New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-08

,s that Williams never assumed toward the hum
biest OF those around him the manner OF patron
He did not have the air OF great or learheu
man who felt that he was sacrificing his own IKE u
the welfare Of the masses. This feeling that ne was
one of those among whom he labored and not SUI
narlor being reaching down to them IL rare among
refor1ncrs who have not themselves risen from the
masses Facts Of this sort indicate an early Ia
milarlty on the part OF Williams WIN the con-
victons Of the humbest. On the other hand' MS
brief connection with a Baptist Church IN America
can hardly be said to more than that his
views of religious liberty had taken definite shape
No church seems to have been quite broad enough
for him He aimed, gays Mr. Straus. at "unre-
strained indivdualism in matters of belief.
An interesting detail of Mr.. Strauss book Is his
effort to fix the year in which Roger Williams was
born lie dsagrees with other investigators in
choosing 1901 but his ingenious ana APP
parently valid The nrsSgroup Of scholars, thirty
five In number educated in the famous Charter
House School, began their studies in 1914. AS no
boy under ten years Of age could be admitted
Williams must have been born in 1904 or earlier II
he was I'm this first group. The inference that ne
was among these first scholars has been drawn
from n note Of Sir Edward Coke's daughter, who
wrote This Roger Williams. when he was a youth,
would in short hand take sermons and speeches.
in the Star Chamber and present them to my dear
father lie seeing so hopeful a youth, TOOK such
a liking TO him that he sent him into SuttonS HOS
Dtdl, ana ne was the second tHAt was piiC'b
Mr. Strdus maintains that the meaning mere IL not
that Williams was second ia the earliest group or
thrty-nve scholars, but the second sent 70 the
school by Coke II ne a capable reporter ne
could hardly be under fourteen Whcn ne was, sent
TO the school The records OF the Charter Rouse
School show that ne had Orsaken the university 10
which he had an exhibition by 1929 after five years
study. He registered at Pembroke college,
Cambridge in 1923. Two years at the Charter House
School would make thu date Of his entrance therc
1921 If ne was fourteen at that time, then ne must
have been born IN 1914. ASIDE from MS WRITINGS ana
his more important achievements. II Is surprising
how llttlc can be said about him. we 90 not
know" says ..ir. Strlus. whether he was tail or
short Of stature, stout or spare OF frame. IL can
only be- inferred from the labors which ne under
went that he Of vigorous and robust health
I}y careful study Of evidence it Is shown that ne
died early in 1854 OG3 Old style but the day OF ms
death cannot be fixed. \ year before his death he
described himself as Old weak and ruptured ana
lame in both feet. That he. who might nave been
rich according to the notions OF the tlnes was Nery
poor i'm his old age is inferred by Mr.. STaus from
the fact that he had not the money 10 PRINT tract
which contained only thirty pages OF his writlnS
'Fe was not the first" says Mr.. Straus, TO dis
cover the principles Of religious liberty, but ne was
the first to proclaim them in all their plenitude
and 10 found and build up a political community
with those principles as the basis ot It's oFe1hiza-
ton.