Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-01-16

W ooSeTFe young man taxing notes Oh
the sermon. He called the youth into
his pew, and requested sight of the
paper upon which the notes had been
written. He was so much taken with the
righteousness which these exhibited, that
he soon resolved to present the writer
with liberal education. The tradition
adds that with the consent of Williams
parents, Sir Edward executed his benevo-
lent design.
After leaving Oxford, Mr.. Williams
commenced the study of law; but becom-
ing convinced that his duty lay in another
sphere, he relinqnished his first object for
the more congenial avocations OF cier-
gyman. He appears to have been from
childhood, the subject of deep religious
feelings, and his later youth exhibited the
appropriate signs of a truly devoted char
acter He first accepted orders in the
Church of Eng gland, and Iaborcd for some
time as preacher of that persuasion; but
his evangelical sentiments, and his zeal in
propagating them soon drawing on him
deuge of ecclesiastical wrath he was
rejected for non-conformity. England
] L
in an age when religious toIeration was
unknown, under the despotic sovereigns
of the Stuart line, the poor Dissenlers
reaped little benefit from this circumstance
except the exchange of Papal for Protest
ant persecution. Liberty of conscience,
the first right of devotion. jealous Y as
}sumed in the prerogative of the monarch,
was as zeaously indicated by the sub
lject; and both parties seemed determined
never to relinquish their object but with
Vile. This contest in conjunction with
civil causes, produced the overthrow of
the ruling dynasty, and the execution of
the arbitrary but unfortunate Charles the
First.
1t was during this stormy period, that
Mr. Williams was induced to join the
adventurous number who were seeking in
the New World refuge from the op-
preston and oigotry of the Old He
arrived in New-England, with his wife,
in February, 1891. The next spring,
he was invited by the church at Salem
to serve them as teaching elder, in ac-
cordance with the prevalent custom oil
retaining for each church two ministers
in the respective offices of pastor and
teacher. Gov Winthrop and his assist
: ants at Boston, took offence at this ar
rangement, and enjoined the Salem church
to suspend the new relation. The osten.
sibIe reason of this interdict was the pre-.
t vious refusal Of Mr. Williams TO commune
; with the church at Boston, because tha
body would not avoW repentance for hav
! ing communed with the churches of Eng
: land before the emigration, and his dec
{ aratlon that the civil magistrate was no
t competent 10 take cognlZance of religion:
offences.
y If Mr.. Williams carried the first OBJ
e lection to the Boston church beyond tn
s srict limits Of duty, his dis-feIlowship O
:, that body was undoubtedly based on n
Y scientious grounds and his circumstance
b afford palIiatlon, if not a complete Jus
|; tihcaIion of his conduct He was still
e bleeding with njuries received from tn
% Protestant Catholic Church of England
ID and when he saw the daughter of tina
0, corrupt church in America, exciting i
l. her fIial relation, and following directl
I'd the proscriptive course of her parent, it
l. not strange that he should have desire
an expiicitrenunciation. The other charg
V, that the magistrate has not the right {
e. Jurisdiction over religious matters, or
s, other words, that the subject is amenab
III only to God for the character Of his rel
he gious opinions. or for the performance
ne his religious duties, is we'll known to ba,
p since obtained an undisputed aulhorit
of over the public mind.
nd The Salem church, with Christie
ne Independence, denied the right of the
n Boston brethren to interfere in their ele
ch ton Of teaching elder. They receive
be Mr.. Williams as their minister, ar
,r- avowed high regard for him as me-
IN of the deepest piety, and devoted re-
ed gious instructor. His persec utors, no,
os- ever did not suffer him to rest; and befO
lat the close of the summer he Withdrew
Ter Plymouth. Here he became engaged
be assistant of Mr.. Ralph Smith pastor
ers the church at that place. He spent
est years at plymouth, when finding that h
ew principles of religious federation and
ro- entire separation from the church of En-
err land were ungrateful to portion OF h
hearers, he returned to Salem. He w
Bile received with undated affection, and
be 1884, after the death of Mr.. Shelton. t
the pastor whose colleague he had been du
the ing his first residence at Salem, he w
uld installed as his successor. The next yei
re- however, a fresh excitement was rails
the against him: he was accused OF pfeac
sac ing against his royal patent by which
aele colonists held their lands, and OF the
With offence of denying to the civil ruler
our right to intrude his powers into the re
!. gious affairs of the subject. On the
our noint he maintained that the king col