Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1856-07-11
MISCELLANEOUS.
ROGER WILLIAMS.

dowments, some of large fortune, several
good scholars, and eminent clergymen.
1t was now that the city of Boston was
founded. In those days, when the Scrip
lures, with their wonderful variations
and deep spiritual teachings.were novel
ty to the intelligent English mind, men
acted towards them and from them with
an earnestness which we scarcely sec
anywhere now. The Puritans desired
no other rule of life, or any better code
of public of laws Massachusetts. there
fore, became kind Of iheoretic republic.
All men were expected to vote, but not
unless they were "church-members. -
Scoffing and hesitations in belief, were
held as delinquencies calling for severe
punishment. Among the strietest laws,
was one compelling all persons not mere
infants to attend church. Newly escap-
ed, as they were, from persecution for
conscience sake at home, they had not
learned to be tolerant to any doctrines.
which to themselves seemed strange
There was Roger Williams at Salem-a
man of accurate and capacious under
standing who had "revolved the nature
of intolerance" and arrived at the great
principle which is its sole effectual re-
medy'-the saneity of the conscience.
1.-The civil magistrate" he said, "should
restrain crime, but never violate the free
dom of the SOUL On this doctrine, he
reasoned luminouslv, accepting every fair
inference from it, and with great ingenui-
tty repelling every objection. 1t brought
him painfully in collision with his fell
low-citizens. for he condemned the law
for church-attendance as one violating
natural rights, and tending to generate
hypocrisy. What must have been more
exasperating,he said than to select magis-
trates exclusively from members of the
church, was no more reasonable than it
would be to choose doctor Of physic or
a pilot according to his skill in theology.
The controversy" say. Mr.. Bancroft.
"fnally turned on the rights and duties
of magistrates to guard the minds of the
people against corruption, and to punish
what would seem to them error and
heresy. Magistrates, Williams protest
ed, are but the agents of the people, or
its trustees, on whom no spiritual power,
in matters of worship, can ever be con-
ferred since conscience belongs to the
Individual, and is not the property of
the body polite; and, with admirable
dialectics, clothing the great truth in its
boldest and most general forms, he assert
ed that the civil magistrate may not in
termedle even to stop church from
apostacy and heresy that this power
extends only to the bodies and goods,
and outward estate of men. With cor
responding distine.ncss, he toresaw the
influence of his principles on society,
The removal of the yoke of soul-opprcs-
sion, as it will prove an act Of mercy
and righteousness to the enslaved ma
tions, so it is of binding force to engage
the whole and every interest and consci-
ence to preserve the common liberty and
peace
Eamentable to say. the settlers OF
Massachusetts, could not put up with
the novel doctrines of Williams and
he had to fly from his home at an incle-
ment season, and seek shelter among
the Indians. The man to whom the
honor is due of being the first on certl
to announce the grea. doctrine Of soul
liberty, wandered in the wilderness:
without guide, and often had no house
but hollow tree. Al more propiti
Gus season. he wen. with five eompanie
to Narragansct bay. and, making small
Independent settlement. proved thu
founder Of the State Of Rhode Island
He took care, of course, to exclude tn,
magistrates of this infant communit,
from any concern in the affairs of con
science. The character at first given t,
its institutions has never been obliterat
ed. Mr.. Bancroft says; The annal
of Rhode Island, if written in the spiri
of philosophy, would exhibit the form
os society under peculiar aspect; ha
the territory of the State corresponds
to the importance and singularsy of tn
principles of its early existance, tn
world would have been filed with won
der at the phenomena Of its existence
A TALE WITHOUT A HEAD.-Jak
was little negro who belonged to Dl
Talliaferro and was said to have in hi