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Page 44
ROGER WILLIAMS IN RHODE ISLAND
(1636)
BY NATHANIEL MORTON[1]
In the year 1634 Mr. Roger Williams removed from Plymouth to Salem: he
had lived about three years at Plymouth, where he was well accepted as
an assistant in the ministry to Mr. Ralph Smith, then pastor of the
church there, but by degrees venting of divers of his own singular
opinions, and seeking to impose them upon others, he not finding such
a concurrence as he expected, he desired his dismission to the Church
of Salem, which though some were unwilling to, yet through the prudent
counsel of Mr. Brewster (the ruling elder there) fearing that his
continuance amongst them might cause division, and [thinking that]
there being then many able men in the Bay, they would better deal with
him then [than] themselves could ... the Church of Plymouth consented
to his dismission, and such as did adhere to him were also dismissed,
and removed with him, or not long after him, to Salem....
But he having in one year's time filled that place with principles of
rigid separation, and tending to Anabaptistry, the prudent Magistrates
of the Massachusetts Jurisdiction, sent to the Church of Salem,
desiring them to forbear calling him to office, which they not
hearkening to, was a cause of much disturbance; for Mr. Williams had
begun, and then being in office, he proceeded more vigorously to vent
many dangerous opinions, as amongst many others these were some; That
it is not lawful for an unregenerate man to pray, nor to take an Oath,
and in special, not the Oath of Fidelity to the Civil Government; nor
was it lawful for a godly man to have communion either in Family
Prayer, or in an Oath with such as they judged unregenerate: and
therefore he himself refused the Oath of Fidelity, and taught others
so to do; also, That it was not lawful so much as to hear the godly
Ministers of England, when any occasionally went thither; & therefore
he admonished any Church-members that had done so, as for hainous sin:
also he spake dangerous words against the Patent, which was the
foundation of the Government of the Massachusets Colony: also he
affirmed, That the Magistrates had nothing to do in matters of the
first Table [of the commandments], but only the second; and that there
should be a general and unlimited Toleration of all Religions, and for
any man to be punished for any matters of his Conscience, was
persecution....
He persisted, and grew more violent in his way, insomuch as he staying
at home in his own house, sent a Letter, which was delivered and read
in the publick Church assembly, the scope of which was to give them
notice, That if the Church of Salem would not separate not only from
the Churches of Old-England, but the Churches of New-England too, he
would separate from them: the more prudent and sober part of the
Church being amazed at his way, could not yield unto him: whereupon he
never came to the Church Assembly more, professing separation from
them as Antichristian, and not only so, but he withdrew all private
religious Communion from any that would hold Communion with the Church
there, insomuch as he would not pray nor give thanks at meals with his
own wife nor any of his family, because they went to the Church
Assemblies ... which the prudent Magistrates understanding, and seeing
things grow more and more towards a general division and disturbance,
after all other means used in vain, they passed a sentence of
Banishment against him out of the Massachusets Colony, as against a
disturber of the peace, both of the Church and Commonwealth.
After which Mr. Williams sat down in a place called Providence, out of
the Massachusets Jurisdiction, and was followed by many of the members
of the Church of Salem, who did zealously adhere to him, and who cried
out of the Persecution that was against him: some others also resorted
to him from other parts. They had not been long there together, but
from rigid separation they fell to Anabaptistry, renouncing the
Baptism which they had received in their Infancy, and taking up
another Baptism, and so began a Church in that way; but Mr. Williams
stopt not there long, for after some time he told the people that had
followed him, and joyned with him in a new Baptism, that he was out of
the way himself, and had mis-led them, for he did not finde that there
was any upon earth that could administer Baptism, and therefore their
last Baptism was a nullity, as well as their first; and therefore they
must lay down all, and wait for the coming of new Apostles: and so
they dissolved themselves, and turned Seekers, keeping that one
Principle, That every one should have liberty to Worship God according
to the Light of their own Consciences; but otherwise not owning any
Churches or Ordinances of God any where upon Earth.
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