Williams came in contact with the Indians who visited Plymouth from time to time, and gained the confidence of Massasoit, the father of the famous Philip. He studied their language and cultivated their friendship. He writes in one of his letters, “My soul’s desire was to do the natives good!” Near the close of his life he referred to this early experience: “God was pleased to give me a painful patient spirit, to lodge with them in their filthy smoke, to gain their tongue.” Surely the Providence of God was thus preparing the way for the founding of a new colony, to be made possible through these very Indians who had implicit confidence in this man of God.
A Key into the
LANGUAGE
OF
AMERICA:
OR,
An help to the Language of the Natives
in that part of America, called
NEW-ENGLAND.
Together, with briefe Observations of the Customes,
Manners and Worships, &c. of the
aforesaid Natives, in Peace and Warre,
in Life and Death.
On all which are added Spirituall Observations,
Generall and Particular by the Authour, of
chiefe and speciall use (upon all occasions,) to
all the English Inhabiting those parts;
yet pleasant and profitable to
the view of all men:
BY ROGER WILLIAMS
of Providence in New-England.
LONDON,
Printed by Gregory Dexter, 1643.
Boston, 1632
From an old print
The Fort and Chapel on the Hill Where Roger Williams Preached
Used by permission of A. S. Burbank, Plymouth, Mass.
Williams was Pauline in his self-supporting ministry. He wrote: “At Plymouth I spake on the Lord’s Day and week days and worked hard at my hoe for my bread (and so afterward at Salem until I found them to be an unseparated people).” His ministry made friends and foes. His foes feared he would run the same course of Anabaptist behavior as did John Smith, the Se-Baptist, at Amsterdam. Early in August his first child was born, and was named Mary after her mother. Later in the same month, he became for a second time the assistant to Mr. Skelton, at Salem. A number of choice spirits, who had been attracted to his ministry, went with him. He requested a letter of dismission from the Plymouth church to unite with the Salem church. This was granted, but with a caution as to his advanced views. To advocate the separation of Church and State placed a man at that time with the “Anabaptists,” as this was considered their great distinctive doctrine.
He commenced his labors at Salem under this cloud and also with the General Court in Boston very suspicious of his work. Already there was the distant rumbling of a storm which would eventually drive him into exile.
The ministers of the Bay Colony, from the churches of Boston, Newtowne (Cambridge), Watertown, Roxbury, Dorchester, Salem, and elsewhere, were accustomed to meet for discussion and common interest. Roger Williams feared that this might lead to a presbytery or superintendency, to the prejudice of local church liberty. He loathed everything which might make for intolerance.