| CHAPTER I. | |
| Page | |
|---|---|
| Early life of Mr. Williams—state of religious affairs in England—Mr. Williams embarks for America, | [21] |
| CHAPTER II. | |
| Historical sketch—view of the condition of the country, at the time of Mr. Williams’ arrival, | [33] |
| CHAPTER III. | |
| Mr. Williams refuses to unite with the Boston church—is invited to Salem—interference of the General Court—removes to Plymouth—the Indians—difficulties at Plymouth—birth of Mr. Williams’ eldest child, | [45] |
| CHAPTER IV. | |
| Returns to Salem—ministers’ meetings—Court again interferes—the rights of the Indians—his book against the patent—wearing of veils—controversy about the cross in the colors, | [55] |
| CHAPTER V. | |
| Proceedings which led to his banishment—freeman’s oath—various charges against him—sentence—birth of his second child—leaves Salem for Narraganset Bay—review of the causes of his banishment, | [64] |
| CHAPTER VI. | |
| Numbers, condition, language, rights, &c. of the Indians in New England, | [82] |
| CHAPTER VII. | |
| Mr. Williams proceeds to Seekonk—crosses the river, and founds the town of Providence, | [100] |
| CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Purchase of lands from the Indians—division of the lands among the settlers, | [106] |
| CHAPTER IX. | |
| Settlement of the town of Providence—Whatcheer—islands of Prudence, Patience, and Hope, | [118] |
| CHAPTER X. | |
| Mr. Williams prevents the Indian league—war with the Pequods—their defeat and ruin, | [125] |
| CHAPTER XI. | |
| Settlement on Rhode-Island commenced—Mrs. Hutchinson—settlement at Pawtuxet, | [138] |
| CHAPTER XII. | |
| Condition of Providence—execution of three murderers of an Indian—birth of Mr. Williams’ eldest son, | [148] |
| CHAPTER XIII. | |
| Baptism of Mr. Williams—establishment of the first Baptist church in Providence—Mr. Williams soon leaves the church, | [162] |
| CHAPTER XIV. | |
| Affairs of the Indians—birth of Mr. Williams’ fourth child—disputes at Providence about boundaries—Committee of Arbitration—account of Samuel Gorton, | [179] |
| CHAPTER XV. | |
| Birth of Mr. Williams’ second son—league of the colonies—war between the Narragansets and Mohegans—capture and death of Miantinomo—Mr. Williams embarks for England, | [190] |
| CHAPTER XVI. | |
| Mr. Williams’ first visit to England—Key to the Indian languages—charter—birth of Mr. Williams’ youngest child—Bloody Tenet—he returns to America—reception at Boston and Providence—again aids in preventing an Indian war, | [196] |
| CHAPTER XVII. | |
| Letters to John Winthrop—organization of the government—vote of money to Mr. Williams—agreement of several inhabitants of Providence—dissensions—Indian troubles, | [206] |
| CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| Mr. Coddington—letters to John Winthrop—execution of Charles I., | [227] |
| CHAPTER XIX. | |
| Warwick—Mr. Williams’ compensation—imprisonment of John Clarke and Obadiah Holmes—Mr. Coddington’s separate charter—Mr. Williams and Mr. Clarke prepare to go to England, | [238] |
| CHAPTER XX. | |
| Mr. Williams and Mr. Clarke sail—Mr. Coddington’s charter vacated—troubles in Rhode-Island—Mr. Williams returns—Sir Henry Vane—Milton—Mr. Williams endeavors to re-establish order—Indians—letter on religious and civil liberty, | [252] |
| CHAPTER XXI. | |
| Troubles in Rhode-Island—William Harris—Quakers—severe laws against them in other colonies—conduct of Rhode-Island—Mr. Williams and Mr. Harris—Mr. Williams not re-elected as President, | [281] |
| CHAPTER XXII. | |
| Death of Cromwell—his character—Richard Cromwell succeeds—restoration of Charles II.—Act of Uniformity, and ejection of the Non-conformists—affairs in Rhode-Island—Indian deed—letters to Mr. Winthrop, | [300] |
| CHAPTER XXIII. | |
| Infant baptism—half-way covenant—laws to support religion—charter from Charles II.—first meeting of Assembly—Mr. Clarke—difficulties about boundaries—charges against Rhode-Island, concerning Catholics and Quakers, | [315] |
| CHAPTER XXIV. | |
| Mr. Williams’ public services—religious habits—efforts as a minister—Indians—private affairs—letter to John Whipple, | [326] |
| CHAPTER XXV. | |
| Controversy with the Quakers—Philip’s war—letters—Mr. Williams’ death, | [336] |
| CHAPTER XXVI. | |
| Mr. Williams’ writings—Key—Bloody Tenet—liberty of conscience—Mr. Cotton’s Reply—Mr. Williams’ Rejoinder, | [356] |
| CHAPTER XXVII. | |
| Hireling Ministry none of Christ’s—the ministry—controversy with George Fox—other writings—character as a writer—his general character, | [376] |
| Appendix, | [391] |
MEMOIR.
CHAPTER I.
Early life of Mr. Williams—State of religious affairs in England—Mr. Williams embarks for America.
The obvious analogy between human life and a river has supplied the poet with similes, and the moralist with arguments. The resemblance of the two objects is, in this point, at least, worthy of notice, that their origin awakens the curiosity of every reflective mind. This feeling has impelled many travellers to a perilous search for the sources of the Niger and the Nile; and it made Lewis and his associates look, with triumphant joy, on the little rill, at the summit of the Rocky Mountains, which flows on, and expands into the mighty Missouri.
We feel a similar desire, when we survey the actions of a distinguished individual, to learn the incidents of his youth. The mind is perplexed and dissatisfied, if such a personage has suddenly appeared, like Manco Capac to the Peruvians, as if he had indeed alighted on the earth from the sun, or risen, like the fabled Venus, from the ocean.
This curiosity has valuable uses. The instruction which is gathered from the lives of men is drawn, in great part, from a view of the steps, by which they advanced to their subsequent elevation in virtue and usefulness, or to a bad eminence in crime. The character of most men is formed early, and we can scarcely pronounce a fair judgment respecting any individual, unless we take into the account the circumstances, which shed a propitious or malignant influence on those early years, when his habits were fixed, and his principles imbibed.
It is a subject of regret, that of the early life of Roger Williams so little is known. A few facts only have been preserved, and these do not rest on very certain evidence. It is remarkable, that in his numerous writings, there are no allusions to his parents, to the place of his birth and education, and to other points relating to his early years. There are, in his letters and books, but two or three incidental references to events anterior to his arrival in this country; though his allusions to early occurrences after his emigration are very frequent.
He was about 32 years of age when he reached our shores; a period of life, when the energy of youth remains without its rashness, and the mind has acquired steadiness, without the timid caution and fixed pertinacity of old age. It is a period, however, when the character of most men is already formed. Though new situations and difficult exigencies may develope unexpected powers, and give prominence to certain traits of character, yet the mind commonly remains unchanged in its essential qualities. It was long since said by Horace, that those who cross the ocean pass under a new sky, but do not acquire a new disposition.[[4]] This was probably true of Mr. Williams; and if we could trace his early history, we should undoubtedly see an exhibition of the same principles and temper which distinguished his subsequent career.
It may, however, be said of most of the prominent men among the first settlers of New England, that their history begins at the period of their arrival here. Our accounts of their early lives are very brief. They were too busy to record their own early fortunes, and too pious to feel any pride in displaying their descent, their virtues, or their sufferings. The present and the future filled their minds; and they seem to have felt, that the wide ocean which separated them from the land of their fathers had effected a similar disjunction of their history. Of Roger Williams less is known than of some others, because no efforts were made by early biographers to collect facts concerning him. His opponents were more disposed to obliterate his name, than to record his life. His contemporary friends were sharers in his sufferings, and were not at leisure to relate his story or their own. Even the records of the church which he founded at Providence contain no notice of him, written earlier than 1775, when the Rev. John Stanford, a venerable minister, still living in New-York, collected the fugitive traditions concerning the origin of the church.