Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-02-21

parishes and churches in Virginia, vol 1,
D. 50, says the "Bsptists took the lead in
dissent, and were the chief objects of per-
secutioD," etc, and again in vol. 2, PIP.
449 and $50, says the warfare begun by
the Baptists seven and twenty years before
was now finished. The church was in
ruins and the triumph of her enemies was
complete. The occasion at that time
for all this agitation on the part Of
the Baptists was the fact that the
charter Of Virginia in 1905 established
E~piscopacy as the exclusive system of
the State Under that charter the most
tyrannical laws were passed. F.r exam
pie, none could preach or meet for worship
legally but Episcpalians. Everybody in
the colony must 60 to the Episcopal min
ter and give On account Of his religious
vie VS.. For the first refusal he was
whipped, for the second whipped twice,
for the third whipped every day until he
would 90 to confession. Two thousand
pounds of tobacco was the foe for refusing
to have O child cristered, snd everybody
must be married or buried by the minister
Of the parish. Use Hsnnins's Statutes Of
Virginia tor these aud many other such
things Scores Of our Baptist fore
fathers were publicly whipped or hunted
with dogs or imprisoned in jsils for'preach-
ing the gospel OF the Son OF God" as Pat
rick Henry expressed it. Do We claim that
Baptists stood alone in this battle for free
dom of conscience? Nay, verify, there were
the Quakers, and though few in numbers,
yet who more loyal to this principle than
they? Many of the Presbyterians fought
bravely, too. Yet, alas, history says many
of them voted with the enemy. And there
was the ~magnanimous Catholic Lord Balti-
more, of Maryland, who granted not ALSO
lutte liberty Of conscience, but federation,
at least, to all who would comply with the
Ecclesiastical laws Of England. See
Barclay l., chapter Z. But if the Baptists,
in the language OF DR.. Hawks, were
not ''the chief promoters in this work" Of
lust and true liberty, equal and Impair
tial liberty" 10 u and sill, then the
leading historians of this country have
utterly lost sight of the facts. Nor is this
the only work 10 which Baptists have Oeen
the chief promoters. 1t is q well.Enown
fact that the first missionary of modern
times to the heather world was Wm. Cary,
an English Baptist, that Judson and Rec,
the first missionaries who left American
shores for heaihen lands, though Congre-
g~ationalists when they started, became
dissatisfied with their infant baptism and
Joined the Biptists upon reaching the fol-
eign field. That the earliest TRANSACTIONS
of the Scriptures into heather languages
were by Baptists, and they have made
more Of them than any other denoul-
inaion.
The iIst foreign missionary society in
modern times was organized in England
by Baptista. The first Evangelical churches
organized in Burmah, India and China
were Baptist churches. The Baptists
number in the United States alone nearly
three million to. day, and as a body are
the same uncompromising haters OF shams
ard expressions, whether by Organized
Trusts" or "I.iberty Leagues" or "Eccle-
s~iastical Despots," the advocate Of pure
homes, free schools, q free ballot, and a
free bible for all alike. Not one word Of
censure or disparagement for other denomi-
nations is Intended here, and 10 mention
has been made but what is necessary
to elicit the truth. The very den0mina-
lions implicated in these prosecutions one
hundred years ago would repudiate with
honor the same thing to-day. And all
true Americans, in the church or out, are
with us ON the great question Of soul
liberty, and We dare to hope that the dark
days ara over to which Mr.. Froude ailudes
in his history Of England, vol. Z, p. 2jS,
when in speaking of the Baptists, he says:
"On them tie laws of the land might take
their natural course aud no voice was
raised to speak for them"
For them no Europe was asitated; 20
courts were ordered into mourning; no
royal hearts trembled with indignation.
At their death the world looked on CON-
piacently, indiffrrently or e~xultantly. For
them history has no word CT praise"