The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-11-06
A Former Portland PASTORS Work.

So much Of the life of Thomas Hooker.
the great English Puritan preacher, was
passed In the New England colonies that
Dodd, Mead q Co., have very appropriately
included him among the famous men whose
lives are to be illustrated In the Makers of
America" series. This particular volume on
Thomas Hooker will have additional inter-
est to Portland because of the fact that Il is
written by Rev. DR.. George Leon Walker
pastor of State street church about twenty
years ago and now one of the leading clergy
men Of Connecticut. OF the book as whole
1t Is enough to say that it is compact work,
written in charming style, without dull
page, and giving complete account of those
portions Of Hooker's career of most interest
at the present day. That particular portion
relating to Rockers connection with the
Punishment OF Roger Williams from the
Massachusetts, colony is especially worthy of
attention because Of the opinion advanced
by DR.. Walker as to the reasons for Will
liams's Punishment This opinion, 1t may be
said In passing, is not wholly novel; The late
DR.. Dexter, OF the CongregationalIst, held
livery tenaciously. 1t has generally been
inferred from such histories as have been
popular authority, that Roger Williams was
banished from the colony because his re-
ligious views did not coincide with those of
the Puritan theocracy of Massachusetts,
Roger Williams afterwards became the great
historical figure of the New England Bap-
lists, so that the facts as to his Punishment
from the Congregational colony have become
matters of interest aud Importance. What
DR.. Walker says of the case of Williams Ia
therefore of interest:
No doctrinal question Of religion was involved
least of al that view Of Baptism which he after.
wards, and tempOrariy-held, and which has az
often enormously been represented as the canse
OF his exclusion from the colony. He denied the
validity Of The colonial charter he counselled the
cutting out OF the cross from the kings flag; he
declared the administration Of an oath of office 10
an unregenerate person to be participation sin
takiDe The name OF God in yan;" he pronounced
worship in churches which had not renounced
connection with the established church of Eng
land SIM When the general court suspended
action on petition OF Salem to receive grant of
public land he moved bis church to write to other
churches TO discipline their members who as town
representatives united in this delay; when these
churches heSitated to act on this advice of the
Salem church, he cOunselled his church to with
draw fellowship from them; when his church did
not act on his counsel In this natter he withdrew
fellowship from 1t, and set up private con-
venucle IN his own house; ana when his wife con-
tlnued TO attend the Salem church, he renOuDced
ieliowsnip WIN her, and refused to say family
grace or prayers In her presence. In an es.
tablished time of quietude these performances of
Mr.. Williams might have been comparatively
harmless, and been vii ked at as tokens Of the
unseuIed Judgment which the clear mind If Gov
ernor Bradford had already noted. But it was
mol time OF quiet The liberties of the colony
were 10 Imminent peril Proceedings had ALREADY
peen commenced for vacating the charter in the
English courts Reports tending to infame the
saccleslastcal authorities Of England were con.
nnually sent back by disaffected persons in
america. In this condition OF affairs to deny the
charters validity, to charge the king with telling
! ne. IN granting it, to recommend the mutila
ZION Of Inc kings colors, to proclaim the unchrist
ian character OF the churches in not denounejng
, ne English church as anUichrlstian and TO tur
noll me churches and magistrates among them.
seSNes, We're offences against civil peace which no
S na ms could overlook. The que sion
was not theological, 1t was question OF politi
S scToa 9roer and public safety; and ii was
man NH upon reluctant government by a
but one IVA Was not even freeman Of the colony.
his nn,n M no personally declined, and EMPLOYED
DENTS oatb ~ a otners TO decline, even resi-
which he lived. ~ '"o government under
1g,, y plain that DR.. Walker considers Roger
"A"ians crank, and a dangerous one AZ