Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-02-06

fallen into the bottomless pit. And while
you are exposed to the same danger it is
not time to dance. IRENAEUs.
From the Christian Waterman. --.
Biography CT carly Baptist Ministers.
Roger Wiliiams--COncIuded.
L was at dead Of winter, in January,
1856, when Mr.. Williams left his
family and home at Salem to negotiate for
a residence with the untutored savages of
the forest. Most accounts represent him
10 have been alone in his formidable ad-
venture. He directed his course to the
south. For fourteen weeks, according to
his own statement, he endured extreme
hunger and privation, exposed to all the
rigors Of the most inclement season in a
New England climate. Indeed he ap-
pears to have carried to his grave the ef-
fects of the hardships which he experience
ed at this period. He. however, cheerful
y sacrificed every temporal comfort on
the sacred altar,ot religious freedom.
He first landed at the present town of
Seekonk, on the eastern bank of the riy-
er which bears the same name, and took
up his abode for the winter. He built
him house and obtained grant of land>
from Onaamequin, an Indian Sachem, but
being advertised in friendly manner BY
Governor Winslow, that he had settled
within the limits of the Plymouth patent,
in the spring he withdrew across the riv-
er, and laid the foundation of a new Set
Element, which he called Providence. He
gave the place this name in gratitude for
the merciful interpretations of God in his
behalf. In recompcnse for valuable SER
vices which he had rendered to the Indi-
ans, he received a deed conveying to his
possession an extensive tract of land on
the Providence and Pawtucket rivers.-
This grant, with his usual disinterested-
ness, he consented to share by an equal
division with twelve others who had ioin-
ed him from Massachusetts. Each set
tier had assigned to him farm of six
: acres from which to obtain his subsistence
X The peculiar sacrifices of Mr.. Will.
Jams were subsequently made up to him
in part by an arrangement of his fellow
: townsmen, which provided that each fu.
ture settler should pay to him the sum oil
thirty shilliugs, or about S. of the pres
8 ent currency. .-.. .. ..
( Soon after his location at Providence
f he embraced Baptist principles, and was
baptized by Mr.. Ezekiel Hoffman. He
then baptized the administrator and ter
! others Thus was formed at Providence
$ the first Baptist church in Amerira.-
u Mr.. Williams was recognized as the frs
a pastor, without formal,ty; and though
: after the lapse of four months, he becam,
. visibly and widely separated from III,
! church in opinion, yet the ministerial con
:. nection subssted for four years, till hi
II departure for England to solicit charte
S of incorporation, in 1913. He expressed
l his doubts in regard to the validity of al
It baptism, because the administrators of tn
n ordinance could not prove their office t.
! be derived from apostofcal succession
: Christians of the past and present da,
+ may not have been disposed TO entertain
$, this objection to the same extent with Mr.
: Williams, tor evidence exists to shov
ct that in the early ages of the Christia
II church it was held to be competent 70
laymen to baptize, and we suppose tn
baptism of Williams and his friends, i
view of the attendant circumstances, Wi
generally be considered as legal but tn
whole life of this conscientious man eS
cludes every doubt of his sincerity. Tn
: validity of The baptism employed by tn
denomination at the present day, howeve
T. is not connected with the baptism admir-
OF istered TO Mr.. Williams, since the fount
r. ers of Baptis. churches in the Unite
Id States did not in most cases arise from tn
OF church at Providence, but were Europe
or ans who had been baptized previous
ae their emigration.
in In 1861, Mr.. Coddington, strenuor
en- advocate of the royal authority over tt
ou colonies, who had gone to England, pr,
er cured from the Council of State. in who
.er the executive power was vested after Il
nd execution of Charles |, a grant of juri
in, diction over Rhode Island and other is
90 ands in NarragaDset Bay, which h,
sln heretofore considered themselves ind
or the protection of Mr.. Williams and b
t assistants at Providence. The news
this Arrangement produced great alarl
ers both among the islanders and the inha
- itants of Providence Plantations, insomu'
= that deputation consisting of Mr.. Wi
he Jams and Mr.. John Clarke, was despatc
ole ed to England with a view to procure t
ger amendment of the ungrateful charter.
nc The mission was successful, and after t