Roger Williams, Prophet and Pioneer of Soul-Liberty

by Arthur Barsazou Strickland

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.

V

FROM SOUL-LIBERTY TO ABSOLUTE
CIVIL LIBERTY

Rhode Island’s Gift