Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-01-20

yeats since the date OF ITS formation. Il
was IN 1881 that Roger Williams. the
personal friend of Cromwell and Of Mil
ton, who while at home had left the priest
hood Of the church of England for con-
science sake. and then left bis home and
country to seek ia this new world clear
held for the progress of religious freedom.
arrived on these shores. Surprised and
grieved to find religious opinions estab-
lished and enforced by law. he boldly as.
serted It to be contrary to the essential ma
ture of Christianity, and on that account,
in 1886. he was made an exile from his
new asylum. In the midst Of winter, this
venerable pilgrim went forth. into the wills
derness, 8 not knowing whilher he WENT
yet guided by an Almighty hand. 1t was
in view of this. that he said, with touch
| ing simplicity.
Lost many a time I've had no guide,
No house bur hollow tree,
In stormy winter night no FIRE,
No food, no company.
God makes path, provides guide,
Aud feeds in wilderness,
His glorious name while earth remains,
Y, that may confess e
He found favor with the sayages, became
the first missionary to the Indians ia
North America. the founder of the first
colony which ever proclaimed liberty Of
conscience as lis fundamental law. and ia
THAT colony the first pastor Of a Bapust
!church on this continent. Let his name
be honored His fame is Frightening by
the lapse of time, and will always hold an
Industrious place in the annals OF religion
and humanity.
| But the churches oflhis Comm onwealth
have not generally sprung from that IN
Providence. So early as 1868. Baptist
church, under the pastoral care of Rev.
John Miles. emigrated from Swanzea. in
! Wales, to Wannamoiset, OF which they
lobtained grant from the government Of
the Plymouth colony, and called it Swan
szea, its present name, in honor of their
transatlantic home. Mr.. Miles was man
of bold, yet kind and Christian spirit
Ia Wales, he had been an active and sue
cessful minister. but in 1862 he fed from
the storm of persecution which struck
through the Principally afer The passage
of that Act of Uniformity in England. by
which upwards. of two thousand ministers
were elected from their places Of worship.
Like the Huguenots Of France, though at
Ian earlier day. this Welsh church fed
hither to the wilderness to find religious
] liberty. Secure in their retreat, their
minister gave himself 10 his appropriate
work at home and abroad. Maiher makes
respectful mention Of him, and we find
hhat he often visited this CITY to aid iha,
infant church which was here struggling
for existence. They invited him 10 be-
come their pastor but he continued to re.
side OF Swanzea, until 1858. the year O
his death.
il II was in 1865, that the first Baptis
church IN this CITY was organized. Ac
|, cording to Dr. Mather. many among ths
|, FIRST setllers Of New England were ofthl.
/, lonler. "Infant baptism.'' says he, .hatt
. l6een scrupied by mnl,itudes in our day
who have been, in other points most wor
i, thy Christians, and as holy. watchful
fruitful and heavenly people as perhap!
/. any in the world" Some Of these wer
!. subjected 10 severe suf1srings by thos
) who insisted. on uniformity Of Worship
I and who thought, as Mr.. Cott-n express
:, ed ii. that, !. if the worship be lawful in i
: SELF the magistrate compelling man /
: come TO it, compelleth him not 10 sin, bu
: 1.-The sin is in his will, who needs 10
{ lcompelled to a Christian duty III
! prosecutions of these men led the learne
i Dunstar, the first President Of Harval
8 University, TO make particular examil
=, lation OF their sentiments, The cons
= quence was, that the President open
! preached against infant baptism. Fl
). discourscs awakened more attention
- 1.-The subject. and thence issued in the forr
- - alton Of the first church o. our name
4 This city, lis organization took place
IS Charlcstown. while yet with them it "
nd a :. day Of small lhlngs.n Of darkness q
8 OF trouble. Thence in 1901, when I
= StilIman preached ia Charlssiown at /
n public recognition Of new church in Il
=, place, he took occasio to say 10 theI
sss !. In the year 1865. the FIRST Bap
=. Church ia Boston. from which most
de- you have been dismissed. was formed
+ this town. To-day she sends you ba'
iii at your own desire. in conjunction "
hoe our friends from the Second Bap
i Church 10 Boston. to form chui
! : where she began. But how great the
! = terence between that period and I'll
IN. Then the right Of private Judgment
r. r. denied; now all IS candor. love
friendship. This event Is surely pr
~ Denial: 10 human agency alone il car
rse. " nSe 'osu.
the 80 1xarSuous rRIBurE 70 IN
'ner CHARAcFER or yUDsoN.
= Perhaps il would be difficult 70 sa
-. - Enlln..l,nn r1ra nranll does d