Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-06
The Seventh Day BaptistS.

The sentiments to which the Seventh Dsy
Baptist or SabbatHrIOns hold, and the pflnci
ples that distinguish them from the religious
world, Ms believed aud taught oy them, were
also believed aud taught by Christ and the
Apostles, and practIsed by the curly Christ
aims That the Seventh Day was
observed by the Church, until the decree Of
Constantine, profane history ubundanly
shows and very soon oil the Roman domin'
ions felt the effect OF Gods law being made
void by human traditions. The Sabbatorinns
are a body of Christians who keep the Seu.
enM day MS the Sabbath, instead of the fTst
day or Sunday, and are 10 be found prnci'
pa lily. # not wholly, among the BaptIst. The
common reasons why Christians observe the
First day of the week, as the Sabbath, are,
that Christ rose from the dead that The A. .
poslcs assembled, preached, aud administer.
ed The Lords Supper, aud 1t has been kept
I by the Churches Tor several ages, II not from
the time when Christianity was originally
promulgated.
II There are but two Churches Of this demon
II nation ~ London, and their numbeis small
and we believe few individuals OF that or
der mny be found on the Continent OF Europe,
and some ~ Scotland. IN 1865, Mr. Stephen
/ Mumford. a Seventh Day Bapllst, came from
! England To Newport, and soon Mr.. Samuel
| Hubbard, a Baptist embraced his views
! there were others olso who soon embraced
| uthsame sentiments, and continued To walk
q gcthcr in the same Church, unit I67l.--
! Soon after thus, n dIsseDslon arose among
! them, and many hard things were sad;
! among which, was, that they had gone
| from Christ to Moses. and that the genilles
| had nothing to do with the Ten Command
/ ,ments.' Things continued IN this way, Nm
. .l..n a. A..
! ,uon those members remaining, entered into
! Church Fellowship together, and became the
first Seventh Day Baptist IN the United
States. WIIllom IlIscox became their first
u Pastor. Very soon after, a hostile spirit was
: raised against this feeble band, aud laws
were enacted, which were severe and crlmi-
nal IN their haturp. Aud II was on record,
that a member of this Church. n man OF plety
and character, named John Rogers, was sen.
fenced TO SIT a certain time upon the galIows,
, with n rope about his neck. tn which he sub
! mltted. And thus, too, IN the State oi Khode
Island and Providence Plantations. where
Roger Williams breathed the free air oi re
=, |hcous toleraton Many other seventies
were pracused upon tho Sabbath keepers in
New England, while the Bspists were pros
ecuted for their baptism. The Seventh Day
Bap,ists met with opposition from oil, aud as
tar as the civil laws would petuIlt, they sut
fered the dire effects arising from this state
Of things.
From these end other causes the progress
of the Seventh Day Baptlsts has been very
much lmpc ded. Their history details no re.
marksbe revolution, in their favor. World
: ly honors, interest, and influence and conve-
nlence, are against ihen, and have always
F, been opposed 10 their perseverance III the
!, observance Of the Sabbath. The members
composing the Church at Newport. have tcl
the disadvantages attending them ~ CITY o.
large town. and for years, hnve been on de
cline since. many have removed To dlhcren
y, parts Of our State, and some made their wal
ID into the far West, where they have been tn
/ means Of establishing Churches, some -
IS which are large and Anuri.hlng ; one IN Pts
n getaway, New Jersey, we believe. has
!. large aud fourlshlng body of believers, WI
a parsonage and farm attached.
But this event has not terminated IN ex
= tingulshlng the little light, although ,h'
J. mother Church has become very weak an'
e amos, extinct, This Church has had n sue
Y ccsslon OF worthy ministers; the most q
q them were born, ordained, and preached an
|. died, members OF this Church. There ar
now IN this state, seven Churches, SIX o
dnincd ministers, and not far from ono thon'
ol md COMMITMENTS. The Church ut lloDklr
s. ton, which was formed by brethren from IN
y Newport Church, in 1908, now number
ir over i've hundred members, having two u
,e dnined ministers, aud n beautiful meeting
: house on the banks OF the Pawcatnck Rive
= The number of Churches belonging to ia
peculiar sect IN this country, are only nOo'
" fifty ; ordained ministers, fur;y; aud abo
= SIX thousand communicants.- PrOr'den
re Journal.