Roger Williams, Prophet and Pioneer of Soul-Liberty

by Arthur Barsazou Strickland

IV

SOUL-LIBERTY AT HOME IN A
COMMONWEALTH

It is his unique title to preeminence and fame that he was the first to found an absolutely free church in an absolutely free State, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations remain a monument of his sagacity and daring and penetration, a center from which the light of soul-liberty has radiated far and wide till it has flooded a whole continent, and shines with concentrated splendor in the constellation of States which now form the great Western Republic.—J. Gregory, a British writer on Puritanism.

Against the somber background of early New England, two figures stand above the rest—John Winthrop and Roger Williams. The first—astute, reactionary, stern—represented Moses and the law. The second—spontaneous, adaptable, forgiving—represented Christ and the individual. It is needless to say with which lay the promise and the dawn.—I. B. Richman.

He was the first man in modern Christendom to establish civil government on the doctrine of the liberty of conscience, the equality of opinions before the law, and in its defence he was the harbinger of Milton, the precursor and the superior of Jeremy Taylor.... Let then the name of Roger Williams be preserved in universal history as one who advanced moral and political science, and made himself a benefactor of his race.—George Bancroft, in “History of the United States.”

In the seventeenth century there was no place but the wilderness for such a John the Baptist of the distant future as Roger Williams. He did not belong among the diplomatic builders of churches, like Cotton, or the political founders of States, like Winthrop. He was but a babbler to his own time, but the prophetic voice rings clear and far, and ever clearer as the ages go on.—Edward Eggleston, in “The Beginners of a Nation.”

PORTSMOUTH, Newport, and Rhode Island, with common interests and ideals, were protected and throve under the original charter granted in 1644. Charles I was surrendered to the Parliamentary forces in January, 1647. The colony, therefore, felt strong to act under the Parliamentary charter granted them. A general assembly of the people was called, and the charter was adopted. Shawomet, settled by the Gortonists, had also received a charter from the same source and, in honor of Warwick, their protector, they changed the name of their town to Warwick. They were admitted also to the General Assembly. The first meeting of the Assembly declared that the form of government in Providence Plantations was “democratical,” that is to say, “government held by the free and voluntary consent of all or of the greater part of the free inhabitants.” The seal of the colony was an anchor. The executive branch of the government was vested in a president of the colony and four assistants, one from each town. These officers, elected by the General Assembly, had no part in legislation. The Assembly at that time was not composed of delegates, but included all the freemen of the colony. Each town had a court of commissioners composed of six members. These four town courts combined became a General Court of Trials, having to do with the weightier offenses, and also acted as a Court of Appeals from the town courts. There was also a general treasurer, a general recorder, a general sergeant, and later a general solicitor.

A code of laws was drawn up. One, the Statute of Archery, shows the isolation of this colony. It required that every man between seventeen and seventy should keep a bow and four arrows. Fathers should furnish each of their sons, between the ages of seven and seventeen, with “a bow, two arrows, and a shaft, and to bring them up to shooting.” This was done because the colony could not get gunpowder for firearms, since the other colonies refused to sell them any, or allow it to be exported through their posts to them.

The Fourth Paper,
Presented by
Maior Butler,
To the Honourable Committee of
Parliament, for the Propagating the
Gospel of Christ JESUS.
VVhich Paper was humbly owned, and
was, and is attended to be made good
{ Major Butler. } { Mr. Jackson.
By { Mr. Charles Vane. } { Mr. VVall. And
{ Col. Danvers. } { Mr. Turner.
ALSO
A Letter from Mr. Goad, to Major
Butler, upon occasion of the said
Paper and Proposals.
Together with
A Testimony to the said fourth Paper,
By way or Explanation upon the four
PROPOSALS of it.
BY R. W.
Unto which is subjoyned the Fifteen Proposals
of the MINISTERS.
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, at the Black-spred-Eagle at the
West-end of Pauls. M DC LII.

Roger Williams’ Second Visit to England

The ambitious designs of Coddington in seeking to divide the colony were such that Williams and Clarke were obliged to go to England in 1651. Coddington had secured a charter making him governor for life of Rhode Island, then the richest portion of the State. Williams and Clarke in 1652 secured an order-in-council nullifying Coddington’s commission. Williams remained in England until the summer of 1654 and labored there for the interests of the colony and also for the general benefit of all oppressed people, including the Jews. In his appeal to the Parliament, found as a comment in the tract entitled “Butler’s Fourth Paper,” an original copy of which is in the John Carter Brown Library, at Providence, he says:

Oh, that it would please the Father of Spirits to affect the heart of Parliament with such a merciful sense of the Soul-Bars and Yokes which our fathers have laid upon the neck of this nation, and at last to proclaim a true and absolute Soul-Freedom to all the people of the land impartially, so that no person be forced to pray nor pay, otherwise than as his Soul believeth and consenteth.

He plead especially that permission be granted the Jews “to live freely and peaceably amongst them.”

He was on intimate terms with Milton, to whom he read and from whom he received instruction in certain languages. He also was associated with Sir Henry Vane. Returning to his colony in 1654, he at once exercised his influence in smoothing out its many and varied difficulties.

During this second visit to England he issued three publications. John Cotton had written a reply to the “Bloody Tenent,” publishing it in London, in 1647. It had the following title:

The Bloudy Tenent, washed, and made white in the bloud of the Lambe: being discussed and discharged of bloud-guiltinesse by just Defence.

Roger Williams in 1652 printed his rejoinder to Cotton’s book. Its title is descriptive of its contents:

The Bloody Tenent yet More Bloody: by Mr Cottons endevour to wash it white in the Blood of the Lambe; of whose precious Blood, spilt in the Blood of his Servants; and of the blood of Millions spilt in former and later Wars for Conscience sake, that Most Bloody Tenent of Persecution for cause of Conscience, upon a second Tryal, is found now more apparently and more notoriously guilty, etc., etc. By R. Williams of Providence in New-England. London, Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at the black-spread-Eagle, at the West-end of Pauls, 1652.

It is a small quarto of three hundred and seventy-three pages. Two copies are in the Library of Brown University, one, a presentation copy from Williams to his friend, Dr. John Clarke, of Newport.

THE
BLOUDY TENENT,
WASHED,
And made white in the bloud of the
Lambe: being discussed and discharged of
bloud-guiltinesse by just Defence.
WHEREIN
The great Questions of this present time are
handled, viz. How farre Liberty of Conscience
ought to be given to those that truly feare God? And how farre
restrained to turbulent and pestilent persons, that not onely
raze the foundation of Godlinesse, but disturb the Civill
Peace where they live? Also how farre the Magistrate may proceed
in the duties of the first Table? And that all Magistrates
ought to study the word and will of God, that they may frame
their Government according to it.
DISCUSSED.
As they are alledged from divers Scriptures, out of
the Old and New Testament. Wherein also the practise of
Princes is debated, together with the Judgement of Ancient
and late Writers of most precious esteeme.
Whereunto is added a Reply to Mr. Williams
Answer, to Mr. Cottons Letter.
BY John Cotton Batchelor in Divinity, and
Teacher of the Church of Christ at Boston in New-England.
LONDON,
Printed by Matthew Symmons for Hannah Allen, at the Crowne in
Popes-Head-Alley. 1647.

THE
BLOODY TENENT
YET
More Bloody:
BY
Mr Cottons endevour to wash it white in the
Blood of the LAMBE;
Of whose precious Blood, spilt in the
Blood of his Servants; and
Of the blood of Millions spilt in former and
later Wars for Conscience sake,
THAT
Most Bloody Tenent of Persecution for cause of
Conscience, upon a second Tryal, is found now more
apparently and more notoriously guilty.
In this Rejoynder to Mr Cotton, are principally
I. The Nature of Persecution, }Examined;
II. The Power of the Civill Sword }
in Spirituals }
III. The Parliaments permission of } Justified.
Dissenting Consciences }
Also (as a Testimony to Mʳ Clarks Narrative) is added
a Letter to Mr Endicot Governor of the Massachusets in N. E.
By R. Williams of Providence in New-England.
London, Printed for Giles Calvert, and are to be sold at
the black-spread-Eagle at the West-end of Pauls, 1652.

Roger Williams published his fifth work in 1652. It was a pamphlet of forty-four small quarto pages, entitled:

The Hireling Ministry None of Christs, or A Discourse touching the Propagating the Gospel of Christ Jesus. Humbly Presented to such Pious and Honourable Hands, whom the present Debate thereof concerns. By Roger Williams, of Providence, in New England. London Printed in the second Moneth, 1652.

The purpose of this work was to oppose a legal establishment of religion, and the compulsory support of the clergy. An original copy is in the Library of Brown University, two copies are in the American Antiquarian Society Library at Worcester, and one in the John Carter Brown Library, Providence, R. I.

The same year he issued a pamphlet entitled:

Experiments of Spiritual Life & Health, And their Preservatives, In which the weakest Child of God may get Assurance of his Spirituall Life and Blessednesse, and the Strongest may finde proportionable Discoveries of his Christian Growth, and the means of it. By Roger Williams of Providence in New-England. London, Printed, in the Second Month, 1652.

This book is in the form of a letter addressed to his wife, upon her recovery from a dangerous sickness. A limited edition was published, comprising sixty small quarto pages. For years no original copy has been found. There is an original copy now in the John Carter Brown Library at Providence, R. I.

The
Hireling Ministry
None of
CHRISTS,
OR
A Discourse touching the Propagating
the Gospel of Christ
Jesus.
Humbly Presented to such Pious
and Honourable Hands, whom
the present Debate thereof concerns.
By ROGER WILLIAMS, of Providence
in New England.
London Printed in the second
Moneth, 1652.

EXPERIMENTS
OF
Spiritual Life & Health,
And their
PRESERVATIVES
In which the Weakest Child of God may
get Assurance of his Spirituall Life
and Blessednesse
And the Strongest may finde proportionable Discoveries
of his Christian Growth, and the means of it.
By Roger Williams of Providence in
New-England.
London, Printed, in the Second Month,
1652.

From time to time local difficulties arose in the various towns. Ambitious men, seeking their personal welfare, rather than the public weal, disturbed the serenity of the colony. Certain settlers at Pawtuxet sought to be part of the Bay Colony; Coddington, at Newport, desired to be governor for life of the Islands of Rhode Island and Conanicut. Two rival assemblies were organized at Newport and Providence. Roger Williams used his influence and greatly helped to solve the vexing problems. A new colony, with a new and revolutionary ideal, was being born, and the birth-throes were great, owing to the fact that they were pioneers in this work of building a democracy. They had no illustrious precedent to follow. It is a marvel that their difficulties were not more and greater.

In 1656, the United Colonies urged the Providence Colony to banish all Quakers from their realm. They replied that “FREEDOM of Conscience is the ground of our charter, and it shall be maintained.” In 1658, the United Colonies threatened the Providence Colony with exclusion from all intercourse or trade with all the rest of the colonies, if they did not banish the Quakers. Meanwhile the Bay Colony was unrelenting in its persecution of the Quakers. Some were banished, and a few were put to death.

In September, 1658, Cromwell died. His son Richard succeeded him, and after a short time retired. Charles II ascended the English throne in June, 1660. Immediately all acts of the Parliament under Cromwell were repealed, and Providence Plantations lost its charter. The Massachusetts Bay and Connecticut colonies immediately asserted anew their claims for the territory about the Narragansett Bay. Dr. John Clarke, of Newport, was in England representing the claims of the Providence Colony, and, in 1663, secured for it a new royal charter. The old Colony of Providence Plantations ceased to exist. The new colony was called “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.” The charter defined the bounds of the colony, gave it freedom in all religious matters, a system of government, a power to organize courts and to enforce their decisions, power to raise a standing army of defense, and other essential things. The new seal of the colony was “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations” with an anchor and the word, “Hope,” above it.

George Fox
Digg’d out of his
Burrovves,
Or an Offer of
DISPUTATION
On fourteen Proposalls made this last Summer 1672 (so call’d)
unto G. Fox then present on Rode-Island
in New-England, by R.W.
As also how (G. Fox slily departing) the Disputation went on
being managed three dayes at Newport on Rode-Island, and
one day at Providence, between John Stubs, John Burnet, and
William Edmundson on the one part, and R.W. on the other.
In which many Quotations out of G. Fox & Ed. Barrowes Book
in Folio are alleadged.
WITH AN
APENDIX
Of some scores of G. F. his simple lame Answers to his Opposites
in that Book, quoted and replyed to
By R. W. of Providence in N.E.
Roger Williams
BOSTON
Printed by John Foster, 1676.

The Model of a Southern New England Indian Village

Oval House of Birch Bark and Mats Corn-field
Women Smoking Fish

Round House of Grass Long Council Chamber Making a Long House
Indian Men Feeding Dogs

Models of Indian Village in Roger Williams Park Museum
Courtesy of “Providence Magazine”

Roger Williams protected the Quakers by granting them in his colony a shelter from persecutions. However, he was never friendly to their peculiar tenets and assailed them in debates and pamphlets. When George Fox, their founder, was in America in 1672, Williams challenged him to a debate. A delay in getting the challenge to Fox, who had sailed for England, did not leave the debate unaccepted. Three Rhode Island Quakers undertook the task. Roger Williams rowed the thirty miles to Newport and for three days debated with all the characteristic bitterness of debates of that period. They adjourned to complete the debate at Providence. Williams is seen in the worst light here and has been greatly criticized for the strong language he used in opposing these Quakers. We should never forget that the Puritans went far beyond strong language, in persecuting some to death and in exiling others. Both sides claimed a victory in the debate, which was perpetuated in pamphlets, issued at its completion. Williams wrote one, entitled, “George Fox Digg’d out of his Burrowes.” Fox replied with one, entitled, “A New-England Fire-Brand Quenched.” Fox’s book is a quarto of 489 pages. Williams’ book, a small quarto of 327 pages, was printed in Boston, 1676. The only original copy known to exist is the one in the Library of Harvard College.

Roger Williams wrote many letters, the originals of which were widely scattered. Many of these have been collected and printed in a volume by the Rhode Island Historical Society. In one of these letters, to Governor Bradford, of Boston, he refers to a collection of discourses which he had reduced to writing. These sermons, with treatises written prior to his banishment, are probably lost forever.

King Philip’s War

Canonicus died, June 4, 1647. Massasoit died in 1660, leaving two sons, Wamsutta and Metacon, or as they were nicknamed by the English, Alexander and Philip. The former succeeded his father. On a return from Plymouth Alexander died suddenly, and Philip suspected that he was poisoned. This, however, was not the fact. The Narragansetts had not forgotten the death or murder of Miantonomo, and the Indians generally felt that the English were gradually crowding them out of their own domains. Philip took advantage of this feeling and organized a war which had for its object the complete extermination of all the English settlements. This war, opening in Plymouth, 1675, lasted more than a year. Twelve out of the ninety New England towns were completely destroyed and forty others were the scene of fire and slaughter. A thousand strong men lost their lives in addition to a large number of helpless women and children who were tomahawked. Rhode Island, for the first time, was exposed to the hostile attacks of the Indians. Many of the inhabitants, fearing the impending disaster, had joined the army of attack against the Indians. In retaliation for this, Providence was attacked, and twenty-nine houses were burned. One of them contained the town records, part of which were saved by being thrown into a pond, from which they were afterward recovered. When the Indians appeared on the heights above Providence, Roger Williams, unarmed, went out to counsel with them. He urged them to stop the warfare, telling them that the English king would come to the assistance of the colonists and, with greater numbers, overpower the Indians. They replied:

Let them come, we are ready for them. But as for you, Brother Williams, you are a good man, you have been kind to us many years, not a hair of your head shall be touched.

He returned to a house which had been converted into a fort. It was not touched, but the town otherwise was destroyed. Most of the citizens of the mainland fled to Rhode Island and Newport. The doom of the Indians was sounded, the war was put down, and the leaders were captured or slain. Immediately after the war the work of rebuilding commenced. Houses were built larger and more substantially.

A NEW-ENGLAND-
Fire-Brand Quenched,
Being an
ANSWER
UNTO A
Slanderous Book, Entituled; GEORGE FOX
Digged out of his Burrows, &c. Printed at Boston in the Year
1676, by Roger Williams of Providence in New-England.
Which he Dedicateth to the KING, with Desires, That, if
the Most-High please, Old and New-England may Flourish, when
the Pope & Mahomet, Rome & Constantinople are in their Ashes.
Of a DISPUTE upon XIV. of his Proposals held and debated
betwixt him, the said Roger Williams, on the one part, and
John Stubs, William Edmundson and John Burnyeat on the other.
At Providence and Newport in Rode-Island, in the Year 1672.
IN which his Cavils are Refuted, & his Reflections Reproved.
In Two Parts.
As also,
An ANSWER to R. W’s APPENDIX, &c.
With a
POST-SCRIPT Confuting his Blasphemous Assertions,
viz. Of the Blood of Christ, that was Shed, its being Corruptible
and Corrupted; and that Salvation was by a Man, that was Corruptible,
&c. Where-unto is added a
CATALOGUE of his Railery, Lies, Scorn & Blasphemies: And
His TEMPORIZING SPIRIT made manifest. Also, The
LETTERS of W. Coddington of Rode-Island, and R. Scot of
Providence in New-England concerning R.W. And Lastly, Some
TESTIMONIES of Antient & Modern Authors concerning
the LIGHT, SCRIPTURES, RULE &, the SOUL of Man.
By GEORGE FOX and JOHN BURNYEAT.
Printed in the Year MDC. LXXIX.

Rhode Island Historical Society Museum

Apple Tree Root from the Grave of Roger Williams

Grave of Roger Williams

Roger Williams for many years had a trading-place, where he did business with the Indians. This store was near the present village of Wickford. His profits, he tells us, were five hundred dollars a year. The foundations of this old building are still intact, with a new superstructure over them. Late in life he made monthly preaching visits to this place. When too old to do this, he planned the publication of his sermons for the natives. Roger Williams was the original missionary to the North American Indians, antedating the illustrious Eliot by thirteen years. Williams’ Indian Bible is in the John Hay Library, Providence, R. I.

New Testament Title-page of Roger Williams’ Indian Bible

WUSKU
WUTTESTAMENTUM
NULLORDUMUN
JESUS CHRIST
Nuppoquohwussuaeneumun.
CAMBRIDGE:
Printed by Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson,
MDCLXI.

Indian Bible Used by Roger Williams, the Pioneer Missionary to the
American Indians

THE
HOLY BIBLE:
CONTAINING THE
OLD TESTAMENT
AND THE NEW.
Translated into the
INDIAN LANGUAGE
AND
Ordered to be Printed by Commissioners of the United Colonies
in NEW-ENGLAND,
At the Charge, and with the Consent of the
CORPORATION IN ENGLAND
For the Propagation of the Gospel amongst the Indians
in New-England.
CAMBRIDGE.
Printed by Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson.
MDCLXIII.

In 1683, Roger Williams died. All the inhabitants of Providence turned out to honor his memory. The coffin was carried on the shoulders of his friends, and his earthly remains were laid to rest on his own property, on the slope of the hill east of his residence and the spring. An apple tree grew above the grave. The roots drew from the remains their nourishment and followed the shape of the skeleton and the legs. Today these same roots are preserved in the Rhode Island Historical Society’s collection. Reuben A. Guild describes this in the following manner:

Still further up the hill among the trees of his orchard, was the family burial ground. Crossing Benefit Street and passing into the rear of the house of the late Sullivan Dorr, a few feet from the stable door, is the original grave of Roger Williams. It is covered by a finished cap of a heavy stone pillar. Here for nearly two hundred years slept the remains of the Apostle of Religious Liberty. In March, 1860, the grave was opened, and the dust, for that was all that remained of the mortal body, was carefully placed in an urn and deposited in Mr. Randall’s family tomb in the North Burial Ground. Mrs. Williams’ grave was also visited, and a lock of braided hair was all that was discovered. At the bottom of Roger Williams’ grave the root of an apple tree had turned out of its way to enter in at the head. Following the position of the body to the thighs, it had turned, now divided, to follow each leg to the feet, tender fibers shooting out in various directions.

Roger Williams died a poor man. His interest in the needy and distressed had kept him constantly poor. Ambition formed no part of his personal life. His ambitions were for the larger group of distressed souls. A prophet is rarely appreciated in his own age by his contemporaries. Posterity, in later days, usually discovers the greatness and genius of the man and the ideal he realized. Today that ideal is the secret of America’s greatness and one that has given her distinction among the nations. Shortly before Williams’ death there was a discussion relative to dividing up the common lands. Williams wrote to the Town of Providence a plea, which is characteristic of the spirit of the man:

For all experience tells us that public peace and love is better than abundance of corn and cattle. I have only one motion and petition which I earnestly pray the town to lay to heart, as ever they look for a blessing from God upon the town, on your families, your corn and cattle, and your children after you; it is this, that after you have got over the black brook of some soul bondage yourself, you tear not down the bridge after you, by leaving no small pittance for distressed souls that may come after you.