  of  the 
most  viii-orous  minds  and  cousi'crated  pastoi's  in  the  di-uomination,  was  chosen  as  his 
successor,  lie  served  from  1S(;2  to  ISCiT  as  tin'  only  Secretary,  hut  in  ISfiT  Rev.  J.  B. 
Simmons,  D.I).,  of  Philadelphia,  was  a]i))ointed  an  additional  ('orresponding  Secre- 
tary, with  special  referenct;  to  the  I'Vcedmen's  work,  ami  in  l^ti'.t  Dr.  Taylor  was 
adiled  to  his  collean-ues  with  special  i-ci;-ard  to  the  Church  Edifice  Fund.  J)r.  Sim- 
mons stood  the  peel-  of  his  two  fellow-secretaries  in  wisdom  and  goodness.  IJe  was 
a  graduate  of  T>rown  University  and  of  Newton  Theological  Seminary,  and  had 
done  delightful  |ia>toi-al  work  in  Indianapolis  and  I'liiladelphia.  Thus  equipped, 
the  Society  stooil  ready  to  f.illow  the  lead  of  these  three  men  of  (Tud,  and  well  did 
each  of  them  stand  in  his  lot.  The  times  were  extremely  trying,  for  the  country 
had  just  jiassed  through  its  severe  Civil  War,  slavery  had  ceased  to  e.xist,  and  an  un- 
expected change  of  circumstances  called  for  various  modifications  in  the  work  of  the 
Society.  The  new  secretaryship,  tilled  hy  Dr.  Simmons.  s])i-aiig  from  these  neccssarv 
changes.  At  the  clo.se  of  the  war  the  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  at 
St.  Louis,  May,  1865,  when  it  resolved  to  prosecute  missionary  work  amongst  tlie 
P^reedmen.  Dr.  Edward  Lathrop  and  Mr.  J.  1?.  Iloyt  were  sent  to  visit  the 
Southern  liaptists  to  in\ite  their  co-operation  in  this  work,  and  in  18<!7  a  delegation 
was  sent  to  the  Southern  Baptist  Convention,  at  Baltimore,  to  furtlier  that  object. 
That  Convention  reciprocated  these  brotherly  interchanges,  and  appointed  a  similar 
delegation  to  meet  the  Home  Mission  Society,  a  few  days  later,  at  its  annual  meeting, 
in  New  ^'ork.  Drs.  deter  and  J.  A.  Broadus  made  addresses  in  which  com-iliation 
atid  brotherly  alTection  abounded.  Various  methods  of  ]iractical  co-operation  were 
suggested,  but  the  Committee  wliicli  reported  on  the  subject  could  do  little  more 
than  recommend  that  co-operation  should  be  sought  and  had  in  all  waj-s  that  should 
be  found  practicable. 

In  December,  lSfi4,  however,  a  company  of  Baj)tists  had,  on  their  personal  re- 
sponsibility, formed  '  The  National  Theological  Institute,'  at  Washington,  to  provide 
religious  and  educational  instruction  for  the  Freedmen.  At  the  St.  Louis  meeting 
of  the  Home  "Mission  Society  in  1845,  it  was  reported  that  $4,978  69  had  been  re- 
ceived by  its  Treasurer  for  a  Freedmen's  Fund,  and  that  the  Society  had  already 


NATIONAL    TUEOLOGICAL  INSTITUTE.  849 

68  missionaries  laboring  amongst  tlit-ni  in  twelve  Southern  States.  The  Board  was 
instructed  to  continue  this  work.  The  Institute  conferred  witli  the  Home  Missionary 
Society  as  to  the  best  method  of  conducting  this  work,  for,  in  1807,  it  had  sciiools 
under  its  direction  at  Washington,  Alexandria,  Williamsburg  and  Lynchburg,  with 
$3,000  in  books  and  clothing,  ami  $18.0iii>  in  money,  for  their  siij)|)(irt.  Tlie  result  of 
much  conference  was,  a  recommendation  made  by  a  committee,  consistin"-  of  I\re.ssrs. 
Mason,  Hague,  T.  U.  Anderson,  Fulton,  IJishop,  Peck  and  Arinitage,  to  the  Home 
Mission  Board,  to  organize  a  special  department  for  this  work.  This  being  done,  Dr. 
Simmons  was  chosen  Secretary  by  the  Society,  especially  for  this  department.  His 
work  naturally  divided  itself  into  missionary  and  educational  branches.  All  or- 
dained missionaries,  of  whom  there  were  about  30eaciiyear,  were  instructed  to  give 
religious  tuition  to  classes  of  colored  ministei's.  Dr.  Marston  reported,  that  in  two 
years  1,527  ministers  and  696  deacons  were  present  at  classes  which  he  held.  lU'fore 
Dr.  Simmons's  election,  amongst  others.  Prof.  11.  .1.  Uipley,  at  Savannah,  Ga. ;  Dr. 
Solomon  Peck,  at  Beaufort,  N.  C. ;  Rev.  II.  L.  Wayland,  at  iS'ashville,  Tenn. ;  and 
Kev.  D.  W.  Phillips,  at  Knoxville,  Tenn. ;  were  engaged  in  this  inipoi'tant  W(»rk,  so 
that  over  4,o(i()  puj)ils  were  gathered  into  these  schools.  The  Society  held  that  the 
teacher  for  the  common  school  was  secondary  to  the  education  of  the  coloi-ed 
preacher.  Teachers  were  impressed  with  the  responsibility  of  winning  souls  to 
Christ,  and  those  converted  in  the  schools  were  sent  forth  to  become  teachers,  j)as- 
toi-s'  wives,  and  missionaries  to  their  own  people.  Fifteen  institutions  for  the 
colored  people!  have  been  established  with  an  eni'olhneiit  in  1S85  of  2,955  pupils, 
1,391  of  them  young  men,  1,564  young  women  ami  1<I3  teachers.  These  institu- 
tions are  all  designed  primarily  for  those  who  are  to  be  preachers  or  teachers;  two 
are  for  the  separate  instruction  of  women,  and  one  is  distinctively  a  Theological  Insti- 
tution. Industrial  education  is  given  in  nearly  all  of  them,  and  tlie  demand  for 
medical  education,  so  closely  connected  with  the  moral  and  religious  education  of 
the  race,  is  one  that  generous  patrons  are  considering.  Dr.  Simmons  continued  in 
this  work  till  187-±,  and  it  is  still  ]n'osecuted  with  vigor  and  success. 

Mrs.  Benedict,  of  Pawtueket,  R.  I.,  widow  of  Deacon  Steplien  Benedict,  gave 
$30,000  for  the  establishment  of  the  Benedict  Institute,  in  Columliia,  S.  C. 
Deacon  Holbrook  riiamberlain,  of  Bi-ooklyn,  N.  Y.,  gave  fully  $150,000  for  the 
Freedmen's  work,  most  of  it  for  the  founding  and  support  of  the  Leland  University, 
at  New  Orleans,  La.,  and  othei's  gave  large  sums  for  the  same  cause.  After  the 
Civil  War  the  colored  Baptists  in  the  South  constituted  separate  Churches  and  As- 
sociations of  their  own,  tliough  previous  to  that,  as  a  rule,  they  had  been  members 
of  the  same  Churches  with  the  white  Baptists.  At  its  session,  held  at  Charleston, 
1875,  the  Southern  Convention  said  : 

'In  the  impoverished  condition  (jf  the  South,  and  with  tlie  need  of  strengthen- 
ing the  special  work  which  the  Southern  liaptist  Convention  is  committed  to  prose- 
cute, there  is  no  probabilit}'  of  an  early  endowment  of  schools  under  our  charge  for 
55 


850  coi.dUKi)  yi:\n\.\/!/i':s. 

the  lii'ttcr  cdiiciition  of  a  coloreil  miiiistry.  Tlic  Coiivciitiou  has  a(h>])tt'(l  tlic  policy 
(if  sustaining  stiidciits  at  the  .sciiiinai'ies  Cdntrdiletl  \>\  fiie  American  ISaptist  llonie 
Mission  Soeiety.  It  is  iniu'li  to  be  clesircil  tiiat  larger  contrihntiuns  Im-  tliis  purpose 
may  lie  secured  from  both  white  and  colored  IJaptists." 

The  (leoigia  liaptist  Convention  said  in  tlie  same  year: 

'  The  Institute  for  colored  ministers,  under  tln'  care  and  instruction  of  our 
esteemed  lirother,  J.  T.  Robert,  is  doing  a  noble  work  Wiv  auv  colored  ]>opulation. 
We  trust  that  many  will  avail  tiieniselves  of  the  excellent  course  of  instruction  there, 
and  that  the  school  may  prove  an  incalculable  blessing  in  evangelizing  and  elevating 
the  i-ace.'  In  1S7S  it  added:  '  We  recommend  our  brethren  to  aid  in  sending  pious 
and  i)i'oinising  young  men,  who  have  the  ministry  in  view,  to  this  school,  which  con- 
sideration was  urged  in  view  of  the  fact,  among  other  facts,  that  liomanistsare  making 
strenuous  eiforts  to  control  our  colored  people,  by  giving  them  cheap  or  gi'atuitous  in- 
struction.' And  in  1879  the  same  Convention  resolved  that :  '  The  institution  deserves 
oni-  sympathy  and  most  cordial  co-o])eration.  It  is  doing  a  most  imjiortant  woi'k.  and 
is  intlis|iensable  as  an  educator  of  this  most  needy  class  of  oui'  population." 

The  JSaptist  Seminary  and  the  S|iclnian  Scniinai-y,  lucated  at  Atlanta,  are  doing 
a  ti-uly  wonderful  woi'k.  'J'he  latter  was  largely  endowed  by  the  jdiilanthropist, 
.Idlin  I).  Uockel'ellci',  and  bears  Mrs.  liockefeller's  niaidt'ii  name.  It  has  irjt'i  pn|iiLs, 
and  its  income  for  1SS5  was  !t>7,l;)3  ;  Sidney  Root,  Es(|.,  of  Atlanta,  has  been  unwearied 
in  his  zeal  to  build  up  both  these  useful  institutions. 

At  the  Annual  Meeting,  lii'ld  in  \\'asIiington,  in  1874,  the  Society  elected  l)ut 
one  ( 'orres]ionding  Secretary  to  take  charge  of  the  inissiim  and  educaticinal  work, 
Dr.  Nathan  Bishop;  with  Dr.  Taylor  in  charge  iif  the  Church  Edifice  fund.  But 
as  Dr.  Taylor  died  that  year.  Dr.  Bishop  was  left  alone.  From  187<i  to  1S79  Dr. 
Cutting  served  as  Corresponding  Secretary,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  H.  L. 
Morchduse,  D.D.,  the  ]ircsent  Secretary,  wliost'  \'ery  snccessfid  administratinn  has 
brought  up  the  Society  to  a  position  commensurate  with  the  times,  and  to  a  ])Osition 
of  strength  worthy  of  its  preceding  history. 

As  Kathaii  Bisluip,  LL.  D.,  was  a  layman,  and  did  >o  much  for  the  interests  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  generally,  this  chapter  cannot  be  more  fittingly  closed 
than  by  a  brief  sketch  of  his  life  and  lal)Oi's.  He  was  pre-eminently  a  scholar,  a 
C'hristaiii  gentleman,  a  ])liilantliropist  and  a  man  of  large  religious  affairs.  lie  was 
born  in  Oneida  (.'ounty,  N.  Y.,  Angnst  12th,  1808.  Ilis  father  was  a  Justice 
of  the  Peace  and  a  farmer,  and  brought  up  his  son  to  habits  of  thorough  industry 
and  economy.  While  yet  a  youth,  Nathan  was  couvcrte(l,  under  the  labors  of  Rev. 
P.  P.  Brown,  and  united  with  the  Baptist  Church  at  Yernoii.  Early  lie  displayed 
an  unconniiou  love  for  knowledge  with  a  highly  consistent  zeal  for  Christ,  a  rare 
executive  ability  and  a  mature  self-possession.  At  eighteen,  he  entered  the  Acad- 
emy at  Hamilton,  X.  Y.,  and  lirown  University  in  the  year  \s:V2.  There  he  became 
a  model  student,  known  by  all  as  full  of  quiet  energ}',  a  Christian  of  deep  convic- 
tions, delighting  in  hard  work,  manly,  self-denying  and  benevolent,  and  graduated 
with  high  houor.     In  1838  he  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  Couimou  Schools 


nil.  SM'ii.w  iiisifop. 


831 


in  Providence,  wlien'  lie  re-organized  tin'  whnU'  phui  of  pnpularedueatioii.  In  1851 
he  tilled  the  same  otHee  in  liostou,  and  for  six  years  devoted  his  great  ability  to  elevat- 
ing its  common  schools  to  a  very  high  raidc.  He  married  and  settled  in  New  York  in 
1858,  and  here  he  identitied  himself  with  every  line  of  pnblic  beneficence,  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  Augnst  7th.  I^mi.  He  was  a  leader  in  the  Christian  ('ommission,  the 
Board  of  State  Commissions  of  Public  Charities,  the  Sabbath  Committee,  the  American 
P>ible  Society,  the  Evangelical  Alliance;  and,  under  the  administration  of  General 
Grant,  he  served  in  the  I'oard  of  the  United  States  Indian  C!onimissioners.  No  man 
contributed  more  in\'alualik'  tiiiie  and 
toil  to  the  develo]mu'nt  and  up-bnild- 
ing  of  \'assar  College,  or  to  the  New 
York  Or])hau  Asylum,  and,  in  his  de- 
nomination, every  department  of  ben- 
evolent operation  felt  his  influence. 
In  the  City  Mission,  the  Social  Union 
and  the  Home  for  the  Aged,  he  put 
foi-th  a  molding  and  strengthening 
hand  fixjin  their  organization.  But 
the  greatest  service,  and  that  which 
must  be  ever  associated  with  his  hon- 
ored name,  was  rendered  in  association 
with  Baptist  Missionary  work,  in 
both  the  Home  and  Foreign  depart- 
ments. Although  never  a  wealthy 
man,  he  was  a  prodigy  of  liberality  all 
his  life,  and  when  he  died  he  left  the 
most  of  his  property  for  mission  uses.  For  many  years  he  gave  his  most  precious  time 
to  the  Home  Mission  Society,  and  for  two  years  discharged  the  duties  of  its  Corre- 
sponding Secretaryship  without  charge,  besides  increasing  his  contributions  to  the 
treasury.  While  he  was  Secretary,  he  and  Mrs.  Bishop  made  a  centennial  offei'ing  to 
the  Society  of  $30,000,  besides  large  gifts  to  the  Freedmen's  fund.  Once  the  Doctor 
said  to  Dr.  Simmons :  '  I  have  been  blamed  for  giving  so  many  thousand  dollars  for 
the  benefit  of  colored  men.  But  I  expect  to  stand  side  by  side  with  these  men  in  the 
day  of  judgment.  Their  Lord  is  my  Lord.  They  and  I  are  brethren,  and  I  am  deter- 
mined to  be  prepared  for  that  meeting.'  No  man  ever  known  to  the  writer  was  more 
completel}-  devoted,  bodv,  soul  and  spirit,  in  labor  for  man  and  love  for  God  than 
Dr.  Bi.shop.  He  had  as  robust  a  body,  as  broad  a  mind  and  as  warm  a  heart  as  ever 
fall  to  the  lot  of  Christian  humanity  ;  and  not  a  jot  or  tittle  of  either  did  he  with- 
hold from  this  holy  service.  Yet,  when  told  that  death  was  near  and  that  he  would 
soon  be  free  from  extreme  pain  and  enter  into  rest,  his  only  reply  was  the  expression 
of  a  grateful  soul  that  he  should  soon  begin  a  life  of  activity. 


NATHAN   BISHOP,   LL.D. 


CHAPTER   XV. 


PREACHERS-EDUCATORS-AUTHORS. 

I\  tlie  absence  of  tlie  (•(iiincctioiKil  ])riiici])lc  in  tlie  IiI'l'  of  l!ai)tist  Cliurelies, 
tlieir  liistorv  ami  iiiiitud  cllni'ts  are  at  tiiiu-.s  lai-ifcly  included  in  the  himijrajiliy 
of  ])ai'tieular  individuals,  who  have  left  the  inipi-ess  ot'  their  minds  and  hearts  upon 
their  own  times  ami  on  hUceeeding  giMierations.     ( )f  none  is  this  niort'  tiaie  than  of 

sevei'al  indixidiials  who  liave  had 
inncli  to  do  with  those  great 
inox'enients  that  must  now  he 
mentioned.  Few  of  uur  Amer- 
ican fathers  acted  a  more  prom- 
inent part  in  the  work  of  nn's- 
sions,  whether  on  tlu;  home  or 
foi-eign  field,  than  the  immortal 
Thomas  i'.aldwin  :  and  having 
already  spoken  of  him  at  some 
length,  it  will  he  liut  needful 
hereto  glance  at  his  lioston  min- 
isti'v  and  general  cliai'actei'. 

After  serving  the  Church  at 
Canaan,  N.  11..  for  seven  years, 
he  became  the  pastor  of  tlie  Sec- 
ond llajitist  Church,  in  Tioston, 
in  17'.*i».  which  responsible  office 
he  lilled  till  liis  deatli,  in  lS-25. 
THOMAS  H  U.I. WIN.  D.n.  II is  labors  were  most   abundant, 

and  iiis  success  in  tin'  conversion  of  men  to  Christ  was  very  great.  He  was  not 
a  graduate  of  any  college,  but  he  i'osterc'd  all  educational  ])rojeets  ;  nor  did  lie  love 
controversy,  but  when  he  found  it  necessary  to  defend  Bajjtist  jirinciples  against 
the  ]Mm  of  the  celebrated  Di\  Worcester  he  did  so  with  faithful  vigoi'.  Dr.  Still- 
man  and  himself  were  fast  friends  and  true  yolve-fellows  in  every  good  woi'k.  As 
]xiliticians,  Stilhnan  was  a  firm  Federalist,  and  Baldwin  as  firm  a  Jeffei-sonian  Dem- 
ocrat, and  generally  on  Fast  Day  and  Thanksgiving-da)-  they  preached  on  the  points 
in  dispute  liere,  because,  as  patriots,  they  held  them  essential  to  the  well-being  of 
the  liepublic,  especially,  in  the  exciting  conflicts  of  1800-01  :  yet,  there  never  was 


DR.    STEPHEN   GANO.  863 

a  moment  of  ill-feeling  between  them.  On  these  days,  the  Federalists  of  both  their 
congregations  went  to  hear  Dr.  Stilhnan  and  the  Democrats  went  to  Baldwin's  place, 
but  on  other  days  they  remahied  at  liumc,  like  Christian  gentlemen,  and  honored 
their  pastors  as  men  of  that  stamp.  Dr.  Ilnldwin  lilled  many  imjjortaiil  stations  with 
the  greatest  modesty  and  meekness,  for  with  a  powerful  intellect  he  possessed  his 
temper  in  unrufHcd  serenity;  all  men  seemed  to  honor  him,  as  his  spirit  was  the 
breath  of  love.  Few  painters  could  have  thrown  that  peculiar  cliai'm  into  his  coun- 
tenance which  is  seen  at  a  look,  had  it  not  lii-st  lieen  in  his  character.  The  soul  of 
patience,  he  was  insi)ired  with  a  stern  love  of  justice,  and  commanded  a  large  fund 
of  playful  humor  and  imiocent  wit.  His  maimers  were  unaffected,  simjjle  and  digni- 
fied, so  that  in  him  heart-kindness  and  rectitude  blended  in  a  rare  degree,  and  his 
counsel  carried  weight  by  its  vigorous  discrimination.  The  Massachusetts  Mis- 
sionary Society,  and  after  it  the  Missionary  Union,  were  great  debtors  to  his  zeal 
and  wisdom.  As  an  independent  thinker,  without  i>etty  ends  to  gaiu  or  fitful  gusts 
of  passion  to  indulge,  all  trusted  him  safely. 

Before  he  entered  the  ministry  he  served  the  State  of  New  Hampshire  as  a 
legislator  in  its  General  Court;  and  after  his  ivnioval  to  Boston  he  was  frequently 
elected  chaplain  to  the  General  Court  of  Massachusetts.  lie  also  served  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  Massachusetts,  in  1821,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  its  discussions.  For  many  years  he  was  a  Trustee  and  Fellow  of  Brown 
University,  a  Trustee  of  Waterville  College  from  its  oi'ganization,  also  of  Colum- 
l)i:in  College.  His  first  work  as  an  author  was  'Open  Communion  Examined,'  pub- 
lished in  1780,  at  the  recpiest  of  the  Woodstock  (Vt. )  Association.  IHs  second 
was  a  volume  of  about  250  pages,  in  reply  to  Dr.  Samuel  Worcester's  attack  on  the 
Baptists.  This  work  amply  vindicated  the  sentiments  of  the  Baptists,  and  did  much 
at  the  time,  by  its  vigor  of  intellect,  its  strength  of  logic  and  its  Christ-like  spirit, 
to  arrest  the  unwelcome  treatment  which  they  met  at  the  hands  of  their  assailants. 
Dr.  Baldwin  was  born  at  Bozrah,  Conn.,  Decend:)er  23d,  1753,  and  died  at  Water- 
ville, Me.,  August  29th,  1825,  having  gone  there  to  attend  the  commencement  of 
the  college. 

Kev.  Stephen  Gang,  M.D.,  was  another  master  in  Israel,  who  had  much  to 
do  with  the  shaping  of  his  own  times.  He  was  born  in  New  York,  December 
25th,  17C2.  In  consequence  of  the  disturbances  of  the  Eevolutionary  War  he  was 
not  able  to  attend  the  Rhode  Island  College,  then  under  the  care  of  his  uncle,  Dr. 
Manning,  but  he  was  put  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Stiles,  of  New  Jersey,  another 
uncle,  to  study  medicine.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  entered  the  army  as  a  surgeon, 
where  he  renuiined  for  two  years,  and  then  settled  at  Tappan,  N.  Y.  He  says  that 
when  he  left  his  mother  for  the  army  she  buckled  on  his  regimentals,  which  her 
own  hands  had  made,  saying:  '  My  son,  may  God  preserve  your  life  and  patriotism. 
The  one  may  fall  a  sacrifice  in  retaking  and  preserving  the  home  of  your  childhood 
(New  York  was  then  in  the  bauds  of  the  British),  but  never  let  me  hear  that  you 


834 


Illfi   tiKltVICE  IN   TUE  yAVY. 


liave  t'orfV'iteil  tlie  hirtliriylit  of  u  frcuniaii.'  His  fiitlier  liad  alread}'  gone  to  the 
war,  and  Slepliun  adil.s:  •  Witlioiit  a  tear  she  saw  iiie  dt'inirt.  hiddiiiir  me  trust  in 
God  and  be  valiant.'  The  next  morning  lii.s  regiiuent  nian-lied  to  Danlmry,  where 
lie  witnessed  the  luiniin;;-  of  that  town.  lie  speaks  of  his  after  mai-ches  in  the 
army,  UTider  Cul.  Lain!),  as  traced  in  their  blood  on  the  snow,  antl  of  slioes  being 
sent  to  them  which  (Jen.  Lafayette  had  provided  in  France.  After  this,  he  served 
as  surseon  in  the  nrw  briir  commanded  bv  Decatur,  of  whom  he  says,  'a  braver  man 


never    ti'od    I  he    (lc<'k   (if 


inv  vessel.'  She  was  captured,  for  she  ran  on  a  reef 
of  rocks,  when:  '  Finding  escape 
impossible,  we  managed  to  cut 
away  her  leaders  and  nailed  her 
tl;ig  til  the  ni;i>t.  and  long  after 
we  were  ca])turcd  our  stars  and 
stripes  lloateil  over  her  deck.' 
i|^j'  After  their  capture,  (iano    and 

thirty-four  others  wei'e  left  u])oii 
Turk's  Island  without  food,  to 
jierish.  Tliei'e  he  was  taken  so 
sick  that  he  a])peared  to  be  dying. 
His  cnnipani(_iiis,  hdwever.  found 
some  c'onchs  i.m  the  shore  and 
roasted  them.  They  raised  his 
fainting  head  fi'om  the  sand- 
beach,  and  gave  him  a  portion  of 
the  liipior.  saying:  "(iano,  take 
this  and  live.  \ve  will  yet  beat 
the  llritish."  He  revived,  and 
after  some  days  was  taken  to  St. 
l'"i-ancis.  I'lKJii  landingthere,  he 
begged  from  door  to  door  for  a 
morsel  of  bread,  till  a  woman  gave  him  half  a  loaf,  which  he  shared  with  Ids  com- 
panions. After  working  hard  to  load  a  vessel  witli  salt,  he  obtained  passage  on  a 
brig  for  Philadel]iliia,  but  when  fnur  days  out  was  re-cajitured  and  taken  into  Xew 
Providence.  Here  he  was  put  on  board  a  ])rison-ship,  fastened  in  chains,  and  nearly 
died  of  hunger.  After  a  time  he  was  exchanged  as  a  ])nsoner,  but  safely  reached 
Philadelphia,  and  soon  entered  on  tlie  practice  of  medicine  at  Tappan,  N.  Y. 

There  he  was  converti'd  and  in  178(i  was  set  apart  to  the  Gospel  ministry.  In 
the  sketch  of  himself  which  he  wrote  for  his  children  he  speaks  of  his  early 
abhorrence  of  intoxicating  drinks  thus:  'When  four  years  old,  milk-pnuch  was 
reconm;ended  in  the  snudl-pox,  which  I  had  most  severely.  My  mother  has  informed 
me  that,  when  she  urged  my  taking  it  lest  I  should  die,  I  replied  to  her,  "  Then  1 


'i  ' 


RKV.   STKI'llKX    llAXO. 


HIS   CONVERSION  AND    ORDINATION.  8S8 

will  die.'"  This  repugiiaiice  he  carried  thi-uiigli  lite,  lie  also  speaks  of  visiting  his 
grandniotliei'  when  he  was  thirteen  and  slie  was  more  tlian  fourscore  years  of  age. 
'  On  first  seeing  nie  sjie  l)adL'  me  kneel  beside  her,  and  gently  placing  her  aged  hand 
on  my  youthful  head  she  offered  up  a  fervent  petition  for  my  salvation,  when,  after 
a  short  silence  of  prayerful  abstraction,  she  said:  "Stephen,  the  Lord  designs  thee 
for  a  minister  of  the  everlasting  Gospel.  '  ]>e  thou  faithful  unto  death  and  I  will 
give  thee  a  crown  of  life.'"'  He  also  tells  us  that,  while  undi'r  conviction  for  sin, 
an  elderly  lady,  a  neighbor  and  intimate  fi'iend  o|'  his  wife,  seeing  his  distress  of 
mind,  thought  that  she  would  show  him  the  way  of  sah'ation.  She  confessed,  how- 
ever, that  she  had  been  seeking  her  own  salvation  for  forty  years  but  had  not  then 
been  saved.  They  bowed  before  the  Lord  together  in  jfrayer  and  agreed  to  pray 
for  each  other.  A  few  days  passed,  and  one  night  he  found  himself  so  happy  in 
Christ  that  he  could  not  wait  for  the  dawn  of  day,  but  urged  his  horse  at  full  speed  to 
the  house  of  his  aged  friend,  to  tell  her  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  his  soul.  He 
rapped  at  the  door  and  she,  raising  an  upper  window,  asked  :  '  Doctor,  is  your  wife 
ill?'  '  O  no,  he  cried,  "I  have  found  Jesus  precious  and  have  come  to  tell  you.' 
She  replied  :  '  I  was  only  waiting  for  daylight  to  come  and  tell  you  that  I  am  rejoic- 
ing in  him,  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.'  That  day  he  wrote  the  joyful 
news  to  his  parents,  saying :  '  Tell  it  upon  the  house-tops  that  Stephen  is  among 
the  redeemed.'  His  father,  John  Gano.  rcjijied  :  'As  I  ne\'er  expect  to  be  nearer 
the  house-top,  in  a  suitable  situation  to  make  known  the  joyful  news  of  my  dear 
son's  conversion,  than  the  pulpit,  I  read  his  letter  from  thence  on  the  last  Sabbath.' 
Stephen's  daughter  sa^-s  that  after  her  father's  death  she  was  mentioning  this  letter 
to  an  aged  minister,  who  said  :  '  When  I  was  a  thoughtless  lad  of  sixteen  I  went  to 
hear  your  grandfather  preach  and  A\as  present  at  the  very  time  when  your  father's 
letter  ■was  read,  and  that,  Avith  tiic  accompanying  remarks,  was  one  of  the  means  of 
my  conversion  and  had  its  weight  in  leading  me  into  the  ministry.'  The  ordination 
of  Stephen,  in  his  father's  church,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  put  great  honor  upon 
the  faith  botli  of  his  mother  and  grandmother.  When  he  was  left  on  Turk's  Island, 
news  reached  his  mother  that  he  was  dead.  This  she  did  not  believe,  but  said : 
'When  I  gave  my  son  to  my  country  I  gave  him  to  God.  After  his  departure,  I 
felt  an  assurance  that  God  had  accepted  the  gift  for  his  own  service.  I  believe  tliat 
he  will  yet  be  an  able,  faithful,  successful,  and,  it  may  be,  deeply-tried  minister  of 
the  Gospel  of  Chi-ist.' 

Her  faith  was  prophetic.  In  1792  he  became  pastor  of  the  First  I'aptist 
Chnrcli  at  Providence,  wdiere  he  continued  until  his  death,  in  1828,  having  tilled  its 
pastorate  for  thirty-six  years.  His  ministry  was  ivmarkably  successful.  When  he 
became  pastor  his  Church  numbered  but  165  members,  but  five  new  Churches 
sprang  up.  mostly  from  liis  own,  and  when  lie  died  the  ancient  Church  itself  num- 
bered above  (idO  ineml)Oi's.  He  stood  ])re-emiiient  amongst  his  brethren  as  a  public 
speaker  and  a  leader  in  all  denominational  affairs.     His  executive  ability  was  large, 


856 


ii/-:v.  Ai.hHi:i)  jih'XN/rn: 


his  |iiiiictii;ility  in  dispiitcliiiij;  husiiiuss  iind  liis  largL'  luruc-a.~t  gave  liiiu  great  iiiHu- 
cnce  in  all  r.a|)tist  conncils.  Fur  nineteen  years  in  .suceession  lie  acted  as  Moderator 
in  the  \Varrcn  As.-uciation.  IK- cdnstanl  ly  j)reaclu-d  with  an  eye  to  tiie  copious  out- 
poni-ings  of  tlie  Holy  Spii-it,  and  he  enjoyed  many  revivals  of  religion  in  his 
Church.  With  s.inie  hundreds  of  others,  he  haptized  his  six  daughters,  four  of 
whom  hecanie  the  wives  of  i!a]>tist  nunisters,  amongst  whom  were  the  late  Drs. 
lienrv  .lackson  and  David  lienedict,  tiie  historian.  Few  men  have  left  a  more 
hallowed  inlluence  on  the  Uapt  ists  (d'   America  than   Stepiien  Clano.     Ills  doctrines 

were  of    the  purely  orthodo.x   pat- 
^-—  tern,  especially  in  all  that  related  to 

tin;  pei-soii  and  work  td'  Christ.  At 
the  close  of  a  sermon  on  his  Deity 
he  savs:  'The  sentiment  1  have 
been  presenting  to  you,  and  which 
I  have  feelily  supi)orted  in  this 
place  ami  fi-niii  this  pulpit  for  more 
than  thi]-tydive  years,  is  now  the 
liidy  ground  of  my  hope,  and  that 
which  I  wi>h  to  conuncnd  when  the 
messenger  of  death  shall  summon 
mv  soul  to  an  account  hefnre  the 
onlv  wi>e  ( iod  and  Savioui'." 

Ki:\.  Ai.i  i;i:i)  l!i;.\Ni:rr  was 
horn  at  Maiislield.  Comi..  in  ITSil, 
and  li\-ed  to  lie  honored  for  years 
and  inlluence,  being  long  known  as 
'  I'"atliei-  nemiett.'  He  was  a  con- 
temjiorarv  id'  lialdwin  and  (iano,  and  lahori'd  side  by  side  with  them  for  many 
years  in  ])romoting  foi'cign  nns>ions.  lie  was  licensed  to  preach  in  l"^!'*;.  by  the 
Church  at  Homer,  N.  V.,  aiul  iiecame  its  ^lastor  in  1S(»7.  His  early  ministry  there 
was  so  blessed  of  (bxl  that  his  Church  sent  out  two  new  Churches  in  the  vicinity, 
and  great  revivals  follnwed  his  labors.  Like  most  of  the  pastors  of  his  day,  lie 
preached  much  abroad,  especially  in  the  region  which  now  forms  the  central  coun- 
ties of  New  York,  and  lu;  left  a  holy  influence  wherever  he  went.  From  ls;-12  to 
the  close  of  his  life,  in  IS.M,  he  devoted  liis  time  to  ]:)leading  the  cause  of  foreign 
missions,  and  was  one  of  the  chief  in.struments  in  establishing  that  love  of  missionary 
enterprise  w  hicli  characterizes  the  IJajitists  of  the  State  of  Xew  York.  More  than 
a  generation  has  passed  since  he  dei)arted  this  life,  yet  his  name  is  always  pronounced 
with  reverence.  In  person  he  was  tall,  of  a  dark  comiilexion,  thin  and  stooping. 
He  had  a  fine  head,  with  strong  features,  a  winning  address  and  an  earnest  spirit. 
He  was  attended  by  an  atmosphere  of  firm  devotion  and  close  walk  with  (iod. 


\ 


RVX.    AI.FRKll    ISl'.XXKTT. 


EEV.    DR.    SUA  UP. 


8S7 


Tiicv.  Damel  Shakp,  D.D.,  was  a  native  of  lliuklerslielcl,  Yorksliirc  ;  born 
Duccmber  2Jth,  1783.  His  father  was  the  pastor  ol'  a  IJaptist  Church  at  Farsley, 
near  Leeds.  Early  in  life  Daniel  became  a  Christian,  united  with  a  Congregational 
Cliurch,  and  was  greatly  jirospered  in  secular  busim-s.  lie  came  to  the  United 
States  in  ISOti,  when  he  began  to  examine  the  dill'erence  between  hiinself  and  the 
Baptists,  and,  as  the  result,  united  with  the  Fayette  Street  Church,  New  York,  of 
which  he  soon  became  a  ver^niseful  member.  Then  he  believed  himself  called  of  God 
to  the  Christian  ministry,  and  [)reach(.'ii  his  tirst  sermon  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 
In  March,  1807,  he  began  a  course  ol' 
theological  studies  with  Di\  Staughton, 
of  Philadelphia,  and  was  ordained  pastor 
of  the  First  Church  at  jS'ewark,  N.  .1..  in 
1809,  where  he  remained  nntil  1M2. 
when  he  became  pastor  of  the  Charles 
Street  Church,  Boston,  Mass.  Here  his 
large  cajiacities  for  usefulness  devclojicd 
in  every  sphere,  especially  in  preuciiing 
the  Gospel  and  in  laying  broad  fonnda 
tions  for  foreign  mission  work  and  the 
education  of  the  ministry.  AVhen  I'ap- 
tist  educational  movements  led  to  the 
formation  of  the  Newton  Institution,  he 
was  one  of  its  foremost  advocates,  and  for 
eighteen  years  presided  over  its  Board  of 
Trustees.    Healso became  a  Fellow  in  the 

;i   \  .     I  M  \  I  LI.    ^1     \  i:  r,     i  M). 

Corporation  of  Brown  University,  and 

one  of  the  Board  of  Overseers  in  Harvard.  In  Boston  his  public  inliuence  was  gen- 
eral and  healthful,  for  his  talents,  with  the  purity  and  beneficence  of  his  life,  com- 
mended him  to  all.  His  personal  presence  bespoke  the  man  of  mark  wheixner  he 
went.  The  cast  of  his  face  was  noble,  albeit  the  compression  of  his  mouth  and  the 
glint  of  his  eye  indicated  sternness  of  character  and  the  power  to  slant  a  satire  ;  indeed, 
his  whole  carriage  said  :  '  I  magnify  mine  office.'  Yet,  where  his  suspicion  was  not 
e.\cited  or  his  confidence  challenged,  he  was  as  winsome  as  a  child,  and  trusted  men 
implicitly  ;  but  ever  insisted  in  return  on  transparent  simplicity  and  staunch  lionm-  in 
all  their  conduct.  His  conservatism  always  demanded  the  unity  and  peace  of  consist- 
ent integrity.  In  a  sermon  to  his  own  people  he  says :  '  One  Diotrephes  may  de- 
stroy the  peace  of  a  Church.  It  is  a  melancholy  fact  that  some  men  must  be  first  or 
they  will  do  nothing.  They  will  rule  or  rage ;  and  the  misfortune  is.  they  i-age  if 
they  rule.  May  God  preserve  me  from  such  good  men.'  Dr.  Sharp  was  tall 
in  stature  and  very  erect,  elegant,  benignant  and  courtly  in  his  manners,  and  his 
eloquent  ministry  held  the  respect  of  the  whole  community  in  Boston  for  one-and- 


858 


KEV.    DR.    SMITH. 


foi'tv  years.  lie  was  cni])liaticiilly  a  teacliur  and  a  fatlicr  in  Israel ;  at  tlie  same 
time,  in  ail  splieres  of  refined  society,  he  was  a  rare  8]K'einien  of  t!ie  fine  old  En- 
glish gentleinai).  IJe  died  in 
1853. 

SAMrEi.  F.  SMrrn,  D.L). 
Few  men  arc  now  living 
wild  liu\e  more  beantifiilly 
adorned  our  niinistrv.  or  more 
earnestly  aided  onr  missions, 
than  tlie  modest  and  widely- 
known  aiithoi'  of  our  national 
hymn,  •  ^ly  Country  I  'tis  <jf 
Thee.'  Di'.  iSmilh  was  born 
in  I'oston,  Mass..  October 
21st,  ISOS.  He  was  fitted  for 
college  in  the  Latin  School 
of  that  city,  anil  was  a  Fi'ank- 
lin  Medal  scholar.  He  grad- 
uated at  liai'vai-d  in  L^2'.t,  in 
the  class  with  ()li\ei'  Wen- 
•  Icll  Holmes,  .ludgc  I!.  R. 
Curtis,  Judge  IJigelow,  James 
Freeman  Clarke,  Professor 
III    I  >r.  llolmesV  poem  on   "The 


■;.\MUl;i.    F.    S.MiTII,     II. D. 


Ueiijamin    I'ciri'c  and  other  men  of  (li>tinctioii. 
Boys '  he  sings  of  him  thus  : 


'  And  there's  a  uico  youngster  of  excellent  pilli  ; 
Fate  tried  to  conceal  him  by  calling  him  Smith  ; 
Kilt  be  shouted  a  song  for  tlie  brave  and  the  fiee- 
Just  read  on  his  uu'dal,  •'  My  coinitry,  of  thee  !  "' 


Tie  w; 


\ndoyer  Theological    Institute  from    T^2t>  to   lx.52, 
dii'  '  liaptist  ]\Iissionary  Magazine'  foi-  one  year.     In 


a  student  in  tin 
when  he  became  the  editor  o 
F(,'bruai-y,  1S:M,  he  was  oi'dained  pastoi-  of  the  IJaptist  Church  at  Waterville,  Maine, 
and  was  Professor  of  Modern  Languages  in  the  College  there  for  eight  years. 
From  18-12  to  1854,  twelve  years  and  a  half,  he  ^yas  pastor  of  the  First  Pajitist 
Church  at  Newton,  Mass.  Then,  for  seven  years,  1842  to  1849,  he  was  editor  of 
the  '  Cliristian  Review,'  and  for  fifteen  years  editor  and  translator  of  the  '  Missionary 
Union.'  His  soul-stirring  national  hymn,  known  to  e\ery  statesman  and  scliool- 
child  in  the  republic,  was  written  at  Andovei-,  in  1832,  and  also  his  great  missionary 
hymn,  'The  ]\Iorning  Light  is  Ih-eaking.'  He  translated  an  entire  volume  of 
Brockbaus's  'Conversations  Lexicon'  from  the  (ierman,  which  was  incorporated  ir.to 
the  '  Cyclop;eili;i  .\mericana,'  and,  in  association  with  the  late  Lowell  Mason,  wrote  oi' 


DR.    WILLIAM  li.    WILLIAMS. 


8S9 


translated  from  German  inusu;-l)ooks  nearly  every  song  in  the  '  Juvenile  Lyre,"  the 
tirst  book  of  musie  and  songs  for  cliildren  published  in  the  United  States,  lie  has 
rendered  great  service  to  Churches  and  Sunday-schools  as  the  compiler  of  '  Lyric 
Gems '  and  '  Rock  of  Ages,' as  the  cditur  of  I'uur  volunies  n[  juvenile  literature, 
and  also  as  the  principal  compiler  of  the  '  Psalmist,'  a  hyuiu-book  whicli  the  greater 
part  of  the  Baptist  denomination  used  for  thirty  years,  and  wliicli  contained  about 
thirty  of  his  own  liymns.  liis  busy  pen  also  produced  the  '  Life  of  Eev.  Joseph 
Grafton,'  '  Missionary  Sketches,'  '  llauibles  in  Mission  Fields,'  the  '  History  of 
Newton,  Mass.,'  with  endless  contributions  to  periodical  and  review  literature.  Dr. 
Smith  visited  Europe  in  1875-76,  and  again  in  1880-82,  extending  his  jour- 
ney to  Asia  and  visiting  the  Baptist  missions  in  Burma,  India  and  Ceylon,  as  well 
as  the  European  missions  in  France,  Germany,  Deninaik,  Sweden,  Au^-ti'ia,  Turkey, 
Greece,  Italy  and  Spain.  He 
married  the  granddaughter  of  Dr. 
liezekiah  Smith,  of  great  renown 
in  Baptist  life,  and  his  son.  Rev. 
Dr.  D.  A.  W.  Smith,  has  been  a 
missionary  in  Burma  since  18()3, 
and  is  now  President  of  the  Karen 
Theological  Seminary  at  Rangoon. 
No  man  amongst  Baptists  is  bet- 
ter known  or  more  beloved  for  liis 
learning,  usefulness  and  Christ- 
like spirit,  his  brethren  generally 
appreciating  him  as  in  regular  lineal 
descent  from  Nathaniel, '  an  Israel- 
ite indeed,  in  whom  is  no  guile.' 

Rkv.  William  R.  Williajis, 
D.D.,  LL.D.,  was  of  general  and 
denominational  celebrity.  He 
was  born  in  New  York,  October  l-4th,  180i,  and  was  the  son  of  Rev.  John  Will- 
iams, at  that  time  pastor  of  the  Oliver  Street  Baptist  Church.  He  entered 
Columbia  College  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and  graduated  in  1822,  after  which 
he  studieil  hiw  with  Peter  A.  Jay,  nephew  of  the  former  Chief  Justice  of  the 
United  States  and  one  of  the  most  eminent  lawyers  of  his  day.  Mr.  Williams  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1826  and  became  Mr.  Jay's  partner  in  business.  His  father 
died  in  1825  and  his  mother  in  lS2t).  He  so  took  to  heart  tliis  double  affliction 
that  his  sorrow  iinpain'd  liis  health,  and  lie  S|)ent  the  year  1S2T  in  Kuruj)e.  After 
his  return  he  practiced  law  alone  for  a  time ;  then  conviction  of  duty  led  him  into 
the  Christian  ministry,  and  in  June,  1882,  he  commenced  preaching  in  the  Broad- 
way Hall,  to  the  congregation  afterwards  known  as  the  Amity  Street  Church.    This 


WILLIAM    U.     Ull.LIA.MS,    il.lL.LL.D. 


860  rilK   I'ltEACllKH   AXD   AUTHOR. 

iMtdy  eairie  fi-oin  tliu  Oliver  Strcut  (Jliiircli,  and  was  cuiistitiited  witli  4:'.  iiiiMiiburs 
Doci'inixT  I  Till,  \>''.'rl.  Dr.  I*"raiicis  Wayland  ])reaclied  liis  ordination  sermon  in  tlie 
<>li\'i'r  Sired  Meetin_i;'-lioiise,  Dr.  Cone  lieinu'  then  j)ast(jr  of  that  Cliurcli.  'I'lie  old 
Cliurch  io\ini;ly  |lr(^\i(led  il>  former  jiastor'.s  son  wilh  lots  foi-  a  new  Clmrcli  edifice 
in  iVmity  Street,  wliieli  hnildini;  wa.-^  eomjdeted  in  the  foUowini:;  year.  At  that 
time  .Mr.  WiiliamsV  healtii  was  lirni,  lii>  vuiee  full  and  sound,  and  the  lioiise  was 
constantly  crowded  by  a  refined  coiii;rei;ation.  Jlis  tliscour.ses  abounded  in  vast 
wcallh  of  thonnht,  deep  .spirituality  and  I'are  literary  lieauty.  Aftei'  a  few  j'eai-s  ]iis 
Voice  failed,  and  in  conse(juence  of  its  feebleness  it  was  diflicult  tu  hear  him,  so  that 
while  liis  coiiirreyation  retained  its  hii^h  cliaracter  for  intelliii'ence  it  l)ecame  small. 
^ r\  Dr.  W'lliams  ri'aclied  that  su|ier-emiiient  di>tinction  as  a  pi-eacher  which  never 
decreased,  bul  rather  increased  to  the  close  (jf  his  life.  Ili>  ideal  standard  (jf  literary 
excellence  was  so  hii;;h  that  he  looked  upon  the  l)c>t  of  his  own  productions  with 
suspicion,  and  most  reluctantly  [nit  them  to  the  jiress. 

I'robably  the  first  manusci'ipt  which  he  coUM'uted  to  pi'int  was  a  brief  memoir 
ol'  his  father,  written  in  Is2.">,  and  published  anonymously  in  an  .\ppendix  to  the 
Memoir  (jf  Dr.  Stanford,  by  Dr.  Sonimers,  in  1835.  It  cover.s  but  23  pajj^e.s,  and  is 
one  uf  the  simplest,  sweetest  and  most  pei'fect  pieces  of  bioirrapliy  tu  be  met  with. 
Its  style  differs  entirely  from  that  of  the  doctor's  later  years,  is  less  oi'natc  and  most 
sweetly  tender,  tlie  tribute' of  a,  l(.i\iiiu'  son  to  the  memory  (d'  his  lovlni;-  father.  It  is 
as  direct  as  a  sunbeam,  and  docs  not  contain  a  sentence  to  recall  the  movement  of 
Addison  or  Steele,  much  less  that  of  i'^oster  or  Hall.  .Neither  the  head  nor  lieart  of 
that  man  is  to  l)e  envied  who  can,  unmoved,  read  this  lucid  story  of  his  holy  father 
written  with  tears  in  every  line.  Dr.  Williams's  resources  iu  literature,  pliiloso[)hy, 
liistoi'y  and  theoloo-y  appeared  to  1)0  unlimited,  and  his  memory  was  so  capacious 
and  exact  that  the  researches  of  an  industrious  life  came  at  command.  Many 
thought,  after  the  failure  of  his  voice,  that  his  great  moulding  influence  on  the 
young  could  best  be  felt  in  the  chaii-  of  a  ('ollege  or  Theological  Semiuary,  aud  high 
positions  of  this  order  weri'  fivquently  tendered  to  him;  liut  lie  was  never  willing 
to  leave  his  pastorate,  and  died  as  pastor  of  the  Church  of  wliicli  he  was  ordained, 
having  tilled  his  office  for  more  than  .51  years.  He  was  a  close  student,  aiul  his 
mental  powers  grew  to  .lie  close  of  life,  llis  library  was  selected  with  the  greatest 
care,  numbering  about  2t>,tHH)  volumes.  His  pen  was  never  at  rest.  The  notes 
which  he  made  on  his  reading  alone  numbered  eight  volumes.  His  first  known  publi- 
cation was  an  address  dc^livered  at  Madison  University,  in  1843,  on  the  '  Conservative 
Principle  in  our  Literature.'  It  excited  univer.sal  attention  by  its  affluence  of 
thought  and  expresssion.  and  was  rej)ul.ilished  in  England.  This  was  followed  l)y 
his  '  Miscellanies,' in  1850,  and  in  1S51  by  two  volumes,  his  'Religious  Progress' 
and  his  'Lectures  on  the  Loril's  Prayer.'  At  a  later  date  he  published  'God's 
Kescnes,'  an  ex])osition  of  Luke  xv. ;  his  'Lectures  on  Baptist  History,'  in  IsTft; 
and   his  last   wiirk,   '  Eras  and   Characters  in   History.'     His  scattered  discourses, 


A    CAHTLE  IX   THE  Mil.  861 

inti'ndiictidns  to  tlie  piililicriitioiis  itf  otlici's,  liis  contrihutiDiia  to  reviews,  and  other 
articles,  are  vei'y  miuierouri  ;  besides,  lie  has  left  a  large  miinher  of  iiiamiseripts, 
amongst  tliem  several  courses  of  lectures,  ready  fur  publication.  All  his  writings 
are  so  thorouglily  marked  by  a  glowing  diction  and  a  profundity  of  thought  tliat  his 
image  is  left  on  every  i)age.  At  times  a  play  of  humor  or  a  stroke  of  sarcasm  is 
indulged,  indicating  great  power  of  invective  had  he  chosen  to  use  it  freely  ;  but,  best 
of  all,  he  breathes  that  atmosphere  of  holiness  which  only  comes  of  a  close  walk 
witli  God.  Dr.  Williams  died  in  great  ])eace  in  the  bosom  of  liis  famil}-  Aj)ril  1st, 
1885,  leaving  a  widow,  the  daughter  of  the  late  .John  Itowen,  and  two  sons;  all  of 
wliom  are  specially  devoted  to  Christian  toil  in  the  Amity  Street  Church,  to  whose 
interests  their  father  and  husband  gave  his  singulai'ly  valuable  and  honored  life. 

When  our  Churches  were  first  awakened  to  the  missionary  appeal,  Luther  llici;, 
Dr.  Staughton  and  others  took  it  into  their  heads  that  the  Triennial  (Ainvention 
could  unite  a  great  institution  of  learning  at  Washington  with  Foreign  Mission 
work,  and  so  high  education  could  go  hand  in  hand  with  high  evangelization. 
Hence,  in  May,  1817,  tlie  Convention  resolved  'to  institute  a  classical  and  theolog- 
ical seminary,'  to  train  young  men  for  the  ministry.  The  iirst  idea  of  Luther  Rice 
was,  that  as  the  Burman  missionai'ies  must  translate  the  Scriptures  from  the  origi- 
nals such  an  institution  would  give  them  the  necessary  training.  Dr.  Judson  was  a 
graduate  of  Brown  University,  and  with  Mr.  Rice,  had  received  his  theological 
education  at  Andover,  under  the  tuition  of  Moses  Stuart.  But  soon  the  purpose  en- 
larged its  proportions  under  the  enthusiasm  of  the  measure,  in  the  hands  of  its 
friends.  They  did  not  foresee  that  this  enterprise  must  necessarily  divert  the  body 
from  the  intention  of  its  founders.  Yet  for  a  time  great  interest  was  elicited 
throughout  the  Middle  and  Southern  States  in  this  two-fold  object,  until  it  was  dis- 
covered that  the  cause  of  education  threatened  to  undermine  interest  in  missions. 
The  scheme  was  to  obtain  a  charter  which  should  provide  that  the  President  of  the 
Fnited  States,  or  the  heads  of  Departments,  nominate  a  College  Board  for  election 
by  the  Convention,  and  in  due  time  the  college  would  become  such  a  grand  concern 
as  to  bring  much  money  into  the  treasury  for  various  other  missionary  uses,  while 
the  Churches  would  support  the  missionaries.  These  fathers  had  not  the  remotest 
idea  of  uniting  Ctesar  and  Christ  in  the  work  of  missions,  but  the  scheme  was 
looked  upon  as  specially  happy,  for  utilizing  the  influence  of  Csesar  in  the  cause 
of  Christ  without  being  dictated  to  by  him.  This  notion  floated  up  and  down  our 
ranks  from  1817  to  1824,  and  the  vision  of  abundant  young  Baptist  ministers  and  mis- 
sionaries filled  many  eyes.  They  were  to  become  students  at  Washington,  to  study 
oratory  at  the  feet  of  the  great  Senators  of  those  days,  and  many  predicted  that, 
as  pulpit  orators,  they  would  ecli])se  the  orators  of  Greece  and  Rome,  and  a  new 
race  of  Baptist  Ciceroes  and  Demostheneses  were  to  arise  who  should  do  wonders. 

The  Seminary  was  formally  opened  in  1818,  in  Philadelj)hia,  under  the  charge 
of  Dr.  William  Staughton  and  Professor  Ira  Chase.     At  first  the  number  of  students 


862  ■Till-:  HAsh-i.h'ss  lAjsnic  OF  A    visioyr 

\v;is  twd,  liiit  it  soiiii  incrcusL-il  In  twenty,  iiihI  in  AjH'il.  l^iJl,  tin-  iirst  class,  iimiilicr- 
iiii;'  li\f,  was  i;raiiuatc(i.  The  >aiiif  year  t!ic  iii.-litiilinii  was  reMiiuvcd  t(j  Wa.sliiii<ftoii, 
wliiTe  it  Id'caiiiL'  the  1  iicoli ii;ical  (Icjjai'tnicnt  of  tlic  ( 'ulunihian  I'liiviTsitv,  wliicli 
liaci  receivi'd  a  cliai'lrr  iVniii  Congress  in  ISiii.  iVs  some  leading  minds  in  the  coun- 
try lii->lH'il  tliat  the  college  wc^nld  Iteconie  a  great  National  l!aj;tist  Llliversitv, 
Ijithei'  llice  as  zealously  solicited  I'uiids  on  its  lii'lialt'  as  for  the  support  of  mission- 
aries in  Uui'iiia.  l-)i'.  Staughton.  the  yery  soul  of  elo<juiMice.  left  his  pastorate  in 
i'hiladelpliia  to  lake  I  he  presi(|<'iicy,  othei-  names  as  immortal  were  to  sustain  him 
as  professors,  and  l'role>sor  l\no\\  les  became  the  editor  (d'  the  (  'al umhiiui.  S(iir,  with 
tlie  pr<iniise  of  making  it  the  gri'at  I)aj)tist  paper  of  the  ('ontineiit. 

()f  coui'se,  the  whole  exjiectation  pi'oyed  futile.  It  became  e\ident.  at  the 
meeting  id'  the  Conxfiition  in  1S:*(),  that  it  had  undertaken  too  mucli,  and  thai  the 
educational  interest  hail  detracited  from  tlu'  interot  in  the  nnssionaiy  canst'.  In  the 
spring  of  1sl'<!  the  Triennial  ( 'i.iiixi'ntion  ini't  with  the  Oliyer  Street  Church,  in 
New  ^'oi'h,  and  took  the  entire  situation  into  grave  consideration.  A  host  of  mas- 
ters in  Israel  were  prc'seiit  :  Cone  and  Keiidrick,  ^lalcom  and  Maclay,  l\nowles  and 
(iaiusha,  Semple  and  Kyland,  Staughton  and  Stow,  Choules  aiul  Mercer,  liice  and 
.li'ter,  Wavland  and  Sommers,  \vitli  many  more.  15ut  .strong  lines  of  partisaiisliip 
began  to  l)e  di'awn,  and  they  were  divided  about  the  college.  There  were  several 
vacancies  in  the  Pxiai'd  of  Trustees  wliich  the  President  of  tlm  United  States,  John 
(^)uin(n'  Adams,  had  faileil  to  till  by  nominations,  and  so  the  hands  of  the  Conven- 
tion were  tied  as  to  the  election  of  trustees.  In  this  strait,  llev.  (lustavus  F.  Davis, 
of  Hartford,  Conn.,  a  vigorous  young  man  of  al)ont  thirty,  who  could  travel  da}'  and 
night  by  stage,  was  sent  off  at  fidl  speed  to  Washington  to  get  tlie  President's  nomi- 
nations. The  Convention  plunged  into  discussion,  and  Mi-.  IJice  was  charged  with 
bad  management  of  the  wdiole  affair.  The  leading  men  of  the  denomination  were 
drawn  into  the  controversy  on  one  side  or  the  other.  Luther  Rice  was  as  honest  as 
the  dayliglit,  but  he  knew  nothing  of  book-keeping,  so  that  the  missionar}'  and  col- 
lege accounts  were  mi.xi'd  up  in  a  perfect  jundjle.  He  was  the  most  disinterested  of 
men,  had  scarcely  allowe(l  himself  enough  for  his  daily  bread,  but  no  straightforward 
accounting  could  be  had ;  nor  did  it  I'uti'r  the  minds  of  the  Convention  generally- 
that  the  whole  j)roc(KHling  was  an  elfort  at  concentration  wliicli  was  very  <|nestiona- 
ble  for  Baptists  to  attempt,  looked  at  fi-om  any  pi-actical  point  wliatever. 

Professor  Kiiowles  was  one  of  the  clearest-headed  and  most  far-sighted  men  in 
that  Convention,  and  soon  saw  that  something  w.as  radically  askew.  Others  came  to 
Ids  lielp,  in  the  hope  tliat  this  confused  state  of  affairs  miglit  be  straightened ;  but 
little  could  be  done.  At  last,  Mr.  Rice  also  saw  that,  with  all  his  self-sacrifice,  he  Iiad 
made  serious  blunders  of  judgment,  and  with  an  assertion  of  honesty  of  purpose, 
which  every  one  believed,  he  threw  himself  and  all  his  golden  visions  ujion  the  tender 
mercies  of  his  brethren.  After  several  had  taken  part  in  the  debate,  which  lasted 
for  a  long  time,  Rev.  Francis  Wayland,  then  about  thirty  years  of  age,  and  a  pro- 


AN  APOSTLE'   OF  rO}nfO\  SJ-jysK.  863 

fessor  in  riiinii  College,  took  the  Hoor.  One  who  was  present  describes  him  tlienas 
of  a  '  large,  bony  frame,  wliicii  had  not  ;u'(|uirecl  the  breadth  of  niusele  <>i'  after 
life,  giving  him  a  gaunt,  stoojjing  appearance.  lie  was  of  a  dark  complexion,  black 
ejes,  with  a  sharp,  steady  radiance  which  darted  frnm  under  the  jutting  cliffs  of 
cyelirows  that  piMtrudt'il  a  little  beyond  tiie  facial  line,  lie  ha<l  a  Welisterian 
structure,  was  majestic  rather  than  elegant,  being  strong  in  person  and  in  will,  and 
conscientious.  His  voice  was  not  smoothly  sonorous  nor  sustained  in  its  volume  of 
sound,  but  falling  at  times  very  low,  with  an  occasional  hesitancy  of  speech.'  He 
accorded  the  highest  honor  to  all  eoncei-ned  in  the  cdniplicated  alfaii-s  cif  the  college 
and  of  the  mission,  and  admitted  that  they  had  been  indefatigable  in  their  labors  of 
love.  But  he  exploded  the  idea  that  two  such  institutions  could  co-exist  under  one 
management,  any  more  than  that  two  ships  could  be  managed  by  one  crew  when 
chained  together  in  a  tempestuous  sea  ;  one  going  down  nnist  take  the  other  with  it 
to  the  bottom.  He  showed  that  educatiim  in  America  and  missions  in  Burma  were 
so  different  in  their  nature  that  tliey  must  be  treated  separately  ;  for,  instead  of  the 
one  helping  the  other,  they  were  mutual  hinderances,  and  he  demanded  that  the 
union  between  the  two  be  forever  dissolved.  His  speech  was  so  lucid  and  convinc- 
ing that  the  dream  vanished  and  the  Convention  ended  the  complication  at  once, 
with  all  its  outcoming  perplexities. 

In  1827  the  Faculty  resigned,  and  for  a  time  instruction  was  suspended.  In 
after  years,  however,  the  institution  received  the  benefactions  of  distinguished  men. 
Mr.  Adams  was  one  of  its  firm  friends,  and  as  a  college  standing  upon  its  own  merits 
it  maintained  an  existence  against  great  difKculties.  The  gifts  of  Hon.  W.  W.  Cor- 
coran,  of  Washington,  were  muniticent,  beginning  as  early  as  1864;  but  it  was 
not  until  1873,  under  the  presidency  of  Dr.  Wellings,  that  Columbia  College 
received  the  pledge  of  Mr.  Corcoran,  that  if  its  friends  would  secure  $100,000  for 
its  endowment  he  would  contribute  $200,000  more  for  the  same  object.  This 
condition  was  met,  and  now,  in  point  of  endowment,  its  existence  is  permanently 
assured.  At  this  time  Mr.  Corcoran's  donations  have  amounted  to  $300,000,  and 
although  this  philanthropist  is  an  Episcopalian  he  made  them  with  great  heartiness, 
saying :  '  I  know  that  I  am  giving  to  Baptists,  but  I  have  confidence  in  them.'  His 
beloved  sister  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  S.  P.  Hill,  pastor  of  the  First  Baptist  Church, 
Baltimore,  so  that  he  well  understood  their  sentiments  and  appreciated  their  work. 

Much  has  already  been  said  of  the  establishment  of  Brown,  Madison  and  other 
universities,  and  it  would  be  especially  interesting  to  trace  the  rise  and  progress  of 
each  Baptist  College  in  America,  but  space  will  not  permit.  It  is,  however,  most 
highly  promising  for  the  cause  of  Baptist  education  in  the  United  States  that  at 
present  we  have  19  institutions  for  the  colored  and  Indian  races,  14  seminaries  and 
high-schools  for  the  co-education  of  male  and  female,  27  institutions  for  female  educa- 
tion exclusively,  and  6  theological  seminaries  for  the  education  of  our  ministry, 
making  in  all,  weak  and  strong,  old  and  new,  an  aggregate  of  125   institutions.     In 


864  ICMU.y   KJ)i'<:ATliJSM.    Mh'AslliK.S. 

tliose  the  present  statistics  sliow.  of  iiiaie  iiistnietors,  550;  of  female  instructors, 
440;  of  ])ii])ils,  1(1.42(;;  of  stiiilciils  for  the  iiiiiiistry,  l,50;i;  tlie  moneyed  vahie  of 
lihraries  ami  apiiaratus,  STTT.'.U  1  :  the  vahie  ..f  uniuiicls  ami  huiiilinjrs,  §;7,71.'J,T1'J  ; 
the  aimaiiit  of  endowments,  !57,2:.'.6,27t» ;  the  total  iiicome.  !i;l, 1(15, 780 ;  tlie  amount 
of  i>-ifts  to  all  ill  l>sr>,  !5S;i(i,3n;5,  and  the  mmdjer  (d'  hooks  in  their  lihraries, 412,120. 

l)v.  Sni-ayiie,  in  the  historical  introduction  to  tlie  '  Amials  of  the;  American 
I'.aptist  I'nljiit,'  states  that  'the  r)aj)tists  as  a  denoiiiination  have  always  attached 
little  iinportaiii'f  to  hiiniaii  leandn,-- a.-  a  (lualilieatioii  foi'the  iidid.-try,  in  comparison 
with  hiiiher.  ihoiiizh  not  miraculous,  spiritual  gifts,  which  they  believe  it  the 
province  of  the  Ilolv  Spirit  to  impart ;  and  some  of  tliem,  it  must  be  aeknowledf^ed, 
have  ii'oiie  to  the  extreme  (d'  looking  upon  high  intellectual  cidtiire  in  a  miiuster  ius 
rathei-  a  hinderance  than  a  liel|>  to  the  success  of  his  lahoi's.  I'.ut,  if  I  mi^take  not, 
manv  of  the  >ket(dies  in  this  column  will  show  that  the  J!a])tists  have  had  less  credit 
as  the  frii'iids  and  patrons  id'  learning  than  they  luive  deserved.''  All  true  Baptists 
are  grateful  to  say  that  thei-e  has  heeii  a  great  change  for  the  better  since  Dr. 
SjiragiU'  penned  these  woi'ds,  and  its  stimulant  has  been  drawn  laigely  f|-om  flu; 
e-xamjile  of  the  oldiMi  times,  as  well  as  from  the  necessities  of  later  days.  It  should 
not  be  forgotten  that  it  was  Thomas  llollis,  a  Uaptist  of  London,  in  1711',  who 
founded  two  |irofessorshi])s  and  ten  scholarships  for  '  jioor  students."  in  Harvard 
College.  'I'lie  I'hiladelphia  Association,  in  1722,  proposed  that  the  Churches  make 
iiKpiiiw  for  voung  men  '  hopeful  for  the  ministry  and  inclinable  to  learning,'  and 
notiliedAbel  Moigan  thereof,  that  he  might  recommend  tliem  to  Mr.  Ilolli.s  tor  these 
scholarslii])s.  A  l>a|itist  Kducatimi  Society  was  formed  at  Charleston,  S.  ('..  in  1775, 
by  Rev.  Oliver  Hart,  and  in  17s;tthe  Philadelphia  Association  gathered  a  fund  '  for 
the  I'ducatiou  of  young  men  prepaiang  for  the  (io^pel  minisfi-y  : ''  the  Warren  .\sso- 
ciation  did  the  !-ame  in  17'.>:'>.  The  .\merican  Maptists  had  three  classical  schools  in 
1775,  that  at  Hopewell,  X.  Y.;  that  at  Wrentham,  .Mass.;  and  that  at  l>ordeuto\vn, 
N.  ,1.  It  was  customary  at  that  time  for  older  i)astors  to  instruct  students  for  the 
miiiistrv,  especially  in  doctrinal  and  homiletic  studii's.  for  examiile.  Dr.  Sharp 
spent  considerable  time-  in  study  with  Dr.  Staughton  :  l>i-.  liolies  studied  three 
years  with  Dr.  Stillman,  '  uniting  study  with  observation  and  labors  iti  the  social 
meetings.'  The  nucleus  of  Waterville  College  was  formed  in  the  students  whom 
Dr.   Chajilin   took  with   him  there  from  Danvers,  wdiere  they  had  studied  with  him. 

The  eil'orts  that  were  made  in  llhode  Island  and  New  York  in  behalf  of  gen- 
eral and  theological  education  have  already  been  traced.  When  tlie  War  of  Inde- 
pendence closed,  Rhode  Island  College  had  existed  twelve  years,  and  had  graduated 
seven  classes.  Small  sums  had  been  contributed  for  its  support,  by  numerous 
friends  in  England  and  America  ;  but,  in  1804,  Nicholas  IJrown  gave  $5,000  to 
establish  a  professorship  of  oratory  and  bellesdettres,  and,  in  recognition  of  his 
timely  gift,  its  name  was  changed  to  Brown  University.  He  died  in  1841,  at  which 
time  he  had  given  about  §100,000   to  the  institution.     Its  line  of  presidents  and 


FRANCIS    ^yAYI.AND.  865 

instructors  has  formed  for  it  an  illustrious  history.  Maiiniiii;-,  Maxcy,  Mcssor, 
Wayland,  Sears,  Caswell  and  llobinson,  have  lionored  its  ])rosideiicy  and  made  its  in- 
fluence ■\vorhl-\vide.  Francis  Wavhmd,  D.I)..  I.L.I).,  one  of  tlic  great  educators  of 
our  counti\v,  has  left  a  name  and  intlnencc  which  must  overstimnlate  the  American 
student,  and  call  I'ortli  the  thankso-jviiii;-  of  the  denomination  to  which  he  was  united. 
Judge  Durfee  pronounces  him  :  'A  mind  of  extraiUNlinary  calihi-e,  foiHMuost  in  every 
good  cause,  educational,  industrial,  philantliropical  or  refornititory,  and  prompt  to 
answer  every  call  u])on  him  for  counsel  or  instruction  in  every  crisis  or  exigency.' 

Francis  W.vyf.axi)  was  horn  in  New  "^ drk,  March  1 1,  179i'>,  and  was  the  son  of 
Francis  Wayland.  a  IJaptist  minister,  who  iiri'ached  in  several  cities  on  the  Hudson 
and  became  pastor  of  the  Church  at  S;iratoga  Springs  in  18 lit.  His  son  gradmited 
at  Union  College  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  and  commenced  the  study  of  medicine, 
but  before  his  medical  studies  were  completed  he  believed  that  the  Spirit  of  God 
had  called  him  to  the  Go.«pel  ministry,  and  entered  Andover  Tlieological  Seminarv 
in  1S16.  At  the  end  of  a  year,  however,  he  became  a  tutor  in  Tnion  College, 
where  he  remained  for  four  years,  M'hen,  in  1821,  lie  was  called  to  the  pastorate  of 
the  First  Cliun-h  in  Boston.  Here  he  became  known  as  a  man  of  clear  and  positive 
convictions  and  great  moi-al  force.  A  sermon  preached  in  Isij:!,  on  the  Moral 
Dignity  of  the  Missionary  Enterprise,  and  another  in  1825,  on  the  Duties  of  an 
American  Citizen,  attracted  almost  universal  attention  from  the  weight  of  their 
thought  and  the  charms  of  their  expression.  He  returned  to  Union  College  in 
1826,  as  professor;  Itnt  in  1827  accepted  the  presidency  of  Brown  University.  At 
that  time  Blown  was  not  in  a  very  flourishing  condition,  either  in  its  finances  or 
reputation  for  discipline,  but  Dr.  Wayland  soon  restored  it  to  a  better  state,  raised 
its  instruction  to  a  new  and  higher  level,  and  by  his  stimulating  and  suggestive 
methods  sought  to  make  it  fulfill  the  ends  of  a  University  abreast  of  any  institu- 
tion in  the  land.  To  him  is  (ln(>  the  inception  of  the  idea  that  a  liberal  education 
should  include  more  than  drill  in  the  classics  and  in  mathematics,  as  modern  life 
demanded  more  of  the  liberally  educated  man  than  an  entry  into  the  learned  pro- 
fessions through  the  traditional  curriculum.  He  thought  a  system  of  elective  studies 
necessary,  in  which  the  tastes  of  the  student  should  be  consulted  while  intellectual 
discipline  should  be  secured,  and  that  the  true  conception  of  an  American  Univer- 
sity demanded  this.  These  views  were  slowly  matured,  for  they  were  not  fully 
elaborated  and  wrought  into  the  life  of  the  College  until  1850.  lUit  the  standard 
of  scholarship  was  slowly  raised,  the  endowment  was  increased,  and  he  sent  forth 
men  with  what  was  better  even  than  scholarship — with  the  high  character  tliat  can 
best  be  imparted  liy  jicrsonal  contact  with  a  morally  strong,  resolute  and  sympa- 
thetic Christian  manhood.  Dr.  Wayland's  influence  on  his  students  was  so  familiar, 
dignified  and  paternal,  and  withal  so  thoroughly  Christ-like,  that  he  h'ft  his  imprint 
upon  each  mind,  and,  whether  they  became  Christians  or  not  while  passing  through 

their  college  course,  each  one  honored  the  president  as  a  noble  specimen  of  Christ's 
56 


866 


nil.  crir.n. 


best  discipleis,  and   was  coinincril   tliat  liis  licart's  wisli  M'a?  that  all  rif  tlieiii  might 
even  1)0  better  C'liristiaiis  tliaii  he  esteemed  liimself  tn  be. 

Dr.  Wavlaiid,  witli  all  his  solidity,  was  of  a  vei'v  inirlhl'ul  eharaeter,  and  con- 
stantly kept  his  elass-rdiuii  and  M)cial  .-nn-i.jundini;'s  alive  witli  strokes  of  wit.  ]!nt 
his  iireatt'st  charaetcrisric  "was  Ins  ducp  and  iilowlny-  .■-jiii-itnalit  v.  Dr.  Stoekbridge, 
who  sn]>j»litMl  ihc  |inlpit  of  the  V\v>\  Cliurch  at  I'rovidence  while  Dr.  Wavland's 
])astor  was  ahi'oacl,  >avs  of  liiiii  that  oiil-  day  a  heading  Deaeon  in  the  city  noticed 
an  aged   man  bowed  down  in  a  place  of  woi>liiji  and  Dr.  Wavland  leaning  over  him 

in  close  eoiiveri-ation.  He  drew 
Ileal',  and  found  the  venerable 
Juilge  ]'.  overwhelmed  with  sor- 
row for  sin.  He  was  expressing 
liis  fear  thai,  as  one  who  had  lived 
so  niaiiv  scores  of  years  without 
(bid  ill  till'  world,  there  was  no 
hope  in  his  caM'.  The  Doctor  was 
tenderly  ])ointing  him  to  the 
boundless  mercy  of  <>od  in  Christ 
Jesus,  and  the  I'liiinent  jurist 
found  ])cacc  in  believing  on  him. 
In  ls.-,-2  Dr.  Way  land  said  to  F)r. 
Stoekbridge:  'Jf  you  can  secure 
tlie  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in 
your  ininistrations.  a  battalion  of 
soldiers  would  not  be  able  to  keep 
the  ])eople  from  crowding  tlie 
sanctuary."  This  great  educator 
died  August  10th,  1874,  liut  is  .still 
preaching  by  lii.';  books  in  all  parts 
of  tlu'  civilized  \\orld.  liis  pnb]i>lie(l  writings  (d'  note  nnmlii'r  seventy-two.  the 
most  i)roiainent  of  which  are  his  '  Moral  Science,  '  Political  Economy.'  '  Intellectual 
Philosophy,'  '  I'liiversity  Sermons,'  '  Memoir  of  Dr.  Jndson.'  '  Limitations  to  Tinman 
iiesponsibility."  and  '  Principles  and  Practices  of  the  P>aptist  Churches.' 

i{i:ri;i:N  A.  (irii.o,  1. 1.. I).,  the  pivsi'iit  Pibrarian  id'  lirown.  has  been  longer 
.associated  witli  the  Pniversity  than  any  person  now  lilling  an  important  ])o>itioii  in 
its  service,  for  his  labor  runs  through  tlie  terms  of  its  last  three  presidents  and 
well  back  into  that  of  Dr.  Wayland's,  he  having  filled  his  office  for  thirty-eight  years. 
Dr.  Ciiild  was  born  at  West  Dedhani,  Mass..  in  1S32.  From  a  child  he  evinced 
strong  literary  tastes,  and  prejiared  for  college  at  Day's  Academy,  Wrentham.  and  at 
the  Worcester  High  School,  entering  Brown  ITniversity  in  1843.  He  was  a  dili- 
gent and  faithful   student,  and  graduated   in   1S47   with   the   si,\th   lienors  of  his 


RBUBEN'  A.   (iril,l>.   I.L.I). 


Ills    VAl.VAlU.h:  SERVICE.  867 

class.  In  18-iS  he  succeeded  Professor  .Icwutt  ;is  Liliraii;iii,  nnd  lias  lillcd  the  posi- 
tion with  marked  success  down  to  this  time.  Under  his  administration  the  lihrary 
has  increased  from  17,000  to  r)3,000  bound  volumes,  and  20,000  unbound  pam- 
phlets; which  collection  is  he]it  in  a  substantial  and  clcijant  fire-]U'0()f  l)uildin(>;;  con- 
structed after  his  own  |)Iaii.  Ts'o  man  is  lit  for  a  Lilirai'ian  wIid  will  imt  take 
off  his  hat  in  the  jiresence  of  a  yood  honk.  L)r.  (iuild  ])ossesscs  this  al)ility,  to- 
together  with  his  other  great  (pialilications.  The  day  after  this  new  building  was 
finished  he  began  to  remove  the  liooks  into  it  from  Manning  Hall.  Dr.  Guild 
devoutly  uncovered  his  head,  took  a  spk'iidid  copy  of  Bagster's  '  Polyglot  Bible,'  and 
accompanied  by  his  corps  of  assistants,  led  by  the  late  Rev.  Prof.  J.  L.  Diman, 
carried  it  alone  and  placed  it  as  No.  1,  in  alcove  1,  on  shelf  1,  pronouncing  it :  "The 
Book  of  books,  the  embodiment  of  all  true  wisdom,  the  fountain-head  of  real  cult- 
ure, the  corner-stone  of  a  true  library,  the  source  of  all  true  civilization  and  moral 
improvement.'  There  it  stands  to-day,  the  ripe  sheaf  of  Jehovah,  and  all  the  other 
books  must  do  it  reverence  if  they  wish  the  good-will  of  the  Librarian.  The 
library  is  a  model  in  its  aiTangement  and  management,  brought  as  nearly  to  perfec- 
tion as  such  a  collection  of  books  can  be.  Dr.  Guild  is  one  of  the  Ijcst  Baptist 
writers  of  the  times;  he  is  clear,  terse,  accurate.  In  1858  he  published  the  'Libra- 
rian's Manual '  and  the  '  Life  of  President  Manning,'  in  1864  the  '  History  of  Brown 
Universitv,"  in  1867  the  '  Life  of  Eoger  Williams,'  and  in  1885  the  '  Life  of  Hezekiah 
Smith,  D.D.,'  and  lie  has  edited  a  number  of  books  besides.  At  present  he  is  pre- 
paring a  complete  edition  of  the  'Works  of  Eoger  Williams,'  with  a  IMemoir, 
which  altogether  will  comprise  two  volumes,  large  8vo,  with  copious  indexes.  In 
addition  to  his  vast  amount  of  literary  work.  Dr.  Guild  has  long  acted  as  a  private 
tutor,  for  seven  years  he  served  as  a  member  of  the  Common  Council  of  Prov- 
idence, and  for  fifteen  years  as  a  member  of  the  Common  School  Committee  of  that 
city.  He  has  visited  and  examined  many  of  the  liliraries  of  Europe,  and  rendered 
great  service  to  the  cause  of  education  in  many  capacities.  Dr.  Guild  was  baptized 
by  the  late  Dr.  Stow,  of  Boston ;  he  received  his  honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws 
from  Shurtleff  College,  he  is  as  genial  and  thorough  a  Baptist  as  Rhode  Island 
affords,  and  is  an  honor  to  his  denomination.  Justice  demands  that  something  lie 
said  here  of  another  noble  educator,  who  possesses  many  of  the  elements  which 
marked  Dr.  Wayland,  and  on  whom,  in  an  important  sense,  his  mantle  has  fallen. 

Martin  B.  Anderson,  LL.D.,  ranks  with  the  most  successful  educators  in  our 
coimtry.  lie  was  born  in  Maine,  1815,  and  graduated  with  high  honor  from  Water- 
ville  College  in  1840,  when  he  entered  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Newton.  In  a 
year  from  that  time  he  was  chosen  Professor  of  Latin,  Greek  and  Mathematics, 
in  Waterville,  and  in  1843  filled  the  chair  of  Rhetoric  also  in  the  same  institution. 
He  continued  there  as  a  broad,  earnest  and  accomplished  teacher,  until  1850,  when 
he  became  the  proprietor  and  editor  of  the  'New  York  Rcconlcr,"  a  weekl}'  relig- 
ious paper  of  large  intlnence.     In  1S53  he  accepted  the  presidency  of   Rochester 


868 


puKsii)  Ks  r  A  Ni)  i-:i;s  ox. 


^r. 


I 'ni\rivitv,  wlicrc  la-  lias  (lone  liis  i;Tc:il  lil'e-Wdi'k.  His  ciitiiv  iiiastc>i\v  of  ^rental 
ami  Moi-al  i'liili)S(i|)li_y,  Aticietit  Jlisloi'v  and  J'oliticuil  Ecoiioiiiy,  liot  only  opened 
to  him  a  wide  ranifc  of  practical  usefulness  as  an  educator  and  a  scientitic  ex- 
plorer, in  tlieir  eoi-related  hraiiclies,  Imt  lie  has  done  most  valualdo  work  for  the 
State  as  a  ]iulilicist.  e.-iiecially  in  adjiistiiiii'  its  jiuhlic  charities  and  educational  plans. 

He  has  (dieerfully  placed  Ids  facile 
jien,  his  store  of  literary  attain- 
ments, and  his  executive  ahility, 
under  jicrpetual  coiitrihiition  to  the 
public  i;ood.  As  an  orator,  a  tutor, 
an  ci?sayist  and  a  pliilanthroj)ist  lie 
lias  served  liis  fellow-men,  and  all 
his  work  hears  the  stamp  of  incisive 
originality.  ]'"e\v  men  have  so  con- 
stantly met  American  wants  by  ar- 
ticles of  every  ^ort.  in  journals, 
reviews,  eiicydopeilias  and  ivports 
nil  (lifliciilt  ipiestions,  as  President 
Anderson.  \v[,  few  of  these  pro- 
ductions have  been  [uirely  specula- 
tive. Always  he  kee])s  in  view, 
and  succeeds  in  cnmiiiandinic,  that 
\io(ir  of  thought  and  directness  of 
action  which  produce  jiractical  iw^ults  in  <ifhers,  and  especially  on  social  atid 
roliitious  subjects.  His  whole  beiui;-  is  ori;anized  on  tliat  economic  plan  which 
infuses  himself  into  others,  and  stimulates  the  best  impulses  of  all  around  him 
to  emulate  his  examples  and  walk  in  his  footsteps.  In  latter  years,  no  man 
amoncfst  American  I'aptists  has  done  more  to  cidist  its  energies  in  our  higher 
educational  aims  oi'  has  sacrificed  so  mucli  to  put  thoni  on  a  firm  basis,  (-iod  has 
blessed  him  \\\\\\  a  mind  ami  heart  of  the  large.st  order,  with  a  strong  jihysical 
frame  full  of  endurance,  and  with  a  vital  ambition  to  bless  men;  nor  has  he  spared 
himself  at  any  jxiint  to  secure  this  end.  .\s  the  first  President  of  Rochester  Univer- 
sity, his  career  has  been  wonderfully  succe.ssful.  He  went  to  it  in  its  weakness,  and 
now  its  gi'ounds  and  buildings  are  valued  at  %^37i),lS9,  and  its  endowment  amounts 
to  $i42,7.")T.  with  a  promising  future:  for  he  has  enstaniped  its  character  with  high 
attributes,  and  interwoven  his  influence  with  its  coming  liistory  as  effectively  as  witli 
that  which  is  past.  His  weight  and  worth,  as  a  public  benefactor  who  dares  to  bless 
others  at  great  cost  to  himself,  will  stimulate  coining  generations  througli  those  who 
have  sat  at  his  feet  as  well  as  through  his  invigorating  literary  productions. 

.Ton\   .\.  Pkoadi's.   1).1).   Porn   in  Culpeper  County.  \\\..  January  24th,  1S27. 
He  is  an  alumnus  of  the   Univcrsitv  of  Virginia,  having  taken  his  Master's  Degree 


MARTIX    B.  ANDERSON',    1,1..  D. 


DR.    BROAD  US. 


869 


in  1850.  He  served  as  tutor  of  l.atiii  and  (ii-cck  in  that  institution  in  1851-52, 
after  which  he  passed  eight  years  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Charlottesville. 
In  185-1  he  was  elected  i)rot'cssor  of  Iloniiletics  and  New  Testament  interpretation  in 
the  Soutliern  Baptist  'J'heological  Seminary,  then  located  at  Gi-eenville,  S.  C,  which 
liii;-h  position  he  still  lills  in  the  same 
schuol.  ntiw  located  at  Louisville,  Ky. 
i)r.  Ki'oadus  is  quite  as  much  wedded 
t(i  the  pulpit  as  to  the  class-rdoni. 
While  at  (Treenvilli'  he  |)rt'a('hed  to 
several  small  Churches  in  that  vicin- 
ity, as  their  pastor,  lie  is  a  thorough 
scholar,  a  delightful  preaclier  and  a 
finished  writer.  So  deliberate  are 
his  methods  of  work.  %vlicthcr  in  the 
study,  the  seminary,  or  the  jjulpit, 
that  all  forms  of  labor  appear  easy  to 
him.  Yet  his  nature  is  intense,  his 
convictions  lay  hold  of  all  his  jiowers, 
and  his  entire  being  is  thi'own  into 
whatevei-  he  does.  His  quiet  man- 
ner carries  the  impression  to  cultured 
minds  tliat  it  springs  from  the  be- 
hest of  high  intellect,  answering  the  command  of  a  mellow  spirituality,  and  so  it 
gives  double  force  to  his  teaching  and  preaching.  The  severe  drill  of  his  life 
speaks  without  the  least  pretension.  His  works  on  preaching  are  plain,  clear  and 
profound,  laying  bare  that  art  of  splendid  pulpit  work  of  which  ho  is  so  fine  an  ex- 
ample himself,  llis  '  Treatise  on  Homiletics,'  now  a  text-book  on  buth  sides  of  the 
Atlantic,  stands  side  by  side  with  his  '  Lectures  on  the  History  of  Preaching,'  and 
makes  hini  a  teacher  of  teachers.  To  his  other  attainments  he  has  added  the  benefits 
of  travel  in  Europe  and  Asia,  and  his  letters  demonstrate  his  keen  sense  of  dis- 
crimination. In  private  life  he  is  winsome  and  unostentatious  to  a  proverb,  full  of 
unaffected  kindness  and  playful  amiability.  Children  and  sages  equally  love  to 
gather  around  him,  that  they  may  listen  to  his  humor  and  pathos  ;  and  the  more 
eager  are  they,  because  he  never  indulges  these  at  the  sacrifice  of  common  sense 
or  the  solid  sim])licities  of  truth.  l*ui)licly  and  privately,  out  of  the  abundance 
of  a  true  heart,  he  speaks  in  the  freedom  of  truth  unmixed  with  guile,  or  with  the 
least  tendency  to  that  petty  detraction  which  fatally  blights  many  otherwise  noble 
spirits  in  the  Gospel  ministry. 

This  chapter  may  I)e  appropriately  closed  by  a  sketch  of  William  Cathcart, 
D.I).  lie  has  made  the  denomination  his  debtor  l)y  his  patient  investigations  and 
literary  contributions.     His  scholarly  attainments  and  tireless  industry  have  fitted 


JOHN  A.    BROADUS,    D.D. 


870 


DU.   WlfJ.IA.U   (AriirAIlT. 


the  KoiiKin  Catli'ilir  and  tin 
ami  ■  liaptisin  of  tlic  Aii'cs.' 


liiin  to  do  ail  ordor  of  littTary  work  wliicli  no  i;ai)tist  liud  done,  in  giving  tlie  world 
his  -liaptist  KiK'ycl<J|':i''l':'-'  I^ndowud  with  a  thoroughly  analytical  mind,  his 
studies  have  laid  hare  to  him  tliu  radical  extremes  of  Gospel  interpretation  used   by 

',apti>t.      lie  ha>  given  the  result  in  his  •  I'apal  System  " 
Uavini;-  explored  the  jihilosophy  of  the  Uomish  system 

fully  in  the  one,  he  gives  its 
direct  opposite  in  the  other. 
Dr.  Catlicart  was  born  in 
Londondei-ry,  Ireland,  No- 
vember Sth,  1820,  and  was 
brought  up  a  Tresbyteriau. 
Surrounded  by  the  relig- 
ious contests  of  his  nation 
and  times,  Ireland  forced  its 
contrasts  upon  his  attention 
from  childhood.  lie  was 
litted  for  college  by  private 
=_  classical  tutors,  but  took  his 

literary  course  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Glasgow.  On  be- 
coming a  Chri.-tian,  the  dif- 
ference between  the  Presby- 
terians and  Baptists  was 
forced  on  his  attention  wlien 
at  the  age  of  twenty,  and  his 
convi(ttions  led  him  to  for- 
sake the  religion  of  his 
fathers.  lie  was  l)aptized  on 
the  confession  of  Ghrist,  at  Tubl)ermore,  by  Rev.  K.  II.,  son  of  Dr.  Alexander  Car- 
son, llis  theological  course  was  taken  at  iiorloii  College,  tnider  tlie  ])rcsidency  of 
the  late  Dr.  Ackworth.  In  1S5U  he  was  ordained  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at 
Barnsley,  but  was  so  uneasy  under  the  English  yoke  of  Church  and  State  that  in 
1853  he  left  a  prosperous  jxistorate  to  settle  in  America.  The  first  pastoral  charge 
which  he  took  here  was  at  Mystic,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  till  1857,  when  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Second  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia. 

He  remained  in  this  Church  for  eiglit-and-t wen ty  years,  doing  such  an  excess  of 
work  that  at  last  a  constitution  of  uncommon  strength  began  to  break  under  the 
load,  and  he  was  obliged  to  retire  to  prevent  utter  prostration.  Xot  only  did  his 
cono-regation  in  Philadelphia  double  in  size,  but  it  became  necessary  to  build  a  large 
and  beautiful  sanetuai-y  in  a  new  location  to  accommodate  the  increase.  Ilis  people 
loved  him  almost  to  idolization,  and  gave  him  up  with  the  utmost  reluctance.     In 


• 


WILLIAM    CATHCAltT,    D.D. 


THE   or.n    FAITH.  871 

1872  lie  published  liis  '  Pajwl  System;'  in  lS7<i.  his  ■  Baptists  and  the  American 
Revulution;'  a  monoiiraph,  on  that  subject,  without  a  rival;  in  1878,  his  '  Baptism 
of  the  Ages,'  and  his  '  Encyclopiudia '  in  ISSl.  Having  known  Dr.  Cathcart  in  in- 
timate frienilsliip  f(ir  a  full  geiu'ration.  his  habits  of  stutly,  his  unflagging  jjcrsever- 
auce,  and  his  uncompromising  integrity,  the  writer  is  free  to  express  the  belief  that 
no  truer  man  lives  in  our  Baptist  Ijrotlierhood.  As  an  eloipient  ])reacher,  a  true; 
friend,  an  honest  man  and  a  careful  scholar,  those  who  know  him  best  regret  the 
most  his  retii'enient  in  the  prime  of  his  mauhuod,  as  a  serious  loss  in  our  effective 
ranks.  He  is  but  another  exiunple  amongst  us  of  the  comuKin  sacrifice  wjiicli  our 
ministry  makes  to  the  strain  of  ovci'work. 

It  is  a  re-assuring  consideration  that  these  Christian  leaders,  in  comi)any  with 
the  great  bi)dy  of  Baptist  ministers  in  America,  hold  fast  to  the  old  Gospel  faith. 
The  Philadelphia  Association  was  troubled  at  its  New  York  session,  held  there 
October  5tli  and  7th,  1790,  by  a  question  from  the  Church  at  Stamford,  asking 
whether  or  not  it  .should  fellowship  those  who  held  the  'new  system  of  divinity.' 
The  Association  answered  in  the  negative,  denouncing  'these  fine-spun  theories'  in 
detail.  Then  the  body  passed  this  minute:  'This  Association  lament  tliev  have 
occasion  again  to  call  the  attention  of  that  part  of  Zion  we  represent  to  another 
awful  instance  of  departure  from  the  faith  once  delivered  unto  the  saints;  Mr. 
Nicholas  Cox,  late  a  brother  in  the  ministry,  having  espoused,  and  artfully  as  well  as 
strenuously  endeavored  t(.i  pro]iagate,  the  fatal  notion  of  the  universal  restoration  of 
bad  men  and  devils  from  hell.  As  such,  we  caution  our  Churches,  those  of  our 
sister  Associations  and  Christian  brethren  of  every  denomination,  to  be  aware  of 
him.'  Ilajipily  our  ministry  is  too  seriously  engaged  in  saving  men  from  '  the  wrath 
to  come'  to  give  nnich  attention  at  present  to  the  restoration  of  lost  men  and 
demons  from  ]ierdition.  "When  they  get  to  heaven  they  may  find  time  to  specu- 
late as  to  what  can  be  done  for  those  'in  prison,'  if  God  shall  call  them  there  to 
that  order  of  thought.  But  while  they  are  filling  their  present  pastorates  amongst 
the  lost  sons  of  Adam's  race,  their  chief  duty  to  their  Master  and  to  '  bad  men '  is  to 
cry,  'Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  who  taketh  away  the  sin  of  the  world  !'  As  minis- 
ters of  Christ,  sent  to  save  wicked  men,  '  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire,'  as  Jude 
expresses  himself,  it  is  quite  as  absurd  to  spend  their  strength  in  this  controversy 
as  it  would  be  for  twin  chicks  in  one  sliell  to  fight  over  the  question  whether  the 
outside  world  is  all  yelk  oi'  all  white.  It  is  simply  shameful  that  a  man  inti-usteil 
with  the  care  of  immortal  souls  should  be  obliged  to  say  to  his  Master,  of  one  of 
them,  'As  thy  servant  was  Imsy  here  and  there,  arguing  that  if  he  should  be  con- 
signed to  perdition  he  will  finally  be  rescued,  lo!  he  was  gone  ! ' 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THEOLOGICAL    SEMI  N  ARI  ES— LITEHATU  RE— REV!  VALS. 

PElillAl'S,  siiilicifiit  luis  been  said  alivudy  about  the  early  elTdrtj?  of  tlie 
Baptists  tn  provide  facilities  for  j^eiieral  and  theological  education,  but  there  is  a 
dis])osition  to  linger  and  eunteniplate  the  great  cnnli'ast  presented  between  thelirndy 
laid  foundations  and  the  prest'ut  state  of  the  sliautturi,'.  Asearlyas  ISI.'i  a  charter  was 
obtained  for  the  Maine  iiiterai-y  and  "I'lieDlngieal  Institution,  and  in  ISIS  a  s(-hool 
was  opened  at  Watcrville,  under  tlie  charge  ol'  .leremiah  Chaplin,  D.I).,  who 
for  several  years  had  been  giving  theological  instruction  to  a  few  )dung  men  who 
had  I'eiiiuved  witli  liiin  to  Watei'x  ille  fruiii  his  pastoi'ate  at  l)aii\ers,  JMass.  In  IS^M 
this  school  was  inciii-|i()rated  as  a  college,  with  both  a  ecillegiatc  and  a  theological 
department,  but  when  Newton  Institution  was  opened,  instruction  in  divinity  was 
discontinued  and  the  institutinn  gi-ew  into  what  is  lujw  Colby  rniversity.  The 
s])read  nf  l!a|)tist  principles  in  this  country  is  nowhere  more  strongly  seen  than  bv 
our  present  I'ducational  statistics.  The  State  of  New  ^drk  is  a  fail'  exam|)le.  In 
1S17  there  were  only  three  educated  Ilaptist  ministers  in  that  State,  west  of  the 
Hudson.  Thirteen  men  met  at  the  house  of  Deacon  Jonathan  Olmstead,  in  Hamil- 
ton, Septeudjer  24th,  1817,  ami  contributed  $13  to  the  cause  of  theological  educa- 
tion in  founding  what  has  luiw  beconu'  .Madison  Fnivei'sity,  and  the  first  class 
which  graduated  from  the  infant  institution  ininibered  but  six  memliers.  To-day, 
1S8C,  the  property  and  endowments  of  the  I'aptist  institutions  of  learning  in  New 
York  are  estimated  at  $2,133,0(»(».  The  Hamilton  Literary  and  Theological  Institu- 
tion was  opened  on  May  1st,  IS-JO.  Its  tirst  Professor  was  Uev.  Daniel  llascall,  and 
in  the  following  fall.  Elder  Nathanael  Kendriek,  of  Eaton,  was  employed  to  visit 
the  school  and  lecture  on  moral  philoso])hy  and  theology  three  times  a  week.  The 
first  regular  class  in  Divinity  was  organized  uiuler  his  instruction,  in  June,  1S22. 
Two  members  of  this  class  were  Jonatlian  Wade  and  Eugeino  Kincaid,  both  of 
whom  went  on  missions  to  I'urma. 

Gradually,  the  length  of  the  course  of  study  was  extended  and  its  variety 
enlarged,  until  in  1839  the  restriction  to  candidates  for  the  ministry  was  widened, 
granting  the  privileges  of  the  institution  to  'students  of  good  moral  character  not 
having  the  ministry  in  view.'  This  eidargement,  however,  was  accompanied  by  the 
provisions  that :  '  No  change  should  be  made  in  the  course  of  instruction  to  favor 
such  students,  that  they  should  in  )io  case  exceed  the  number  of  tliose  preparing  for 
the  ministry,  and  that  in  no  otlier  way  shoidd  the  pri\ileges  of  tlie  latter  be  abridged 


]:rv,   K.   iiuiiKi:. 
IIEV.    H     G.    WESTC.M. 
REV.    G.    W.    XORTHRUP. 


REV.    A.    HOVEY. 
KEV.    J.   P.    BOYCE. 
REV.    A.    H.    STRONG. 


PRESIDENTS   OF  MADISON   UNIVERSITY.  873 

hy  reason  of  tliis  ari'imgement.'  Tlic  institution  was  supportud  liy  contributions 
from  the  Churelies  and  hy  the  heij)  of  the  Echication  Society.  J5y  dei^rees  which 
it  is  not  necessary  to  trace  here,  it  became  the  Madison  I' niversity  of  to-day,  liaviiiij 
liad  a  rare  succession  of  Professors  and  graduates.  Dr.  Kendrick,  wlio  liad  been 
its  head  till  1836,  M-as  at  that  time  fdi-iiially  elected  its  President,  in  wliicli  caiiacity 
he  contiiuied  until  18-tS.  Stephen  \W  Taylor,  LL.D.,  became  its  second  President 
in  1851,  but  died  in  1850.  Dr.  Taylor  was  a  layman  of  very  high  character.  lie 
graduated  at  Hamilton  College,  Clinton  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  liad  devoted  his  life  to 
teacliing.  For  two  years  he  acted  as  principal  of  tiie  academy  connected  witli  (lie 
University,  but  left  in  1830,  after  which  lie  founded  the  Lewisburg  University,  in 
Pemisylvania,  and  returned  as  President  of  Madison.  Rev.  George  W.  Eaton,  D.I)., 
LL.  1).,  was  the  third  President  of  this  renowned  institution.  lie;  was  a  graduate  of 
I'nion  College  and  liad  devoted  his  life  tn  teaching,  his  tii'st  professorship  being  that 
of  Ancient  Languages,  at  Georgetown,  Ky.  He  l)ecame  Professor  of  Mathematics 
and  Natural  Philoso])hy,  at  Hamilton,  in  1833,  M-as  elected  to  the  chair  of  Ecclesias- 
tical and  Civil  History,  in  1837 ;  in  1850  he  became  Professor  of  Systematic  The- 
ology and  President  of  Madi.son  University,  in  1856  Professor  of  Intellectual  and 
Moral  Philosophy,  and  in  1861  he  was  chosen  President  of  Hamilton  Seminary  and 
Professor  of  llomiletics.  He  died  August  3d,  1872,  at  the  age  of  68  years,  having 
been  connected  with  the  Institution  in  one  capacity  or  another  for  forty  years,  in 
prosperity  and  adversity,  until  its  interests  and  history  became  a  part  of  himself  and 
the  chief  end  of  his  existence.  Dr.  Eaton  would  have  been  a  man  of  mark  in 
any  sphere  of  life.  In  body,  intellect  and  soul,  he  possessed  a  uniform  greatness, 
which,  without  exaggeration,  entitle  him  to  the  appellation  of  a  threefold  giant. 
He  knew  nothing  of  cowardice,  moral  or  otherwise,  but  met  every  issue  which  arose 
in  the  affairs  of  the  denomination  and  the  times,  on  the  high  and  broad  plane  of 
Christian  manliness.  His  first  and  last  question  on  all  subjects  was,  'Is  this  riglit  r 
When  that  question  was  determined  in  his  own  mind  his  i)osition  was  taken,  whether 
he  stood  alone  or  with  the  nuiltitnde.  His  memory  was  what  he  would  have  called 
'  prodigious,'  his  eloquence  massive,  his  hospitality  warm,  and  his  convictions  of  duty  as 
deep  as  his  nature.  Withal,  his  sympathy  with  the  weak,  the  wronged  and  tiie 
suffering,  was  extraordinary.  He  was  as  artless  as  a  child,  and  In's  unsuspectin 
nature  was  often  imposed  upon,  while  he  gave  his  strong  arm  to  help  every  one. 
He  was  too  impulsive  for  a  thorough  disciplinarian  and  too  pure  foi-  any  one  to 
despise. 

EisKNEZER  Dodge,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  the  fourth  President  of  Madison  University, 
is  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  born  at  Salem,  April  21,  1819.  He  is  an  alumnus  of 
Brown  University  and  studied  theology  at  Newton.  He  served  as  pastor  of  the 
Baptist  Church  in  New  London,  N.  H.,  for  seven  years,  with  marked  power,  but 
was  called  from  his  pastorate  to  the  chair  of  Christian  Theology  in  1853.  In  1808 
he  was  elected  President  of  Madison  LTniversity  and  in   1871   President  of  Hamil- 


o 


874  NEWTON   THEOLOGICAL   INSTITUTION. 

full  Tiieiilui;i(':il  SeininaiT.  lie  is  a  ripi'  scholai-  ami  a  pi-ofduiiil  tln'oldiriaii.  Under 
liis  adininistratiou  the  career  ul'  the  lyuiversity  lias  been  one  unbrnken  pnij^pess; 
for  it  Iia.s  enjoyed  tlie  greatest  ])ros|ierirv  in  its  liistory  in  all  its  (k'liartnients,  so  that 
it  never  iiccnjiied  the  ci^iiinandini;'  ])(isiti(in  wliich  it  does  at  tiiis  time.  I)i'.  Dodge 
lias  eontriiiuted  to  the  standards  of  Theology  in  his  work  on  the  *  Evidences  of  Chris- 
tianity ;' and  his  'Theological  J. eetii res,'  now  confined  to  the  use  of  his  students, 
exhibit  the  hand  u{  a  master  in  dee]i  thought  and  ripe  scholarship,  lie  has  many 
valuable  inaiiuscripts  ready  for  the  press,  which,  it  is  believed,  will  stand  side  by  side 
with  his  present  publications,  and.  as  they  ai'e  the  results  of  his  lifedong  experience, 
may  even  excel  them  in  their  advaiiceil  value. 

The  Newton  Theological  Institution  has  a  most  interesting  history.  At  a  large 
meetingof  ministers  and  laymen  lieM  in  lioston,  May  2.'jth,  1825,  it  was  resolved  that 
a  jiaptist  Theological  Institution  in  the  vicinity  of  Boston  was  a  necessity,  and  the 
Massachusetts  L'aptist  Educational  Society  was  recpiested  to  take  steps  in  that  direc- 
tion. Its  executive  committee  fixed  upon  Newton  (^enter  for  a  location,  and  selected 
Ivev.  Irali  Chase  to  begin  instruction.  The  foundations  of  the  school  were  laid  with 
great  dillicnlty  and  in  much  faith  and  ju'ayer.  Students  increased  faster  than  the 
necessary  jirovisions  for  their  reception,  and  heav}'  debts  were  incurred.  It  was  many 
years  before  its  j»ermaneiit  endowment  was  secured  with  corresj^onding  success.  All 
connected  with  tlie  undertaking  made  great  sacrifices,  and  Dr.  Chase  gave  twenty 
years  of  his  valiialile  life  to  the  I'uterju'ise  with  an  unseitishness  that  has  laid  the 
Baptists  of  New  England  under  a  debt  which  they  will  never  be  able  to  discharge. 
The  course  of  instruction  was  to  cover  three  years,  and  to  be  specially  adapted  to 
collcsie  graduates  familiar  with  tin*  Latin  and  the  Greek.  Dr.  Chase  comnienced 
his  work  in  the  autumn  of  IS^.").  and  in  the  next  year  Prof,  lleniw  J.  Kipley  was 
added.  Prof.  James  D.  ivnowles  came  to  their  aid  in  1S3-4,  Rev.  Earnas  Sears  in 
1S30,  and  in  ISoS,  ujioii  the  death  of  Prof.  Xiiowles,  Prof.  Ilackett  left  his  chair 
in  Brown  University  to  take  his  place  in  the  corps  of  tutors.  Not  far  from  800  stu- 
dents have  gone  forth  from  its  hallowed  bosom  to  fill  jilaces  of  high  trust,  and  under 
its  present  faculty  it  is  doing,  if  ])i)ssible,  better  work  than  ever  and  promises  a 
s])lcndid  future. 

Alvaii  llovEY,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  its  President,  is  a  native  of  Cii-eenc,  Chenango 
Co.,  N.  y.,  and  was  born  March  r>th.  1S20.  lie  graduated  from  Dartinouth  Col- 
lege in  184-f,  and  spent  three  years  at  Newton  as  a  theological  student.  After 
preaching  for  a  year,  in  IS-tl*  he  first  became  a  tutor  in  Hebrew,  at  Xewton  ;  and 
then  in  succession.  Professor  of  Church  llist(.>ry,  Theology,  and  Christian  Ethics,  and 
President ;  so,  that,  for  thirty-seven  years  he  has  consecrated  all  his  energies  to  the 
training  of  young  ministers  in  this  renowned  seminary.  This  long  experience,  gov- 
erned by  a  sacred  regard  for  divine  truth  an«l  by  a  remarkably  sound  judgment  in 
expounding  its  principles,  lias  made  his  tuition  far-reaching,  and  given  to  our 
Churches  a  fullness  of  doctrine  and  devotion  which  has  been  strong  and  abiding. 


THE   norilESTER    THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY.  878 

Dr.  Tlovoy  is  distinguislied  for  his  clear  perception  of  Gospel  doctrines,  to  which 
he  cleaves  simply  because  they  are  divinely  true.  First  of  all  he  is  just,  which 
renders  his  aims  high  and  iinsellisli,  besides  making  his  counsels  sensible  and  sound. 
His  pen  has  been  ever  busy ;  he  is  the  author  of  aljout  a  dozen  volumes,  amongst 
which  are  his  'Person  and  "Work  of  Ciirist,'  the  '-Miracles,'  his  '  Higher  Christian 
Life,'  and  his  'Memoirs  of  Dr.  Backus,'  all  valuable  productions.  This  veteran 
educator  is  beloved  and  trusted  by  the  Churches  everywhere,  as  far  as  he  is  known, 
and  his  present  vigor  promises  to  bless  them  for  many  years  to  come. 

Tlu-  third  Theological  Seminary  founded  by  the  American  Baptists  was  that 
at  Rochester,  N^.  Y.  About  1847  many  friends  of  Madison  University  thought  its 
usefulness  would  be  greatly  increased  by  its  removal  from  the  village  of  Ilamilton 
to  a  more  populous  center.  After  considerable  controversy,  and  some  litigation,  the 
question  of  its  removal  was  abandoned.  The  University  of  Rochester  was  founded 
in  1850,  and  in  the  following  November  a  Theological  Seminary  was  organized, 
distinct,  however,  in  its  property  and  government.  From  the  tirst,  its  list  of  instruct- 
ors has  comprised  the  names  of  very  eminent  scholars.  Its  first  two  professors  were 
Thomas  J.  Conant,  D.D.,  and  John  S.  Maginnis,  D.D.;  Ezekiel  G.  Robinson, 
D.D.,  LL.D.,  became  its  President  in  1868,  after  most  valuable  service  as  jirofessor 
from  1853.  In  1872  he  was  elected  President  of  Brown  University,  when  Rev. 
Augustus  H.  Strong,  D.D.,  was  chosen  to  fill  his  position  both  as  President  and  Pro- 
fessor of  Biblical  Theology  at  Rochester.  This  school  has  been  liberally  endowed 
and  has  given  to  the  Churches  a  succession  of  pastors  of  the  highest  stamp  for  excel- 
lency in  every  respect.  Its  German  Department  was  early  enriched  by  the  library 
of  Neander,  and  its  buildings  have  been  provided  by  the  nuiniticence  of  J.  B. 
Trevor,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  and  John  D.  Rockefeller,  Esq.,  of  Cleveland.  Hon.  R. 
S.  Burrows,  of  Albion  ;  John  M.  Bruce,  J.  A.  Bostwick  and  William  Rockefeller, 
Esqs.,  of  New  York,  have  given  large  sums  to  replenish  its  library,  and  a  host  of 
other  friends  have  carried  its  interests  to  a  high  state  of  prospei'ity  by  their  Chris- 
tian benefactions. 

Dr.  Steong,  its  President,  was  born  at  Rochester,  August  3d,  1836,  and  gradu- 
ated from  Yale  College  in  1857.  While  a  student  at  Yale  he  was  brought  to  Christ, 
and  united  with  the  First  Baptist  Church  in  Rochester ;  but  after  his  graduation 
he  first  entered  the  Theological  Seminai-y  in  tiiat  city,  and  then  completed  hisstuilies 
in  the  (ierman  universities.  On  his  I'cturn  from  Europe,  in  ls61,  he  was  oi'dained 
pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Haverhill,  Mass.,  wlucli  he  left  in  1865  to  become 
pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Cleveland,  O.,  from  whence  he  went  to  take  his  present 
place,  after  seven  years  of  succesfaful  pastoral  toil.  Although  Dr.  Strong  is  the 
youngest  of  our  theological  presidents,  the  classes  which  come  from  under  his  hand 
evince  his  care  in  training  and  his  wisdom  in  impressing  them  with  that  I'obust 
impress  of  Biblical  theology  which  betokens  their  reverence  for  the  heavenly  vision. 
Endowed  himself  with  insight  into  spiritual  things,  with  keen  faith  and  high  sane- 


876  liEV.  JtU.   isoyri-:. 

tity,  tlu'j  catoli  his  s]iirit,  and  tlicir  iiiiiiistrv  evidences  tlieir  love  for  tliat  Lord 
wliose  tliey  are  and  whom  tliey  M'r\e.  lie  i>  the  autlior  uf  nnuierons  notable  articles 
(in  theul(.i:;-icai  suhjcct>.  hut  his  \\u<A  ciahurate  and  weighty  hdok  is  his  'Systematic 
Thcnl(ii;v,'  recently  |iuhh>hi'd.  It  is  a  wurk  of  i;-i-eat  research,  indicatinj^  thestren<i:tli 
and  solidity,  as  well  as  the  loi;i'jal  and  analytical  power,  (d'  the  author's  mind.  Having' 
alreadv  spoken  of  the  Sonthern  liaptist  Theoloiiical  Seminary,  it  is  not  necessary  to 
treat  of  its  interests  here,  furthei-  than  to  speak  of  its  i'resident,  who  is  in  all 
respects  tlic  peer  of  his  pi-esidcntial  lu'elhren. 

.Iamics  p.  I!()V('i;,  D.l)..  1.I..I).,  \\a-  horn  in  Charleston,  S.  C,  January  lltli, 
IS'27.  In  1S47  he  irradiiatcd  fi'om  Ih'own  T  nisei-sity.  and.  liaviiiu'' heen  converted 
while  in  colle^'e,  he  was  haptized  in  ISls  hy  tiie  Kev.  Dr.  iiichard  Fuller.  From 
1S4S  to  ls,")l  he  stndied  theology  at  i'rinct'ton,  N..I.  llr  threw  all  his  energies 
into  his  theological  >lii(lirs.  and  when  he  was  cNaiinncd  lor  ordination  t^)  the  minis- 
ti'w  Dr.  Curtis,  moderator  ol'  the  examining  council,  a.-ked  him  whether  he  intended 
to  give  his  life  to  the  pi-eaching  of  the  ( ;o>pcl.  1 1  c  rcplird  :  'I'rovidi'd  I  don't  he- 
come  a  prole>sor  of  theology.'  In  l^.M  he  hecame  pastor  id'  the  (,'hlirch  at  Co- 
hnnhia,  S.  C.,  hnt  took  the  i-liair  i.>F  theology  in  kiii-niaii  rniversity  in  IS.j.j.  He 
accepted  a,  professort-hip  in  tlie  'I'lieological  Seminary  at  ( ireeiiville,  S.  C,  however, 
in  1S.")8.  The  seminary  heiiig  located  Init  temporarily  there,  in  187o  it  was  resolved 
to  remo\e  it  to  Louisville,  its  frieiuls  in  Iveiitucky  having  olfered  s:]n(i.(i(i(i  for  its 
permanent  estahlishmelit  there,  provided  that  S^dO.tKfO  could  he  added  from  other 
sources.  Will  n  linancial  emharrassment  threatened  the  ruin  of  this  great  scheme, 
Dr.  Boyce,  who  at  that  time  was  wealthy,  borrowed  lai'ge  sums  of  money  on  his 
own  resp<insiliilit v,  and  threw  his  surprising  linancial  talents  into  the  eiiterj)rise. 
For  about  seven  years  it  seemed  as  if  the  godly  project  must  fail,  and  gloom,  almost 
despair,  settled  ui)on  the  hopes  of  its  friends.  Lnt  Dr.  Loyce  by  his  patience  and 
business  skill  re-inspired  the  energies  of  his  brethren,  and  more  than  any  other 
person  led  the  movement  to  complete  success.  Tie  is  a  reiined  and  dignified  gentle- 
man, whose  modest  polish  of  manner,  generous  cultui-e  and  vai-ied  accomplishments 
clothe  him  with  a  delightful  infincnce  in  all  s])]ieres  in  which  he  moves,  so  that  he 
is  pre-eminently  fitted  to  mold  his  pujnls  in  the  ]iroprieties  demanded  by  their 
calling.  Clearly,  it  must  be  the  fault  (d'  the  ])upil  if  he  goes  forth  to  his  work 
without  that  refinement  of  manner,  together  with  that  mental  and  heart  culture, 
which  arc  demanded  in  the  acceptable  minister  of  our  Lord  Jesus. 

The  Baptist  Union  TheoU)gical  Seminary  at  Morgan  Park,  Illinois,  was  organ- 
ized in  f  807.  Vy  to  about  the  year  18(10  the  "West  had  been  wliolly  dependent 
upon  the  East  for  theological  education;  bnt  in  1S.")0  a  convention  of  delegates 
representing  the  West  and  North-west  gathered  in  Chicago  to  cousult  respecting  the 
establishment  of  a  new  semiiuiry  in  that  part  of  our  country.  The  difference  of 
opinion  as  to  location  was  so  striking  that  general  agreement  was  not  tlien  reached. 
At  length  a  preliminary  organization  was  effecte<l.  in  18(iti,  under  the  lead  of  AV.  \\  . 


REV.   DR.   NORTIIRUr.  877 

Everts,  D.T)..  .1.  P>.  Olcott,  and  J.  A.  Smith,  and  in  1863  a  corporation  was  formed 
and  offieei-s  cliosi'ii ;  Hon.  R.  S.  Thomas  being  President,  Liitiicr  Stone,  Secretary', 
and  Edward  Gdodnian,  Treasuri'r.  In  1S65  the  Legislature  of  Illinois  granted  it  a 
charter.  A  temporary  arrangement  was  made  with  Dr.  Xatluinael  Colver  to  com- 
mence theological  tuition,  iiut  a  regular  faculty  was  selected  in  180(1.  and  in  tlie 
autumn  of  that  year  the  work  of  instruction  began  in  earnest.  Since  that  time  reli- 
able endowments  have  been  received,  the  faculty  has  been  verj-  effective,  the  semi- 
nary has  been  removed  to  Morgan  I'ark,  and  is  in  a  high  state  of  prosperity.  It 
lias  already  iiTaduated  about  50(.)  students.  Its  Ijeautifnl  pi-(iperty  at  Morgan  I'ark, 
and  an  endowment  of  ^^tM^jOOti,  with  a  library  of  2.j,iK)(»  vdlnmes,  promise  nnich, 
with  its  able  body  of  tutors,  for  the  culture  of  the  rising  ministry  in  tlu^  West. 

George  W.  NoKTiiEtip,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  its  President,  was  born  in  Jefferson 
County,  IS'.  Y.,  October  l.'jth,  1826.  and  when  but  sixteen  j-ears  of  age  became  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Antwerp.  His  early  educational  advantages  were 
slight,  but  from  childhood  he  possessed  that  quenchless  thirst  for  knowledge  and 
culture  that  refuses  to  submit  to  any  obstructions  which  assume  to  be  insurmount- 
al)le.  lie  plodded  on  in  the  study  of  Latin.  (Treek  and  mathematics  with  such  pri- 
vate aids  only  as  he  could  cummand,  until  he  was  able  to  enter  Williams  College. 
In  1854  he  graduated  from  that  institution  with  the  highest  honors,  and  in  1857 
finished  a  theological  course  at  the  llochester  Seminary.  There,  also,  he  sers^ed  with 
distinguished  ability  as  Professor  of  Church  History  for  ten  years.  lie  accepted 
the  chair  of  theology  and  the  presidency  in  the  seminary,  which  he  has  done  so 
mnch  to  establish,  in  1867,  and  in  contending  with  tlic  difficulties  incident  to  the 
founding  of  a  new  institution  he  has  displayed  the  qualities  of  a  forceful  leader 
and  organizer.  His  wise  methods  and  strength  of  will  have  braved  all  storms,  and 
commanded  that  signal  success  which  has  given  the  West  as  strong  and  well-con- 
ducted a  theological  seminary  as  any  in  the  East,  in  view  of  its  youth.  As  a  meta- 
physician, pulpit  orator  and  theologian.  Dr.  Northrup  is  an  honor  to  his  denomina- 
tion.    The  youngest  of  the  six  theological  schools  is  the 

Crozer  Theological  Seminary,  located  at  Chester,  in  Pennsylvania,  and  organ- 
ized in  1868.  The  late  John  P.  Crozer,  Esq.,  was  deeply  interested  in  ministeiial 
education,  and  had  largely  aided  therein  through  the  Lewisburg  University.  After 
his  death  his  family  took  up  the  work  where  he  left  it,  to  give  it  an  enlarged  and 
more  permanent  form.  Led  by  his  eldest  son,  Mr.  Samuel  A.  Crozer,  his  other  sons 
and  daughters  established  this  seminary  as  a  devout  monument  to  his  name,  and  all 
generations  will  therefor  call  them  blessed.  The  buildings  and  grounds  are  spacious, 
valued  at  $150,000;  the  endowment  amounts  to  about  s?,.")(  i.OdO,  and  the  library 
and  apparatus  are  ample  for  present  use,  although  tiie  libiary  building  is  planned  to 
contain  about  50,000  volumes.  William  Ihu-knell,  son-in-law  to  Mr.  John  P.  Crozer, 
made  a  donation  of  about  $.30,000  for  the  purchase  of  books,  and  a  further  sum  of 
$10,000  was  presented  from  another  source  for  the  same  purpose.     Its  average  num- 


878  i:i-:v.  Du.   wi-srox. 

hur  of  ]>ii|)ils  is  ulxnit  lifty  ]K'i'_ve:ir,  its  faculty  is  one  of  the  best  in  tlir  denoniina- 
tion,  and  it  lias  sent  al)(>nt  ','M)  men  into  tlie  Cin-istian  ministry  ;  many  uf  wijoui  are 
now  lillinii'  j)laces  of  great  inlluenee  and  res]ionsil)iiity. 

Ili';.\Kv  (i.  AVkstox,  D.l).,  lias  Ijcen  jiresitient  of  tiiis  in.-tirufion  from  its  f(Min- 
(iation,  and  lias  contributed  greatly  to  its  np-building.  lie  is  a  native  of  Lynn, 
Mass.,  and  was  born  September  lltli,  '\'6'1^K  lie  graduated  at  Drown  L'niversity 
and  Newton  Theological  Institution,  and  after  sustaining  himself  for  tliree  years  as 
a  niissioiiarv  in  Illinois,  liecame  ])astor  ol'  the  IJaptist  Clnu'cli  in  l'c<ii'ia  in  18-lG, 
where  ho  was  jjrospered  for  tliirtceii  years.  In  IS.^ilt  he  removed  to  New  Vork  city, 
to  take  charge^  of  the  Olivci'  Street  I5a|)tist  Chureli,  in  which  congregation  lie 
remained,  tirst  in  ()li\er  Strei't,  and  then  in  Madison  Avenue  wlien  it  removed, 
nnlil  the  year  ISfiS,  when  he  took  the  presidency  of  Crozer  Seminai'v.  His  double 
aim  was  to  give  a  complete  theological  training  to  the  alumni  of  our  colleges,  who 
could  stiuly  the  Scii|)tures  in  the  (irec^k  and  j)ursue  the  Hebrew;  and  also  to  take 
men  who  were  sonu'what  advanced  in  life,  but  could  not  command  a  classical 
course;  to  aid  fheni  in  the  knowledge  (jf  the  Scriptures  and  in  theological  studies, 
that  they  niiglit  be  measurably  (pialitled,  at  least,  for  their  pastoral  \vork.  A  jieculiar 
order  of  ability  was  needed  in  the  president  who  should  well  lay  the  foundations 
of  such  a  school.  Not  only  must  he  be  a  true  scholar,  and  a  clear,  souiul  and  experi- 
enced theologian,  lii'oad  in  his  vit'ws,  simjile  in  his  habits,  kind  in  his  disposition, 
and  devout  in  his  piety  ;  but  ijnite  as  much  he  needed  untlincliing  coui'age  in  his 
convictions.  In  a  word,  all  the  ripe  (qualities  of  manly  experience  were  needed, 
witii  the  foi-bearance  and  tenderness  of  a  woman.  Even  then,  the  tact  of  a  general 
was  ivipiired,  who  knew  tlie  wants  of  the  place  and  liad  tiie  genius  to  meet  them. 
Many  men  were  scanned  as  to  this  fitness,  l)ut.  with  singular  unanimity.  Dr.  Weston 
was  hailed  as  the  one  man  for  the  post.  A  ripe  scholar  and  a  i)idpit  master,  it  was 
1)elieved  that  he  could  e(]ually  develop  the  immature  and  perfect  tlie  accomplished. 
The  result  has  so  far  exceeded  sanguine  expectation,  that  all  true  I'aptist  licarts 
thank  him  for  his  work  anil  ]ii-aise  his  IMaster  for  t]u>  gift  of  the  workman.  I'or 
nearly  a  score  of  years  he  has  been  filling  the  pulpits  of  our  land  with  men  who  are 
blessing  it  everywhere.  The  Baptist  denomination,  having  possessed  such  a  succes- 
sion of  men  in  the  presidency  of  its  seminaries,  should  be  grateful  indeed,  for  not 
one  of  them,  from  the  estal)lisImK'nf  of  the  first  school,  has  ever  bi-oiight  a  stain 
upon  its  fair  fame.  And  not  only  in  view  of  the  past,  but  in  th(>  necessities  of  the 
present,  it  is  to  be  congratulated  ;  happy  are  the  Baptists  of  the  United  States  in 
tlie  possession  of  six  such  ])residents  of  their  theological  schools. 

American  Baptists  have  lately  paid  much  attention  to  female  education,  and  liavo 
twenty-seven  institutions  devoted  to  this  object.  A  Ladies'  Institute  was  founded 
at  Granville,  O.,  in  1832,  which  was  followed  by  the  Judson  Female  Institute,  at 
Marion,  Ala.,  in  1S39  ;  by  Baylor  Female  College,  at  Independeiu^e,  Tex.,  in  1S4."); 
and  by  the  Female  Seminary  at   Georgetown,  Ky.,  in  1846.     Mary  Sharp  College 


BAPTTST   IJTHRATURE.  879 

was  established,  on  a  somewliat  larger  scale,  at  Winchester,  Teiiii.,  in  1851.  But  the 
largest  and  most  thoroughly  endowed  Baptist  institution  for  females  is  Vassar  Col- 
lege, at  Poughkeepsie,  X.  Y.  It  was  founded  by  Matthew  Vassar.  in  1865,  at  a  cost 
of  $700,000.  He  excluded  sectarian  teaching,  but  put  it  under  liaptist  control,  for- 
bidding that  its  training  should  ever  be  '  intrusted  to  the  skeptical,  the  irreligious  or 
the  innnoral.'  Its  endowment  is  $-130,000,  and  it  exerts  a  great  influencre  on  the 
higher  education  of  women.  Its  presidents  have  been  John  li.  liaymund,  LL.U.  ; 
S.  L.  Caldwell,  D.D.  ;  J.  li.  Kendrick,  D.I).  ;  and  its  present  head,  James  M.  Tay- 
lor. D.I).,  son  of  the  late  Dr.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor. 

The  growth  of  a  distinctively  dcTiominational  literature  in  America  has  been 
closely  kindred  to  the  growth  of  the  denomination  aTid  of  its  schools  for  education. 
From  the  antecedents  oi  Baptist  European  life,  under  all  its  persecutions  and  disa- 
bilities, it  was  scarcely  to  be  expected  that  Baptists  would  take  any  vei-y  pmniinent 
part  in  literature  hero.  Still,  it  is  one  of  the  marvels  of  English  literary  history 
that  the  two  men  of  tlie  .seventeenth  century  whom  Macaulay  pronounces  '  creative 
minds  '  were  decided  Baptists  in  their  religious  convictions.  He  writes  :  '  We  are 
not  afraid  tn  sav  that  tliouirh  thci'e  were  many  clever  men  in  England  durina:  the 
latter  part  of  tiie  seventeenth  century,  there  were  only  two  great  creative  minds. 
One  of  these  produced  "  Paradise  Lost,"  and  the  other  "  Pilgrim's  Progi'css." '  Milton 
spent  his  strength  in  his  two  most  extensive  prose  works  in  proving  that  those 
principles  which  distinguish  the  Baptists  are  drawn  from  the  Scriptures  ;  while 
Bunyan  was  a  Baptist  preatiher,  imprisoned  for  pi-eaching  at  Baptist  conventicles. 
As  might  have  been  expected,  the  writings  of  Bajjtists,  both  in  the  Old  and  New 
World,  took  a  decidedly  controversial  tone.  Roger  Williams  possessed  high  literary 
art,  viewed  in  the  ponderous  style  of  his  day,  and  advocated  principles  which  are 
now  universally  conceded  in  tlic  United  States.  His  success  in  obtaining  the  charter, 
and  the  friendly  admonition  from  England  to  the  anthorities  of  Massachusetts  that 
they  should  be  less  severe  with  him,  are  justly  attributed  to  the  favorable  impres- 
sions as  to  his  purposes  and  spirit  created  in  England  by  his  writings,  especially 
those  in  regard  to  the  Indians.  The  occasion  for  the  composition  of  the  important 
woi'ks  by  which  he  is  best  known  was  furnished  by  the  principle  which  he  main- 
tained against  Mr.  Cotton.  Five  volumes,  of  which  the  'Bloody  Tenet'  is  the 
most  noted,  were  published  in  London  between  the  j'cars  1(U4  and  1052  ;  after  the 
death  of  Cotton,  Williams  ceased  to  write  npon  these  subjects.  But  tiie  battle 
which  he  fought  has  long  since  been  decidcil.  Despite  the  grudging  reluctance  of 
those  who  hate  his  memory  for  his  religious  ]irinci]des,  and  the  tard}'  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  great  power  by  those  who  hold  those  principles  themselves,  3-et  accu.se 
him  of  inconsistenc}'  in  their  maintenance,  the  fact  is  clear  that  the  tenets  for  which 
he  contended  so  manfully  against  Cotton  have  incorporated  themselves  into  all 
American  institutions. 

Clarke,  the  founder  of  Newport,  published  a  small  volume  on  the  persecutions 


880  AMEiiic.w  iiArrisr  i.irKiiA'nni:. 

in  Now  Enu'liuul,  but.  so  far  as  is  known,  tlic  lir^t  Jia])tist  tliooiocrical  work  jirintwl  in 
America  was  a  Catwliisni  liv  John  Watts,  of  Peiniepcc  Cluuvli,  in  1700.  The  next 
lu'ars  tlie  lollowini;-  title,  with  ati  address  to  tlie  reader,  dated  ■  I'ruvidence,  the  ITtli 
ol"  FeliriiaiT,  ITIs-r.':" 

'Ekply  to  tlic  I\rost  Principal  Arguments  contained  in  a  Book,  Entitled  "  Tin 
Bitpthm  of  the  Ilohj  Sp'tiit  wltliouf  'FJeriicntarij  Wnicr,  Dcinondixitivcly proved 
toll'  ihc  true  liaptmiiof  CItrhtP  Signed,  Williaui  Wmins/m.  In  which  Rkply 
his  ariinments  arc  fairly  Refuted  ;  and  i)oth  Watkk  ]>Ai'TiSMand  the  Lord's  SuppEii 
})laiiily  ])roved  to  he  the  coiiiinaiids  of  Jiosfs  C'iiuist,  and  to  continue  in  force  until 
His  Secotid  Persmial  Cniiiiiig.     J'>y  doneph  .leiikx.     Printed  in  the  year  ITl'.t.' 

Valentine  Wiulitiiiaii  ])tihli^hed  a  volume  un  I'laptisiii  in  1  T'iS.  which  was  the 
(iiitciiiiie  of  a  debate  cm  that  subject.  In  W'VK  a  'Concordance  to  the  Bible'  in  the 
WeisJi  laiiutiaije  Was  piilihshed  by  liev.  Abel  Morgan,  which  was  largely  used  in 
the  vicinity  of  I'hihideiithia..  The  historical  discourse  of  .lohii  Callender,  pastor  of 
tlie  Cliurcli  at  Newpdrt.  deli\i'i-ed  in  17;'>>'.  a  hundred  years  after  the  founding  (.)f 
that  eitv.  has  bec<inie  a  classic  autlicirity  ujioii  Providence  and  Rhode  Island  matters. 
Prol>al)ly  tlie  first  sermon  i)nblislied  by  a  Southern  i'.aptist  was  Isaac  Chaider'.s.  with 
the  title:  'The  Doctrines  of  (41orious  (irace  enforced,  defended,  and  practically 
improved.'  linston,  1744.  iia\ing  alreaily  spoken  of  the  writings  of  Abel  Jlorgan 
and  Samuel  Slillmrni.  it  is  not  necessary  to  mention  them  here.  The  iiistory  of  '  >«'ew 
Kngland  Paptists,'  by  Dr.  l!ack-us,  lias  become  a  standard,  anil  is  thoroughly  reliable 
in  its  general  treatment  of  facts.  Its  author  himself  had  been  actively  engaged 
in  the  advancement  of  religious  liberty,  and  especially  in  awakening  a  |)ublic  senti- 
ment to  be  expressed  in  legislation  against  the  privileges  and  inmiunities  accorded 
to  the  State  Church.  Since  its  first  puldication  it  lias  pa.ssed  through  a  number  of 
revisions  and  in  its  present  form  it  is  indisjiensable  to  a  full  and  true  hi.story  of 
New  Eiiii'land.  'i"ln'  works  of  Ixickus  and  Morgan  Edwards  were  used  largely 
bv  David  lienedict,  who  published  the  lirst  edition  of  his  -History  of  the  Baptksts ' 
in  1812,  a  work  which  he  eidarged  in  1S48  to  embrace  a  sketch  of  the  Baptists 
not  only  in  every  State  of  the  I^nion  but  in  all  parts  of  the  world.  This  book  has 
pas.sed  through  many  editions,  and  remains  a  noble  momiineiit  to  the  untiring  toil 
ami  patience  of   its  author. 

During  the  first  half  of  our  national  exi.stcnce  the  books  written  by  Baptists 
were,  for  the  m(»st  ])art,  intended  t<i  in.struct  Church  members  in  the  doctrines  and 
duties  of  Christianity.  The  authors  and  titles  of  a  few  of  them  may  be  mentioned. 
Dr.  Samuel  Joiu'S  wrote  a  '  Treatise  of  Discipline;'  Dr.  William  Rogers  published 
a  W(U-k  on  •  .lustilic.it  ion  ; '  Dr.  Jesse  Mercer,  on  'Various  Christian  Duties,'  and  on 
the  '  Unity  and  Inter-dependence  of  the  Churches.'  President  Maxcy  wrote  largely 
on  the  Atonement,  one  production  in  which  the  'govermnental '  theory  of  the 
Atonement  is  treated  of.  Dr.  Baldwin's  discourse  on  the  '  Deity  of  Christ,"  i)ub- 
lished  in  1812,  during  the  Unitarian  Controversy,  passed  through  many  editions,  as 


BAPTIST  PERIODICALS.  881 

did,  also.  Dr.  Judsoii's  SoriiKin  prcaclicd  in  Calcutta,  in  1812,  and  republished  in 
America  in  1817,  in  which  he  defended  his  course  in  becoming  a  Baptist.  Numer- 
ous tracts,  sermons  and  pamphlets,  have  been  published  on  Baptism  and  CommuTiion, 
and,  perhaps,  none  of  them  have  been  more  widely  circulated  or  useful  than  those 
of  the  late  Rev.  Stephen  Remington.  We  greatly  need  a  work  on  Baptist  Bib- 
liography, and  another  on  Baptist  hynmology. 

So  far  as  is  now  known,  the  first  Baptist  periodical  published  in  America  was 
the  'Analytical  Repository,'  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  by  Rev.  Henry  llolcombe,  then  pastor 
of  the  Church  there.  Its  first  issue  was  for  the  months  of  May  and  June,  1802,  and 
its  publication  is  said  to  have  continued  for  two  years,  though  the  second  volume  is 
not  known  to  be  extant.  The  first  volume  consists  of  six  numbers,  the  sixth  being 
for  March  and  April,  1803.  It  was  a  12mo,  each  number  containing  4-8  pages.  Its 
historic  value  lies  chiefly  in  its  account  of  the  general  proceedings  which  led  to  the 
organization  of  the  Georgia  Baptist  State  Convention;  in  its  detail  of  the  first  efforts 
toward  mitigating  the  hardship  of  the  Penal  Code,  petit  larceny  being  at  that  time 
a  capital  crime ;  in  an  account  of  the  Savannah  Female  Orphan  Asylum,  which  was 
established  by  Dr.  Holcombe,  and  still  exists ;  in  a  narrative  concerning  the  found- 
ing of  the  Baptist  Church  in  Savannah,  and  in  a  sketch  of  the  colored  Baptists  in 
that  city,  also  of  several  Churches  in  its  vicinity.  On  the  20th  of  May,  1802,  John 
Rice  was  executed  in  Savannah  for  stealing  !i  gun,  and  on  the  day  of  his  execution 
Dr.  Holcombe  took  his  children  to  his  own  house  to  cherish  and  comfort  them ;  he 
then  prepared  a  memorial  to  the  Legislature  of  Georgia,  and  procured  a  milder  and 
more  enlightened  system  of  jnmishment. 

Nothing  is  more  honorable  to  Dr.  Henry  Holcombe  Tucker,  the  grandson  of 
Dr.  Holcombe,  and  to  the  Georgia  Baptists,  than  their  protest  against  all  legal  disre- 
gard of  marital  relations  amongst  slaves.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Georgia  Associa- 
tion, held  at  Pine  Grove,  October  8th,  1SG1-,  Dr.  Tucker  offered  the  following 
resolution,  which  was  unanimously  adopted  first  by  that  body  and  afterward  l)y 
various  Associations  in  the  State : 

'  Besolved,  That  it  is  the  firm  belief  and  conviction  of  this  body  that  the  institu- 
tion of  marriage  was  ordained  by  Almighty  God  for  the  benefit  of  the  whole 
human  race,  withont  regard  to  color  ;  that  it  ought  to  be  maintained  in  its  original 
purity  among  all  classes  of  ]ieople,  in  all  countries  and  in  all  ages,  till  the  end  of 
time ;  and  that,  consequently,  the  law  of  Georgia,  in  its  failure  to  recognize  and 
protect  this  relationship  between  our  slaves,  is  essentially  defective  and  ought  to  be 
amended.' 

The  interest  awakened  in  foreign  missions  in  1814  naturally  found  expression 
in  the  establishment  of  a  periodical  to  maintain  and  foster  their  interests  by  spread- 
ing information  and  appeals.  The  first  missionary  periodical  published  by  the  Amer- 
ican Baptists  was  known  as  the  '  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,'  issued 
b}'  the  Massachusetts  Missionai-y  Society  in  September,  1803,  a  year  after  the  organ- 
ization of  the  society.  It  was  edited  by  Dr.  Baldwin,  first  as  a  semi-annual  of 
57 


882  iiM'Tisr  .\i:\yspAi'i:ii  /•//kss. 

tliii'ty-two  pai^'i's,  lilled  witli  IctttTs  and  j-cpm-ts  IVdin  missionaries.  In  1817  its 
nninl)ei-s  were  issued  uiiee  in  two  montlis,  and  in  1S2.")  it  was  chaiifred  to  a  inontiilv. 
and  has  since  been  conducted  in  the  interests  of  Foi'eign  Missions.  'Tlie  Mace- 
donian^ was  started  in  1842  for  tlie  ditTiision  of  Forei<;n  Mission  news.  In  184-9 
tlic  '  ilonic  .Mi»i(in  lu'cord  '  was  startc(l  to  ]ironiotr  liuiiic  ^Vlissions,  items  reiatinj:; 
to  tlie  subject  Jia\ing  before  aj)i)cai-ed  in  \ai'ions  reUyious  papers.  Its  name  was 
changed  to  tlie  '  Home  Evangelist'  in  18*13.  and  in  18(')7,  by  arrangement  witli 
the  Missionary  Union,  it  a|)peare(l  under  the  title.  '  The  Macedonian  anil  liecord." 
the  lirst  leaf  containing  Iiouk'  and  the  second  foreign  nii.--.-ionary  intelligence:  liul,  in 
1878,  the  'Baptist  Home  Mission  Monthly"  was  commenced,  a  quarto  of  si.xteeu 
pages  which  has  since  been  enlarged  to  twenty-four,  and  it  now  I'eports  the  work 
of  the  "Woman's  Home  Mission  Soeieties.  The  following  newspapers  are  mentioned 
aflef  the  dates  of  their  establishment  : 

The  oldest  Ba])tist  weekly  in  America  is  'The  Watchman."  of  Boston,  estab- 
lished in  181!>,  with  the  title,  the  '  Christian  Watchman,"  and  edited  by  Deacon 
James  Loring.  The  (juestion  eif  shivei'v  becoming  a  subject  nf  warm  discussion,  the 
'Christian  JJeHector*  was  begun  at  A\"(jrcester,  Mass.,  eilited  by  Rev.  Cyrus  P. 
Grosvenor.  This  |)apei'  was  i-enioved  to  liostoii  in  1S-I4.  undei'  the  editorship  of 
Hev.  II.  A.  (iraves,  where  it  obtained  a  large  circulation  :  but,  .Mr.  Craves's  liealth 
failing,  Rev.  .1.  AV.  Olmstead  became  its  editor,  March,  184(1,  and  in  1S4S  the  two 
pajwrs  were  unitt'd,  under  the  name.  'Tlie  Watcliman  and  Reflector,"  Dr.  Olmstead 
remaining  as  editoi'.  The  '  Christian  Kra  "  was  commenced  in  I.dWell  in  1852,  but 
was  removed  to  Boston  after  several  yeai-s,  and  conducted  l)y  Dr.  Amos  Webster, 
and  was  merged  into 'The  Watchman  and  Reflector'  in  1875,  when  the  name  of  the 
united  papers  became 'The  Watchman.'  Dr.  Olmstead  resided  in  \ew  York  for  a 
slioi't  time,  but  returned  as  editor-in-chief  of  '  The  Watchman  '  in  1882,  and  now 
ranks  as  the  senior  Baptist  editor  in  the  country,  having  conducted  this  paper,  with 
a  brief  interval,  for  more  than  forty  years.  The  influence  of  tliis  journal  is  very 
healthful  and  deservedly  wide-sjiread  in  New  Enffland. 

The  Connecticut  Baptist  Missionary  Soeiety  started  the  '  Chkisttan  Skcijktary  ' 
in  1822,  with  Elislia  Cushnian  as  editor.  A  succession  of  editors  conducted  it  until 
1858,  wlien  Elislia  Cushnian,  Jr.,  assumed  charge,  continuing  it  till  his  death  in 
1876.  Then  tt.  D.  Bhelps,  D.D.,  who  had  tilled  tlie  pastorate  of  the  First  Bajitist 
Church  at  New  Haven,  under  the  shadow  of  Yale  College,  for  thirty  years,  became 
its  editor,  and  has  done  a  most  forceful  work  in  making  it  an  indispensable  exponent 
of  the  princi]iles  and  jirogress  of  the  Connecticut  Baptists. 

The  'CnuTsriAX  Index,'  now  published  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  had  its  origin  in  the 
'Columbian  Star,'  a  weeklj-  folio  sheet,  originated  at  Washington,  T).  C.  about  the 
year  1822,  by  Luther  Rice,  assisted  by  Dr.  Staughton  and  O.  B.  Brown;  it  was  de- 
voted principally  to  tlie  advocacy  of  foreign  missions  and  education  through  the  Col- 
ombian College.     It  appears  to  have  been  first  edited  by  John  S.  Meehan,  assisted  by 


INDEX.— HERALD.— '/AON' S  ADVOCATE.  883 

the  gentleiiien  already  named,  ilr.  Brown  ediriiiir  in  the  sanir  office  a  nioiitldv  called 
the  '  Latter-Da}'  Lnminary.'  Afterwards,  rlic  CLlel)ratcd  I'rol'ussijr  .1.  1).  Ivnowles, 
then  a  student  in  AV^ashington,  became  its  editor,  and  was  succeeded  ity  Baron 
Stow,  then  a  student  also.  About  the  years  1826-28  it  was  removed  to  riiiladel- 
phia,  put  under  the  management  of  Dr.  W.  T.  Erantly,  and  issued  as  a  quarto,  under 
the  n:iiiie  of  •  The  C'uhnnbian  Star  and  Christian  Index.'  Late  in  18;V2  or  early  in 
is;;;!  it  became  the  property  of  Jesse  Mercer,  who  removed  it  to  Georgia  and 
edited  it  till  1840,  when  he  presented  it  to  the  Baptist  Convention  of  that  State. 
William  H.  Stokes,  who  had  assisted  him,  became  editor-in-chief  and  remained  in 
tlie  chair  till  1843,  when  he  was  followed  by  Dr.  J.  S.  Baker  till  1849.  He  had  sev- 
eral successors,  and  Eev.  Joseph  Walker  took  charge  in  1857.  Under  his  careful 
toil  it  rose  from  about  1,000  paying  subscribers  to  nearly  6,000,  and  yielded  §1,000 
annually  above  its  expenses.  In  ISGI  it  was  sold  to  Rev.  S.  Boykin,  and  Dr.  Shaver 
conducted  it  from  1867  to  1874.  Then  Rev.  Dr.  E.  Butler  became  its  editor,  serving 
until  1878,  when  Dr.  Tucker,  its  present  learned  chief,  took  the  editorial  chair.  As 
a  Baptist  organ,  it  has  always  been  unflinching  in  its  maintenance  of  Baptist  doctrine 
and  practice.  It  retains  the  flavor  imparted  to  it  by  Knowles,  Brantly  and  Mercer, 
and  is  conducted  with  as  much  ability  as  it  has  commanded  at  any  time  in  its  hoary 
history  of  four-aud-sixty  years. 

The  '  Religious  Herald,'  of  Richmond,  Va.,  was  established  by  William  Sands, 
a  layman  and  an  expert  printer,  in  1828.  Like  most  other  things  that  become  of 
any  account,  it  began  its  life  in  the  day  of  small  things.  Mr.  Sands  lived  in  Balti- 
more, and,  on  the  suggestion  of  William  Crane,  went  to  Richmond  to  establish  a 
Baptist  paper,  aided  by  money  furnished  by  Mr.  Crane.  For  several  years  Mr.  Sands 
was  printer  and  financial  manager,  with  Rev.  Henry  Keeling  for  editor,  but  tlie 
struggle  to  establish  the  journal  was  severe.  Dr.  Shaver  put  his  strong  hand  to  the 
enterprise  in  1857.  and  the  paper  soon  took  that  high  position  amongst  religious 
periodicals  which  it  has  sustained  ever  since.  William  Sands  died  in  1868,  lamented 
as  a  most  devout  Christian,  possessed  of  the  soundest  judgment,  and  beloved  by  all 
who  knew  him  for  his  amiable  disposition.  The  establishment  of  Sands  and  Shaver 
was  consumed  by  fire  in  1865,  and  they  sold  the  'good  will'  of  the  paper  to  Messrs. 
Jeter  and  Dickinson.  Dr.  Jeter  devoted  fourteen  of  the  ripest  years  of  his  life  to  its 
up-building,  and  not  in  vain.  He  has  left  a  hallowed  influence  about  its  very  name, 
and,  under  its  present  energetic  management,  its  weekly  blessings  help  to  make 
bright  homes  for  thousands  of  Christian  families,  North  and  South. 

'Zion's  Advocate,'  published  at  Portland,  Me.,  was  begun  in  1828  with  Rev. 
Adam  Wilson  as  editor,  who  held  this  relation  to  it  until  1848,  with  a  short  interval. 
Afterwards  it  was  edited  by  various  men  of  large  capacity,  amongst  whom  were  Dr. 
W.  H.  Shailer.  In  1873  the  paper  was  purchased  by  Rev.  Henry  S.  Burrage,  its 
present  editor,  under  whose  direction  its  reputation  and  influence  have  been  greatly 
enlarged.     It  has  also  been  changed  by  him  to  its  present  enlarged  size,  and  kept 


884  nino.   KKNTUCKY,    TENNESSEE  .inVHXALS. 

ahi'ciist  of  tliL'  (li'iiiMiids  ul'  llic  tiiiu's.  luit  only  in  the  advociicy  of  uur  (Iciiominational 
pi'iiuuples  and  jjractifes,  Imt  in  awakunini;-  new  entliu.siasni  in  tlu;  c^mse  uf  education 
anioiiLCst  oiif  Clnirclies  in  MaiiU'.  The  xmnd  jud<j;;nient  and  cai'efui  sdiolartiliip  with 
wliicli  it  i^  conducted  rendei'  it  wortliy  of  its  hiifh  |)lace  in  our  periodical  press. 

The  'JdCiiXAi,  AND  MicssEMiKii,'  pnl)lisl]cd  at  ( 'incinnati,  <  >.,  orij^dnated  in  the 
'Uaptist  \\'ecd<lv  .lournal  "  of  the  Mississippi  N'alley,  in  1S;'1.  In  1834  the  '  Cross,' 
a  J)a])tist  paper  of  Kentucky,  was  united  witli  it,  and  seven  years  later  it  was  removed 
to  ('olund)us,  ( >..  with  .Messrs.  Cole,  Randall  and  IJatchcloi-  as  editors.  The  "Chris- 
tian Messeuiier  "  was  united  with  it  in  [Sh^K  under  the  name  of  the  •.loui-nal  and 
^les.seiiiiei'.'  It  then  ehanned  owners  and  editoi's  several  tinies.  until  it  was  purciiased, 
in  187<'>,  hy  (i.  W.  I>ashei',  D.l)..  hy  whom  it  has  heen  edited  since  in  a  vi<«'oi-ous 
manner;   its  circulation  has  hecome  hii-u'e,  and  it  well  cultivates  its  important  li('ld. 

"Tui-:  Wkstku.n  liKcoKiu;];.'  N'arious  •,ittem]>ts  were  made  to  estahlish  a  Bap- 
tist ])a])er  in  Kentucky,  hut  failed  until  the  ■  Kaptist  Kanner"  (U'iLiiuated  at  Shelliy- 
ville  in  1835.  At  that  tinu'  it  was  a  lortniji'litly  ;  hut  in  1835  liev.  .lohn  X.  Waller 
hecame  its  editor.  wln'U  it  was  rt'mo\ed  to  Louisville  and  issued  as  a  weekly.  Soon 
it  was  united  with  the  'baptist,'  whicli  was  puhlished  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  and  with 
the  'Western  l'i<ineer,'  of  Illinois,  heeomiiii;-  the  •  liajitist  iianner  and  \\'estern 
I'ioueer.'  In  1^41  Mr.  Waller  ceased  to  be  its  editor,  and  was  succeeded  by  liev. 
W.  C.  i!uck  ;  hut  in  ls5()  Mr.  Waller  returned  to  the  paper,  aided  by  Rev.  S.  11. 
Ford,  and  in  ls5  1  its  nanu'  was  chanired  to  the  '  Western  Reeoi-dei-.'  Dr.  Waller 
died  in  1^54,  and  Mr.  l''ord  became  its  sole  editor  and  proprietor;  but.  after  a  time, 
it  passed  into  other  hands  until  1S5S.  Duriui;-  a  part  of  the  civil  war  its  issue  was 
suspended,  hut  it  was  resumed  in  l.s*;;!,  when  it  was  owned  and  edited  by  various 
persons  till  about  187;2 ;  then  A.  C.  Ca])ertt)n,  D.L).,  became  its  sole  owner  and 
editor.  It  liad  nev^T  fully  paid  its  way  until  that  time,  but  he  chauijed  its  form 
from  a  ipiarto  to  an  octavo,  and  eidari;'ed  its  size  about  one  third.  He  also  employed 
paid  conti'ibutors  and  a  Held  editor,  and  it  steadily  irrew  in  power,  poj)ularity  and 
financial  value,  until  it  is  now  rei^ai'ded  as  one  of  the  leadiui;-  journals  of  the  South. 

'  The  Tennessee  Bap  risT  ■  was  established  umlei'  the  name  'The  Baptist,'  at 
Nashville,  Tenn.,  in  the  year  ls;'.5  ;  two  or  three  years  after  that  it  was  consolidated 
with  the  'Western  Raptist  and  Pioneer.'  and  was  edited  by  the  late  Dr.  TTowell  and 
others;  but  its  circulation  barely  cre])t  up  to  l.oiM)  eoi)ies  until,  in  lS4li,  it  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Dr.  .1.  R.  Graves,  its  ])resent  editor.  It  then  assumed  its  present 
name.  and.  under  his  persevering  and  enei'yetic  manauenient,  its  circulation  increased 
rapidly  and  became  ver^'  large.  During  the  ci\dl  war  its  publication  was  sus])ended. 
At  its  close  the  paper  was  removed  to  Memphis,  the  word  'Tennessee'  dropped 
from  its  name,  and  its  circulation,  as  a  qiuirto  of  si.xteen  ]iages,  has  again  readied  a 
high  figure.  Dr.  (rraves  is  endowed  with  marked  (jualitications  for  an  editor. 
As  a  writer  and  speaker  he  is  remarkably  direct  and  copious,  like  all  men  in  down- 
right earnest,  infusing  his  spirit  and   principles  into   the   minds  of   his  constant 


NEW   YORK  BAPTIST  JOURNALS.  883 

readei-s  and  hearers.  Eestless  and  ay;gi-L'Ssivt',  his  pen  is  ever  busy,  not  only  as 
an  editor,  leaving  his  own  stamp  upon  his  pajjer,  hut  as  an  author  his  works 
teem  from  the  press  perpetually  in  the  form  of  books  and  pamphlets.  His  life 
has  been  devoted  with  (luenchless  zeal  to  the  cause  of  higher  education,  and  the 
literature  of  the  Southern  Baptist  Sunday-School  ITnion  and  I'uKlication  Society 
has  been  built  up  chietly  under  his  untiring  labors.  In  tiif  Sdutli  and  South-west 
the  '  Baptist '  is  an  indisputable  power  in  the  advocacy  of  llie  most  pronounced  Bap- 
tist principles  and  practices.  After  the  war  its  publishing-house  was  burned,  and  its 
assets,  to  the  amount  of  !? I Oo,uuo,  destroyed,  yet,  without  a  dollar  to  begin  with, 
Dr.  Graves  re-estalilislu'd  his  paper  at  Memphis.  He  has  been  its  vigorous  editor 
in  an  unbroken  connection  for  forty  years,  and  stands  at  his  post,  at  nearly  three- 
score-and-ten,  the  unfaltering  advocate  of  the  old  landmarks  of  Baptist  life,  decided 
and  distinct  in  all  its  denominational  trends  and  interests. 

'  The  E.xaminer,'  a  New  York  Uaptist  weekly,  has  probably  the  largest  circu- 
lation of  any  Baptist  paper  in  the  world,  and  has  a  most  interesting  histor}'.  The 
'Baptist  Advocate'  was  commenced  in  1S39,  by  the  late  AV^illiam  H.  Wyckoff, 
LL.D.,  who  remained  its  editor  till  1845,  when  it  changed  ownership  and  name, 
beinir  called  the  'New  York  liecorder.'  In  1850  Dr.  JM.  B.  Anderson  became  its 
owner  and  editor,  and  I'cmained  so  till  1853.  It  was  consolidated  in  1855  with  the 
'  Baptist  Register,'  a  weekly  then  published  at  Utica,  N.  Y.  As  far  back  as  1808, 
Daniel  Hascall,  John  Lawton  and  John  Peck  commenced  the  'Western  Baptist 
Magazine  '  in  Central  New  York,  as  an  organ  of  the  Hamilton  Missionary  Society  ; 
this  again  was  merged  into  the  '  Baptist  Register,'  and,  in  1825,  Alexander  M. 
Beebee,  LL.D..  a  gentleman  of  genuine  ability,  high  literary  taste  and  the  soundest 
of  judgment,  became  its  editor.  Under  his  wisdom  and  management  it  soon  attained 
a  large  circulation  and  influence,  and  he  remained  editor  almost  to  the  time  of  his 
death,  in  1856.  Only  in  tlie  previous  year  the  'Register'  liad  been  combined  witli 
the  'Recorder,'  with  the  further  change  of  name  to  the  '  E.xaminer,'  under  the  edit- 
orship of  Edward  Bright,  D.D.,  who  had  for  some  years  been  the  Corresponding 
Secretary  of  the  Missionary  ITnion,  and  for  a  longer  period  one  of  the  publishers 
of  the  '  Baptist  Register.'  In  1850  the  '  New  York  Chronicle  '  was  connnenced  by 
Messrs.  O.  B.  Judd  and  Hon.  William  B.  Maclay.  It  soon  attained  a  wide  influence. 
In  1857  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  Pliarcellus  Church,  D.D.,  who  continued  its 
editor  till  1865.  when  it  was  united  with  the  'Examiner'  under  the  name  of  the 
'  Examiner  and  Chronicle '  ;  but  recently  the  older  title  has  been  resumed,  and  it  is 
now  known  simply  as  '  The  Examiner.'  Dr.  Bright  has  edited  it  for  more  than  a 
generation  with  very  marked  ability  and  success,  and  has  made  it  one  of  the  most 
influential  religious  organs  in  our  country. 

'The  Baptist  Weekly,'  published  in  New  York,  was  formerly  the  organ  of 
the  Free  Mission  Society,  which  was  organized  in  1840.  It  was  first  known  as  the 
'American  Baptist,'  and  was  edited  by  Rev.  Warham  Walker.     The  '  Christian  Con- 


888  M I (11  Kt AN.  — ILLINOIS.— FENN8TLVANTA   JOURNALS. 

tributor'  ;uid  the  'Western  Cliristian  '  were  merged  into  this  paper,  which  was 
located  at  I'tica  until  1857,  and  after  its  renjoval  to  New  York  it  was  edited  by  the 
late  Dr.  Nathan  Brown,  niissicjnary  lirst  to  Assam  and  liien  to  Ja|)an.  I)i-.  A.  S. 
Patton  iK'C'aniu  its  owner  and  editor  in  1872,  and  still  mana,i;-es  all  its  interests.  From 
that  time  until  recently  Dr.  Middleditch  acted  as  associate  editor,  but  has  now  retired 
to  ftnind  a  new  journal,  a  monthly,  known  as  the  '  (iosi)el  xVii'e.'  The  '  Weekly  '  has 
a  large  circulation,  and  is  charactci-izcd  tni'  its  kind  >pi]-il  and  lirm  maintenance  of 
all  that  concerns  the  advanci'uuMit  of  true  Haj)tist  interests  in  the  world. 

'  The  IVriciiioAN  CiikistiaiN  IIkkai.o.'  nf  Detroit,  was  established  by  the  Uap- 
tist  Ciinvention  i>f  Michigan,  in  1842.  At  lirst  it  was  a  monthly,  then  a  semi- 
monthl\-,  lint  in  IS),')  it  became  a  weekly.  Some  years  after,  the  Convention  sold  it 
to  licv.  .Marvin  Allen,  when  it  was  editeil  by  Rev.  Miles  Sanford  and  others  till  18(51. 
Then  it  fell  uiuler  the  editorial  direction  of  Di-.  Ohu'y.  who  more  than  maintained  its 
liigh  literary  character;  but  seeing  that  it  was  publislied  at  a  iiiumcial  loss,  it  was  sold 
to  the  pro]>rietors  of  the  'Cliristian  Times  and  Witness,'  of  Illinois,  in  1S(J7.  The 
Michigan  Itnptists,  however,  so  felt  the  need  of  a  State  pajier  that  the  present  pro- 
prietor of  the 'Christian  Herald,'  liev.  L.  11.  Trowbridge,  began  its  publication  in 
1S7(',  in  the  interests  of  educational  woik,  chietly  through  Kalamazoo  College.  So 
healthy  was  its  influence  that  the  State  Convention  adopted  it  as  its  official  organ, 
and  it  has  ln'coine  indispen.-iable  to  the  sujiport  of  deiionnnational  fnterpri>e  in  the 
State.  It  is  conducted  with  great  care  and  ability,  and  circulates  laigely  among8t 
the  ;jO,f)()0  r.aptists  of  Michigan. 

'Thk  Standakd,'  of  Chicago,  Til.,  dates  from  August  31,  185;!.  It  was  started 
as  a  new  jiaper  by  a  coiumittee  of  the  Fox  Iliver  Uaptist  Association,  of  which  IJev. 
J.  C.  lUirroughs  was  chairman,  under  the  name  of  'The  Christian  Times,'  and  was 
the  successor  of  the  '  Watchman  of  the  Prairies.'  The  following  Xoveniber,  Kev. 
Leroy  Church  and  Rev.  Justin  A.  Smith  assumed  the  control  of  the  iiajjei',  and 
about  three  years  later  Edward  Goodman,  who  had  been  connected  with  it  from  its 
inception,  became  one  of  the  })roprietors.  In  January,  1S75,  Dr.  J.  S.  Dickerson 
purchased  the  interest  of  Rev.  Leroy  Church.  When  Dr.  Dickerson  died,  in  1870, 
Mrs.  Dickerson,  with  her  son,  J.  Spencer  Dickerson,  continued  his  interest  in  the 
paper.  The  circulation  of  the  'Standard'  is  large  and  its  character  very  high;  the 
rank  which  it  sustains  being  all  the  testimonial  needed  by  its  managers  to  their  enter- 
prise and  the  manly  maintenance  of  their  religious  convictions. 

'The  National  Baptist.'  Toward  the  close  of  1864  our  Churches  in  Phila- 
del])hia  and  its  vicinity  felt  the  need  of  a  welhsustained  paper  to  sustain  denomina- 
tional interests,  especially  in  Pennsyh-ania  and  New  Jersey.  The  sum  of  S17,<Hi(i 
was  presented  to  the  Baptist  Publication  Society  for  that  purpose,  and  the  first 
number  was  issued  January  1st,  1865,  under  the  editorial  supervision  of  George  W. 
Anderson,  D.D.  For  three  years  Dr.  Kendall  Brooks  acted  as  editor,  but,  becoming 
President  of  Kalamazoo  College,  Dr.  Moss  served  as  its  editor  until  choseii  jn-o- 


CHRlsrrAN  REVIEW. ^BAPTIST   QUARTEHl-Y.  887 

fessor  in  Crozer  Theological  Seiuiuary.  Ur.  11.  L.  Waylaud,  the  present  editor, 
took  fluirge  of  the  paper  in  1872,  and  in  1SS3  it  became  his  property.  Its  editorial 
department  has  always  been  in  able  hands,  and  as  a  weekly  paper  it  has  become  a 
power  in  the  denoniinatii)ii,  its  ])resent  cinnilatioii  being  greatly  in  excess  of  that  at 
any  previous  period  in  its  histdry.  Dr.  \\';iylan(l  leaves  the  marks  of  a  clear  and 
powerful  mind  upon  its  columns,  and  conducts  it  in  that  spirit  f)f  open  fairness 
which  challenges  the  admiration  of  his  brethren,  who  uniforndy  I'cjoice  in  his  edi- 
torial success. 

The  '  CuKiSTiAN  Eevii:w,'  a  (puirterly,  was  commenced  in  1S.3(!,  with  Prof. 
Kiiowles  as  its  first  editor,  but  his  sudden  death  in  that  year  transferred  his  posi- 
tion to  Dr.  Earnas  Sears,  who  brought  it  to  the  close  of  vol.  vi.  Dr.  S.  F.  Smith 
then  edited  it  to  the  close  of  vol.  xiii,  and  licv.  E.  Ct.  Sears  edited  vol.  xiv.  Drs. 
Cutting,  Turnbull,  Murdoch,  Woolsey,  Franklin  Wilson,  (i.  P..  Taylor  and  E.  (4. 
Robinson,  carried  it  to  the  end  of  vol.  xxviii,  in  18C3,  at  which  time  its  publication 
terminated.  In  1867  the  Baptist  Eublication  Society  began  the  issue  of  the  '  Baptist 
Quarterly,'  with  Dr.  L.  E.  Smith  as  editor-in-chief,  and  Drs.  Ilovey,  Robinson,  Arnold 
and  Gregory  as  associates.  At  the  end  of  vol.  ii.  Dr.  Wesfon  took  the  editorial  chair, 
and  eight  volumes  were  issued,  when  its  publication  was  discontinued.  Dr.  Baumes, 
of  Cincinnati,  began  the  publication  of  the  '  Baptist  Review,'  a  quarterly,  in  1878, 
Init  sold  it  in  1885,  when  its  name  was  changed  to  the  '  Baptist  Qt-vkteelt,'  and 
it  is  now  under  the  editorial  control  of  Dr.  McArthur  and  Henry  C.  Vedder,  Esq., 
New  York.  ]\Iany  of  the  successive  editors  named  performed  their  duties  with 
remarkable  ability,  and  won  for  the  '  Review '  a  recognition  in  the  religious  litera- 
ture of  the  land.  The  contributors,  also,  were  amongst  the  best  scholars  and 
thinkers  of  America,  but  our  Churches  had  not  reached  an  appreciation  of  its 
learned  discussions  and  withheld  their  support.  The  present  editors  of  the  'Quar- 
terly '  have  somewhat  popularized  the  character  of  the  articles,  and  it  bids  fair 
to  maintain  its  existence.  The  number  of  educated  and  scholarly  persons  in  our 
Churches  is  constantly  increasing,  and  the  best  thought  of  the  finest  minds  in  them 
is  likely-  to  receive  generous  encouragement  in  such  a  desirable  enterprise. 

Besides  the  literary  works  which  have  been  so  abundantly  mentioned  in  this  work, 
in  association  with  the  many  eminent  Baptists  treated  of  therein,  it  may  be  well  to 
mention  a  few  others  which  have  done  honor  to  their  authors.  Amongst  an  immense 
list  we  have  Prof.  Ripley  on  the  Gospels,  the  Acts  and  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews; 
Dr.  Malcom's  '  Dictionary  of  Names,  Objects  and  Terms  found  in  the  Holy  Script- 
ures ; '  '  Christ  in  History,'  by  Dr.  Turidjull ;  the  '  Creative  "Week,'  the  •  Epiphanies 
of  the  Risen  Lord,'  and  the  •  Mountain  Instruction,'  by  Dr.  Boardman.  On  Bap- 
tism, we  have  the  'Act  of  Baptism,'  by  Dr.  Burrage  ;  'The  Mould  of  Doctrine,' 
by  Dr.  Jesse  B.  Thomas;  'Baptism  in  the  Christian  System,'  by  Dr.  Tucker;  and 
the  great  work  of  Dr.  Couant,  on  '  Baptizein.'  On  missions  we  have  Dr.  Gammell's 
'History,'    Dr.   Edward    Judson's    life  of    his  father,    and   the   'Story   of   Baptist 


888  BAPTIST  /'l/U./CATIOy  SOCIETY. 

Missioiif;,'  hy  Ivov.  (i.  W.  Ilervfy.  TIk:  Baptist  press  aliouiids  in  biographies  of  the 
great  and  tlie  good,  and  in  general  literature.  Several  volumes  liave  eonie  fVoni  the 
pen  of  Dr.  Mathews;  Alii-aliani  ]\Iills  has  given  us  his  great  work  on  'English 
Literature  ami  hiteraiw  Mm;"  .Mr.  Hill  and  Mr.  Uaiicrdft  have  gi\  en  us  valuable 
Works  on  rheturic  \)y>.  Kcndiick,  .).  L.  l.ineoln,  Albert  llarkness  and  .1.  \l. 
Boise,  have  published  editinns  of  the  Latin  and  (-ii'eek  classics,  which  have  been 
e.xtensivclv  used  in  schools  and  colleges.  I)r.  .1.  K.  Looniis  is  the  author  of  a  series 
of  Te.xt  liooks  on  Cieologw  .\natoiny,  and  l'li\  >iol(ii;y  ;  and  Dl'.  Edward  (Jlnev.  of 
;i  complete  series  of  matheniatical  textbooks.  Jn  language,  Dr.  llackett  has  ti'ans- 
lated  Winer's  '  Chaldee  (ii'aniniar,'  and  1  )i-.  (Jonant"s  edition  of  'Cieseniu.s's  Hebrew 
Graniniai- '  is  the  standard  authority  in  the  schools  ()f  America  and  Euroj)e.  This 
list  ndgbt  l)e  doubled  in  length  as  an  exhibition  (jf  litei-ary  activity  of  which  we 
may  be  proud  when  we  lake  into  accotint  tbat  all  these  authors  have  been  toilers 
either  in  the  professor's  chair  or  the  pulpit,  so  that  the  ordiuiiry  duties  of  lift;  were 
liiborious  if  not  exhausting;  yet,  out  of  their  .--ound  disci])line,  clear  insight  and 
goo(l  taste,  they  iiave  been  able  to  enrich  almost  every  department  of  learning. 

Besides  this,  an  immetise  pojuilar  and  <dieap  literature  has  lieeii  created  on 
special  denominational  foi)ics,  in  the  shaj)e  of  tracts,  pamphlets  and  small  books,  by 
the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society.  Tweiity-tive  Bapti.sts  met  in  Wash- 
ingtoti,  1).  ('.,  on  the  'inth  of  Keliriiary,  iS^-f,  to  consider  the  need  of  a  tract  society 
for  the  American  l'>a|itists.  lu'v.  Noah  Havis  ])i-oposed  that  such  a  society  shoidd 
be  tVirmed,  which  idea  was  zealously  favoreci  by  Messrs.  Knowles,  Staughton  and 
Rice,  and  the  botly  was  oigamV.ed  at  oiu-e.  Its  rec,ei])ts  for  the  first  year  wi're  but 
$373  SO,  with  which  it  issued  <i'.i«!,0(iO  ]iages  of  tracts.  Two  years  later  its  head- 
quarters wen."  removi'd  to  Philadelphia,  whert'  it  began  to  issue  Ijound  volumes.  In 
1840  it  commenced  to  employ  colporteurs  to  circnilate  its  publications  and  to  perform 
itinerant  missionary  work  in  destitute  regions,  and  the  name  of  the  society  was 
changed  in  1845  to  its  present  form.  It  undertook  Sunday-school  missionary  work 
in  1867,  so  that  !>esides  serving  as  a  [)ublisliing  house  it  ])reacbes  tlie  CTOSj)el  froir^ 
house  to  house  by  colporteurs,  supplies  families  by  gift  or  sale  with  Bibles  anci 
Baptist  literature,  and  fosters  the  formation  and  aid  of  Sunday-schools.  By  a  law 
of  its  own,  a  Siuiday-school  planted  in  a  destitute  region  soon  gives  the  nticleus  of 
a  Church,  ami  a  new  literature  adajited  to  voutli,  having  this  aim  iti  view,  ha>  made 
its  appearance.  The  '  Young  Reaper,"  connnenced  in  lSo6,  reported  a  circulatiiui 
for  1884-85  of  2,til (5,304  copies,  and  of  the  '  Bible  Lesson  ]\Ionthly,'  in  weekly 
parts,  5,448,000  eoi)ies.  Within  foin-  years  900,000  coi)ies  tif  a  popular  Sunday- 
school  song  book  were  sold  in  the  schools.  A  fair  conception  of  the  intfuence  of 
the  Society  on  the  interest  of  Sunday-schools  may  be  obtained,  when  it  is  stated, 
that  in  the  current  year  for  the  Society's  o])er;itions  for  1884-85,  5.284,000  copies  of 
Bible  Lessons  and  1,040,000  Advanced  C,)uarterlies  were  sold,  devoted  to  the  exposi- 
tion of  the  Bible  Lesson  for  the  Sabbatl].     These,  besides  an  endless  number  of  bounQ 


REVIVALS   OF  RELIGION.  889 

volumes,  for  lil)i:u'y  and  giftbouks  in  tlie  schools,  ])resent  some  idea  of  this  new  lit- 
erature created  by  the  American  Jjaptists  within  a  score  of  years. 

The  many  notable  things  which  have  been  sj)oken  of  in  the  rapid  growth  of 
the  Denomination  might  be  supplemented  by  many  others,  but  only  two  can  be 
named:  the  endowment  of  our  ('hurches  with  mai'vrloiis  l.i\c  Ini-  the  sahation 
of  men,  and  their  zeal  in  promoting  general  revivals  of  religion  ;  together  with 
the  new  feeling  of  appreciation  toward  them  by  their  brethren  of  other  Chris- 
tian denominations.  In  the  South  and  South-west  there  were  niauv  in  the  earlv 
part  of  this  eeutury  who  were  too  creed-bound,  in  all  that  related  to  the  divine 
purposes  and  decrees,  to  labor  tor  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  con- 
version of  multitudes  of  sinners.  Indeed,  in  North  Carolina,  some  of  the  earlv 
Baptists  were  actually  infected  with  the  superstition  of  T'aptismal  Ifegenera- 
tion.  W'iieu  they  were  first  visited  by  Gano,  Miller  and  \'anhorn,  they  con- 
fessed to  those  men  that  they  had  been  immei'sed  without  faith,  believing  that  this 
•would  save  them  ;  and  some  of  their  pastors  confessed  that  they  themselves  were 
not  converted,  but  were  so  anxious  to  bajjtize  others  that  Eurkitt  aiul  Read  say,  in 
the  'History  of  the  Kehukee  Association.'  that  they  often  baptized  their  candidates 
by  tire-light  in  the  night,  lest  they  should  change  their  minds  before  morning.  This 
state  of  things  gave  rise  to  that  Antinomianism  which  blighted  many  of  the  South- 
ern Churches  for  a  time,  till  the  moi'e  intelligent  and  evangelical  shook  off  this 
bondage,  and  began  to  use  the  truths  and  measures  set  forth  by  Whitefield  with  such 
blessed  results  that  they  reaped  rich  harvests  for  Christ,  especially  in  Virginia, 
Georgia  and  Kentucky  ;  the  North  soon  caught  the  same  spirit. 

About  1830  a  general  awakening  was  seen  in  our  Churches,  and  wiiat  were  called 
'two  days'  meetings '  began  to  be  held,  to  pray  and  labor  foi-  the  conversion  of  sin- 
ners. These  were  so  marked  in  their  eiiects  that  the  time  was  pi'olonged  to  four 
days,  and  last  of  all  to  'protracted  meetings,'  without  regard  to  length  of  time. 
Then  the  system  of  modern  evangelical  labor  was  introduced,  as  some  pastors  left 
their  pastorates  to  go  from  Church  to  Church,  helping  other  pastors.  Amongst  the 
first  of  these  was  the  Rev.  Jacob  Knapp,  who  resigned  his  pastoral  duties  at  Water- 
town,  N.  Y.,  and  devoted  himself  to  that  form  of  labor  for  more  than  forty  years. 
Ills  educational  advantages  had  been  light,  but  his  mind  was  strong  and  his  doctrines 
sound,  enforced  by  an  uncommon  knowledge  of  Scripture.  His  statements  of  ti'uth 
were  devoid  of  all  attempt  at  rhetorical  finish,  but  he  was  unusually  fervent  and 
fluent.  His  mind  was  marked  by  strong  logical  tendencies  and  his  sermons  were 
full  of  homely  illu.strations,  apt  passages  from  the  Bible,  and  close  knowledge  of 
human  nature.  In  person  he  was  short,  squarely  and  stoutly  built,  his  voice  was 
deeply  sepulchral  and  his  manner  self-possessed ;  he  was  full  of  e.xjjedient  and  his  will 
was  indonutable.  Crowds  followed  him,  whole  communities  were  moved  by  his 
labors  and  great  numbers  were  added  to  the  Churches.  Dr.  Reuben  Jeffery  edited 
his  sermons  and  Autobiography,  which  were  published   in   1S6S,  and  gave  a  lively 


890  CONVERSION   OF    YOITH. 

l)icture  of  liis  style  and  labors.  Mr.  Knapp  says  that  he  kept  an  account  of  the  nuin- 
bei'  converted  under  his  ministry  for  the  first  twenty  years'  work  as  an  evangelist,  but 
gave  up  tiie  attempt  after  the  count  reached  100, UOO.  Of  course,  he  met  with  much 
opposition,  and  uftt'ii  iic  was  chained  vvitli  a  love  of  niuncy  ;  but  be  says  that,  aside 
from  bis  travelini^  expenses,  he  received  from  the  (.'hurcbes  only  about  ^500  jier 
annum.  Tlic  writer  beard  him  preach  many  times,  and  judged  him,  as  be  is  apt  to 
judge  men,  moi'e  by  his  jirayers  than  his  sermons,  for  he  was  a  man  of  much  prayer. 
His  appi'arance  in  the  ])ulpit  was  very  sti'iking,  his  face  pale,  his  skin  dark,  his 
mtjuth  wide,  with  a  singular  cast  in  one  eye  bordering  on  a  squint;  ho  was  full  of 
native  wit,  almost  <rcstureless,  and  vehement  in  denunciation,  vet  so  cool  in  his  de- 
liberation  tliat  with  the  greatest  ease  he  gave  every  trying  circumstance  its  appro- 
jiriate  but  unexpected  turn. 

Other  evangelists  soon  entered  the  field,  many  of  them  meeting  with  good 
success.  Amongst  these  may  be  mentioned  T.  J.  Fisher,  of  Kentucky,  with  Messrs. 
Kaymond,  Swan,  Earle,  DeWitt  and  Graves.  Many  of  our  pastors  have  been 
nuti'd  fell-  tlic  culture  of  revival  intluences  in  their  Chmvlies,  some  of  them  tlii'uugh 
a  long  course  of  years ;  as  in  tlie  case  of  the  late  Lyman  Wright,  and  of  tlie  two 
honored  men  who  have  held  tlie  same  pastorates  with  great  power  for  more  than 
forty  years:  Dr.  George  G.  Baldwin,  of  Troy,  IS.  Y.,  and  Dr.  Dauiel  G.  Gorey,  of 
Utica,  K.  V.  These  are  mentioned  simply  as  examples  of  numy  others  in  our  min- 
istry. And  it  has  been  specially  delightful  in  latter  years  to  find  nundters  of  the 
Tresidents  and  Professors  in  our  colleges  and  universities  laboring  with  great  energy 
for  the  salvation  as  well  as  for  the  education  of  their  students,  some  of  them  reap- 
ing ahu'gc  harvest.  So  that,  taking  the  denDminatinii  as  a  whole,  during  the  present 
century  there  has  been  an  increase  of  zeal  wisely  used  in  this  direction.  The  natural 
tendency  of  things  in  the  olden  times  of  harsh  and  hard  controversy  on  infant 
baptism,  when  our  fathers  were  oljliged  to  struggle  all  the  time  for  the  right  to  be, 
was,  to  look  with  comparative  indifference,  if  luit  suspicion,  on  the  conversion  of 
youth  in  vei'y  tender  age.  JIappily,  that  unreasonable  and  unlovely  State  of  things 
is  passing  away,  and  our  Ghurches  are  learning  the  holy  art  of  winning  ver}-  young 
children  to  Jesus,  as  soon  as  they  ciui  imderstand  his  claims  upon  them  and  are  able 
to  love  and  serve  him.  Inasmnch  as  we  reject  the  fraud  of  practicing  upon  them 
a  rite  which  leaves  them  no  choice  in  casting  their  own  religious  life,  we  are  under 
double  obligation  to  teaci),  and  draw,  and  watch,  and  influence  them,  to  the  serv- 
ice of  our  precious  Master.  We  have  come  to  look  upon  the  neglect  of  these 
duties  as  sheer  and  tiownrigbt  wickedness,  and  instead  of  leaving  our  children  to 
run  wihl  until  their  hearts  are  all  gnarled  and  scarified,  like  a  kiujtted  oak-tree, 
we  are  bringing  our  little  ones  to  Jesus,  tliat  he  may  lay  his  hands  on  them  and 
bless  them. 

The  better  understanding  which  has  arisen  between  Baptists  and  other  Christians 
is  a  matter  for  gratitude,  and  especially  because  our  Gluirches  have  in  no  wise  com- 


A    FRANK  ADMISSION.  891 

promised  their  honor  or  consistency  to  secure  tliis  result.  Tiie  candor  and  grasp  of 
German  sclmlarship  and  tlie  indeijendence  of  English  High  Cliurehmen  has  had 
much  to  do  with  this  change.  In  the  German  and  English  controversies  on  baptism, 
especially  in  tiie  Tractarian  movement  of  the  latter,  tiie  concession  has  been  made 
without  reluctance  that  the  classical  and  ecclesiastical  literature  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment period  and  the  early  Christian  centuries  sustain  the  Baptist  position.  Then, 
in  justilication  of  the  change  which  early  took  place  in  the  ordinances,  instead  of 
forcing  all  sorts  of  unnatural  interpretations  upon  tliu  facts  and  teachings  of  the 
Bible,  the  open  avowal  is  very  conuuDnly  made,  that  the  ('liiii'ch  hail  the  right  to 
chaiiii-e  (Christ's  ordinances  as  convenience  retpiired.  A  noted  example  in  point  is 
that  of  the  late  Dean  of  Westminster,  who,  when  visiting  America  in  1S78,  replied 
to  an  address  of  welcome  from  the  Baptist  ministers  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  on 
November  4th,  thus: 

'  You  have  alluded  to  me  in  your  address  as  an  ecclesiastical  historian,  and  have 
referred  to  the  undoubted  antiquit3'  of  your  principal  ceremony — that  of  immersion. 
I  feel  that  here,  also,  we  ought  to  be  grateful  to  you  for  having,  almost  alone  in  the 
Western  (.'hurch,  jn-eserved  intact  this  singular  and  interesting  relic  of  primitive  and 
Apostolic  times,  which  we,  you  will  forgive  me  for  saying  so — v'kich  we,  at  least  m 
our  practice,  have  loisely  discarded.  For  wise  reasons  the  Primitive  Baptism  was 
set  aside.  The  spirit  which  lives  and  moves  in  human  society  can  override  even  the 
most  sacred  ordinances.' 

Here,  a  manly  honesty  meets  an  issue  of  stubborn  facts  not  with  a  flat  and  false 
denial  of  its  existence,  but  with  the  real  reason  for  setting  aside  a  Divine  institu- 
tion. Tiie  frankness  of  this  statement  is  characteristic  of  the  man  ;  he  boldly  tells 
us  that  those  who  have  ceased  to  immerse  have  'discarded  '  the  practice  of  'Aj)ostolic 
times,'  and  thinks  that  they  have  done  so  'wisely,'  without  any  authority  from  the 
Lord  of  the  Apostles  for  rejecting  one  of  his  •singular  ami  interesting'  institutions. 
The  Dean  had  an  affection  for  modern  methods  of  religious  substitution  in  things 
which  he  regarded  as  of  secondary  consequence,  and  he  could  not  see  how  a  man's 
conscience  and  convictions  of  duty  should  bind  him  to  what  the  Dean  could  not 
understand  as  imjiortant.  Hence,  while  he  acknowledged  that  he  '  ought  to  be  grate- 
ful' to  the  Baptists,  for  having  cleaved  to  the  Apostolic  practice  'almost  alone'  in 
Western  Christendom,  it  was  hard  for  him  to  see  exactly  why  they  should  not  'dis- 
card '  it  as  well  as  others  did.  Great  as  was  his  tolerance  in  thought,  when  he  looked 
at  any  religious  pciint  even  through  his  affections  he  betrayed  a  tinge  of  intolerance. 
His  most  courteous  allowance  in  such  cases  was  mingled  with  a  touch  of  scorn  for 
what  he  could  not  fully  comprehend  ;  therefore,  brave  as  he  held  the  Baptists  to  be 
for  unswerving  fidelity  to  the  Bible  form  of  baptism,  he  saw  no  need  for  this  con- 
stancy, but  candidly  said,  '  We  have  altered  all  that  long  ago,"  without  the  slightest 
attempt  at  popular  equivocation. 

Possibly  no  Baptist  writer  fif  our  times  awakened  less  asperity  in  Pedobap- 
tist  minds  than  the  late  Dr.  William  B.  Williams,  yet  ou  this  very  point  no  man 


892  THE    TRUE  IIAPTIST  DOCTHIXE. 

more  completely  covers   tlie   right   iiiteri)rct:itioii   of  tnu;   I>;ij)tist  C(jiivicti<jii.      lie 
says  : 

•We  read  in  tiie  ordinance  as  the  Sovereign  hecjueatlied  it,  in  tlie  yielding 
waters  that  bury  and  then  restui'e  the  loyal  disciple,  the  cenotaph  of  onr  great  Leader, 
the  persistent  toml)  ])erpetually  ci'ected  hy  which  he  would  have  his  death  set  t'ortii 
to  the  end  of  the  work!,  and  his  exulting  trium])h  over  death,  and  his  jubilant 
eiitraiict'  into  Paradise  as  well.  And  if  it  would  be-  thought  temerity  for  a  follower 
of  Michael  Augelo  or  of  Christopiier  Wren  to  pull  down  the  toml)  of  either  of 
these  great  andiitects  on  tlu;  plea  of  substituting  a  l)etter,  is  it  less  ti'inerity  to  inno- 
vate on  the  design  in  the  gate  of  his  own  ('hnrcli.  reared  by  the  (ireat  Architect; 
P>ury  us  into  the  tond)  he  occujiied.  i'lant  us  into  the  new  emerging  life  that  he 
thei'e  disjilayed,  nor  tliiid<  it  shame  to  stand  loyally  by  the  ways  that  he  has  opened, 
and  that  lujne  in  all  the  world  may  better." 

lie  depi'ecates  all  change  from  C'lirist's  appointment  either  in  the  subject  or  act 
of   bapl  ism  as  : 

'  A  most  danger(jus  assumption  of  powei'  in  the  ( 'lini'cb.  and  also  a  most  rash 
ascri]>tion  of  intrinsic;  and  magical  etHcacty  to  the  outer  endilem.  The  (."hurches 
early,  i)Ut  most  uni'ighteously,  learned  to  anne.v  not  only  the  I'emission  of  sins  to  the 
ordinance,  i)iit  the  regeneration  itself — to  attach  ])ardon  fi'om  Christ  and  new  life  from 
the  Holy  (ihost  as  setpients  to  an  external  rite.  Priestly  hands  and  C'liurcli  lavers 
were  thus  employed,  by  an  assumption  that  not  one  page  of  Scripture  warrants,  to 
usurp  the  ])rerogati ves  of  (lod  tiu;  ado])ting  Father,  aiul  ( 'hrist  the  mediating  Prother, 
and  the  Paraclete,  the  renewing  and  illumining  Teachei-."     Lees.  Bap.  Hist.  ]i]).  82,  S3. 

In  likt'  maniiei',  as  men  return  t(.)  the  siiiijilicity  of  the  Lord's  Supjier.  in  the 
spirit  of  the  New  Totament,  for  the  purely  memorial  jitirpose  of  setting  forth 
(,'iirist's  death,  they  come  better  to  understand  why  l)a])tists  reject  the  Romish  inter- 
pretation that  it  is  a  test  of  love  between  (christian  men.  or  a  bond  of  spiritual  fel- 
lowshi))  in  any  Piible  sense  whatever.  The  more  other  Christians  come  to  respect 
them  for  their  protest  against  its  abuse,  and  to  recognizt'  them  as  extending  ijrotherly 
love,  and  with  it  acts  of  Cluistian  brotherhood  in  the  substantial  deeds  of  benevo- 
lence, in  the  mutual  burden-bearing  of  everyday  life,  ami  in  that  uiuty  of  the  Holy 
S])irit  by  which  birth  from  above  is  attested,  rather  than  in  the  act  of  breaking 
bread,  where  the  juire  disciple  and  the  hypocrite,  the  ]>recious  and  the  vile,  have  in 
all  ages  eaten  tlie  Su])])er  together,  and  still  sit  at  the  same  table  in  all  Christian 
Denominations;  the  mort;  they  challenge  universal  respect,  as  the  interjireters  of 
the  one  Gospel  baptism. 


i;k\  .    r.  .1.  ru.NANT. 
KliV.  lluWAllL)  OSGOOD. 


UEV.    11.    U.    H.\CKETT. 
UEV.    A.  C.  KEXUHICK. 


CHAPTER   XVri. 

BIBLE    TRANSLATION    AND     BIBLE    SOCIETIES. 

EAlIL'l'  in  tlic  Nineteenth  Ceiitury,  lucal  Bible  Societies  spraiii;  ii])  in  varions 
Anici'ii/;ui  towns  and  cities.  So  far  as  is  Icnown,  the  tirst  of  tliese  was 
formed  in  Philadelphia,  in  December,  18U8,  primarily  under  the  wisdom  and  zeal 
of  Dr.  Staughton,  who  was  its  first  recording  secretary  and  wrote  its  appeals  for  aid. 
In  February,  1809,  a  similar  society  was  organized  in  New  York,  called  the  '  Young 
Glen's  Bible  Society,"  and  on  this  wise.  William  Colgate,  a  young  Englishman, 
sacredly  cherished  a  Bible  which  had  been  presented  to  him  by  his  father,  which  was 
kept  in  his  pew  in  the  Fii'st  Baptist  meeting-house  ;  but  it  was  stolen,  aiul  thinking 
that  Bibles  must  be  very  scarce  or  they  would  not  be  taken  by  theft,  he  conversed 
witli  others,  and  they  resolved  to  form  a  society  to  meet  the  want.  This  society 
conijirclu'iided  the  purpose  of  translation  as  well  as  of  circulation,  and  incorporated 
the  following  into  its  Constitution  as  its  defining  article  : 

'The  object  of  this  Society  is  to  distribute  the  Bible  only — and  that  without 
notes — amongst  such  persons  as  may  not  be  able  to  jjurchase  it ;  and  also,  as  far 
as  may  be  practicable,  to  translate  or  assist  in  causing  it  to  be  translated  into  other 
languages.' 

Soon  other  societies  were  formed  in  different  places,  and  the  universal  want  of 
a  General  Society  began  to  be  felt.  At  length,  May  11,  181t),  thirty-five  local 
societies  in  different  parts  of  the  country  sent  delegates  to  a  Bible  Convention  which 
assembled  in  New  York,  and  organized  the  American  Bible  Society  for  '  The  dis- 
semination of  the  Scriptures  in  the  received  versions  where  they  exist,  and  in  the 
most  faithful  where  they  may  be  required.'  Most  of  the  local  societies  either  dis- 
banded or  were  made  auxiliary  to  the  General  Society.  The  Baptists  became  at 
once  its  earnest  and  liberal  supporters.  As  early  as  1830  it  made  an  appro]u-iation 
of  §1,200  for  Judson's  '  Burman  Bible,'  through  the  Baptist  Triennial  Convention, 
with  the  full  knowledge  that  he  had  translated  the  family  of  words  relating  to  bap- 
tism by  words  which  meant  immerse  and  immersion,  and  down  to  1835  the  Society 
had  appropriated  $18,500  for  the  same  purpose.  The  Triennial  Convention  had 
instructed  its  missionaries  in  April,  1833,  thus: 

Resolved,  That  the  Board  feel  it  to  be  their  duty  to  adopt  all  prudent  measures 
to  give  to  the  heathen  the  pure  word  of  God  in  their  own  languages,  and  to  furnish 
their  missionaries  with  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  make  their  translation  as  exact 
a  representation  of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  may  be  possible. 


894  riiF  A}n:h'rrAx  luiii.K  society. 

'  Rtxolved,  Tliat  all  tlie  iiiissioiiiirics  of  tlie  J^xiurd  wlio  are,  or  who  shall  be. 
ciiii'ao-ed  ill  translating;  tlie  S<-rii)tiircs.  l)e  instructuij  to  eiuleavor,  by  earnest  prayer 
and  dilii^ent  study,  to  ascertain  the  jirecise  nieaiiiiiL'-  of  the  original  text,  to  express 
that  nieaninii'  as  exactly  as  the  nature  of  the  languages  into  which  they  shall  translate 
the  !>il)le  will  peniiit,  and  to  ti'ansfer  no  words  which  are  capable  of  being  literally 
translated.' 

In  1835  Mr.  Pearc'e  asked  the  Society  to  aid  in  printing  the  '  Eengali  New  Testa- 
ment," which  was  translated  nj)on  the  saiiK-  |)rinciple  as  Judson's  ]>ihle.  The  com- 
mittee which  considered  the  application  repoi-ted  as  follows:  ' 'I'liat  tlic  coiiiiiiittee 
do  not  deem  it  expedient  to  reconiiucnd  an  appi-opriatioii  until  the  iioard  settle  a  prin- 
ciple in  relation  to  the  Greek  word  hajdizo.''  Then  the  whole  subject  was  referred 
to  a  conimitteo  of  seven,  who,  Kovember  ID,  1835,  presented  the  following  reports: 

'The  Committee  to  whom  was  recommitted  the  determining  of  a  princi|)le  upon 
which  the  American  Bilile  Society  will  aid  in  printing  and  distributing  the  Bible  in 
foreign  languages,  beg  leave  to  I'eport, 

''That'tiie'y  are  id'  the  ojiinion  tliat  it  is  expedient  to  withdraw  their  former 
report  on  the  jxi/iici/la/'  c^.vc,  and  to  lu-esent  tlu'  following  one  on  the  yenn-al 
prlncvpJe : 

'  JJy  the  Constitution  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  its  Managers  are,  in  the 
circulation  of  the  Holy  Scri]itures,  restricted  to  such  copies  as  are  without  note  or 
comment,  and  in  the  English  language,  to  the  version  in  common  use.  The  design 
of  these  restrictions  clearly  seems  to  liave  been  to  simplify  and  mark  out  the  duties 
of  the  Society  ;  so  that  all  the  religious  denominations  of  which  it  is  composed 
might  harmoniously  unite  in  performing  those  duties. 

'As  the  Managers  arc  now  called  to  aid  extensively  in  circulating  the  Sacred 
Scriptures  in  languages  other  than  the  English,  they  deem  it  their  duty,  in  conformity 
with  the  obvious  spiVit  of  their  coinpact/to  adopt  the  following  resolution  as  the 
rule  of  their  conduct  in  making  appropriations  for  the  circulation  of  the  Scriptures 
in  all  forciqn  toiKpus: 

'  iieKolhed,  l.'Tliat  in  appropriating  money  for  the  traii.slating.  ])rinting  or  dis- 
tributing of  the  Sacred  Scriptures  in  Foreign  languages,  tlie  Managers  feel  at  liberty 
to  encoiirage  only  such  versions  as  conform  In  the  principle  of  their  translation  to  the 
common  fju/lixh  verdon,  at  least  so  far  as  that  all  tlie  religious  denominations  repre- 
sented in  this  Society,  can  consistently  use  and  circulate  said  versions  in  their  several 
schools  and  communities. 

^Resolved,  '2.  That  a  copy  of  the  above  preaiiii)le  and  resolution  be  sent  to  each 
of  the  Missionary  Boards  accustomed  to  receive  pecuniary  grants  from  the  Society, 
with  a  request  tliat  the  same  may  be  transmitted  to  their  res])ective  mission  stations, 
where  the  S(!riptures  are  in  process  of  translation,  and  also  that  the  several  ]\[ission 
Boards  be  informed  that  their  application  for  aid  must  be  accompanied  with  a  declara- 
tion that  the  versions  which  they  propose  to  circulate  are  executed  in  accordance 
with  the  above  resolution. 

Thomas  Macai'ley.  Chairman,  Wm.  H.  A^anYleck, 

Ja:\[es  Milnok,  Fea^'cis  Hall, 

Thomas  Uewitt,  Thomas  Cock.' 

COtJNTEK   REPORT. 

'  The  subscriber,  as  a  member  of  the  Committee  to  whoin  was  referred  the  appli- 
cation of  Messrs.  Pearce  and  Yates,  for  aid  in  the  circulation  of  the  Bengali  Now 
Testament,  begs  leave  to  submit  the  following  considerations: 

'1.  The  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions  have  not  been  under  the  impression 


BAPTIST  LOYALTY   TO    TRUTK  895 

that  the  American  I'-il'le  Society  was  organized  upon  the  central  principle  that  hajAizo 
and  its  co"-nates  were  never  to  be  translated,  but  always  transferred,  in  all  versions 
of  the  Scriptures  patronized  bv  them.  Had  this  principle  been  candidly  stated  and 
unit'orndy  acted  upon  by  the  Society  in  the  appropriation  of  its  funds  for  foreign 
distribution,  the  Baptists  never  could  have  been  guilty  of  the  lolly  or  duplicity  of 
soliciting  aid  for  translations  made  by  their  missionaries. 

'2.  As  there  is  now  a  large  balance  in  the  treasury  of  the  American  Bible 
Society,  as  many  lihcval  bequeats  and  donations  have  heen  made  hij  Baptists,  and  as 
these  were  made  in  the  full  confidence  that  the  Society  could  constitutionally  assist 
their  own  denomination,  as  well  as  the  other  evangelical  dciiomiiiations  comprising 
the  Institution,  in  giving  the  Bible  to  the  heathen  world,  therefore, 

'■Resolved,  Tliat  %- be  appropriated  and  paid  to  the  l>aptist  General  (Jon- 

vention  of  the  United  States  for  Foreign  Missions,  to  aid  them  in  the  work  of  sup- 

plyino-  the  iierishing  millions  of  the  East  with  the  Sacred  Scriptures. 

^  ^     ^  '  Spencer  H.  Cone.' 

It  must  stand  to  the  everlasting  honor  of  the  Triennial  Convention  that  they 
regarded  the  Author  of  the  Bible  as  the  only  being  to  be  consultetl  in  this  matter. 
They  disallowed  any  voice  to  the  translator  in  making  his  translation,  but  virtually 
said  to  him  :  '  The  parchment  which  you  hold  in  your  hand  is  God's  word,  all  that 
vou  have  to  do  is  to  re-utter  the  Divine  voice.  The  right  of  Jehovah  to  a  hearing  as 
he  will  is  the  only  consideration  in  this  case.  You  are  to  inquire  of  him  by  earnest 
prayer,  you  are  to  use  the  most  diligent  study  to  ascertain  the  precise  meaning  of 
the  original  text,  then  you  are  to  make  your  translation  as  exact  a  representation  of 
the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  may  be  possible,  so  far  as  the  nature  of  the  language 
into  which  you  translate  will  permit.'  In  contrast  with  this,  the  Bible  Society  said  : 
■  You  are  to  take  the  common  English  version  and  conform  your  version  to  the 
principle  on  which  it  was  made,  so  that  all  "  denominations  represented  in  this 
Society  can  use  it  in  their  schools  and  communities."  '  A  version,  and  that  quite 
imperfect,  was  to  be  made  the  standard  by  which  all  versions  should  be  made,  and 
the  voice  of  all  the  denominations  in  the  Society  was  to  be  consulted  instead  of 
the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Such  an  untenalile  position  settled  the  question  of 
further  co-operation  with  the  Society  in  the  making  and  circulation  of  foreign  ver- 
sions, for  a  more  dangerous  position  could  not  be  taken.  Up  to  that  time,  including 
a  large  legacy  which  John  F.  Marsh  had  made,  the  Baptists  had  contributed  to  the 
treasury  of  the  Bible  Society  at  least  $170,000,  and  had  receivedfor  their  missionary 
versions  less  than  $30,000.  On  May  12,  1836,  the  Bible  Society  approved  the  atti- 
tude of  its  Board,  and  $.5,000  was  voted  for  the  versions  made  by  the  Baptist  mis- 
sionaries to  be  used  on  the  new  principle  which  had  been  adopted.  The  Baptist 
members  of  the  Board  presented  a  clear,  calm  and  dignified  Protest,  but  were  not 
allowed  even  to  read  it  to  the  Board.  Amongst  many  other  grave  considerations 
they  submitted  these :  '  The  Baptists  cannot,  consistently  with  their  religious  prin- 
ciples, in  any  case  where  they  are  permitted  to  choose,  consent  to  use  or  circulate 
any  version  in  which  any  important  jiortion  of  divine  truth  is  concealed  or  obscured, 
either  by  non-translation  or  by  ambiguity  of  expression.  .  .  .  This  resolution  exposes 


806  l>U.    LKAVITVS   I'OSITIOX. 

the  Soeioty,  almost  iiii:i\  nitlalily,  U>  tliu  cliai'iri'  or  ^ll^])i(•i()n  of  soctarian  motives. 
!''(ir,  without  jux-teiuiiii^,  in  the  least,  to  impeach  tiie  ae(nirac_v  of  tiie  versions  ai^aiiist 
wliicii  it  is  directed,  tiie  principal  reason  oll'ered  hy  its  advocate's  wlien  iiririiii^  its 
adojjtion  was.  "  Tliat  I'edohaptists  iniglit  have  an  opportnuiiy  of  |iro.--ecntinir  their 
missionary  opei-alion^  witliout  let  or  hinderance,  where  the  translations  of  the  l!a])- 
tists  are  in  circulation."  .\iid  siii-ely,  a,  vi-rsion  that  pni'iJosely  withhold,-  the  tiaith. 
either  hy  non-translation  or  hy  amldiiiiity  of  e.\))ression,  for  the  sake  of  accommo- 
dating I'edohai)tists,  is  as  really  sectarian  as  one  that  adds  to  ihi'  truth  from  the  same 
mi_)ti\e.  .  .  .  The  imperfection  and  injustice  of  the  I'esohition  are  sti-ikin:;lv  man- 
ifested in  the  continued  circulation  of  ijcjman  Catholic  version^,  which  are  n(>ither 
conformed  in  the  piinciple  ol  their  Ii'an>lation  to  the  common  Kn_i^lish  version,  nor 
can  they  i)e  consistenlly  used  hy  the  dill'ei-ent  denominations  rejjresented  in  the 
American  Itihle  iSocii'ty.  They  ai'c  characteri/ed  hy  the  numei'oiis  ahsni'(l  and 
heretical  dogmas  of  the  Catholic  sect,  and  yet  the  vn\v  in  (juestioii  cordially  approves 
of  their  e.\tensi\e  distrihution.  while  the  ti'anslations  of  pious,  faithful  and  learned 
Baptist  ministers  are  rejected." 

The  ISoai'd  id'  the  Trieimial  Ccmvention  met  at  Ilai'tfoi'd.  Coim..  on  the  •J.~\\\  of 
April,  liS;')*!.  and  at  once  '  i'esj)ectfnlly  iidormcd'  the  IJoai'd  of  the  .Vnu'rican  liihh; 
Society  tiiat  they  could  not  'consistently  and  conscienti<JUsly  conijily  with  the  con- 
ditions '  on  which  iheii'  appropriation  was  made,  and  that  they  coidd  n<it,  "  thi'refore, 
acce])t  the  sum  appi'opriatcil."  Here.  then,  the  shai'p  issue  was  drawn  hctween  the 
question  <if  denominational  '  use' and  'the  mind  of  tin.'  Holy  Spirit."  in  the  holy 
worl<  of  iiihle  translation.  Not  only  was  the  liaptist  position  siistainiHl,  hnt  the 
maid\-  and  Christian  stand  taken  liy  its  representatives  in  the  i'oard  was  approved 
hv  our  ( 'hurehes.  aiul  an  almost  unanimous  determination  was  reached  to  supjjort 
the  faithful  Nt'rsioiis  made  hy  our  missionaries.  Action  was  taken  in  Churches, 
associations  ami  conventions,  and  an  almost  iini\crsal  demand  was  made  for  a  iH'W 
Bihle  Society.  Powerful  pens  were  also  wielded  outside  the  Baptist  hody  to  defeml 
their  course.  amoni::st  them  that  of  the  late  Jo.shua  Leavitt,  a  di,-tinguislicd  Cougre- 
gationalist,  who  said  : 

'The  I'aptist  Pxiai'd  had  instructed  their  nnssionaries  on  the  suhject.  "to  make 
their  translations  as  exact  a  representation  of  the  mind  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  may 
be  ])ossihle  :"  and  "to  tranxfefiw  words  which"  are  cajiahle  of  being  literally  trans- 
lated." This  insti-tiction  w-as  a  transcri]>t  of  the  ])i-inci])le  whicli  underlies  the  Bap- 
tist ('hurches,  to  wit,  in  settled  and  conscientious  belief  that  the  word  hnj^tizc  menu?. 
"  immerse"  and  nothing  else.  It  was  plainly  iinpossil)le  that  Jiaptist  missionaries 
should  honestly  translate  in  any  other  way.  Then  the  del)ate  turned,  in  effect,  upon 
the  question  wliether  the  I)i))le  Society  should  recoginze  such  men  as  Judson  and  his 
associates  as  trustworthy  translators  of  the  word  of  God  for  a  people  who  had  been 
taught  the  (4ospel  by  tlieni.  and  for  whose  use  there  was,  and  could  be,  no  other  ver- 
sioii.  .  .  .  The  effect  of  the  resolution  was  to  make  the  Bible  Society,  in  its  .actual 
administration,  a  I'edobaptist  or  sectarian  institution.  It  was  a  virtual  exclusion  of 
the  B>aptists  from  their  just  rights  as  the  equal  associates  of  their  brethren  by  the 
solemn  compact  of  the  constitution.     It  left  them  no   alternative  but  to  withdraw, 


AV/.IUCAN  AND  FOREION  BIBLE  SOCIETY.  897 

and  take  measures  of  tlieir  own  to  supply  the  millions  of  J5urin;i  with  the  Scri]>t- 
ures  in  the  only  version  which  conld  be  had,  and  the  only  one  which  they  would 
receive.  It  was  a  public  exeniplitication  of  bad  faith  in  adherence  to  the  constitu- 
tion of  a  relii^ious  benevolent  society.  That  it  attracted  so  little  public;  attention  at 
the  time  must  l)e  attributed  to  the  ijeneral  absorption  of  the  public  mind  with  other 
pursuits  and  questions  and,  more  than  all,  to  the  fact  that  it  was  a  minority  which 
suffered  injustiee,  while  a  lai'ije  majority  were  more  gratified  than  otherwise  at  their 
discomfiture.  But  the  greatest  injm-y  was  done  to  the  cause  of  Christian  union  and 
to  the  unity  of  the  Protestant  hosts  in  the  conflict  with  Rome.  And  this  evil  is 
now  just  about  to  develop  itself  in  its  full  extent.  The  Bible  Society,  in  its  original 
construction,  and  by  its  natural  and  proper  influence,  ought  to  be  able;  to  present 
itself  before  all  the;  world  as  the  representative  and  exponent  of  the  Protestantism 
of  this  nation,  instead  of  which  it  is  only  the  instrument  of  sectarian  exclusiveness 
and  injustice.  One  of  the  largest,  most  zealous  and  evangelical  and  highly  pro- 
gressive Protestant  bodies  is  cut  off  and  set  aside,  and  the  Society  stands  before  the 
world  as  a  one-sided  thing,  and  capable  of  persistent  injustic'c  in  favor  of  a  denom- 
inational dogma. 

'This  puI)lication  is  made  under  the  influence  of  a  strong  belief  of  the  impera- 
tive necessity  which  now  presses  upon  us  to  kigiit  this  wkoxg,  that  we  may  be  pre- 
pared for  the  grand  enterprise,  the  earnest  efforts,  the  glorious  results  for  the  king- 
dom of  Christ,  wliich  are  just  opening  before  us.  We  nnist  close  up  our  ranks,  we 
must  reunite  all  hearts  and  all  hands,  in  the  only  way  possible,  by  falling  back  upon 
the  original  constitution  of  the  Societ}',  in  letter  and  spirit,  dy  thI':  siiiple  rkpeal 

OF  THE  KESOLLTION.' 

Many  Uaptists  from  various  parts  of  the  country  attended  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  Bible  Society  in  New  York,  on  the  12th  of  May,  1S3*),  and  when  it  deliberately 
adopted  the  policy  of  the  board  as  its  own  ])crmanent  plan,  about  \'1()  of  these  held 
a  meeting  for  deliberation  on  the  13th,  in  the  Oliver  Street  Baptist  meeting-house, 
with  Dr.  i^athaniel  Kendrick  in  the  chair.  The  Baptist  Board  of  Foreign  Missions, 
which  met  at  Hartford,  April  27th,  had  anticipated  the  possible  result,  and  resolved 
that  in  this  event  it  would  '  be  tlie  duty  of  the  Baptist  denomination  in  the  United 
States  to  form  a  distinct  organization  for  Bible  translation  and  distribution  in  foreign 
tongues,'  and  had  resolved  on  the  need  of  a  Convention  of  Churches,  at  Pliiladel- 
phia,  in  April,  1S37,  '  to  adoj^t  such  measures  as  circumstances,  in  the  providence  of 
God  may  require.'  But  the  meeting  in  Oliver  Street  thought  it  wise  to  form  a  new 
Bible  Society  at  once,  and  on  that  day  oi'ganized  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible 
Society  provisionally,  subject  to  the  decision  of  the  Convention  to  be  held  in  Phila- 
delphia. This  society  was  formed  '  to  promote  a  wider  circulation  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  in  the  mo.st  faithful  versions  that  can  be  procured.'  In  three  months  it 
sent  Sl3,000  for  the  circulation  of  Asiatic  Scriptures,  and  moved  forward  with  great 
enthusiasm. 

After  a  Year's  deliberation  the  great  Bible  Convention  met  in  the  meetinsr- 
house  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  Philadelphia,  x\pril  26th,  183".  It  consisted  of 
390  members,  sent  from  Churches,  Associations,  State  Conventions,  Education  Socie- 
ties and  other  bodies,  in  twenty-three  States  and  in  the  District  of  Columbia.    Eev. 

Charles  G-.  Sommers,  Lucius  Bolles  and  Jonathan  Going,   the  conunittee  on  '  crc- 
58 


898  piiiLADKLPiiiA  IUBI.1-:  roxvEyrroN. 

dciitiiils.'  rciinrtcMl  tluit  •  in  nearly  all  tlicletUTs  and  iiiiinitL's  wlicre  particular  instruc- 
tions are  given  in  the  deletjates,  your  ciMnniittee  iind  a  xary  decided  sentiment  in 
favor  of  a  distinct  and  unfettered  orirani/.ation  for  J>il)le  tivmslation  and  distribu- 
tion.' The  official  ro<*ord  says  that  the  hnsine.-.-  of  the  Convention  was  'to  consider 
an<l  decide  u]ion  the  duty  of  the  denomination,  in  existing  ci)-cum>tanccs,  respecting 
the  translation  and  disti-ibution  of  the  sacred  Scriptures.'  liufus  Jjubcock,  of 
Pennsylvania,  was  chosen  ])rcsident  of  the  bod}' ;  with  Abiel  Shci'wood,  of  Georgia, 
and  Huron  Slow,  of  ]\Iassaclnisctts,  as  secretaries.  Amongst  its  meml)ers  there 
were  present:  Fi'om  Maine,  .lohn  S.  Maginnis ;  Now  Hampshire,  K.  K.  Ciim- 
niings ;  Yi-rmont,  Elijah  Hutchinson;  Massachusetts,  George  JJ.  Ide,  Ileman  Lin- 
coln, Daniel  Sliarp,  Wm.  Hague  and  .lanu's  ]).  fCnowles;  and  from  TJIiodc  Island, 
Francis  Wavland.  David  Kenedict  and  John  Ijlain.  Connecticut  sent  .lanu's  L. 
Ilodge,  Ikollin  11.  _Neale,  1  rail  (!hase  and  Jjicius  Holies.  From  New  W>y\<.  we  have 
Charles  G.  Sommers,  '\Vm.  Colgate,  E<lward  Kingsfoi-d,  Alexander  ^M.  IJeebee, 
Daniel  Ha.skall,  Nathaniel  Kendrick,  John  Peck,  Wm.  U.  Williams.  Wm.  Parkin- 
son, Duiu-an  Dunbar,  Spencer  H.  Cone.  John  Dowling  and  P.  T.  Weh'h.  New 
Jersey  was  i-epresentetl  by  Samuel  Aaron,  'i'homas  Swaini,  Daniel  Dodge.  Peter  V. 
Uunyon,  Simon  J.  Drake,  M.  J,  Kliees  and  Charles  J.  Hopkins.  Pennsylvania 
sent  Horatio  (i.  Jones,  Joseph  Taylor,  Wm.  T.  Brautly,  J.  H.  Kennard.  J.  M.  Lin- 
nard,  Wm.  Shadracli,  A.  D.  Gillette  and  Tlufus  Babeock.  Then  from  ^laryland 
we  find  AVm.  Ci'ane  aiul  Stejihen  P.  Hill  ;  and  fi'oiii  ^'irginia,  Thomas  Hume,  J. 
15.  Taylor,  J.  P>.  Jeter  and  Thomas  D.  Toy.  These  wei'c  there,  with  otliei's  of  equal 
weight  of  character  and  name. 

When  such  momentous  issues  weic  peiuling,  our  fathei's  found  themselves  differ- 
ing widely  in  o])inion.  Some  thought  a  new  J'ibh'  Society  indispensable  ;  others  dep- 
recated such  a  step;  some  wished  to  confine  the  work  of  the  new  society  to  foreign 
versions;  others  thought  not  only  that  its  work  should  be  unrestricted  as  to  field, 
but  that  consistency  and  fidelity  to  (iod  required  it  to  ap])ly  to  the  English  and  all 
other  vensions  the  princijile  which  was  to  be  applied  to  versions  in  heathen  lands, 
thus  making  it  faithful  to  God's  truth  for  all  lauds.  The  di.-ctission  ran  through 
three  days,  and  was  participated  in  by  the  ablest  minds  of  the  denomimition,  being 
specially  keen,  searching  and  thorough.     Professor  Knowles  says  : 

'Much  feeling  wfts  occasioiutlly  exhibited,  and  some  undesirable  remarks  were 
made.  Put,  with  littli;  exception,  an  excellent  spirit  reigned  throughout  the  meet- 
ing. It  was,  we  believe,  the  largest  and  most  intelligent  assembly  of  P>aptist  minis- 
ters and  laymen  that  has  ever  been  held.  There  was  a  display  of  tak'ut,  eloquence 
and  iiiety  which,  we  venture  to  say,  no  other  ecclesiastical  body  in  our  country 
could  surjjass.  Our  own  estimate  of  the  ability  and  sound  ]irincipIesof  our  brethren 
was  greatly  elevated.  We  saw,  too,  increased  evidence  that  our  Churches  were 
firmiv  united.  AVhile  there  was  an  independence  of  o]>inion  which  was  worthy  of 
Christians  and  freenum,  there  was  a  kind  spirit  of  conciliation.  Each  man  who 
sptJ'Cc  declared  bis  views  with  entii'e  frankness  ;  but  when  the  question  was  taken, 
the  vast  body  of  delegates  voted  almost  in  solid  column.     They  all,  we  believe,  with 


77//.S'   CONVENTION'S   WORK.  899 

a  few  exceptions,  are  satisfied  witli  the  i-csults  of  the  moeting  as  far  as  regards  the 
present  position  of  the  society.  Tlie  (|uestion  respecting  tlie  range  of  its  opera- 
tions remains  to  be  decided.  We  liope  tliiit  it  will  be  discussed  in  a  culm  and  fraternal 
spirit.  Let  eacli  man  be  willing  to  hear  his  brother's  opinion,  and  to  yield  his  own 
wislies  to  tliose  of  tlie  majority.  We  see  no  reason  why  any  one  should  be  pertina- 
cious. If  it  shonld  be  determined  to  give  to  the  society  an  unrestricted  range,  no 
man  will  be  obliged  to  sustain  it  uidcss  he  choose.  He  who  may  still  prefer  to 
send  his  money  to  the  American  Bible  Society  can  do  so.  Let  us  maintain  peace 
among  ourselves.  Our  own  union  is  of  more  importance  than  any  particular  meas- 
ures which  we  could  adopt.  No  l)enetits  which  would  ensue  from  the  operations  of 
any  society  would  compensate  for  the  loss  of  harmony  in  our  Churches.' 

So  far  the  wijimIs  of  Prof.  Knowles.  The  final  decisions  of  this  great  Conven- 
tion ai'e  found  in  the  following  resolutions,  which  it  ado|>ted  'almost  in  solid 
colunm."  namely  : 

'L  Iiesolved.  That  under  existing  circumstances  it  is  the  indispensable  duty  of 
the  Baptist  denomination  in  the  United  States  to  organize  a  distinct  society  for  the 
purpose  of  aiding  in  the  translation,  printing  and  circulation  of  the  sacred  Scriptures. 

'  2.  Resolved,  That  this  organization  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 

'  3.  Jiesolved,  That  the  society  confine  its  efforts  during  the  ensuing  year  to  the 
circulation  of  the  Word  of  God  in  foreign  tongues. 

'  -1-.  Resolved,  That  the  Baptist  denonaination  in  the  ITnited  States  be  affection- 
tionatcly  requested  to  sentl  to  the  Society,  at  its  annual  meeting  during  the  last  week 
in  April,  1838,  their  views  as  to  the  duty  of  the  Society  to  engage  in  the  work  of 
home  distribution. 

'5.  Resolved.  That  a  conunittee  of  one  from  each  State  and  district  repre- 
sented in  this  convention  be  appointed  to  draft  a  constitution  and  nominate  aboard 
of  officers  for  the  ensuing  year.' 

A  constitution  was  then  adopted  and  otBcers  chosen  by  the  Convention  itself. 
It  elected  Spencer  H.  Cone  for  President,  Charles  G.  Sonimers  for  Corresponding 
Secretary,  William  Colgate  for  Treasurer  and  John  West  for  Kecording  Secretary ; 
together  with  thirty-six  managers,  who,  according  to  the  eighth  article  of  the  consti- 
tution, were  'brethren  in  good  standing  in  Baptist  Churches.' 

The  convention  also  instructed  its  officers  to  issue  a  circular  to  the  Baptist 
Churches  throughout  the  ITnited  States,  commending  its  work  to  their  co-operation 
and  contidence,  and  especially  soliciting  them  to  send  to  the  new  Society  an  expres- 
sion of  their  wishes  as  to  its  duty  in  the  matter  of  home  circulation.  This  request 
was  very  generally  complied  with,  and  so  earnest  was  the  wish  to  make  it  a  '  society 
for  the  world,'  that  at  its  annual  meeting  in  1838  its  constitution  was  so  amended  as 
to  read  :  '  It  shall  be  the  object  of  this  Society  to  aid  in  the  wider  circidation  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  in  all  lands.'  Thus  the  Baptists  took  the  high  and  holy  ground 
that  they  were  called  to  conserve  fidelity  to  God  in  translating  the  P)ible,  and  that 
if  they  failed  to  do  this  on  principle,  they  would  fail  to  honor  him  altogether  in  this 
matter ;  because  the  Society  which  they  had  founded  was  the  only  Bible  organiza- 
tion then  established  which  had  no  fellowship  with  compromises  in  Bible  translation. 


900  '/■///■,  qrKsrroN  <>f  UEVisrox. 

I'"r(iiu  tla'  lii'.-t,  nuiiiv  in  the  \ww  Sueictv.  k'll  liv  |)i-.  ('one,  desired  U>  jji'uceed 
at  once  to  a  revision  of  tlie  Kngiisii  Scriptures,  under  tl;i-  guidance  of  tlie  principles 
applied  to  tlu'  Asiatic  versions  made  l>v  llie  I')a|)tist  niissionai'ies.  liut  in  defei'cnce 
to  (lie  oppo.-itiou  of  sonii'  who  appi'o\cii  of  the  Social  v  in  all  oilier  respects,  at  its 
annual  njcctin^'  in  1  S.'iS  it  ' /A .>•■(•;//■<  V,  'J'liat  in  the  ili>l  I'ilailion  of  the  Scrijjtures  in 
the  Eniiiish  lan_iiua_i;i'.  tln'V  will  use  the  couinioniv  i-ecci\cd  \cr.-ion  until  otliei'wise 
directed  hy  the  Society.'  Wliate\cr  diffei'enci-  of  opinion  existed  anuiufjst  tlie 
founders  of  that  Society  aiiout  the  immediate  expediency  of  a|ip!yin_ir  the  princi- 
])le  of  its  Constitution  lo  ihe  l'jii>;li>h  \ersioli,  its  ultimate  ap|>lication  liecame  hut  a 
(piestion  of  time,  and  thi^  action  was  j)Obtj)oiied  for  fourteen  year.-.  Meanwhile, 
this  measure  was  pressed  in  \ai-ious  directions,  in  addresses  at  its  anniversaries,  in 
essays  |)ul)]ished  hy  vai'ious  pel•son^.  ;md  in  the  Society's  cori'espondence.  In  1S4"2 
IJev.  Mt'ssrs.  David  IJcnianl  and  Samuel  Aai'oli  issued  a  \a-ry  ahle  tl•eati^e  (jU  the 
need  (]f  '  ReN-i.-ing  ami  .\ mciuliiii;-  King'  James'  Version  ol'  the  Holy  Sci'ijjtui'es.' 
'i'hey  also  |)rocured  and  puhlislied  in  that  year,  through'  the  jiuhlishiug  house  of  J. 
13.  Lippincijtt,  of  l'hiladeli)hia,  a  rexised  version  cd'  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
'  carefully  l'e\iM'il  and  amenilcd  hy  scx'ci'al  I'lihlical  scholars."  This  they  say  they 
did  "in  accor<lance  with  the  ad\ice  u\  many  (li>t  inguished  hrethren.  the  services  of 
a  nuniher  of  j)rofess(.irs,  .sonie  of  whom  rank  among  the  first  in  our  country  for 
their  knowledge  of  tht^  original  languages  and  liihlical  interpretation  and  ci'itieisni, 
lia\'c  hceii  secured  to  prepare  tlii^  woi'k."  .Vmongst  these  were  the  late  I'rof. 
Whiting;',  I'l'of.  A.  ( '.  Kendrick  and  other  leading  ^cll(dars  who  still  live  and  have 
lahoi'ed  on  other  revisions. 

The  American  and  Foreign  liihle  Society  hehl  its  annual  meeting  in  New  York 
May  lltli.  184-9,  and,  on  the  motion  of  lion.  Isaac  Davis,  of  Massachusetts,  after 
coiisiderahle  discussion,  it  was  *  h'rsoJi-nl.  That  the  restriction  laid  hy  tlie  Society 
u]iou  the  Board  of  Managers  in  1S3S.  "to  use  only  the  commonly  received  version 
ill  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures  in  the  English  language."  he  removed.'  This 
restriction  being  removed,  the  new  board  referred  the  (piestioii  of  revision  to  aeoin- 
inittee  of  five.  A  ftei- long  consideration  that  committee  presented  three  rejiorts  : 
one  with  three  signatures  and  two  miiujrity  reports.  The  third,  from  tlie  peu  of 
Warren  Carter,  Esip,  was  long  and  labore<l  as  an  argument  against  altering,  the 
common  version  at  all.  In  January,  1850,  the  majority  report  was  unanimously 
adopted  in  these  words: 

'■Hexoh'cd,  That,  in  the  opinion  of  this  board,  the  sacred  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  ought  to  be  faithfully  and  accurately  translated  into  every 
living  language. 

'  Ti'c'.Wivv/,  That  wherever,  in  versions  now  in  us(\  known  and  obvious  errors 
exist,  and  wherever  the  meaning  of  the  original  is  concealed  or  obscured,  suitable 
measures  ouo-ht  to  be  prosecuted  to  correct  those  versions,  so  as  to  render  the  truth 
clear  and  intelligible  to  the  ordinary  reader. 

Resolved,    That,   in    regard   to    the    expediency   of    this    board    undertaking 


II'.  I II M    COS  Tito  VERS  Y.  90 1 

the  correction  of  the  Eiiijlish  viT.sion.  ;i  decided  difference  of  upiiiioii  exists, 
and,  tlierefore,  tliat  it  he  jiidned  iimst  [uMident  to  await  tlui  iiistruetion.s  of  the 
Society.' 

On  ihe  publication  of  tliese  ret^nlutions  the  greatest  excitement  spread  tlirough 
the  denomination.  Most  of  its  journals  were  flooded  with  ciunniunications, ^.>?v^ 
and  con,  sermons  were  preached  in  a  nuiidicr  of  ]iul|iits  dennuncini;-  the  movement, 
and  pul)lic  meetings  were  held  in  several  cities  to  the  same  end,  notable  amongst  them 
one  at  the  Oliver  Street  Church,  in  JN'ew  York,  April  -Ith,  1850.  This  feeling  was 
greatly  increased  by  the  two  following  facts  :  Mr.  Carter,  an  intelligent  layman,  but 
neither  a  scholar  n(ir  an  abU'  thinkei-,  having  submitted  a  R'arntnl  and  elaborate  papei' 
as  his  minority  report,  \vhi(!h  occupied  an  lunir  in  the  reading,  and  believing  that  it 
was  inspired  by  an  astute  author  in  New  York  who  had  opposed  the  Society  from 
the  first,  and  was  then  a  meml)er  of  the  Board  of  the  American  Bible  Society,  i)r. 
Cone  and  "William  II.  AYyckoff,  President  and  Secretary  of  the  American  and  Foi'- 
eigh  Bible  Society,  published  a  pamphlet  over  tlieii-  names  in  defense  of  the  action 
of  the  board,  inider  the  title,  '  The  Bible  Translated.'  The  second  fact  arose  from 
the  demand  of  Mr.  Carter  that  those  in  favor  of  a  revision  of  the  English  Script- 
nres  should  issue,  in  the  form  of  a  small  edition  of  the  New  Testament,  a  specimen 
of  the  character  of  the  emendations  wliich  they  desired,  in  regard  to  obsolete  woi'ds. 
to  words  and  phrases  that  failed  to  express  the  meaning  of  the  original  Greek,  or 
the  addition  of  words  by  the  translators,  errors  in  grammar,  profane  expressions  and 
sectarian  renderings.  Deacon  William  Colgate,  the  Treasurer,  said  that  he  approved 
of  this  suggestion,  and  that  if  l!i-ethren  Cone  and  Wvckoff  Wduld  procure  and  issue 
such  an  edition  as  a  personal  enterprise,  he,  as  a  friend  of  revision,  would  personally 
pay  the  cost  of  the  plates  and  printing.  This  was  done,  and  in  their  preface  they 
stated  that  by  the  aid  of  'eminent  scholars,'  who  had  'kindly  co-operated  and  given 
tln'ir  hearty  a])pri)val  to  the  proposed  corrections,'  they  submitted  their  work,  not 
for  acceptance  by  the  Society,  but  as  a  specimen  of  some  changes  which  migiit  be 
properly  made,  and  that  the  plates  would  be  presented  to  the  Society  if  they  were 
desired.  This  was  sufficient  to  fan  the  fire  to  a  huge  flame  ;  much  stormy  and  un- 
called for  severity  was  invoki'd,  and  a  large  attendance  was  called  for  at  the  annual 
meeting  to  'rebuke  this  metropolitan  power'  and  crush  the  movement  forevei-. 

Men  of  the  highest  ability  took  sides  and  published  their  views,  some  demand- 
ing revision  at  once,  others  admitting  its  necessity  but  hesitating  as  to  what  might 
be  the  proper  method  to  procure  it,  and  still  others  full  of  fiery  denunciation  of 
Cone,  Wyckoff  and  Colgate,  and  their  syin])athizers ;  as  if  tliey  were  guilty  of  the 
basest  crime  for  desiring  as  good  a  version  for  the  English  s])eaking  people  as  the 
Baptists  were  giving  to  the  East  Indians.  Many  others  also  talked  as  much  at  random 
as  if  they  feared  that  the  book  which  they  hinted  had  come  down  from  lieaven  in  about 
its  present  shape,  printed  and  bound,  was  now  to  be  taken  from  them  by  force.  Fi'om 
the  abundant   material  before  the  writer  a  large  volume  might  be  submitted  of  the 


902  1)U.    IlACKKTr    oX   llKVISKiX. 

sayings  and  doings  of  nuiny  pci-sons,  (jf  wlioiu  Bome  ai'o  still  living,  and  sonic  liave 
gi>ne  to  their  a<;coiiiit  with  (iod  ;  l)iit  as  no  gr)i)il  (Mid  can  he  suciired  at  present  hy 
their  I'eprodiiction  tiiey  are  ))assed  in  silence.  It  is  iiiiich  more  grateful  to  refer  to 
those  more  calm  and  ihoun'hlful  minds  who  stood  iimiio\  eil  in  the  storm,  and,  ailhotiirh 
they  did  not  at  tliat  time  see  their  way  clear  to  aid  the  work  of  revision,  yet  spoke 
in  a  manner  wortliv  oi'  theniselves  as  men  of  God  in  liandlin<r  a  sreat  and  <rrave  siih- 
ject.  worthy  of  the  Master  whom  they  served,  showing  their  consistencv  as  defenders 
of  our  missionary  versions.  I're-einineiit  amongst  these  was  the  late  i)i-.  llackett, 
who  thus  I'.xpressed  himself  May  lid.  l.^.">(»: 

■  it  is  a<lmittcd  that  the  received  Knglish  version  of  the  Scriptures  is  suscepti- 
lile  of  improvement.  During  tiie  more  than  aud  years  which  have;   jiassed  since 

it  wa>  made,  our  means  for  the  explanation,  both  of  the  te.xt  and  thesulijccts  of  the 
IJihle,  have  heeii  greatly  increased.  Tlie  original  languages  in  which  it  was  written 
liave  continued  to  occupy  the  attention  ol  scholars,  and  are  now  mm-e  ])erfectl3' 
understood.  Much  light  has  been  thrown  iqion  the  meaning  of  words.  Many  of 
them  are  seen  to  have  been  incoi'rectly  defined,  and  many  more  to  have  been  ren- 
dered with  less  j)recision  than  is  now  attainable.  'J'he  various  collateral  liraiiches  of 
knowledge  have  been  advanced  to  a  more  perfect  state.  History,  geography,  antiq- 
uities, the  monuments  and  customs  of  tlie  countries  wdiere  the  sacred  writers  lived, 
and  where  the  scenes  which  they  describe  took  place,  have  lieen  investigated  with 
untiring  zeal,  and  have  yielded,  at  length,  residts  wliicli  afford  advantag(;s  to  the 
translatoi'  of  the  8cri])tures  at  the  present  day.  which  no  ])receding  age  has  enjoyed. 
Tt  is  eminently  desirable  that  we  should  have  in  our  language  a  traiislaticjn  of  the 
liiljle  conformed  to  the  present  state  of  ci'itica!  learning.' 

The  Society  met  for  its  thirteenth  anniversary  in  jS'ew  York  on  tlie  morning  of 
May  22d,  1S,5().  The  crowd  of  life  members,  life  directors  and  other  delegates  was 
very  large,  and  the  excitement  rose  as  liigh  as  it  well  could.  J-'roin  the  first 
it  was  manifest  that  calm,  deliberate  discussion  and  conference  were  not  to  be  had, 
but  that  measures  adverse  to  all  ri'vision  were  to  be  cai'i'ied  with  a  high  hand.  It 
had  been  customary  to  elect  officers  and  managers  before  the  ])ublic  services  ;  l)ut, 
befoi'e  this  could  be  done  Ilev.  Isaac  Westcott  moved  :  '  That  this  Society,  in  the  issues 
and  circulation  of  the  English  Scriptures,  be  restric^ted  to  tlie  commonly  received 
version,  without  note  or  comment ;  '  and  furtlu'i- mo\ed  that,  as  ]irobably  all  minds 
were  made  upon  the  question,  the  vote  should  be  taken  without  dei)ate.  Determined 
resistance  to  this  .summary  process  secured  the  postjionement  of  the  question  to  the 
afternoon,  and  other  business  was  attended  to.  At  that  session  eacli  speaker  was 
coniined  to  tifteeii  minutes.  Then  in  the  heat  of  the  S(_iciety  it  so  far  forgot  the  object 
of  its  organization  as  to  vote  down  by  an  overwhehiiing  majoi'ity  the  very  jjriiiciple 
on  which  it  was  organized.  In  the  hope  that,  if  revision  could  not  be  entertained, 
at  least  a  great  principle  might  be  conserved  as  a  general  basis  of  agreement 
thereafter,  the  revisionists,  on  consultation,  submitted  the  following:  ^  liesolved, 
That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  Society  to  circulate  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  the  most 
faithful  versions  that  can  be  procured.'  When  the  Society  had  rejected  thiSj  and 
thus  stultiiied  itself,  and  denied  not  oidy  its  paternity  but  its  right  to  exist  by  reject- 


liEVTSIOX  nEJECTED.  903 

ing  that  fundamental  principle,  it  was  seen  at  a  glance  that  all  hope  of  its  unity  was 
ffone.  Yet,  a^  a  last  hope  that  it  might  be  saved,  the  following  conciliatory  resolu- 
tion was  submitted,  but  was  not  even  entertained,  namely : 

^^Vlle^•eas,  Numerous  criticisms  of  the  learned  of  all  denominations  of  Chris- 
tians demonstrate  the  susceptibility  of  iiumy  improvements  in  the  commonly  received 
version  of  the  English  Scriptures;  and  ir/iereaf<,  it  is  deemed  inexpedient  for  one 
denomination  of  Christians  alone  to  attempt  these  improvements,  provided  tlie  co- 
operation of  others  can  be  secured  ;  therefore 

'Resolved,  That  a  connnittec  of pious,  faithful,  and  learned   men,  in  the 

United  States  of  America  or  elsewhere,  be  appointed  for  tlie  purpose  of  opening  a 
correspondence  with  the  (Christian  and  learned  world,  on  all  points  necessarily 
involved  in  the  cpiestion  of  revising  the  English  Scriptures;  that  said  committee  be 
reipiested  to  present  to  tlie  Society"  at  the  next  annual  meeting  a  report  of  their 
investigations  and  correspondence,'  with  a  statement  of  their  views  as  to  what  revision 
of  the'English  Scriptures  it  would  be  proper  to  make,  if  any;  that  until  such  report 
and  statement  shall  have  been  acted  upon  by  the  Society  the  Board  of  Managers 
shall  be  restricted  in  their  English  issues  to  the  commonly  received  version ;  and 
that  all  necessary  expenses  attendant  upon  this  correspondence  and  investigation  be 
paid  by  the  Society.' 

Oil  the  i'M\,  the  following,  otfered  by  Rev.  Dr.  Turnbull,  of  Connecticut,  was 
adopted : 

'■Resolved,  That  it  is  not  the  jn'ovincc  and  duty  of  the  American  and  Foreign 
Bible  Society  to  attempt,  on  their  own  part,  or  procure  from  others,  a  revision  of 
the  commonly  received  English  version  of  the  Scriptures.' 

This  action  was  followed  by  the  election  of  the  officers  and  the  board  by  ballot, 
when  Dr.  Cone  was  re-elected  President ;  but  the  Secretary,  William  H.  Wyckoff, 
and  the  venerable  Deacon  Colgate,  were  proscribed,  together  with  ten  of  the  old 
managers,  all  known  revisionists.  No  person  then  present  can  wish  to  witness 
another  such  scene  in  a  Baptist  body  to  the  close  of  life.  Dr.  Cone,  at  that  time  in 
his  sixty-sixth  year,  rose  like  a  patriarch,  his  hair  as  white  as  snow.  As  soon  as  the 
seething  multitude  in  the  Mulberry  Street  Tabernacle  could  be  stilled,  he  said,  with 
a  stifled  and  almost  choked  utterance  :  '  Brethren,  I  believe  my  work  in  this  Society 
is  done.  Allow  me  to  tender  you  my  resignation.  I  did  not  withdraw  my  name  in 
advance,  because  of  the  seeming  egotism  of  such  a  step.  I  thank  you,  my  breth- 
ren, for  the  kindly  manner  in  which  you  have  been  pleased  to  tender  me  once  more 
the  office  of  President  of  your  Society.  But  I  cannot  serve  you  longer.  I  am 
crushed.'  The  Society  at  first  refused  to  receive  his  resignation,  but,  i-emaining 
tirin  in  his  purpose,  it  was  accepted.  When  Messrs.  Cone,  Colgate  and  Wyckoff 
rose  to  leave  the  house  in  company.  Dr.  Cone  invited  Dr.  Sominei's,  the  first  Vice- 
President,  to  the  chair,  remarking  that  God  had  a  work  for  him  to  do  which  he 
was  not  permitted  to  do  in  that  Society;  and  bowing,  like  a  jirince  in  Israel  un- 
crowned for  his  fidelity,  he  said,  amid  the  sobbing  of  the  audience  :  '  I  bid  you,  my 
brethren,  an  affectionate  farewell  as  President  of  a  Society  that  I  have  loved,  which 


0O4 


SI'KSCKli   U.    LOyK. 


has  cost  ine  inoiicy,  willi  imicli  labor,  prayer  and  tears.  I  hope  that  God  will  direct 
your  futui-e  course  in  niei'cy  ;  that  we  may  do  as  much  good  as  such  creatures  as  we 
ari>  al)le  t(.  accomi)lisli.  May  the  l.oi-d  dcsus  hless  you  all."  Dr.  ISai-tholomew  T. 
Welch  was  choMMi  I'rc.-idt'ni.  and  l)i-.  Cnltinii-  Secretary  of  the  American  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society;  then  llie  b<iily  adjourned. 

Spencer  II.  Cone,  IJ.D..  was,  by  nature,  a  man  id'  mark,  and  wonhi  have  been 
a  leader  in  any  sjdiere  of  life,  lie  was  boi-n  at  i'l-inceton,  N.  ,)..  April  !:'>,  1785. 
His  fatliei-  and  mother  were  members  of  the  Hopewell  i!apti>t  Cliundi.      His  father 

\va>    high-spirited  and   fearless, 
-  '~-^"  noted  for    his  gentlemanly  and 

iinished  manners.  He  was  an 
unllinching  Whig,  and  fought 
with  great  bravery  in  the  Rev- 
olution. Mrs.  Cone  was  the 
daugliter  of  Col.  Joab  Hough- 
ton. She  possessed  a  vigorous 
intellect,  great  personal  beauty, 
and  an  indomitable  moral  cour- 
age. Late  in  life.  Dr.  Cone  loved 
to  S]:)eak  of  the  earnest  and  en- 
liglitiMicd  piety  of  his  parents. 
When  about  iifty  years  of  age 
he  said  in  a  sermon  :  '  ^ly  mother 
was  liaptized  when  I  was  a  few 
months  old.  and  soon  afti'r  her 
baptisu),  as  1  was  sleeping  on  Ian- 
lap,  she  was  much  drawn  out  in 
prayer  for  her  babe  and  supposed 
she  received  an  answer,  with  the 
assurance  that  the  child  slioidd 
]i\-e  to  preach  the  (iospel  of 
it  indiu-ed  her  to  make  the  most 
a  course,  at  first,  nuich  against  my 
father's  will.  This  she  told  me  after  my  conversion  ;  it  had  been  a  comfort  to 
her  in  the  darkest  hour  of  domestic  trial ;  for  she  had  never  doubted  that  her 
hope  would  be  sooner  or  later  fidtilled.'  At  the  age  of  twelve  he  entered  Prince- 
ton College  as  a  Freshman,  but  at  foui'teen  he  was  obliged  to  leave,  when  in  his 
Sophomore  vcar,  in  conseqtience  of  the  nuMital  derangement  of  his  father  and  the 
reduction  of  the  family  to  a  ])euniless  condition :  they  went  through  a  hard 
struggle  for  many  years.  Yet  the  lad  of  fourteen  took  upon  him  the  support  of 
his  father  and  mother,  four  sisters  and  a  younger  brother,  and  never  lost  heart  or 


SI'KXCKH    II.    CONE,    D.n. 


Christ.      The    assurance   never    left   her:    am 
persevering  efforts  to  send   me  to   Princeton 


}fn.    CONK'S   CONVERSIOX.  90S 

hope.  He  spent  seven  years  as  a  teaelior,  first  in  the  Bordentown  Academy, 
haviiio-  charge  of  the  Latin  and  Greek  depai-tniL-nt,  and  then  lie  became  assistant 
in  the  Thiiadelpliia  Academy  nuder  Dr.  Abercromhio. 

Prompted  largely  by  tlie  desire  to  support  his  motlier  and  sisters  more  liberally, 
he  next  devoted  seven  years  to  theatrical  life,  lie  says:  'In  a  nimiunt  of  despera- 
tion I  adopted  the  profession  of  an  actor.  It  was  inimical  to  the  wishes  of  my 
mother,  and  in  direct  opposition  to  my  own  feelings  and  principles.  But  it  was  the 
only  way  by  which  I  had  a  hope  of  extricating  myself  from  my  pecuniary  embar- 
rassments.' He  played  chiefly  in  I'liihulelphia,  Baltimore  and  Alexandria,  and  suc- 
ceeded much  better  than  he  expected,  but  at  times  had  serious  misgivings  about  the 
morality  of  his  associations  and  was  greatly  troubled  about  his  personal  salvation. 
In  1S13  he  left  the  stage,  to  take  charge  of  the  books  of  the  '  Baltimore  American.' 
A  year  later,  he  became  one  of  the  proprietors  and  conductors  uf  the  '  Baltimore 
Whig,"  a  pa]ier  devoted  to  the  politics  of  Jefferson  and  Madison.  At  that  moment 
the  country  had  come  to  war  with  England,  and  he  went  to  the  field  as  captain  of 
the  Baltimore  Artillery  Company,  under  William  Pinckney.  lie  stood  bravely  at 
his  post  during  the  battles  at  Northpoint,  Bladensburg  and  Baltimore,  when  shells 
tore  up  the  earth  at  his  feet  and  mangled  his  men  at  his  side.  During  the  war  he 
married,  intending  to  spend  his  time  in  secular  life,  but  neglected  the  house  of  God. 
One  day  his  eye  dropped  upon  an  advertisement  of  a  sale  of  books,  which  he  attended, 
and  he  bought  the  works  of  John  Newton.  On  reading  the  '  Life  of  Newton,'  his 
mind  was  deeply  affected;  he  passed  through  agony  of  soul  on  account  of  his  sins, 
which,  for  a  time,  disqualified  him  for  business.  Kis  young  wife  thought  him 
deranged,  and  having  sought  relief  in  various  ways,  at  last  he  flew  to  the  Bible  for 
direction,     lie  says : 

'  One  evening  after  the  family  had  all  retired,  I  went  u]i  into  a  vacant  garret 
and  walked  backwards  and  forwards  in  great  agony  of  mind.  I  kneeled  down,  the 
instance  of  Ilezekiah  occurred  to  me,  like  him  t  turned  my  face  to  the  wall  and  cried 
for  mercy.  An  answer  seemed  to  be  vouchsafed  in  an  impression  that  just  as  many 
years  as  I  had  passed  in  rebellion  against  God,  so  man}-  years  1  must  now  endure, 
before  deliverance  could  be  granted.  I  clasped  my  hands  and  cried  out,  "  Yes,  dear 
Lord,  a  thousand  years  of  such  anguish  as  I  now  feel,  if  I  may  only  be  saved  at 
last."  ...  I  felt  that  as  a  sinner  I  was  condemned  and  justly  exposed  to  immediate 
and  everlasting  destruction.  I  saw  distinctly  that  in  Christ  alone  1  must  be  saved,  if 
saved  at  all;  and  the  view  1  had  at  that  moment  of  Christ's  method  of  saving  sin- 
ners, I  do  still  most  heartily  entertain  after  thirty  years'  experience  of  his  love.' 

Not  long  after  this  he  began  to  preach  in  Washington,  and  so  amazing  was  his 
popularity  that  in  1815-16  he  was  elected  Chaplain  to  Congress.  For  a  time  he  was 
pastor  at  Alexandria,  Ya.,  when  he  became  assistant  pastor  in  Oliver  Street,  New 
York,  where  he  rose  to  the  highest  distinction  as  a  preacher.  The  death  of  its  min- 
ister, Eev.  John  Williams,  left  him  sole  pastor  of  that  Church  for  about  eighteen 
years,  when  he  accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  New  York. 


906  urs  uyFiJNCinya  fiufjity. 

I'Oi' iiliuiit  I'oi'ty  veui'.s  lie  \v;is  ;i  Icailur  ill  lldiiic  and  l-'ui'ciuii  mission  work,  uiid  in 
tlie  <rrciit  inudiM-ii  nioveiiicnl  for  a  jiui-clv  tran>latc-(|  |!il»lc.  In  estahli&hiiiif  our  iiiis- 
Eions,  iiiaiiv  jilcaiK-il  I'nr  the  lisiiii;-  tcaclier  ami  carcil  liltlu  I'ur  the  faitlifullv  traiis- 
latt'd  Hil)l(',  lint  Ik-  svnipatlii/A'cl  with  Mr.  'I'lidiiia.-.  who,  in  a  moment  of  lieart-soiTow, 
exclaimed:  •  If  1  had  £l(l(),iK)i)  I  wonUl  -ive  it  all  for  a  l!en;,^di  Bible.'  lie  did 
much  foi-  the  cause  of  edneatit)!).  but  never  tciok  nim-li  interest  in  the  scheme  which 
associated  ('olnnibia  ('ollei;'e  with  the  mi~sionarv  tit-Id.  In  a  letter  to  Dr.  Bolles 
dated   I)eceniber  27.   !>'■'!••,  be  wi'ote  : 

'  The  value  of  education  I  certaiiilv  appreciate,  and  think  a  preacher  of  the  Gos- 
j)el  cannot  know  too  much,  althotiyh  it  sometimes  nnlia])pilv  occurs,  to  use  the  lan- 
ijnai^t'  of  I..  Uichniond,  that  Christ  is  crucified  in  tlu'  pulpit  between  the  classics  and 
matheiiiatics.  Those  missionaries  destined,  like  .lud^-oii.  to  trandatc  the  word  of 
(-iod  should  be  ripe  scholars  before  this  l)ran('li  of  their  work  is  jiei-foi-med  ;  but  I 
am  still  of  o])inion  that  the  learniuii'  of  Dr.  (4ill  liini>t'lf  would  have  aided  him  but 
little  had  he  Ijeen  a  missionarv  to  our  American    Indians." 

lie  was  elected  Pre^idt'iit  <_if  the  Triennial  ( "oUNCiition  in  18:52.  and  contimieil 
to  lill  that  chair  till  ISfl.  wlnii  lie  dccliiu'.l  a  re-election.  He  had  much  to  do  with 
adjnstiii<4'  tlu'  workini;-  jilans,  first  of  the  Triennial  ('on\eniion  and  then  of  the  ^lis- 
sionarv  I'liion.  When  the  disriqition  took  place  bt'tween  tlu>  S(.)Uthern  and  Northern 
Baptists,  in  iSi.J,  no  one  contributed  more  to  overcome  tlie  fi-ictioii  and  diftictil- 
ties  which  were  engendered  by  the  new  state  of  things  and  in  forming  the  new 
constitution.      I  )r.  Stow  says: 

'Concessions  wei'e  made  on  all  siiles  :  but  it  was  plain  ti.i  all  th.it  the  i,'reatest 
was  made  by  ]\Ir.  Cone.  The  next  day  the  constitution  was  reported  as  the  unan- 
imous product  of  the  connnittee.  Mr.  Cone  made  the  requisite  cx])lanations,  and 
defended  every  article  and  every  jtrovision  as  earnestly  as  if  the  entire  instrument 
had  been  his  own  favorite  offspring.  The  committee,  knowing  his  ]>reference  for 
something  different,  were  tilled  with  admiration  at  the  Christian  magnanimity  which 
he  there  exhibited.  I  believe  he  never  altered  liis  ojiinion  that  something  else  would 
have  been  better,  but  I  never  knew  of  his  uttering  a  syllable  to  the  disparagement 
of  the  constitution  to  whose  unanimous  adoption  he  contributed  more  largely  than 
any  other  man." 

As  a  moderator,  as  an  orator,  as  a  Christian  gentleman,  he  was  of  the  highest 
order;  he  knew  nothing  of  ])ersonal  bitterness;  he  read  human  nature  at  a  glance, 
and  was  one  of  the  iiofilest  an<l  best  abused  men  of  his  day.  Like  his  liretlien.  he 
believed  that  the  word  •  baptize "  in  the  Bible  meant  to  immerse  and  that  it  was  his 
duty  to  God  so  to  preach  it;  but,  unlike  them,  he  believed  that  if  it  was  his  duty  so 
to  preach  it,  it  was  as  clearly  his  duty  so  to  print  it  ;  and  therefor  many  accounted 
him  a  sinner  aliove  all  who  dwelt  in  .Ii-rnsaleni.  Of  course,  as  is  usual  in  all  similar 
eases  of  detraction  heaven  has  halloweil  his  memory,  for  his  life  was  moved  fiy  the 
very  highest  and  purest  motives. 

On  the  27th  of  May,  1S.50,  twenty-four  revisionists  met  in  the  ))arlor  of  Deacon 
Colgate's  house,  Ko.  12.S  Chambers  Street,  to  take  into  consideration  what  present 


Till-:  A.)ri:iticAN  bible  union.  907 

duty deniiiiicled  at  tliuir  hands.  They  were:  Spencer  II.  Cone,  Stephen  Remington, 
Herman  J.  Eddy,  Tlionias  Armitage,  Wm.  S.  Chipp,  Orrin  11  Jiidd,  Henry  P.  See, 
A.  C.  AVheat,  Wm.  Colgate,  Jolin  15.  Wells,  Wm.  I).  Murphy,  .las.  11.  Townseud, 
Sylvester  Pier,  Jas.  B.  Colgate,  Alex.  MeDoiiald,  Geo.  AV.  Abbe,  Jas.  Farquharson, 
and  E.  S.Whitney,  <jf  New  York  eity  ;  John  Iiichardsoii,  of  Maine;  Samuel  R. 
Kelly  and  Wm.  li.  Wykcoli",  of  Brooklyn  ;  K.  (Tilbert,  Lewis  Bedell  and  James 
Edmunds,  from  the  interior  of  \ew  Yni'k.  Dr.  (,'one  jircsided,  E.  S.  Whitney  served 
as  secretary,  and  Deacon  Colgate  led  in  prayer.  For  a  time  this  company  bowed 
before  God  in  silence,  then  this  man  of  God  poured  out  one  nf  the  most  tender 
and  earnest  petitions  before  the  throne  of  grace  that  can  well  be  conceived.  T. 
Armitage  offered  the  following,  which, after  full  discussion,  were  adopted: 

'  Whereas,  The  word  and  will  of  God,  as  conveyed  in  the  inspired  originals  of 
the  Old  and  Xew  Testaments,  are  the  only  infallible  standards  of  faith  and  practice, 
and  therefore  it  is  of  unspeakable  importance  that  the  sacred  Scriptures  should  be 
faithfully  and  accurately  translated  into  every  living  language ;  and, 

'  Whi'reas.,  A  Bible  Society  is  bound  by  imperative  duty  to  employ  all  the 
means  in  its  power  to  insure  that  the  books  which  it  circulates  as  the  revealed  will 
of  God  to  uum,  should  be  as  free  from  error  and  obscurity  as  possible  ;  and, 

'  ^Vhercas,  There  is  not  now  any  general  Bible  Society  in  the  country  which 
has  not  nu)re  or  less  restricted  itself  by  its  own  enactments  from  the  discharge  of  this 
duty ;  thei'cfore, 

'■Benolrt'd.  That  it  is  our  (hdy  to  form  a  voluntary  association  for  the  purpose 
of  procuring  and  circulating  the  most  faithful  version  of  the  sacred  Scriptures  in  all 
languages. 

^Resolved.  That  in  such  an  association  we  will  welcome  all  persons  to  co-operate 
with  us,  who  endu-ace  the  principles  upon  which  we  propose  to  organize,  without 
regard  to  their  tlenominational  juinciples  in  other  respects.' 

On  the  Idth  of  June,  1S50,  a  very  large  meeting  was  held  at  the  Baptist  Tab- 
ernacle in  Mulberry  Street,  New  York,  at  which  the  American  Bible  Union  was 
organized,  under  a  constitution  which  was  then  adopted,  and  an  address  explaining 
its  purposes  was  given  to  the  public.  Dr.  Cone  was  elected  President  of  the  Union, 
Wm.  li.  Wyckoff,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Deacon  Colgate,  Treasurer  ;  E.  S.  Whit- 
ney, Recording  Secretary,  and  Sylvester  Pier,  Auditor,  together  with  a  board  of 
twenty-four  managers.  The  second  article  of  the  constitution  defined  the  object  of 
the  Union  thus : 

'  Its  object  shall  he  to  procure  and  circulate  the  most  faithful  versions  of  the 
sacred  Scriptures  in  all  languages  throughout  the  world.' 

The  address  gave  the  broad  aims  of  the  Society  more  fully,  and,  among  other 
things,  said : 

'  The  more  accurately  a  version  is  brought  to  the  true  standard,  the  more  accu- 
rately will  it  express  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  An<l  this  is  the  real  foundation  of 
the  sacredue-ss  of  the  Bible.  Any  regard  for  it  founded  upon  the  defects  or  faults 
of  translation  is  superstition.  In  the  consideration  of  this  subject  some  have  endeav- 
ored to  poise  the  whole  question  of  revision  upon  the  retention  or  displacement  of 


908  nini.E  HEViaioy  commesced. 

the  word  "  bapti/.c."  I'lit  tliis  does  ereat  injustice  to  qui-  views  and  aims.  For 
altliougli  we  insist  upon  tlie  observance  of  a  nnit'urin  ])i-inci])]e  in  the  full  and  faitli- 
fiil  translation  of  (-rod's  Word,  so  as  to  ('X])ress  in  plain  Kniili>li,  without  ainliitciiitv 
or  va^aicness,  the  exact  nieaninij  of  baptizo,  as  well  as  of  all  other  woi-ds  relating  to 
the  (Christian  ordinances,  yet  this  is  but  one  of  numerous  ei'i'ors,  which,  in  our  esti- 
mation, demand  correction.  And  sucli  are  our  views  and  principles  in  the  ])rosecu 
tion  of  this  work  tliat,  if  tlu'rc  were  no  .such  word  as  ''  baptize  "'  or  bajjtizo  in  the 
Scrijitures,  the  necessity  of  I'evisini;-  our  English  version  would  aj)])ear  to  us  no  less 
real  and  imperative.' 

AVliile  many  men  uf  Ifarniiii;'  and  nerve  es|ioused  the  movement,  a  stni-m  of 
opposition  was  raised  against  it  from  cme  end  of  the  land  In  the  othei'.  It  expressed 
itself  chielly  in  harsh  words,  ridicule,  denunciatiun.  a])peals  to  ignorance,  jii'ejudice 
and  ill  temper,  with  now  and  then  an  attenijit  at  scholai'ly  I'efntation  in  a  spirit  mucli 
nioi-c  woi'thy  of  the  subject  itself  and  tlu,'  respective  writei's.  Every  consideration 
was  ])i-esented  on  tlie  subject  but  the  main  llidught  :  that  the  Authoi-  of  the  in- 
si^ired  originals  bad  the  inlinite  right  tii  a  hearing,  and  I  hat  man  was  in  duty  bound 
to  listen  to  his  utterances,  all  human  ])reference  or  expediency  to  the  conti'ary  not- 
withstanding. After  considerable  correspondence  with  scholars  in  this  country  and  in 
Europe,  the  following  geni'i'al  I'ules  bir  the  directidO  ol'  translators  and  revisers  were 
iidiij)ted,  and  many  scholai's  on  both  sides  of  the  .\tlantic  c(ininienceil  tlirir  work  on 
a  pi'eliminary  revision  of  the  JS'ew  Testament. 

l)r.  C'Onant  proceeded  with  the  revision  of  the  Kngli.-h  <  )ld  'restanient,  aided 
in  the  Hebrew  text  by  Dr.  Itodiger.  of  Jlalk'.  (ii'i-many. 

Tlie  f(.illowiiig  were  the  general  I'ules  of  the  Cnion  : 

'1.  The  exact  meaning  of  the  inspired  text,  as  that  text  expressed  it  to  those 
\\]w  understood  the  original  Scriptures  at  the  time  they  were  first  written,  must  be 
translated  by  corresponding  words  and  phrases,  so  far  as  they  can  be  found  in  the 
vernacular  tongue  of  tlmse  for  whom  the  vi'rsion  is  designed,  with  the  least  possible 
oliscurity  or  indefiniteness. 

'2.  Whenever  there  is  a  version  in  conmion  use  it  shall  be  made  the  basis  of 
revksion,  and  all  unnecessary  interfei'ence  with  the  established  [jhraseology  shall  be 
avoided,  and  only  such  alteration  shall  be  made  as  the  exact  meaning  of  the  inspired 
text  and  the  existing  state  of  the  language  may  recpiire. 

'  3.  Translations  or  revisions  gf  the  New  Testament  shall  I>e  made  fr<iin  the 
received  Greek  text,  critically  edited,  with  known  ei-rors  corivcted." 

The  following  were  the  'Special  Instructions  to  the  Kcvisei's  of  the  English 
New  Testament : ' 

'  1.  The  common  English  version  must  Ije  the  basis  of  the  I'evision :  the  Greek 
text,  Bagster  &  Son's  octavo  edition  of  1S51. 

'2.  Wlieiicver  an  alteration  from  that  version  is  made  on  any  authority  addi- 
tional to  that  of  the  reviser,  such  authoi-ity  must  be  cited  in  the  nnmusciajit.  either 
on  the  same  ])age  or  in  an  ap]iendix. 

'3.  Every  Greek  word  or  j)hrase,  in  the  translation  of  which  the  p>hraseology 
of  the  common  version  is  changed,  must  be  carefully  examined  in  ever}'  other  place 
in  which  it  occnirs  in  the  New  Testament,  and  the  views  of  the  reviser  given  as  to 
its  proper  translation  in  each  place. 


.V.13}'  liEVISERS.  909 

'  4-.  As  soon  as  tliu  revision  of  any  one  booiv  of  the  New  Testament  is  fiuislied, 
it  sliall  he  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Bible  Union,  or  such  otlier  person  as  shall  be 
designated  by  the  Committee  on  Versions,  in  order  that  copies  may  be  taken  and 
furnished  to  the  revisei-s  of  tlie  other  books,  to  be  returned  with  their  suggestions 
to  the  reviser  or  revisers  of  that  book.  After  being  re-revised,  witli  the  aid  of  these 
suggestions,  a  carefully  prepared  copy  shall  be  forwanleil  to  the  Secretary.' 

Amongst  tlie  scholars  who  worked  on  the  preliminary  revision  in  Europe  were 
Revs.  Wm.  Peechey,  A.M. ;  Jos.  Angus,  M.A.,  M.ll.A.S. ;  T.  J.  (iray,  D.D.,  Ph.D. ; 
T.  Boys,  A.M. ;  A.  S.  Thehvall,  M.A. ;  Francis  Clowes,  M.A. ;  F.  W.  Gotch,  A.M., 
and  .las.  Patterson,  l).l).  Amongst  the  American  revisers  were  l)i's.  J.  L.  Dagg, 
John  Lillie,  ().  B.  Judd,  Phili[)  SchatI,  Joseph  Muenscher,  John  Forsyth,  W.  P.  Strick- 
land and  James  Shannon ;  Profs.  E.  S.  Gallup,  E.  Adkins,  M.  K.  Pendleton,  N.  N. 
Whiting,  with  Messrs.  Alexander  Camjjbell,  Edward  Maturin,  Esq.,  E.  Lord  and  S. 
E.  Shepard.  The  tinai  revision  of  the  New  Testament  was  couuuitted  to  Drs.  Co- 
nant,  llackett,  Schaff  and  Kendrick,  and  was  published  18G5.  The  revisers  held 
ecclesiastical  connections  in  the  Cliurch  of  England,  Old  School  Presbyterians, 
Disciples,  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians,  Seventh-Day  Baptists,  American  Pro- 
testant Episcopalians,  Regular  Baptists  and  German  Reformed  Church.  Of  the 
Old  Testament  books,  the  Union  published  Genesis,  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth,  Job, 
Psalms  and  Proverbs;  I.  and  II.  Samuel,  I.  and  II.  Kings,  I.  and  II.  Chronicles, 
remaining  in  manuscript,  with  a  portion  of  Isaiah.  It  also  prepared  an  Italian  and 
Spanish  New  Testament,  the  latter  being  prepared  by  Don  Juan  De  Caldeipn,  of  the 
Spanish  Academy.  Also  a  New  Testament  in  the  Chinese  written  character,  and 
another  in  the  colloquial  for  Ningpo ;  one  in  the  Siamese,  and  another  in  the  Sqau 
Karen,  besides  sending  a  large  amount  of  money  for  versions  amongst  the  heathen, 
through  the  missionaries  and  missionary  societies.  It  is  estimated  that  al)out  7oO,0(lO 
copies  of  the  newly  translated  or  revised  versions  of  the  Scriptures,  mostly  of  the 
New-  Testament,  were  circulated  by  the  Union.  Its  tracts,  pamphlets,  addresses, 
reports  and  revisions  so  completely  revolutionized  public  opinion  on  the  subject  of 
revision  that  a  new  literature  was  created  on  the  subject,  both  in  England  and 
America,  and  a  general  demand  for  revision  culminated  in  action  on  that  subject  by 
the  Convocation  of  Canterbury  in  1S7(). 

As  early  as  1850  great  alarm  was  awakened  at  the  prospect  that  the  American 
Bible  Union  would  translate  the  Greek  word  'baptizo'  into  English,  instead  of 
transferring  it,  and  the  '  London  Times  '  of  that  year  remarked  that  there  were  already 
'  several  distinct  movements  in  favor  of  a  revision  of  the  authorized  vei-sion '  of 
1611.  The  'Edinbtirgh  Review'  and  many  similar  periodicals  took  strong  ground 
for  its  revision,  and,  in  1S5S,  Dr.  Trench,  then  Dean  of  Westminster,  issued  an  elab- 
orate treatise  showing  the  imperfect  state  of  the  commonly  received  version,  and 
the  urgent  need  of  its  revision,  in  which  he  said  :  '  Indications  of  the  interest  which 
it  is  awakening  reach  us  from  every  side.  America  is  sending  us  the  installments — 
it  must  be  owned  not  very  encouraging  ones — of  a  new  version  as  fast  as  she  can. 


910  coyvocATio.y  of  cA.\T/:/;/!r/;y. 

...  I  atu  pcrpuiulcd  tliat  a.  revision  oii^'lit  to  come.  I  am  convinced  tliat  it  will 
come.  The  wisii  for  a  revision  lias  for  a  consitierable  time  been  \vori<ini,'  amonjr 
dissenters  liere  ;  l>v  the  voice  oi'  onc^  of  tliese  it  lias  latelv  made  itself  known  in  I'ar- 
liament,  and  liv  the  month  of  a  lu'^iii.-  l'rofe->or  in  (.'oiivoeation.'  The  revision  of 
the  r>ii)le  I'liion  was  a  sore  thorn  in  his  side;  and  in  sni)mitting  a  plan  of  revision  in 
the  la.st  chapter,  in  which  lie  pidpo^ed  to  invite  tin;  IJihlical  scholars  uf  'the  land  to 
assist  with  their  snirirestions  li(>re.  t'ven  tlioni;;h  thev  mii^ht  not  belonir  to  the  church,' 
of  course  ihev  would  be  asked  as  scholars,  not  as  dissenters,  he  adds:  'Setting 
aside,  then,  the  so-called  JJaptists,  who,  of  course,  could  not  lie  invited,  seeing  that 
tiiev  demand  not  a  translation  of  the  Scripture  l)Ut  an  interpretation,  and  that  in 
their  own  sense.'  Some  JJaptist  writei'  had  denied  in  the  '  Freeman  '  of  November 
17.  1858,  that  the  liaptists  desired  to  disturb  tlii'  word  '  baptize  '  in  the  l-ji^i'lish  \cr- 
sioii,  but  the  Dean  was  so  alanned  about  their  putting  an  '  t'yite/jf/'efatio}/  '  into  the 
te.xt  instead  of  a  transfer,  that  he  said  in  a  second  edition,  in  185U  (page  21ii)  :  •  I 
find  it  hard  to  reconcile  this  with  the  fact  that  in  //ict'r  I'evision  (I'.ible  I'nioni  bap- 
ti/.o  is  alwavs  changed  into  immei>e.  anil  baptism  into  immersion."  The  pressure  of 
public  sentiment,  however,  compelled  him  to  call  for  re\ision.  for  lu'  sai<l  :  '  How- 
ever we  may  be  disjiosed  to  let  the  subject  aloin'.  it  will  not  let  us  alone.  Jt  has 
been  too  eiTectnallv  stirred  ever  again  to  go  to  sli'ep;  and  tlie  difiiculties.  be  they 
few  or  man\',  will  have  one  day  to  be  encountered.  The  time  will  come  when  the 
inconveniences  ol  remaining  where  we  are  will  be  so  manifestly  greater  than  the 
inconveidences  (d'  action,  that  this  la>t  will  become  inevitable.' 

The  \\'hole  subject  came  up  bei'oi-e  the  Convocation  of  the  I'rovince  oi  (.'anter- 
burv  in  l''cbniarv,  ls70.  when  (jne  (d'  the  most  memorable  discussions  took  place 
tliat  (!vei' ai;'itated  the  Clinrch  of  I'highind.  in  whi(di  those  who  conceded  the  desira- 
bleness of  revision  took  ground,  aiul  amongst  them  the  JjisliO])  of  i.incoln.  that  the 
American  movement  nece.-sitated  the  need  of  prompt  action  on  the  jiart  of  the 
Church  of  England.     In  May  of  the  same  year  the  Convocation  resolved  : 

'Tliat  it  is  desirable  that  Convocation  .should  nominate  a  body  id  its  own  mem- 
bers to  undertake  tlie  work  of  revision,  who  shall  be  at  liberty  to  invite  the  co-oj>e- 
ration  of  anv  eminent  for  scholarship,  to  wdiatever  nation  or  religious  body  they  may 
belong.' 

The  cliief  rules  on  which  the  revision   was  to  bi'  made  were  the  fiivt   and   fifth. 

namely : 

'  1.  To  introduce  as  few  alterations  as  possible  into  the  te.xt  of  the  authorized 
version  cousi.stently  with  faithfulness.  5.  To  make  or  retain  no  cliange  in  the  te.xt 
on  the  second  final  revision  by  each  eom])any,  except  two  t/ih'd.s  of  tliose  present 
approve  of  the  same,  but  on  the  fii'st  revision  to  decide  by  simple  majorities.' 

The  revisers  commenced  their  work  in  June,  lS7i>,  and  submitted  the  New  Tes- 
tament complete  May  r7th,  ISSl,  the  work  being  done  chiefly  by  seventeen  Episco- 
palians, two  of  the  Scotch  Church,  two  dissenting  Presbyterians,  one  Unitarian,  one 


CONSULTING    THE   UNION'S  VERSION.  911 

Iiidopendeiit  :iiul  duo  Baptist.  A  Imard  of  Anu'i'ican  scholars  luul  co-operated,  and 
submitted  'a  list  of  readings  and  reiulerings '  which  they  preferred  to  those  finally 
adopted  by  their  English  brethren  ;  a  list  comprising  fourteen  separate  classes  of  pas- 
sages, running  through  the  entire  New  Testament,  besides  several  hundred  separate 
words  and  plirascs.  'J'hc  l!il>lc  Union's  New  Testament  was  i)ul)lished  nearly  six 
years  before  the  Canterbury  revision  was  begun,  and  nearly  seventeen  years  before 
it  was  given  to  the  world.  Although  Dr.  Trench  had  pronounced  the  '  installments' 
of  the  American  Bible  Union's  New  Testament  '  not  very  encouraging,'  yet  the 
greatest  care  w-as  had  to  supply  the  English  translatoi's  with  that  vei-sion.  During 
the  ten  and  a  iialf  years  consumed  in  their  work,  they  met  in  the  Jerusalem  Cham- 
ber at  Westminster  each  montli  for  ten  months  of  every  year,  each  meeting  lasting 
four  days,  each  day  from  eleven  o'clock  to  six  ;  and  the  Bible  Union's  New  Testa- 
ment lay  on  their  table  all  that  time,  being  most  carefully  consulted  before  changes 
fnmi  the  counnoii  version  were  agreed  upon.  One  of  the  best  scholars  in  the  corps 
of  English  revisers  said  to  the  writer  :  '  We  never  make  an  important  change  with- 
out consulting  the  Union's  version.  Its  changes  are  more  numerous  than  ours,  but 
four  out  of  five  changes  are  in  exact  harmony  with  it,  and  I  am  mortified  to  say 
that  the  pride  of  English  scholarship  will  not  allow  us  to  give  due  credit  to  that 
superior  version  for  its  aid.'  This  was  before  the  Canterbury  version  was  com- 
pleted, but  wdien  it  was  finished  it  was  found  that  the  changes  in  sense  from  the 
common  version  were  more  numerous  than  those  of  the  Union's  version,  and  that 
the  renderings  in  that  version  are  verhatini  in  hundreds  of  cases  with  those  of  the 
Union's  version.  In  the  March  '  Contemporary  Keview,'  1882,  Canon  Farrar  cites 
twenty-four  cases  in  which  the  Canterbury  version  renders  the  '  aorist'  Greek  tense 
more  accurately  and  in  purer  English  than  does  the  common  version.  He  happily 
denominates  all  these  cases  '  baptismal  aorists,'  because  they  refer  to  the  initiatory 
Christian  rite  in  its  relations  to  Christ's  burial  and  resurrection.  Yet,  seventeen 
years  before  the  Canterl)ury  revisers  finished  their  work,  the  Bible  Union's  version 
contained  nineteen  of  these  renderings  as  they  are  found  in  the  Canterbury  version, 
without  the  variation  of  a  letter,  while  three  others  vary  but  slightly,  and  in  the  last 
case,  which  reads  in  the  connnon  version  'have  obeyed,'  and  in  the  Canterbury 
'  became  obedient,'  it  is  rendered  more  tersely,  in  the  Union's  version,  simply 
'  obeyed.' 

Much  as  Dr.  Trench  was  disquieted  about  the  word  'immerse'  being  'an  inter- 
pretation' and  'not  a  translation  of  haptizo.  he  was  not  content  to  let  the  word 
'baptize'  rest  quietly  and  undisturbed  in  the  English  version,  when  compelled  to 
act  on  honest  scholarship,  but  inserted  the  preposition  '  in  '  as  a  marginal  '  interpre- 
tation '  of  its  bearings,  baptized  '  in  water.'  Dr.  Eadie,  one  of  his  fellow-revisers,  who 
died  in  1876,  six  years  after  the  connnencement  of  his  work,  complained  bitterly  of 
the  American  translation,  which  he  was  perpetually  consulting  in  the  Jerusalem 
Chamber.     He  also  published  two  volumes  on  the  '  Need  of  Revising  the  English 


912  liELMOS  IS  ISIDLE    WOliK. 

New  Testament,'  .iiid  says  (ii,  ]>.  PjfiO) :  '  Tlie  l>a])tist  translation  of  the  American  Bible 
I'liioii  is  more  tliiin  t'aitiit'iii  to  anti-Paniohajitist  iipiiiiuiis.  It  professedly  makes  the 
l)il)le  tlu'  hook  of  a  sect,'  because  it  siii)[)lante(l  the  word  baptize  In-  the  word  im- 
merse. \'et,  Dr.  Scott,  still  another  of  ihe  revisers,  so  well  known  in  connection 
with  '  l,i(ldell  and  IScott"s  Lexicon,'  worked  side  by  side  with  both  of  them,  and  said 
in  that  lexicon  that  '  bajitlno'  meant  '  to  ilip  under  watei-,"  and  J.)ean  Staidey,  still  a 
third  ie\iser,  and  the  compeer  of  both,  said  :  ■  <  tn  philoloi^ica!  grounds  it  is  (piite  cor- 
rect to  translate  ■lolin  tlu'  iiajitist  by  .lohn  tlie  Immerser;'  while  the  boartl  of  seven- 
teen American  revisers,  i'e])resentin;j;  the  varions  religious  bodies,  nnited  in  recom- 
mending that  the  ])reposition  in  watei'  be  introduced  into  the  text,  instead  of  'with." 
After  the  .sepai'ation  between  the  Amei'ican  and  Foreign  I'ible  Society  and   the 

Amei'ican  iiible  Cnion,  the  formei'  c<intinueil  to  do  a  great  and  g 1  woi-k   in    iiible 

circulation  and  in  aiding  the  translation  of  missionary  versions.  I  )i'.  Welsh  continnt-d 
to  act  as  its  j)resiilent  for  many  yeai's.  For  holy  boldness,  thrilling  originality,  art- 
less sim})licity  and  sera])hi('  fei'vor,  he  was  one  of  the  marvelous  j)reachers  of  his 
day,  so  that  it  \\;is  a  heavenly  i)i>jiiration  to  listen  to  his  words.  I'oth  these  societies 
continued  their  o])erations  till  18S;!,  with  gi-eatly  diminished  ri'ceij)ts,  from  vai'iotis 
causes,  and  the  Bible  Union  was  niucli  end)ai'rassi'd  by  debt,  when  it  was  believed 
that  the  time  had  come  for  the  Baptists  of  America  to  lieal  their  divisions  on  the 
I'ible  question,  to  reunite  their  efforts  in  Jiible  woi'k,  and  to  leave  each  man  in  the 
denomination  at  libei'ty  to  use  what  English  version  he  chose.  Witli  tlii.--  end  in 
view,  the  largest  liible  (Jonventioii  that  liad  ever  met  amongst  J!aptists  convened  at 
Saratoga  on  IMa^'  22,  1SS3,  and,  after  two  days'  discussion  and  careful  conference,  it 
Avas  unanimously  resolved  : 

'That  in  the  translation  of  foreign  versions  the  precises  meaning  of  the  original 
text  should  be  given,  and  that  whatever  organization  should  be  cliosen  as  the  most 
desirable  for  the  ])rosecution  of  home  Bible  work,  the  conimoidy  received  version, 
tlie  Anglo-American,  M'itli  the  corrections  of  the  American  revisers  incorporated  in 
the  text,  and  the  revisions  of  the  American  Bible  Uiuon,  should  be  circulated." 

'  It  also  resolved  : 

'That  in  the  judgment  of  this  Convention  the  Bible  work  of  Bajitists  should 
be  done  by  our  two  existing  Societies;  the  foreign  work  by  the  American  Baptist 
Missionary   Union,  and    the  home    work   by  the    American    Baptist    Publication 

Society.' 

Althougli  the  American  Bible  Union  had  always  disclaimed  that  it  was  a  Bap- 
tist Society,  yet,  a  hirge  majority  of  its  life  members  and  directors  lieing  Baptists,  in 
harmony  with  the  expressed  wish  of  the  denomination  to  do  the  liible  work  of  I>a]i- 
tists  througli  the  Missionary  Union  and  the  Publication  Society,  the  Bible  Union 
disposed  of  all  its  book-stock  and  plates  to  the  Publication  Society,  on  condition  that 
its  versions  should  be  published  according  to  demand.  The  American  and  For- 
eign Bible  Society  did  the  same,  and  now,  in  the   English    tongue,  the  Publication 


MA  CLAY,    WYCKOFF  AND    COLaATF. 


913 


Society  is  circulating,  acconliiiii'  to  (Icinmul,  tlic  issues  of  tlio  liihlc  riiion,  tlic  com- 
monly received  version  and  the  ('anterl)iirv  revision,  with  the  cmenchitions  rccom- 
iiiended  by  the  American  corps  of  scholars  incorporated  into  the  text  ;  and  so  it  has 
come  to  pass  that  the  denomination  which  refused  to  touch  Kngiisli  revision  in  1S50 
came,  in  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  to  put  its  imprint  iijion  two,  to  pronounce 
them  fit  for  use  amongst  Baptists,  and  to  eireidate  tliem  elieerfuliy. 

Next  to  Dr.  Cone,  tlie  three  men  who  did  more  to  promote  tlie  revision  of  tlie 
English  Bible  than  any  others,  were  Drs.  Archibald  Maclay,  William  IT.  AVyckoff, 
and  Deacon  William  Colgate. 

Archibald  Maclay,  D.D.,  was  ,„^^P*^ 

born  in  Scotland  in  177S,  and 

in  early  life  became  a  Congre-  "^ 

gational  pastor  there  ;  but  after  ^  ^ 

his  emigration  to  New  York 
and  a  most  useful  pastorate 
there  amongst  that  body  lie  lie- 
came  a  Baptist,  moved  by  the 
highest  sense  of  dutv  to  Christ. 
For  thirty-two  years  he  was  ' 
the  faithful  pastor  of  the  Mul- 
berry Street  Church,  and  left 
his  pastorate  at  the  earnest 
solicitation  of  tlie  American 
and  Foreign  Bible  Society  to 
become  its  General  Agent.  In 
this  work  his  labors  M'ere  more 
abundant  than  they  iiad  ever 
been,  for  he  pleaded  for  a  pure 
Bible  everywhere,  by  address 
and  pen,  with  great  power  and 
success.  In  Great  Britain  and 
in  all  parts  of  tlie  United  States  and  Canada  he  was  known  and  lieloved  as  a  sound 
divine  and  a  fervent  friend  of  the  uncorrupted  word  of  God.  At  the  age  of 
eighty-two  years,  on  the  22d  of  May,  ISGO,  he  fell  asleep,  venerated  by  all  who 
knew  him  for  his  learning,  zeal  and  purity.  William  H.  Wyckoflf,  LL.D.,  was 
endowed  witli  great  intellectual  powers,  and  graduated  at  rnion  C<jllege  in  1828. 
His  early  life  was  spent  as  a  classical  tutor,  when  he  first  became  the  founder 
and  editor  of  the  'Baptist  Advocate;'  then,  in  turn,  the  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  the  American  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  and  the  American  Bible  Union.  He 
served  the  latter  until  his  death,  at  the  age  of  three  score    and  ten.  in  Xovember, 

1877,  and  his  Secretaryship  over   these  two  bodies  covered   fortv  and   two  con- 
59 


DKACO.V  WM.  COLGATE. 


914  rilK  VE'rERAX   TIIAXSLATOH. 

sccnitivc  yeai's.  Deiicoii  William  Ctdgatc  was  one  of  the  most  consecrate  and  noble 
laymen  in  tlii'  Cliureli  of  Christ,  to  whose  memory  such  an  ahle  volume  even  as  that 
of  Di\  Everts,  recouutin<f  the  events  of  liis  life,  can  do  hut  scant  justice,  lie  was 
horn  in  l\ent,  England,  in  178:5,  came  to  this  country  and  estahlishcd  a  lar<i;e  busi- 
ness in  ?S'ew  \  oi'k,  which  hy  his  thrift  and  skill  endowed  him  with  ahundant  means 
fo)-  doinji'  good,  llis  elevated  character  and  Christdike  s])irit  led  him  to  the 
noblest  acts  of  benevolence  in  the  building  nj)  of  Christian  ('hni'ches,  schools  for 
the  education  of  young  ministers,  the  missionary  etiterpi'isi'  and  tlie  relief  of  the 
poor.  A  ]iui-c^  liible  was  as  deal'  to  him  as  hir-  life,  and  few  men  have  done  more 
to  give  it  to  the  woi'ld.  lie  was  the  treasurer  foi-  nundicr>  <d'  benevolent  societies, 
and  one  of  tlie  most  liberal  su|)i)orters  of  thi'm  all.  lie  closed  iiis  useful  and  beau- 
tiful life  on  the  :^.">th  of  March,  1S.")7,  at  the  age  id'  seventy-four  years.  This  chap- 
ter can  scarcely  be  closed  more  appi'opriatcly  than  hy  a  brief  notice  of  four  devoted 
l'.ajiti>ts,  translators  (d'  the  ,-acred  Scrijiliircs.  in  whose  work  and  woi'th  the  denomi- 
nation may  feel  an  holiest  pride.      The  xctei'an  trauslatoi'. 

Thomas  J.  Conant,  D.l).,  was  horn  at  iirandon,  \'t..  in  ISUii.  lie  graduated 
at  Middleburg  College  in  bS2-'N  aftci'  which  he  >|iriit  two  yeai's,  as  resident  graduate, 
in  the  daily  reading  of  (ii'cek  autjiors  with  the  (iri'ck  pi'ofe.->or  and  in  the  study 
of  the  llcbi'cw  under  ^Ir.  Turnci',  tutor  in  the  ancient  languages.  In  1^2.")  he 
hecamc  the  (ireek  and  Latin  tutor  in  ('ohind)ian  <  "ollcgc.  where  he  remained  two 
years,  when  he  took  the  pi^ofessorshij)  of  (ireek  and  Latin  in  tin'  College  at  Water- 
ville,  where  he  continued  six  years.  He  then  I'etii'ed,  devoting  two  years  to  the 
study  of  the  Ai'abic,  ISyriac  and  Chaldee  languages,  axailing  himself  of  the  aids 
rendered  by  Harvard,  Newton  anil  Audover.  After  this  he  accepted  the  ]irofessor- 
ship  of  Hebi'ew  in  Madison  University,  and  that  of  liiblical  Literature  and  Exegesis 
in  till-  Theological  Seminary  connected  theri'with.  in  is;',,^.  He  rontinued  these 
lahors  for  hfteen  years  with  lai-ge  success  and  honor.  In  1>41  42  he  spent  eighteen 
months  in  Germany,  chiefly  in  Berlin,  in  the  study  of  the  Arabic,  ^Ethiopic  and 
Sanscrit.  From  1850  to  1S57  he  was  the  i)rofessor  of  Hebrew,  r>iblical  Litcratni'c 
and  Exegesis  in  the  Tvochester  Theological  Sennnary,  and  stood  in  the  front  rank  of 
American  Hebraists  with  Drs.  Turner  and  Stuai't.  Since  1857  Dr.  Conant  has 
devoted  himself  almost  exclusively  to  the  great  work  of  his  life,  the  translation  and 
revision  of  the  conniioii  Englisli  version  of  the  Scriptui'cs.  He  became  thoroughly 
convinced  as  far  back  as  the  _year  1827,  on  a  critical  comparison  of  that  version  with 
the  earliei'  ones  on  which  it  was  based,  that  it  sliould  \)v  thoi-ougldy  re\ised,  since 
which  time  he  has  made  all  his  studies  subsidiary  to  that  end.  Vet,  amongst  his  ear- 
liest works,  he  gave  to  our  country  his  translation  of  Geseniu.s"  'Hebrew  Grammar,' 
with  grammatical  exercises  and  a  chrestomatliy  by  the  translator;  but  his  revision 
of  the  Bilde,  done  for  the  Anu'rican  I-iible  Union,  is  the  invaluable  work  of  his  life. 
This  comprises  the  entire  New  Testament  with  the  following  books  of  the  Old, 
namely :  Genesis,  Joshua,  Judges,  L  and  IL  Samuel,  I.  and  II.  Kings,  Job.  Psalms, 


DBS.    OSGOOD  AND  IIACKETT.  9  IS 

l'i-c>\tTl»s  and  a  portion  nf  Isaiali.  Many  of  those  are  accoiiipauied  witli  invaluable 
critical  and  philological  notes,  and  are  published  with  the  Ilc'l)re\v  and  English  text 
in  parallel  columns.  His  work  known  as  ^  Baptheln^  which  is  a  monograph  of  that 
term,  philologically  and  historically  investigated,  and  which  demonstrates  its  uniform 
sense  to  be  immerse,  must  remain  a  monument  to  this  distinguished  Oriental  scholar, 
while  men  are  interested  in  its  bearing  on  the  exposition  of  Divine  truth.  Like  all 
other  truly  great  men,  \)\\  Conant  is  very  una.ssuniing  and  affaljle,  and  as  much 
athirst  as  ever  for  new  research.  He  keeps  his  investigations  fully  up  with  the 
advance  of  the  age,  and  hails  every  new  manifestation  of  truth  from  the  old  sources 
with  the  zest  of  a  thirsty  traveler  drinking  from  an  itndefiled  spring.  In  his  incl- 
lowness  of  age,  scholarship  and  honor,  he  awaits  the  call  of  his  Lord  with  that 
liealth}'  and  cheerful  hope  expressed  in  his  own  sweet  translation  of  Job  v,  xxvi : 
'  Thou  shalt  come  to  the  grave  in  hoary  age,  as  a  sheaf  is  gathered  in  its  season.' 

Howard  Osgood,  D.D.,  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Plaquemines,  La.,  January, 
1831.  He  pursued  his  academical  studies  at  the  Episcopal  Institute,  Flushing,  N.  Y., 
and  subsequently  entered  Harvard  College,  where  he  graduated  with  honors  in  1850, 
beiug  nuirked  for  accurate  scholarship,  a  maturity  of  thought  and  a  sobriety  of 
judgment.  Subsequently,  he  became  much  interested  in  the  study  of  the  Hebrew 
and  cognate  languages  under  the  instruction  of  Jewish  scholars,  which  studies  he 
also  pursued  in  Germany  for  about  three  years.  On  his  return  to  America,  he  became 
dissatisfied  with  the  teachings  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  to  which  lie  was  then  united, 
as  to  the  Christian  ordinances,  and  in  1856  he  was  baptized  on  a  confession  of  Christ 
into  the  fellowship  of  the  ( Jliver  Street  Baptist  Church,  Xew  York,  by  T)i-.  E.  L. 
Magoon.  He  was  ordained  the  same  year  as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  Church  at  Flush- 
ing, N.  Y.,  which  he  served  from  1856  to  1858,  when  he  became  pastor  of  the  North 
Church,  New  York  city,  which  he  served  from  IStiO  to  1865.  He  was  elected  pro- 
fessor of  Hebrew  Literature  in  Crozer  Theological  Seminary  iu  1868,  where  he 
remained  until  1874,  when  he  took  the  same  chair  in  the  Rochester  Theological 
Seminary,  which  he  still  fills.  He  was  appointed  one  of  the  revisers  of  the  Old 
Testament  (American  Committee)  and  was  abundant  in  his  lal)ors,  his  sagacity  and 
scholarship  being  highly  appreciated  by  his  distinguished  colleagues.  He  has  written 
much  iin  Oriental  subjects,  chiefly  for  the  various  Keviews  ;  he  is  also  the  author  of 
', I esus  Christ  and  the  Newer  School  of  Criticism,'  188.3;  and  of  the  ' Pre-historic 
Commerce  of  Israel,'  1885.  He  translated  Pierret's 'Dogma  of  the  Resurrection 
among  the  Ancient  Egyptians,'  1885. 

Horatio  B.  Hackett,  D.D.,  LL.D.  He  was  a  native  of  Salisbury,  Mass.,  born 
December  27,  1808.  He  became  a  pupil  first  in  the  Amesbury  and  then  in  the 
Phillips  Academy.  After  graduating  from  Amherst  College,  he  entered  the  The- 
ological Seminary  at  Andover,  liis  school  years  extending  from  1821  to  1834.  In 
1834-  he  became  the  classical  tutor  in  ^Vfount  Hope  College,  Baltimore.  He  was  a 
Congregationalist  at  that  time  and  had  preached  to  a  Church  in  Calais,  Me.  ;  but  in 


916  IlACKirrr  ox  SKCTAIUAy   VERSioys. 

1835,  aftci'  tlioriiiijj;li  iiivestigatidii  and  cii  deep  coiix'ictiiin.  lio  licfainc  a  P)a])ti.-t  and 
uiiitecl  with  the  First  (Jhurcli,  Ualtiinoru.  Tiie  same  year  lie  \va»  chosen  professor 
of  J.atin  in  IJrown  Univei'sity,  and  in  1838  professor  of  Hebrew,  also.  Leaving 
Brown  in  ls;59,  he  took  the  professorship  of  IJiblical  Literature  and  Iiiterpi'etation 
in  tlie  Xcwiun  Theological  Institutiuii.  lie  spent  l^•ll-42  at  Halle  and  l!t;rlin, 
pursuing  linguistie  and  Jiiblical  studies,  attending  the  lectures  of  Tholuck,  (Tcsenius, 
Neander  and  Hengstenl)erg.  His  labors  were  eontiinied  at  IS'ewton  for  twenty-nine 
years,  but  in  1852  he  traveled  in  Kgy)>t  and  I^xlestine.  studying  the  antiquities  of 
those  countries,  after  which  lie  published  his  '  lilnsti-ations  of  Scriplures.'  In  1858 
he  had  become  greatly  interested  in  the  revision  of  the  English  Scriptures  and  he 
accepted  an  aj)pointnient  as  reviser  fi'oni  the  Aniei'ican  I'ible  Union  with  such 
enthusiasm  that  he  spent  some  time  in  (ircece,  mingling  es])ecially  with  the  people  of 
Athens,  for  the  pur])Ose  of  catching  the  gi'ace  and  liiythmof  the  iiiiMJern  (Treek.  which 
lie  thought  a  hel]iful  inlei'prt'ter  of  the  ancient  language.  He  went  out  under  the 
auspices  of  the  I'nion,  and  shortly  after  his  return  ])ublislied  an  enlai'ged  edition  of 
liis  'Commentary  on  the  Acts.'  After  mature  consideration  he  resigned  his  profess- 
orship at  Newton,  in  LSfiT,  to  devote  all  his  time  to  tlie  i-evision  of  the  English 
Bible.  He  uidiosomed  himself  on  this  subject,  in  his  immortal  a<ldres>  delivered 
before  the  Bible  Llnion,  in  New  York,  August  <>th.  185!),  when  it  was  charged  by  the 
ignorant  or  designing  that  the  T^nion  anil  its  woi'k  were  'sectarian.'     He  nobly  said  : 

'I  agree  with  the  sentiments  of  one  of  the  Christian  denounnatioiis ;  and  if  I 
liave  any  sentiments  at  all,  how,  I  beg  to  ask,  could  I  entertain  the  sentiments  of  all 
the  diilerent  denominations  at  the  same  time?  But  am  I,  therefoi'c.  necessarily 
sectarian  because  I  thus  dilfer  from  others,  any  more  than  tlicy  are  sectarian  because 
they  differ  from  me  '.  Or  am  I  sectarian  at  all,  in  any  sense,  to  disqualify  me  for 
the  performance  of  this  work,  so  far  forth  merely  as  my  religious  views  arc  con- 
cerned ?  To  what,  I  pray,  does  this  charge  of  sectarianism  reduce  itself?  Is  not  a 
man  who  nndei-takes  this  labor  to  have  any  religions  convictions?  Would  yon  en- 
trust it  to  those  who  have  no  fixed  religious  beli(>f  ?  Is  it  not  evident  that  nothing 
can  ever  be  done  here  unless  it  be  done  by  those  who  have  some  definite  religious 
opinions?  If,  then,  you  wonld  not  emjdoy  men  utterly  destitute  of  religious  con- 
victions to  jierform  so  religious  and  Christian  a  work,  and  if  believing  men  cannot 
be  expected  to  believe  any  thing  where  opinions  clash,  what  remains  ?  The  translator 
must  symbolize  with  some  one  religious  body  rather  than  another;  and  if  tliat 
body  is  the  Episcopalian  or  CongregatioTialist  or  Methodist,  I  wonld  not  say  that  a 
translation  fi'om  a  member  of  these  sects  was  necessarily  any  more  sectarian  than  if 
it  was  from  the  hand  of  a  I'aptist ;  and,  vici'  rersa,  I  see  not  with  wliat  i)roi)riety 
.some  persons  arc  pleased  to  stigmatize  the  ])ublications  of  this  Society  as  necessarily 
sectarian,  if  they  come  from  Biaptists,  and  not  from  our  Episcopalian  or  Congrega- 
tionalist  brethren.  .  .  .  A  given  rendering  of  a  passage  which  favors  one  creed  more 
tlian  another  is  not  on  that  account  inei'ely  a  sectarian  rendering;  it  is  the  ado])tion 
of  a  rendering  against  the  evidence,  or  without  sufficient  evidence,  which  makes  the 
rendering  .sectarian.  If  you  eom])lain  of  a  rendering  as  sectarian,  refute  it ;  sliow 
that  the  reasons  alleged  for  it  are  futile  or  insufficient,  and  that  tlie  evidence  of  phi- 
lology demands  a  different  one,  and  that  the  man,  therefore,  is  blinded  to  the  light 
by  partiality  or  prejudice.  When  a  case  like  that  is  made  out,  you  may  fix  there  tf.e 
brand  of  sectarianism ;  but  not  otherwise.  ...  I  should  esteem  it  as  disloyal  and 


Dn.   A.    r.    KENDRICK.  017 

reprehensible  in  myself,  as  in  any  other  person,  to  twist  or  force  in  the  slightest 
degree  any  passage,  or  word  of  a  passage,  in  the  Bible,  for  the  purpose  of  upholding 
my  own  individual  sentiments,  or  those  of  any  party.  ...  It  is  an  act  of  simple 
justice  to  say,  that  the  nuuiagers  of  tiiis  Society  have  left  me  as  free  in  this  respect  as 
the  air  we  breathe.  They  have  imposed  upon  me  no  condition  or  restraint  whatever. 
They  have  merely  said  to  me :  "  Study  God's  Word  M'itli  painstaking  and  care  ;  en- 
deavor to  ascertain,  as  accountable  not  unto  men  but  to  the  Su])renie  Judge  of  all,  what 
that  Word  means ;  and  then  what  the  Bible  is  found  to  mean,  that  let  the  Bible  say." ' 

Dr.  llackett  translated  the  Epistle  to  Philemon,  the  Book  of  Uutli,  and  spent 
a  tiiunher  of  years  upon  the  final  revision  of  the  New  Testament,  especially  upon 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  He  was  the  editor-in-chief  of  the  American  edition  of 
Smith's  '  Dictionary  of  the  Bible,'  and  so  well  was  his  work  done  that  Canon  West- 
cott  discarded  the  English  edition  for  Jiis.  Dr.  Hackett  tilled  the  chair  of  Biblical 
Literatuie  and  New  Testament  Exegesis  in  Rochester  Theological  Seminary  from 
1870  to  his  death  in  1875.  Only  once  in  an  age  is  such  a  num  granted  to  the  world. 
With  the  tenderness  of  a  woman,  the  artlessness  of  a  babe  and  the  learning  of  a 
sage  he  blended  the  most  modest  humility,  and  yet  his  speech  was  wrapt  in  hre. 
The  writer  once  consulted  him  officially,  asking  him  to  assist  Di-.  Conant  on  the 
Old  Testament.  On  opening  the  subject,  he  began  to  bewail  that  other  work  had 
compelled  him  to  lay  aside  his  Hebrew  studies  for  a  time,  and  he  said :  '  I  am  really 
becoming  rusty  in  the  Hebrew,  and  should  shrink  to  work  side  by  side  with  the  doctor 
on  the  Old  Testament.'  But  in  a  moment  the  thought  of  returning  to  this  delight- 
ful field  of  toil  seized  liim,  and  lie  burst  into  an  astonishing  eulogy  of  that  ancient 
tongue,  as  if  glowing  under  the  rhapsodies  of  prophetic  warmth.  Pie  had  struck  a 
theme  which  aroused  his  unambitious  spirit,  his  eye  flashed,  his  speech  became  vivid, 
delicate,  eloquent.  Then,  at  once,  with  a  nervous  timidity,  he  checked  himself  and 
said,  with  the  strange  pleasantry  of  confidence  and  distrust :  '  However,  if  it  is  for 
the  best,  I  will  try  to  assist  the  doctor,  though  not  worthy  to  unloose  his  Hebrew 
sandal.  Still,  I  must  honestly  say  that,  for  all  that,  I  really  believe  I  could  hold 
my  own  with  him  in  the  Greek.' 

Asahel  C.  Kendrick,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  was  born  at  Poultney,  Vt.,  December,  1809, 
and  when  very  young  became  a  pupil  of  his  uncle.  Dr.  N.  Kendrick,  at  Hamilton, 
N.  Y.  He  graduated  from  the  Hamilton  College,  at  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  in  1831,  and 
served  with  high  distinction  as  Professor  of  the  Greek  language  and  literature  in 
Madison  University  from  1831  to  1850,  when  he  accepted  the  Greek  professorship 
in  the  Eochester  University,  where  he  still  remains.  He  passed  the  years  1852-54 
in  Europe,  visiting  the  German  Universities,  spending  also  a  considerable  time  at 
Athens  in  the  study  of  modern  Greek.  From  early  life  he  has  been  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the  translation  and  revision  of  the  English  Bible,  contributing  most  valu- 
able aid  in  that  work,  both  for  the  Bible  Union  and  as  a  mendjer  of  the  American 
Committee  in  the  Canterbury  revision.  He  is  the  author  of  several  philological 
works,  amongst  them  an  '  Introduction  to  the  Greek  Language,'  which  work  reached 


9  18  Tllh:   IIM'TIST  STASD   MAIXTALX/:/). 

;i  second  edition  in  1855.  Ilu  is  uUo  tiiu  ti'ansiatoi'  and  editor  of  Oisliauseii's  '  Com- 
nientarv  of  tlie  New  Testament,'  and  of  Lani^e's  •  Biblical  Commentary  on  the 
Epistle  to  till'  IIel)re\vs.'  As  a  biograpiier  and  poet  he  excels,  as  is  seen  in  his 
nin-active  •  Memoir  of  Kinily  (".  .Indson,"  an<i  his  volnnie  of  poems  called  ■  Echoes.' 
l>r.  Ki-ndrii-k  lia>  nn  snperior  in  (ireek  scholarsliiji  in  this  country,  and  although  he 
never  was  a  pastoi-,  lie  has  few  equals  as  an  exegete  in  the  New  Testament. 

'IMie  Bible  Revision  Association,  which  was  organized  at  ]\Iempliis.  Tenn.,  in 
1852,  rendered  great  aid  in  th(^  revision  of  the  English  Scrip(ures.  It  co-o])erated 
with  the  .Vmeriean  Bible  L'nion  in  tliat  woi'k,  ami  conlined  its  field  of  operation  to 
the  iSuutliern  Stales,  and  was  loi'ated  at  Louisville,  Ky.  Many  of  the  ablest  men  ill 
those  States  were  enrolled  in  its  memliershi)),  and  the  distinguished  John  L.  AValler 
was  its  fii-st  I'l'esident,  filling  the  oliicc  till  hi^  death  in  185-1.  As  an  author,  a 
debater,  and  an  uratur  In;  had  few  cMjuals  and  no  superior  in  the  iventuckv  ministry. 
Drs.  S.  \V.  Lynd,  D.  it.  Cami)bell,  W.  Cary  Ci-aiie,  John  L.  Dagg,  Samuel  Baker, 
J.  R.  Graves,  and  N.  M.  C'rawford  wH'i-e  all  earnest  and  eloquent  advocates  of  a  faith- 
ful Bible.  They  ha\c  nearly  all  gdue  to  their  eternal  rest,  but  their  principles  were 
divine  and  their  works  follow  them.  Janu's  Edirioiids.  Esip,  was  the  lirst  (.'orre- 
spontling  Secretary  of  the  Revision  Association,  and  one  of  its  ablest  ad\'ocates. 

After  the  test  of  half  a  century,  Baj)tists  ar('  more  firmly  persuaded  than  ever 
that  their  stand  taken  on  the  principle  of  liible  translation  is  thoroughly  sound, 
riieii,  much  of  the  olil  nciusense  as  to  tlii'  applicatinn  of  this  principle  to  thi'  English 
Bible  has  ha|)pily  passed  away,  and  tho.se  who  believe  in  the  home  use  of  immer- 
sionist  versions  are  no  longer  counted  as  holding  rather  clo.se  rehitionship  with  him 
of  I'eputed  hoofs  and  horns.  The  random  talk  of  some  Baptists  thirty  year.s  ago 
left  the  impression  that  they  would  rather  die  in  valiant  martyr-hood  than  give 
transfer  versions  to  our  Churches  in  Asia,  and  at  the  same  time,  that  they  would 
endure  martyrdom  twice  over  rather  than  give  any  other  sort  of  versions  to  our 
American  Churches!  Others  could  not  so  entirely  crucify  their  sellishness  as  to 
demand  renderings  from  their  missionaries  in  heathen  languages,  the  like  of  which 
they  would  spurn  with  contempt  if  they  were  put  into  their  own  mother-tongue. 
On  this  j)oint,  singularly,  there  is  some  difference  yet,  but  on  the  character  of  for- 
eign versions  there  is  now  but  one  view.  They  are  sustained  with  the  united 
I'aptist  hand  and  heart,  and  are  likely  to  be,  until  all  who  reverence  the  inspired- 
originals  come  to  consider  the  versions  (jf  Jud^un  and  Carey  iis  properly  stamped 
with  the  catholicity  of  tliose  (.)riginals  :  a  claim  which  will  entitle  them  to  the  first 
place  in  the  univocal  versions  of  the  entire  earth. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

BAPTISTS    IN     BRITISH    AMERICA    AND    AUSTRALIA. 

IX  tnuM'no;  tlie  proores.-^  of  Baptist  ])i'inciples  through  tlie  provinces  whicli  now 
form  tlio  Douiiuion  of  Canada,  wc  may  begin  with  Nova  Scotia,  which  came 
under  tlu'  P>ritish  flag  in  1713.  English  settlers,  mostly  Episcopalians,  founded 
Halifax  :d)out  1  Tl'.»  ;  Luneiihurg  was  settled,  principally  by  French  and  Gormans, 
in  1753  ;  and  in  1759,  after  the  expulsion  of  the  Acadians,  the  influx  from  the  New 
England  colonies  began.  In  a  quarter  of  a  century  after  that,  Horton,  Cornvvallis, 
Yarnioutli,  Truro,  Granville,  Anna])olis,  Pictou  and  many  otiier  towns  were  settled 
by  New  Englandcrs.  Many  Lutherans  settled  in  Lunenljurg,  and  many  Presbyte- 
rians from  Scotland  and  the  North  of  Ireland  in  Lonilonderry,  Truro  and  Pictou, 
while  the  great  body  of  emigrants  from  the  American  colonies  were  Congregational- 
ists.  The  tirst  House  of  Assembly,  1758,  passed  an  act  which  made  the  ('hurchof 
Kngla-nd  the  Established  Church,  but  granting  liberty  of  conscience  to  all  otlier 
denominations,  Roman  Catholics  excepted ;  marriage,  however,  could  be  celebrated 
ouly  by  the  ministers  of  the  Established  Church.  Many  years  and  struggles  were 
passed  before  this  distinction  was  wiped  from  the  statute-book. 

Shubael  Dimock,  of  Mansfield,  Conn.,  had  become  a  '  Separatist,'  and  held  relig- 
ious meetings  apart  from  the  Standing  Order,  for  which  he  was  wiiipped  and 
thrown  into  prison  ;  his  son  Daniel  had  renounced  infant  baptism.  They  settled  in 
Newport,  N.  S.,  in  17(30,  where  Daniel  was  immersed  by  Mr.  Sutton  in  17fi3,  and 
he  immersed  his  own  father  some  years  later.  Several  otlier  converts  to  Baptist 
views  resided  in  Newport,  but  they  did  not  organize  a  Baptist  Church  there  at  that 
time.  Rev.  John  Sutton  was  from  New  Jersey,  and  soon  returned  thither.  In 
1761  Rev.  Ebenezer  Moulton,  of  South  Brimfield,  Mass.,  settled  in  Yarmouth  with 
other  emigrants.  After  preaching  there  for  two  j-ears,  he  visited  Horton  and 
labored  in  that  vicinity,  but  seems  to  have  formed  no  Church.  These  are  the  first 
Baptists  of  whom  we  have  any  records  in  Nova  Scotia.  So  far  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, the  first  Baptist  Church  in  British  America  was  planted  in  New  Brunswick 
in  17t>3,  and  was  an  offshoot  of  the  Second  Church  in  Swansea,  Mass.,  and  of  two 
or  three  neighboring  Churches.  A  company  of  thirteen  Baptists  formed  themselves 
into  a  Church,  with  Nathan  Mason  as  their  pastor,  and,  leaving  Swansea,  settled  in 
what  is  now  Sackville,  where  they  continued  to  reside  for  nearly  eight  years,  during 
which  time  their  Church  increased  to  about  sixty  members.  But,  owing  to  some 
dissatisfaction  with  their  new  location,  the  pastor  and  the  original  founders  of  the 


920  h'h\:    lIEMtY  A/.J.IXE. 

Cliurcli  ivtunied  II.  J\la.~f.acliii.->clt.s  in  1771,  ami.  .-o  far  a.s  appears,  tlic  Cliurcli  al 
Sack\ille  was  scattered.  Serine  tliiiik  lliat  .Mi-.  .Muulrmi  fonueil  a  Cliurcli  at  Ilnrton, 
hill  I)]-.  ( 'ramp  sav>  :  '  Tlicrc'  was  iki  l!apti>t  Cliurcli  till  after  tlie  a]ipearaiicc  of 
llenr\-  Alliiie.  .  .  .  While  Jlr.  Suttuii  reiiiained  here  lie  ])rcaclied  and  haptizcd  ; 
the  Diiiiucksand  Mr.  JMoultim  did  the  same,  hut  separate  action  as  Baptists  was 
defei'ix'd  till  a  more  favorahle  con  junctiini  (d'  circumstances.'  The  ("oiigregatioiial- 
ists  had  cstalilislied  ('liurches  in  variuu.-  |)laces.  and  the  Baptists  seem  to  have  united 
with  these,  for,  ahoiit  the  year  177ti.  there  were  two  or  three  Churches  in  Mova 
Scotia  made  up  of  iiaptists  and  Con^iv^atioiia lists,  while  a  number  of  uiior^ranized 
Baptists  were  fninid  in  xarimis  localities. 

At  this  juncture  lli-ni-v  .\lline.  a  'New  Lii^'ht"  jircacher  of  extraordinary 
power,  appeart'd  in  the  pi'(i\inee  and  left  a  lasting  iinpressidii  iijioii  its  religious  insti- 
tutions. He  was  horn  at  ^iewpni-t.  K.  [..  in  17-ib<,  and  removed  to  Falmouth,  N. 
y.,  in  ITtU'.  lie  was  convei'ted  when  twenty-seven  years  of  age,  and  after  some 
unsuccessful  alteiiijits  at  securing  an  educatiuli  he  liegan  to  pu'each.  lie  was  very 
successful,  traveling  from  place  to  place  for  nearly  eight  years,  until  New  iiiains- 
wick  and  Nova  IScotia  were  astir  with  religious  I'cvivals,  the  souls  of  the  people 
being  thrilled  by  liis  homely  liut  pungent  elo([U(>nce.  lie  was  a  Congregatioiialist, 
but  held  the  (piestions  of  Church  order  and  ordinances  as  secondary  matters.  lie 
seldom  administered  baptism,  yet  was  willing  that  his  converts  should  be  immersed, 
if  they  chose,  after  thorough  conversion.  In  ferxenc^y,  power  and  doctrine  he  seems 
to  have  fieen  of  the  Whiteiicld  stamp.  At  the  age  of  thirty-six  years  he  died  in 
Northampton.  17SJ.  The  ministry  of  this  New  Light  apostle  affected  the  progress 
of  rSajitist  doctrines  in  two  iliverse  ways.  It  infused  a  new  and  spiritual  life  into 
tlie  languishing  Churches,  and  his  lax  views  on  Church  order  and  discipline  told 
powerfully  against  all  rigid  and  tyi'annical  organization.  His  converts  were  gene- 
rally formed  into  Congregational  Churches,  some  being  baptized  and  others  not. 
until  in  due  time  numbers  of  them  appear  to  have  seen  the  need  of  greater  con- 
formity to  GoRjiel  faith  and  ])ractice,  and  at  first  resolved  themselves  into  Baptist 
Churches,  naturally  enough  of  the  open-cominunion  order.  Most  of  the  Canadian 
Churches  practiced  o])en  (■omnmnion  till  the  commencement  of  this  century,  and 
many  of  them  till  a  latei'  period.  Some  of  the  strongest  Churches  of  New  Bruns- 
wick and  Nova  Scotia  came  out  of  this  Alline  movement,  all  of  them  observing 
strict  communion  to-day.  The  llorton  Church  was  one  of  these.  It  seems  to  have 
oscillated  for  a  few  years,  but  in  ISOJI  it  took  the  full  Eaptist  ground.  In  this 
respect  the  Cornwallis.  Chester.  Argyle.  First  Halifax  and  other  Churclu's  differ 
little  from  the  Hoi-toii  Church,  having  gi-adually  made  their  way  to  their  present 
stand. 

The  first  Association  of  Bajitist  Churches  in  Nova  Scotia  and  New  Erunswick 
was  projected  in  1797  and  M-as  fully  organized  in  ISOO,  at  (-rranville,  Annapolis 
County.     In  the  main  its  work  differed  slightly  from  that  of  present   associations. 


» 


REV.    EDWARD   MAyXTNQ.  921 

It  tlirew  strons  ffiiards  around  the  fuiidaineiital  iiidepeiulence  of  the  individual 
Cliurch,  stating  that  it  '  pretends  to  no  otiier  powers  tlian  those  of  an  advisory  coun- 
cil, utterly  discluiniing  all  superiority,  jurisdiction,  coercion,  riiilit  or  infallibility.' 
For  more  than  a  (piarter  of  a  century,  however,  it  examined  and  ordained  candi- 
dates for  the  ministry.  But,  gradually,  its  leading  minds  became  convinced  that  the 
New  Testament  rested  the  power  of  ordination  in  the  independent  and  self-govern- 
ing Church.  •  Father  Manning '  stated  the  principle  quaintly  in  an  address  to  the 
Association  thus:  '1  have  observed  that  representative  bodies,  the  world  over, 
are  very  much  inclined  to  take  to  themselves  horns,  and  to  so  use  them  as  to 
destroy  the  liberties  of  the  people.  An  Association,  therefore,  must  not  put  on 
horns.'  After  lS-27  the  Association  ceased  to  ordain  pastors,  missionaries  and  evan- 
gelists, leavin<r  that  matter  where  it  belongs,  in  the  hands  of  the  individual  churches. 
The  question  of  comnmiiion  was  also  much  debated,  and  in  1809  the  Association 
resolved  that  in  the  fut\ire  no  open-cummunion  Church  should  belong  to  that  body. 
Four  Churches  withdrew  on  this  account,  and  from  that  time  restricted  communion 
has  been  the  rule. 

In  1821  the  Association,  for  convenience,  divided  into  the  Nova  Scotia  and 
New  Brunswick  Associations,  one  for  each  province,  and  in  1850  tlie  Nova  Scotia 
portion  subdivided  into  the  Eastern,  Central  and  Western  Associations,  as  at  this 
time.  The  New  Brunswick  Association  also  divided  into  the  Eastern  and  West- 
ern in  18-17,  but  in  I8il8  there  was  yet  another  new  departure.  Up  to  this  time  the 
Prince  Edward  Island  Churches  had  been  in  the  Eastern  Nova  Scotia  Association, 
but  they  now  organized  one  of  their  own,  with  thirteen  Churches.  The  Southern 
Baptist  Association  of  New  Brunswick  was  formed  in  1850,  and  in  1885  these  seven 
Associations,  from  these  small  beginnings,  naimbered  352  Churches,  with  -10,984 
members.  Some  of  the  fathers  who  laid  these  broad  foundations  were  most  remark- 
able men.  As  pioneers  they  were  marked  liy  breadtli  of  view,  singleness  and  steadfast- 
ness of  purpose  and  a  Christ-like  self-denial.  The  names  of  Thomas  II.  Chipman, 
Theodore  and  Harris  Harding,  Edward  and  James  Manning  and  Joseph  Dimock 
will  ever  be  worthy  of  the  highest  honor.  These  and  many  more  were  all  of  one 
spirit  and  endowed  with  a  great  diversity  of  gifts,  but,  by  universal  consent,  prob- 
ably Edward  Manning  would  rank  amongst  the  first. 

He  was  converted  under  the  preaching  of  Henry  Allnie,  and  in  coming  to  the 
light  passed  through  a  '  horror  of  great  darkness.'  He  traveled  through  these  prov- 
inces in  evangelistic  labors,  often  on  snow  shoes  in  the  depth  of  winter,  to  preach 
Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  His  first  pastorate,  1795,  was  over  the  mi.xed  Church 
in  Cornwallis,  and  for  three  years  after  his  ordination  he  was  greatly  agitated  on  the 
subject  of  baptism,  but  at  last  he  went  to  Annapolis  and  was  innnersed  by  T.  H. 
Chipman.  Soon  after  he  renounced  open  communion,  and  with  seven  members  of 
his  Church  separated  from  the  main  body.  He  continued  in  his  pastorate  till  his 
death  in  1851,  and  amongst  his  last  words  were  these  :  "011 1  the  intiuite  greatness 


922  ri!o\i.\cr.\T.  .v/;ir> /'.I /'/■;/•■  i'Ress. 

iiiid  graiiilfiir  of  (Jod.'  He  was  iuihucd  with  diiep  piety  uiid  fcrveiic-y  of  spirit  ;  lie 
was  a  c-lia:iipiiiii  nf  ivliiiidii^  iihcM'ty,  and  possil)ly  surpassed  all  liis  iii-ctlii'L'ii  in  pro- 
fundity and  l(ii;i('a]  power.  Asa  '  dissuntiiii;' "  prcacliur,  he  inutwith  stum  opposition 
and  persecution  from  tiiose  of  tlio  Kstahlished  (.'hurcli,  muetinij;  tlie  liarsiier  intoler- 
ance of  Mew  IJriinswick  with  the  liriuness  of  a  mail  horn  to  rule  liis  own  spirit. 

Theodore  Set  h  Harding  was  another  (iospel  warrior  of  tliose  days.  Ilis  first 
religions  impi'essions  w(>re  received  under  the  ministry  ol'  Mr.  iMiine,  when  at  th(> 
af(c  of  eight,  htit  hi'  was  converted  iimler  t!ie  |)owerfnl  ])i'eaehing  of  Rev.  Freehoi'ii 
(-rarretsoii.  a  Methodist  missionary  fr(_)m  the  L'nited  States,  who  was  sent  to  ^iova 
Scotia  in  17^7.  .Mr.  Harding  was  ordained  as  jiastor  of  the  ilorton  I'aptist  Church 
in  I7'."'i.  and  remained  its  |)a>tor  niitil  his  death,  in  \^'.>'<.  J!nt  like  ^[anning  and 
others,  lie  extended  his  lal)ors  in  every  dii'ection,  even  to  the  I'liited  States.  In 
intellect  he  was  not  the  peer  of  ftfanning,  but  I'ar  surpassed  liiin  in  fluency  and 
other  elements  of  (oratorical  power,  so  that  as  a  ])reaclier  he  had  few  (Mpials  any- 
where. 

Joseph  |)iinock  was  the  son  of  ])aniel,  who  Imprized  his  iather  wlien  he  fled 
foi' refuge  fivmi  ("oimeeticut.  .)ose|)h  was  ordaiiii'(l  as  pastor  at  Chester,  in  17i*o. 
and  although  he  made  long  missionaiw  tours  in  all  diri'ctions.  he  remainwl  its  pastor 
till  his  deatli,  in  i>'47.  He  nu.'t  with  great  opposition  in  liis  woi'h.  At  Liinenliei'g 
infuriated  niolis.  maddeiuMl  with  li(pior.  iletermiiied  to  inflict  personal  violence  upon 
him,  but  his  lirmness  uwi'd  them  and  his  gentleness  disarmed  their  wrath.  These 
are  selected  as  types  out  of  a  largi>  body  of  powerful  and  self-denying  men,  whc 
have  left  the  marvelous  record  of  their  work  in  these  proxinees. 

The  Baptist  press  of  (Janiida  had  its  inception  in  the  No\a  Scotia  Association, 
in  1S2.1.  which  voted  to  ■  Retpiest  the  Ba})tist  Association  uf  New  Brunswick  to 
unite  with  us  in  the  pulilication  of  a  Keligioiis  l^criodical  Magazine.'  From  this 
miction  sprang  tiie  '  Baptist  Missionary  Magazine,'  of  Tsova  Scotia  and  Xew  Bruiis- 
U-ick,  in  lS'i7.  Tt  was  a  (piarterly,  jiublished  at  St.  dohn.  N.  ]•..  and  edited  bv  Bev. 
Charles  Tuppei',  and  was  continued  until  .Fanuary,  1837,  when  it  gave  place  to  the 
•Christian  Messenger,'  a  weekly,  published  at  Halifax,  N.  S.  From  that  time  it  lias 
rendered  noble  service  to  all  our  denominational  interests,  and  still  exists  in  com- 
l)ination  with  the  'Christian  V^isitor,"  at  St.  .lohn,  X.  B.  The  'Christian  N'isitor  " 
was  established  in  1848,  and  was  conducted  by  Rev.  E.  D.  Very,  who  was  drowned 
in  the  Bay  of  Minas,  in  1852,  when  returning  from  a  geological  excursion,  in  com- 
pany with  Professor  Chipman  and  four  students  of  Acadia  College,  all  of  wlioiii 
]ierished.  For  a  time  the  paper  was  conducted  by  Messrs.  Samuel  Robinson  and 
I.  E.  Bill.  After  a  time,  Bev.  Dr.  T>ill  assumed  full  charge  as  proprietor  and  editor, 
and  conducted  this  journal  with  marked  ability,  liut  in  1SS5  the  two  })apers  were 
purchased  by  a  company,  and  united  under  the  editorship  of  Bev.  Calvin  Goodspeed 
as  the  '  Messenger  and  A^isitor,"  published  at  St.  John,  N.  B. 

The  first  regular  Missionary  Societ}-  of  the  Xova  Scotia  Bai)tists  began  in  1815, 


DU.     Tl'PPKR  AXD    .U/SSIOIfS.  028 

wlu'ii  tlie  Association,  meeting  at  Coruwallis,  '  Voted,  tiiat  the  Association  is  con- 
>idt'rc'(i  a  Missionary  Society,  and  with  them  is  left  tiie  whole  management  of  tlie 
mission  business.'  A  coiitriliutiun  of  iJIlS,  GO  was  made  at  this  session  for  sending 
a  nn'ssionary  eastward  uf  Halifax.  Fi-oni  time  to  time  the  Association  sent  out  mis- 
sionaries, and  in  182u  the  tirst  Home  Mission  Board  was  appointed  in  Xew  i^ruMs 
wick'.  '  Mite  Societies '  were  formed  in  the  Churches  which  were  of  great  utility. 
Tlie  Female  ilite  Society  of  the  (Tcrmain  Street  Church,  in  St.  John,  contributed 
$()0,  that  year,  a  degree  of  lilierality  wliicli,  if  attained  Ijy  all  the  Churches  at 
tiiis  time,  would  till  the  mission  treasury  to  repletion.  The  first  Xova  Scotia  ■  So- 
ciety for  the  maintainance  of  Foreign  Missions'  was  formed  at  the  Chester  meeting 
of  the  Association,  1S;^S,  and  a  Foreign  Mission  JJoard  was  appointed  soon  after  in 
New  Brunswick.  Burma  was  chosen  as  the  field  of  labor,  and  the  first  missionary 
sent  out  was  Rev.  R.  E.  Burpee,  in  1S45;  he  died  in  18.50.  After  his  death 
the  I'roviucial  Hoard  sent  money  annually  to  support  native  preachers,  under 
the  care  of  Rev.  A.  R.  R.  Crawley,  of  llenthada.  Ur.  Tupjier  was  for  many 
years  the  Secretary  of  the  Foreign  Board.  His  life  was  a  wonderful  trinmph  of 
energy  and  industiy.  His  schooling  was  limited  to  ten  weeks  after  he  was  ten  years 
of  age,  and  yet  by  dint  of  self-education  he  l)e(uime  proficient  in  many  languages : 
Hebrew,  Greek,  Latin,  French,  English,  Geruum,  Italian,  Syriac  and  one  or  two 
others,  and  it  is  said  that  he  read  the  New  Testament  in  the  first  three  of  these  at 
least  one  hundred  times.  At  the  Juhilee  of  liis  ordinntion  Dr.  Tupper  stated,  that 
as  a  minister  he  had  traveled  in  fifty  years  146,000  miles,  principally  on  horseback,  had 
preached  6,750  sermons,  attended  and  generally  taken  part  in  .3,430  otlicr  meetings, 
had  made  11,520  family  visits,  married  238  couples,  had  conducted  512  funerals,  and 
baptized  522  converts.  Surely,  if  works  save  men.  Brother  Tupper's  chance  should 
be  better  than  that  of  some  Canadian  brethren,  however  it  may  he  with  those  of  tlie 
United  States.  Dr.  S.  T.  Rand's  name  forms  an  important  leaf  in  the  Indian  mis- 
sionary hi.story  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  especially  amongst  the  Micmacs.  He  has 
pursued  this  work  during  the  greater  part  of  his  life,  with  indomitable  perseverance 
and  ehieriy  at  his  own  charges. 

Our  brethren  have  also  done  an  immense  work  in  these  Provinces  by  their 
educational  institutions.  Their  fathers,  generally,  knew  nothing  of  the  learning  of  the 
schools,  yet  their  interest  in  laying  the  foundations  of  these  schools  was  unique  rather 
tluin  remarkable.  They  early  saw  that  if  tlie  denomination  was  to  do  its  Master's  woi'k 
in  the  most  efficient  nuinner,  they  must  make  early  provision  for  the  Christian  educa- 
tion of  the  Churches,  especiallj'  for  an  educated  ministry.  Tlie  veneral>le  '  Father 
Munro'  gave  this  terse  expression  to  their  common  conviction  :  '  The  man  who  suc- 
cessfully succeeds  me  in  the  pastoral  office  must  stand  on  my  shoulders.'  It  is 
probable  that  the  first  suggestion  of  a  Baptist  institution  of  learning  for  these  Prov- 
inces was  made  by  Edward  Manning,  and  when  the  subject  came  up  for  discussioii 
he  pondered  every  point,  and  corresponded  largely  with  the  brethren  in  the  United 


924  EDi'CATTOXAL   lysriTLTIOXS. 

States  oil  tliu  matter.  The  way  was  dark,  tliu  IJapti.sts  wuru  a  feeblu  folk  to  mider- 
take  such  a  wiirk,  yet  a  slmmcs  of  evuiits  ofcurrud  l)utween  IS^O-oO  which  facilitated 
the  j>r(ijrcl.  'J'lie  foiiiHlin^  of  the  (ii'aii\ilie  Street  Church  at  Halifax  by  a  imiiiljer 
of  member.-  seceding  from  tiie  Chiircli  of  England  gave  force  to  the  movement.  Tlie 
Crawley  family  and  othci's  amongst  them  were  educated,  and  were  ready  to  give 
their  influence  in  this  direction.  'J'he  remarkable  revival  of  IS:^^  brought  a  inim- 
ber  of  eiliicaled  men  intu  tlic  llaiili-t  ('liui-ches  and  mini>try.  who  liecaine  active 
workei's  in  the  cause  of  education — such  men  as  .John  I'l'yor,  E.  A.  Crawley.  William 
Chijiman,  Ingraham  E.  Eill  and  othei's.  The  (xi-anville  Street  Chui-ch  was  admitted 
into  the  Association  in  1828,  at  its  meeting  in  IJorton,  at  which  time  the  I'rosjiectiis 
of  the  Ni.iva  Scotia  13aj)tist  Education  Society  was  drawn  up  and  submitted  by  the 
Halifax  messentrers  of  the  Church  tliei'c.  The  Socii'tv  aimed  to  establish  a  sem- 
iiuiry  of  learning,  and  to  aid  indigent  young  men  in  studying  foi-  the  ministiw.  Their 
action  will  appear  sufhcieutly  courageous  when  it  is  taken  into  the  account  that 
twenty-nine  little  Churches,  lunnbering  in  all  l.TTi'  members,  formed  their  entire 
strength.  The  tii'st  result  was  the  establishuKMit  of  the  Academy  at  Horton,  with 
Kev.  William  I'ryor  as  i'l-iucipal.  'I'liis  schndl  has  cdiitinued  ever  since,  and  is  })er- 
petually  fitting  men  for  College  life  and  all  the  \ai-iou>  lield>  of  usefuhiess. 

The  Baptists  of  New  Brunswick  uumbei'ed  but  abuut  2.»>ii<i  in  1834,  when  they 
followeil  the  examiile  of  their  Xova  Scotia  bl'ctliren  and  oj)ened  a  'Seminary'  in 
Fredericton.  In  1S42  the  Rev.  Charles  Spurden,  of  Hereford,  England,  was 
appointed  principal,  which  position  he  lield  for  twenty-tive  years.  Dr.  Spurden  was 
greatly  endeared  to  his  students  and  his  bi'ethren  generally  l)v  his  literary  attain- 
ments and  lovable  qualities  of  charactei' ;  he  died  in  I'^Tf),  after  a  short  pastorate  in 
the  Fredericton  Church.  The  Seminary  did  good  service  under  otlii'r  jirincijials,  but 
it  was  closed  after  many  years  of  financial  struggle,  and  within  a  few  years  another 
has  been  opened  at  St.  John,  under  more  favorable  conditions;  from  its  ojsening  it 
has  had  a  female  department.  A  female  seminary  was  openetl  in  1861,  in  connection 
with  the  Horton  ("Wolfville)  School,  and  is  still  in  vigorous  operation.  The  intol- 
erance of  the  dominant  (Muirch  had  much  to  do  with  the  founding  of  denom- 
inational schools  and  colleges.  Early  in  the  history  of  Nova  Scotia,  King's  College 
was  founded  at  Windsor,  under  the  a?gis  of  the  English  Church,  which  admitted  no 
student  except  on  subsci'iption  oi  the  Thirty-nine  Articles.  Dalhonsie  College  was 
founded  in  182(1,  with  public  funds,  ostensibly  as  a  non-sectarian  University  for  the 
Province.  But  when  it  Mas  opened  the  classical  chair  was  refused  to  Kev.  E.  A. 
Crawley,  for  the  sole  reason,  as  Dr.  Bill  states  :  '  That  those  in  charge  felt  bound, 
as  they  said,  to  connect  the  college  exclusively  with  the  Kirk  of  Scotland."  Thus 
mocked,  the  friends  of  Kaptist  education  found  it  time  to  bestir  themselves,  and 
the  result  was  a  determination  to  found  a  college  of  their  own,  hence  the  origin 
of  Acadia  College.  In  additit>n  to  the  great  burden  of  raising  the  necessary  funds 
by   so  feeble  a  folk,   their  task   was    increased  by  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  the 


ACADIA    COLLEGE.  928 

reiiuisiti-  cliartiT.  Their  foes  raised  a  popular  cry  against  the  multiplication  of  feeble 
colleges,  until  the  spirit  of  the  Baptists  was  thoronghly  aroused,  when  they  resolved 
to  maintain  their  right  to  possess  such  an  institution  if  they  paid  for  it  with  their 
own  money.  The  Committee  of  their  Educational  Society  went  to  Halifax  in  a 
body,  and  AFr.  Crawley  chxpiently  pleaded  the  justice  of  their  cause  at  the  bar  of 
the  House,  which  )'efused  the  charter  by  a  majority  of  one.  The  seat  of  war  was 
then  transferred  to  public  platforms  and  the  newspapers,  with  such  effect,  that  in 
1S40  the  House  was  flooded  with  petitions  for  the  charter.  After  a  determined  and 
bitter  contest  the  Assembly  granted  it  by  a  majority  of  twelve,  the  champion  of  the 
Baptists  being  Hon.  J.  W.  Johnstone,  a  member  of  the  Upper  House;  it  also 
passed  the  Legislative  Council. 

The  second  struggle  arose  on  a  more  cpiestionable  point.  Large  appropriations 
were  made  by  the  Legislature  in  aid  of  King's  and  Dalhousie  Colleges,  and  the  Baptists 
thought  it  but  common  justice  that  they  should  share  in  the  public  fund  set  apart 
for  higher  education  ;  some  few  of  them,  however,  holding  that  this  position  com- 
promised the  principle  of  voluntary  support.  This  demand  re-opened  the  whole 
question  of  colleo-e  policy  fijr  the  Province,  the  leading  liberal  politicians  favoring 
the  plan  of  one  central  university.  The  Baptists  boldly  entered  the  political  arena, 
made  Hon.  J.  W.  Johnstone  their  candidate,  elected  him  to  the  Legislature  by  an 
overwhelming  majority  and  pressed  their  claim  successfully.  He  was  a  gentleman 
of  the  highest  character,  of  line  culture  and  splendid  abilities.  Afterwards,  for 
many  years,  he  was  Attorney  General  and  Premier  of  the  Province  ;  he  also  filled 
the  chair  of  Chief  Justice  with  distinction,  and  declined  the  governorship  of  the 
Province  shortly  before  his  death.  Li  1S63  an  unsuccessful  attempt  was  made  to 
rehal)ilitate  Dalhonsie  as  the  Provincial  University.  Failing  in  that,  a  larger  scheme 
was  proposed,  under  wliieh  denominational  colleges  should  each  receive  an  anmud 
grant  for  a  term  of  j'ears,  on  condition  that  they  surrendered  or  held  in  reserve  their 
powers  to  grant  degrees.  These  powers  were  to  be  transferred  to  a  Provincial 
University  to  be  established  at  Halifax.  This  was  not  to  be  a  teaching  institution, 
luit  simply  an  examining  body  empowered  to  confer  degrees  and  to  prescribe  the 
curricula  for  all  the  affiliated  colleges.  After  an  animated  debate  at  the  Baptist 
Convention,  held  at  Sackville,  1876,  the  proposition  to  affiliate  Acadia  College  with 
the  Halifax  University  was  negatived  by  a  large  majority. 

This  college  has  had  a  perpetual  struggle  with  financial  difficulties  consecjuent 
on  its  small  and  by  no  means  wealthy  constituency,  but  it  has  made  constant  progress, 
and  its  influence  on  the  ndnistry  and  Churches  is  seen  everywhere  in  their  liberal 
culture,  their  intellectual  and  spiritual  development.  The  first  effort  to  raise  an 
endowment  was  made  in  1852,  and  by  various  other  efforts  the  amount  has  been 
increased  to  about  $100,000.  Li  184-9  it  was  adopted  as  the  College  of  the  Baptists 
in  the  three  Maritime  Provinces.  Many  of  its  students  have  attained  considerable 
distinction,  and  hold  responsible  positions  in  the  Dominion  and  the  United  States.    Dr. 


926 


I! rev.  im.   CHAMP. 


("rawlcv.  wlio  diil  so  imifli  to  ostal)lisli  it  and  was  its  first  president,  felt  compelled 
to  resi<;-ii  that  oilice  in  Is,")*;,  to  attend  to  certain  ])rivate  business  affairs  wliicli.  for 
the  time  bein<j,  demanded  iiis  entire  attention,  liiit  after  theii' an'angeinent.  in  18(!5, 
he  returniMJ  to  liis  wurk  as  an  edn<-atoi'.  acceptinir  the  chair  of  ('lassies,  and  for  a 
time  he  also  served  as  Principal  in  tlic  Theological  J)e]iartmeMt.  Ileptill  retains 
his  connection  with  the  Instilnliim  as  J'l'ofessor  KnuM'itus.  Acadia  ("olleirc  was 
never  in  a  more  |)i'osper(iiis  condition  than  at  ])resent. 

The  venei'alile  .1.  M.  ('ramp.  D.I).,  whose  name  will  evei'  he  as.-.uciated  with  tlic 
College  as  its  second  I'rcsident,  was  the  son  of  Ucv.  Thomas  ("I'amp.  a  Baptist  min- 
ister in  tiie  Isle  (jf  Thanet,  was  horn  in 
ITl'tJ,  l)aj)ti/.ed  in  Isl-J.  and  was  edncatetl 
at  Stepney  College.  lie  was  ordained  in 
IslS  as  pastor  of  the  Dean  Street  JJajjtist 
( 'hnrcli.  Soiitliwark,  London.  Suhse- 
(piently.  foi'  fourteen  years,  he  assisted 
his  fathi'i-  in  the  ))astorate  of  St.  Peter's 
('lim-ch.  in  his  native  town.  In  lS-)0  he 
liccame  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Hastings, 
Sussex.  I'Viur  yeai's  later  he  was  sent  by 
the  ('ommittee  of  the  Canada  ]5aj)tist 
Missionary  Society  to  take  chai'ge  of  the 
Monti'eal  liaptist  College;  and  in  1857 
he  became  i're-ideut  and  Professor  of 
Moi'al  Philoxijihy  in  Acadia  College, 
lie  continued  in  active  servict'  till  the 
inlirmitics  of  age  compelled  him  to  re- 
tire,  m  ISH'J,  when  he  was  made  Pi'ofessor 
Emeritus;  his  death  occui'i'ed  a  ft-w  years  later.  Dr.  Cramjt's  attainments  were 
extensive  ;  he  Avas  ;i  good  Ilel)rew  scholar,  a  sound  theologian,  and  thoroughly  versed 
in  Ecclesiastical  History,  as  is  seen  in  his  •  l!a])tist  liistoi'j.'  He  was  a  ti'ue  friend 
of  a  pure  Bible,  always  insisting  on  fidelity  to  (rod  in  the  translation  of  his  Word. 
His  character  was  sweet  and  unseltisli,  his  aims  were  high,  and  his  life  stainless  and 
full  of  !ilTability.  Asa  writer  he  is  well  known  by  his  "Text  Book  of  Popery.' 
which  is  regarded  as  antlioritative.  also  by  his  '  Paid  and  Christ,'  and  numerous 
other  ])ul)lications. 

Rev.  A.  W.  Sawyer,  D.D..  the  ]ireseut  I'rcsident  of  Acadia  College,  is  a  native 
of  Vermont,  and  a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  of  the  class  of  lSi7.  lie  com- 
pleted his  theological  course  at,  Newton,  and  was  ordained  in  ls."i:].  Tie  was  appointed 
to  the  chair  of  Classics  in  Acadia  in  18.5.').  which  chair  he  resigned  in  18fi0.  He 
then  served  as  pastor  of  the  Church  at  Saratoga  Springs,  N.  T.,  and  as  Princij)al  of 
the  New  London  Academy,  N.  11.,  but  in  1SG9  he  accepted  the  Presidency  of  Aca- 


77//';   I'liOViyCE   OF   QVKBEC.  927 

dill,  with  the  (.■liair  of  Iiitt'llcctual  and  Mural  Phihisopliy.  AVIiilc  Dr.  Sawyer  is  very 
uiuu-suiuin^  and  (juiet.  he  is  unu  of  the  foremost  educators  in  tlie  Doniiuiou.  lie 
is  accurate  and  extensive  in  liis  schohii'sliip,  keen  in  his  perce])tion,  close  and  logical 
in  liishal)itof  thought.  In  the  class-room  ho  lias  few  e(|uals  in  throwing  the  student 
hack  upon  his  own  resources  and  cunipi'lling  him  tu  make  his  Ix'st  intellectual 
efforts.  The  efficient  staff  of  tutors,  with  himself,  are  making  the  Institution  a 
blessing  to  the  Denomiiuition,  as  one  of  the  agencies  which  are  doing  so  much  to 
make  the  liaptists  mure  and  mure  powerful  in  the  .Maritime  Provinces. 

Thio  Pkovixck  ()!••  QuKiiicc,  loi-mi'1'ly  Lower  Canada,  is  another  interesting  field 
of  Baptist  labor.  The  first  Baptist  Church  in  this  Province,  of  which  we  lind  any 
record,  was  formed  in  1  T'.U  at  (Caldwell's  Miinor,  not  far  from  the  Vermont  border. 
For  many  years  this  neighborliood  had  been  occupied  by  Loyalist  Refugees,  mostly 
from  Connecticut.  Rev.  .lohn  Hubbard  and  Ariel  Kendriek.  missionaries  of  the 
Woodstock  (Yt.)  Paptist  Association,  visited  and  preached  in  this  i-etilement;  their 
labors  were  greatly  blessed  ;  Rev.  Elislia  .\ndrews,  of  Fairfax,  baptized  about  thirty 
converts  and  formed  them  into  a  Clnirch.  Two  years  later  some  of  its  members 
removed  to  a  new  township  called  Eaton,  south  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  in  the  district 
of  Three  Rivei-s,  and  were  organized  intc^  a  Clnirch.  Several  uthers  were  funned  in 
this  pai-t  of  Lower  Canatla  muler  the  labors  of  tiie  Massachusetts  Baptist  Missionary 
Society.  Benedict  speaks  of  three  uf  these  as  members  of  the  Fairfield  Associa- 
tion in  lsl-2,  namely,  those  of  St.  Armand,  Staidjridge  and  Dunham.  A  somewhat 
similar  movement  took  place  in  I'jiper  Canada,  now  Ontario,  in  17'.t4.  Reuben 
Craiulall,  then  a  licentiate,  settled  at  Ilallowell.  in  \vliat  is  now  the  County  of  Prince 
Edward,  on  the  northern  shore  of  Lake  Ontario,  and  in  the  following  year  he  organ- 
ized a  Church.  Another  licentiate,  T.  Finch,  organized  a  Church  in  Thurlow,  now 
Ilalilimaiid,  aliout  1W<I4.  which  seems  to  have  been  kncjwn  as  tlie  Cliarlofteville 
Church, and  in  a  comparatively  few  years  eight  Chui-ches  were  setoff  from  this  bodv. 
Otlier  laborers  established  Churches  about  the  same  time  in  Cramahe.  Rawdon,  and 
neighboring  places.  About  1808  the  first  Association  in  this  district  was  formed, 
called  the  Thurlow,  but  afterwards  the  llaldimand  Association,  and  this  was  a  center 
of  Baptist  influence  niitil  this  region  of  Canada  became  dotted  with  Bajitist  Churches 
gathered  into  several  Associations.  Thus  it  is  seen  that  the  pioneer  Churches  of 
Quebec  and  Ontario,  as  well  as  those  of  the  Maritime  Provinces,  were  planted  by 
missionaries  from  the  United  States,  excepting  the  elder  Churches  embraced  in  what 
is  now  the  ( )ttawa  Association.  The  mcnd)ei-s  who  first  composed  its  Churches,  with 
their  pastors,  were  largely  emigrants  from  Scotland.  The  eldest  of  tliese,  Preadal- 
bane,  was  organized  in  1817  with  thirteen  members,  all  Scotch,  their  first  elders  being 
Duncan  Campbell  and  Donald  ]\IcLaurin.  Next  in  order  was  the  Clarence  Church, 
1817,  formed  of  seven  members.  .Tolm  Edwards,  who  was  instrumental  in  its  forma- 
tion, was  converted  in  Edinburgh  under  the  ministry  of  the  Ilaldanes.  Other  Churches 
in  the  valley  of  the  Ottawa,  as  Dalcsville  and  Osgoode,  have  a  similar  origin  and  history. 


928  MOyrnEAL   AXJ)    VICIMTY. 

Tlic  lirst  Baptist  Chiircli  of  Montreal  was  not  oriiaiiizcd  till  1830,  hut  it  natn- 
rallv  t.iiik  a  leadiiij;-  part  in  originatinjj  and  sliapini;  the  missionary  and  educational 
woik  in  this  part  of  Oauada.  Rev.  .lolui  (iilinonr.  of  Aherdcen,  was  its  first  pastor, 
a  zealous  leader  in  denominational  work  fm-  many  years.  These  and  most  <jf  the 
otlier  Churches  in  the  eastern  part  of  Canada,  during  the  lirst  quarter  of  the  present 
century,  practiced  open  communion,  a  suhject  which  for  many  yeai's  kept  them  in 
(rrievous  fricti(U)  with  those  of  the  western  part.  The  eastern  Churches  liehl  with 
rii^ht  irood  Scotch  gi'iji  all  the  ortho<lo.\  doctrines,  as  well  as  to  the  immersion  of 
believers  on  their  trust  in  (-'hrist.  Ihit  they  regarded  the  edification  of  tlie  brethren 
and  the  ol)servance  of  the  Supper  as  the  cliief  ends  of  the  (TO.spel  Church,  lo.sing 
sight  of  its  aggr(?ssive  charactei-.  'I'hey  Ijelieved  that  evangelists  should  be  sup- 
))orted  wliile  preaching,  hut  gave  no  i-eni\incratiiin  to  the  elders  of  their  own 
Churclie,-.  They  made  the  plurality  of  elders,  the  weekly  celebration  of  the  Sup- 
j)ei-,  the  lihertv  of  the  unordained  to  administer  ordinances,  and  exhortations  on  the 
Lord's  dav.  l)inditig  as  duties  on  the  whole  brotherhood.  Unanimity  was  re(|uii-ed 
in  all  theii-  decisions,  and  if  a  miiioi-ity  dissenteil  the  majoi-ity  took  their  reasons  for 
disM'ut  into  consideration.  If  these  were  found  valid  the  majority  altered  their 
decision;  if  not,  they  exhorted  the  minoi'ity  to  repentance,  lint  if  they  repented  not 
thev  were  excommunicated.  They  held  that  the  exercise  of  discipline  on  the 
Lord's  day  was  a  part  of  ili\ine  worshij),  and  they  never  neglected  the  duty  of 
pui'ging  out  the  'old  leax'en."  lint  rather  enjoyed  the  exercise.  Down  to  \^">\. 
inclndins  the  Monti'eal  and  IJi'eadalliane  (  liurehes,  thev  numbered  but  foui-  ( 'hui-ches 
and  three  ministers. 

Tn  the  vears  IS^-f-^.")  a  memorable  revival  of  religion  gave  new  life  to  the 
iiajitist  cause  in  Eastern  Canada.  It  began  in  Mcuitreal  and  extended  through  the 
Churches  of  the  valley,  the  immediate  result  being  that  the  Churches  came  nearer 
to  each  othei',  and  formed  the  Ottawa  Association.  A  second  revival,  under 
the  hvboi's  of  Messrs.  Mcl^liail,  Fyfe,  and  other  ardent  young  missionaries,  was  en- 
ioved  three  or  four  years  later.  Its  center  was  in  ( )sgoode  and  vicinity,  and  it  gave  a 
fresh  impulse  to  the  spread  of  liaptist  ])rinciples.  The  growth  of  the  denomination 
in  the  West  was  more  rapid.  The  fertile  regions  bordering  on  the  L'pper  St.  Law- 
rence and  lakes  Ontario  and  Kric  invited  a  large  influx  of  ])opulation.  The  ILddi- 
mand  Association  included  the  Churches  in  the  London  district,  but  the  T'pper 
Canada  Association,  which  held  its  first  meeting  in  1819,  embraced  the  neighbor- 
hood whicli  includes  Toronto  and  IJrantford.  In  1839  there  were  five  Regular  and 
one  '  Irregular,'  or  open  conununion,  Baptist  Association,  their  statistics  being: 
Churches,  172;  members,  3.722.  Nine  or  ten  Clnirches,  with  a  membership  of 
alxiut  .5('iO,  were  not  comuH-ted  with  any  association,  making  in  all  about  4-, 2 82  mem- 
bers. The  following  statistics  for  1885  indicate  the  growth  of  the  denomination  in 
the  entire  Dominion— Quebec.  Ontario,  Manitoba  and  North-west  Territory : 
Churches,  370  ;  members,  28,987.     New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia  and  Prince  Ed- 


FREEDOM   OF   CONSCIENCE.  929 

ward's  Isluiul :  Cliurdieii,  352 ;  members,  40.9S9.     Tlie  total  U>y   llritish   America 
being :  Oi  Churches,  722 ;  ami  of  members,  69,971. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  Ottawa  Association,  in  1836,  it  resolved  unanimously 
to  send  a  deputation  to  Great  Uritain  to  solicit  aid  in  tiie  ]>roclamatiun  of  the  Gospel 
in  Canada,  and  to  establish  an  academy  for  the  training  of  young  men  for  the  min- 
istry. The  academy  was  commenced  in  that  year,  Kev.  Newton  Bosworth  taking 
charge  of  the  instruction.  Rev.  John  Gilmour  visited  England  and  Scotland  as  the 
agent  of  the  Association,  and  received  collections  there  of  about  $5,000  for  erecting 
a  proper  building,  and  a  society  was  formed  in  London  known  as  the  Baptist  Cana- 
dian Missionary  Society.  On  Mr.  Gilmour's  return  a  similar  society  was  formed  in 
Canada,  having  for  its  aim  the  suppoi't  of  home  missionaries  and  the  pi-omotion  of 
theological  education.  It  accomplished  an  excellent  work.  Tlie  "Canada  Baptist 
Magazine  and  Missionary  liegister '  was  published  as  a  monthly  for  two  or  three 
years  nnder  its  supervision  ;  but  it  was  discontinued  al)OUt  the  year  1842,  when  a 
weekly  paper  appeared  known  as  the  '  Montreal  Register.' 

A  root  of  bitterness  in  the  communidu  <piestion  sprang  up,  which  finally  led  to 
the  extinction  of  the  Missionary  Society  in  Canada,  and  this  controversy  between  the 
Eastern  and  Western  Bajjtists  became  more  pronounced  year  by  year.  The  Society 
disclaimed  that  it  was  au  open  communion  body,  and  avowed  that  the  Churches 
which  it  assisted  were  maiidy  strict  communion  bodies.  Distrust  abounded,  and 
about  the  year  1854  the  Western  Canada  Baptist  Home  Missionary  Society  was 
formed,  nnder  the  auspices  of  the  Strict  Communionists,  and  the  Montreal  Society 
soon  died.  In  1843  the  Canada  Baptist  Union  had  been  formed,  somewhat  after 
the  model  of  the  English  Union,  its  general  objects  being  to  promote  the  unity  and 
prosperity  of  the  denomination,  '  especially  to  watch  over  our  religious  rights  and 
privileges  ;  to  secure  their  permanence  and  promote  their  extension.'  Ample  scope 
was  afforded  for  the  exercise  of  its  vigilance  and  wisdom.  At  that  time  the  great 
doctrines  of  religious  equality  and  freedom  of  conscience  were  not  well  understood 
in  Canada,  so  that  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  Baptists  to  bi-ing  them  and  their  defense 
to  the  front.  They  had  to  meet  the  Clergy  Reserves  Question,  the  outgrowth  of  a 
provision  in  the  Constitutional  Act  of  1791,  whereby  an  allotment  equal  in  value  to 
one  seventh  of  all  grants  of  public  lands  in  Upper  Canada  was  to  be  set  apart  for 
the  support  of  a  '  Protestant  clergy.'  These  reserves  soon  became  valuable,  while 
the  ambiguity  of  the  phrase  'Protestant  clergy'  made  it  a  subject  of  contention 
amongst  the  Protestant  denominations  for  many  years.  Some  claimed  that  the  word 
Protestant  was  merely  the  antithesis  of  '  Catholic,'  and  so,  that  the  reserves  were  for 
the  benefit  of  all  sects  which  abjured  the  tenets  of  the  Roman  Catholics.  Others 
maintained  as  stoutly  that  the  word  '  clergy '  designated  only  the  ministers  of  the 
Church  of  England,  and  it  had  never  been  applied  in  any  British  statute  to  any 
ministers  but  those  of  that  Church  and  of  Rome.  The  Baptists,  true  to  their  prin- 
ciples, refused  to  apply  for  any  portion  of  these  funds,  but  insisted  on  their  secu- 
60 


03O  riiK  L'MVHUsirr  (^r/:s7/ox 

larizatiiin  and  use  fui-  lc'iz:itiiiiatc  Statu  jiiirixiscs.  ]\lcs.-irs.  Davies,  (,'raiii]).  ( liliiuiui'. 
( iiivhvuiMl  ami  V\(r.  tlicir  leaders,  denied  tlie  I'ii^lit  of  tlie  State  tu  vote  land-s  or 
money  to  any  Clinrcli.  ami  ch^manded  reliii'iuii.s  emiality  liefore  the  law,  leaviiiir  all 
denominations  to  siii)])oi-t  themselves. 

'i'he  same  j)rineij)k's  were!  involvi-d  and  the  same  ^-ronnd  was  taken  in  regard  to 
universitv  endowment.  In  171>T  the  Enirlisli  (Tovernment  had  authoi-ized  the  Lcsri.s- 
lati\'e  Couneil  ami  House  <.>f  Assemljly  in  l'|i|icr  ( 'anada  to  set  ajiarf  the  land  of 
ten  townshij)s.  e(|iial  to  hall'  a  million  of  acres,  as  a  foundation  for  four  (Trammar 
Schools  and  a  Univci'sity.  At  this  period  the  Kxeciitive,  the  Lef^islature  and  the 
Councils  were,  almost  without  excejition.  memhers  uf  the  dominant  Church,  and 
cast  their  inlluence  so  solidly  for  the  J']i>iscn|pal  lli^^li  ('lnirch  |iai-tvtlial  it  hecame 
known  as  the  'Family  Compact."  ArcliHleacon.  aflei'ward>  liislmji  Sti-achan.  a 
crafty,  resolute  and  not  over-scrujiuluns  jmlitician.  was  at  tlieii-  head.  l!ackc-d  by 
powerful  friends  and  usinj^  many  m.K'hinations  he  secured  from  the  Imperial 
rarlianu'iit  the  fund  for  the  estahlishinehl  of  an  Episcopal  I'niversity  and  the  post- 
})onement  of  the  erection  of  the  (iranunar  Schools.  The  Kxecutive  (iovernment 
was  also  to  be  created  a  jiermanent  commission,  with  jiower  to  dispose  of  the  lands 
and  mana2;e  the  revenues,  and  so  to  remove  them  beyond  the  reach  of  popular  con- 
trol. This  hii;-li-lianded  attenijit  to  saddle  an  Established  ('hui'ch  and  an  exclusively 
EpisC(.»]ial  I'niversity  upon  the  infant  province  was  resisted  by  the  l!apti>ts  at  every 
step.  They  petitioned  the  (ioverninent  and  remonsti'ated  strtMuiously,  and  after 
inuch  other  action  their  Union,  in  18i5,  gave  tlie  following  us  their  voice  on  the  sub- 
ject : 

'That  in  our  i-stimation  the  most  just,  and  ultimately  tlu'  most  sati.sfactory  set- 
tlement of  the  so-called  Einx'ersity  (Question,  would  be  fotnided  on  tlie  following 
general  principles:  To  conline  the  funds  of  tlie  University  exclusively  to  the  Eac- 
ulties  of  Arts,  Sciences,  Law  and  _Medicine,  giving  no  su|)port  whatever  to  Theolog- 
ical Professors  of  any  denomination,  but  leaving  each  sect  to  supjjort  out  of  its  own 
resources  its  teachers  in  divinity." 

This  was  followed  in  ISoo  with  an  utterance  through  their  Missionary  Society, 
in  words  declaring : 

'  In  the  most  emphatic  and  decided  manner  its  determination  never  to  rest  satis- 
lied  until  the  (clergy  Keserves  are  secularized  by  the  Government,'  and  the  'fixed 
resolution  of  the  ('liurches  throughout  the  entire  Province  of  Canada,  to  resist  l>y 
every  lawful  and  available  means  any  and  every  attempt  which  may  be  made  by  the 
Government,  or  otherwise,  to  induce  the  IJaptist  denomination,  in  particular,  and 
the  other  religious  denominations  in  Canada,  to  accept  of  any  partition  of  the  Clergj- 
Reserves  Fund,  for  any  purjjose  whatever.' 

Partition  had  been  pressed  in  some  quarters  as  a  basis  of  settlement,  but,  true 
to  their  ancient  faith,  the  Iiaptists  would  have  none  of  it;  they  finally  triumphed, 
and  as  the  result  Canada  now  enjoys  the  same  religious  liberty  that  is  secured  to 
all  in  the  United  States. 


CANADf.W   PFUIODICM.s  AXD   .VfSSIONS.  931 

In  regard  to  Baptist  periodicals  in  Canada  West,  it  iniiy  Ik^  well  to  say,  that  after 
one  or  two  futile  attempts,  the  '  Christian  Messenger '  l)('ij;-aii  its  pul)lication  at  Brant- 
ford,  in  1853,  but  in  1859  it  was  removed  to  Toronto,  and  its  name  was  afterwards 
changed  to  the  'Canadian  Baptist,"  which  is  still  published  as  the  leading  organ  of 
Baptist  opinion.  A  few  ^-ears  since,  it  was  purcliased  by  a  company  of  wliich  the 
Hon.  William  JVIcMaster  is  the  principal  stockholder.  The  constitution  of  the  com- 
pany makes  the  various  denominational  Societies  the  joint  beneficiaries  of  the  net 
profits  of  the  paper.  But  with  his  characteristic  liberality,  Mr.  McMaster  announced 
in  October,  1SS6,  liis  readiness  to  luuul  over  the  jjaid-u])  stock  held  by  iiim,  amount- 
ing to  $-10,000,  to  those  Societies,  which  are  now  quite  numerous.  Dui-ing  the  last 
thirty-four  years,  the  Baptist  Plome  Mission  Society  of  Ontario,  has  planted  seventy 
self-sustaining  Churches,  and  more  than  seven  thousand  converts  have  been  baptized 
on  its  field,  west  of  the  city  of  Kingston.  During  the  last  year  it  helped  to 
support  sixty-two  feeble  Churches  and  maintained  preaching  at  sixty  out-stations. 
The  Baptists  of  that  vicinity  have  expended  about  $130,000  in  home  mission  work. 
The  field  occupied  by  the  Eastern  Society  lies  amongst  a  population  two  thirds  of 
whom  speak  French  and  are  Roman  Catholics.  The  PVench-speaking  people  are 
crowding  the  English-speaking  people  out,  and  many  of  our  Churches  are  depleted, 
yet  in  1885  one  hundred  and  thirteen  converts  were  baptized  on  the  field.  Steps 
are  already  taken  for  the  union  of  the  Eastern  and  Western  Conventions. 

During  the  first  seven  years  of  the  Foreign  Mission  Society  of  Ontai-io  and 
Quebec  it  was  auxiliary  to  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Fnion;  l)ut  in  1873  it 
undertook  an  independent  mission  to  the  Telugus.  Six  missionaries  with  their 
wives,  and  two  unmarried  female  missionaries,  have  T)een  sent  to  that  field.  Duriuf 
twelve  years  the  Society  has  expended  more  than  $10o,o00  in  foreign  work,  and 
within  the  last  two  years  Rev.  A.  V.  Timpany  and  Rev.  G.  F.  Currie  have  died  at 
their  posts  as  missionaries.  The  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Maritime  Prov- 
inces sustains  about  the  same  number  of  laborers,  and  both  of  them  employ  several 
native  preachers  also.  The  '  elect '  ladies  in  all  the  provinces  are  rendering  efficient 
aid  by  auxiliary  societies  and  a  monthly  paper,  the  '  Missionary  Link,'  which  does 
good  service  in  the  same  cause. 

The  Grand  Ligne  Mission,  in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  has  been  in  operation 
for  half  a  century,  and  has  been  the  means  of  bringing  about  5,000  persons  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  who  are  now  scattered  over  Canada,  the  New  Eno-land 
States  and  the  far  West.  About  3,00o  of  these  passed  several  years  in  the  schools 
of  the  mission,  and  are  spreading  abroad  the  light  which  they  received  there.  T.  S. 
Shenston,  Esq.,  of  Brantford,  Treasurer  of  the  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of 
Ontario  and  Quebec,  is  one  of  the  noblest  laymen  in  Canada.  During  the  most 
critical  years  of  its  history  he  was  Treasurer  of  its  Board  and  lias  always  been 
amongst  its  most  liberal  supporters.  He  was  born  in  London,  England,  in  1822,  and 
came  to  Canada  when  but  nine  years  of  age.     Endowed  with  superior  native  ability. 


» 


932  r.LV.I/^/.l.V    Kl)Vr.\ri<tS.\L     WdllK. 

coiitrolkMl  l)y  untliiichiiii;  integrity  iiml  iiiilii>l  i-y.  lie  li;is  risen  to  great  usefulness  and 
iionor.  lie  cDiiniienced  life  as  a  f;innri-,  liiil  at  tiie  age  of  twenty -seven  was  made  a 
magistiMie  ill  ( >.\for(l  Cdiinty,  wlicrc  lie  i-e.-ided.  Tliere  were  seventy-five  magistrates 
in  that  ciiuiily,  and  tlic  i-etnrn>  of  (■cin\ictions  >\\nw  tiiat  lie  did  nmri'  magisterial 
linsiness  tlian  all  of  them  |>iit  tngctluT.  In  l^.")!  In-  |iniilislied  a  'Cnuiiiy  Warden 
and  ]\luniei|)al  Oliiccr".-  Assi.-tant."  and  in  1^.")•_'  ;iii  •()\fi)i'd  (Gazetteer."  He  set  up 
type  anil  jirinteil  with  !iis  own  liand>  a  wui-k  nii  •  liaptism,"  in  ls(i4.  and  for  many 
years  he  hashcld  tln' uliicc  of  RcgisteiMd'  lli'ant  (jonnly.  In  (■(injunction  with  another 
ireneroiis  .-onl,  t'oi'  \cars  he  sustained  an  (h-iihan  House  for  tweiitv-two  irirls  in  Hrant- 
ford.  He  is  senior  (h^icoii  of  the  First  l!apti>l  ('hurch  in  that  city,  and  has  heeu 
the  Superintendent  of  it>  Sal)l)atli-sehool  foi-  the  iiettci-  pai-t  of  twenty-tive  years. 
In  addition  to  the  hooks  here  named  lie  ha.~  ]iiihli>hed  sc\er.d  others,  ainoiig.-t  them, 
'Tlie  Simicr  and  hi>  Saviour"  rl'^i^'i  pagoi.  and  an  ingenioii.-  "  I'erjictual  ( 'alendar,' 
reliahle  tor  >ou\v  hundreds  of  years.  All  this  i>  the  work  of  what  is  called  a  'self- 
made'   man. 

A  hrief  sketch  of  l!apti;-t  Educational  work  will  he  acce])taMc.  In  Is:!^  the 
Committee  of  the  London  Society  ^ciit  out  l)r.  IJenjamin  Davies  to  take  chaigt^  of 
the  Theological  Jnstitutiou  at  jMontreal.  known  as  the  'Canada  I iaptist  College.'  As 
the  number  td'  students  increased  a  comfortahlc  stone  Ituilding  was  jiurchased, 
where  the  work  wa>  done  with  tolcrahle  elKciency  tiiitil  l>4o.  when  Dr.  Davies 
returned  to  jjondon  to  act  as  a  Pr(.ife.-sor  in  llegeiit's  Park  ('ollege.  iJc\'.  iJohert 
A.  Fyfe  had  chaige  (jf  the  .Montreal  Institution  in  jN4o-4-f.  aiul  was  succeeded  by 
the  llev.  ,].  M.  Cramp;  bur  in  an  evil  hour  a  costly  edifice  was  built,  and  its  debts 
were  so  heavy  that  in  184',>  it  suecumlied  ;  the  library  and  pr(,)j)crty  were  sold  and  it 
was  discontimu'(l.  While  it  was  in  operation  it  did  an  excellent  work,  and  many  of 
its  students  oi  high  character  are  a  blessing  to  the  Churches  still;  its  managers  and 
supporters  were  liberal  and  laig'e  hearted  and  its  tutors  were  able  men.  P>ut  its 
location  was  400  miles  east  of  the  ]u-incipal  center  of  Canadian  Bajrtist  j)opulation, 
its  symjiathies  and  methods  were  not  sufficiently  American,  it  was  thought  to  cherish 
open  communion  sentiments,  and  at  that  time  there  was  little  love  amongst  the  Bap- 
tists of  Canada  "West  for  an  educated  ministry;  all  of  which  causes  contributed  to 
its  downfall.  Since  this  unhap])y  failure  no  further  attempt  has  l)ecu  made  to  estab- 
lish a  Baptist  institution  of  learning  in  T.ower  Canada. 

Several  abortive  attemjits  were  put  forth  in  this  direction  in  the  West,  the  most 
ambitious  of  which  was  in  connection  with  the  '  Maclay  College,'  projected  in  1S52. 
Dr.  Machw,  an  indefatigable  friend  of  education,  was  induced  to  make  the  attemjit 
to  raise  £10,000  for  the  establishment  of  a  Theological  Institution,  more  than  half 
of  whi(di  s\im  was  subscribed.  Dr.  ]\[aclay  was  chosen  President,  but  declined  to 
serve ;  the  managers  and  subscribers  failed  to  agree  amongst  themselves  as  to  a  suc- 
cessor, and  in  other  things,  and  the  scheme  fell  to  the  grotind.  Dr.  Fyfe  devised  a 
practicable  plan  for  a  Cauadian  Baptist  College,  in  1856,  which,  after  much  arduous 


DU.    liOBEUr  A.    FYFE.  933 

labor  and  aiixiuus  care  has  been  LTuwiu'd  witli  ^llccess.  Rev.  R(jl)ert  A.  Fyfe,  D.I-)., 
was  bcirii  in  Lower  Canada,  in  ISH;,  was  baiitizcd  in  1S35,  and  almost  immediately 
after  left  for  Madison  Fniversity  to  preiuire  fur  the  ministry.  Want  of  means  and 
ill  health  compelled  him  to  return  home  within  a  year,  but  he  e(jntinued  his  studies 
first  at  Montreal  and  then  at  the  'MaTiual  Labor  High  School,'  "Worcester,  Mass. 
He  entered  Newton  Theological  Seminary  in  1839  and  graduated  thence  in  1842. 
After  several  years  of  successful  pastoral  labor  in  other  places,  lie  became  pastor  of 
the  Bond  Street  Church,  Toronto,  lie  submitted  to  the  denomination  his  scheme 
for  a  school  with  a  literary  and  theological  department,  providing  for  the  admission 
of  both  sexes  in  the  literary  department,  which  project  was  indorsed,  but  with  much 
miso-ivin<f.  Wooilstock  was  chosen  as  its  site,  and  after  three  or  four  vears  of  hard 
strnjrirle  a  substantial  building  was  erected  there.  In  1860  Dr.  Fyfe  was  con- 
strained  to  resign  his  pastorate  and  accept  the  principalship,  from  which  time  until 
his  death,  in  18TS.  he  devoted  all  his  jwwers  to  its  interests.  The  first  edifice  was 
destroyed  by  fire  just  as  the  Institution  was  u])ening  its  doors  to  students,  and 
years  of  self-denying  etfort  were  burieil  in  heaps  of  ashes  anil  blackened  bricks, 
with  a  debt  of  $6,000  on  the  smoking  embers.  With  characteristic  courage  he 
immediately  began  to  i-ebuild.  and  in  the  face  of  difficulty,  discouragement  and 
gloom,  two  better  buildings  were  erected,  one  for  the  exclusive  use  of  the  ladies' 
department.  His  death  removed  a  prince  from  our  Canadian  Israel.  In  the  The- 
ological Department,  for  some  years  before  his  death.  Rev.  John  Crawford,  D.D., 
and  Rev.  John  Torrance  had  been  associated  with  him,  and  after  his  death  the  work 
of  the  Institute  was  conducted  under  two  heads  for  a  time.  Professor  Torrance 
was  Principal  i)f  the  Theological,  and  Professor  J.  E.  Wells  was  Principal  of  the 
Literary  Department. 

The  policy  of  the  (Canadian  Baptists  in  educational  work  was  greatly  changed 
by  the  munificence  of  the  Hon.  William  McMaster.  Before  Dr.  Fyfe's  death  the 
opinion  had  l)egnn  to  obtain  that  Toronto  was  the  proper  place  for  the  Theological 
College,  but  the  dread  of  creating  division  in  the  interests  of  Woodstock,  and  the 
apj)arent  impossibility  of  raising  mor.ey  to  erect  a  college  worthy  of  the  denomina- 
tion in  that  growing  city,  made  all  shrink  from  the  attempt.  At  that  point,  what 
had  seemed  utterly  impossible  was  made  pi-acticable  by  Senator  McMaster's  liber- 
ality. This  great  ]iliilantliropist  was  born  in  the  county  of  Tyrone,  Ireland,  in  1811. 
He  received  a  good  English  education  in  a  jirivate  school,  and  in  1833  came  to  Can- 
ada, at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years.  Lie  soon  entered  upon  a  most  successful  and 
honorable  mercantile  career,  in  the  wholesale  dry-goods  business,  having  first  been 
a  clerk  and  then  a  partner  of  Robert  Cathcart.  When  Montreal  was  the  great  dis- 
tributing center  for  Western  Canada,  he  was  one  of  the  few  whose  commercial  en- 
terprise and  ability  transferred  a  share  of  the  wholesale  trade  from  that  city  to  To- 
ronto. Having  established  his  firm  there  and  associated  two  of  his  nephews  with 
himself  his  business  became  immense,   until   he  retired    from    active   partnership  to 


934 


SP:\A  to  I!    V.MASThh'. 


f.illuw  linaiirial  tralisaclioii.-.  for  wliicli  lii.s  foiv.-iiiljr  .■iml  sdiiiid  jiid^njR'lit  aiujilv 
littctl  liiiii,  feo  tliat  lie  iH'caiiiu  one  of  the  leading  c-a])italists  of  the  province.  Ilehas 
always  been  a  Liberal  in  his  polities,  and  in  iSyCi  he  was  with  nnich  ix'luetanee 
induced  to  acee])t  a  nomination  as  a  candidate  for  the  liCijislative  Council  of  Canada. 
Ill'  was  elected  by  a  large  majoritv.  and  at  the  Confederation  was  apjiointed  to  the 
Senate  of  the  Donunion. 

Mr.  McMaster  lias  always  taken  a  niai'ked  interest    in    the  educational  interests 
of  Canada.     In  1805  he  was  apjioiiited  a  nieniber  of  the  Council  of   I'ublic  Instruc- 
tion,   and.    in     1>^7'1,    he    was 
^  made  a   Senator  of  the   Pru- 

\incial  rniversity  by  (Joverii- 
meiit  apiiointment.  All  the 
educatii.ilial  entei'jirise>  of  the 
I>ai)tists  have  been  aided 
largely  by  hi.s  wisdom  and 
])urse,  being  one  of  the  largest 
subscribci's  to  the  Aroodstoek 
lii>titute  ;  and  at  llie  ilission- 
ary  ('oiiyentiou  of  Ontario, 
held  at  St.  Catharine's  in  1S71), 
it  wa^  I'csolved  tliat,  in  view 
of  certain  proposals  made  by 
him,  the  Tlieological  Depart- 
ment of  the  Institute  at  Wood- 
stock sliouid  be  remoyed  to 
Toronto.  At  once  he  pur- 
chased from  the  University 
of  Toronto  a  plot  of  ground 
250  feet  s((uare,  and  immedi- 
ately erected  thereon  one  of 
the  nio>t  beautiful  and  coni]ilete  college  buildings  in  the  country.  lie  vested  this 
property  in  a  Board  of  Trustees  in  18S0,  to  be  held  in  trust  for  the  Baptist  denomi- 
nation. At  the  first  mooting  of  tliis  Board  Kev.  J.  H.  Castle,  D.D.,  Avas  elected 
President  of  the  College;  Rev.  John  Torrance,  A.1\I.,  Professor  of  New  Testament 
Exegesis  and  >\pologetics,  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting  ProlV.->or  A.  11.  Xewman, 
D.I).,  LL.D.,  of  liochester  Sennnary,  was  chosen  for  the  Chair  of  Cliurch  History 
and  Old  Testament  Exegesis.  A  brief  notice  of  several  of  our  bretiiren  who  have 
done  such  splendid  work  in  Canada  must  close  this  sketch  of  Bajitists  there. 

Dr.  Castle  was  born  at  Milestowii,  Penn.,  in  ISSO,  was  baptized  in  1S4-G,  grad- 
uated from  the  Lewisburg  University  in  iSol,  and  i-eceived  his  Doctors  degree 
from  the  same  institution  in  IStJt!.      He  was  settled  as  pastor  at    Pottsville,  Pa.,  for 


CASTLE,    D.I). 


D21S.    CASTLE—  TORRANCE— NE  WMAN. 


938 


two  years  and  a  lialf,  when  lie  accepted  the  cliarge  of  tlie  First  Uaptist  Cliurcli  in 
West  riiiladelpliia,  wliei-e  he  remained  for  fourteen  years.  In  lsT;>  he  became 
pastor  of  the  iJoud  Street  Church,  Toronto,  when  the  beautiful  structure  known  as 
the  .Tarvis  Street  Meeting-house  was  erected  for  his  congregation,  Mr.  McMaster 
contributing  about  $t)t),i)(KI  to  the  l)uililing  fuml.  llr  declined  the  I'riiicipalsliip  of 
Woodstock,  and  when  its  Theological  Department  was  removed  to  Toronto  all  eyes 
turned  to  him  as  eminently  titted  to  become  its  President.  This  position  lie  has  tilled, 
and  the  chair  of  Systematic  Theology  and  Pastoral  Theology,  with  great  success. 

Professor  Torrance,  wlio  first 
became  Principal  of  the  Woodstock 
Institution,  liad  previously  been  a 
student  there  and  a  graduate  of  the 
Toronto  University,  but  lie  died  be- 
fore he  could  engage  in  the  W(_irk  of 
the  new  College.  The  report  of  the 
Trustees  speaks  of  him  as  an  accurate 
scholar;  'his  force  and  clearness  as  a 
thinkei',  the  soundness  of  his  views 
as  a  theologian,  his  ajjtness  as  a 
teacher,  his  reputatii)n  in  the  denom- 
ination, and  his  unHinching  Christian 
integrity  gave  every  reason  to  liope 
for  him  a  long  career  of  the  highest 
usefulness." 

Dr.  JN'ewman  is  a  native  of 
Edgelield  County,  S.  C.,  and  was 
born  in  18."»-J.  lie  graduated  from 
Mercer  University,  Geoi'gia,  in  1871,  and  from  Rochester  Theological  Seminary  in 
1875.  He  spent  a  year — 1875-76 — in  the  Southern  Baptist  Theological  Semi- 
nary, where,  as  resident  graduate,  he  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  Hebrew, 
Chaldee,  Syriac,  Arabic  and  Patristic  Greek.  From  1877  to  1880  he  was  acting  as  Pro- 
fessor of  Church  History  at  Rochester,  and  in  1880-81  was  Pettingill  Professor  in 
the  same  institution.  He  translated  and  edited  Immer's  '  Herineneutics  of  the  New 
Testament,'  published  at  Andover  in  1877,  and  is  the  author  of  many  review  arti- 
cles, evidencing  extensive  research  and  ci-itical  acumen.  He  is  justly  regarded  also 
as  an  authority  in  ecclesiastical  history,  especially  in  its  relation  to  the  principles 
and  polity  of  the  Baptists.  K  his  valuable  life  is  spared.  Baptist  literature  will  be 
greatly  enriched  by  his  fruitful  pen.  At  present  the  Doctor  is  editing  the  •Anti-Man  i- 
chfBan  Treatises  of  St.  Angustin,'  with  a  revised  translation,  notes  and  an  introduc- 
tion on  the  Manicluvan  Heresy. 

Malcolm  MacVicar,  Fli.D..  LL.D..   fills  the  vacancv  left  bv  the  death   of  Pro- 


DR.    ALIiKKT    II.    XliW.MVX. 


936 


hits.    .)/.  1 C I YC.  1 R  -  CI.  A  UKE—  liA  SI). 


fussoi  Torrance.  Tie  was  Principal  ol'  the  State  Norma!  School  at  Ypsilanti. 
Mich.,  and  his  career  as  an  educator  iia»  h('en  successful  and  distiiii^uished.  lie  was 
horn  in  Scotland  in  18:i',t,  hut  in  is;',,"')  came  to  Chatham,  in  Ontario.  lie  entered 
Kno.\  ('ollcii'c,  Toronto,  in  I^.")^,  witli  Donald,  his  hrother,  now  I'j'incipal  of  the 
rresbyterian  (>ollege  in  Montreal.  While  a  student  Malcohn's  doctrinal  views 
changed,  he  became  a  l!a|lti^t.  and  wa>  ordained  to  the  l>a|)tist  niinistrv  in  IS.^C.  lie 
graduated  from  liochester  I'niversity  in  Iso'.^,  from  which  time  to  IStvj  he  sei-vedas 

J*i-uft»(ii-  of  Mathematics, and  fi'om 
that  date  to  IsC.T  as  Princijtal  of 
Hrockport  ( 'ollejj;iate  Institute, N.Y. 
From  l8tib  he  was  Superintendent 
of  Public  Schools  in  Leavenworth, 
Kan.,  then  Principal  of  the  .N'oi'mal 
School  in  I'otsdam,  N.  '\'.,  l)efore 
he  went  to  tlie  .Normal  School  in 
Michigan.  l)i-.  AIac\'icar  is  the 
autlior  of  .sevei'al  \alnable  text- 
books in  arithmetic  and  geography, 
lie  excels  as  a  mathematician  and 
meta[)hysician,  and  has  made  a  spe- 
cial ^rudy  of  the  relations  of  science 
to  religion.  He  is  critical,  original 
and  enthusiastic. 

Kev.  W.  N.  Clarke,  D.D.,  was 
for  many  years  pastor  of  the 
Churclies  at  Newton  Center,  Mass., 
and  at  Montreal,  but  took  the  chair  of  New  Testament  Exegesis  at  Toronto  in  18S4. 
He  brought  broad  views  and  a  loving  spirit  to  his  work,  and  having  published  a  most 
valuable  commentary  on  one  of  the  Gospels,  he  possesses  special  fitness  for  this  high 
position.  Ilis  compeer,  Uev.  D.  M.  Welton,  D.I>.,  I'li.D.,  an  advanced  scholar  in 
the  Oriental  languages,  fills  the  chair  of  Old  Testament  Exegesis.  Dr.  "Welton  is  a 
graduate  of  Acadia,  also  of  a  celebrated  German  University,  and  was  for  some  years 
the  Principal  of  the  Theological  Department  in  Acadia  College. 

'Iheodore  H.  Hand,  M.A.,  D.C. L.,  was  ajipointed  to  a  chair  in  Toronto  College 
in  lS85-Sfi.  He  is  a  graduate  of  Acadia,  and  was  in  succession  the  Superintendent 
of  Education  in  Nova  Scotia  and  in  New  Brunswick,  in  both  of  which  provinces 
lie  inaugurated  and  kept  in  operation  for  a  number  of  years  the  noble  system  of 
free  schools  which  they  now  ])ossess.  He  tilled  a  chair  also  in  Acadia  before  he 
removed  to  Torotito.  The  entire  cost  of  sustaining  all  these  jirofessorships,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  large  sum  ex])ended  in  Iniilding  '  McMaster  Hall"  and  in  endowing  tlie 
President's  chair,  was  cheerfully  assumed  by  Mr.  McMaster. 


DR.   MALCOLM  .MACMCAR. 


AUSTRALFAX  BAPTISTS.  937 

Rev.  N.  Wulvertoii,  B.A.,  was  apjtoiiited  Principal  at  Woodstock  after  the  resig- 
nation of  Mr.  Torrance.  lie  iiad  previously  obtained  and  collected  pledges  for  its 
endowment  to  tlie  amount  of  $-10,000,  with  tlie  intention  of  raising  the  amount  to 
§100,000.  For  some  time  Senator  McMaster  had  purposed  to  thoroughly  e(piip  an 
Arts  Cdllege  in  CDiuiectiDii  with  the  University  nf  Turontu,  liut  has  nuw  deternnned 
to  devote  this  handsome  endowment  to  the  Woodstock  foundatimi.  In  view  of  this 
great  work,  Dr.  Rand  has  been  induced  to  accept  the  Principalsliip  of  Woodstock, 
wiiile  Professor  Wolverton  will  devote  all  his  time  to  its  financial  management. 
Ml-.  lyifMaster  stipulated  that  $56,000  should  be  i-aised  liy  the  denouiinatidn  for  new 
buildings  and  other  improvements,  of  which  sum  $50,000  has  been  raised,  and  a  new 
impulse  has  been  given  to  Baptist  educational  enterprises  all  through  (Canada.  I'ni- 
versity  powers  will  be  sought  for  Woodstock  College,  and  the  corner-stone  of  the 
splendid  new  college  building  was  laid  at  Woodstock,  October  ^2,  1886,  by  Mrs. 
Wni.  NfcMaster,  when  addresses  were  delivered  by  Dr.  Rand  and  Dr.  McArthur,  of 
New  York.  The  progress  and  development  of  the  Baptists  in  Canada  for  the  last 
quarter  of  a  century  have  been  wonderful,  and  they  bid  fair  to  make  greater  advance- 
ment still  for  the  coming  generation.  WitJiout  referring  to  particular  pages,  it 
may  suffice  to  say  that  the  above  facts  iiave  been  collected  chiefly  from 'Cramp's 
History,'  '  Benedict's  History,'  '  Bill's  Fifty  Years  in  the  Maritime  Provinces,'  min- 
utes of  Associations,  Missionary  Reports,  Memorials  of  Acadia  College  and  the 
Canadian  Y'ear-Books. 

Australasia  proper  comjirises  New  South  Wales,  Victoria,  South  and  North 
Australia,  Queensland  and  West  Australia,  covering  about  3,000,000  square  miles. 
Captain  Cook  discovered  New  South  AVales  in  1770,  and  slowly  British  subjects  have 
settled  the  greater  part  of  the  continent,  while  tiie  aboriginals  have  largely  decreased. 
Rev.  John  Saunders  may  he  regarded  as  the  founder  of  Baptists  in  Australia.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  became  a  member  of  a  Bajitist  Church  at  Camherwell,  in 
London,  and  renounced  every  opportunity  to  take  a  seat  in  Parliament,  preferring 
labor  for  Christ.  After  establishing  two  Churches  in  London,  liis  heart  was  set  on 
planting  a  Christian  colony  in  that  stronghold  of  idolatry  and  other  wickedness, 
Botany  Bay.  On  reaching  Sidney,  in  1834,  he  commenced  to  preach  in  the  most 
fervid  and  powerful  manner  in  the  Court-house,  where  crowds  flocked  to  hear  him. 
He  soon  formed  the  Bathhurst  Street  Church  and  remained  its  pastor  till  1848.  when 
his  health  broke.  He  then  retired  from  the  pastorate  and  died  in  1859.  The  loss 
of  so  vigorous  a  leader  dampened  the  courage  of  his  Church,  but  it  revived  under 
the  new  leadership  of  Rev.  James  VoUer,  whose  labors  were  greatly  blessed,  and  an 
Association  was  formed,  so  that  now  the  Baptist  force  is  most  earnest  and  vigorous  in 
New  South  Wales.     The  number  of  (Jhurches  is  22,  the  number  of  members,  1,196. 

Victoria.  Tlie  Baptist  cause  was  planted  there  by  Re\-.  William  Ham,  in  1845. 
when  the  first  Church  was  formed.  This  pioneer  labored  under  the  greatest  diflicul- 
ties,  but  a  church  cdifleo  was  built  in  Collins  Street,  Melbourne,  in  which  belabored 


938  VICTOHIA   AM)   SOUTH  AUSTIiAIJA. 

lor  suine  years.  Littlu  prui^ivss  was  made,  lidWovtT.  niiiil  185r>,  wlicii  tlie  Kcv. 
Jaiufs  Tajlur,  of  Gla^:i>osv,  took  tliu  [lastoi'al  o\ei'si<;lit.  Jli.s  scriptural  and  logical 
])r(.'acliiiii«',  Hccoiiipaiiicd  li_v  a  j)cculiai'  uiictioii  from  ahovc,  soon  drew  larire  audiences, 
So  tliat  till'  cipMLircjiatioii  ri-iii(i\cd  to  the  Cii-and  <  )]n-ra  House,  which  seateil  2.00<' 
|)eo])lc,  and  vi-t  was  too  small  f^ir  the  throni;;.  Soon,  a  lai'ge  and  beautiful  church 
edili<'c  was  Imilt.  which  is  imw  the  rallying  jioint  for  the  annual  gathei'ings  of  our 
("liurclies  in  the  colony.  Mr.  'I'aylor  is  still  preaching  to  an  earnest  Church  at 
Kii'Imiond,  a  suhurli  of  .Melhoiirne.  Two  son.-  of  .Mr.  Hani  are  amongst  tln'  ino.st 
liberal  siijiportei's  of  the  denomination  in  the  colony:  the  tdde,~t  acted  as  chairman 
of  the  \'ictorian  iiapti^t  Association  at  its  session  a  year  ago.  A  second  Church 
was  organized  in  Alelbouriie.  which  was  under  the  ]>astoral  care  of  Ue\-.  W.  !'. 
Scott  till  lii>  ik'atli,  in  Is.'ifi:  and  when  the  great  gold  discovery  deinoi'ali/.eil  the 
community,  the  Missionary  Society  in  iMigland.  at  the  earnest  reijuest  of  the  Churcli 
tni-  a  >iiitalile  pastor,  sent  the  \\.v\.  Isaac  New  to  till  the  vacancy.  At  that  time. 
.Melbourne  was  shajiing  itself  into  a  niagniticeiit  city,  witli  many  social  reiiiie- 
meiits  and  educational  institutions;  and  the  pulpits  of  all  denominations  were  being 
filled  with  preachers  of  a  high  oi'diT.  Ml'.  New's  iinislied  t  liought  and  fi'esli  delivery 
attracted  great  congregations,  and  in  l.s.M<  the  elei;ant  cha])el  in  .Mbei't  Street  was 
erected  for  this  Church.  iJut  in  ten  years,  failing  health  coiupelled  this  great 
preacher  to  retire  fi'oiii  ids  worl<,  and  in  issi'i  lu'  fell  asleep  in  Christ.  There  are 
{(III  preaching  jilaei's  in  A'ictoria  an<l  about  I.'i.hihi  persons  who  eiijciy  the  sei'vices  of 
their  ministers,  the  membei'ship  of  the  Churches  lacing  nearly  6,0UU,  ;md  the  numbei 
of  Sunday-school  scholars  about  lUttHi.  Our  Ohurclies  there  are  in  a  iiourishing 
condition  and  nuniber  ?A).  with  a  ineinbershii)  of  4, '235.  Jlev.  S.  (Jhaiunan,  tlie 
present  ])astor  of  Collins  Stiret,  is  a  most  successful  miinster,  who  has  set  his  lieart 
on  raising  !<250, 000  for  liome  mission  purposes  with  every  indication  of  success.  Jle 
jjrojioses  to  estaldish  an  inter-Colonial  ('ollege,  to  form  a  building  fund  b>r  o])ening 
new  fields  and  to  aid  struggling  Churclies  in  town  and  country. 

Sorxn  .\rsTR.\i.i.\.  Before  Mr.  Scott  settled  in  Alelbourne,  he  spent  two  years 
as  past<ir  in  this  colony.  The  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  the  Hinders  Street  Church, 
Adelaide,  was  held  in  Sejiteniber.  JSS(;.  at  which  it  was  rei)orted  that  since  its  organ- 
ization 1,581  members  had  been  added  to  that  Church,  and  its  average  fiscal  income 
had  been  $10,000  jyc;- «««?/;?/.  Dr.  Silas  Mead  has  rendered  great  service  to  the 
di'noiiiination  during  a  <|uarter  of  a  century,  but  the  iJaptists  are  not  strong  in  the 
colony.  The  denomination  has  lacked  compact  organization,  many  of  its  members 
preferring  isolation  to  combined  activity.  For  the  present,  many  of  the  other 
denominations  are  in  advance  of  the  Baptists,  because  they  have  accepted  State  aid 
and  the  ait])ropriations  of  large  pilots  of  land  for  ecclesiastical  purposes,  which  offers 
Baptists  liave  declined  on  ])rinciple.  The  number  of  Churches  is  52,  the  member 
ship  of  the  Associated  Baptist  (Churches  in  South  Australia  is  5,190,  SabV)ath-school 
scholars  5,191. 


QUEENSLAND— NEW  ZEALAND— TASMANIA.  939 

Queensland.  Tliciv  wim-u  no  Baptists  in  this  colony  in  tiic  old  convict  days, 
when  the  incorrigible  from  i'ort  Jackson,  Xew  Sonth  Wales,  were  sent  to  Moreton 
IJay.  But  immediately  upon  the  settlement  of  free  persons  a  Ciiurch  was  estab- 
lished. Mr.  Stewart  preached  for  some  time  in  the  Court-house,  he  being  followed 
by  liev.  1).  (j.  AVilson,  in  ISoG,  when  a  substantial  cIkhjuI  was  built  in  ^Vharf  Street, 
but  a  much  larger  and  more  beautiful  building  is  now  in  course  of  erection.  The 
Churches  number  13,  and  have  all  sprung  from  this  one  Church,  the  Baptist  Church 
membership  of  the  colony  being  1,355,  with  Sunday-school  scholars  under  their  care 
to  the  number  of  ubuut  L',n()0. 

New  Zealand.  Thc^  principal  Churches  of  this  colony  arc  at  Dunedin,  the 
capital  in  the  South  Island,  and  Auckland,  the  principal  city  of  the  North  Island. 
The  present  ]iastoi-  of  the  Church  at  Auckland  is  lies'.  Thomas  Spurgeon,  son  of 
the  London  divine.  A  Tabernacle,  seating  1,500  people,  has  been  opened,  which  is 
too  small  for  the  niuUitude  who  tlirong  to  liear  him.  This  Church  was  organized 
by  Rev.  J.  Thornton,  and  a  few  miles  south-east  of  Auckland,  Rev.  Josiah  Ilinton, 
a  son  of  the  late  John  Ploward  Ilinton,  of  London,  is  laboring  earnestly.  Floui-ishing 
young  Churches  are  found,  also,  at  AYellington,  the  capital,  at  Christ  Church,  Nelson 
and  other  places.  About  50,000  only  of  the  Maoris,  the  aborigines,  are  left,  and  the 
Baptists  are  doing  something  to  bring  them  to  Christ.  Froude  says  that  gunpowder, 
rum  and  tobacco  have  ruined  this  once  noble  race,  which  is  so  fast  melting  away 
before  civilization.     In  the  two  Islands  we  have  23  Churches,  and  2,308  members. 

Tasmania.  Rev.  II.  Dowling  left  Colchester,  England,  for  this  field  in  1834; 
it  was  then  knowni  as  Van  Diemen's  Land.  He  commenced  at  once  to  proclaim  the 
Gospel,  and  for  thirty-five  years  continued  to  preach  in  this  beautiful  Island.  But 
the  struggle  was  hard  as  well  as  long,  for  at  present  there  are  Init  8  Churches  with 
40-t  comnmnicants  in  the  colony,  and  625  scholars  in  the  Sunday-schools.  William 
Gibson,  Esq.,  and  his  son,  have  recently  built  and  presented  to  the  denomination 
four  beautifid  church  edifices,  one  at  Launceston,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  1,500, 
the  others  are  at  Perth,  Coleraine  and  Longford. 

Although  there  are  no  Baptists  in  Western  Australia,  the  progress  made  in  the 
other  colonies  within  the  last  ten  years  presents  an  encouraging  feature  in  the 
ecclesiastical  life  of  Australasia.  Everywhere,  heroic  etiort  is  made  and  new  plans 
are  projected  for  more  thorough  work.  Men  of  large  ability  and  experience  are 
prosecuting  these  plans.  James  Martin,  who  was  pastor  of  the  Collins  Street  Church, 
Melbourne,  for  seven  years,  did  much  ior  our  Churches,  both  as  a  preacher  and 
w-riter;  his  name,  with  those  of  William  Poole,  David  Rees,  George  Sladc,  Henry 
Langdon  and  Alexander  Shain,  has  done  much  to  stimulate  the  consecration  of 
Ba])tists  there,  and  others  of  erpially  heroic  devotion  are  ready  to  enter  into  their 
labors  full  of  work  and  full  of  hope.  The  denominational  papers  in  Australasia, 
are  '  The  Banner  of  Truth,'  in  New  South  Wales ;  '  The  Freeman,'  in  Queensland ; 
and  in  South  Australia,  '  Truth  and    Progress.' 


940  ri-:i;ii.s  of  false  ixTFurnKTATinx. 

And  now,  having'  li':ii-c(|  the  >tiTaiii  of  ti'iitli  in  it>  lldw  from  Hethlelicm  to 
this  nuwcst  (iir-covercd  end  of  the  cartli,  wliicli.  tlioUi;ii  tiie  lai'gest  Island  in  the 
world,  n]ay  not  improperly  Ik-  callcil  a  continent,  and  has.  hecanse  of  its  vast  extent, 
heeii  called  the  'tilth  (juartcrid'  the  World,'  we  see  how  nearly  ])rimiti\c  ( 'llri^tianity 
helts  the  iilol)e  in  its  new  emhrace  of  'Southern  Asia.'  'i'his  history  .shows  the 
extreme  jealousy  ol'  t!ie  IJaptists  for  the  honor  of  Scrijitiire  as  the  revelation  of 
('hrist's  will.  For  this  they  have  emliired  all  their  f-;nlferinL.''s,  each  pain  evincing 
their  lo\e  In  him  and  their  zi'al  to  maintain  liis  will  accordini;- to  the  Scriptures.  It 
ajipears  to  he  as  true  of  error  as  it  is  of  the  truth  itself,  that  a  little  leaven  '  leavens 
the  whole  limip,'  when  once  it  comes  into  juxtaposition  with  the  genuine  meal  and 
the  fermenting  process  takes  up  one  single  parti(de.  livery  individual  error  wliicii 
ha.s  ere])t  into  the  Churches  since  the  times  of  the  Ajiostles  is  directly  traceable  to  a 
perversion  of  Scriptui'c,  and  generally  cunaiptioii  of  doctrine  has  come  liv  the  mis- 
interpretation of  Scrii)ture.  In  mo.-t  ca-i>  the  rise  of  divergence  from  the  Bible 
sense  can  he  traced  not  oidy  to  a  change  of  niamui-.  however  slight,  but  also  to 
that  change  at  a  given  point  of  time,  and  from  the>e  tliey  have  run  to  tlie  very 
oj)posite  of.  Christ's  ti'aching  and  example.  .\  marked  illustration  of  this  is  found 
in  both  the  ('hristiaii  ordinances.  Take,  loi-  example,  the  Supper.  (.)ur  Liird  insti- 
tuti'd  it  in  the  cN'i'iiing  and  after  he  and  his  di^ci|ile>  had  eaten  the  rcjasted  pnischal 
lamb  with  bread  and  herbs.  lUit  as  if  lor  >lieer  eoiif radictic.m  of  Christ,  in  the 
days  of  Cyprian  and  .\iignstine,  the  ('hurches  came  to  the  notion  that  the  Siij)j)er 
should  he  forbidden  in  the  ex'eidng  and  taken  in  the  morning  while  fasting.  The 
]iretense  was,  that  reverence  for  Christ  would  not  allow  its  elements  to  mingle  with 
common  food.  So  ]K'rfectly  fatiatical  did  men  Ijcconie  in  thi?  perversion,  that 
Walafrid  Siraho  said:  'The  Cliiircli  ha>  enjoined  on  ns  to  act  in  the  teeth  of 
Christ's  example  and  we  mii>i  obey  the  Church."  lie  was  the  Abbot  of  lieichenati. 
A.  Y).  ^!42,  no  mean  authority;  and  a  pmlitie  writer,  who>e  works,  .says  lieuss,  'for 
several  centuries  formed  the  principal  sotirce  and  the  highest  authority  of  biblical 
science  in  the  Latin  ( 'hiircli.  and  were  tised  down  to  the  seventeenth  century.'  Dr. 
Ilebbert  says  of  him:  "lie  turns  the  ai-gument  round,  and  puts  it  tijat  those 
who  tliink  our  Lord's  exain[)le  ought  to  be  followed  are  cahimiiiating  the  Church 
in  assuming  that  the  Church  would  or  could  give  a  wrong  order  in  such  a  thing!' 

So,  tlie  bulwark  of  infant  baptism  has  been  found  in  the'  words  of  Jesus: 
'  Suffer  little  children  to  come  unto  me  and  forbid  them  not.  foi'  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  lieaven,'  despite  the  fact  that  one  Apostle  says,  that  he  'blessed  them' 
and  'prayed  for  them,'  but  so  far  from  saying  that  he  bai>tized  them,  another  is  care- 
ful to  say,  that  'Jesus  baptized  not.'  Exactly  in  the  same  way  infallible  headship  is 
attributed  to  the  Pope,  from  a  false  interpretation  of  the  words:  'Thou  art  Peter, 
and  upon  this  rock  will  I  build  my  Church.'  The  power  of  priestly  absolution  is 
claimed  on  a  perversion  of  the  words  :  '  Whosesoever  sins  ye  remit  tliev  are  remit- 
ted to  them.'     J]y  the  same  forced  construction,  auricular  confession  is  extorted  from 


scuri'TniE  Till-:  ixfaujulk  ticst.  941 

the  passage  'Confess  your  faults  one  to  another;"  extreme  unction,  from  a  false 
use  of  the  jtassagc  :  'Is  any  sick  among  you  ^  let  hiiu  call  for  the  elders  of  the 
Church,  and  let  them  pray  over  him,  anointing  him  with  (jil,  .  .  .  and  the  Lord 
shall  raise  him  up  ;'  liut  tliis  office  is  not  done  till  the  man  is  dying.  Purgatory  is 
drawn  from  the  abused  passage  which  speaks  of  Christ  preaching  to  'the  spirits  in 
prison;'  the  right  of  private  judgment  is  denied  because  Peter  said  :' No  prophecy 
of  Scripture  is  of  private  interpretation;'  and  the  worship  of  Mary  is  enforced 
because  it  is  written:  '  Blessed  art  thuu  among  w(jmen.'  The  tortures  of  the  Incpii- 
sition  are  justified  because  Paul  said  that  he  delivered  llymeneus  and  Alexander 
'  over  to  Satan  that  they  may  learn  not  to  blaspheme,'  and  the  burning  of  heretics,  by 
the  w<jr(ls  of  the  same  Apostle  when  he  instructed  the  Corinthians  to  deliver  the 
foruicatiir  to  •  Satan  fcir  the  destruction  of  the  flesh,  that  the  spirit  maybe  saved 
in  the  day  of  the  Ltird  Jesus.'  The  truth  can  only  be  conserved  Ijy  holding  it  in 
righteousness,  without  wresting  it  from  its  natural  testimony  and  obliging  it  to  do 
duty  in  enforcing  the  traditions  of  men.  For  this  I'eason  Baptists  must  ever  keep 
the  doctrines  of  Jesus  and  his  ordinances,  and  tlie  tirder  of  his  Church,  as  they 
were  delivered  unto  tluMii,  l)eing  faithful  unto  the  death. 

This  narrative  makes  it  clear  that  the  principles  of  New  Testament  Christianity 
have  never  been  wholly  eradicated  from  the  consciousness  of  some  Christians  in 
history.  When  perversions  and  abuses  have  multiplied,  and  the  most  godly  men 
have  feared  that  a  ])ure  and  spiritual  Christianity  was  about  to  perish  from  the 
earth,  God  has  not  left  himself  without  witnesses,  who  have  appealed  to  the  au- 
thority of  his  word  against  the  corrui)tions  of  their  age.  Their  testimony  has  been 
as  enlivening  as  a  gust  of  fresli  air,  fanning  the  latent  spark  of  religious  life  into  a 
blaze.  When  the  purest  organic  connnuiiities  have  been  interrupted  and  broken, 
the  truth  has  never  compromised  itself  any  more  than  its  Author  has  compromised 
himself.  With  more  or  less  distinctness,  individual  believers  have  ever  maintained 
the  teachings  of  Christ.  Tlieir  spirits  have  been  emancipated  from  mere  ecclesi- 
astical authority,  as  they  have  sought  with  honest  hearts  to  learn  and  to  do  the  will 
of  God  revealed  in  the  Biiile.  In  doing  this  they  have  been  the  worthy  successors 
of  the  Bible  Baptists. 

These  historical  facts  should  give  new  hope  to  the  Gospel  Churches  of  our  own 
times.  Many  who  claim  to  be  actuated  by  the  scientific  spirit  and  methods  of 
our  day,  have  proclaimed  open  hostility  to  all  foi'ms  of  assumed  privilege  and 
prescription.  No  institution,  however  venerable,  can  hold  its  own  against  this  com- 
bination, unless  it  can  show  a  valid  reason  for  its  existence.  Many  signs  show  that 
this  attack  will  not  cease  until  social  order  and  possibly  civil  government  have  been 
fundamentally  reconstructed.  The  Churches  of  Christ  must  also  meet  this  assault. 
More  and  more  their  doctrines  and  observances  must  be  called  in  question,  and  in 
so  far  as  they  are  justified  by  an  appeal  to  ancient  traditions  and  usages,  to  old  or- 
ganizations and   tlieir   authority,  the   advance  of    the    modei'n  spirit    will  prevail 


942  CI.OSI.MJ    I!i:mm:ks. 

;i"-;tiiift  tlifiii.  ( )nlv  tliiK-i' ChnrcliL's  wliicli  .slunil  liniilv  iiuuii  tlic  New  Testaiiicnt, 
liuldiiig  HO  faitli  or  jiraetice  but  what  it  cnjiiiiis.  will  stand  in  a  position  tliat  cannot 
be  siicccs.sfullv  assailccl  until  tlu'ir  irreat  1  )ivinc  Cliai'tei-  is  deinonstrated  to  be  of 
Ijunian  origin.  "W'Jien  the  New  Testament,  wliieli  has  survived  in  ininiortal  youtli 
and  stren^tli.  tlespite  all  desti'ucti\e  forces,  lias  been  torn  into  slireds,  then  those 
Churclies  will  wane,  but  not  till  tlien.  Baptists  liavc  taken  this  impregnable  po- 
sition, and  s(i  long  as  they  liold  it,  sophistry  and  contempt,  eirhei-  from  ( 'lii'istians  or 
skeptics,  can  storm  their  forti'ess  no  sooner  tlian  a  handfiU  of  snow-Hakes  can  storm 
Gibraltar.  Such  attacks  will  simply  make  manifest  the  strength  and  siinj)licit\'  of 
the  faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  They  must  fail  wlien  tlic  word  of  (4od  fails, 
but  not  till  thi'u;    b)i'  (iod  will  honor  them  so  long  as  they  honor  his  word. 

The  author's  work  is  now  done  ;  and  he  here  e.vjiresses  devout  gratitude  to  the 
Fatliei'  of  mercies  for  the  health  given  him  to  iinish  his  labor  of  love  for  the  truth's 
sake,  'i'his  work  is  now  laid  at  his  Master's  feet  as  a  tribute  to  the  truth,  foi-  the 
edification  of  all  who  lo\e  the  trutli  as  desus  iTxcaled  it  in  it>  fullm'>.~.  It  is  teii<l- 
ert'd  for  the  examination  of  all  luving  and  candid  ( 'hristians,  regardless  of  name. 
with  tlu!  fervent  desire  that  it  may  be  api>roved  by  the  great  Shepherd  of  tlie  one 
Hock,  as  an  honest  and  faithful  jjresentation  of  that  truth  which  he  promised  .should 
make  his  people  free  indeed.  The  writer's  i)i-obiuii(l  res])ect  for  other  Christian 
denominations  has  not  allowed  him  to  utter  a  disi'esju'ctful  word  of  tliem,  however 
widely  his  views  and  theirs  may  dilb'r  on  subjects  which  Ave  hold  to  be  very  im- 
portant. They  are  no  more  to  blame  either  for  tlie  mistakes  or  faults  of  their 
forefathers,  than  i'>a])tists  are  for  the  blunders  or  defects  of  their  forefathers. 
When  the  countless  millions  of  Christ's  discijiles  meet  oiir  coimiKpn  Lord  above,  he 
will  lovingly  tell  us  which  of  us  were  right  and  which  were  wrong.  If  he  sliall 
say,  'My  Baptist  followers  were  mistaken  in  this  or  in  that,'  it  will  be  their  privi- 
lege to  thank  him  for  saving  them  des])ite  these  failures.  And  if  he  shall  say.  '  My 
Pedoba])tist  followers  were  mistaken  in  this  or  in  that."  the  most  ill-natured  rcjily  that 
any  true  Baptist  can  make  will  be:  '  Dear  brethren,  we  always  told  you  so.'  Then, 
for  our  eternal  salvation,  we  shall  all  heartily  sing  together,  '  Unto  him  who  hatli 
loved  us  and  redeemed  us  unto  God,  unto  him  be  glory  for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.' 


Summary  of  Statistics  of  Baptist  Cluirclies  tlirougliout  the  World. 


Associa- 
tions. 

Minister.s. 

MfirilitT.s. 

SUNUAV-SoiIOOLS. 

COUNTRIES. 

L'hurciies. 

Ottlcers  and 
Teachers. 

Pupils. 

Uni 
Biit 
We- 

xMe^ 

Km 

ll 

^5 

Hoi 
Swc 
Fin 
Nor 
Spa 
Fra 
Ital 
Tur 
Gre 

NOKTli  AMERICA, 
ted  States 

1,305 
23 

"i 

•28,9.53 

744 

150 

13 

16,191 

479 

97 

13 

2,572,238 
66,349 
36,520 

487 

93,426 

858,960 

1,329 

35 
1 

11 
3 

"i7 

29,800 

• 

5 

1,99S 

96 

590 

29 

17 

398 

12 

15 

3 

4S 

6<t 

1 

1 

16,780 
3 

5,017 

145 

657 

77 

13 

460 

2 

10 

1 

24 

4" 

1 

2,675,.594 
113 

229,311 

10,905 

73,828 

1,X95 

1,019 

27,135 

498 

1,077 

150 

1,M6 

766 

210 

7 

98,426 

39,464 

1,096 

8,648 

234 

'  2,2-25 

"".59 

858,969 

SOUTH  AMERICA. 
»il                    

EUROPE. 

386,726 

9,600 

1  Wales 

74,830 

I  IrcliiiKl  and  (jhauuel  Islands 

anil            

1,574 
1,364 

24.929 

535 

i\              

kev            

67 

Stations. 
9.S4 
42 
111 

9 

247 

13 

3,268 

Churches. 

98 
3 

21 
1 
4 

30 
2 

6,44S 

.347,947 

17,961 

690 

2,216 

136 

521 

11,126 
221 

51,726 

764 
40 
98 
15 
46 

159 
27 

499,558 
11,464 

a 

o 

a 

Austria-Hungary 

Dentiiarlc 

425 

1,588 

307 

640 

547 

:3 

Balkan 

200 

— 

67 

2 
2 

"i 

5 
2 

1,365 
1,365 

159 

32,871 

1,149 

15,-371 

Ass 
Bur 
Ce.v 
Chi 
Ind 
Jap 
Ori 
Pal 
Tel 

Cer 
Sou 
We 

Ne 
Ne 
Qu 
Soi 
Ta,- 
Vic 

3.427 

6,448 

8 

195 

2 

87 

67 

16 

8 

1 

116 

380,818 

1,731 

25,607 

700 

3,056 

8,204 

460 

1,148 

5 

27,511 

68,422 

700 
1,700 
4,897 

52,875 

516,929 

ASIA. 

30 

485 

4 

49 

124 

9 

14 

1 

48 

rotal  tor  Asia 

764 

7 
36 
51 

500 

19 
16 
2(! 

2 

1 
1 

1 
1 

"i 

94 

19 
25 
11 
40 
3 
40 

61 

12 
15 
12 
28 
3 
21 

7,297 

934 
2,244 
1.093 
3,218 

150 
3,950 

AUSTRALASIA. 
V  South  Wales 

5 

138 

91 

11,589 

1     

Total  for  the  World 

1.40S 

34,288 

.    23.863 

3,143,833 

146,301 

1,373,898 

REFERENCES 


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6.  Carson's  Ans.  to  Ewing.  p.  190.  7.  Gill's  Body  of  Div.,  iii,  pp.  24G,  247.  8.  lb.,  pp.  248,  249.  9.  Hist, 
of  (!ivili-/.ation  in  Europe,  Leo.  vi. 

CiiAi'TKli  X.— 1.  Cic.  De  Off.,  ii,  21.  2.  Corpus  Inser.  (ir:ceo.  No.  1503,  b  add.  3.  Treatise  on  Bap- 
tism, p.  173.  4.  First  Planting,  i,  p.  34.  5.  Christian  Ministry,  pp.  27,  28.  6.  Hist.  Chn.  Religion,  sec. 
ii,  1.  7.  Hist.  Chn.  Religion,  i,  p.  193,  8.  Answer  to  Ewing,  p.  382.  9.  Cong.  Lee.  1848.  10.  Ans.  to 
Kwing.  11.  Ecc.  Politj-,  pp.  247,  251.  12.  Contr.  Arian.  Oral.,  iii.  p.  209.  13.  Bamp.  Lee,  pp.  345,  346. 
14.  Prim.  Christianity,  ch.  x,  pp.  320,  321.     15.  Bamp.  Lee.,  p.  18.     16.  Art.  in  '  Chn.  Mirror,'  Aug.  3,  1875. 

17.  New  ed.  Ency.  Art.  Tanfc.  18.  Ms.  Revision  of  Ep.  to  the  Rom.  made  for  the  Bible  Union.  19.  Schafl", 
Hist.  Chn.  Ch.,  i,  p.  470.  20.  Hyppolytus,  iii,  p.  180.  21.  TheoIog_v,  p.  557.  22.  Inst.  Relig.  Christ  L.  i, 
c.  xii.     23.  Ecc.  Polity,  N.  T.,  p.  270.     24.  Pastoral  Theology,  p.  272.     25.  Hist.  Protestantism,  p.  34.  35. 

Cu^U'TEU  XL— 1.  Hist,  of  Baptists,  p.  71.  2.  Origin  Dutch  Baptists,  Breda.  1819.  3.  History  of 
Protestantism,  ii,  p.  36.     4.  Pastoral  Theology,  p.  313. 

POST-APOSTOLIC  TIMES.  Page  155. 
Chapter  L— 1.  De  Praiscript,  Sec.  36.  2.  De  Corona  Militis.  3.  3.  Ep.  Sec.  xi,  4.  Ancient 
Christianity,  pp.366,  368.  6.  Hist.  Eastern  Chnrcli,  p.  117.  6.  Anti-Gnosticns.  Part  ii.  7.  Plant  oftheCh., 
i,  p.  163.  8.  Christianity  and  Heathenism,  p.  182.  9.  Ire.  b.  ii.,  ch.  xxii.  g.  4.  5.  10.  Hist.  Ecc.  iii,  Sec. 
ii.,  §.  108,  109.  11.  De  Baptismo,  xviii.  12.  Der  Christliche  Glaube,  ii,  p.  383.  13.  Second  Apology,  p. 
162.     14.  Opera  i,  p.  57.       15.  Meditations  ii,  16.       16.  Routh,    Sac.   Relig.,  p.  117.       17.  Ad.    S&ipulani. 

18.  Pc.  Idolatria,  p.  15. 


JiKFEHENCKS.  945 

Chapter  II. — 1.  Ecc.  ITist,  b.  8.  oh.  I.  2.  Belc-k,  Hist,  of  Montani.i;ni,  p.  7.  3.  Dr.  Hemaii  LiiK'oln, 
Ms.  4.  Ecc.  Hi.st.  cliap.  xliii.  6.  Prim.  Christianity,  p.  ;)00.  6.  Kp.  76.  aii  Maf,'iiiim,  pp.  121,  122.  7.  Opera, 
x.\.\i.\,  235,  244.     8.  Ch.  History,  i,  311. 

Chapter  III. — 1.  Kcc.  Tracts.  2.  Fables  of  tlie  Popes,  p.  4.  3.  PUuiti  Truculent,  Act  ii,  Seen.  4. 
Pompeii  Testi.  et  M.  Verii  Flacoi,  Macrobii,  Saturn,  lib.  i.  cap.  Hi;  PluUirchi  Qiweat.  Rom.  eii.  4.  De  Bapt. 
C.  6.  5.  Do.  C.  .wii.,  Moslieim,  i,  p.  104.  6.  Ep.  L.'jx  Cone.  Cartli.  Ap.  Cypr.,  p.  233.  7.  Eisner's  Oljserva- 
tions,  ii,  p.  108.  8.  Ref.  of  Her.,  book  vi.,  Chs.  x.xxiv,  v,  vi.  9.  Jcvcnne,  Hist.  Chn.  Cli.,  p.  121.  10.  Anllq. 
Clni.  Ch.,  book  xii,  ch.  i,  g.  3,  p.  54:').  11.  Die.  Rel.  Eney.  Art.  Infant  Comminiion,  pp.  1078-79.  12.  Hist. 
Eastern  Cli.,  pp.  118,  119.  13.  Townley,  Bib.  Lit,,  i,  p.  106.  14.  Trail,  cap.  2,  :!.  15.  Philadelphia,  cap. 
7;  Symrn..  cap.  9.     16.  Ecc.  Hist,  i,  p.  :!51.     17.  Epis.  Ixv.     18.  Pp.,  57,  157. 

Chapter  IV.— 1.  Enseb.  Martyrs  of  Palestine,  pp.  61,  89.  2.  Vit.  Const;int ,  lib  iv,  cap.  G2.  3.  Ili-t. 
of  Heresies,  p.  332.     4.  Origin  of  A[iab.,  p.  937.     5.  Hist  of  Donatists,  p.  103.     6.  Optatus.  Lib.,  i,  cap.  22. 

7.  TiUeraont,  §§  16-25,  8.  Hisl.  of  Rome,  Lee.  Ixxix.  9.  Lib.  iii,  cli,  i.  10.  Moris.  Drelingcourt,  Visajre 
de  L'  Antiquile.  11.  ('yclo.  Art.  Aerius.  12.  Divine  Insl.,  b.  v.  c.  xx.  13.  Life  of  Constiintine,  lib.  iv. 
cap  xxxvi.     14.  Tauchuitz  ed,  p.  xii.     15.  Pierce's  Vindication,  p.  103.     16.  >Jug.  des  S.ivaus. 

Chapter  V. — 1.  Tom.  i,  p.  269.  2.  vii.,  4.  3.  Roman  Empire,  chap.  xx.  4.  Temporal  Mission 
Holy  Spt.  5.  Rom.  Emp.,  chap.  xx.  6.  Mission  of  the  Comf.,  pp.  236,  237.  7.  Du  Pin,  i,  635.  8.  Lib.  of 
Proph.,  pp.  :!20,  321.  9.  Ep.  ad  Bonif.,  33.  10.  Art.  Bap.  Infant,  Herzog's  Eucy.  11.  Philip  Smith, 
Hist.  Chn.  Ch.,  p.  336.  12.  Baptism  of  the  Ages,  p.  56.  13.  Prim.  Cliristianity,  p.  317.  14.  Christian 
Institutes,  p.  45.  15.  Historical  PreseMt<itiou  of  Baptism,  pp.  22-4.  16.  II  Thess.  Hom.,  iv.  17.  Anti- 
dotes vs.  All  Heresies.  18.  De  Spiritu  Saneto,  C.  xxvii.  19.  Hom.,  ix.  20.  Cic.  de  Nat.  Deor,  3.  21.  Dal- 
laeus  De.  Cult.  Lat.,  p.  957. 

Ch.^pter  VI.  — 1.  Hist.  Xorman  Conquest.  2.  Antiq\iities  Anglo-Sa.v.  Ch.,  p.  101.  3.  Bede's  Ecc. 
Hist.,  p.  70.  4.  Bossuet  on  Manichaans.  5.  Burnet's  Hist,  of  his  own  Time,  p.  657  ,•  Schaff-Herzog,  Ency. 
Art.  Fenelon.  6.  Ecc.  Hist.  iii.  7.  Hist.  Rom.  Emp.  8.  Ecc.  Hist.  9.  Alexiados,  L.  v.,  p.  108.  10.  Dc 
Loci.s,  Sane,  Lib.  Tom.  iv,  pp.  430,  32. 

Chapter  VII. — 1.  Bap.  Hist.,  p.  57.  2.  C3'cIop.  Universal  Hist  ii,  213.  3.  Ency.  Art.  Norway. 
4.  Labbe  and  Cossart,  1152.     5.  ix,  p.  836,  842.     6.  Patrol.  Lat.   v.   150,   p.   315.     7.  Hist.  Ch.  iii.  p.  194. 

8.  Bingham's  Antiq.  iii,  b.  xi,  ch.  xi.  9.  Historical  Essay  on  Architecture,  p.  115.  10.  iv,  pp.  112,  121. 
11.  Page,  268,  269.  12.  Cote,  Baptisteries,  p.  160.  13.  Hist.  Eastern  Ch.,  p,  117.  14.  Baptism  of  the 
Ages,  pp.  27,  28.  29. 

Chapter  VIIL— 1.  Art.  Baptism,  §  87.  2.  Lard.,  Works,  viii,  138,  139.  3.  Snicer.  Thes.  Eccles, 
p.  630.  4.  Monumental  Christianity.  5.  Quest,  ad  Orthod.,  137.  6.  De  Bap.  c.  vii,  viii.  7.  Smith's  Die. 
Chris.  Antiq.  Art.    0nction.     8.  Prim   Christianity,    pp.    317,  318.     9.  Hebbert,  Lord's   Supper,  i.  p.  612. 

10.  Herzog,  Cycl.,  p.  202.  11.  Smith's  Die.  Chr.  .\ntiq.  Art.  E.xorcism.  12.  Die.  Ghr.  Antiq.  13.  Die. 
Chn.  Antiq.  Art.  Ampulla.  14.  De.  Bap.  15.  Description  of  the  A.  M.,  p.  139.  16.  Catacombs,  l,p.  198. 
17.  Catacombs,  ii,  p.  233.     18.  Moroni's  Die.  Ecc.  Hist.,  iv,  p.  218.     19.  Vol.  2.,  p.  234. 

Chapter  IX.— 1.  Oieseler,  iii,  p.  397.  2.  Infant  Bap.,  ii,  p.  275.  3.  Page  335.  4.  Infant  Bap.,  ii, 
p.  265. 

Chapter  X. — 1.  Bender,  Ceschichte  der  'Waldenser,  p.  43.  2.  Bender,  p.  62.  3.  Cathc.  Ency. 
4.  Die  Reformation,  Leipzig  (1SS5),  p.  90.  5.  Max  Bibl.  Patrum  xxiv,  p.  1.609;  Charvaz  Recherches  His- 
toriques,  p.  428.  6.  Patnilogia  Latina,  vol.  210,  p.  346.  7.  Diecklioff,  Die  Waldenser,  p.  160.  8.  Charvaz 
Recherches  Historiqnes,  p.  428.     9.  Cliarvaz,  p.  428.     10.    Preger,  Beitriige  Z.  Gesch.  der  Waldesier,  p.  206. 

11.  in  D'Argentre,  V.  i,  p.  84;  Abhdig  d.  iii,  cl.  d.  K.  B.  A.  d.  W.  1878  Bd.  xiv,  Abth  ii,  s.  207.  12.  Hist. 
Inquisition,  i,  ch.  viii.  13.  Herzog,  p.  149.  14.  Pago  38,  39.  15.  Vol.  ii,  p.  659.  16.  Page  33.  17.  Page 
220.     18.  Och.senbpiu  Der  Inquisitions  Process  Zu  Freiburg,  p.  276. 

Chapter  XI. — 1.  English  Hexapla.  2.  Bhuu's  Die.  of  .Sects,  Art.  Hussites.  3.  Palacky's  Hist. 
Bohemia.  4.  Palacky,  p.  22;  Zeschniiz  Die  Katechismen  der  Waldenser,  1863,  p.  145.  5.  Goll,  p.  5. 
6.  Ency.  Art.  Waldenses.  7.  Do.  8.  Zeschwitz  Katechismen  Waldenser,  p.  198.  9.  II.  Henry  V.,  Stat  i. 
C.  7.     10.  31,  Henry  V.,  iii,  C.  14,  Sec.  8,  9.     11.  Lees.  Bap.  Hist.,  p.  126. 

THE  ERA  OF  THE  REFORMATION.  Page  327. 

Chapter  I.— 1.  Prenssische  .Jahrbiicher,  Sep.  1882.  2.  Pref.  to  Hist.  Anabaptists.  3.  Burrage, 
Anabaptists  of  Switz.,  p.  121.  4.  Prenssische  .lahrbiicher,  1882.  5.  Neue  Prophelen.  p.  175.  6.  ToZwingli, 
1527,  St.  w  Ka.,  1883,  p.  173.  7.  Hist,  of  Prot.  Theology,  S.  294.  8.  Egli  Zurich  Baptists,  p.  18.  9.  Studien 
und  K.,  1882,  pp.  216,  217,  225,  244,  245.  283.  10.  Egli,  p.  21.  11.  Life  of  Zwingli.  p.  224.  12.  Cornelius, 
n.  25.  13.  Studien  und  K.,  1882,  p.  218.  14.  Martyrs  of  Ref.,  p.  101.  15.  Studien  und  Kritiken,  1882,  p 
61 


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11.  Chap,  on  Hist,  of  l)nlch  Baptists.  12.  Keller,  Prenssische  J.ala-biioher,  1882.  13.  Zwingli,  Werke, 
ii,  8,  373;  Fusslin,  ii,  249.  14.  (broods  i>r  Christendom,  i,  p.  802.  15.  Clironicles.  p.  127.  16.  Keller,  Die 
Reformation,  p.  421.  17.  Hie.  Art.  .\iiabaptists.  18.  None  Prophoten,  p.  101.  19.  Vol.  ii.  35.  20.  Keller, 
Reformation,  p.  409.  21.  Ten  Kate,  p.  91.  22.  Der  Wiedertiinfer,  Ursprung,  S.  10.  23.  (tOscIi.  Des 
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(Jcniina,  p.  255;    llolmiie,  1677.     29.  -Motley,  Dutch  Rep.,  i,  324. 

Ch.^ptkk  V. — 1.  (!ornelins  ii.  p.  72.  2.  Krip.  Tyrol.  Xw.ih.  p.  17.  3.  Do.,  p.  18.  4.  Hist.  Unitas 
Fratrum,  p,  238-301,  1885.  5.  Preussiselie  .lahrbiielier,  1882.  6.  Moravian  Baps.,  pp.  32-15.  7.  Scul- 
letus,  p.  205.  8.  Zedlsrs,  Universal  Le.t..  vol.  55,  p.  2215.  9.  Do.  10.  Life  of  CEcol,  i,  S.  312.  11.  Hist. 
Anab.,  198.  12.  Do.,  159.  13.  Ottius.  1021.  1622.  14.  Eriiard,  Moravian  Brethren.  15.  Winter,  Bava- 
rian Baptists,  141.  16.  Do.,  124.  17.  Cornelhis,  ii  p.  281.  18.  Heberle,  Capito's  relations  to  Anab.,  p.  1. 
19.  Do.  20.  Rohrioh.  Miltheilnngen,  iii,  p.  201.  21.  Bap.  Qu.  Rev.,  iii,  332.  22.  Keller,  ein  Apostel  der 
Wiedertaufer,  p.  101.  23.  Quoted  by  Dr.  Osgood.  24.  Prenssische  Jahrbiicher,  Sep.,  1882.  25.  Herbert  Lee., 
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Cll.iPTER  VI. — 1.  Stan.  Hosii.  De  haeres.  nostri  lomporis.  lib.  1.  2.  Opera  Luth.  Tom,,  i,  pp.  70-2. 
3.  Keller,  Ref.,  pp.  374-380.  4.  Cornelius,  ii,  p.  43.  5.  Art.  Anabaptists.  6.  Hist.  Ch..  pp.  43-8. 
7.  Siinimtliche  Werke,  pp.  28,  144,  340.  8.  Hast.  p.  55.  9.  Hosek,  Life  of  Hubmoyer,  p.  43.  10.  Hast,  p. 
157.  11.  Die  Reformation,  p.  448.  12.  Ottins.  Auab..  p.  113.  13.  Rolirich,  Anal).  inStrasburg,  p.  112. 
14.  Hast,  p.  157.  15.  Krasmi  Ep.  ad  Cochteum.  16.  Gesch.  d.  Weidcrt,  Keller,  p.  13.  17.  Corp.  Ref, 
ii,  pp.  17,  18,  549.  18.  Goebel,  i,  p.  166.  19.  Neue  Propheten,  p.  178.  20.  Leets..  p.  198.  21.  Gen.  Hist. 
22.  Hist.  Chu.  Ch.ii,  p.  430.  23.  Hist.of  Prot.,  i,  p.  71.  24.  Page  114.  25.  Do.,  p.  1 14.  26.  Art.  Anab., 
SchalT-Herzog,  Enc.     27.  Hist.  Pietism,  i.  p.  36. 

Chapter  VII.— 1.  Hist.  Dutch  Baps.,  i,  pp.  57.  141.  2.  Do.,  i.,  App.,  p.  50.  3.  Chap,  on  Dutch 
Baps.  4.  Dutch  Republic,  i,  pp.  223,  224.  5.  Do.,  ii.,  ]).  280.  6.  Art  Mennonites.  SchalT-Herzog,  Ency. 
7.  Dutch  Rep.,  ii,  pp.  250.  251.     8.  Do.,  ii,  p.  16.     9.  Do.,  iii,  pp.  206,  207.     10.  Do.,  p.  349.     11.  Do.,  617. 

12.  Do.,  iii,  334.  13.  iii,  p.  414.  14.  United  Netherlands,  iv,  p.  532.  15.  Dutch  Rep.,  iii,  pp.  412,  413, 
415.     16.  Menuonis  Simonis,  Opera,  p.  24. 

BAPTISTS  OP  GREAT  BRITAIN.    Page  425. 

Chapter  I. — 1.  -\ntiquities  i,  p.  156.  2.  -\ntiq.  -\ngIo  Sa-xon  Ch.,  p.  317.  3.  Hist.  Eng.  People, 
p.  55.  4.  Patrologiae  Latina;  80,  v,  pp.  79.  80.  5.  Doct.  of  Baptism,  chap,  x,  p.  147.  6.  Lee,  Ch.  under 
Elizabeth,  i,  248.     7.  Pp.  27,  28.     8.  Broadmead  Records,  pp.  25,  26.     9.  Plea  for  Liberty  of  Conscience, 


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Scripturo  rroof.  pp.  134.  VAa.     13.   Kp.  l.\i.\. 

CiiAi'iKR  II. — 1.  Works,  .\iii,  300,  301.  2.  .\ilain  Taylor,  Hist.  Gen.  Bap.,  i,  p.  150.  3.  Apology, 
p.  7.  4.  Worl<s.  xix,  p.  263.  6.  Rixht  of  Sac,  p.  70.  6.  Works,  v,  365.  7.  Life,  ii,  1 10.  8.  Works, 
V,  365.  9.  Kel.  Soc.  Cominonwealtli,  pp.  13,  14.  10.  Kiile,  Martyr.s  of  Rof.,  p.  235.  11.  Liljt-l,  1572, 
pp.  3-5. 

Cini'TBU  HI.— 1.  Dippers  Dipt,  p.   187.      2.  Hi.st.   Puritans,    i,  243.     3.  Hist.  Diss.  Clis.,  i,  p.  43. 

4.  Hist.  Puritans,  i,  497.     5.  Coveuaut  and  Baptism.     6.  Men  of  Letters,  Bunyan,  p.  46. 

Cn.\i'TEU  IT. — 1.  Fronde's,  Kuglisli  men  of  Letters.  2.  Brown's  Life  of  Bunyan,  pp.  238,  239.  3- 
Works,  i,  p.  450.  4.  Act.  1645,  chap.  57.  Acts  and  Ordinances  of  Parliament,  1G40-'5G.  5.  Vol.  iii,  (1642- 
1660),  p.  1414.     6.  Douglas,  Hist.  Northern  Baptist  Churches,  p.  306. 

Ch.iptkk  v.— 1.  Pages  22,  3,  72.     2.  Grace  Abounding.     3.  Works,  iv.  p.  258.     4.  Works,  i,  p.  268. 

5.  Works,  i,  p.  415.  6.  Works,  ii,  p.  209.  7.  Works,  I,  p.  450.  8.  Brown's  Life  of  Bunyan,  p.  204.  9. 
Gangrena,  Ep.  to  part  i.     10.  Works,  ii,  pp.  174,  175.     11.  Works,  iv,  p.  492.     12.  Memoir  of  Bunyan,  p.  38. 

Chapter  VI. — 1.  Bunyan's  Works,  iv,  pp.  491,  492.  2.  Men  of  Letters,  p.  27.  3.  Life  of  Bunyan. 
pp.  44,  45.  1885.  4.  Page  610.  5.  Bunyan  Memorial,  pp.  48,  49.  6.  Hist.  Ya\%..  ii,  p.  225.  7.  .\rt.  Bun- 
yan. 8.  Life  and  Times  of  B.  9.  Life  of  Howard,  pp.  76,  77,  80.  10.  Memoir  of  Bunyan,  p.  47.  11.  Hist. 
Diss  Ohs.,  i,  p.  185.  12.  Gangrena,  p.  95.  13.  Gangrena,  part  iii,  p.  63.  14.  Copner's  Life  of  B.,  p.  74. 
15.  Hist,  of  Bunyan's  Ch.,  Jukes,  1S49.  16.  Gangrena,  part  iii.  p.  19;  part  i,  p.  6.  17.  Do.,  part  ii,  p.  101. 
18.  Ancient  Chris.  Religion,  part  ii,  p.  31.  19.  Pref.  Note,  Works,  iv,  p.  394.  20.  Life  of  Bunyan,  p.  16. 
21.  Works,  iv,  p.  396,  397.  22.  Brown'sLifeof  Bunyan,  pp.  21.3,  214,  215.  23.  Do.,  pp.  216,  217.  24.  Jukes' 
Hist.  Bnnj-an's  Ch.,  p  27.  25.  Memoir  Bnn\-an,  pp.  50,  53.  26.  Jukes'  Hist.  Bunyan's  Ch.,  p.  27.  27. 
Diss.  Chs.,  i,  p.  179.     28.  Philips'  L.  and  Times  of  B.,  p.  586. 

Chapter  VII.— 1.  Lile  and  Times  of  Bunyan,  pp.  210,  211.  2.  Life  of  Bunyan.  3.  Mem.  Add. 
Bedford,  June  10,  1874.  4.  Life  and  Times  of  Bunyan.  p.  117.  5.  Works,  iii,  431.  6.  Works,  i,  p.  425. 
7.  Works,  iii,  p.  297.  8.  "Works,  i,  427,  446,  456-8.  9.  His  ed.  Works,  i,  p.  412,  413.  10.  Works,  i,  p.  474. 
11.  Works,  i,  p.  458.  12.  Works,  i,  p.  458,  459.  13.  Works,  i,  p.  438.  14.  Works,  i,  p.  470.  15.  Works, 
i,  p.  451.  16.  Work.s,  i,  p.  445,  446.  17.  Works,  i,  p.  453.  18.  Works,  i,  p.  457.  19.  Works,  i,  p.  465. 
20.  Works,  i,  p.  465.     21.  "Works,  i,  p.  466.     22.  Life  and  Times  of  Bunj-an,  p.  443. 

Chapter  VIIL— 1.  Milton's  Christian  Doot.,  ii,  p.  115.  2.  Ecc.  Hist.  Eng.,  p.  451.  3.  Tolland's  L. 
of  Milton,  pp.  151,- 152. 

Chapter  IX. — 1.  Infant  Church  Membership.  2.  Hist.  Puritans,  iii,  pp.  419-421.  3.  Gospel  Lib- 
erty,  p.  101. 

Chapter  X. — 1.  Halle's  Annals  of  Scotland.  2.  Simpson's  Baptismal  Fonts.  3.  Art.  Baptism. 
4.  Douglas's  Hist.  Northern  Churches.       MacLean's    Letters    to    Richards.       5.  Lamont's  Chron.    of  Fife. 

6.  Journal  I.  7.  R.  Cromwell,  i,  417.  8.  Thurloe's  State  Papers,  iii,  150,  151.  9.  Scotch  Bap.  Union, 
1843.     10.   Hist.  Diss.  Chs.,  ii,  pp.  521,  522.     11.  Autobiography,  h,  39. 

Chapter  XI. — 1.  Grantham's  Ancient  Christian  Religion,  1678.  2.  lola.  Ms.,  p.  615.  3.  Welsh 
Hist.,  pp.  182,  183.     4.  Brief  Narrative,  1662.     5.  Vol.  ii,  p.  558. 

THE  AMERICAN  BAPTISTS.    Page  619. 

Chapter  I. — 1.  Revolutions  Kirchen  Englands.  p.  20.  2.  i,  343,  443.  3.  Underliill's  Int.  Broad- 
mead  Rec,  p.  72.  4.  Pref.  to  Sermons,  p.  .x.xiii.  5.  Ecc.  Hist.  New  Eng.,  i,  pp.  34-40.  6.  Great  Republic, 
p.  118.  7.  Winthrop's  Jour.,  i,  154:  Hubbard's  Gen.  Hist.  New  Eng.,  241-69;  Mass.  Col.  Rec,  i,  pp. 
123,  139.  8.  Artcmas  Ward.  9.  Lowell  Lee  Hist.  Soc,  84.  10.  New  Eng.  Memorial,  p.  76;  Palfrey,  i, 
p.  299. 

CUAPTKR  II.— 1.  Ecc  Hist,  of  N.  E.,  i,  p.  149.  2.  Memorial,  151.  3.  i,  p.  128.  4.  Mass.  Col.  Rec, 
i,  p.  60.  6.  Cotton's  Reply  to  Williams?,  29 ;  Magnalia,  vii,  8 ;  Winthrop's  Jour.,  i,  p.  170.  6.  Winthrop's 
Journal.  7.  Hist.  N.  E.,  i,  213.  8.  Mass.  Rec.  9.  Arnold's  Hist.  R.  I.  i,  97.  10.  Mass.  Rec  11.  Jour- 
nal, i,  p.  164.  12.  Journal,  i,  pp.  162,  163.  13.  Mass.  HLst.,  iii,  p.  71.  14.  Ecc  Hist.,  i,  231,232. 
15.  All  about  R.  Williams,  p.  57.  16.  Cotton's  Letter  Exam.,  5.  17.  Great  Republic,  pp.  131,  2.  18.  Hist. 
of  Mass.  pp.  213,  214,  235. 

Chapter  III.— 1.  Hist.  New  Eng.,  i,  pp.  159,  160.  2.  pp.  116,  243.  3.  Hist.  U.  S.,  i,  pp.  375-7. 
4.  Hist.  U.  S.,  i,  p.  399.  5.  Hist.  Discourse,  p.  17.  6.  Lee  Bap.  Hist.,  pp.  220,  221.  7.  Hist,  of  Am.  Liter- 
ature. 8.  R.  I.  State  Papers.  9.  Col.  Rec  R.  L,  i,  p.  156.  10.  Plea  for  Liberty  of  Conscience.  11.  Pref., 
p.  2.  12.  Felt.,  Ecc.  Hist.  New  Eng..  i,  551,  552.  13.  Elton's  edition  of  Callender,  p.  200.  14.  Laws  and 
Ordinances  of  New  Netherlands,  1638-1674,  pp.  191-4.     15.  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  N.  Netherland,  p.  192. 


948  ltl-:Fi:itlC\CES. 

16.  Aiiiuia  .1  Uiat.  of  K.  I.,  ii,  )..  177.  17.  Aiuuia.  Ilisl.  .if  K.  1..  ii.  pp.  247.  -i-IS.  18.  Xairativf  and  Crit- 
ical llisl,  of  Americii,  iii,  p.  :i80.  19.  Ilisi.  K.  I.,  ]jp.  4'Jii-G.  20.  0.  .S.  Slraii>,  Origin  of  Republican  form 
of  Govornnicut  in  U.  S.,  X.  Y.,  lS8j,  pp.  -IT-rjU. 

(.'iLvi'iKU  IV.— 1.  Felt,  Eec.  Hist,  i.  p.  :i:il.  2.  Kell,  i,  379,  :i80.  3.  Kcc.  lli.-,l.  i.  \^\,.  los,  lOU. 
4.  Kcc.  Hi.sl.  i,  p.  Wl.  6.  Appendix  to  Kox'.s  Firc-ljrand  Quenclied.  p.  247.  6.  Letter  to  Fox.  1677. 
7.  Backus,  i,  2n,s.  8.  (.iospel  I>ilierl_v,  p.  144.  9.  Address  to  the  Quakers.  March  10,  1(;73.  10.  Keply  to 
J'"i)X,  1G7G.  11.  Magnalia,  ii,  4:i2.  Neal's  Hist.  iJiss..  p.  111.  12.  Page  Hi.H.  13.  Hist.  Baptists,  i,  p.  405 ; 
ii,  i>p.  4yO,  4iil,  280,  Weston's  ed.  14.  .Materials  for  Hist,  of  K.  1.  ijaptists.  15.  Providence  Cazelte.  1765. 
16.  I'a^'e21.  17.  Providence  Cliurch  Keeords.  18.  Providence  Cliurch  Uccords.  19.  \Vintliro]i's  Jour- 
nal.    20.  AMaterials  for  a  History  ol'  K.  1.     21.  Materials  lor  Hist,  of  Baptists  in  R   I. 

•  'ii.M'TEit  V. — 1.  Hypocrisy  I'nniasked,  Magnalia.  ii.  459.  2,  Kelt,  Kce.  Hist .  i.  p.  44:!.  3.  Dean. 
Hist.  Scit.,  p.  UO.  4.  Felt,  i.  412.  5.  Felt,  i,  497.  6.  Fell,  ii,  jip.  449.  :i99.  448.  7.  "Wilson,  Hist.  Dissent- 
ing Clis:  Evans's  Eng.  Baptists  ii,  l:'.l.  8.  I'lynioulli  Records,  ii,  p.  162.  9.  Backn.s.  i.  285,  286,  Weston's 
Ed.     10.  Mass.  Col.  Keeords,  ii.  p.  162.     11.  Hypocrisy  Unmasked.  101.     12.  .lonrnal.  ii,  pp.  123,  124. 

I'liii'iEH  VI.— 1.  Ms.  Rec.  Essex  Cotirt.  25.  9  mo.  IG.'.l.  2.  Felt.  ii.  p.  46.  3.  -Materials  for  Hist. 
K.  1.  liaptisLs.  4.  Hutchinson's  Col.  tjriguial  Papers,  pp.  4iil,  :i-8.  5.  Mass.  Hist.,  iii.  pp.  403-6.  6.  As 
to  Roger  Williams,  p.  19.  7.  i.  pp.  171-8-9,  Boston,  18x0.  8.  Hist.  U.  S.,  ii.  pp.  47-9.  9.  Antiq.  b.  xv., 
ch.  4.  Sec.  4.  10.  Page  533.  11.  Fell.  i.  433.  12.  Body  of  Div..  iii.  p.  327,  13.  Life  of  Mitchcl.  pp. 
49-70.     14.  Magnalia,  li.  iii,  p.  :1G7.     18.  The  Rowley  Cli.  Records. 

Ch.vi'TEK  VII. — 1.  .lanney's  Lileof  Penn.  p.  211.  2.  Leaunng  and  Spieer.  p.  14.  1664-1702.  3.  Win- 
sor's  .Memorial  Hist,  of  Boston,  iii.  p.  422.  4.  Do.,  ii,  p.  227.  5.  Sermons,  xiii.  p.  197,  Boston  Ed.  6.  New 
Kngland  Magazine,  .January.  18S6,  p.  4. 

CilAi'TER  VllI,— 1.   Ainials  of  ATui.ipolis.  p.  23.     2.   Ere  Hist,  of  \'a..  ii.  pp.  51-67.     3.  .\nnals,  289. 

4.  Hist,  of  Episcopacy  in  Va..  )ip.  71-72.  5.  .Statutes  at  large,  ii.  |jp.  16.'>-I6r,.  6.  Works,  viii,  p.  398. 
7.  Hist,  Collections  of  Va.,  p.  379.  8.  Hist.  Prot.  Ep.  Ch.  in  Va..  p.  121.  9.  Sem|)le's  Hist.  Va.  Baptists, 
p)i.  5S-59.     10.  Progress  of  Baptist  Principles,  p.  356. 

CiiAi'TEit  IX. — 1.  i,  451.  2.  A  Key  to  the  Religions  Law  of  the  Colony  of  Coim..  pp.  51.  183. 
3.  Ili~t.  of  Middlesex  Co.,  p.  142.  4.  Deni.son's  Notes  on  the  Ba])tisls,  pp.  40,  41.  5.  Denison's  Xotes, 
pp.  311.  31.  6.  Deni.son's  Notes,  pp.  56,  57.  7.  Vol.  iv.,  p.  22.  8.  Discourse  before  New  York  Hist.  Soc, 
May,  I '-so.  p.  'jy.  9.  Prime.  Hist.  Long  Island,  p.  335.  Mandeville,  Flushing,  Past  and  Present,  pp.  105-7. 
10.  Doc.  Hist.  X.  v.,  iii,  p.  106.  11.  Hist.  N.  Neth.,  ]).  321:  Broadheail,  Hist.  Slate  N.  Y.,  p.  62G. 
12.  Alliany  Records,  vol.  8.  13.  O'Callagan's  Laws  and  Ordinances  of  N.  Neth.,  1638-1674.  14.  Doc. 
Hist.  N.  Y.,  iii,  480-2.  16.  Hist.  Block  Lsland,  p.  260.  16,  Tristram  Dodge  and  liis  Descendants,  pp.  81, 
219,  231.     17.  Lamb's  Hist.  N.  Y.,  ii,  p.  284. 

CiUPTEii  X, — 1.  Chalnier's  Pol,  Ann.,  i.  p.  218.     2.  Cong.  Qu.,  iii. 

Cii.\FTKK  XI. — 1.  Backus,  Hist,  Baptists:  Hovey's  Life  of  Backus:  Denison's  Notes.  2.  Cornell's 
Recollections,  p.  84.     3.  Two  Hundredth  .\nnual  Sermon,  by  Dr.  Ncale.     4.  Hist.  Collections  of  Va.,  p.  238. 

5.  Letters  and  Journals. 

CuAVTEH  Xn.— 1.  Pref.,  p.  vii.  2.  Hist.  U.  S.,  ix,  p.  261.  3.  Pp.  541,  542.  4.  Complete  Works, 
by  Washington;  N.  Y.,  p.  168.  6.  Leland's  Works,  p.  287.  6.  Hist.  Va.  Baji.  p.  24.  7.  Leland's  Works, 
p.  287.  8.  Tiuior's  Life  of  Otis,  p.  307.  9.  Boucher's  .Ser.,  pp.  103,  104.  10.  Chamberiain's  Address  ou 
John  Adams,  before  Webster  Hi.st.  Soc.,  Jan.  18,  1884.  11.  Life  and  Works,  by  Chas.  F.  Adams,  ix,  p,  402. 
12.  Adams's  Works,  ii,  p.  399.  13.  Leland's  Works,  p,  295.  14.  Leland's  Works,  p.  248.  15.  Leland's 
Works,  p.  487.     16.  Leland's  Works,  pp.  354-7. 


APPENDIX 


■    THE  EARLIEST  BAPTIST  CONFESSION  KNOWN. 

Letter  of  the  hrotherhj  aiiion  of  certain  helieviiig  baptized  children  of  Ood,  rohu  have  asmmbled  at 
ScMeitheim,  to  the  congregations  of  believing,  baptized  Christians  : 

JOY,  peace,  aiul  mercy  from  our  Father,  through  the  union  of  the  blood  of  Christ  Jesus,  to- 
getlicr  witli  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  (who  is  sent  by  the  Father  to  all  believers  for  strength  and 
comfort  and  constancy  in  all  distress  \iuto  the  end,  Amen)  be  witli  all  who  love  God,  and  with  the 
children  of  the  light  everywhere  scattered  abroad,  \vhere\er  they  are  appointed  by  (iod  our  Father, 
wherever  they  are  as.sembled  with  one  accord  in  one  God  and  Father  of  \is  all.  Grace  and  peace 
in  heart  be  with  you  all.     Amen. 

Beloved  in  the  Lord,  brothers  and  sisters,  we  are  first  and  specially  concerned  for  the  comfort 
and  assurance  of  your  minds,  whicli  have  perhaps  been  disturbed  ;  that  ye  should  not  always,  like 
foreigners,  be  separated  from  us  and  almost  cut  otf,  justly,  but  that  ye  may  again  turn  to  the  true 
implanted  members  of  Christ  who  are  armed  by  long-suffering  and  knowledge  of  himself,  and  so 
be  united  again  witli  us  in  the  power  of  one  divine  spirit  of  Christ  and  zeal  toward  God. 

It  is  also  plain  that  with  a  thousand  wiles  the  devil  has  tvu-ned  us  away,  in  order  that  he  may 
disturb  and  destroy  the  work  of  God,  which  has  been  mercifully  and  graciously  begun  in  us.  But 
the  true  Shepherd  of  our  souls,  Christ,  who  has  begun  this  in  us,  will  direct  and  guide  the  same 
to  the  end,  to  his  honor  and  our  salvation.     Amen. 

Beloved  brethren  and  sisters,  we,  who  are  assembled  together  in  the  Lord  at  Schlaitten  Am 
Randen,  make  known  to  all  who  love  God  that  we  have  agreed  in  certain  points  and  articles,  which 
we  should  hold  in  the  Lord,  as  the  obedient  children  of  God,  and  sons  and  daughters  wlio  are  and 
should  be  separated  from  the  world  in  all  things  we  do  or  forbear.  And,  to  God  be  everlasting 
praise  and  glory,  we  were  perfectly  at  peace,  without  opposition  from  any  brother.  By  this  we 
have  perceived  that  the  harmony  of  the  Father  and  our  common  Christ,  with  their  Spirit,  was  with 
us ;  for  the  Lord  is  the  Lord  of  peace  and  not  of  contention,  as  Paul  shows. 

But  that  ye  may  understand  what  thesi'  articles  were,  mark  and  understand.  Scandal  has 
been  brought  in  among  us  by  certain  false  brethren,  so  that  some  have  turned  from  the  faith, 
because  they  have  presumed  to  use  for  themselves  the  freedom  of  the  Spirit  and  of  Christ.  But 
such  have  erred  from  the  truth  and  are  given  over  (to  their  condemnation)  to  the  wantonness  and 
freedom  of  the  flesh ;  and  have  thought  faith  and  love  may  do  and  suffer  all  things,  and  nothing- 
would  injure  or  condemn  them  as  long  as  they  thus  believed.  Mark,  ye  members  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus,  faith  in  the  Heavenly  Father  through  Jesus  Christ  does  not  thus  prove  itself,  does  not  work 
and  deal  in  such  way  as  these  false  brethren  and  sisters  do  and  teach.  Take  heed  to  yourselves ; 
be  warned  of  such;  for  they  serve  not  our  Father,  but  their  father,  the  devil.  Rut  ye  are  not  so, 
for  they  who  are  of  Christ  have  crucirted  the  flesh,  with  all  lusts  and  longings.  You  understand 
me*  well,  and  the  brethren  whom  we  mean.  Separate  yourselves  from  them,  for  they  are  turned 
away.  Pray  the  Lord  for  their  acknowledgment  unto  repentance  and  for  our  constancy  to  walk  in 
the  way  we  have  entered,  for  the  honor  of  God  and  his  Christ.     Amen. 


*  These  articles  are  said  to  have  been  dnifleil  uriKinally  by  Michael  Saltier,  an  e.\-inonk,  highly  educated  and  amiable, 
who  sulTered  martyrdom,  May  aist,  l.')iV,  at  notheiiburif,  on  the  Neckar.  This  chanRe  to  the  flrst  person  is  an  iuUjrestiUK 
conflrmation  ol  this  view  of  their  origin. 


9SO  Al'l'i:.\lJlX. 

Tlif  articles  vvc  have  discusscil,  and  in  uliicli  we  arc  one,  are  these:  1.  Baptism.  2.  Excom- 
iniuiieatiim.  ;i.  Hrcakinf^  of  Ijrcad.  4.  Separation  from  abominations.  5.  Shepherds  in  the  con- 
gregation.    0.   Sword.     7.   Oatli. 

1.  In  tlie  first  place,  mark  tliis  conci-rniiig  baptism  ;  Haplism  should  lie  given  to  all  those  wlio 
have  learned  repentance  and  chaniic  of  life,  and  believe  in  truth  that  their  sins  have  been  taken 
a\va\'  through  Christ;  iind  to  all  those  who  desire  to  walk  in  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ,  and 
to  be  buried  with  him  in  death,  that  with  him  they  may  rise;  and  to  all  those  who  with  sucli 
intention  themselves  desire  and  request  it  of  us.  I'y  this  is  excluded  all  infant  baptism,  the 
Pope's  highest  and  first  abomination.  'I'his  has  its  foundation  and  witness  in  tlic  Scriptures  and 
in  the  usage  of  the  A])()stles — Matt.  'i'S,  Mark  1(>,  .\cls2,  s,  KJ,  111.  'I'his  we  would  with  all  sim- 
plicity, but  firmly,  hold  and  be  assured  of. 

'i.  In  the  second  ])lace,  we  were  united  concerning  e.\communication,  as  follows:  Excommu- 
nication should  be  pronounced  on  all  those  who  have  given  themselves  to  the  Lord,  to  walk  in  his 
commandments,  and  on  all  tliose  wiio  have  been  baj)tized  into  one  body  of  Christ,  and  who  call 
themselves  brothers  and  sisters,  and  yet  slip  away  and  fall  into  sin  and  are  overtaken  unawares. 
They  should  be  warned  the  second  time  privately,  and  the  third  time  ))ublicly  rebuked  before  the 
whole  congregation,  or  be  excluded  according  to  the  command  of  Christ,  Matt.  28.  Hut  this 
should  take  place,  according  to  the  order  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  before  the  breaking  of  bread,  that 
we  may  with  one  mind  .mil  with  one  love  break  and  eat  of  one  bread  and  drink  of  one  cup. 

:i.  Thirdly,  we  were  one  and  agreed  eoneerning  breaking  of  bread,  as  follows:  AH  who  would 
break  one  bread  for  a  mcinurial  of  the  broken  body  of  Christ,  and  all  who  would  drink  one 
drauglit  as  a  memoiial  of  the  poured  out  blcmd  of  Christ,  should  beforehand  be  united  to  one 
body  of  Christ;  that  is,  to  the  Church  of  Cod.  of  which  the  head  is  Christ,  to  wit,  by  baptism. 
For,  as  Paul  shows,  we  cannot  at  the  same  time  be  partakers  of  the  table  of  the  Lord  and  of  the 
table  of  the  devil;  we  cannot  at  the;  same  time  partake  and  drink  of  the  cup  of  the  Lord  and  of 
the  cup  of  the  devil;  that  is,  all  who  have  communion  with  tlie  dead  works  of  darkness,  they 
have  no  part  with  the  light.  All  who  follow  the  devil  and  the  world  have  no  part  with 
those  who  are  called  from  the  world  to  Goil,  .Ml  who  lie  in  the  wicked  one  have  no  part  with 
the  good.  Hence,  also,  it  should  and  must  be.  whoso  has  not  the  call  of  one  God  to  one  faith, 
to  one  baptism,  to  one  spirit,  to  one  body,  conunon  to  all  the  children  of  (xod,  lie  cannot  be  made 
one  bread  with  them,  as  must  be  if  we  would  in  the  truth  break  bread  according  to  the  command 
of  Christ. 

4.  Fourthly,  we  were  agreed  concerning  separation  :  This  should  be  from  the  evil  and  wicked, 
whom  the  devil  has  planted  in  the  world,  to  the  end  alone  that  we  should  not  have  association 
with  them  or  run  with  them  in  the  midtitude  of  their  abominations.  And  this  because  all  who 
have  not  entered  the  obedience  of  faith,  and  who  have  not  united  them.selves  to  God  to  do  liis 
will,  are  a  great  abomination  before  God,  and  naught  can  possibly  grow  or  issue  from  them  but 
abominable  things.  Now,  in  all  creatures  there  is  either  goodness  or  ex\\\  they  either  believe  or 
are  unbelieving;  are  darkness  or  light;  of  the  world  or  out  of  the  world;  temples  of  God  or  of 
idols;  Christ  or  Belial,  and  none  may  have  part  with  the  otlier.  Now,  the  command  of  God  is 
plain  to  us,  in  which  he  calls  ns  to  bo  ever  separate  from  evil.  Thus  will  he  ever  be  our  God,  and  we 
shall  be  his  sons  and  chuighters.  Further,  he  warns  us  to  go  o\it  from  Habylon  and  carnal  Egypt, 
that  we  be  not  partakers  of  their  torment  and  sullering.s,  wdiich  the  Lord  will  bring  upon  them. 

From  all  this  we  should  h'arn  that  everything  that  is  not  at  one  with  our  God  and  Christ 
is  nothing  else  than  abomination,  which  we  should  avoi<l  and  flee.  By  this  is  meant  all  Popish 
and  anti-Popish  work  and  worship,  assembly,  church-going,  wine-houses,  citizensliip,  and  enjoy- 
ments of  unbelief,  and  many  other  similar  things  which  the  world  prizes,  tliough  tliey  are  done 
directly  against  the  command  of  God,  according  to  the  measure  of  all  unrighteousness,  whicli  is 
the  world.  From  all  this  we  shotdd  he  .separ.ate  and  have  no  part  with  such,  for  they  are  clear 
abominations,  which  will  make  us  abhorrent  to  our  Christ  Jesus,  wlio  has  delivered  us  from  the 
service  of  the  flesh  and  filled  us  for  the  service  of  God  by  the  Spirit  whom  he  has  given  to  us. 
Therefore,  there  will  ahso  from  us  undoubtedly  depart  unchristian  and  devilish  weapons — sword, 
armor,  and  the  like — and  all  >ise  of  them  for  friend  or  against  enemies,  through  power  of  the  word 
of  Christ,  'Resist  not  evil.' 

5.  Fifthly,  we  are  united  respecting  the  pastor  in  the  congregation  of  God,  thus:  The  pastor 


APPENDIX.  98 1 

in  the  congregation  should  be  one  in  eutiie  ae(()nlaM<-e  with  the  direction  of  Paul,  who  has  a  good 
report  from  those  who  arc  without  the  faith.  His  olHce  should  be  to  read,  exhort,  and  teach;  to 
warn,  reprove,  excommunicate  in  the  congregation,  and  to  lead  in  prayer  for  the  bettering  of  all 
brethren  and  sisters;  to  take  the  bread,  to  break  it,  and  in  all  things  to  care  for  the  body  of  Christ, 
that  it  be  edified  and  bettered,  and  that  the  mouth  of  the  blasphemer  be  stopped.  But  ho,  when 
he  is  in  want,  must  be  supported  by  the  congregation  which  elected  him,  so  that  ho  who  serves 
the  Gospel  should  also  live  from  it,  as  the  Lord  has  ordained. 

But  if  a  pastor  should  do  anything  worthy  of  reproof,  nothing  should  l)e  uudertuken  with 
him  without  two  or  three  witnesses;  and  if  they  have  sinned,  they  shall  be  reproved  bi'forc;  all  the 
peoi)le,  that  the  others  may  fear. 

But  if  the  pastor  is  driven  away,  or  is  taken  by  the  cross  to  the  Lord,  immediately  another 
shall  be  chosen  in  his  place,  that  the  little  flock  of  God  be  not  destroyed. 

6.  Sixthly,  we  were  united  concerning  the  sword,  thus:  The  sword  is  an  ordinance  of  God 
outside  of  the  perfection  of  Christ,  which  punishes  and  slays  the  wicked  and  protects  and  guards 
the  good.  In  law  the  sword  is  ordained  over  the  wicked  for  punishment  and  death,  and  the 
civil  power  is  ordained  to  use  it.  But  in  the  perfection  of  Christ,  excommunication  is  pronounced 
only  for  warning  and  for  exclusion  of  him  who  has  sinned,  without  death  of  the  flesh,  only  by 
warning  and  the  command  not  to  sin  again.  It  is  asked  by  many  who  do  not  know  the  will  of 
Christ  respecting  us,  whether  a  Christian  may  or  should  use  the  sword  against  the  wicked  in  ordei- 
to  protect  and  guard  the  good,  or  for  love  ? 

The  answer  is  unanimously  revealed  thus:  Christ  teaches  and  commands  us  that  we  should 
learn  from  him,  for  he  is  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  and  so  we  will  find  rest  for  our  souls.  Now, 
Christ  says  to  the  heathen  woman  who  was  taken  in  adultery,  not  that  they  should  stone  her 
according  to  the  law  of  his  Father  (yet  he  also  said,  '  as  the  Father  gave  me  commandment,  even 
so  I  do'),  but  in  mercy,  and  forgiveness,  and  warning  to  sin  no  more,  and  says,  '  Go  and  sin  no 
more.'     So  should  we  also  closely  follow  according  to  the  law  of  excommunication. 

Secondly,  It  is  asked  concerning  the  sword,  whether  a  Christian  should  pronounce  judgment 
in  worldly  disputes  and  quarrels  which  unbelievers  have  with  one  another  ?  The  only  answer  is : 
Christ  was  not  willing  to  decide  or  judge  between  brothers  concerning  inlieritance,  but  refused  to 
do  it;  so  should  we  also  do. 

Thirdly,  It  is  asked  concerning  the  sword.  Should  one  be  a  magistrate  if  he  is  elected  thereto  ? 
To  this  the  answer  is:  It  was  intended  to  make  Christ  a  King,  and  he  fled  and  did  not  regard  the 
ordinance  of  his  Father.  Thus  should  we  do  and  follow  him,  and  we  shall  not  walk  in  dark- 
ness. For  he  himself  says,  '  Whosoever  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself  and  take  up  his 
cross  and  follow  me.'  Also,  he  himself  forbids  the  power  of  the  sword  and  says,  '  The  princes  of 
the  Gentiles  exercise  lordship,'  etc.,  'but  it  shall  not  be  so  among  you.'  Further,  Paul  says,  'for 
whom  he  did  foreknow  he  also  did  predestinate  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  son.'  Also, 
Peter  says,  'Christ  has  suffered  (not  ruled),  leaving  us  an  ensample  that  ye  should  follow  his  steps.' 

Lastly,  it  is  remarked  that  it  does  not  become  a  Christian  to  be  a  magistrate  for  these  reasons : 
The  rule  of  the  magistrate  is  according  to  the  flesh,  that  of  the  Christian  according  to  the  Spirit; 
their  houses  and  dwelling  remain  in  this  world,  the  Christian's  is  in  heaven;  their  citizenship  is 
in  this  world,  tlie  Christian's  citizenship  is  in  heaven;  the  weapons  of  their  contest  and  war  are 
carnal  and  only  against  the  flesh,  but  the  weapons  of  the  Christian  are  spiritual,  against  the  for- 
tresses of  the  devil;  the  worldly  arc  armed  with  steel  and  iron,  but  the  Christians  are  armed  with 
the  armor  of  God,  with  truth,  righteousness,  peace,  faith,  salvation,  and  with  the  word  of  God. 
In  short,  as  Christ  our  head  was  minded  towards  us,  so  should  tlie  members  of  the  body  of 
Christ  through  him  be  minded,  that  there  be  no  schism  in  the  body  by  which  it  be  destroyed. 
For  every  kingdom  divided  against  itself  will  be  brought  to  destruction.  Therefore,  as  Christ  is, 
as  it  stands  written  of  him,  so  must  the  members  be,  that  his  body  be  whole  and  one,  to  the  edifi- 
cation of  itself. 

7.  Seventhly,  we  were  imited  concerning  oaths,  thus:  The  oath  is  an  .assurance  among  those 
who  dispute  or  promise,  and  was  spoken  of  in  the  law  that  it  should  take  place  with  the  name  of 
God,  only  in  truth  and  not  in  falsehood.  Christ,  who  teaches  the  perfection  of  the  law,  forbids  to 
his  people  all  swearing,  whether  true  or  false,  neither  by  heaven  nor  by  earth,  nor  by  Jerusalem, 
nor  by  our  head,  and  that  for  the  reason  which  he  immediately  after  gives,  '  Because  thou  canst  not 


SS2  APPENDIX. 

iii:iki'  one  liiiir  wliilc  (jr  black.'  'I'likc  hi'cil.  all  swcaiiii;;  is  I  hen-fore  forliiiltieii,  because  wc  are 
not  able  to  make  good  thai  wliitli  is  proiiiiscMl  in  the  oath,  since  we  cannot  change  tlie  least  tiling 
ujjon  us.  Now,  there  are  some  who  do  not  Iwlieve  the  simple  command  of  God.  but  they  speak 
aud  ask  thus:  If  God  swore  to  Abraliaia  by  liimself  because  he  was  God  (when  he  promised  him 
that  he  would  do  good  to  him  and  woidd  be  his  God  if  he  kept  his  command.s),  why  should  1 
uot  al.so  swear  if  I  promise  a  person  something  ?  Answer.  Hear  what  the  Scripture  says:  'God 
being  willing  more  alnmdautly  to  shew  unto  the  heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel, 
eonlirnicd  it  with  an  oatli,  tliat  by  two  inunutable  things,  in  which  it  was  impossible  for  God  to 
lie,  we  might  have  a  strong  consolation.'  iMark  the  meaning  of  this  f5cri]ituri' :  (iod  has  power  to 
do  what  he  forbids  to  you,  for  to  him  all  things  are  possible. 

'  (iod  swore  an  oath  to  Abraham,'  says  the  Scripture,  '  in  order  tliai  In-  rniglit  show  his  coun- 
sel to  be  immutable;'  that  is,  no  one  can  withstand  or  hinder  his  will,  and  therefore  he  can  keep 
the  oath.  But,  as  was  .said  by  Christ  above,  •  We  have  no  power  either  to  hold  or  to  give,'  and 
therefore  should  not  swear  at  all. 

Further,  some  say  God  has  ncjt  forbidden  in  the  New  Testament  to  swear,  and  he  has  com- 
manded it  in  the  Old;  but  it  is  only  forbidden  to  swear  by  heaven,  earth,  Jerusalem,  aud  by  our 
head,  .\nswer.  Hear  the  Scriptures:  '  He  that  shall  swear  by  heaven  sweareth  l)y  the  throne  of 
God;  and  by  him  that  sillelh  thereon.'  Mark,  swearing  liy  liea\(M  is  forbidden,  which  is  only  the 
tliroue  of  God;  how  much  more  is  it  forbidden  to  swear  by  God  himself  I  Ye  fools  and  blind, 
which  is  the  greater,  the  throne,  or  he  who  sits  upon  it  ? 

Still,  some  .say.  If  it  is  wrong  to  use  God's  name  for  the  truth,  yet  the  a])ostles,  I'cler  and 
Paul,  swore.  Answer.  Peter  and  Paul  testify  only  that  which  (iod  promised  to  .Vbrahara  by  oath, 
and  they  themselves  promised  nothing,  as  the  examples  clearly  show.  But  to  testify  and  to 
swear  are  ditferent  things.  When  one  swears  he  promises  a  thing  in  the  future,  as  Christ  was 
promiseil  to  .Mirahain,  whom  we  received  a  longtime  afterwards.  When.one  testilies  he  witnesses 
concerning  that  whicli  is  present,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad,  as  Simon  spoke  of  Christ  to  .Mary 
and  testified,  '  Behold,  this  one  is  set  for  the  fall  and  rising  of  many  in  Israel,  and  for  a  sign 
which  shall  be  spoken  against.'  Similarly  Christ  has  taught  us  when  he  says,  '  Let  your  commu- 
nication be  yea,  yea.  nay,  nay;  for  whatsover  is  more  than  tliese  cometh  of  the  Evil  One.'  He 
says,  your  speech  or  word  .shall  be  yea  and  nay,  and  his  intention  is  clear. 

Christ  is  simple  yea  aud  nay,  and  all  who  .seek  him  simply  will  nuderstaud  His  word.     Amen. 

Dear  brethren  and  .sisters  in  the  Lord,  the.se  arc  tlie  articles  which  some  bretliren  have  under- 
stood wrongly  and  uot  in  accordance  with  the  true  meaning,  and  thereby  have  confused  many 
weak  consciences,  so  that  the  name  of  God  has  been  grossly  blasphemed;  for  whicli  cause  it  was 
necessary  that  we  should  be  united  in  the  Lord,  which,  (iod  be  praised,  has  taken  jdaee. 

Now  that  ye  have  well  understood  the  will  of  God,  which  has  lieen  manifested  through  us, 
it  is  necessary  that  ye  from  the  heart  and  not  wavering  perform  the  known  will  of  God.  For  ye 
well  know  what  is  the  reward  of  that  servant  who  sins  wittingly. 

All  that  ye  have  clone  unwittingly  and  that  ye  have  confessed  that  ye  have  done  wrong,  that 
is  forgiven  you  through  believing  prayer,  which  was  made  by  us  in  the  assembly  for  the  sin  and 
guilt  of  us  all,  through  the  gracious  pardon  of  (iod  and  through  the  blood  of  .lesus  Christ,     Amen. 

Mark  all  those  who  walk  not  according  to  the  simplicity  of  divine  truth,  which  is  contained 
in  this  letter,  as  it  was  aiiprehended  by  us  in  the  assembly,  in  order  that  each  one  among  us  be 
governed  by  the  rule  of  disci]iliue,  and  henceforth  the  entrance  among  us  of  fal.se  brethren  and 
sisters  be  guarded  against.  Separate  from  you  what  is  evil,  so  will  the  Lord  be  your  God,  and 
ye  shall  be  his  sons  and  daughters. 

Dear  brethren,  be  mindful  how  Piuil  exhorls  Titus.  He  speaks  thus:  'The  grace  of  (ioil 
that  bringeth  salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that,  denying  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously  and  godly  in  this  present  world,  looking  for 
that  blessed  hope  and  the  glorious  ap])earing  of  the  great  God  and  our  Saviour  .Jesus  Christ,  who 
gave  himself  for  us  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all  inicpiity  aud  ])urify  unto  himself  a  |)eculiar  peo- 
ple, zealous  of  good  works.'     Thiuk  of  this  and  practice  it ;  so  will  the  Lord  of  ])eace  be  w  ith  you. 

The  name  of  God  be  eternally  praised  and  glorified.     .Vmen. 

The  Lord  give  you  his  peace.     Amen. 

AcT.\  ScHL.MTTEN  .\M  K.vNiJKN  wv  .M.vTTHiAK,  February  Htk,  /l««o  MDXXVIL 


GENERAL    INDEX 


Aeadia  College,  Nova  Scotiii,  925. 

Achatius,  tliu  murtvr,  107. 

Act  of  Tok-ration,  tlie,  726. 

.\ctiuiii,  Nero  retires  to,  104. 

Adain.s,  John,  785. 

.administrators  of  baptism  at  Pentecost,  the,  79. 

Adrinnus : 

refuses  to  baptize  infanti^,  243. 

aecused  of  heresy,  243. 
/Slfrio,  on  administering  tlie  Euoliai-ist  to  children  at  bap- 
tism, 24(). 
Atl'iision  ; 

not  depicted  in  early  Christian  art,  202. 

oil,  not  water,  the  liquid  of  affusion,  269. 

the  cup  of  Alba,  272,  273. 

no  evidence  of  in  the  Catacomb  pictures,  27."). 
Africa,  65. 

.\frica,  missions  in,  826,  827. 
-Africa,  North.     [See  Carthaqe,  Councils  of.] 
Agrippina,  vileness  of  her  pei"?onal  character,  102. 
Ainsworth's  Confession  on  tlie  proper  attitude  of  govern- 
ment toward  religion,  4.i5. 
.Aix,  baptistery  at,  253. 
Albigenscs,  the,  9. 

origin,  history,  and  peculiar  tenets,  278. 

slaughter  of,  279. 
Aldon,  Noah,  787. 

Ale.vander,  Archil)ald,  relations  to  the  Baptists,  733. 
Ale.xander  Severus  friendly  to  Christians,  172. 
Alexander  VI.,  P'>Iie,  sen<ls  monks  to  proselytize  the  Bo- 
hemian Bretnren,  320. 
Alexandria  captured  by  Saracens,  226. 
Alford,  Dean  : 

quoted  on  John's  immersions,  35. 

on  province  of  elders  in  Apostolic  Church,  134. 
Alfred  the  Great : 

transhates  the  Psalms,  242. 

compels  the  Danes  to  be  baptized,  245. 
.\llegory  in  early  Christian  art,  261. 
.VUen,  lehabod,  745. 
.\lk-n,  J"hn,  679. 
Allen,  Marvin,  886. 
Allen,  Kufus,  745. 
.\llen,  Stephen,  745. 
Alline,  Henry,  920,  921. 
AUine  Xlovement,  the,  920. 

Anuul^  *'  to  immerse,"  Bernstein  and   Michaelis's  defini- 
tion of,  156. 
.Amarapura,  Burma,  815. 
.\mbrose : 

on  apostolic  succession,  3. 

Iiolds  that  unbaptized   infants  dving  were  eternally 
lo.st,  186. 
.\mcrica,  IBritish.     [See  Britisu  America.] 
.Vmerican  and  Foreign  Bible  Soeiely,  s97. 
-Vmerican  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society,  844. 
.Vmerican  Baptists.     [See  Baptists,  American.] 
.American  Bible  Society,  894. 
.Vmerican  Bible  Union,  907. 
Ampulla,  the,  272,  273. 
.Vmsterdam  Confession,  the : 

proclaims  religious  freedom,  454. 

declares  that  infants  dying  in  infancy  arc  savetl,  454. 

upholds  liberty  of  conscience,  455. 


Amaterdam,  New,  early  discriminations  against  Jews  in, 

654. 
Anabaptist — the  term  defined,  283. 
Anabaptists  : 

Baptists  so  named  in  former  times,  149. 

the  name  '  Anabaptist-s' oifensive  to  the  SwLss  Bap- 
tists,  327. 

Keller  s  researches,  329. 

decree  of  the  Basle  Council  againsi,  3.')1. 

more  harsh  threatenings,  352. 

three  views  among  as  to  civil  government,  354. 

'Apollo  of  the  Anabaptists,'  355, 

abounded  in  .Moravia,  380. 

Dick,  Leopold,  against,  384. 

BuUinger,  Zwingli'ssucces.sor,  attacks  them,  384,335, 

German  Anabaptists,  notewoithy,  399. 

the  Edict  of  Spire  directed  a^'aiust  them,  402. 

origin  of  the  tern;  in  Knijlarid,  437. 
'  AnabaptLst  Town.'     [See  I'iscataijl'a,  Me.] 
Anderson,  Christopher,  575,  576. 
Anderson,  G.  W.,  886. 
Anderson,  Martin  B.,  867,  868. 
Andrew,  the  Apostle : 

simplicity  of,  66. 

legendary  labors  in  Syria,  Thrace,  and  Aehaia,  113. 
Andrews,  Elisha,  927. 
Anglo-Saxon  Language,  tlie,  241. 
Anglo-Saxon  Version,  the,  241. 
.Angus,  Joseph,  588,  589. 
.Anointing: 

baptized  persons  anointed  with  oil,  266,  267. 

origin  of  and  reasons  for  the  practice,  267,  268. 
-Anthony,  Senator,  tribute  to  Koger  Williams,  644,  645. 
.Antioch : 

first  Gentile  Church  founded,  92. 

spirit  of  inquiry  prevalent  at,  92. 

birth-place  of  a  pure  Christian  nobility,  93. 

description  of  the  city  and  its  people,  93. 

inipnrtance  of  Paul's  laboi-s  in,  94. 

Christianity  introduced  into,  109. 

captured  by  Saracens,  'J26. 
-Antiocn,  Council  of: 

ordains  that  no  Christian  should  he  without  the  Script- 
ures, 208. 

forbids  appeal  to  the  empei'or  in  ecclesiastical  mattei*s 
without  consent  of  a  bishop,  214. 
-Antipedobaptists,  the  Keformera  obliged  to  I'cfutc,  360. 
•ApoUos  and  tlie  twelve  Epiusians,  51,  52. 
.Apostles,  the : 

Christ's  promises  to,  5. 

unmixed  purity  for  all  time  not  pledged  to  them,  5. 

matter-of-fact  natures  of  the,  66. 

fidelity  of,  66. 

their  origin,  66. 

qualities  for  which  each  was  chosen,  66. 

their  authority  died  with  their  death,  155. 
Apostolic  Church"; 

Ripley  on  what  constitutes  an,  9. 

must  be  first  pure,  9. 

great  principles  on  which  ba.sed,  114,  115. 

word  of  God  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  115. 

no  human  substitutes  for,  116. 

its  rules  of  tiiith  and  practice  found  in  the  New  Tes- 
tament, 117. 

a  local  liody,  118. 

the  Ecclmiii,  118,  119. 


934 


OEyKHAL   ISDKX. 


Ai'O.-tolie  C'liurcli — Continued. 
^overninciit,  liio. 

thti  Cliurch  ut  Kume,  121. 

disfi]iliiic,  powiT  of,  Vl'i. 

pui-toi-s  elected  by  eiieli  CImreli,  123. 

Iiiyinf,'  fill  of  h:iiid>.,  1'.'3,  li4. 

method  of  electing'  pa.stors,  12i. 

free  of  the  >tiite,  125,128. 

freedom  of  eoiiscience  in,  120. 

Btruj.'j,'le  for  freedom  of  conacieiicc,  12S. 

oltieers  imd  ordiminees,  12U. 

poverty  of,  1211,  130. 

eonmiuiiitv  of  |.'ood»,  130. 

the  Cliurcli  iit  .Icriisnlem,  130,  131. 

deiicona,  131,  132. 

dcMConesses,  133,  134. 

presbyters,  or  elders,  134. 

pastors,  134.  135. 

baptism  tile  first  ordiiinnce,  138. 

tlie  place  filled  liy  Imptism,  140. 

sulyects  tit  f"r  liaptiMii  in  the,  142. 

iiif.iiil  hajitisiii  uiiKiiowii  to,  142. 

tile  Lord's  Supper,  1415,  147. 

Baptist  copy  of  the,  148. 
Apostolic  successiou : 

Christ    never     promised    or^'aiiic    visibility    to    his 
Cliurch  in  perpetuity,  4. 

definition  of  the  belief  in,  4. 

unl->roken  siieees.Hiun  not  a  true  test  of,  8. 

visible  tlesecnt  not  a  pro]>er  ti'st,  8. 

a  contradiction  of  all  reliable  hi.story,  a. 

Stevens,  Abel,  on,  'J. 

New  Testament  succession,  11. 
Api'cndi.v,  London,  tlie,  7Ii>. 
Apjiian  Way,  the,  I'S. 
Appii  Ftirum,  li5. 

Aqnidneek  purchased  of  the  Indians,  CG9. 
Arabia,  I'aul's  seclusion  in,  S'.i. 
Arabians: 

ignorance  of^  232. 

proud  of  then-  descent   from  Ishniael,  234. 
Ararat,  Mount,  Mission  Church  at,  8211. 
Aretas,  king  of  Arabia  ]'etra>a  : 

declares  war  on  Herod  Antipas,  23. 

his  army  passes  through  the  scene  of  John's  pieadi- 
ing,  24. 
Arianism  condemned  by  Council  of  Nica;a,  lii7. 
Ariaus  : 

opposed  by  Constantine,  204. 

frightful  sufferings  of,  204. 

practiced  trine  baptism,  247. 
Aristarehus  of  Thessalonica  visits  Paul  at  Rome,  07. 
Aristotle  : 

cited  as  to  meaning  of  Greek  word  h<ii>tizo,  34. 

desired  one  established  plan  of  worship,  '.Hi. 
Arius  banished  by  Constantine,  204. 
Ark  of  the  Coveiiant,  24. 

Aries,  Council  of,  condemns  tlie  Donatists,  202. 
Arminian  Vci-sion,  the,  223. 

Arnold,  Matthew,  on  the  Christ  of  tlie  Go.spels,  G. 
Arnoldists,  SOI. 
Arnohl  of  Brescia: 

birth  and  education,  291. 

S readier  and  patriot,  291. 
octrines,  2'J2. 
lianishcd  liy  ]-ateran  t'ouncil,  292. 
suffers  death  by  hanging,  292. 
monument  to,  293. 
Alt,  early  Christian,  2.5fi. 
allegorical  pictures,  261. 
no  affusion  depicted,  2t)2. 
Arraean,  mission  to,  820. 

Arundel,  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  denounces  the  Lol- 
lards, 323. 
Ashton,  James,  709. 
Ashton,  Joseph,  707. 
Asia : 

the  continent  chosen  by  Christ   wlicrein  to   reveal 

himself,  64. 
its  diversity  and  vast  extent,  64. 


Asia — Continued. 

missions  to,  814. 
Askew,  Anne ; 
sketch  of,  448. 
tortured,  448. 

burnt  at  t^mithfield,  448. 
Aspersi,  tlie,  459. 
Aspersion,  or  Sprinklint; : 

permitted  bv  Council  of  Ravenna,  427. 

allowed  by  tlie  rrayer-lmok  of  1549,  428. 

beeonies  the  rule  in  England,  429. 

declared  legal  by  the  W'estniinsier  Directory,  429. 

opponents  <»f,  among  English  Baptists,  433. 

prevails  despite  opposition,  434. 

Jia|)tists  not  the  only  people  who  resisted,  434. 
Assam,  mission  to,  821. 
Associations,  Baptist : 

I'hiladelphia,  715,  716. 

Newport,  717. 

Charleston,  717. 

Kehukce,  717. 

Warren,  R.  L,  717-722. 

New  York,  756. 

.Maryland,  759. 

Vermont,  769. 

Georgia,  775. 

Charleston,  812. 

Nova  Scotia,  920. 

New  Brunswick,  921. 

llaldiniand,  Canada,  928. 

Upi'cr  Canada,  928. 

Ottawa,  929. 

Vielorian,  938. 

South  Australian,  938. 
Atlienagoras  advocates  liberty  of  conscience  for  Christians, 

170,  171. 
Atlanta,  Ga.,  Seminaries  at,  850. 
Auckland,  New  Zealand,  939. 
Augsburg,  the  city  of; 

the  Baptist  head-quarters  of  Southern  Germany,  388. 

.John  Denk,  pa.stor  at,  3s9. 

Langeiimantel,  pastor  of  the  Baptists  at,  391. 

inartyi-s  of,  392. 
Augustine,  Saint: 

on  the  baptism  of  Christ,  27. 

on  Greek  translations  of  the  Scriptures,  156. 

belief  that  unbaptized  iuliints  dying  were  eternally 
lost,  186. 

wrote  a  work  against  the  Donatists,  201. 

leads  the  debate  against  the  DonatLsis  at  Carthage,  214. 

sets  the  fires  of  purgatory  in  full  blaze,  215. 

curious  beliefs  of,  215. 

favoi-s  infant  ba]iti>m,  216. 

pre.-ides  at  Council  of  Milevium.  217. 

beset  by  Pelagianism,  217. 

not  immersed  until  manhood,  218. 

on  trine  immei'sion,  220. 
Augustus,  Emperor,  superstition  and  skepticism  of,  101. 
Aurelian,  Emperor,  issues  edicts  against  OhrLstians,  173. 
Austin,  Saint: 

immersed  ten  thousand  converts  in  the  Swale,  79. 

goes  to  Britain,  228. 

baptizes  Ethelbert,  229. 

made  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  229. 

adapts  the  Christian   ceremonial  to  suit    the    rudo 
islanders,  229. 

dis|)Ute  with  the  islanders  of  Britain,  230. 
Australia,  Baptists  of,  937. 

[See    SovTn     Aistrai.ia,    Queexsland,    Tasuaxia, 

New  Zeal.\xd,  Westehn  Aistralia,  etc.] 
Austria,  mission  work  in,  829. 
.\uthors,  Baptist.     [See  the  diti'erent  surnames.] 

fiimous  American,  852. 


Babes  saved  by  Jesus,  69. 

[Sec  CUILDKEN.] 

Babes,  Baptism  of: 

unknown  in  the  second  century,  162. 

Bishop  Barlow,  Menzell,  Lange,  tt  al.,  on,  162,  163. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


938 


Babes,  Biiptism  of^Conlinmd. 

ht'trins  to  creep  into  the  Chureh,  184. 

utterly  unknown  in  the  eurly  Church  prior  to  tlie 
Uiiiklle  of  the  third  century,  1S.5. 

rejjions  where  praeliceJ,  ISO. 

Cirotiu.s,  Hunsen,  iind  Neunder  on,  1S6,  187. 

not  general  till  tlie  tilth  ceiiturv,  IbS. 

elements  of  bread  anil  wine  auniiui.'^tered  to  infants, 
190.     [See  I.nfant  Baptism.] 
Babylon — Peter  the  Aiio-stle  visits  the  city,  lOS. 
Backus,  Isunc,  sketch  of  his  career  uud  iutlucnec,  7:iO,  T7s, 

77SI. 
Backus.  Jay  S.,  S48. 
Bacon,  Leonarcl.  790. 
Badly.  .lohn,  a  Lollard  martyr,  burnt  at  SjnithlieUl,  ;i2.'J, 

■  324. 
Bnialiam,  .James,  burnt  at  Smithtield  a.s  a  Lollard,  3\iii. 

martyred  ill  the  tlays  of  Henry  VIIL,  GSS. 
Baldwin,  Thomas,  700. 

his  famous  hymn,  700,  also  814,  852. 
Baltimore,  Md.,  Baptist  churches  of,  760. 
Bamptield,  l-'rancis  : 

touiider  of  the  Seventh-Day  Baptists,  552. 

sketcli  of,  552. 
BaiicrotY,  George,  ou  Koger  Williams,  644. 
Banirkok,  Siam,  .S22. 

Banu'or,  Ireland,  an  early  I'liristian  colony,  228. 
Bangor,  Wales  ; 

early  Christian  colony  at,  228. 

slaughter  of  the  monks  of,  231. 
Baptismal  .Vngel,  the,  188. 

Baptism  in  England — gradual  change  from  immersion  to 
sprinklin?,  432-430. 

[See  Bapti.sts,  English.] 
Baptism,  .lewish  : 

described  by  Dr.  Lightfoot,  31. 

Lindsay  quoted  on,  32. 
Baptism  of  Jesus : 

Avoi\ls  of  Godet  on,  25. 

time  of,  29. 

descent  of  the  dove  at,  29. 

significance  of  tlie  act  performed  by  John,  30. 

Schalf,  Philip,  on  traditional  site  of,  33. 

Jesu.s  prays  tor  the  Holy  Spirit,  38. 
Baptism,  Ordinance  of; 

the  door  by  which  Christ  entered  ou  his  mediatory 
work,  20. 

why  Jesus  sought  it,  28. 

Irvii)!;,  Edward,  on  John's  first  service,  30. 

proselyte  baptism,  30. 

did  the  Jews  immerse  ?  31. 

Geikie  on  John's  rite  of,  31. 

was  .John's  ba]itism  a  burial  in  water  ?  33. 

Calvin    on   baptism  as   administered    by   John   and 
Christ,  35. 

.John's  baptism  a  Christian  baptism,  50. 

John's  dispensation  Christ's,  51. 

large  numbers  iinmcrsed  in  brief  periods,  79. 

the  first  ordinance  in  the  Apostolic  (.'hurehes,  138. 

common  abuse  of,  139. 

declared  to  be  from  heaven  by  Christ,  139. 

Jacob,  Dr.,  on,  139. 

Canon  Liddon  on,  140. 

the  place  filled  by,  140. 

.scholars  oiij  141,  142. 

subjects  of  in  the  early  Church,  142,  143. 

maintained  as  of  apostolic  and  divine  apppointment, 
1.5.3. 

mode  of  administering  in  the  early  Chureh.  100. 

baptism  of  habes  unknown  in  the  necond  century,  162. 

jir>wcr  to  administer  becomes  confined  to  the  priest- 
hood, 189. 

impositions  practiced,  190. 

notable  ca.ses  of  adult  baptism,  219. 

attitude  of  the  Paulicians  toward,  238. 

fees  imposed  for  baptizing  infants,  24;5. 

in  the  Middle  Ages,  243. 

])olitical  i'aptisins.  245. 

warm  wat*-r  <ilteii  anciently  used,  249. 

pictures  of  aiiciiMit  baptisms,  256-275. 

Wuldeusian  beliefs  on,  302. 


Bapiism,  Ordinance  ot^Vnntinutd. 

Easter,  Pentecost,  and  Epiphany  anciently  the  ordi- 
nary times  of,  251. 

"Teaching  of  the  Twelve  Apostles"  on  baptism  in 
running  water,  264. 

anointing  the  baptized  with  oil,  206,  268,  269. 

controvei-sics  coneeriiing  a  valid  baptism  in  Eugh.iid, 
403,  404. 

[See  I.M.MKKS10N,  TllI.VK    LVIMEUSIOX.] 

Baptist  Churches ; 

diversities  of  doctrine  among  the  early  sects,  10. 

early  records  wantonly  destroyed,  10. 

their  historians  Ibrced  to  write'  against  great  odds,  10. 

Christ  their  life,  12. 

what  constitutes  Baptist  history,  12. 

foundation  doctrines  stated,  150,  151,  152,  153,  1.54. 

Asfloeiations  formed,  715. 
Baptist  Church,  a,  is  a  congregation,  not  a  denomination 

of  congregations,  9. 
Baptist  Churches : 

have  we  a  visible  succession  of?  1. 

their  atlinity  to  the  AiJOstolio  Churches,  149. 
Baptist  History: 

first  sentence  in,  13. 

opening  chapter  of,  14. 
Baptist,  John  the.     [See  John  the  Baptist.] 
Ha|>tist  Mis.sionary  Union,  830. 
Baptisteries  : 

in  the  Middle  Ages,  243. 

ancient  l«iptisteries,  248. 

in  the  beginning  were  simply  oathing-pluces,  249. 

first  built  319  A.D.,  249. 

earliest  existing  baptistery,  2,50. 

erected  in  distinct  buildings,  250. 

introduced  into  churches,  250. 

at  Pisa,  Rome,  and  Florence,  250,  251,  252. 

called  into  existence  by  immei-sion,  250. 
"   fall  into  disuse,  251. 

architectural  features,  252. 

baptistery  of  St.  Sophia,  Constantinople,  253. 

at  Aix,  Verona,  Parma,  Pistoia,  and  Milan,  253,  254. 

natural  baptistery  in  Northumberland,  254. 

in  the  Catacomb  of  St.  Ponziano,  265. 

baptistery  of  St.  John  at  Ravenna,  206. 

baptistery  of  Constantiue  at  Komo,  209. 

Arian  baptistery  at  Ravenna,  270. 
Baptists,  The : 

great  debtors  to  individual  reformers,  6. 

ciistinguishing  marks,  9. 

should  separate  their  liistory  from  all  douiitful  ma- 
terial, 9. 

misunderstood  and  malignetl,  11. 

a  peculiar  people,  11. 

a  people  ot  one  book,  11. 

accounted  as  heretics,  11. 

first  Baptist  martyr,  45. 

John  a  typical  Baptist,  55. 

originally  named  Anabaptists,  Mennonites,  and  Wal 
denses,  149. 

their  peculiarities,  150. 

possess  no  formulated  creed,  150. 

maintain  the  doctrine  of  regeneration  by  tlie  Holy 
Spirit,  152. 

baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  maintained,  153. 

deprecate  any  union  of  Church  and  State,  153. 

opposed  to  religious  persecution,  154. 

doctrines  of  the  .Vpostolic  Churches  reproduced  in  the 
Baptists  of  tlie  present  day,  154. 

the  term  "  Baptist"  definecl,  283. 

Swiss  Baptists,  the,  327. 

mcaniiiL'  of  the  name  "Baptist,"  328. 

Zurich  Baptists,  the,  .331. 

punished  by  drowning,  350. 

slain  for  their  opinions,  356. 

not  Anabaptists,  ,370. 

history  honors  Baptists,  399. 

their  tlieory  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  696. 

in  the  Kevolutioiiary  War,  770. 

demand  religious  liberty,  777. 

action  of  the  .Massachusett.s  Congress,  786. 

their  patriotism  during  tlie  Revolutiouury  War,  789. 


936 


OENEUAL   INDEX. 


Biij-tisLs,  The—  Continued. 

ile.Hiieriite  coiitesU  for  freedom,  790. 

Bii|ilist  Ruvolutioniiry  soldiers,  7S<1. 
Baptists,  Ainerieiiii : 

Coloniiil  jierind,  lil'.i. 

I'iljjriiiis  and  I'untaiis,  i;i',i. 

liaiiisliiiK'iit  of  l{ot;er  Williajns,  027. 

Rliode  l>.hiiul,  setlleiiieiit  of,  UU. 

Providence  and  New  V'^rk  Cluirehes,  65S. 

t'liauiiee.v  and  Kmillys,  il74. 

Mills  and  tlie  Swali.-ea  I'liurell,  074. 

Boston  Uaptists,  the,  (ISIl. 

South  Carolina,  70-1. 

Maine,  704. 

I'emisvlvunia,  7u4. 

New  Jersey,  7o4. 

Virginia  Baptists,  tlie,  7-4. 

Baptist.s  of  Comieelieul  and  New  York,  7.'iO. 

Kevolutionnry  War,  l'.;iptists  anil  the,  77i>. 

Aineriean  Baptist-s  and  tonstilutioiud  liherly,  7<j(i, 

foreign  missions,  H14. 

lionie  missions,  s;;0. 

strufru'Ies  fiir  cnstitutional  liberty,  790. 

Vir;j:inia  Convention,  the,  7'JS. 

preachers,  SS2. 

educators,  S52. 

autliors,  ,s52. 
Baptists,  Boston  : 

persecutions  of.  OsO. 

synii>athy  forlliein  punished,  089. 

wliipj'iii;:  declaied  nnlawful,  091. 

reaetion  ti-om  persecution,  097. 

a  Church  f;athercd,  099. 

rij;ht  of  petition  denied.  702. 

their  inectii]j,'-liouse  nailed  up.  708. 
Baptists,  Hritisli : 

rise  nj"  Associatiniis,  .'').')S. 

Lond'in  Asseinhly.  the,  ri,")'.i. 

eminent  Baptists,  ."jOo. 

quaint  eu.stonrs  anioiij;,  .'ito,  ■'■)0N. 

marriage  service,  the,  .S07. 

love-feasts  before  tlie  Lortl's  Slipper.  5fiS. 

ministerial  chiljs,  .SOS. 

Bup'ti.st  I'nii.n.  the,  .WS. 

ministerial  educati"n,  5S8. 

notable  edueati>rs,  .'lSS,  .')ti9. 

[See   l*AKTicfL.\K   Baitists,    Si;\i;N*in  I^A^     Bac- 

TISTS,  KTC.J 

Baptists),  English  : 

practice  of,  437. 

persecutions,  439. 

noteworthy  immei-sions  among,  4:'>9. 

practiced  immersion  prior  to  io4I.  4-li'.  441. 

alleged  indecent  jiractices,  444.  44.'). 

early  Bafitist>  in  Eniilaiul.  44.'i. 

spread  ol  tlieir  <liictrines,  410. 

tnglisli  martyrdoms,  14ti. 

fii'st  Englisli  general  Baptist  Cliurcl',  4.'i4. 

rapid  increase,  4.')9. 

Confusion  of  1048,  the,  401. 

"  Valid  Baptism"  controversy,  403,  404. 

distinguished  themselves  from  Pedobaptists,  4ti:t. 

Bunyan,  John,  474. 

Bunyan's  relations  to,  511. 

how  they  treated  Bunyan,  .532. 

cliarge  I^unyan  with  error,  .'t33. 

in  the  Commonwealtii  antl  tlie  Restoration,  .'i40. 

controvei-sy  on  singing,  .'J49. 

Seventli-Day  Baptists,  552. 

James  II.  and  imiulgcnce,  553. 

Toleration  Act,  the,  554. 

"  Orthodox  Creed,"  tlie,  .5.54,  ,550,  558. 

Calvinistic  Confession,  the,  .554. 

liberty  of  conscience.  .555. 

what  Baptists  asked  for,  550. 
Baptists,  Irish: 

origin  and  liistorical  sketch  of,  570. 

early  Churches,  571. 

Irisii  Mi-ssion  Society,  the,  587. 
Baptists.  Scottish  : 

eurlj-  traces  of  Baptist  principles  in  Scotland,  572. 


I  Bapti.sts,  Scottis.'i— 6(>/i<j«»t'(/. 

children  of  Scottish  nionarchs  dijiped,  572. 

f'luiuling  of  Churches  alter  tlie  Keforiiiation  era,  572. 

Cromwell  anil  the  Bajitists,  573. 

never  mimeri>u.-^.  577. 
Baptists,  \'irginia,  725  et  eeq.   [See  ViituiNiA,  Baitistsof.] 
Baptists,  \Vel>h  : 

notable  foundci-s  among,  599,  OoO,  601. 

tithes,  the  question  of,  002. 

debate  and  |ler^eeution,  003. 

relief  gaineif  by  the  Toleration  Act,  604, 

A.ssoeiatioiial  Sermon,  tlic,  004. 

increase  of  Churches,  0o5. 

controversies,  005. 

Calvinistic  controversy,  the,  606. 

tlie  Welsh  Fathers,  007. 

colleges,  008. 

)iio.sperity  of  the  ('hurches,  018. 
liai)tist  Union,  the,  588. 
liuptizo : 

meaning  of  tlie  Greek  word,  33,  34. 

testimony  of  scholars,  35. 

a  tiimiliar  word  in  common  use,  35. 

in  Jerome's  translati<Mi  (the  Vulgate),  209. 

in  Bible  transhitinn  in  India.  .580. 
Bitptv  ; 

meaning  of,  35. 
Barbadncs  Lot,  riiiladeiphia,  712. 
Barlier,  ICdward,  401. 
Barlx.ur,  1'.,  on  Smyth's  ba)itism,  443. 
Harebone,  I'raise-G<id.  402. 
Barnabas : 

introduces  Paul  to  Peter,  91. 

goes  to  Tarsus  in  search  of  Saul,  92. 

on  immersion  as  practiced  in  the  eailv  Cliurch,  100. 
BarthoK.iocw  the  .Apnstle: 

guilclcssne.ss  of,  00. 

said  to  have  labored  in  India.  113. 
Basil : 

love  for  Scrii>ture  truth,  210. 

on  soul  regeneration  a  ]>rerequisite  to  baptism,  211. 

on  the  value  of  tradition.  224. 
Basil  of  Cappadocia  not  bai>tized  till  manhood,  219. 
Basle,  Swilzerlaiid: 

a  center  of  Baptist  influence,  340. 

persecution  at,  347. 

Baptists  scourged  through  the  streets,  347. 

Ijarbarities  inflicted  on  Baptists  at,  348. 

violent  proclamation  of  the  council,  .349. 
Basle,  Council  of,  {Iccrees  against  Anabaptist.*,  350. 
Bassas,  tlic,  mission  to,  820. 
Bath,  the: 

use  of  enjoined  among  the  Jens,  78. 

niagnitieence  of  Koman  l>aths,  78.  79. 

ablutions  of  an  Indian  devotee.  T^. 
Baths,  Roman,  u>ed  for  baptismal  purposes,  248. 
Baxter,  Richard: 

relations  to  Walter  Cradoek,  432. 

opposition  to  immersion,  4.35. 

concessions  i>f,  442. 
Bay  lor  Female  College,  878. 
BaMies  Tlionias  Spencer,  578. 
Beck  : 

on  the  rite  of  bapti.sni,  145. 

on  tlie  reasons  for  the  existence  of  iUvei:s  churches,  1 54 
Bede,  Venerable : 

translates  the  Scriptures  into  Anglo-Saxon,  241. 

sublime  death  of,  241. 

words  used  by  Bede  for  '  baptism,'  241. 

account  of  early  English  l)aptisms.  426. 
Bedford: 

Bunyan  Meeting,  the,  526. 

two  old  bai)tisteries  at,  527. 
Bedfor.l  Church,  the: 

whence  it  sprang,  513,  514. 

discipline  in  tlic,  522. 

the  question  of  baptism  in,  522,  523, 

infant  baptism  introduced,  525, 

divisions  in  tlie  church,  520. 
Bedford  Chui-ch  and  '  Bishoping,'  504, 
Bedgewood,  Nicholas,  770. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


9B7 


Beebee,  Alexander  M.,  885. 

Belgiuin,  pcasunt  outbreak  in,  3li3. 

Bellannine,  Cardinal,  eonfesscs  that  Scripture  does  not 

sustain  infant  baptisni,  3.iS. 
Benedict,  David,  880. 
Heneiliot  Institute,  Columbia,  S.  C,  849. 
Benu'el,  quoted  on  the  word  'gospel,'  57. 
Hennet,  Bartlett,  734. 
Bennett,  .\Ured,  SSli. 
Ber_i,'ainii,  Conference  of,  30'.i. 

Berne,  Switzerland,  all  Baptist.-  Iianished  from,  34t*. 
Bi'tliabara,  SS. 
15elhesda,  Fool  of,  7'>. 

sacriticial  animals  washed  in,  77. 

multitudes  bathed  there,  77. 
Bible,  the : 

necessity  for  harmony  witli  the,  4. 

no  supplement  to  the,  117. 

burnintr  tlie  Scriptures,  Iflil. 

the  Scriptures  trreatly  nmlliplied  in    the   fourth  cen- 
tury, 207. 

revisions  of  in  the  tburth  century,  208. 

Jerome's  .\nte-Ilieronymian  version,  208. 

(iothic  vclv.ion,  tlie,  20'.l. 

Ktlti'ipic  version,  tlic,  21". 

many  translations  in  the  tiftli  century,  223. 

illundnatcd  manuscripts,  224. 

scarcity  of  among  the  eonimon  people  prior  to  the 
Rctbrniation,  314. 

widely  circulated  in  Bohemia,  320. 

early  modern  Gernuui  translations,  389. 

translations  in  India,  580. 
Bible  Revision,  900,  901,  903,  908. 
Bible  Revision  Association,  918. 
Bible  Translation  Society,  587. 
Bible  Translation  and  Bible  Societies,  893. 
Bible  Union,  the  .\merican,  907. 

Biblias,  defends  Christians  from  charge  of  devouring  in- 
fants, 163. 
Bill,  I.  E.,  922. 
Bingham,  on  the  custom  of  giving  the  connnunion  to 

iiewlv  baptized  infants,  190,  191. 
Birth,  the  Sew,  67. 
Bishop,  Nathan,  850,  S.51. 
Bishopries,  sale  of  in  France  and  Spain,  243. 
Bishops : 

moral  decadence  of,  215. 

pride,  eovetousness,  and  iniquity  of  in  tlie  miildlc 
ages,  243. 
Bishops  in  the  Apostolic  Church.     [See  P.\stors.] 

not  the  successors  of  the  apostles,  137. 

diocesan  episcopacy,  138. 
Black  Forest,  trie  Peasant.s'  War  begins  in  the,  363. 
Blackwell,  Christopher,  707. 
Blake  of  Tainwortn,  on  dipping  of  infants,  429. 
Blandina,  the  martyr,  16S,  169^  170. 
Blaurerj  rhomas,  on  Ludwig  Hetzer,  343. 
BlaurooK,  George  Jacob : 

early  life,  336. 

rejected  infant  baptism,  336. 

scourged  and  sentenced  to  be  drowned,  336. 

burnt'at  the  stake,  336. 
Block  Island,  Baptists  of,  751. 
Bloody  Tenet,  the.     [See  Williams,  Roger.] 
Boardnian,  George  Dana,  767,  817,  819. 
Boekhold,  excesses  perpetrated  by  at  Miinster,  371. 
Bogomiles,  the,  origin  and  history  of,  278. 
Bohemia,  316,  318,  320. 
Bohemian  Bretliren: 

composed  one  fourth  of  the  people  of  Bohemia,  318. 

mouKs  sent  to  proselytize  tliem,  320. 

persecuted,  320. 

literature,  321. 
Bohemians,  the,  race,  origin,  and  Christianization,  "16. 
BoUeS,  David  and  Matthew,  745. 
Books — destruction    of    '  heretical '    works    ordered    by 

Theodosius,  214. 
Booth,  Abraham,  569. 
Bossuet : 

on  the  Paulicians,  234. 

arrogant  treatment  of  Fenelon,  284. 


I  Boston  Baptists.     [See  B.vptists,  Boston.) 

Boston,  Mass.  : 

tirst  Baptist  church  in.  699. 

Baptist  churches  founded  in,  718,  719. 
Boswortli,  Newton,  929. 
Botsford,  Edmund,  770,  771. 
Boucher,  Joan,  martyrdcnn  of,  4-19,  450. 
Bowue,  John,  709. 
Boyce,  James  P.,  876. 
Bradford,  on  apostolic  succession,  4. 
Braintrce,  Miuss.,  Wheelwright  preaches  at,  636, 
Brantlord,  Canada,  92S. 
Brantly,  W,  T.,  Sb3  . 
Brazil,  mission  to,  S3s. 
Brenner,  on  ancient  nude  bapliMii,  221. 
Bright,  Edward,  885. 
Britain,  supi)osed  visit  of  Paul  to,  97. 
Britannicus,  poisoned  by  Nero,  102. 
British  Ainenca : 

Baptist  press  of,  922. 

educational  institutions,  924. 

revival  in  Eastern  Canada,  928. 

the  struggle  for  freedom  of  conscience,  929. 

Clergy  Reserves  question,  the,  i'29. 

University  question,  the,  9:iO. 

'  Family  Compact,'  the,  93o. 

periodicals,  931. 

foreign  missions,  931. 

educational  work,  932. 

[See  the  various  provinces.] 
British  Isles : 

Christianity  introduced  to,  226. 

precise  date  of  their  evangelization,  227. 

ancient  Chri-stian  remains  in  Cornwall,  227. 

idolatry  reestabli.shed,  227. 

early  Christians  in  Wales,  22S. 

.\ustin  despatched  thither,  228. 

Rome  the  true  source  of  the  Cliristianitv  of  Britain, 
228. 

the  Keldees  of  Ireland,  228. 

Ethelbert  baptized  by  Austin,  229. 

See  of  Canterbury  f  nmdcd,  229. 

opposition  to  tlic  j  urisdict  ion  of  Rome  appears,  229,2.30. 

slaughter  of  the  monks  of  Bangor,  231. 
Brittane,  James,  678. 
Broadus,  John  A.,  868,  869. 
Broady,  K.  O.,  834. 
Brooks,  Kendall,  886. 
Brown,  Cliad,  665. 
Brown,  Edwin   T.,  669. 
Brow-n,  John  and  Samoel: 

persecution  by  the  Puritans,  626. 
Brown,  Nathan,  821,  825,  886. 
Brown,  Hugh  Stowell,  591,  592,  593. 
Brown  John,  482,  483.     [See  Bixv.\N-,  Jonx.] 
Brown,  Joseph  E.,  773. 
Brown,  Robert,  452. 
Brownists,  the,  452.     [See  Independents.] 

obtained  their  notions  of  Cliurch  independence  from 
the  Dutch  Baptists,  620. 
Brown  University,  722. 
Brunfels,  Otto,  386. 
Bucer,  Martin,  385. 

Buckle,  on  Baptist  martyrs  in  Holland  and  Frie.sland,  414. 
Bullinger: 

successor  of  Zwingli,  384. 

attacks  the  AuabaptLsts,  384,  385. 
Bullock,  Richard,  679. 
Bunsen,  Baron : 

on  pcdobaptism,  185. 

quoted  on  infant  baptism  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  144. 

on  infant  baptism,  187. 
Bunyan,  Elizabeth,  506. 
Buuyan,  Hannah,  496,  497,  49S. 
Bunyan,  John : 

birth  and  boyhood,  474,  575. 

not  a  gipsy,  474. 

origin  of  tne  family  of  Bunyan,  474. 

marriage,  475. 

conversion,  475. 

immersed  in  the  Ouse,  475. 


9S8 


OENERA  L    ISDKK. 


Jill.iyan,  i'A\\\—i\'untinuf.d. 

Mirriii;r  liiuus  in  wliicli  lie  livft!,  475. 

iniprisonnient,  470. 

liLs  '  I'ilfjiim's  I'rotfru.ss,'  477. 

wide  iiiliueiiee  iit' Buiiyim'.s  j^'reiit  l)<i"l<,  477,478. 

releiisetl  tVoin  jail,  47':*. 

his  liiiiie  as  ii  pfeaelier  in  Be Jl'uixl  and  l.cindun,  47^,  4 

his  tenderness,  4!>U. 

death  of,  4M1. 

honored  by  England,  4^1. 

his  tomb,  4bl. 

his  nionuinent  at  Bedford,  4S'J. 

the  Elstow  Ke;.'ister,  4s:;,  4s4,  4b5,  48i;.  4S8,  485. 

Ills  prote.st  ai.'ainst  elnisleninj.',  484,  4'.iO. 

his  rosition  on  the  siibjeet  of  infant  ba|itisiii,  4'.i2,  4 

birtli  ofhisehildien,  -ilCi,  4;i(i. 

Buiivau  and  the  Prayer-Book,  4',''.<. 

detects  the  I'rayer-Booli,  500. 

rejeets  infant  L)a]itisni,  .''lOl. 

godniolhers  and  ehristeniii};.  .'lO-.'. 

Bedford  Chunli  and  '  bishopiii;;,'  504. 

his  baeli  to  Mhe  Cliliieh,'  .'Kio. 

Bunyan's  wife  and  the  christenini,',  5o6. 

his  family  resideiiee  iinkiiowii,  507. 

Si.xpenny  Donation,  the,  50S. 

his  plaec  of  resideiiee  from  ItJM-SS,  510. 

relations  to  the  Bai>tists,  511. 

iiiiniei'sed  bv  (iillord.  511. 

was  a  Bal«tist,  511,  51-j. 

testiinoiiy  of  historians  as  to  his  Bajitist  belief,  51 

Bun}an's  views  af,'aiii,  52i.i. 

agrees  with  Henry  Jessey,  521. 

Ins  princii'Ies,  5jS. 

e.\po.sition  of  bai'tism,  52'.*. 

real  views  of.  5:iO,  531. 

liow  treated  by  15aptists,  532. 

charged  witli  error,  533. 

ins  defense,  534. 
'        controversy  willi  Kithn,  535. 

couiplaints  of  injury,  536. 

resents  the  name  .\nabaptist,  .5.37. 

planted  Baptist  Churelios  .538. 

results*  of  Ills  life's  labors,  .539. 
Bunyiin,  John,  dr.,  4'.(4. 

last  will  and  testament,  4'.l(i. 
Biinyan,  .loseph,  4!I3,  4SI4. 
Bunyau  Jleeting,  the,  526. 
Burner,  Benjamin,  734. 
Burial  in  water,  was  John's  baptism  a?  33. 
Burleigh,  Va.,  fir>t  Baptist  chureli  in  Virginia  organ! 

at,  727. 
Burma : 

missions  to,  815. 

mission  of  Nova  Scotia  Biiptist.s  to,  923. 
Burpee,  K.  E.,  ;t23. 
Burraiie,  Henry  S.,  883. 
Burrows,  .\nios,  745. 
Burrows,  Peleg,  745. 
Burrow.s,  Koswoll,  745. 
Burrows,  Silas,  745. 
Burrus  Afranius,  tl6. 
Burton,  John,  515. 

lUisher,  Leonard,  ca.se  of  in  England,  440. 
Butler,  Ezra.  76!i,  883. 

Butler,  William,  quoted  on  ablutions  in  the  East,  78. 
Butterworth,  John,  679. 


Cielestus : 

companion  of  Pelagius,  217. 

condemned  as  u  heretic,  217. 
Osesar,  Julius,  superstition  and  skepticism  of,  101. 
Coflyn,  Matthew,  559. 

Caliehvth, Council  of.  enjoins  immersion,  426. 
Callcncler,  Elislui,  6i;5,  718. 
Callender,  Ellis,  703,  718. 
Callcnder,  John,  666,  880. 
Callixtus : 

sketch  of  his  curly  knavish  career,  182. 

corrupts  the  Church,  183. 

zealoue  to  promote  orthodo.xy,  188. 


93, 


zed 


Calli  \t  us —  Contiii  ued. 

opjiosed  by  Hijipolytus,  188. 
e.xe'jmniunicates  the  Sabellians,  183. 

his  wieketlne.s.s  resisted,  lb'4. 
Calvin,  John: 

on  aposlolie  succession,  4. 

on  the  baptism  administered  by  John  and  Christ,  35. 
quoted  on  the  ministry  of  John,  52,  53. 
on  baptismal  rcL'eiieration,  35ts. 
Calvini.stie  Baptist  Churches: 

in  London,  4'tO. 

('onfes.sioii  of  Faith  of  the  English,  460. 
Cidvinistic  Confession,  the,  .554. 
Calvinlstie  Controversy  imported  into  Vir(;inia,  730. 
Campbell,  .Alexander,  "sketeh  of  his  career,  735,  736. 
Cani|jl>ell,  Duncan,  927. 
Campbell,  George,  on  elders  and  bishops  in  the  Apostolic 

Church,  137. 
Campbell,  Thomas,  735. 
Camden: 

on  the  natural  baptistery  near  Harboltle,  254. 

Canada,  Biijitist  press  of,  922. 
Canada,  Baptists  of,  919.     [See  the  various  provinces.] 
Cantc^rbury,  Convocation  ot,  910. 
Caiiterburv,  England.     [See  AfSTiN.] 
Capcrton,'.-\.  C.,884. 
Cajiito,  385. 
i'appudoeia,  72. 
Calaealla: 

baths  of.  78,  79. 

public  baths  of,  249. 
Carey,  Lr)tt,  826. 
Carey,  William  : 

birth  and  ilescent,  579. 

conversion,  579. 

self-education,  580. 

commences  to  pjre.aeh,  580. 

his  missionurv  eiitliusia.sm,  581. 

starts  for  India,  581. 

struggles  and  defeats,  581. 

translates  the  New  Testament,  581. 

literary  labors,  58'j. 

self-siij>])ort,  582. 

death,  583. 
Carlstadt  denounced  by  Luther,  358. 
Carlyle,  Thomas,  on  the  Life  of  Jesus  Chri,st,  63. 
C'arman,  James,  753. 
Carsiui,  .\le.\ander,  571. 

on  the  eldei-ship,  137. 
Ciirtha>;e,  Councils  of: 

one  convened  A.  D.  252,  186,  187. 

declares  that  the  water  in  baptism  i?  sanctified,  189. 

decree  of,  concerning  denial  of  infant  baptism,  216. 

Third  Council  of,  checks  abuses  in  the  celebration  of 
the  Lonl's  Supper,  225. 
Carthaginians,  infant  sacrifices  among,  69. 
Ca.stelluzo,  cave  of,  311. 
Ca-stle,  J.  H.,  934,  935. 
Catacombs : 

early  baptistery  in  the  Catacomb  of  Callixttus,  250. 

pictures  m  the,  256,  258,  260. 

Baptistery  of  St.  Ponziano,  264. 

no  evidence  of  alfusion  in  the  catacomb  pictures,  275. 
Cathari  of  the  Novatians,  9. 

source  of  much  confusion  in  Church  history,  277. 

Schmidt  on  the  origin  of,  277. 

an  early  Baptist  ijody  among,  280. 

persecution  ot' the,  2sl. 

monkish  preaching  against.  282. 
Cathcart : 

on  the  Eunomians.  220. 

on  a  natural  baptistery  in  Nortlniinberland,  2.54. 
Cathe:irt,  Robert,  933. 
Cathcart,  William,  869,  870  871. 
Civaliers,  the  Virginia  : 

not  less  intolerant  than  the  Puritans  of  Massachusetts, 
725. 

cnjeltios  inflicted  bv,  725,  726. 
Cave,  Dr. : 

on  immersion,  141. 

on  Novatian's  baptism,  178. 


GENERAL    INDEX. 


989 


Cavour,  Count : 

idea  of  •  tVuu  Churclies  in  a  free  State,'  ()45. 

Cecilianus,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  201. 
Celsus  on  baptism  of  babes  in  tlie  third  century,  184. 
Centralization  : 

introduced  into  Chureli  yovi  iiiiiji'nt,  179,  ISU. 

tlie  Catliolic  hierareliy  j;ni'l":ill.v  csUiljlished,  iHi. 
Ceremonial  wiushini's,  .Jo.<ephu>  quoted  concerning,  30. 
Chamberlain,  Ilolbroolc,  849. 
Chandler,  Ebenezer,  .")25. 

on  the  Deeian  persecution,  172. 
Chaplin,  Jcreniiuh,  872. 
Chapman,  S.,  938. 

Character  the  test  of  Christianity,  GO. 
Charlemagne,  242. 

imposes  tines  for  noubaptisni  of  infants,  246. 
Charles  11.,  King  of  England  ; 

dcatli  of,  u53, 

grants  a  treaty  to  John  Clarke,  672. 
Charles  V.  of  Gerinany : 

ferocious  edict  of,  402. 

horrid  cruelties  inflicted  on  tlie  Dutch  Baptists,  414, 
415. 
Cliartres,  enamels  in  the  Church  of  St.  Peter,  106. 
(;hase,  Abner  and  Francis,  764. 
Chase,  Ira,  769. 
Chauneey,  Charles,  674. 
Cheleie,  Brethren  of: 

practiced  immei'sion,  319. 

reiected  infant  baptism,  319, 

io\n  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  320. 
Chelsea,  Council  of.     [See  Calichytu.] 
Children : 

amply   provided  for  by  Christ  in   liis   kingdom  of 
grace  and  glory,  69. 

ottered  in  sacrifice  by  Carthaginians  and  Aral)  tribes, 
69. 

saved  by  Christ's  sacrifice,  70. 

the  kingdom  of  heaven  belongs  to  them  by  Clirist's 
purchase  and  gifl,  70. 

their  condition  greatly  ameliorated  througli  the  teach- 
ings of  Christ,  162. 

status  among  the  heathen   peoples  of  antiquity,  162, 
163. 
Childs,  James,  730. 
China,  missions  to,  824. 
Chipman,  Tliomas  H.,  921. 
Chittagong,  India,  615. 
Christ  Church,  New  Zealand,  939. 
Christian  Church,  the : 

Christ's  promises  to,  4. 

early  detections  from  the  truth  in  the,  5. 

no  one  Church  has  contained  all  truth,  5. 

visibility  never  promised  by  Christ,  5. 
'  Christian  Index,  the,'  882. 
Christianity: 

character  the  test  of,  60. 

position  of  in  the  first  century  A.D.,  148. 

rapid  spread  of,  157. 

revival  of  in  the  third  century,  173. 

pagan  admixtures  introduced,  205. 

wide  prevalence  of  in  180  A.D.,  227. 

political  Christianity,  245. 

iniroduccd  into  Norway,  246. 
'  Christian  Review,  the,'  8S7. 
'  Christian  Secretary,  the,'  882. 

Christians  gradually  become  numerous  and  infiuenlial,  195. 
Christians,  the  early  : 

a  disquieting  ejement  in  pagan  Koine,  99. 

universally  nated,  100. 

horrible  tortures  inflicted  upon  by  Nero,  104. 

accused  of  firing  Rome  in  the  reign  of  Nero,  104. 

edicts  issued  airainst  them  by  Nero,  104. 

looked  on  by  Romans  as  a  mere  Jewisli  sect,  107. 

attitude  of  toward  the  New  Testament,  155. 

refutation  of  horrible  charge  against,  163. 

poverty  of  the,  167. 

imperial  severity  against,  167. 

simple  rights  demanded  by,  167. 

suspected  of  plotting  against  the  state  at  their  love- 
feasts,  168. 


Ciiristians,  the  early-  -('"ntinned. 

heroism  of  the,'l68, 169,  170. 

dem:ind  liberty  of  conscience  and  freedom  of  worsliip, 
170,  171. 

sometimes  paid  a  heavy  tax  for  peace,  172. 

defection  becomes  rife,  173. 
Christina,  of  Sa.xony,  359.     [Sec  Philip  of  Hesse.] 
Cliureb,  Pbareellus,  885. 
Chrysostom : 

dangerous  heresy  concerning  baptismal  regeneration, 
211. 

not  baptized  till  manhood,  219. 

on  the  necessity  of  tradition,  224. 

on  the  baptism  of  fire,  264. 
Church,  the  early  : 

full  of  inLssionary  zeal,  157. 

Neander  on  tlie  government  of,  159. 

Tertullian  on  the  composition  of  a  Church,  159,  160. 

superstition  creeps  in,  160. 

growth  of  error,  16(i,  161. 

perversions  resisted  by  a  few,  206. 
Church  and  State,  all  union  between  deprecated  by  Bap- 
tists, 153. 
Church  of  Rome,  perversions  of  doctrine  in  the,  5, 6. 
Cliurcli,  tlie  Apostolic.     [See  Apostolic  Cuurch.] 
Churches,  early  : 

contentions  among,  192. 

drifting  from  trutli,  193. 

Christian  doctrine  corrupted,  194,  195. 
Cliurchwood,  Humphrey,  704. 
Clarke,  Adam,  on  the  Novatians,  178. 
Clarke,  John^  516,  669. 

goes  to  ISew  Hampshire,  669. 

arrives  at  Providence,  669. 

Purchases  Aquidneck,  669. 
ecomes  a  Baptist,  671. 

his  treaty  from  Charles  II.,  672. 

his  marvelous  services  to  God  and  liberty,  672. 

helped  to  shape  theearlyhistory  of  Rhode  Island,  672, 

involved  in  several  controversies,  673. 

fined  ill  Boston,  687. 
Clarke,  W.  N.,  936. 
Clay,  Eleazar,  729. 
Cleinent,  of  Alexandria,  157,  158. 

first  to  broach  the  doctrine  of  purgatory,  215. 

reliance  of  upon  the  '  written  word,'  224. 
Clergy,  vices  of  in  Britain  in  the  Middle  Ages,  244. 
Cloven  tongues,  the.     [See  Pentecost.] 
Clovis,  king  of  the  Franks,  baptism  of  at  Rheims,  222. 
Cobliam,  Lord.     [See  Oldcastle,  Sir  John.] 
Cobansey,  N.  J.,  Baptist  church  at,  711. 
Coleman : 

on  immersion  in  the  primitive  Church,  142. 

quoted  on  tlie  tri|>le  immersion,  161. 
Coleman,  James  M.,  843. 
Colsate,  William,  844,  913. 
CoUegiants,  the : 

liistory  and  leaders,  422. 

wealth  and  importance,  423. 

extinction,  423. 
Collier,  William,  756. 
Colossians,  letter  to  the,  98. 
Columba,  the  Apostle  of  the  Highlands,  228. 
Columbian  University,  862,  863. 
Comer,  John,  665. 

Commonwealth,  Baptists  in  the  English,  540. 
Communion.     [See  Lord's  Suppeb.J 
Community  of  goods,  130. 
Conant,  John,  769. 

on  the  word  '  baptize,'  33. 

on  trine  immersion,  220,  221. 
Conant,  T.  J.,  769,  875,  914. 
Condv,  Jeremiah,  718. 
Cone,'  Spencer  H.,  904,  905,  906. 
Confessions.     [See  the  various  titles.] 
Contisssions  of  Faith,  early  Baptist,  340. 

Seven  Articles,  the,  340. 
Confusion  of  1643,  the,  461. 
Congo  Mission,  the,  826. 
Connecticut,  Baptists  of: 

early  records,  739. 


960 


GESEUAL    rX/iEX. 


l-'oiirn-'Ctioul,  Biu>tists  of — VotitUiiitd, 

Viilunliiie  WiL'litniiiii,  "W. 

oppruj-sivc  taxi's,  7-11. 

Buplist  suuluiils  exi>ullud  from  Yulo  Collejji',  7-12. 

Si-ii:ir;i!i>l>  uikI  I?ui'li>ts  unite,  7*13. 

WlMti'tiL'krs  preiH'liiii;;,  711. 

stni!.'<;lcs  of  tlio  Cliiiivli  nt  Norwidi,  74-1. 

tiiiul  triuMipli,  7-1."). 

t'liiiiiL'iit  iiiodci'ii  pifiiclK'is  uu\"U'^,  7-15. 
<_'onscu'iioc,  IVucJoin  of.  m  thu  Apo^tolii*  t'liiirch,  I'J'i. 

NcumliT  on,  lui;,  l;i7. 

stru^');li;  lor,  I'js. 
Constmu'e,  (.'ouncil  of,  oipudcmns  \\"n-UliIl".s  HiMl'  and  lii^ 

lionc's  to  be  burnt,  yi.V 
ConhtantiiU',  UaiitistcTy  of,  illi'.i. 
*-'oustantint-  tin-  Great  : 

conipiers  Home,  l'.*7. 

issuu.<  eiliets  {rrantinn  toleration  to  all,  197. 

presides  at  the  (.'ouneil  of  IS'iea'a,  lOT. 

brief  biotjrapliv  of,   l',i7.  I'.is. 

his  vision  ot  tile  eross  in  tlie  skv,  r.»7. 

Ills  reijru  marked  Itv  tlu-olof^ieal  contesUs,  200. 

condemns  the  Donatists,  -jol, 

oalls  a  eouneil  at  Home,  'JOli. 

summons  the  Couneil  of  .Aries,  202. 

jissemble.s  the  ("uuneil  of  IS'ieiea,  20."J. 

beeomes  embittered  av'uinst  the  .Xriiins,  204. 

issues  an  edict  afrainsl  all  dissentei-s,  204. 

emises  the  Scriptures  to  be  multiplied,  207. 

baptism  of,  222. 
Cousianlinople,  baptistery  of  St.  Sophia,  2u3. 
Constitution,  the  I. .  S.  : 

dissatisfaction  with  Article  VI  of,  804. 

proposctl  amendment  to,  805. 

amended,  Sii7. 
Conventicle  .\el,  the,  M'J. 

Convention,  Uaptist  General,  for  foreign  missions,  836. 
Convention,  S"Utbern  Haptist,  S'^^. 
Convocation  of  t.'unterbury,  HIO. 
Copner,  4H0,  f)2i  i. 
('optic  Version,  the.  l.''G. 
Corcoran,  W.   \V.,  si;:;. 
Corinthian  ("Inirch,  the,  l2l. 

introduces  startling  abases  in  the  ohservance  of  the 
Lord's  Supper,  147. 
Cornelius,  Bislio]!  of  Koine,  on  the  Novatian  heresy,  17s. 
Cornwall,  Enjrland,    ancient   vestiges  of  Christianity  in. 

Corruptions  in  the  early  Church  : 

the  Lord's  Sui>per  corru]ited,  106. 
Cortenlioscb,  Dirk  Jans,  41 G. 
C;ote,  W.  N.,  8311. 
Covenant,  the  Halfway,  717. 
Cotton,  John  : 

publishes  his  '  Bloody  Tenet  'Wa.shed,'  646. 

persecutes  Boston  Baptists,  689,  690. 
Coxe,  Benjainiii,  SIS. 
Coxc,  Nehemiah,  52-3,  524. 
Cradock,  Walter: 

on  iminci"sion  in  England,  429. 

liberal  views  of,  430'. 

argument  from  cxjiedienc.v,  431. 

relations  with  Baxter,  432. 

biographical  sketch  of,  432,  433. 
Craig,  Efyah,  730,  731. 
("raig,  Lewis,  730. 
rramp.  J.  M.,  926,  932. 
I'raiidall,  James,  686. 
Crandall,  Reuben,  927. 
Crane,  William,  762. 
Crane,  William  Carey,  762. 
Crawlev,  A.  R.  R.,  923. 
Crawlev,  E.  A.,  924,  112.'),  926. 
Crawford,  John,  933. 
Crisp,  Tobias,  509. 

Cromwell,  Oliver,  relations  to  the  Baptists,  573. 
Cros.s,  the    Red,  in   the    English   Flag.     [See  Willlvms 

RooEB.  I 
Cross,  the  true,  discovered  by  Helena,  205. 
Crowlev',  Theodore,  515. 
Oozer  Theological  Seminary,  877. 


Culdees  and  Bards,  the  Welsh,  599. 

t'uiiiiiiings,  K.  K.,  7»i7,  768. 

Carrie,  G.  V.,  931. 

Curr\,  Jabez  L.  M.,  career,  influence,  characler,  737,  738. 

Ciishman,  Elislia.  8h2. 

Cutter,  t).  T.,  »21. 

C\  prian  : 

nonsensical  writings  of,  180. 

credulity  as  to  miraculous  elfects  of  churclily  ordi- 
nances, Ibl. 

Ncander  on  the  character  of,  161. 

straggles  for  eid.scopal  uulhority.  Is2. 

to  be  blamed  for  the  Church'sdritlingfivpin  the  truth, 
l:i3. 

iierplexed  about  the  question  of  peiloba]ili-iii,  186. 
Cyril  of  Jeru-alem,  on  the  baptism  ol'tiiv,  264. 

I>. 

Dale,  Sir  Thomas,  code  of  Virginia  laws  promulgated  by, 

725. 
DallciLsie  College,  .N.  S.,  924. 
Dama.scus.  m;. 

I'liuTs  return  to.  ;io. 
Daiiiasus,  Bishop  ol' Koiiie,  iciuests  .Iciomc  to  prepare  bis 

ante-Hieronvinian  \"ersioii  ot'tlie  Scriptures,  208. 
Dark  Ages,  the,  226. 

David  of  Augsburg  on  Waldeiisian  ba|)tisiiial  beliefs,  303. 
David.son,    Sainiiel,    on    the   elderslii]i  in    the   Apostolic 

Churches,  137. 
Davies,  Beii,janiin,  932. 
Davies,  John  I'hiliiis,  607. 
Davies,  Thomas  Kees,  615. 
Davis,  Noah,  762. 
Daw.son,  John  E.,  772. 
Dawson,  Martin.  7.";4. 
Day,  John,  8:;7. 
Deaconesses  : 

province  of,  133,  J34. 

Grotiiis  on,  133. 

ordained  by  form.  1.34. 
Deacon^  : 

<iaulitieations  in  the  A]«ist"lic  Clnirch,  131. 

not  ministeis,  132. 

instructions  to,  in  the  Ejii.stles,  132,  133. 
Dean,  William,  824. 

Di-ciiis,  stern  pci'seciitions  mark  his  reign.  172. 
Dell,  William,  514. 
Deiik.  .lohn  : 

called  the  '  Apollo  of  the  .Vnabaptists,'  35.5. 

his  principles  as  to  physical  force  iu  matters  of  rc- 
religion,  356. 

arrives  in  Strasburg.  387. 

becomes  leader  of  the  Bajitists  in  Augsburg,  388. 

career  of,  388. 

banished  from  Ntirnberg,  388. 

successful  ministry  in  Augsburg,  389. 

retires  from  Strasburg,  389. 

opposed   infant  baptism,  389. 

debate  with  Buccr,  389. 

retires  to  Landau,  389. 

translates  the  Old  Testament  prophetic  books,  389. 

his  death,  390. 

estimates  of  his  contemporaries,  390,  391. 
Denmark,  mission  work  in,  829. 
Denne,  llcnry,  439. 

sketch  ot'liis  life  and  death,  471,  472. 
Dermout: 

on  the  aflinitv  of  Baptist  Churclies*'itli  the  Apostolic 
Churches,  149. 

on  the  Mtinstcr  Madne-ss,  368. 
Deuell,  'William,  679. 

De  Wette  quoted  on  John's  immersions  of  converts,  35. 
Dc.xter,  Gregory,  665. 

Deylingius  cited  on  signification  of  John's  surname,  34. 
Dick,  Leopold,  attacks  the  Huterites,  384. 
Dickcrson,  J.  S.,  886. 
Dimoek,  Daniel,  919. 
Dimock,  Joseph,  921.  922. 
Dimock,  Shubael.  919. 
Diocesan  Episcopacy,  188. 


GENEliAL    ISDKX. 


961 


Diocletian : 

biiths  of,  in  Rome,  78. 

thi^  last  grLiit  persecution  under,  196. 

public  baths  of,  'i4ti. 
liiodorus  Sioulus; 

cited  as  to  meaning  of  Greek  word  '  baptizo,'  34. 

quoted  on  infant  sacritices,  G'.l. 
Dion  Cassius  cited  !i>  to  lueanins,'  of  Greek  word  '  baptizo," 

34. 
Dipping.     [See  Immeksion.J 
Di.sciples,  the : 

in.strueted  to  disciple  and  baptize,  ijs. 

tlieir  ignorance  a  seeming  barrier  to  the  spread  of  the 
Gospel,  72. 

knew  little  of  Greek.  73. 

filled  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  73.    [See  Penteco.st.J 
Disciples  of  John: 

controversy  '  with  a  Jew  about  purifying,'  40, 

perple.Ncd,  41. 
DisiMpliue,  Treatise  of.    [See  Confession,  I'liiLAUEH'niA.J 
Dodge,  Ebenezer,  873. 
Dodge,  Jeremiah,  752. 
Dodge,  Thomas  and  Tristram,  752. 
Doe,  Charles,  511. 
Di'llinger,  Dr.,  on  the  baptism  of  the  three  thousaud  at 

rentecost,  75. 
Domestic  Missions.     [See  Missions,  Homji.J 
Domitian  : 

disastrous  results  of  liis  rule,  14S. 

pollutes  the  temples,  14S. 

inflamed  against  the  Jews,  148. 
Donatist  Controversy  : 

centered  in  Carthage,  A'umidia,  and  the  .Mauritanias. 
200. 

va.st  field  covered  by,  200.    [See  Dox.vtists,  «»/>•«.] 
Donatists,  the: 

represent  the  broad  tenets  of  Montanists  and  Nova 
tians,  200. 

Jerome,  Augustine,  and  others  on,  201. 

condemned  by  Coustantine,  201. 

wore  they  anti-pedobaptists  ?  201. 

rebaptized  tl.  se  who  came  to  them  from  other  Com- 
munions, 20(. 

appeal  to  Ccmstantine,  201. 

condemned  by  the  Council  of  Aries,  202. 

deprived  of  their  churches  and  their  propertv  confis- 
cated, 203. 

defy  the  authority  of  Coustantine,  203. 

subdued  by  an  armed  force,  203. 

forbidden  to  assemble  by  llonorius,  213. 

great  debate  between  Donatists  and  Catholic  bisliops, 
213. 

rigorous  persecution  of  the  Donatists,  213. 

I'etilian  deprecates  compulsion,  214. 

were  Anabaptists,  2S3. 

demand  Scripture  authority  for  infant  baptism,  51(5. 
Donegan  on  meaning  of  the  term  '  Hapti.st,'  30. 
Dove,  Descent  of  the,  29. 

Dove,  the  Holy,  in  early  Christian  art,  205,  271. 
Dowling,  H.,  939. 

Draco  punished  the  non-idolater  with  death,  99. 
Drake,  John,  711. 
Drinker,  Edward,  700,  701. 
Dungan,  Thomas,  70S. 
Dunliam,  Edmund,  711. 
Dunn,  Hugli,  711. 
Dunster,  Henry: 

rejects  infant  baptism,  697. 

sketch  of,  697,  698. 
Dutch  Martyrs,  413. 

E. 

Eager,  J.  H.,  839. 
Early  Church  : 

oaptismal  miracles,  211,  212. 

heresy  made  a  capital  offense,  213. 

aid  of  the  civil  arm  invoked   to  repress  heresies, 
213. 

symbols  in,  258. 
E.ister  anciently  a  time  for  baptism,  251. 
Eaton,  George,  Jane,  and  John,  707. 
63 


Eaton,  Geo.  W.,  873. 
Eaton,  Isaac,  716. 

Ecdesia,  the,  118,  119.     [See  Apostolic  Church.] 
Edgren,  J.  A.,  834. 

Editors,  Famous  Baptist,  881-887.    [See  the  various  peri- 
odicals and  surnames.] 
Education,  early  ellorts  for,  864. 

Educational  lii-titulions,  BaptLst.    [Seethe  various  titles.  ] 
Educators,  Famous  American  Baptist,  852.     [See  the  indi- 
vidual names.] 
Edwards,  John,  927. 
Edwards,  Jonathan,  768. 

believed  he  was  converted  when  four  years  old,  185. 
Edwards,  Morgan  : 

on  John  Comer,  665. 

sketch  of  his  life  and  labors,  722. 

death,  723,  88i>. 
KdwardSj^Tlioiiias,  464. 

Edwin,  King  (of  England  i,  immersed  at  York,  426. 
E-ypt,  72. 
Elamites,  72. 
Elders : 

duties  and  powers  of,  134. 

Alfordon,  1.34. 

plurality  of  elders,  136. 

identical  with  the  bishops,  136. 

Cai'son,  Cam)ibell,  and  David.son  on,  137. 
Elect  Lady,  John's  Epistle  to  an,  112,  113. 
Elijah : 

literal  return  of  expected  by  Jcw.^  to  herald  the  Mes- 
siah, 20,  21. 

re-appearance  of  announced,  21. 
Elisalretli,  mother  of  John  tlie  Bapti.st,  14,  15. 
Ellis,  Roliert,  615. 
Elstow,  the  Register  at,  483-490. 
Elvira,  Synod  of: 

serves  to  unite  Church  and  State,  199. 

articles  of,  199,  200. 
Emblem,  John,  718. 
Emperors  of  Rome : 

deified,  101. 

lay  claims  to  high  ecclesiastical  dignity,  215. 
Endicott,  Governor : 

pretended  puishment  of,  633. 

persecutes  Boston  Baptists,  689. 
Engedi,  wilderness  of,  17,  18, 
English  Baptists,  the : 

unjustly  named  Anabapti.sts,  327. 

establish  foreign  missions,  836. 
'  Euon,  near  Salem,'  33. 

Epaphras,  the  Colossian,  visits  Paul  in  prison,  97. 
Epiiesians,  Paul's  Epistle  to  the,  98. 
Ephesians,  the  Twelve,  51,  52,  53. 
Ephesus,  early  Church  at,  121. 
Ephreni  Syrus  on  Christ's  baptism,  264. 
Epiphanius  of  Salamis  on  the  necessity  of  tra'Jition,  224. 
Epiphany  anciently  a  time  for  baptism,  2.">1. 
Episcopacy,  Diocesan,  138. 
Episcopate,  efibi'ts  to  establish  an  American,  802. 

resisted  in  Virginia,  803. 
Episkopoi,  135. 
Epistles  of  John,  112. 

Epistles  of  Paul,  character  and  beauty  of,  98. 
Erasmus,  314. 

Erhard,  Christopher,  on  the  Moravian  Baptists,  383. 
Ermengard  on  imparting  the  Consolanientum,  284. 
Errors  in  Early  Church : 

baptism  the  channel  of  regeneration,  160. 
Ethelbert,  king  of  Kent,  baptized  l)y  Austin.  229. 
Ethelfrid,  Kingof  Northumbria,  slays  the  Monks  of  Ban- 
gor, 231. 
Ethelred,  King  (of  England),  his  immersion,  426. 
Ethiopic  Version,  the,  210. 
Eucharist.     [See  Lord's  Supper.] 
Eunomians,  the,  220. 

practiced  single  immersion,  247. 
Europe,  American  Missions  to,  814,  827. 
E use bins : 

on  Peter's  traditional  journev  to  Rome,  109. 

on  the  attitude  of  the  earlv  Christians  toward  the  New 
Testament,  155. 


962 


GEKKRAI.    (X/iKX. 


EviiMK,  Cultl),  Sii.'i,  liOT. 

Kvans,  Cliristnius,  HOT,  lilO.  ijll,  (jia. 

'  ExiiiiiiiKT,'  tlie,  885. 

Eyere,  Nicholas,  "VJ. 

uiirly  HaptisI  iiri-ai-liiiii.'  in  New  Y()rl\,  ThO. 
Eyes  ol' Germany,  llic  Two,  ai-1. 

F. 

Kaiier,  .Iolia!iiie>.  debate*  with  Zwiii^li,  .'ioU. 
Earel,  William,  dcfViiils  the  Baptist.-,  :5ti.S. 
Fanner,  .lolm,  71- 
Faniliaiii,  .lolm,  7"i', 
Fathers,  the  A|«jsti)lie,  IfiT. 

their  zeal  tor  rhrist,  ITi?. 

[See  K.Mcx.vK.vs,  Clemk.nt,  11i-.hm.\s.  li..vAiiis,  1'oly- 

CAIU'.   I'.VI'l.VS.J 

Featley,  Dr.  : 

on  death  by  drowning;  ot"  the  .Vnaliaittisls  at  \'ienii;i. 

on  immersion  amon^  Enjjlisii  liuptists,  441. 
Female  Edueation,  intieli  atteiilioii  ^iven  to  by  Ajneriean 

Baptists,  878. 
Feuclon  : 

chaiyed  will]  heresy  by  Bussuet,  'iM. 
Ferdinand  of  Austria ; 

pcr.-ceiites  Bajitisls,  3'.i,"i,  3'Jli. 
Festus: 

charj^es  ajrainst  Paul  sent  to  Konie  by,  it". 
Fillh  Monarchy  Men,  -17:;. 

defeated,  and  their  leaelei's  slain,  473. 
Fineh,  T.,  027. 

Finland,  missionary  work  in,  S34. 
F'ire.  traditional  bajttism  of,  2i;3. 

Chry.-ostom  and  I'yril  on,  '2i')i. 
FMsh,  the,  in  early  Christian  art,  2.')ij,  •i'i7. 
F'islier,  8.,  re.sists  sprinklin;,'  as  an  innovation  in  England, 

433. 
Five-mile  Act,  the,  fiOil. 
Five-Principle  Baptists,  lilift. 
Fla.£,'ellants,  the  indecent  eondiiet  of,  378. 
Fletcher,  A.saph,  811. 
Florence : 

baptistery  of,  252. 

Synod  ol,  43S. 
Florence,  John,  barbarous  punishment  for  beinija  Loll- 
ard, 324. 
F'orcian  Missions.     [See  Missions,  Fokeigx.J 
F^:)r^'eries,  the  t'lenientine  and  lL;natian,192. 
Foster,  Benjamin,  722. 
iVter,  John,  5SH,  o'.iO. 
F'oulkes,  Kicliard,  007. 
Font,  Baptismal,  comes  into  use,  251. 
Fo.\,  George,  552. 
Francis,  Enoch,  607. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,  846,  847. 
Fredericks,  Jacob,  416. 
Fredcricton,  N.  S.,  1)24. 
F'reedmen,  mission  work  among  the,  848,  849. 

seminaries,  650. 
Freeman's  Oath.     [See  WiLLiAiis,  Rooer.] 
Friends,  Society  of,  its  formation  of^interesl  to  Baptists, 552. 
Fuller,  Andrew,  581,  583. 

liis  immortal  work,  5S4,  5S5. 
F'uUcr,  Richard,  sketch  of  his  career,  760,  761. 
Flink,  Dr.,  on  the  rise  of  sprinkling,  438. 
Flirman,  Richard,  75S,  812. 
F'yfi!,  Robert  A.,  932,  933. 


Gabriel : 

appears  to  Zachnrias,  15. 

one  of  the  two  angels  called  by  name  in  the  Bible,  15 

his  mission  one  of  peace,  15. 

opens  the  Baptist  Affe,  15. 
Gailhabaud,  on  disuse  of  the  baptistery,  251. 
Gale,  John,  560. 

Galcrius,  the  last  great  persecution  under,  196. 
Galileo,  germ  of  the  idea  of  the  telescope,  6. 
Gall,  St.,  Switzerland: 

a  stronghold  of  Baptist  principleB,  344. 


Gall,  St.,  Switzerland — ('outinued. 

[ler.-ecutions  of  the  Bapti.sts  in,  ;J45. 

imniei-sions  at,  353. 
Gallieiius,  proclaims  edicts  of  toleration,  173. 
(iallns,  jier.seeutions  under,  173. 
Galiisha,  Jonas,  769. 
Gamaliel,  Paul's  preceptor,  84. 
Gangriena,  i'40,  464. 
Giino,  John,  717,  843. 

origin,  career,  and  preaching,  753,  754,  755,  756. 

iier-onal  description  of,  75S. 

niographical  sketch,  793. 
Ganii,  Sie|ilien,  853,  854,  855. 
tiaros,  the  mission  to,  ^22. 
Garrett-son,  F'reeborn,  922. 
(iell,  on  torin  of  the  ancient  buth,  249. 
General  Court  of  Mas,s.,  the,  631,  634. 

religious  tyranny,  635. 

debate  bel(>re  the,  638. 

threatens   those   who  0|ipose    infant    baptism    with 
lianishment,  6sl. 

bitterness  of  toward  the  Baptists  rela.\ed,  718. 
'  (ieiieva  Jiggs,'  548. 
(ientiles: 

Paul's  mission  to,  88. 

tii'st  Gentile  church.  92. 

hated  liy  the  Jews,  106. 
Georgia,  Baptists  of: 

early  settlers  and  preachers,  770. 

Botsford's  ministry.  771. 

extensive  revivals.  771. 

famous  names  among.  772. 

demands  for  religious  liberty,  774. 

present  prosperity,  775. 

statistics,  775. 
German  Baptists: 

not  responsible  for  the  horrors  of  the  Peasants'  War 
and  the  Munster  Madiies.s.  371-375. 

calumnies  refuted.  372. 

always  law-abiding,  373. 

in  Moravia,  379. 

their  honor  vindicated,  374. 

tlieir  purit,y  and  simplicity,  381. 

steady  iucreiese,  381. 

harried  by  F"erdinand  in  Moravia,  382. 

hide  in  woods  and  caves,  383. 

spread  into  Baden,  Bavaria,  and  Austria,  385. 

sull'erings  of  the  Augsburg  martyrs,  392. 

decrees  lor  arrest  and  iraprisonnient  issued  bv  Dukee 
of  Bavaria,  392. 

shocking  cruelties  inflicted  on.  394. 

their  doctrines  widespread.  3us. 

riglits  of  conscience  demanded,  400. 

their  holy  aims,  406. 
[See  HiTERiTES.] 
Germany,  inission  work  in,  827 
Gerrits,"Lubl)erts,  454^ 
Gervinus,  on  Roger  Williams,  645. 
Geseiiius,  opinion  of  Baptist  Churches,  149. 
Gibbon,  Edward  : 

on  baptismal  regeneration.  212. 

on  wholesale  conversions  of  the  common  people,  215. 

on  the  tenets  of  tlie  I'auliciaiis,  236. 

on  the  origin  of  the  Pauliciaus,  237. 
Gibson,  William,  939. 
GilTord,  Andrew,  551. 
Giflbrd.  Andrew,  2d,  551. 
Girtbrd,  John,  511,  512,  515. 

charge  to  his  church,  517,  518,  519. 
Gihon,  I  pper  and  Lower,  76. 

Gill,  Dr.,  on  electing  pastors  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  124. 
Gill.  John,  560. 
Gilmour,  John,  928. 
Gnostic  Ileresy,  the,  177. 

denounced  by  Tertullian.  177. 

becomes  nii.xed  with  the  Christian  faith,  188. 
Godet,  on  baptism  of  Jesus  by  John,  25. 
Goethe,  on  the  person  of  Christ,  7. 
Going,  Jonathan,  844,  845. 
Golden  House  of  Nero,  the,  104. 
Goodman,  J.  E.,  886. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


963 


Gospels,  tlie  Four: 

silent  conceruing  tlio  youth  of  the  Baptist,  17. 

publicly  read    in    churches   ot"  Syria,   Asia    Minor, 
Italy,  and  Gaul,  155. 
(iotliic  Version,  209. 

(loulhurn,  Dean,  on  baptism  sis  n  divine  iustitution,  1  tl. 
Goukl,  Thomas,  (i99. 

imi)risoneil  and  persecuted,  700. 
Gnuid  Assembly  of  Viri^inia,  7-6. 
Grantham,  Thomas,  551. 
(iravcji   H.  A.,  882. 
Graves,  J.  K.,  884. 
Graves,  K.  11.,  837. 
Grayson,  William,  805. 
Great  Britain,  Baptists  m : 

inimeiVion  in  Knsjland,  4'.'5,  i37. 

John  Smyth  and  the  Counuon wealth,  453. 

John  Bunyan,  474,  4'.)3. 

Bunyan's  relations  to  the  Baptists,  511. 

Bunyan's  principles,  528. 

Commonwealth  and  Kestoration,  540. 

liberty  ot  conscience,  555. 

Baptist  Associations,  555. 

Steniietts,  the,  555. 

Irish  Baptists,  555. 

Scotch  and  English  Baptists,  572. 

Baptist  missions,  572. 

men  of  note,  572. 

Welsh  Baptists,  5'.»8. 
Grebel,  Cunrad : 

birth,  education,  and  attainments,  334. 

friendship  with  Zwingli,  334. 

life  and  labors,  334. 
Greek  Langu:ige,  free  use  of,  72. 
Gregory  Nazianzen : 

on  apost-olic  suecession,  3. 

holds  that  unbaptized  infants  dying  were  eternally 
lost,  186. 

father  and  mother  of,  219. 
Gregory  of  Constantino|)le,  on  intiint  baptism,  244. 
Gregory  of  Tours,  quoted  on  the  nude  baptism  of  Clovis, 

222. 
Gregory  the  Great : 

succeeds  in  placing  Christendom  under  the  Roman 
See,  226. 

decree  concerning  infant  baptism,  230. 

made  Universal  Pastor  by  rhocas,  232,  233. 

upholds  trine  baptism,  247. 
Griessteller ; 

burnt  at  the  stake,  396. 
Griffith,  Abel,  716. 
Griffith,  Benjamin,  762. 
Griffith,  Morgan,  607. 

Gross,  Jacob,  administers  re-baptism  at  Strasburg,  386. 
Grosveuor,  Cyrus  P.,  882. 
Grotius : 

on  deaconesses  iu  the  Apostolic  Church,  133. 

on  infant  baptism,  186. 

on  baptism  of  an  unborn  infant,  216. 
Groton,  Conn  : 

Valentine  Wightman  at,  740. 
Grover,  James,  709. 
Guild,  Reuben  A.,  866,  867. 
Gurney,  William  B.,  590. 
Gwent,  John,  599. 

H. 

Hackett,  Dr..  quoted  on  the  twelve  Ephesians,  54. 

Hackett,  Horatio  B.,  915. 

Hackfurt,  Lucas,  386. 

Haldane,  James  Alexander,  574. 

Haldane,  Robert,  574. 

Ilalf-wav  Covenant,  the,  717. 

llalil'n.\,"N.  S.,  924. 

University,  925. 
Hall.  Robert:' 

biographical  sketch,  593. 

doctrines  and  eloquence,  594. 

views  of  ordinances,  595. 
Hallau,  Switzerland,  348. 


Ham,  .Tames,  037. 
Hamburg,  Germany: 

formation  of  a  new  Church  at,  149. 

missionary  work  in,  828. 

persecution  at,  828,  829. 
Hamilton  Literary  and  Theological  Institution,  872. 
Hampden-Sidney  College,  733. 
llantl,  the : 

imposition  of  in  baptism  in  earlv  Christian  pictures, 
273,  274. 
Hand,  tlie  right : 

lelt  uninnnersed  in  male  Scottish  cliildren,  427. 
Hans  of  Overdam,  nuirtyred  at  Ghent,  412. 
Harbottle,  England,  ancient  natural  l)ai)tistery  near,  254. 
Harding,  Hams,  921. 
Harding,  Theodore,  921. 
Harding,  Theodore  Setii,  922. 
Hare  on  Augustine's  tortuous  mind,  215. 
Harris,  John,  6o7. 
Harris,  Joseph,  610. 
Harris,  Samuel,  730,  731. 
Harrison,  Robert,  452. 
Harrison,  Major-Gen. ; 

sketch  ot.  465. 

hanged,  drawn,  and  quartered,  466. 
Hart,  John,  792. 
Hart,  Oliver,  864. 
Hascall,  Daniel,  769,  872. 
Haveloek,  Sir  Henry,  590,  591. 
Haverf'irdw  est  College,  Wales,  608. 
Havs,  Edward,  727. 
Hazel,  John,  679. 
Hearth-Ta.\,  the,  508. 
Hebrides,  The,  Christian  colonies  in,  228. 
Hebron : 

events  connected  with,  15. 

rabbinical  trailition  concerning,  15,  IB. 
Helena,  motlier  of  Constantine,  discovers  the  true  cross,  205. 
Heliogabalus,  Mosheim  ou  the  chai'acter  of,  167. 
Helvidius  attacks  the  doetriue  of  the  perpetual  virginity 

of  Mary,  207. 
Helwys,  Thomas,  453. 

with  others  forms  tlie  first  general  Baptist  Church  in 
England,  454. 
Henry  of  Clugny : 

early  career  and  zeal,  288. 

preaches  in  Mans,  289. 

retires  to  France,  289. 

eft'eets  of  his  preaching,  290. 

dies  in  prison,  291. 
Henry,  Patrick,  his  sympathy  with  the  Baptists  of  Virginia, 

799,  800. 
Henry  IV.  of  England  : 

subserviency  to  the  Pope,  322. 

harries  the  Lollards,  323. 

tir^t  English  monarch  who  burnt  heretics,  323. 
Henthada,  Mission  to,  820. 
Heresies.    [See  Montanists,  Novatians,  Gnostic  Herksy, 

etc.] 
Heresy  made  a  capital  offense  in  the  fourth  century,  213. 
Hennas  and  his  book,  'The  Shepherd,'  153. 

on  baptism  in  the  early  Church,  161. 
Herod  Antipas : 

reproved  by  John  Baptist,  43. 

birthday  ot',  44. 

his  promise  to  Salome,  44. 

slew  his  own  peace  in  beheading  John,  45,  46. 
Herodias,  daughter  of  Aristobulus,  43. 

instigates  John's  imprisonment,  43. 

sends  her  daughter  to  dance  for  the  revelers,  44. 
Herod  the  Great,  puts  water-works  of  Jerusalem  in  repair. 

77. 
Herzog : 

on  immersion,  142. 

on  dispensing  the  communion  to  babes,  190. 

on  the  Christianization  of  the  Swedes  and  Norwegians, 
246. 

on  the  origin  of  the  Bogomiles,  278. 

on  the  history  and  persecutions  of  the  Cathari,  281. 
Hetzer,  Ludwig: 

scholarship,  341. 


964 


GENERAL    LSD  EX. 


llcrzci',  Ludwiij — Ciiiitinited. 

joins  tliu  KaptisUs  in  Zuricli,  341. 

i'iiiljl"yi;cl  h)  LKcoliiiiiiinilnis,  341. 

]>ei>cuiUion  uiul  martyrdoni,  34-,  343. 
Ilezekiuli,  i'uol  of,  Tt». 

an  ininion.sc  ro.servoir,  7^. 
Iliiili  ('<'niniission,  thu  Court  of,  475. 
Hill,  Bi-Mjaniin  M.,  S4.'i,  840,  b47,  S48. 
Hill,  Kol.Vi-t,  ,v2li. 
Hill,  S.  P.,  s«3. 
Hinton,  .lolm  Houaril,  ii3ll. 
Ilinton,  Josiali,  Vi'J. 
Hipi>olytus: 

rosist.s  clerical  coi-ruption,  1S2. 

career  of,  1  S'2. 

Cardinal  Newman  quoled  on,  182. 

unUifionize^  the  Cliuroli  of  Konie,  182. 

opjiu.-es  ('alli.\tii>,  ls;i. 

hus  J'fiUn.sitpliiJIllttOia^   hsi. 

on  |ieelol>aptisni  in  hi>  own  ilay,  lsi>. 

on  the  liapti/ed  man,  211. 
Ili>torian.s,  Bai'tisl  : 

iiavc  always  written  amid  tc'eat  disat-hanta^es,  10,  1 1. 

deartli  of  earlv  records,  10. 
HoHiman,  Kzekiel,  035,  030. 
lloUis,  .lolm,  :>h\. 
lloUis,  Thomas,  ")51. 
Holme,  .John,  712. 
llolmi's,  Jonathan,  Ti.'l'. 
Holmes,  Dbadiah,  SIO,  (;7'.i,  tj-iO,  709. 

mnnereifnlly  whipped,  nss. 
Holy  !s]nrit : 

Jesus  prays  lor  tlie,  ."s. 

rej^cncration  l>v  the,  a  fundamental  ()f  I5ai>tist   Itelief, 
l.=i2. 
Home  Mi.s.sions.     [.See  MlssiOiNs,  Home.] 
Hopewell  Grammar  ,Schoul,  71f>,  717. 
Horl,  Dliver,  758. 
llorlon  School,  Nova  Scotia,  '.i24. 
llorton,  N.  S.,  1124. 
llosius,  Bishop  of  Cordova,  presit.les  at  Coimcii  of  IClvira, 

19S. 
llovcy,  Alvah,  S74. 
Howard,  John,  the  philantln'opist,  520. 

residence,  near  liedtbrd,  505. 

Steinietl'fe  funeral  sermon  on,  500. 

p)roI)ablv  a  Baptist,  507. 
IIowclls,  Griffith,  004. 
lloyt,  J.  B.,  MK. 
Hubbard,  John,  '.i27. 
Hubmeyer,  Balthazar: 

birth,  education,  and  preaching,  336, 

views  on  infant  baptism,  337. 

arrested  and  imprisoned,  338. 

recant.s  his  belief  on  bapti.sm,  338. 

publicly  proclaims  his  faith  in  adult  baptism.  339. 

suffered  to  retire  to  Moravia,  339. 

principles  of  the  party  of,  354. 

misrepresented  by  his  enemies,  355. 

his  opinions  on  clmrch  government,  355. 

draws  up  the  Twelve  Articles,  3ii4. 

imprisoned  by  Austrians,  381 . 

burnt  at  tlie  stal;e,  381. 

his  works  proliibitcd  by  Koine,  381. 

his  death  scatters  his  Hock,  382. 

succeeded  by  Ihiter,  382. 
Hughes,  Archbishop,  quoted  in  reference  to  infant   bap- 
tism, 145. 
Hughes,  Joseph,  565. 
Hungary : 

peasant  insurrection  in,  363. 

German  Baptists  take  refuge  in,  380, 

mission  work  in,  829. 
Huss,  John,  310. 

Hutchinson,  Anne,  banishment  of.  669. 
Hutchinson,  Elijah  and  Enoch,  767. 
Hutchinson,  .lohn,  sketch  of,  466. 
Hutcliin.son,  Lucv,  sketch  of,  466. 
Hut,  Hans,  389. 

refuses  to  bring  his  babe  to  baptism,  392. 

his  corpse  publicly  burnt,  392. 


Huter,  Jacob, 

succeeds  Hubmeyer.,  382. 

sent  to  the  Tyrol",  395. 
Ilnteritcs: 

sword  and  lien  wielded  against  them,  384. 

attacked  by  Bishop  Eabri,  384. 

Dick,  Dr.  Leopold,  publishes  a  tractate  againiil  Ihcm, 
384. 
Hyde,  Edward,  Lord  Clarendon: 

persecutes  Independents,  Quakers,  and  lSapligt<>,  473. 

I. 

lcoii(igiaj)hy,  Christian,  20O. 

Idumea,  72. 

Ignatius:  character,  life,  ami  death,  158. 

Image  Worship  ;  proliibitcd  by  Leo  Lsiiuricus,  240. 

Imuicrser,  John,  tjic,  30. 

Immersion : 

Maimonides  quoted  ou.  31. 

Godct  on,  31. 

three  thousand  immersed  at  l'eiiteco.st,  75. 

vast   crowds    baj'tized    by   St.   i'atrick,  Austin,  and 
I  Ivemigius,  79. 

j  Dr.  (.'avc  on  the  ancient  rite,  141. 

Moses  Stuart  and  I'aine  on.  141,  142. 
I  llerzogon,  142. 

universally  practiced  in  the  early  Clmrch,  160. 

Coleman  quoted  on  the  triple  immersion,  101. 

Dean  Stanley  on,  101,  102. 
'  early  instances  of  adult,  219. 

trine  immirsi'tti,  22o. 

Clovis,  King  of  the  Franks,  immci'sed  nude,  223. 

Cardinal  Hullus  on  the  tlirei:  symbolisms  of,  247. 

called  the  baptisteries  into  existence,  25ii. 

iniinersions  bv  Keformed  pastors  in  Switzerland.  344. 

practiced  by  tlie  Swiss  Baptists,  3.52,  353. 

m  England,  425. 

e.arly  authorities  enjoining,  420,  427,  42S. 

English  royal  family  always  formerly  immersed,  428. 

siiii;le  immersion  enjoined  by  Edward.Si.\tli's  Prayer- 
Book,  429. 

Westminster  Assembly  on.  438. 

no  new  thiiie-  in  KiiL'land,  439. 

]iraetiei'd  by  English  BajitLsts  prior  to  1641.  440. 
[See  Trine  Immekbion.J 
Immorality : 

licentiousness  among  Protestants  and  Catholics,  377. 

nude  indecencies  ot  the  Miinster  Madness,  378. 
Imprisonment,  Epistles  of  the,  98. 
IndepeiKients,  the : 

on  liberty  of  iwiscience,  455. 

frequent  debates  among,  462. 

controversy  on  singing,  549. 
Indians,  American: 

Roger  Williams  and  the,  642. 

missions  to,  839,  s4o.  S41. 
Infallibility  and  Church  Succession: 

a  specious  lure,  2. 

central  coiTuption  of  Rome,  5. 
Infallibility,  Church,  2,  5. 

Cardinal  Manning  ou  the  fullv  developed  doctrine  of, 
214. 
Infant  Baptism.     [See  B.vbes,  B.mtism  of.] 

unknown  among  the  early  Christians,  142,  144. 

Bunscn  on,  144. 

various  aspects  of  the  question,  143,  145. 

scholars  cited  on,  145. 

of  purely  human  origin,  145. 

Arehbisliiip  Hughes  on,  145. 

early  advocates  of,  104. 

Tertullian  resist.*  it  as  an  innovation,  164. 

first  recorded  instunce  of  a  proposition  to  admit  legal 
infants,  7wt  babes,  to  membership  in  the  Church  by 
baptism,  165. 

Schlciermacher  on  absence  of  the  doctrine  of  in  the 
New  Testament,  165j  166. 

chief  corner-stone  of  tne  doctrine  in  favor  of,  186. 

trouble  concerning  sponsors,  218. 

Gregory  forms  a  liturgy  for,  218, 

Schaff  on  compulsion,  218. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


968 


Infuiit  Baptism — Continued. 

cntbrcL-tL  210. 

dcerco  of  Council  of  Neo-Cn?sarea  on,  21fi. 

Hrst  indorsement  of  by  iiutliority  at  Rome,  216. 

the  necessity  of  denied  by  Pcla^ius,  217. 

liturgical  provision  for,  217. 

doubts  as  to  the  prevalence  of  in  Uritain  prior  to  tlio 
mission  of  Austin,  230. 

decree  of  Grei^ory  the  Great  concerni!!^;,  2:30. 

made  a  source  of  revenue,  243.  * 

Adrianus  refuse.=^  to  baptize  infants.  243. 

condennied  by  some  ot  the  Katiiers,  244. 

Gregory  of  Constantinople  on,  24-1. 

well-nigli  univei-sal  in  the  ninth  century,  244. 

a  pagan  civil  rite,  24.i. 

fines  iinpi'scd  in  lieu  of.  2411. 

N'Tlluiiiilirian  law  on.  24(». 

dissent  fr<iMi  in  all  ranks  of  .society,  24iJ,  247. 

rejecteil  by  Walilensians,  302,  303. 

rejected  by  Brethren  of  Chelcic,  319. 

sometimes  priicticed  by  the  Lollards,  325. 

(Ecolamoa<lius  on,  331. 

assailed  by  the  Zuricli  Baptists  in  1523,  331. 

Luther's  posilion  on,  358,  359. 

(,'ardinal  AViseman  on,  3C0. 

weakness  of  the  Scriptural  jnstitieation  ol,  3(11. 

nowhere  forbidden  in  Scriptures,  380. 

rejected  by  Meiino  Simon,  410. 

Massachusetts  on,  i!Sl. 
Infant  Comuumion,  191.     [See  Lord's  Si-pi'KH.) 
Infants,  early  Christians  charged  witli  devouring,  1112,  103. 
liniocent,  I'ope,  on  Waldcnsian  views  of  baptism.  302. 
Invisible  Church,  the,  121. 
lona.     [Sec  Hkerides.J 
Irena'us,  on  Christ's  humanity,  163,  164. 
Irish  Baptists.     [See  Baptists,  Irish.] 
Irisli  Mission  Society,  the,  5S7. 
Irving,  Edward: 

on  mission  of  .lolm  the  Baptist,  14. 

on  John's  bajitismal  service,  30. 
Italic  Version,  the  most  literal  of  the  Latin  ver>ions,  156. 
Itidy,  Mission  to,  S38,  839. 
Ivimey,  Joseph,  SS". 


Jacob,  Dr.: 

on  Christian  baptism,  139. 

quoted  on  infant  baptism,  14."i. 
Jacobcllus,  31 S. 
Jacob,    Henry,  461. 
James  the  Apostle,  labors  of  among  the  .-.cattercd  .lews, 

106. 
James  and  John,  clioleric  disposition  of,  GC}. 
James,  the  son  of  Alplieus,  modesty  of,  60. 
James  11.,  King  of  England  : 

grants  indultrenee  to  the  Baptists,  553. 

Toleratirtn  Act,  the,  554. 
Jamestown,  Va.,  religious  worship  instituted  at  bv  ('apt. 

John  Smith,  724. 
Japan,  mission  to,  S25. 
Jelferson,  Thomas : 

alleged  influence  of   Virginian   Baptists  in   molding 
his  career,  733,  7-34. 

his  relations  to  the  Virginia  Baptists,  797,  799. 
Jenkins,  John,  613. 

IJr.  Joseph,  565. 
Jerome : 

replies  to  Vigilantus,  Helvidius.  and  Jovinian  in  a 
scurrilous  manner,  207. 

his  Ante-llierouymian  version  of  the  Scriptures  (the 
Vulgate) ,  208. 

on  ancient  parity  of  presbyters  and  bishops,  214. 

not  immersed  till  matdiood,  219. 

on  trine  immersion,  22o,  221. 
-lerome  of  Dalmatia,  ou  soul  regeneration  a  pre-requisite 


to  baptism,  211. 
Jerome  ot  Pr; 


Jerome  of  Prague,  316. 
Jerusalem  : 

church  at,  71. 

pools  at,  75,  76. 

uater  tiieilities  of  the  city,  77,  7S. 


I  .lerusftlem —  VontinuetL 

poverty  of  in  early  Christian  times,  180. 

church  at,  130. 

how  the  clmrch  at  was  compo.sed,  131. 
.le.ssey,  Ilenry,  461,  678. 

church  of,  462. 

sketch  of  liis  life  and  death,  472. 

agrees  with  Bunyan,  521. 
Jesus  Christ : 

did  not  establish  a  law  of  Cln-istiau  primogeniture,  3. 

did  not  promise  an  organic  visibility  to  his  Church  in 
perpetuity,  14. 

never  promised  to  his  Churches  absolute  preservation 
froni  error,  5. 

tributes  to  Clirist  from  skeptics,  6,  7. 

individuality  of,  7. 

words  of  about  John  the  Baptist,  14,  23. 

Iinptism  of,  25. 

thirty  years'  seclusion  in  Nazareth,  25. 

leaves  iiis  Galilean  home,  25,  26. 

baptism  the  door  by  which  he  entered  on  liis  work 
of  saving  mediation,  26. 

goes  to  .lordan,  26. 

presents  liimself  tor  baptism,  27. 

Augustine  quoted  on  the  l)aptism  nf,  27,  28. 

wliy  he  sought  baptism,  28. 

immersed  by  Jolni,  29. 

descent  of  tlie  dove  at  his  baptism,  29. 

time  of  his  Ijaptism  considered,  29,  30. 

John  tlie  Baptist's  witness  to,  36,  37. 

prays  for  the  Si'irit,  38. 

the  vicarious  sacrifice  published  by  John,  3!i. 

proclaimed  as  the  Lamb  of  God  by  Jolin,  40. 

believers  pointed  to  Christ  lor  everhistiiig  life,  41. 

witness  to  John  Baptist,  47. 

eulogium  on  .John,  48. 

instructions  to  the  Apostles  on  tluir  .ludeaii  mission. 
57. 

renounces  all  temporal  power,  59. 

spoke  with  autliority  and  certainty,  60. 

truth  his  subject-matti-r,  60. 

penned  no  law,  61. 

Christ  the  model,  61. 

Ills  life  the  law,  62. 

his  law  cosmopolitan,  63. 

conviction,  not  persecution,  the  aim  of  Christ,  64. 

veritable  man,  born  of  a  woman,  6.'>. 

saves  infants  by  his  sacrifice,  69. 

date  of  liis  asccn.sion,  71. 

the  only  bond  of  union,  147. 

Irenieus  on  the  humanity  of  Christ,  163,  164. 

-symbolic  names  of,  256,  257. 

early  baptismal  pictures  of,  259,  260. 
Jeter,  Jeremiah  B.,  sketch  of  his  career  and   iufluenee, 

736,  737,  836,  883. 
Jewett,  Nathan,  741. 
Jews,  The : 

tribal  lines  obliterated,  8. 

civil  and  reliudous  freedom  strong  so  long  as  tliey 
served  the  one  true  God,  13. 

possessed  the  most  popular  government  of  all  tie 
nations,  13. 

attitude  of  toward  the  Komau  rulere  of  Palestine.  14. 

their  sins  denounced  liy  the  Baptist,  21. 

long  for  deliverance  from  the  oppressor,  24. 

summoned  to  repentance  liy  •lohn  Baptist,  24. 

warned  to  Hce  from  w  rath  to  come,  24. 

did  they  immerse?  31. 

sermon  of  I'eter  to  at  Pentecost,  73. 

their  gradual  dispersion  among  the  nations,  106. 

prominence  in  trade  and  commerce,  106. 

labors  of  Peter,  James,  and  John  among  tlie  scattered 
Jews,  106. 

despised  the  Gentiles,  106. 

hated,  felt,  and  feared,  106. 

refuse  to  worship  Domitian,  148. 

compulsory  baptism  of  in  eighth  century,  243. 

first  synagogue  in  America,  654. 

early  distinctions  agaitist  in  America.  054. 

testimony  of  to  Roger  Williams,  057. 
Joan  of  Kent.     [See  Boh.iier,  Joan.] 


966 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


Ji'liii,  Kiiiff  ol'Eilj^lanJ:  deiiosed  bvPoiii;  Alu.\iin>ltr  \'I., 

John  of  Ornsic,  318. 
.loliii  of  Li'yilcii,  a'JS. 
.Iiilui  ihu  Biii>list,  !«. 

li'vii];;,  Kdwiiiil,  on  the  mission  of,  14. 

wonls  of  Jesus  li.\  liis  pluee  in  liistory,  14. 

bii'tli  ))roiiiised  to  Zaehariius  unil  Elizi'ibelli,  15. 

jmi])liecv  and  pled^'e  of  Gabriel  eoiieeriiinx,  Hi- 

dispute  anions'  the  neiffhbors  as  to  liis  name,  10. 

namiii;;  llie  eliild,  lU. 

bis  youtb,  17. 

vow  of  tbo  Nazarite  imposed  on.  17. 

tilled  with  the  lioly  Spirit,  17. 

wilderness  life,  17. 

desert  iioine,  Is. 

austere  in  life  and  dress,  IS. 

educated  for  his  mission  in  the  desert,  IS. 

desert  visions,  lii. 

startliuj,'  cry  ot',  an. 

'  I'repare  ll'ie  Way  uf  the  l.old,'  -10. 

quits  the  wilderness,  iO. 

new  Elijali.  the.  21. 

crowds  tloeli  to  his  ministry  at  .Ionian,  -ll. 

denounces  the  sins  ot'  his  jieoplc,  '1\. 

Ins  preaeliin;;  direct  and  convincing,  21. 

fascinates  the  multitude,  21. 

repentance  his  t'reat  theme,  22. 

simplicity  of  his  preaching,  22. 

jiriests,  Levites,  and  doctors  visit  him,  22. 

wisdom  of  his  replies,  23. 

the  niasses  come  to  him,  23. 

some  believe  him  to  be  the  (iirist,  23. 

sin  and  hypocrisy  rel>ulved,  23. 

I^eaceable  re.sult.s  of  John's  ministry,  24. 

many  of  his  hearer.^  men  of  war,  24. 

meeting  of  with  Jesus  Christ,  2">. 

bai>tizes  Jesus  Christ,  2.5,  26. 

wa-s  he  ignorant  of  tlie  Me.ssiahship  of  Jesus  jirior  to 
the  baptism  in  Jordan?  2ii. 

abashed  in  sight  of  Jesus  at  .lordan,  27. 

yields  to  Christ's  command,  2'.t. 

significance  of  tlie  surname  '  Baptist,'  30. 

Stanley,  Dciui,  on  his  surname,  30. 

his  surname  pro\es  that  he  introduced  the  rite  of 
baptism,  31. 

right  to  adniinister  haptisni  clialleiiged  by  the  Sanlie- 
tlrim,  31. 

Geiliie  on  John's  baptism,  31. 

liis  baptism  not  an  old,  eti'eti'  ceremony,  32. 

Calvin  on  John's  Imptism,  3.'). 

his  witness  to  Christ,  30,  37. 

importance  of  liis  ministry,  37. 

preaches  the  vicarious  .sacrifice  of  Christ,  39. 

proclaims  Christ  a.s  the  Lamb  of  (ioil,  40. 

points  believers  to  Clirist  for  everlasting  life,  41. 

liis  disciples  perplexed,  41. 

his  relation  that  of  groomsman  to  the  Bridegroom,  41. 

humility  of,  42. 

rebulies  Herod  .\ntipas.  43. 

imprisonment  and  martyrdom,  43. 

hated  for  his  fidelity,  43. 

upholds  the  sanctity  of  marriage,  44. 

death  of,  45. 

the  first  Baptist  martyr,  45. 

Christ's  witness  to,  47.  4S,  49. 

greater  than  nil  the  propheUs,  47,  49. 

Christ's  eulogiuni  on,  4S. 

declared  to  be  like  Elijah  in  sjiirit,  power,  and  chai'- 
aeter,  49. 

his  baptism  Christian  bai'tism,  ,'JO. 

John's  dispensation  Chri.st's,  51. 

a  typical  Baptist,  5.5. 

reformed  his  age,  55. 

sent  of  God,  55. 

brought  in  a  new  method  of  prayer,  55. 

a  burning  and  a  shining  lamp,  .56. 

the  disciples'  eulogy  ot.  56. 

[See  the  various  authorities  on  his  surname. J 
John  the  Evangelist: 

labors  of  among  the  scattered  Jews,  lOG. 


John  the  Evangelist — CofUinueil. 

few  details  of  his  life  in  the  New   Testament  after 
Acts  iii,  110. 

in  retirement  for  fortv  years,  110. 

glorious  close  oi  his  liJe,  110. 

the  mother  of  Cliri^t  confided  to  his  care,  110. 

called  'the  Divine,'  110. 

driven  liy  persecution  to  Patmos,  110. 

life  in  Patmos,  111. 

visions.  111. 

clr)se  of  his  work  on  earth,  112. 

Epistles  of,  112. 

named  m  youtli  '  Son  of  Thunder,'  113. 
.John  XII..  Pojte,  immoralities  of  his  reign,  377, 
John  .Xlll.,  Pope,  ba|itizes  a  bell,  246. 
.Johnson,  Erancns,  452. 
Johnstone,  J.  W.,  925. 
Jones,  A.  L.,  837. 

Jones,  David,  biograjJiieal  sketch,  794. 
Jones,  Hugh,  607,  610,  017. 
Jones,  Jenkins,  601. 
Jones,  John  Ta\  lor,  622. 
Jones,  Samuel,  709. 
.Jones,  Samuel.  717. 
Jones,  Saimu-1,  S80. 
Jones,  William,  604, 
Jordan,  the  Kiver: 

Christ  goes  to  John  at,  26. 

Christian  pilgrimages  to  site  of  Christ's  immersion,  29. 

site  of  Clirisl's  baptism  fi.\ed  by  tradition,  29, 

Ijatliing  in,  31. 

sacred  associations  pertaining  to,  32. 

its  rise,  course,  and  debouchure.  33. 

Schafl',  Dr.,  on  traditional  site  of  Christ's  baptism.  33. 

waters  of  divided  by  Jehovah,  33. 

Poeocke's  e.vploration  ot',  33. 

Lynch.  Lieut.,  explorations  of,  33, 

various  sites  a.ssigned   by  tradition  as  the  scenes  of 
.John's  immersions,  33. 

'  Enon  near  Salem,'  33. 

Bethab.ara,  33. 
Josephus : 

on  events  of  .loliu's  time,  23. 

on  ceremonial  washings  among  the  Jews,  30. 

u.se  of  the  Greek  word  bnjitiztdluii  by,  34. 

on  Wiiter  facilities  of  Jerusalem,  75,  76. 
-•  Journal  and  Messenger,  The,'"  hS4. 
Jovinian,  206, 
Juda,  the  citv,  site  of  identified  bv  Relaiid  and  Kobinsou, 

15, 
Judas  Iscariot,  66, 
Judson,  Adoniram.  814,  81s. 
Judson,  .\iin  Ha>.seltine,  Sl4,  817. 
Judson  Female  Institute,  878. 
Jukes,  John,  523,  526,  527. 
Justin,  Emperor,  commands  all    unbaptlzcd  persons  to 

present  themselves  for  Imptism,  243. 
.lustin  Martyr: 

on  the  rapid  growth  of  Christianity,  157. 

on  the  practice  of  immei'sion,  160. 

repels  tlie  charge  ol  murder  ol  infants  made  against 
the  Christians,  163. 

knows  nothing  of  infant  baptism,  166. 

demands  religious  liberty,  lil. 

on  anointing  in  bai>tism.  267. 
Juvenal,  on  the  commercial  standing  of  the  Jews,  106. 


K. 

Kautz,  Jacob  : 

arrives  in  Strasburg,  387. 

imprisoned,  3S7. 
Karen  Slission,  the.  816. 

Karen  Theological  Seminary,  817. 
Kayser,  Leonard,  burnt  at  the  stake  near  Passau.  403. 
Keach,  Ben.iamin,  547. 

l)ersecution,  548. 

jirolific  writings,  550. 
Keach,  Elias,  707,  70S. 
Keeling,  Henry,  883, 
Keldecs,  the,  228. 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


967 


Keller,  Dr. : 

oil  tlio  New  Jerusalem  at  Munster,  828. 
researclies  of,  329.  . 

oil  early  history  ot'tlie  German  Haptist.*,  ii'i. 
Kendrick,  A.  C,  7B9,  917. 
Kemlrick,  Ariel,  927. 
Kendriek,  Niitlianael,  872,  897. 
Kentueky,  early  ehurehes  in,  842,  843. 
Kidron,  the  Brook,  77.  .  _ 

available  for  immersion  in  Apostolic  time.--,  i7. 
Kifliu  M.^.,  the,  441. 
Kittin,  William,  4«0,  401. 
birth  and  education,  467. 
conversion  and  preaeliiu^,  468. 
great  intluenee  of,  4GS. 
persecution  and  death,  468. 
relations  to  Bunyan,  585. 
Kincaid,  Eui;cnio,  872. 
King,  Alonzo,  ~t\~. 
Kingdom,  the  new  : 
laws  of,  57. 
a  new  realm,  58. 
physieiU  force  immoral,  59. 
Kinw's  College,  Windsor,  N.S.,  924. 
King's  Pool,  the,  70. 

King,  in  Zion,  the,  57.  .      ,        „   , 

Kittery,  Maine,  Baptist  church  organized  at,  i  U4. 
Knollvs   Ilanserd,  510. 

birtli.  emigration,  and  preaching,  47U. 
forbidden  to  preach,  and  imprisoned,  470. 
writings,  471. 
early  career,  076. 
arrives  at  Boston,  076. 
in  London,  077. 

preaches  at  l^iscataqua,  Me.,  710. 
Kuowles,  J.  D.,  883. 

Koch,  Hans,  martvrcd  at  Augsburg,  392.  ,     „  .,      . 

Konrad  of  Marburg,  leads  a  crusade  against  the  Cathari, 

282. 
Koran,  the,  233,  234.  .  .       ,     „     ^      .  .,,,., 

Kuntze,  Poor,  leads  a  peasant  rising  m  Wurtciiilniig,  .jD.i, 

L. 

Lambert,  Robert,  702.  ,     .,     r,     »•  .   m 

Lamb  of  God,  the,  Christ  proclaimed  as,  by  the  Bajiti-t,  40. 
Landy,  Sister,  523. 
Langdon,  Henry,  939. 
Langenmantel : 

'pastor  of  the  Baptist.s  at  Augsburg,  391. 
imprisoned  and  put  to  death,  392. 
Laodicea,  Council  of:  o  ,  i    .i     ,ao 

decrees  that  the  gospels  be  read  on  the  Sabbath,  ios. 
subverts  popular  religious  rights,  214. 
Lapsarian  Controversy,  the,  184.  ,.    ,   ,      ., 

Lardner,  on  the  benefits  conferred  on  niiinkiud  by  tlie 

Novatians,  179. 
Lasher,  G.  W.,  8S4. 

Lateral!  Council,  banishes  Arnol.l  of  Brescia,  292. 
Lathrop,  Edward,  S4S. 
'Latter-Day  Luminary,'  8S3. 
Launceston,  Tasmania,  939. 
Laying  on  of  Hands,  123. 
League-shoe  Confederacy,  the,  363. 
Leander,  Bishop  of  Seville,  247. 
Learned,  John,  707. 
Lebbeus,  boldness  of,  66. 

Lee,  Richard  Henry,  805.  ,     ,  .  ,         .  ,    .      > 

Legitimacy  of  Churclies,  sanctity  the  liighest  title  to,  2. 
Lefand,  Aaron,  769,  811. 
Leland,  John,  734,  799,  804_. 
biographical  sketch,  787. 

preaching,  788.  ,  ,       •        o,  i 

great  speech  in  favor  of  religious  toleration,  811. 
Lenthal,  Robert,  078. 

Leo  1.,  made  Pontiff  of  the  Western  Church,  215. 
Leo  HI.,  compels  baptism  of  Jews  and  Montanists,  243. 
I.,eo  Ismiriciis,  Eiinieror,  prohibits  image-worship,  24". 
Leonides,  father  of  Origen,  185. 
Levi.     [See  M.vtthew.J 
Lewis,  William,  008. 
Libya,  72. 


Liddell  and  Scott,  on  meaning  of  John's  surname,  '  Bap- 
tist,' 30. 
Lightlbot,  Bishop : 

describes  Jewish  baptism,  31. 

on  John's  baptism,  35. 

on  the  term  '  bishop,'  135. 
Lights.     [See  New  Lights   Olii  Liohts.] 
Lincoln,  Hcman,  844. 
Lindsay,  T.  M.: 

quoted  on  Jewish  baptism,  32. 

on  infiint  baptism  as  a  pagan  civil  rite,  245. 
Lions,  Christians  given  to,  lO'J. 
Literature,  American  Baptist,  879,  880. 
Lollard,s,  the: 

origin,  321. 

persecuted,  322. 

Lollard  martyrs,  323. 

cruel  enactments  of  Parliament  against,  324. 

denied  the  Real  Presence,  323. 

their  views  on  infant  baptism,  32o. 

■       id  Bairihain,  320. 


martyrdom  of  Tylesworth  and  Ba 
predecessors  of  the  Baptists,  325. 


WcNh  udlHivnts,  599. 
London  Asscinlily,  the,  .559. 
London,  Council  of,  enjoins  immersinii.  427. 
London  lleeting,  the,  720. 
Longford,  Tasmania,  939. 
Lord's  Supper,  the,  140. 

design  and  object  of,  146, 147.  . 

the  rite  grossly  corrupted  by  the  Corinthian  Cliurch, 
147. 

maintained  as  an  ordinance  by  Baptists,  153. 

corrupted,  160. 

impositions  practiced  by  Marcus,  190. 

administered  to  infants  immediately  after  baptism, r.io. 

miracles  of,  224,  225. 

the  '  Lying  Wonder'  of  John  Moschus,  22o. 

attituile  of  the  Paulieians  toward,  238. 

administered  to  infauls  at  baptism,  246. 

Loring,  James,  882.  ,     ,    ,      .        .  ,  „„ 

Love-feasts,  early  Christians  suspected  ol  plotting  at,  108. 
Loxley,  Colonel,  792. 

cited  as  to  meaning  of  the  Greek  word  '  baptizo,'  34. 

contemptuous  reference  to  the  belief  of  Clinstinns  in 
the  resurrection,  159. 
Luke  the  Evangelist  visits  Paul  in  prison,  97. 
Lund,  Eric,  835. 
Lundy,  on  affusion,  271. 
Lush,  Sir  Robert,  590. 
Lustration,  among  the  pagans,  187. 
Lutterworth.  Yorkshire,  314,  315. 
Luther,  Martin:  ^„    ■  y        „-a 

controversy  with  the  reformers  of  /^wicUau,  •'•"'O- 

his  perplexities  in  dealing  with  infant  baptism,  3o8. 

dangerous  interpretations  of  Scripture,  359. 

approves  bigamous  marriage  of  Philip  of  Hesse,  3o9, 
300. 

controversy  with  the  Baptists,  301. 

encourages"  the  Peasants'  War,  303. 

his  pamphlet  against  the  Peasants,  365.  _  .   ,  . , 

bitter  denunciations  of  those  in  insurrection,  :>oo,  3bb. 

on  polygamy,  376. 

becomes  a  persecutor  by  slow  degrees,  402. 
Lynch,  Lieut.,  Jordan  explorations  of,  33. 
Lyons,  Rabbi,  on  .lewish  freedom  in  America,  b.i4. 

M. 

Maccon,  Council  of,  decrees  that  bishops  must  not  keep 

mastiffs  to  worry  beggars.  243. 
Machffirus,  Castle  of,  43,  47,  48. 

John  Baptist  eontineil  in,  43. 
MacKnight,  on  Christ's  baptism  at  the  hands  of  .)ohn 
Maclaren,  Ale.\ander,  577,  578. 
Maclay,  Archibald,  913,  932. 
Maelay  College,  Canada  West,  982. 
MacViear,  Malcolm,  935. 

Madison,  James,  his  relations  to  the  Baptists,  801. 
Madison  University,  872. 

presidents  of,  873. 


35. 


968 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


MuL'iiii;!.-!,  John  S.,  875. 
.Miif.'ii:i  Churtji,  ii-i. 

iiiiLulk'i!  Iiy  tlie  pope,  323. 
.Mull  .Meiilii,  tiist  fciimli;  cyiivert  in  Burnm,  617. 
MuinioniJus,  on  inlnlel■^ion,  31. 
Maine: 

Bapti>t  si.'ttlcments  in,  704,  70,'). 

convfi-siiiii  of  Diiniul  Mw'rill,  70.'),  70(1. 
.Miiiiie  Lilfmry  iind  Tlic'"lo(;i«il  liistitutioM,  873. 
.Maitlinui,  on  trine  innnersion,  330. 
Miiliiclii  : 

ljriil;;c>  tliL-  fruit   between  tlie  UIJ  unJ   Aew  revela- 
tions, l:i. 


l)rojilieey  of.  30. 
Malta,  I'aul  Inmls  i 


I  at,  Oj. 
.Mamei'lnie  Prison,  y7.     [See  1'ai'I..] 
.Man,  .lames,  tJ7U. 
Mandelay,  15urniu,  831. 
Manes : 

system  of,  3,3."). 

liis  tijeciloiry  diselaimeil  Ky  llie  I'aulieians,  231). 
Manielaeans,  The  : 

hatred  of  the  old  writers  for,  335. 
eontouniled  witli  the  I'aulieians,  334,  33'). 
Mimitoha,  ;i3S. 

Manniiif.',  Cardinal,  on  elerical  inlaHil)ility,  314. 
Manning',  Kdward,  '.131. 
Manning',  .lames,  717,  ii31. 

his  I'art'er  and  intluenee.  730,  731,  733. 

biofrraphieal  skcteh  of,  7S3. 
at  tTie  ("ontinental  Congress,  7S4. 
Mantz,  Felix : 

parentage  and  education.  33'). 

persecuted  for  rc-haptizing  adults,  335. 

Si'iiteneed  to  he  drowned.  33.'). 

etfects  of  his  cxecutinii,  335. 
Manuscriiits,  iliuminatiLl.  334. 
.Maoris,  Baptist  work  among,  '.I3t». 
.Mapes,  Walter,  inceLs  WaUlensians,  3S)4. 
.Mar  .\liba  translates  tlur  OKI  Testament  into  Syriae,  340. 
.\Iarbeck,  I'ilgniin  : 

his  works  interdicted,  386. 

disputes  witli  Bucer,  386,  387. 
.Marcu.s  Aurelius : 

various  opinions  of  the  character  and  m"tivis  of,  lii7. 

impositions  practiced  by,  190. 
Miirgaret  von  der  Saale,  35:1".     [See  Piiiup  of  IIksse.] 
.Mark,  cousin  to  Barnabius,  visit-s  Paul  in  prison,  97. 
Marshall,  Abraham,  758. 
Mai-shall,  Daniel,  770,  771. 
Marshall,  Martini,  771. 
.Mai-s  IliU,  Athens,  ti.3. 
.Marshman,  Joshua,  5K3. 
Martin,  James,  il39. 
Martin  of  Tours,  claims  suiicrior  dignity  to  the  emperor, 

31,5. 
Martyrs : 

the  first  Baptist  martyr,  45. 

fortitude  of  Ijaurentius,  173. 

Euplius  III  Sicily,  I'.Ml. 

Peter  of  Hruis,  burnt,  287. 

Arnold  of  Brescia,  hanged,  292. 

Peter  Sai.'cr,  312. 

l.ollard  nmrtvrs,  333,  324. 

Tylesworth,  NVm.,  burnt  as  a  Lollard,  326. 

Bainham,  James,  liurnt  as  a  Lollard,  336. 

(irebel,  Mantz,  ]3laurock.  aial   Ilubmever,  334.  335. 
836. 

Hetzer,  Ludwig,  34L 

Ulinmnn,  Wolfgang,  345. 

>Icyster,  Leonard,  392. 

Snyder,  Leonard,  392. 

Wagner,  (ieorge,  393. 

Saltier,  Michael.  394. 

Kayser,  Leonard,  403. 

Hans  of  Overtlam.  412. 

Dutch  martyrs,  413. 

English  Baptist  martyrs,  446. 

Askew,  Anne,  44S. 

Boucher,  Joiin,  449,  450. 

Terwoort,  Ilendrick,  451,  452. 


Mary  Sharj)  College,  878,  879. 
Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  25. 
-MiLson,  (iill)ert,  843. 
Mason,  .lob  and  Kussel,  668. 
Mason,  Nathan,  919. 
^Ia.s.sacllusetts : 

persecution  rela.ved,  718. 

relaxes  her  severity  toward  Baptists  during  the  Kevo- 
lutionary  War,  77S. 

struggle  for  religious  freedom  renewed  in,  808. 

the  Bill  of  Ki-hts,  809. 

full  religious  liberty  demanded  in,  810. 
Massacliusetts  Bay  Cohmy : 

Church  and  State  blended  in,  634. 

religious  tyranny,  635. 

BiiTitists  persecuted.  6s5. 
MiLssaciiusetts  Bay  Company,  not  a  purely  busine.s.s  ilssocI- 

ation,  633. 
Massasoit,  643. 

Mather,  ('otton  and  Licreuse,  718. 
Matliiesen,  369.     [Sec  Munstek  M.vu.n'Ess.] 

preaches  at  Miinster,  371. 
Matlliew  the  A]«>stlc: 

[iraetical  perception  and  gravity  of,  66. 

chosen  to  sueeeed  Judjis,  54. 

labors  in  Elhiojiia  and  Asia.  113. 
Maulinain  Mi.ssion,  the,  817,  818. 
Maurice.  Prince,  friendly  to  the  Bapti.st,s,  419. 
Maxiniian,  tlic  last  great  i>ersecution  under,  196. 
Maximus  the  Thracian,  liurned  the  churches,  172. 
Mayllower,  tlic,  619. 
Mcl-'oy,  James,  844. 
McLa'urin,  Donald,  937. 
McLean,  Archibald,  574. 
Mc.Mastei-,  William,  931,  933,  9.34. 
Maryland,  ]5a]itists  of: 

founding  of  the  iir.st  church.  759. 

slow  growth,  760. 

early  history  of  the  Sator  Church,  762. 

anti-.Missionism,  762. 

famous  names  among,  762. 
Mead,  Silas,  938. 

Mecca,  a  center  and  reluge  for  religious  sects,  232. 
Mcdes.  73. 
Mediterranean  Sea.  great  ancient  higliwav  of  civilization, 

the,  94. 
Median,  John  S.,  882. 
Mecks,  Joseph,  753. 

Melaiictlion  on  the  Anabaptists.  403,  404. 
Melbourne,  Victoria.  937.  93s.  93;i. 
Menander,  superstition  and  skepticism  of,  101. 
Jlennonites,  328. 

Baptists  formerly  so  called.  149. 

etforts  to  compel  theiii  to  enter  the  Reforiued  Church, 
413. 

baptism,  431. 

in  New  York,  746. 
Meuuo,  Simon: 

career  of,  410. 

rejects  infant  bajitism.  410. 

his  laboi-s,  41 1. 

laid  irreat  stress  on  irnmei-sion,  421. 

sad  testimony  of  concerning  the  Netherland  Baptists, 
424. 
Mcnsurius,  Bishop  of  Carthage,  falsely  accused  of  betray- 
ing the  Bible,  196. 

succeeded  by  Cceilianus,  201. 
Mercer,  Jesse,  880. 
Merivale  on  the  Doiiatists,  200. 
Merrill.  Daniel,  705. 
Merrill,  Moses,  841. 
Mesopotamia,  72. 
Metz,  the  Waldensians  in,  299. 
Mexico,  mission  to,  838. 
Michael : 

one  of  the  two  angels  called   bv  name  in  the  Bible, 
15. 

he  is  the  judicial  messenger,  15. 
Michaelis,  on  the  Peshito,  155. 
'  Michigan  Christian  Herald,'  886. 
Micmac  Indians,  Nova  Scotian  Bai)tist  mission  to,  923. 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


069 


Middle  Ages  : 

bHi>tism  and  baptisteries  in  the,  242. 

corruption  of  the  bisliops  in,  'H'A. 
Middleborough,    Mass.,   Separatist    Church    founded  at, 

7-20. 
Middleton,  Bishop  of  St.  David's: 

issues  an  iinuiiction  forbiddinf<  trine  imniei'sion,  4iS'. 
Middlctown,    N.  J.,  early    Baptist  settlements   at,   70'J, 

710. 
Milan,  baptistery  at,  254. 
Miles,  John  : 

birth  and  education,  678. 

eiui^jration,  070. 

organizes  tne  Swansea  Church,  G79. 

great  influence  of  in  Miv«sacliusetts,  681. 

deatli  of,  681. 
Milevium,  Council  of,  aiiatlieniatizcs  those  who  deny  the 

nece.ssity  of  infant  baptism,  216. 
Milk,  children  in  Ireland  sometimes  iinnievsed  in,  427. 
Miller,  Bcnianiin,  753,  757. 
Miller,  WilViam,  760,  770. 
Mills,  Colonel,  702. 
Milton,  John : 

birth  and  education,  540. 

studies  on  the  Continent,  540. 

takes  part  in  English  att'airs,  541. 

his  writings,  541. 

his  humanity,  542. 

nonconformity,  54.3. 

e.Npounds  Baptist  principles  and  positions,  544. 

views  of  infant  baptism,  545. 

called  an  '  .Anabaptist,'  546. 

John  Tolland  on,  .547. 
Minoi-s : 

Komau  law  concerning,  165. 

suiter  pei'secution  at  Carthage,  165. 
.Miracles ; 

miraculous  evidences  attest  the  presence  of  the  Spirit, 
72. 

baptismal  miracles,  212. 

of  the  Lord's  Supper,  224,  225. 
Missionaries.     [See  the  various  surnames.] 
Missionary  Papers,  Baptist,  881,  ss2. 
Missionary  Societies,  Canadian.     [Sec  British  A.verica.J 
Missionary  Union,  the  Baptist,  836. 
Missions : 

Paul's  first  great  expedition,  94. 

early  Church  full  of  missionary  energy,  157. 
Missions,  Foreign : 

Asia  and  Europe.  814. 

Karen  Mission,  the,  815. 

Maulmain  Jlission,  the,  SIG. 

Tavoy  Mission,  the,  817,  818. 

Ilenthada  and  Arraean,  820. 

Pri'iiie  and  Assam,  821. 

Siam  Mi^^ion,  die,  822. 

Telugu,  the,  823. 

Cliina  and  Japan,  824,  825. 

Congo  Mission,  the,  826. 

German  Missions,  827. 

Swedish  Mi.ssion,  the,  830. 

Shanghai  and  Africa,  836,  837. 

Brazil  and  Mexico,  838. 

Itidian  Mis.sion,  the,  839. 
Missions,  Home : 

Indian  .Mis.sionSj  839. 

Frccdmen,  Mission  to  the,  848. 
Mohammed : 

genius  and  motives,  232. 

seclusion  and  writings,  233. 

founded  a  political  religion,  234. 
.Mohammedans  intensely  proud  of  tlie  Koran,  234. 
-Mohamraedism : 

rise  of,  231. 

a  degenerate  Christianitv  paved  the  wav  for,  231. 

Koran,  the,  233,  2.34. 
.Molcch,  saeritices  of  children  to,  60. 
.\ronasteries,  tlie,  immoralities  practiced  in  the  sixteenth 

century,  377. 
Monica,  mother  of  .\ugustine,  219. 
Monita,  on  Waldensian  baptismal  l:>eliefs,  303. 


Monks ; 

numbers   found   in    Egypt   in   the   fourth    eentury, 
205. 

liiligent  students  of  the  Scriptures,  208. 

preaching  of  against  the  Cathari,  282. 
.Montanism.     [See  Montanists.] 
>Iontaiiist.s,  the: 

held  some  tenets  in  common  with  modern  Baptists, 
174. 

origin  of,  175. 

why  named  Anabaptists,  175. 

f)eculiar  beliefs,  175,  176. 
lonest  efforts  at  purity,  176. 

their  doctrines   nrmly  rooted   in  Africa  and   Gaul, 
176. 

deny  that  baptism  is  the  channel  of  grace,  177. 

female  pastors  among,  177. 

compulsory  baptism  of,  in  the  eighth  century,  243. 
Montanus: 

sketch  of  Ills  career,  175. 

■slanders  against,  175. 
Montreal,  Quebec,  Baptists  and  churches  of,  928. 
Moody,  Lady  Deborah,  684. 
Moravian  Baptists.     [See  German  Baptists.] 
.Morehouse,  H.  L.,  850. 

Morgan,  Abel,  sketch  of  liis  career,  712,  713,  716,  864. 
Morgan,  William,  616. 
Morse,  Asahel,  742. 
Morton,  Ambrose,  678. 
Morton,  John,  463. 
Morton,  Salmon,  843. 
Moschus,  Jolin,  relates  a  '  lying  wonder '  about  the  Lord's 

Supper,  225. 
Moshassuck  Eiver,  K.  L,  643. 
Mosheim : 

on  the  character  of  Heliogabalus,  167. 

on  date  of  Christianization  of  Britain,  227. 

on  Bossuetj  235. 

on  the  origin  of  the  raulicians,  239. 

on  the  Anabaptists,  356. 
Motley  on  collections  of  money  by  Dutch  Baptists,  417, 

418. 
.Moulton,  Ebenezer,  019. 

Moung  Nau,  fir.st  Baptist  convert  in  Burma,  815. 
Miihlhausen,  362,  371. 

MilUcr,  John,  leads  the  revolt  of  the  peasants,  363. 
Munro,  Andrew,  735. 
Miinster,  City  of: 

outrages  at,  371. 

preaching  of  Eothman,    Bockhold,    and    .Mathieson, 
S71. 

captured,  371. 
Miinster  Madness,  the : 

the  Miinster  men  Anabaptists,  368. 

Ypeig  and  Dermout  on,  368,  369. 

Matliicsen  and  liis  teacliing,  360. 

the  movement  subdued,  370,  371. 

ringleaders  put  to  death,  371. 

the  outcome  of  apt  teaching  and  exiini|>le,  375,  376. 

nude  indecencies,  378. 
Miinster  Rebellion,  tlie,  328. 
Miinzer,  Thomiis: 

pastor  in  Zwickau,  357. 

rcji-eti'd  infant  l)ai>tism,  357. 

protLCts  Storok,  357. 

deprived  of  liis  parish,  357. 

opposed  to  the  Baptists,  366. 

story  of  his  life,  366,  367. 
Mus.subnans.     [See  Moiiam.meuaN9.] 
Mystics,  the,  discard  the  notion  that  baptism  can  cloiinse 
a  soul,  356. 

N. 

NathanaeL     [See  Bartholomew.] 

'National  Bapti.st,  the,'  886. 

National  Theological  Institute,  849. 

Nazarite,  vow  of,  imposed  on  John  the  Baptist,  Samson, 

and  Samuel,  17. 
Neander : 

on  freedom  of  con.science  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  126. 


970 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


Nuiinder — Contlmiei. 

on  tlic  Apostolic  Church,  127,  128. 

on  eklers  ami  liishops  in  tiie  A]»osro]ic  Ciiiirclj,  Vil. 

deeliires   tluit   int'aiit   baplisiu  was  iioi  ui-lniis.'-iblc  in 
the  second  century,  li;^. 

on  the  character  and  t'ailin;rs  ofC'vjirian,  ISl. 

on  infant  i'upli^ni,  187. 

on  date  of  Cnristiafiization  ol"  Britain,  2'J7. 

on  the  tenets  of  tlie  I'anlieians,  2ys. 

on  lleiirv  of  rlut,'ny,  'JS6. 
Nel.-son,  KreJerick  O.,  S31. 

liani.slied  troni  Sweden,  ho'L 
N(l>on,  New  Zealand,  939. 
Nelson,  Kohert,  r)U.l. 
IS'eo-Ca'sarea,  Council  of,  on  ba|'tisni  of  an  unborn  babe, 

210. 
Nero,  the  Ktn|>eror: 

various  estinuites  of  his  cliaracter,  102. 

origin  and  pedi;free,  lo:i. 

liis  mother  and  fatlier,  loii. 

beauty  of  peivon,  lO'J. 

monstrous  crimes,  luii. 

Paul's  appeal  to,  10;;. 

contra.sted  with  Paul,  103. 

burns  Koine,  103,  104. 

proclaims  edicts  aj^ainst  the  Christians,  101. 

reliuilils  Rome,  10-1. 

Golden  House  of,  104. 

is  slain  bv  his  slave,  105. 

his  liody  linrnt,  105. 

c.\hibita  liim.self  in  the  Circus  Maximus,  105. 

tlccreed  by  tlie  Sciaitc  to  bir  an  enemy  of  the  .state, 
105. 
Nerva,  the  Emperor,  l'orl)ids  rcliL^ii'Us  persecution,  lis. 
Netherlands  Baptists,  the  ; 

early  refu^^ecs  from  VValdeiises,  407. 

rejected  infant  baptism,  4o7.  4o.s. 

did  not  participate  in  the  Minister  insurreetioii,  4o;). 

l)iiried  alive,  41'-'. 

bitter  persecution  of,  412. 

Diitcli  martyrs,  413. 

fiendish  tortures  inliietcd  on,  414,  415. 

they  increa.se  and  multiply,  415. 

money  collected  to  assist  the  Prince  of  (>rani;e.  417. 

dissensions  among  as  to  (Jhurch  discipline,  4-JO 

origin  of,  421,  422. 
New  Brunswick,  Baptists  of,  921. 
New  Hampshire,  Baptists  of: 

early  struggles,  7<i2. 

Kachel  Scjiminon,  703. 

Half-way  Covenant,  the,  703. 

the  Newton  church  orfranized,  7i)4. 

conversion  of  Dr.  Slieplicrd,  7*15. 

settlement  at  'Baptist  Hill,'  TOO. 

recent  statistics,  707. 

fiiinous  ministci's,  767,  7G8. 
New,  Isaac,  938. 
New  Jersey : 

first  Baptist  church  in,  709. 

religious  freedoni  guaranteed  in,  709. 

planting  of  Baptist  churches  in,  714. 
New  .lerusalem,  the,  at  Miinster,  328. 
New  Lights,  the,  742,  743. 
Newman,  A.  H.,  034,  935. 
Newport,  K.  I. : 

a  Jewish  congregation  organized  in,  055. 

church  of,  05S. 

first  church  at,  609,  671. 

banishment  of  Mrs.  Hutchinson    and    llr.    Whecl- 
■wright,  669. 

Morgan  Edwards  on  the,  671. 

honorable  history  of  tlie  Cliureh  at,  673. 

church  at  alw.ays  Calvinistic,  073. 
New  Testament,  translated  into  Assamese,  821. 
New  Teslaiiient  Period,  the: 

John  the  Baptist,  13. 

Baptism  of  Jesus,  the,  25. 

witness  of  the  Baptist  to  Christ,  80. 

Christ's  -witness  to  the  Baptist,  47. 

the  King  in  Zion,  57. 

laws  of  the  new  kingdom,  57. 


New  Testament  Period,  the — Continutd, 

Pentecost  and  Saul,  71. 

Paul  and  Gentile  missions,  b8. 

Nero  and  Paul,  99. 

Peter  and  .lolin,  99. 

Aj'o.stolic  Churches  the  only  model  for  all  Churches, 
114. 

ollici-rs  and  ordinances  of  the  Apostolic  Church,  129. 

the  Baptist  copy  of  the  Apo.slolic  Churches,  148. 
Newton,  l.saac,  discovery  of  the  law  of  gravity,  0. 
Newton  Theologicid  Institution,  874. 
New  York,  Baptists  of: 

conventicles  and  meetings  forbidden,  746. 

early  religious  persecution  of,  740.,  747. 

l.:idy  Moody  and  Gravesend,  747. 

VVickendeii,'  Kcv.  William,  "^4^. 

preaching  and  baptizing  in  New  York,  749. 

first  Baptist  Church,  75o,  751. 

how  connected  with  Block  Island  Baptists,  751,  752. 

the  first  Church  during  the  Pevolutionary  War,  755. 

new  Churches  foriiie<l.  750. 

tlie  second  Bajitist  Church,  756. 

Bethel  Church,  750. 

Fayette  St.  Church,  756. 

I  Hiver  Street  Church,  756. 

Epiphany,  Church  of  the,  750. 

liaplist  Association  formed,  756. 
New  Zealand.  939. 
North-west  Territory,  928. 
Nica-a,  <_'ouncil  of: 

Constantine  X'resides  over,  197. 

Ari:iiiism  coudcnined,  197. 

union  between  Church  and  State  tslablished,  197. 

a.ssembled  by  Constantine,  '^03. 

nuigiiilieence  of  the  prelates  attending,  203. 

marks  of  torture  borne  by  many  of  the  membei's,  203. 

Constantine  confirms  its  decrees,  :i04. 

ordained  that  no   Christian  should  be  without    the 
Scriptures,  20S. 

its  decree  concerning  the  bapti.sed  nam,  'Jll. 
Nice,  Council  of,  affirms  doctrine  of  transubstantiation, 

255. 
Nicholsburg  Articles,  the,  384. 
Nieodemus,  67. 
Nicomedia,  190. 
Nieluihr: 

on  the  religious  tolerance  of  Rome.  99. 
Ill  the  character  of  Constantine,  204,  205. 


Ning)>o,  mission  to,  825. 

"    Idh 

No-tus 


iMng)>o,  nil: 
Noddle's  Is 


land,  701,  703. 


error  of,  1 82. 

tried  for  blasp>hemous  utterances,  192. 
Nordin,  Robert,  727. 
North  Carolina : 

traces  of  early  Baptists  in,  727. 

early  pioneere,  757. 

open-air  meetings,  758. 

an  association  formed,  759. 

finiious  names  among,  759. 
North,  Robert,  752. 
Norlhrup,  Geo.  W,,  877. 
Norway,  Christianity  introduced  into,  240. 
Norwich,  Conn.,  striia-tiles  of  the  Baptist  church  at,  744. 
Nova  Scotia.  Baptistsof,  919. 

early  settlements,  919,  920. 

the  first  Ba|itist  a.ssociatiou  in,  920,  921. 

earliest  missionary  society,  922,  923. 
Novatian,  his  ca.se  the  first  recorded  instance  of  departure 

from  immersion  in  baptism,  177. 
Novatians.  the : 

ditfer  from  the  MontanLsfs.  177. 

called  Puritans,  178. 

rapid  increase  ill  numbers  and  power,  178. 

Adam  Clarke  on,  178,  179. 

Lardner  on  their  benefits  to  mankind,  179. 

were  Anabaptist*,  283. 
Nowel,  Increase,  0S9. 
Nude  baptism.     [See  Trine  Immeksion.] 

the  ancient  rite  described,  221. 

not  an  immodest  ceremony,  222. 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


971 


Nude  baptism — Continu*J. 

CIovis,  the  Fninkish  kinj;,  thus  buptizuJ,  222. 

otlier  notable  cases,  222,  223,  37S. 
Nuns,  nmubers  in  Kgypt  in  the  tburth  century,  205. 

0. 

Octavia,  wife  of  Nero,  102. 
lEcolainpadius; 

on  infant  baptism,  331. 

a  friend  to  Uenk  and  llubmeycr,  340. 

etfort.<  at  pacification,  347. 

advises  Council  of  Basle  to  adopt  severe  nica.sures 
against  Baptists,  347. 
Oglethorpe,  Governor,  770. 

Oldcaslle,  Sir  John  (Lord  Cobham),  executed  as  a  Lol- 
lard, 324. 
Old  Lights,  744. 

Olin,  Stephen,  on  the  Brook  Kidron,  77. 
Olmstead,  J.  W.,  SS2. 
Olney,  Thoma.s,  .Jr.,  6i)7. 
Olney,  Thomas,  Sr.,  iji'i4,  liG."). 
Olshausen,  quoted  on  John's  immersions,  35. 
Oman,  'to  immerse,'  loti. 
Ouekeu,  J.  G.,  S27,  S28,  829. 

on  the  formation  of  a  new  churcli  at  ilauibuig  in 
1834,  149. 
Ongole,  India,  823,  824. 
Ontario,  928. 
Orange,  Prince  of,  415. 

ertbrts  to  promote  liberty  of  conscience,  410. 

praises  the  Baptists,  419. 
Origen : 

blends  philosophy  with  revelation,  182. 

repels  the  charge  of  Celsus,  184. 

early  life  and  conversion,  185.  ^ 

urges  treedom  of  religious  opinion,  192. 
'Orthodox  Creed,'  the,  5.54,  556,  558. 
Osborne,  Thomas,  70i). 
Osgood,  Howard,  915. 
Otuo,  Saint,  on  ancient  nude  baptism,  222. 
Otsego  Association,  the,  843. 
Overseers.     [See  Pastors.] 


Paganism : 

strength  of  under  the  Roman  Empire,  100. 

its  many  deities,  100. 

the  Roman  emperors  deified,  101. 

carefully  fostered  for  state  reasojis,  101. 

semi-scepticism  of  its  votaries,  101. 
Paine,  Dr.,  on  immei-sion,  142. 
Paine,  Solomon,  742. 
Painter,  Thomas,  683. 
Palestine : 

under  the  Koman  dominion,  14. 

petty  feuds  of  the  Roman  rulei-s,  14. 

poverty  of  the  land,  129. 
Palmer,  Elder,  727. 
Palmer,  Paul,  757. 
Pamphylia,  72. 
Papias : 

father  of  pernicious  tradition,  the,  ISO. 

great  dislike  for  Paul,  157. 
Paris,  Matthew,  on  date  of  Chnstianizntion  of  Britain,  227. 
•  Parma,  liaptistery  at,  253, 
Parker,  Joseph,  757. 
Parsons,  Stephen,  742. 
Parthia,  72. 
Particular  Baptists : 

a  church  organized  at  Shrewsbury,  England,  460. 

confession  of  faith.  554. 

first  genei'al  assembly,  the,  558. 

decline  among  the,  559. 
Pastors  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  134,  135. 

styled  presbyters  or  elders  bv  Hebrew  (,'hristians,  134. 

called  bishops  or  overseers  ^v  the  Gentiles,  134. 

are  bishops,  135. 

Xcander  on,  135,  136. 

elected  by  each  Apostolic  Churcli,  1"23. 

method  of  election,  124. 


Pastors  in  the  Apostolic  Church — Conlinued. 

rule  exerci.sed  by,  130. 

tidse  pretensions  connected  with  the  word  '  bishop,' 
130. 
Patei-son,  James,  577. 
Patience,  Thomas,  571. 
Patrnos,  Isle  of.  111. 
Patrick,  Saint: 

immersed  seven   kings   and  eleven   thousan<l   con- 
verts, T9. 

instructs  the  Irish  in  the  use  of  Koman  letters,  224. 
Patton,  A.  S.,  886. 
Paul  the  Apostle  [see  Saul]  : 

finds  twelve  believers  at  Ephesus,  52,  53. 

in  the  .synagogue,  88. 

mission  to  the  Gentiles,  88. 

Arabian  seclusion,  89. 

assailed  by  foes,  90. 

returns  to  Uaniascus,  90. 

made  known  to  Peter  by  Barnabas,  91. 

received  with  doubt  by  the  disciples,  91. 

visits  Jerusalem,  92. 

vast  labors  in  Antioch,  94. 

first  great  missionary  expedition,  94. 

lands  at  Salamis,  and  dr<jps  the  name  of  Saul,  94. 

takes  precedence  of  Barnabas,  94. 

epistles  of,  94,  95. 

shipwrecked  at  Malta,  95. 

miracle  of  the  viper,  95. 

journeys  to  Rome,  95,  90. 

arrives  at  Appii  Forum,  95. 

welcomed  by  the  Roman  brethren  to  the  Three  Tav- 
erns, 95,  90. 

delivered  to  Burrus  Afranius,  96. 

permitted  to  dwell  in  his  own  hired  house  in  Rome, 
96. 

legendary  horrors  of  the  Mamertinc  Prison,  97. 

sick  in  prison,  97. 

slowness  of  his  accusers  to  ap|iear,  97. 

released  from  imprisonment,  97. 

subsequent  travels,  97. 

close  of  the  Scripture  narrative  concerning,  97. 

success  of  his  preaching  in  Rome,  97. 

expounds  the  new  doctrine  to  the  Jewish  elders,  97. 

spends  two  busy  years  in  Rome,  97. 

confers  with  leading  Jews  in  Rome,  97. 

martyrdiim  at  Rome,  97. 

iiis  (.'pistlus  peniK'fl.  98. 

parallels  lictwcen  Paul  and  Luther  and  Hunyan,  98. 

appeals  to  Nero,  102. 

Nero  and  Paul  contrasted,  103. 

instructs  deacons,  132. 
Paul,  the  founder  of  the  PauUcians,  arrest  and  punish- 
ment of,  239. 
Paulicians,  the,  9. 

persecutions  of,  234. 

coupled  with  the  Mimichaeans,  234. 

slandered,  236. 

disclaimed  tlie  theology  of  Manes,  230. 

tenets  of,  236. 

true  history  of,  237. 

their  attitude  toward  the  Christian  ordinances,  238. 

were  reformed  Maniohwans,  238. 

their  spirituality,  239. 

Mosheim  on  the  origin  of,  239. 

persecuted,  240. 

rebel,  and  ally  themselves  with  Mussulmans,  240. 

one  thousand  barbarously  put  to  death,  240. 

fly  to  arms  in  self-defense,  240. 

emigrate  to  Europe,  240. 
Palimpsests,  first  appearance  of,  240. 
Paulinus,  Bishop,  baptistery  of,   Northumberland,  En- 
gland, 255. 
Paul's  Epistles  the  first  to  be  collected  into  one  volume, 

155. 
Peasants'  War,  the : 

causes  of,  362. 

begins  in  the  Black  Forest,  363. 

rapid  spread  of  the  insurrection,  363. 

the  peasants  demand  their  rights,  304. 

a  general  uprising,  304. 


972 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


Pt-a^iUiith'  War,  tlu* — Coiitiitnett. 

distinct  from  tljc  Miidnuss  ofMiinstcr,  364. 

the  PeurfiiiitH  wuve  not  Aiialmptists,  :iii-l. 

Lutlicr'8  |iaiiiiil.lft  a).'aiiist,  SUfl. 

no  traofs  of  Anabajili.-t  fanaticism  seen  in  tlic  IVas 
ants'  War,  3i;G. 

l)arharitics  f>f  tiic  princes,  308. 
IVcli,  Joliii  M  .  Ml. 
I'edalion,  tlic.  Ml. 
J'cdobapli.sm.     [See  Hakes,  H.mtism  ok. J 

\'encina  quoted  on,  104. 
Pe(loba)itist,  the  term  defined,  'jsa. 
rdafrius,  denies  tlie  need  of  infant  liaptism,  217. 
I'eUijrius,  Pope  : 

complains  of  the  Kimomians,  I'lV. 

atUrnis  necessity  of  trine  l>a[>lisni,  247. 
I'ennepek,  Pa.,  settlement  ()f  early  Baptists  at,  707. 
Peini^ylvania  : 

the  Baptists  of,  7ot'.. 

settlement  at  I'cnnepek,  707. 
I'cntccost : 

Saul  and  J'enlecost,  71. 

lintruistic  miracle  at,  72. 

Peter's  sermon  at,  73. 

coronation  llame  at,  73. 

rusliin^,  mij;hly  wind  at,  73. 

baptism  of  the  tlirce  thousand,  74. 

anciently  a  time  tor  baj-tisni,  251. 

tlio  cloven  ton^^ues  illustrated,  203. 
Perfusion,  in  llie  case  of  Novatian,  177,  17b. 
I'eiiodicals,  Baptist,  bSl,  8S7.     [See  the  respective  titles.] 
1  'ersccutions : 

of  the  prinntivt;  Christians,  90. 

causes  of,  ilii,  100. 

motives  influencing  the  jiersccuting  eiupcrors,  101. 

Nero's  pei-seciuion  befjins,  104. 

Christians  liorribly  tortured  by  Nero,  104. 

imperial  severity,  107. 

barbarities  inflicted  during  the  various  persecutions, 
168. 

tile  Decian  ])erseeution,  172. 

under  Ciallus  and  \'alcrianj  173. 

Valerian  issues  anti-Ciiristiun  edicts,  173. 

cease  in  the  West,  174. 

last  bitter  persecution  under  Diocletian,  I'.M'.. 

vigorous  persecution  of  tlie  Donatists,  213. 

by  Christians,  214. 

atrocity  of  the  persecution  of  tlie  Paiilicians,  234. 

one  thousand  I'aulicians  slain,  240. 

ten  French  f>riests  burnt  at  Orleans,  240. 

massacre  of  the  Albigenses,  279. 

pei*sccution  of  tlie  Cathari,  281, 

NValdensian  pci-sccutions,  2ii7,  300. 

crusade  of  Siuion  de  Montfort  against  the  Wnhlenses. 
310. 

of  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  320. 

Lollard  persecutions,  323,  324. 

Protestant  cruelty,  333. 

Reform<-d  Inquisition,  the.  335. 

barbarities  intlicted  on  Baptists  at  Basle,  34S. 

Baptists  punished  by  drowning,  350. 

barbarities  of  the  princes  in  tlie  Peasants'  War,  368. 

Baptists  persecuted  in  Moravia,  3S0. 

sutt'erings  of  the  Augsburg  martyrs,  392. 

shocking  cruellies  inliictedon  Bavarian  Baptists,  394. 

crusade  against  the  Tvrolean  Haptists,  39.1,  390. 

the  Kdicl  of  Sjiire,  402. 

of   Lutlier,    Zwingli,    and   Melanctlion    against    tlie 
Baptists,  403,  404. 

Baptist-s  buried  alive,  412. 

fiendish  tortures  inflicted  on  Netlierlands  Baptists,414. 

Baptists  in  A[assacliusetts  Bay  Colony  harried,  685. 

of  the  Boston  Baptists,  687. 
Persecution,  Kcligious,  abhorred  bv  Baptist.severv-where, 

154. 
Persic  Version,  the,  241. 

Perth,  Councils  of,  tacitly  enjoin  immersion,  427. 
Perth,  Tasmania,  939. 
Peshito,  the : 

its  faithfulness  to  the  original,  15.i. 

reflects  the  baptism  of  the  second  century,  156. 


I'eter  the  Apo.slle: 

hardness  of,  60. 

sermon  ut  Pentecost,  73. 

laboi-s  of,  among  the  scattered  Jews,  106. 

scanty  luographical  details  coneenilng,  107. 

not  mentioned  in  Acts  after  ehaitter  xv,  107. 

personal  and  mental  traits,  107,  108. 

intimacy  with  .Je>us,  107. 

visits  Babylon,  los. 

closing  vears  lost  in  gloomy  tradition,  108. 

doubtful  if  he  ever  saw  Home,  108.  KJ9. 
Peter  Chelcieky : 

the  forerunner  of  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  318. 

tenets  and  i>reaeliing,  318.  319. 

his  followei-s,  319.     [Sec  CiiELcic,  Bketieken  of.] 
Peter  of  .\lexandria,  quoted  on  the  aut'igraph   MS.   of 

John's  (Jospcl,  156. 
Peter  of  Hruis,  284,  285. 

burnt,  287. 

great  si>read  of  his  doctrines,  287. 
Petilian.      [.See  I)oN.\T18TS.  ] 
Pet<i,  Sir  Samuel  Morion,  590. 
Petrobrusiaris,  the,  283. 

a  sect  of  Baptists,  284. 

an  anti-sacerdotal  sect,  2**6. 

belonged  to  the  common  people,  286. 

peculiar  tenels,  2s0,  2S7. 

denied  that  tlie\  were  Anabaptists,  327. 
Phelp.s,  S.  I).,  SS2." 
I'hiladelphia,  Pa.: 

planting  of  Baptist  eliurehes  in.  711.  712. 

First  Church,  the,  712. 

Philadelphia  .\ssocialion  formed,  715. 
I'liiladelphia  I'.ible  Convention,  89S. 
I'hilemon,  Paul's  E]iistle  to,  98. 
Philip  the  Apostle  : 

teachableness  of,  66. 

labors  in  Phrygia,  113. 
Philip  of  lle.sse. 

bigamy  of,  359. 

IjUther  and  Melanctlion  apjirove  his  bigamous  mar- 
riage, 3.")'.t. 
Philippiaiis,  Letter  to  the,  9S. 
l'hilo.\emian  Version,  the,  240. 
I'hocas,  Emperor,  232. 
Pliotius  of  Constantinople,  23.'. 

false  witness  against  the  Paulicians,  230,  237. 
Phrygia,  72. 

Pictures,  allegorical,  201. 
Pictures,  Ancient  Bajitismal,  256,  275.     [See  List  of  1l- 

l.i:STH.\T10NS.  I 

Pilate,  Christ's  reply  to,  58. 

Pilgrims  and  I'uritaiis,  dirt'crenccs  between,  622. 

Pilgrims,  the  Plymouth; 

landing,  020. 

solemn  compact  of,  620,  021. 

liberties  in  tlolland,  621. 

their  povertv,  021. 
Pillar  Saint,  'lying  wonder'  told  of  a  certain,  225. 
I'indar,  cited  :us  to  meaning  of  Greek   word   •  baptizo,' 

34. 
Pisa,  Baptistery  of,  251,  252,  253. 
Piscataqua,  N.  J.,  Bapti.st  cliurch  at,  710. 
Piscataqua,  Me.: 

a  church  organize  1  at,  710. 

known  as  '  Anabaptist  Town,'  711. 
Pistoia,  baptistery  at,  2.54. 
Plank,  on  Luther's  treatment  of  the  question  of  infant 

baptism,  358. 
I'latonism  : 

corruption  of  Christianity  with,  194. 

growth  of.  195. 

none  of  the  churches  entirely  free  from  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  fourth  century,  195. 
Pliny,  superstition  and  skepticism  of,  101. 
Plumptre,   Dean,  on  baptism  of  the  three  thousand  at 

Pentecost,  74. 
Plutarch,  makes  religion  a  neces.sary  basis  of  civil  gov- 
ernment, 99. 
Plymouth,  Miuss.,  landing  at.  620. 
Pococke,  estimate  of  the  Jordan's  volume,  33. 


GENEHAL  INDEX. 


973 


Poland: 

peasant  insurrection  in,  303. 

mission  work  in,  829. 
I'olyhius; 

"cited  lus  to  nieauing  of  Greel<  word  '  Iwiptizo,'  34. 

extols  the  piety  of  the  pa^uii  Kotnuus,  U9. 
Polycarp  ; 

"character,  life,  and  writinfjs,  158. 

heroic  death,  l.'jy. 
Pompeii,  discoveries  of  ancient  baths  at,  249. 
Poutife.\  Ma.\iinus,  101. 
Pontus,  72. 

Pontypool  College,  Wales,  liOS. 
Pool,  Kobert : 

attacks  the  Baptists,  4ej!<. 

controversy  with  Kiflin,  469. 
Poole,  William,  '.m. 
Pools  of  Jcriisaleiu.     [See  the  various  names.] 

free  of  use  to  the  public,  77. 
Popptea : 

kicked  to  death  by  Nero,  102. 

shameless  vices  and  e.\trava«;ancc,  102. 
Portsmouth,  K.  I.,  and  its  churches,  (J70. 
Posey,  Ilumiihrey,  844. 
Post- Apostolic  Aire,  the  : 

the  Church  in  the  secontl  ccntur}',  155. 

the  Church  in  the  thini  century,  172. 

tlie  Church  in  the  fourth  century,  194. 

the  Clmrch  in  the  lillli  century,  211. 

the  Church  iu  the  sixtli  to  ihe  ninth  century,  22ij. 

baptism  and  baptisteries  in  the  middle  aj^cs,  24;j. 

ancient  buptistual  pictures,  25*1. 

the  Church  in  the  tweltlh  century,  276. 

the  Waldeusians,  294. 

Bohemian  Brethren  and  the  Lollards,  313. 
Powell,  Vavasor,  GOO. 
Pra-torium  at  Kome,  the,  96,  97. 
Prague,   Council   of,  censures  the   pride  of  tlie   higher 

clergy,  244. 
Prayer-book,  the,  use  of  forbidden  by  Parliament,  484. 
Prayer-book  of  1549,  aspersion  permitted  therein  in  the 

ease  of  weak  infants,  428. 
Prayer-book  of   Edward  VI.,  enjoins  only  a.  single  im- 
mersion, 429. 
Preachers,  noted  xVmerican  Baptist,  852. 
Preger,  on  Waldensian  Church  Government,  305. 
Presbyters.     [See  Elders.  J 
Presbytery  in  the  Apostolic  Church,  137. 
Price,"  John,  681. 
Prince  Edward  Island,  928,  929. 
Pritchard,  William,  607. 
Prome,  Mission  to,  821. 
Proselytes  of  Righteousness,  31, 
Proselvtes  of  the  Gate,  31. 
Providence,  R.  I.; 

fouJiding  of,  643. 

revival  in,  668. 

church  at,  658,  661. 

troubles  in  the  church  at,  668. 

defective  church  records,  664. 

laying  on  of  himds,  666. 

Manning's  pastorate,  667. 
Proxies.     j^Sce  Sponsors.] 
Prugner,  Nicholas,  387. 
Prussia,  mission  work  in,  829. 
Pryor,  William,  924. 

Pseudo  Reinerius,  on  the  Waldensians,  303. 
Publication  Society,  the  Baptist,  888. 
PuUus,  Cardinal,  on  three  symbolisms  of  immersion,  247. 
Purgatory,  growth  of  the  iloctrine  of,  215. 
Puritans,  the : 

a  different  people  from  the  Pilgrims,  622. 

their  aversion  to  the  Separatists  of  Leyden,  622. 

aristocracy,  623. 

founded  a  state,  624. 

persecuted  on  priBciple,  625. 

persecution  of  the  Browns,  626. 
Puritans  of  Mas.suohusetts,  intolerant  and    inquisitorial, 

693. 
Puteoli,  Italy,  95. 
E^e,  John,  758. 


Quakers.     [See  Friends,  Society  of.] 

persecuted  in  Virginia,  726. 
Quebec,    Province    of.    Baptist    progress    in,   927.     [See 

MoNTKEAl.-J 

Queen  of  Versions.     [See  Armi.max  Version.] 
Queensland,  939. 

R. 

Rabbins,  the,  84 : 

their  minute  teachings,  84,  85. 
Rabbis,  sayings  of  the,  23. 
Rand,  S.  1'.,  923. 
Kand,  Theodore  H.,  936. 
Randall,  Benjamin,  767. 
Rangoon,  Burma,  816. 

mission  work  in,  815. 
Ransom,  Eli.sha,  768. 

Ratram,  writes  against  transubstaiitiation,  255. 
Kavenna,  baptistery  at,  269,  270. 
Kaveiina,  Council  of,  aspersion  permitted  by,  427. 
Ray,  Simon,  Jr.,  752. 

Reek,  Stevenson,  barbarities  intiicted  on,  725. 
Rccs,  David,  939. 
Reformation,  Era  of  the  : 

Zwingli  and  Faber,  330. 

Council  of  Zurich  and  its  decrees,  331,  332. 

early    Baptist    martyrs    in    Switzerland,    334,    335, 
336. 

confessions  of  faith,  early  Baptists,  240. 

Zwickau  and  Lutiicr,  .S54. 

Peasants'  War,  the,  362. 

(icrman  Baptists,  the,  379,  395. 

Bajitists  iu  the  Netherlands,  407. 
Kefornicd  Inquisition,  the.     [Sec  ZfRioii,  CorxciL  ok.] 
Regeneration,  Baptismal : 

corrupting  influence  of  the  absurd  d<jctrine  ol,  211. 

Chrysostom  on,  211. 

Gibbon,  Edward,  on,  212. 

growth  and  spread  of  the  heresy,  213. 
Registry  Act,  of  1653,  the,  486. 
Regular  Baptists  in  Virginia,  731. 
Relic  worship,  205. 
•  Religious  Herald,'  the,  883. 
Remigius  immerses  Clovis  I.  and  3,000  warriors  in  one 

day,  79. 
Remington,  Stephen,  881. 
Renan,  Ernest,  on  the  character  of  Christ,  63. 
Resident's  Oath.     [See  Williams.  Roger.] 
Restoration,  tlie  English,  Baptists  in  the,  540. 
Rcuchlin,  314. 

Revisers,  Anglo-American,  35, 
Revision,  Bible,  900,  901,  90.3,  908. 
Revivals,  Baptist,  872. 

general  awakening  in  18.30,  889. 

evangelists,  American,  890. 

in  Eastern  Canada,  928. 
Eevolutionary  War,  the  American: 

Baptists  "in,  776. 

large  increase  of  churches  during,  776. 

ditficulties  of  Baptists  in,  777. 

Massachusetts  rela.\es  her  severity  toward  Baptists  in, 
778. 

action  of  the  Massachusetts  Congress,  786. 

Baptist  patriotism  during,  789. 

Baptist  Revolutionary  soldiers,  791. 

destruction  of  the  Gaapee,  792. 

Baptist  chaplains,  794,  795. 
Reyner,  John,  674. 
Khees,  Morgan  John,  609. 

Rhegius  instigated  the  Augsburg  persecution,  392,  393. 
Rhoda,  the  servant-maid,  107. 
Rhode  Island: 

settlement  of,  641. 

Williams,  Roger,  642. 

foun.liiig  of  Providence,  643. 

freedom  in,  649,  650. 

'Revision  of  1745,  the,'  650. 

Roman  Catholic  freedom  in,  651. 

Jewish  freedom  in,  655. 


974 


QEyKIiAI.   INDEX. 


Kliode  IsliiuJ — Continued. 

civil  and  religious  liberty  in,  656. 

i'rovidence  iiml  Newport  cliurclies,  658. 

Btru!<(;les  for  constituliomil  liberty,  7'J7. 
'Kliv.slloUVSW. 
Kice,  Luther,  814,  b44,  882. 
Kiglit.*,  Ma.<.sachuse!t,s  Bill  ol',  80'.i. 
Kipley,  Dr.,  on  wbat  con.stitute.'*  an  apostolic  cliurcli,  'J. 
Kippon,  John,  5(!1. 
Koberts,  I.  J.,  8.3i;. 

Kobcrtson,  Kret-leriek,  (juoted  on  Jolin'.s  ministry,  hb. 
Kobinson,  Kzekiel  (J.,  87.'>. 
Kobiiison,  John,  4''j2,  46:;. 

Kobinson,  Kobert,  quoted  on  iiitcrruj)led  succession,  2. 
Kobinson,  tSanuiel,  Tii. 
Kochostcr  Thcolo^'icul  Seminary,  875. 
Kochester  University,  867,  868. 
Kogers,  William,  biographical  sketch,  795. 
Konian  Catholic  Church. : 

its  erroneous  notion  that  it  is  the  most  ancient  com- 
munion, 14S». 

granted  freedom  iu  Khode  Island,  651,  652. 
Roman  Emijire : 

far-reaching  sway  of,  13,  14. 

Palestine  under  the,  14. 

division  of  the,  211. 
Romans : 

infanticide  common  among,  61*. 

regarded  Christians  as  a  mere  Jewish  sect,  107. 
Rome  : 

baths  at,  78. 

Paul's  arrival  at,  96. 

martyrdom  of  Paul  at,  97. 

results  of  Paul's  preaching  in,  97. 

Paul's  two  busy  years  in,  97. 

religious  tolerance  her  steady  policy,  99. 

basis  of  religi<'ns  freedom,  91*. 

blending  of  politics  and  religion,  99. 

pantheon  fo]'  tlie  iilols  of  the  world,  99. 

many  gods  of,  lOu. 

the  emperors  deified,  101. 

superstition  among  the  educated  classes,  101. 

Ijurned  by  Nero,  103,  104. 

rebuilt  bv  Nero,  104. 

doubtful 'if  Peter  ever  saw  the  city,  108,  109. 

Christianity  introduced  into,  109. 

the  early  Church  at,  121. 

how  constituted,  121,  122. 

squalor  in,  129. 

laws  concerning  minors,  165. 

baptistery  of  St.  John  Lateran,  251,  252. 
KudoliOi  II.  persecutes  Moravian  Baptists,  383. 
Rufinus  charges  Jerome  with  taking  lil>erties  witli  the 

laws  of  tran.slation,  209. 
Russell,  John,  701. 
Russia,  Mission  work  in,  829. 
Kymker,  F.  L.,  830. 


Sabellians,  excomniuuicaled  by  Callixtus,  183. 

Sacred  River  of  Palestine,  33. 

Sager,  Peter,  martyrdom  of,  312. 

Sahidic  Version,  the,  156. 

Saint  Paul's  Bay,  Malta,  05. 

Salamis,  island  of,  94. 

Saul  here  changes  his  name  to  Paul,  94. 
Salem,  religious  offenses  at,  636. 
Salem  Church,  the ; 

earl  v  pastors,  628. 

intolerance  of  the,  628. 
Salome,  daughter  of  Herod  Philip,  43. 

dances  before  the  revelers,  4-4. 

craves  the  head  of  John  Baptist  on  a  dish,  45. 
Saltonstall,  Richard,  protests  against  religious  tyranny  in 

Massachasetts,  689,  690. 
Salvation : 

by  faith,  42. 

for  infants,  69,  70. 
Sanderson,  Bishop,  620. 
Sands,  James  and  Nilcs,  761. 


Sands,  John,  752. 

SaniLs,  William,  883. 

Saiiford,  Miles,  886. 

Sanheilrin,  deputation  from  waits  on  John,  31. 

.'^an  t2"ida,  the  Burmese,  819. 

Saracens,  capture  Alexandria  and  Antioch,  226. 

Sarles,  John  We.sley,  711. 

Saruni,  Council  of,  enjoins  immersion,  427. 

.■sator,  Ilenry,  759. 

Sattler,  Michael,  a  Baptist  martyr  at  Rulhenbure,  394. 

Saturn,  sacrifices  of  children  offered  to  by  Carthaginians, 

69. 
Saul : 

meets  Stephen  in  dispute,  80. 

jiresent  at  Stephen's  martyrdom,  80. 

makes  havoc  of  tlie  Church,  81. 

of  Jewi.sh  parentjige,  182. 

birth,  education,  and  early  life,  82,  83,  84. 

instructed  in  all  Hebrew  scholai-shii),  84. 

made  a  thorough  Talnmdist,  S4. 

enters  on  his  crusade  against  the  Nazarene  heresy, 
85. 

journeys  to  Danuuscus,  86. 

smitten  to  the  ground,  86. 

stricken  and  helpless,  88. 

conversion,  88,  89.     [See  pAtx.J 
Saunders,  John,  9.37. 
.Savonarola : 

martyrdom,  319. 

in  syiii]iathy  with  the  Boheniiau  Brethren,  321. 

career,  wondeiful  oratory,  death,  321. 
Sawtre,  William,  first  Lollard  martyr,  323. 
Sawyer,  .\.  W.,  :i2ii. 
Sawyer,  Ejihraiiu,  769. 
Sax'inv,  ]>ea.sant  rising  in,  363. 
Seaiiimon,  Rachel,  763. 
Sehatf,  Pliilip  : 

on  traditional  site  of  Christ's  baptism,  33. 

on  compulsory  iutaut  baptism.  218. 
Sehatihausen,  Switzerland, 358. 
Schleicrmacher,  on  iufjmt  baptism,  165,  166. 
Sehleitheim  Confession,  the,  340,  341,  345.  [See  Appen- 

Dl.X.] 

Schmidt,  on  the  origin  of  the  Cathari.  277. 

Schwenktield,  Ca.sper,  on  the  .Anabapti.sti,  405. 

Scituate,  controvei'sv  at,  676. 

Scott,  W.  1'.,  9SS. 

Scottish  Baptists.     [See  B.vptists,  Scottish.] 

Scriptures,  the,  translated  bv  Dr.  Judson  into  Burmese. 

818.     [SeeBiBLE.J 
Sereven,  William,  704. 
Scriven,  General,  791. 
Scales,  Barnas,  887. 
Seai-s,  E.  G.,  887. 

Sea- water,  immersion  in  permitted,  427. 
Se-baptism  of  Smyth,  John,  457,  458. 
Seminaries,  Baptist  Theological,   872.     [See  the  various 

titles.] 
Seminaries,  colored,  850. 
Seminaries,  female : 

Granville,  0.,  878. 

Georgetown,  Ky.,  878. 
Semler,  on  Tertulliiin's  Ik  Baptisirw,  161. 
Seneca,  on  the  character  of  Nero,  102. 
Separate  Baptists  in  Virginia,  731. 
Separatism,  English,  619. 
Separatist.s.  the,  719. 

Whiteficld's  relations  to,  720. 
Septuagint  Version,  35. 
Sermon  on  the  Mount,  the.  60. 
Seven  Articles,  the,  34<X 
Seven  Churches  of  .\sia,  137. 
Seventh-Day  Baptists : 

founded,  552. 

never  numerous  in  England,  552. 
Shailer,  W.  H.,  883. 
Shall),  Alexander,  939. 
Shanghai,  mission  to,  837. 
Sharp,  Daniel,  857. 
Shenston   T.  S.,  931. 
Sherwood,  Adiel,  771,  772. 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


978 


Ship,  the,  in  early  Christian  sviulwlisin,  258. 
Slniclf,  J.  L.,  836. 
Siani,  mission  to,  82a. 
Siculus,  I'etor,  235,  236. 

false  testimony  nj;ainst  tile  Pauliciaus,  237. 
Sigisiuunil,  Emperor,  317,  31S. 
Siroam,  Pool  of,  75. 

populace  bathed  therein,  78. 
Simon  de  Montfort  exterminates  the  Waklenses,  310. 
Simon  Magus,  67. 

Simon  Zelotes,  fiery  inipulsivene.^s  of,  06. 
Simon    the    Apostle,    traditionary    labors  in    Ejiypt   and 

Lydin,  113. 
Simmons,  J.  B.,  SIS. 
Sinfting: 

controversy  on,  540. 

introduced,  550. 
Sion  Kent.     [See  Gwent,  John.] 
Sitter  Kiver,  the,  suited  for  immersions,  353. 
Si.\-Article  Act,  the,  325. 
Sixpenny  Donation,  the,  .508. 
Six-Principle  Baptist  As.«ociation,  the,  51tl. 
Six-Principle  Baptists,  667. 

established  a  General  Assembly,  569. 

tenets  of,  569. 
Sixtus  IV.,  Pope,  infamies  practiced  bv,  377. 
SUvle,  George.  93:i. 
Smith,   Captain   John,  establishes  religious   worship  at 

Jamestown,  724. 
Smith,  D.  A.  W.,  S17. 
Smith,  llczekiah,  717,  765. 

sketcli  of  his  career,  714. 

biographical  sketch,  793. 
Smith,  J.  .v.,  886. 
Smith,  Leroy,  8S6. 
Smith,  Samuel  F.,  858. 
Smithtield,  Dutcli  .\nabaptists  burnt  at,  446. 
Smoke  Farthings,  the,  508. 
Smyth,  John: 

three  Coufession.s  of  Faith,  440. 

Church  at  Amsterdam,  442. 

Barbour  on  his  baptism,  443. 

education  and  pei'secution,  4.53. 

flees  to  .\msterdam,  453. 

with  others  forms  a  new  Church,  453. 

peculiar  tenet.s,  453. 

offers  to  join  the  '  Waterlanders,'  454. 

death  of,  454. 

secession  from  the  Brownists,  455. 

his  Se-baptisin,  456,  458,  459. 

his  baptism  probably  immersion,  458. 

retracts  his  error,  463. 
Snyder,  Leonard,  martyred  at  Augsburg,  392, 
Sojourner,  William,  7.57. 
Solomon's  Pools,  76. 
South  Australia,  938. 
South  Carolina  Baptists  stand  firmly  for  religious  liberty, 

704,  812. 
Spain,  traditional  visit  of  Paul  to,  97. 

felt  little  of  the  Diocletian  persecution,  198. 

Synod  of  Elvira,  109. 

Spanish  Catholicity  in  its  infancy,  199. 

controversy  about  trine  baptism  insi.xlh  century,  247. 

Waldensians  in,  299. 
Spelman  Seminary,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  850. 
Spencer,  Bishop  of  Norwich,  threats  against  Lollards,  626. 
Spilsbury,  John ; 

establishes  a  Church  at  Wapping,  460. 

h'ls  Church  iinmersionist,  462. 
Spire,  city  of,  confederacv  of  peasants  at,  363. 
Spire,  Edict  of,  402. 
Spire,  Protest  of,  400,  401. 
Spirit,  the  Holy,  Jesus  prays  for,  38. 

sent  by  (;hnst  to  succor  the  infant  Church,  71,  72. 

miraculous  evidences  of,  72. 
Sponsors  in  baptism,  1 88. 

proposed  hy  some,  164. 

objected  to  by  Tertullian,  164. 

trouble  concerning,  218. 
Sprinkling.     [See  Aspersion.] 
Spur,  John,  685. 


Spurdeii,  Cliarles,  924. 
Spurgeon,  Charles  H.  : 

biographical  sketcli,  596. 

toil  and  success,  597. 
Spurgeon,  Thomas,  030. 
Spurious  Scriptures,  earlv  apjiearanee  of,  156. 
S.iuire,  Philip,  703. 
Siallsmen,  the,  355. 
'  Standard,  the,'  886. 
Siaiili-y.  Dean,  quoted  on  John's  surname  of  '  Baptist,'  3f- 

on  tile  Brook  Kidron,  77. 

on  ablutions  in  the  Ea.st,  70. 

on  immersion  in  the  early  Church,  161,  162. 

on  administration  to  intiiuts,  101. 

on  nude  baptism,  221. 

on  the  li.aptistery  at  Milan,  254. 

on  the  i>ietuies  in  the  eat^ieoinbs,  256. 
Star  Cliamljcr,  the,  475. 
Stearns,  Sluibael,  727,  757. 

his  marvelous  preaching,  727,  728. 
StiUe,  Benjamin,  717. 
St. ■lie,  Isaac,  71G. 
Striinelt,  Edward  and  Joseph,  562. 
Stennett,  Joseph,  2d,  563. 
Stcnnett,  Samuel : 

sketch  of,  563,  564. 

his  sacred  hymns,  565. 

relations  to  George  lU.,  719. 
Stephen  the  Martyr : 

meets  Saul  in  dispute,  80. 

accused  by  false  witnesses,  80. 

dragged  before  the  Sanhedrin,  80. 

his  iiiatohless  defense,  80. 

stoned,  80. 
Stephen  of  Borbone  on  Waldensians,  303. 
Stephens,  John,  751. 
Stevens,  Abel,  on  apostolic  succession,  9. 
Steward,  Ira  L.,  830. 

StiUingtieet,  Bishop,  on  apostolic  succession,  4. 
Stillman,  Samuel,  717,  718. 

sketch  of  his  career,  779,  780,  781. 
St.ickholm,  Baptists  at,  833. 
Stoddard,  Solomon,  768. 
Storek,  Nicliolas : 

his  work  in  Zwickau,  357. 

friendship  with  Miinzer,  3.57. 

personal  traits,  357. 

iahors  with  Luther  to  sui'iiress  infant  baptism,  358. 
Stout,  Kichard,  709. 

Stow,  Baron,  conversion,  preaching,  766,  767. 
Straho  cited  a-s  to  meaning  of  Greek  word  haptizo,  34. 

on  the  trading  instincts  of  tlie  Jews,  106. 
Strasburg : 

the  Waldensians  in,  300. 

'  Heretics'.  Ditch '  at,  300. 

German  Baptists  in,  385. 

a  Baptist  stronghold,  385. 

preaching  of  Bucer,  Zell,  and  Capito  in,  385. 

the  chief  citizens  converted,  386. 

pei'secution  of  the  Baptists  in,  387,  388. 
Strong,  A.  H.,  875. 
Stuart,  Moses,  on  immersion,  141. 
Succession,  Apostolic: 

value  of  a  lineal,  1. 

visible  succession  a  snare,  2. 

Robinson,  Robert,  on,  2. 

sanctity  the  highest  title  to  legitimacy,  2. 

allied  to  Church  infallibility  rather  than  likeness  to 
Christ,  2. 

faith  the  soul  of  the,  3. 

no  '  Mother '  Churches,  3. 

Tertullian  on,  3. 

Ambrose  on,  3. 

Gregory  Nazianzen  on,  3. 

Stillingfleet  on,  4. 

Bradford  on,  4. 

Zanchius  on,  4. 

Calvin  on,  4. 
Succession  of  Baptist  Churches  : 

have  we  a  visible  succession  from  the  Apostles !  1. 

burden  of  proof  on  those  who  hold  to  a,  4. 


976 


GENERAL   INDEX. 


S[iiKlay-M-liiiol  lilcnilurt,-,  888. 

Suii|n-r,  llie  Lord's,   '  lunvkiii^'   iihoul '    uii   act   of  Mijicr- 

^titioii,  ij'JO. 
Suttim,  JuliM,  !il'J. 
S\V]il)ia,  pi-asunt  risiii;;  in,  .'Iti.'J. 
SwaU:,   KivcT,   biiptisiiis  liy  Au>tiii  iiiiJ  iiiissidiiiirR-s  in, 

•12(i. 
Swanst-a,  Mass.  : 

tlR'  Baptist  cliiiroli  at,  UTS. 

Swansi-a  C'liurcli  cir;,'aiiizuil,  IJTO. 
S\vt;(U-n,  niissifju  tn,  SuU. 

]>L-rsei,*uti'jii,  s;i:^. 

IiiliTation,  s.'H. 

tswcctZL-r,  Mr.,  7''l,7"-. 
Swiss  Baptists,  tlu-,  wire  t)R'\  Anabaptists  ;  327. 

Grelx'l,  Coiirat-l,  3o-l. 

Mantz,  Fuli.\,  ;i;i."). 

Hlauroek,  Gumtie  Jacoli,  .'!:3ij. 

IIubriieviT,  Baltliazar,  33G. 

llc:tzi-r,"l.iuluif;,  311. 

iinnitTsinns  ol'cniiwrts,  344,  o'rj,  353. 

iKTSfCUtions  sullcivtl  at  Basic,  347,  348,  34t). 

oatiisln'il  I'nini  Bcriiu,  348. 

never  eiiargod  with  disloyalty,  34'.i. 
Swiss  ('out"' ssi'jn,  tlio,  4.")4. 
Switzerland,  Baptist,  boundaries  of,  328. 
Swordsmen,  the,  355. 
Sylvester,  Kiehard,  »;75. 
Symbolism,  jnetorial,     [See  BirT[i:Ks.] 
Synaifo^^iies,  8n. 
Synods,  I'ost-apostolie,  15ti.  [See  the  dislinLXuisliiii^  titles.  | 


Taborites,  the,  317.     [See  Ziska.] 

their  erec'l,  317. 

.join  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  317. 
'i'.ieitus,  C.  ('.,  aeeiises  Christians  of  tiring  Konie,  104. 
Taeiliis,  M.  C,  revokes  Val's  ediet  against  Christians,  173. 
Talmud,  Connnentary  ol' the,  30. 
Tarsus,  description  of,  82,  83. 
Tasmania,  Baptist  work  in,  93il. 
Tauler,  John,  early  career,  313. 
Tavoy,  mission  to.  618,  81'.t. 
Taylor,  Bishop,  ou  infant  salvation,  70. 
Tavlor,  .lames,  ',i38. 
Tavlor,  .Jtnnes  B.,  836. 
Taylor,  Steplien  W.,  873, 
'  Teachinc,'  of  the  Apostles  : ' 

on  use  of  public  baths  for  bapti-m,  24'j. 

requires  baptism  in  running'  water,  2tj4. 
Teluj^us,  the  mission  to,  823. 
Temporal  Power,  C'hrist  renounces  all.  5;*. 
Tenet,  the  Bloody.     (^See  Williams.  Kooer.] 
'  Tennessee  Baptist,  the,'  884. 
TertuUian: 

on  apostolic  sueeession,  3. 

on  John  and  Peter's  dipping  of  converts,  35. 

on  John  Baj»tist,  55. 

on  the  inspired  autographs  of  his  day,  1515. 

on  the  rapid  spread  of  (Jhristiiniily,  157. 

writes  the  first  book  on  baptism,  "liil. 

description  of  bajitism  us  practiced  in  lii.s  day,  lijl. 

resists  infant  baptism  as  an  innov.ition,  1G4. 

objects  to  sponsors,  lii4. 

demands  religious  freedom,  171. 

on   the  spread  of  Christianitv  despite   persecution. 

173. 

denounces  the  Gnostic  heresy,  177. 

sketch  of  his  life,  174. 

becomes  a  Montaiiist,  174. 

labors  for  Church  jiurity,  182. 

on  anointing  in  baptism,  207. 
Terwoort,  IlendHck,  martyrdom  of,  451,  452. 
Test  Oath.     [See  Williams,  Roger.] 
Theodora,  Empress,  issues  edict  against  Paulicians,  240. 
Theodosius : 

orders  destruction  of '  heretical '  books,  214. 

engrosses  a  MS.  of  the  Gospels  in  letters  of  gold, 

224. 
Theological  writers,  Baptist,  887,  888. 


Thessaloniaiis,  Epistle  to  the,  when  written,  155. 
Thinkei-s,  independent : 

services  of  to  the  Church  and  humanity,  5,  G. 

Baptists  greatly  indebted  to,  tj,  7. 
Thonuus  the  .\postle: 

deliberation  of,  fit;. 

labors  in  Parlhia,  113. 
Thoinius,  .losliua,  5lHi,  tJ08,  liOU. 
Thomas,  Lewis.  G07. 
Thonuus,  Timotliy,  013. 

Thoni])son,  on  water  sn]iplics  (if  Jerusalem,  77. 
Thompson,  Charles,  717. 

biographical  sketch,  7',*5. 
Thornton,  J,, '.13!'. 
Three  Taverns,  the,  1^5. 
Three  thousand,  bajitism  of  the,  74. 
Tliunder,  Sons  of,  (James  and  .lohn  )  tiO,     (See  John.] 
Thuringia,  ]K'a.saiit  re\'tJt  in,  3tt3. 
Tigellinus,  maltreats  Paul  in  prison,  1*7. 
TiiiKilliv  visits  Paul  in  prison,  1*7. 

Paul's  Epistle  to,  »8. 
Timpan>',  A.  V.,  ;)31. 
Titus,  Paul's  Epistle  to,  W. 
Tokio,  tiiM  baptism  in,  825. 
Toledo   Council  of  (4th): 

tbrbids  ordination  oftho.se  una lilelo  read  and  write,  243 

fav(»rs  single  immersion  in  Spain,  248. 
Toleration  Act,  the,  554.  720. 

atlbrds  relief  to  Welsh  Ba|.ti>ts,  004. 
Toleration,  edicts  of,  under  tiallicnus,  173. 
Tolland,  J..bn,  on  Milton.  547, 
Tombes,  John : 

education  and  ]ircaching.  471. 

conformation  of.  471. 
Tongues,  .speaking  with,  54. 

the  gitt  of,  72. 

linguistic  obstructions  swept  away,  73. 
Toronto,  tianada,  928. 
Torrance-,  John,  :i33,  '.134,  935. 
Ti>rrcy,  Joseph,  079. 
Torey,  Josei)li.     | See  .Suyra.  j 
'i'railition,  necessity  of,  224. 
Traditiiin,  false,  Pajiiius  the  father  of,  156. 
Tradition  vs.  Scripture,  10. 

tijrce  of  tradition,  10. 
Trajan,  on  the  character  of  Nero,  102. 
Transelementation,  189. 

Transylvania,  German  Baptists  take  refuge  in,  880. 
Transulisfantiation.  doctrine  of: 

liecomcs  cryst;illized,  255. 

flitter  ciintiovcrsy  on,  255. 

the  Pet'onners  and,  255. 
Transyhania,  peasant  rising  in,  363. 
Triennial  Convention,  the,  814. 
Trine  Immersion,  189. 

no  authority  for  in  Scripture.  220. 

nude  baptism  becomes  linked  to,  221. 

warm  eontrovei-sy  on  in  the  si.\th  centuiy,  247. 

upheld  by  Pope  Gregory,  247. 

practiced  by  Ariuns,  247. 
Trinity,  the  Ilo'ly,  revcided  to  John  Bajitist,  39. 
Tristoe,  William,  758. 
Troinsoc,  Baptist  Churcli  founded  in,  834. 
Trowbridge,  L.  H.,  886. 

Trubel,  Eckard,  defends  religious  liberty,  387. 
Truro,  England.     [See  Cornwall.] 
Truth,  antiquity  of,  8. 
Tucker.  Henry'llolcombc,  861. 
Tiillv,  on  the  belief  in  the  real  presence,  224. 
Tupper,  Dr.,  923. 
Turkey,  mission  work  in,  829. 
Turner,  William,  702. 
Twelve  Articles,  the,  303,  364. 
Tychicus  of  Asia,  visits  Paul  in  prison,  97. 
Tylesnorth,  William,  burnt  for  being  a  Lollard,  326. 
Tvndale,  on  baptism  in  his  time  in  England,  428. 
Tyrol,  Baptists  of  the  : 

persecuted  by  Ferdinand,  395. 

vast  numbers  put  to  death,  395,  396. 
Tryol,  The : 

fugitives  flock  thither,  895. 


OENEIiAL   INDEX. 


977 


V. 

Ulimunn,  Wolfgang : 

immersion  in  the  Rliine,  344. 

burned  iit  tlie  stalie  in  Constance,  345. 
Ulilhorn.on  status  of  cliildreii  iimoug  tlie  lieatlicn  nations 

of  antiquity,  162. 
Ulpliil«.s : 

prepares  tlio  Gotliic  Version  of  the  Scriptures,  '209. 

brief  biograpliy  of,  209,  210. 
Ulpian,  on  Iniman  riglit-s,  l')7. 

Union  Theological  .Seminary,  Morgan  I'ark,  111.,  STti. 
Uriiii  and  Thuinmini,  24. 
Ui-sian  Mosaic,  the,  2()(>. 

portrayal  of  anointing  in  baptism  on,  2GS,  271. 


Vadian,  burgomaster  of  St.  Gall,  345,  .346. 

Vulentinian  I.,  make.s  Leo  I.  of  Rome  the  pontitl'  of  the 

Western  Church,  215.  _ 
Valerian,  pei-seculionsof  his  reign,  173. 
'  Valid  Biipli.sm,'  controvereies  concerning  a,  4G3,  Ml. 
Van  Dicman's  Land.     [See  Tasmania.] 
Van  Horn,  I'eter  1'.,  717,  757. 
Vanhorn,  William,  biographical  sketch,  795. 
Vardemaii,  Jeremiali,  B43. 
Vassar  College,  879. 
Vaughn,  William,  665, 
Vedder,  Henry  C,  887. 
Venner,  Thomas  : 

chosen  leader  by  the  Fifth  Monarchy  Men,  473. 

hanged  for  treason,  473. 
Vermont,  contest  for  religious  freedom  in,  811. 
Vermont,  Baptists  of: 

the  new  light  revival,  708. 

famous  Churches,  768. 

tight  liir  their  liberties,  76S. 

men  of  note,  769. 

statistics,  769. 
ViM'ona,  ba|itistery  at,  254. 
Versions.     [See  Coptic,  Sahidic,  Peshito,  etc.] 
Very.  E.  D.,  922. 

Vestals,  trom  what  classes  recruited,  101. 
Victor.  Bisliop,  of  Rome,  192. 
Vietoi  ia.  Baptists  of,  937. 
Vielfeldt,  Jacob,  386. 

Vienna,  cruel  martyrdoms  of  Baptists  at,  394. 
Vigilantus,  206. 

attacks  the  doctrine  of  tbe  perpetual  virsrinity  of 
Mary,  207. 
Vilmar,  on  the  logical  position  occupied  by  Baptists,  358. 
Viper,  miracle  of  tlie.     [See  Paul.] 
Virginia: 

religious  persecutions  in,  725. 

Quakei-s  punished,  726. 

first  Bai>ti>t  Churcli  in,  727. 

influence   of  Welsh   Baptists   in   Pennsylvania   and 
Delaware  felt,  727. 
Virginia,  Baptists  of: 

early  and  oppressive  laws  against,  725. 

lii'.st  Church,  727. 

early  preachei-s,  728. 

great  sutl'erings  of,  729. 

iiiiprisoneil,  729,  730. 

tbe  Calvinistic  Controversy  among,  730. 

Bishops  or  .Apostles,  731. 

General  .Association,  the.  731. 

epitaph  on  Virginia  Apostles.  732. 

treated  with  contempt,  732,  733. 

supported  by  Madison  and  Jefferson  in  the  contest 
for  free  government,  734. 

remarkable  growth,  735. 

a  General  Association  formed,  735. 

statistics  of,  735. 

take  a  resolute  step  in  favor  of  independence,  797. 

Thomas  Jeffei-son's  relations  to,  799. 

resist  the  effort  to  establish  an  episcopacy,  803. 
Virginia  Convention,  the,  798. 
VnlkT,  James,  937. 

Voltaire,  on  the  Twelve  Articles  of  the  Peasants,  863, 
68 


Volzius,  Paul,  38S. 
Vulgate,  the.     [See  Bible.] 

prepared  by  Jerome,  208. 

not  tbe  unchiiiiged  tc.\t  of  Jerome,  208,  209. 

peculiarities  of  the  translation,  209. 

W. 

Wade,  Jonathan,  872. 

Wagner,  George,  martyred  at  Augsburg,  393. 

Waidensiaiis,  9. 

Baptists  were  originally  Waldensians,  149. 

symbols  of  the  sect,  294,  295. 

origin  of  tbe  name,  294. 

not  heretics,  296. 

lay  preaching,  297. 

their  iloctriiics  at  fir.-t  not  obnoxious  to  Rome,  297. 

peojile  the  valleys  of  Piedmont,  297. 

their  motto,  297. 

assailed  by  the  Dukes  of  Savoy,  297. 

IH-rseciited  by  Jjiician,  298. 

their  dispersion,  298,  299. 

reasons  for  the  r  increase,  301,  302. 

their  views  on  baptism,  302. 

rijccted  infant  baptism,  302,  303. 

testimony  of  their  enemies,  303. 

some  Waldensian  Baptists,  304. 

Church  government,  305. 

methods  of  labor,  806. 

relations  to  Rnme,  307. 

intense  love  of  Scriptures,  ,308. 

Conference  of  Bergamo,  .309. 

views  on  religious  libert\',  309,  310. 

crusade  of  Simon  de  M"iilfort  against,  310. 

cruelties  inflicted  on,  311. 

iiiartyrdom  of  Sager,  312. 

great  influence  in  Bohemia,  318. 

their  congregations  fountl  throughout  Europe,  319. 

many  found  refuge  in  Holland,  407. 
Waldo,  Peter: 

founder  of  the  Waldensians,  294. 

birth  and  conversion,  294. 

begins  to  preach,  295. 

excommunicated,  296. 

flies  to  the  Cottian  Alps,  297. 

death  of,  298. 
Wahs : 

early  Christians  in.  228. 

early  Cliri.stianity  in,  598. 

Scriptures,  early  versions  of  the,  598. 

notable    Baptis't-s,    599,    600,    601.       [See   Baptists, 
Welsh.] 
Walker,  Fowler,  605. 
Walker,  Joseph,  883. 
Walker,  Warhairf,  885. 
Wall,  Dr.,  on  Peter  of  Bruis,  2S7. 

on  the  coudemnation  of  .\rnold  of  Brescia,  293. 
Wallcolt,  on  roadside  liaptism  of  early  Christians,  249. 
Waller,  John,  730. 
Wandering  Jew,  John  the  Evangelist  and  the  legend  of 

the,  110. 
Ward,  William,  583. 

Warm  Water,  dipping  in  allowed  in  winter,  427. 
Washings,  cereiiioiiial,  30. 

Washin.jton,  George,  attitude  toward  the  Baptists,  806. 
'  Watchman,  the,'  "882. 
'  Waterlanders.'  the,  454. 
Walerville  College,  864. 
Watkins,  Joshua,  614. 

Watson,  Bishop  of  London,  on  practice  of  dipping,  428. 
Walts,  Jacob,  734. 
Watts,  John,  712. 

Way,  making  straight  the,  an  Eastern  custom,  20. 
Wavland,  Francis,  SfiO,  865. 
Wavland,  11.  L.,  8J7. 
Weill).  John,  718. 
Welch,  James  E.,  844. 
Wellington,  New  Zealand,  939. 
Welsh  Baptist-s.     [Sec  Baptists,  Welsh.] 
Welsh,  Bartholomew  T.,  762. 
Western  Australia,  989. 


978 


GEXEUAL    IXDKX. 


'  Western  Recnrdcr,  tlic,'  BS-l. 
Wotniinsler  Assembly,  nn  tlippinj^,  433. 
WestiiiinstcT  Diivdoiv  (KKH  i : 

aspei'sion  ileelareil  ]»r«>i>ei',  -I'J'.t. 

sui'sliiuted  for  the  I'mver-Micik  by  I'lirliaiiieiit,  -l**!. 
Weston,  lU-nrv  Ci.,  B78. 
Wcsti-u|>,  ,1.  ()".,  838. 
Wevrndiitli,  .Mass.,  078. 

Whipping',  pulilic,  ofsevorul  Biiston  Biipti.sts,  CS7,  088. 
Wiiitjikei-,  on  apostolic  suecessioii,  o, 
Wliite,  Tliomas,  727. 
Wbilelieia,  (ieot-iie,  711),  S-K.  847. 

relatiorjs  to  tlte  Se|)avatists,  7"20. 

pretiehin;:  in  Coiiiieclieut,  74-1. 

his  piTaeliin;.'  in  New  Ilampsliire,  703. 
Wiiittief,  .1.  (i.,  o]]  the  Waldensian  lay  prcaeliefs,  .301. 
Wibefi;,  A.,  88;!. 
Wickendeii,  WiUiani,  liiM,  005. 

oritiin  and  eanef,  718. 
Wiclditf,  .b.lin,  .314. 

^'iive  the  Hible  to  the  coininon  people,  315. 

death  of,  815. 

liis  liible  and  liis  bones  condemned  to  be  l>iii'nt  l'\ 
the  Coiineil  of  Constance,  315. 

faf-feachiiijr  fesults  <it'his  tnnislation.  310. 

was  Wiehlitla  liaplist  ?  310. 

father  of  the  Lcdlards,  3-J-_'. 
Wieklillites,  the,  early  known  as  Lollards,  3-Jl. 
Wi.rlitinan,  Edward,  bnrnt  at  Liehtield,  45!l. 
WiLchtnian,  (lano,  745. 
Wi^'litinan,  Timothy,  745. 
Wiiihtintm,  Valentiiie,  880. 

sketch  of  his  eafeof  and  preaehini^,  73;i,  740,  745. 
WiUeiiizoon,  Dirk,  burnl  at  the  .stake,  413. 
Willet,  Thomas,  07li. 
William  and  Mary,  accession  of,  720. 
William  v..  Prince,  pi'i-sceiites  Baptists  in  Moravia,  384. 
VVilliiims,  .John,  the  translator,  014. 
Williams,  Robert,  757. 
Williams,  Roger: 

banishment  of,  027. 

a  stern  I'nritan,  027. 

early  eineei.  027. 

minister  at  Salem,  028. 

withdraws  to  Plymonth,  020. 

summoned  hefori'  the  ^'encral  court,  030. 

opposition  to  the  Freeman's  Oath,  030. 

his  sentence,  03O. 

the  matter  of  the  Test  Oatli,  031. 

the  resident's  Oath,  031. 

char^eti  u  itli  inst'L'atini^  Endicott  to  cut  tlie  red  cross 
out  of  the  Enijli^li  llaii,  032. 

relisiiotis  chari;es  a^'ainst,  0.34,  030. 

his  opinions  his  sin,  037. 

not  banished  for  civil  cause,  037. 

debate  before  the  L'cncral  court,  038. 

banishment  a  purely  reliirious  affair,  639. 

his  missif)n  from  (iod,  t>4o. 

in  the  desert,  042. 

foimdinij  of  l*rovidence,  R.  I  ,  043. 

'  Bloody  Tenet,'  the,  043. 

monument  of  in  the  National  Ca|)itol,  044. 

writiiii;s  of,  040. 

piiMislies  the  '  Bloody  Tenet,'  640. 

death,  648. 

disinterment  of  his  remains,  648. 

his  relations  to  the  Jews,  653. 

testimony  of  .lews  to,  657. 

baptized,  65',). 

opinions  concerning  Scrijiture  baptism,  059. 

was  immerseil,  000. 

undoubtedly  led  by  the  Iiand  of  God,  660. 

views  as  to  personal  re^'cneration,  001. 

his  attitude  toward  christenini,  002. 

trouble  with  the  Providence  Church,  663. 
Williams,  William,  609. 
Williams,  \V.  i;.,  813,  859. 

on  Roller  Williams's  apple-tree,  64S. 
WiUoughby,  Bli.ss,  708. 


Wilson,  Adam,  88S. 

Wilson,  H.  G..  939. 

Wilson,  Eranklin,  702. 

Winelielau~,  ,1.,  on  the  Peshito,  155. 

Windsor,  X.  8.,  924. 

Wine,  baptism  in  admitted  by  Po]»e  Stephen,  427. 

Winer,  on  mliiiit  bapti.sm,  210 

Winslow,  Governor: 

on  the  Bapti.sts,  074. 

his  lame  apolofrv  for  persecuting  Baptists,  688. 
Win-or,  Samuel,  OOS. 
Winthroi>,  Governor: 

arrives  at  Salem,  628. 

intolerant  treatment  of  by  the  Salem  Church,  628. 
Wiseman,  Cardinal,  on  infant  bapti.sm,  300. 
Wittenbertr,  eitv  of,  358. 
Witter,  Williain.  085,  080. 
Wolir,  on  the  Paulicians,  239. 
Wolkenstine,  Si^mund  Von,  396. 
Widverton,  N..  397. 
Wood,  .lohn,  085. 
Wood-.  William,  734. 
Woodstock  Institute.  Canada,  934,  9-37. 
Wori-oter,  Synod  of,  enjoins  immersion,  427. 
Wur/liiirL',  rebellion  of  the  pea.sants  at,  363. 
Wurzelbiirirer,  .-Xiiixustine,  393. 

martvred,  394. 
Wyckofl,"  William  II.,  885,  913. 

X. 

Xaizu,  Gulf,  fresh-water  s]irin^'s  of,  1. 


Vates,  Tluimas,  727. 

Yah-  Collej;f.  Haptist  students  expelled  from,  742. 
York,  city,  Edwm  immersed  thereat,  426. 
Ypeiir : 

quoted  on  similarity  of  the  Baptist  Churches  to  the 
Apostolic  Church.  149. 

on  llie  Miinster  madness,  368. 


Zaeliarias,  father  of  .lohn  the  Baptist,  14,  15. 

dumbness  of,  15. 

tirst  words  of  alter  dumbness,  16. 
Zancliius,  on  apostolic  succession,  4. 
/elotes.     [See  SiuoN.] 
Zephvrinus: 

["astor  of  the  Church  at  Rome,  182. 

befriends  Callixtus,  who  succeeds  hira.  188. 
Ziou,  the  Kino;  in,  ,57. 
'  Zion's  Advocate,'  883. 
Ziska : 

sketch  of,  317. 

nuirtial  and  reli};ious  enthusiasm,  318. 
Zonarus,  on  baptism  of  an  unborn  iufaut,  216. 
Zurich  Baptists,  the,  331. 

assail  infant  baptism,  331. 

not  seditious,  332. 
Zurich,  Council  of: 

del)ate  on  infant  baptism,  331. 

lines  many  who  had  been  baptized,  332. 

brings  no  charge  of  sedition  or  disloyalty  against 
Baptists,  .349. 

punishes  Baptists  by  drowning,  350. 
Zwickau,  the  city  of,  354,  357. 
Zwingli : 

demands  obedience  to  the  word  of  God,  830. 

debate  witli  Faber,  330. 

views  on  infant  baptism,  330,  331. 

advises  and  abets  the  Council  of  Zurich  in  its  perse- 
cutions and  intolerance,  332. 

sixty-seven  theses  against  Rome,  332. 

ditlieulty  of  his  position,  333. 

relations  with  Grcbel,  334. 

issues  his  ICIt'iichiia  Contra  Cantabapiistas,  840. 

abets  the  Zurich  Council  in  it*  cruelties,  350. 

agreed  with  Luther  in  persecuting  Baptists,  408. 


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