Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-03-25
Religious Miscellany.
ROGER WILLIAMS.

IlOuAAN W AALAAnICs
Roger Williams is worthy of all praise
for The profound and lucid views which |
he took of the nature Of religious liberty, |
and of its being an essential element IN
the constitution OF Christian church
He did not consider the belief of it neces-
sary to salvation, but church established
by law, and enforcing its creed. he regard
ed in its outward constitution to be anti
christian. He saw that it contained an
element altogether irreconcila5le with the
genius of Christianity, and one which in
Dictated profound mistake as to the real
character Of the present dispensation.-
He Justly judged it, therefore, to be part
of the grand apostacy. When man has
once clear and strong faith like that IN
the doctrine of soul-freedom, he never
forsakes it. The principle Incorporates
itself with the essential elements of his
mind, modifies his opinions of the rela-
tons of men, the nature of a church, and
the end Of civil government. Then, it is
no longer enough tina: his creed be tolef-
ated he feels it to be an injury inflicted
on himself, and on the cause of man, that
any human power should assume the
right to tolerate. He regards such an as
sumption in any class OF men. as partak-
ing of the nature of a conspiracy against
human liberty, as raising distractions to
the exercise of such an intelligent heart
felt faith in Christ as the gospel demands,
and as being directly opposed to the spirit
of moral probation, in which God has
, chosen to place the world, under the gov
ern nent Of Messiah. Hence Williams
SAYS, 6 1t is the will and commandment OF
God, that since the coming of his son,
(the Lord Jesus,) permission of the most
Paganish, Jerish, Turkish, or anti chris
tan conscience AMI worShips be granted
; to all men, in all nations and countries
/ and they are only to be fought against
. with that sword, which is only lin SOU
: mat;ers) able 10 conquer, to wit, the sword
tof Gods Spirit, the word Of God Again,
= he speaks of thousands and tens of thou
! sands, yea, the whole generation of the
! rio hteous, who since the falling away
from the first primitive state and worship
have and do err fundamentally concerning
;, the true mater, constitution, gathering
: and government of the church; and yet
!, be it far from any pious breast to imagine
!, that they are not saved, and that the
= souls are not bound up in the bundle o
- eternal life ...
/ Now, whence was it that this great as
! sefter of human freedom obtained sue
clear perceptions of principle, whc
;, was in his day so much abhorred. bu
- which has won such majestic trlumph'
- :: and is still going on from conquerlng
=, CONQUER? Why was he, in the discover
, of moral and political truth, SO far IN &C
: vance OF the leading men of New Eng
- land, and that too, in an age when all tn
= sublecls that pertain to mans social an
80 religious condition were so holly agltated
~ Was it that he possessed a clearer int
- lect or more profound philosophy tia
- they? Nowhere could the materials
- found, to construct the least plausible pro
b. of such position. A passage IN one
- his works will give us some clue to
! proper answer TO this inquiry II reIat
~ to a man Of some learning, but OF mo
80 - piety, in humble life, a Baptist ministt
:" and pastor of a church in London.
W. was the excellent Samuel Howe, succes
- - or 10 John Came, author of the margin
go references to the Bible His church ST
, Tered bitter persecutiOa.from the el ..j
q anl BISHOPS courts on account OF TIT
&ea Sentiments touching liberty OF conscienc
''ae and when he died, a guard was piac
~, =, around the parish church, TO prevent
~ friends from giving him decent burr
~, Nevertheless. many followed him to
80 grave, which was Ia the highway, ane
/. funeral address was delivered from
- bfeweg's cart He had followed the
-. cupation Of shoe maker. was dist
= !. guished for grea, natural genius. and
/ IN the author Of small treatise EMIT
fses The Suficiencv ofthe Splrit's Teachll
.nun His employment was hlntsd at IN S
have commendalory lines prehxed to Inc y
from by friendly hand. and IN the style Of
,nts times