When we remember that the “idle, vagrant persons” accompanying him were no less substantial citizens than John Rogers, Jr., John Bolles and men of that stamp, this record assumes the character of a misrepresentation throughout. Also the contradiction in the record that John Rogers “designed to dip” an indefinite number “in the water,” with statement that he said he would baptise “one,” is significant. No court record regarding John Rogers but must have been penned with careful reference to the appearance of his offense before the public, by precaution of those in charge, who were his enemies.
[122]. That Capt. James, like his brother John, gave up the seventh-day sabbath, adopting the first day for religious services, is indicated by the fact that those of his children that remained Baptists were first-day Baptists. The same is true of the family of Joseph Rogers, many of whose descendants were (and are) Baptists of the regular persuasion.
Nothing has been found to disprove the supposition that Capt. James Rogers and his wife and Joseph Rogers and his wife continued in the Rogerene faith to the end. John Rogers had many followers, while the names of only a few of those more conspicuous in leadership are revealed to us by the court records. The fact that certain sons of Capt. James and of Joseph inclined to, and finally united with, the Congregational church readily accounts for the less prominent stand of their parents.
[123]. See John Rogers, 2d, [Part I., Chapter V.]
[124]. “Prey Taken from the Strong.”
[125]. In fact, the wife of John Rogers was discharged the day after the occurrence. She, being a regular Quaker, came under different laws from the Rogerenes and appears to have been treated with some leniency. Her coming from the State of New York and from a prominent Quaker community in that State may have had something to do with this leniency.
[126]. “And first I grant that the governor did actually make this promise, viz., that, to persuade us to forbear, if we would be quiet and worship God in our own way according to our consciences, he would punish any of their people that should disturb our worship,—and that it was in a Public Court before a multitude of hearers.”—John Rogers, 2d.
We find after intimation by John, 2d, that this promise of the governor was not kept.
[127]. About four months before and evidently a town court and the one referred to by John Bolles.
[128]. Here is recognizable the “inner prison” described by John Rogers.