PROTESTANT PERSECUTION
OF BAPTISTS
IN EARLY AMERICA
BY BANVARD
CONTENTS
Part 3: The Results Of A Meeting
Part 5: Fundamental Propositions
Part 6: A Great Change—A Dilemma
One Saturday, in the month of July 1651, three strangers, who had
journeyed far, and were weary, hungry, and thirsty, arrived at Boston.
"Well pleased am I," said one, whose name was John
Clarke, "that Christian people dwell here, although in some points they
differ from us."
"Yes," replied one of his companions, who wore a brown
coat with long and broad skirts, and great pockets opening on the outside,
"yes, this is one of the cities of Zion, and yonder I see their
sanctuary," at the same time pointing to the meetinghouse.
"No doubt, then, Brother Holmes, the people will remember the
words of the Saviour about a cup of cold water given to a disciple, for I feel
as if a draught at this time would be exceedingly refreshing."
"I sympathize with you in that feeling, Brother
Crandall," said the first speaker, "and I never saw the force of that
passage of Solomon as I do now—'As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good
news from a far country.' It seems to me I never longed for a good drink as I
do at this moment."
"With me," said Obadiah Holmes, "it is not so much
thirst as hunger."
"Well, well, cheer up, brethren, for these Christian friends
are doubtless given to hospitality, and will readily relieve our wants; and if
not, we can go to the tavern, and pay for meals and a lodging, though we abound
not in filthy lucre."
They now reached a house standing by itself on the outskirts of
the town. As they approached it, they noticed that a woman closed the door, as
if to signify that their approach was unwelcome.
"Perhaps," said John Crandall, "she thinks we are
thieves, or pirates, and that she would not be safe in our company."
"A word of explanation will remove her error."
They soon reached the house and knocked at the door; but no one
opened it. They knocked again, louder than at first.
"Ye had better go along," said the shrill, cracked voice
of an old woman on the inside.
"We are wayfaring strangers," said Mr. Clarke,
"faint and hungry who wish merely to rest for a few moments, and obtain
some refreshments."
"Ye must go then to the magistrates," replied the shrill
feminine voice, "for I have no license."
"License! License! What does she mean by that?"
"We are not acquainted with your magistrates," said
Clarke, speaking through the door.
"And we hope we may never be officially," added
Crandall, in an undertone, which could be heard only by his companions, who
smiled at the remark. "And we know not what you mean by a license,"
continued Clarke.
The shrill cracked voice now came from the window. It proved to be
that of the short, crooked-back, loquacious Mrs. Strangger. Putting her head
out of the window, she said:
"Why, la, didn't you know that the Gineral Court had passed a
law that nobody should entertain strangers without a partickler license from
two magistrates? Gracious, I thought everybody knew that, for it has made talk
enough. Why, no longer ago than yesterday, one of our godly elders refused to
receive a trader, although he had every reason to believe him a good man — jist
because
he had no license, and said the laws must be obeyed."
"Well, can thee not furnish us a little bread and
water?"
"If ye can make it appear that that is not entertaining
strangers I can," replied the prudent little lady.
"Do ye not remember what is said about entertaining strangers
unawares?"
"I would do it with pleasure, if I only had a License. Our
magistrates are so afraid of entertaining Anabaptists, Familists, and other
heretics, unawares, that they have passed this law for our protection."
The three strangers looked at each other with a singular but significant
expression of countenance.
"Go ye, and get a permit from the magistrates, and I will
give ye the best my poor house affords."
Mrs. Strangger would gladly have admitted them for the pleasure of
having someone hear her talk, and for the opportunity which their visit would
have afforded of picking up some new items which she could have converted into
materials for gossip; but she knew that she was already a suspected person, and
she feared to increase these suspicions. Seeing, just at this moment, one of
the colonists in the distance, coming along the road towards them, she said to
the strangers, in a hurried manner, and in tones indicative of fear:
"If ye would not get a poor, lone woman into trouble, ye had
better go 'long. Here are witnesses at hand, and it might go hard with me if I
let ye in my house."
They felt the force of this appeal, and moved on. "Strange
place this," said Crandall, "where a stranger can not have given him
a crust of bread, nor a cup of water without the permission of two magistrates."
"If the magistrates happen to be absent when strangers
arrive, I suppose they must fast and sleep out doors until the magistrates
return, and, in their great kindness, license someone to perform the first acts
of hospitality."
"In our case," said Clarke, "it is probably that no
license would be given. If that timid old woman assigned the true reason of
this law, it was designed as an embargo upon such as we. No one could get a
license to entertain us without telling who and what we were; and to reveal
that would be fatal to the application. The' one would be forbidden to harbor
us."
"Our prospects are not the most flattering; but here comes a
person who may perhaps help us."
The individual referred to at the close of the last chapter was no
other than the brother at the mill, whom the old lady had seen in the distance,
and who had now reached the travelers. They accosted him, told him that they
were strangers, and asked him where they could receive hospitality.
"As to that, our rulers are very jealous lest hospitality
should be extended to unsuitable persons, and therefore require the license of
the magistrates to authorize the virtue; but if ye will go with me, I will show
you where there is a house which no one will prevent you from entering, and
where there is food which no one will forbid your eating. If ye understand,
follow me."
There was something so original, hearty, and frank in this
invitation that they accepted it. They did understand, and were resolved not to
compromise the stranger for his kindness. During the walk to the house, the
conversation assumed such a chatter that the parties found that they were in
sympathy with each other in their religious views. The walk was not long. When
they reached the threshold, the brother said:
"This is my house. I will neither invite ye in nor forbid ye
to enter; ye may do as ye please. But as yet ye have commenced following me, ye
will probably continue."
They understood, and followed him in.
When the dinner was ready, he said, at the same time preventing,
with difficulty, the smiles from playing upon his countenance:
"Here is food. I will neither ask ye to taste it nor prohibit
ye from eating it. Ye may do as ye please; but hungry men, with a meal before
them, are never at a loss." They understood again, and were soon at work
discussing, with a relish which keen hunger alone can give, the plain, but
healthful diet before them. It is scarcely necessary to intimate to the reader
that the object of this caution on the part of Eaton was to throw the whole
responsibility of their proceeding upon the three men themselves, so that he
might avoid the liability of a conviction under this arbitrary law. "
During the conversation that ensued, the trio of travelers
understood that the colony was agitated upon the subject of baptism; the
ministers and rulers were exceedingly fearful of Baptist sentiments, and were
vigilant in discovering, and severe in treating all of that sect.
Leaving this hospitable family, they continued their journey
toward Lynn, where they arrived in the latter part of the afternoon.
At a distance of two or three miles from the main village stood a
small house, partly built of logs, in which resided an old man by the name of
William Witter. He was a member of the Baptist Church which had been gathered
at Newport. In consequence of his age, he was unable to meet with his brethren
at Newport, and therefore had requested his church to send some of its members
to visit him. His request was complied with, and John Clarke, Obadiah Holmes,
and Crandall were appointed to that service. Clarke and Holmes were both
Baptist ministers. Clarke was the pastor of
the church. Subsequently, Holmes became his successor in that
office.
Whether these representatives of the Newport church attracted
attention and awakened suspicion by inquiring where Witter lived, or whether
this brother had given notice that he was expecting some of his church to see
him, it is difficult now to tell; but certain it is, the magistrates were
alarmed, and ordered the constable to be on the alert for the apprehension of
any suspicious persons. The travelers found Witter's house, and received a
cordial greeting. The old man was overjoyed to see them. He little thought of
the protracted and painful trials which this fraternal visit would occasion.
Both parties had so much to say that conversation was continued, until late in
the night.
Part 3: The Results Of A
Meeting
The next day being the Lord's Day, and the meeting house being at
so great a distance, it was proposed that they should have worship where they
were, and that Mr. Clarke should preach. Father Witter would thus have an
opportunity of listening to his own pastor, whom he had not been privileged to
hear for a long time.
Accordingly, in this rough-built, solitary private house, social
religious services were observed. After the offering of praise and prayer, Mr.
Clarke announced his text. Believing, from his own experience, and from the
indications of the times, that a period of unusual temptation and trial was
about to befall the people of God, he had selected, as an appropriate passage
from which to discourse, Revelation 3:10:
"Because thou hast kept the word of
my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall
come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth."
During the delivery of his introduction, four or five strangers
unexpectedly came in, and quietly took seats with the little domestic
congregation. Having finished his introduction, Mr. dark said:
"In opening this interesting passage of Holy Writ for your
serious mediation, I shall in the first place show what is meant by the hour of
temptation; secondly, what we are to understand by the word of His patience,
with the character of those who keep it; and, thirdly, the soul-cheering
encouragement which is furnished by the promise, that those who keep this word
shall themselves be kept in the hour of temptation and trial."
He proceeded in his discourse with increasing earnestness, the
little audience, in the meanwhile, giving the closest attention. Father Witter,
sitting in an old, high-back arm-chair, in one corner of the room, was listening
with tearful eyes and open mouth, as though he had not heard the true doctrine
for many months. It was to him a great luxury to hear his own pastor, in his
own house, treat so appropriate and comforting a subject as the one he had
announced.
Alas! the sweetness of the occasion was soon converted into gall.
These unknown, harmless strangers, observing Lord's Day worship in a remote
part of the town, for the especial comfort of one of their aged brethren, had
(as we have intimated) attracted the attention of the magistrate, and were
destined to furnish, in their painful experience, an illustration of the truth
of the text. During the progress of the discourse, two constables entered the
room.
"What does this mean?" said the first. "Why hold
this unlawful assembly? Is not the meeting house good enough, nor the doctrines
preached there pure enough for ye, that ye must hold a gathering of your own,
to the scandal and injury of the place?"
Mr. Clarke paused in his discourse. The little audience turned their
eyes with surprise and grief upon the disturber.
"Ye have no business here," said the second. "Ye
must disperse, or take the consequences; and they'll not be pleasant, I tell
ye."
"We do not intend, friends," said Mr. Clarke, calmly,
"to break any good and wholesome laws of the land."
"No parleying," replied the first. "Come, shut up
your book, and go with us; we have come to apprehend you."
"Apprehend us!" replied Clarke, with astonishment;
"we wish to know by whose authority. We should like to see your
warrant."
"We come with authority from the magistrates; and as to our
warrant, I will read it."
He then drew forth a document, and read as follows:
"By virtue hereof, you are required to go to the house of
William Witter, and so to search from house to house for erroneous persons,
being strangers, and them to apprehend, and in safe custody to keep, tomorrow
morning by eight o'clock, to bring before me.
ROBERT BRIDGES."
During the reading of this precious paper, the hand of the constable
trembled, as though he were conscious he was engaged in a bad cause. After he
had finished, Mr. Clarke said:
"It is not our intention to resist the authority by which you
have come to apprehend us, but yet I perceive you are not so strictly tied but
if you please you may suffer us to mark an end of what we have begun; so may
you be witnesses either to or against the faith and order which we hold."
"We can do no such thing."
"You may," repeated Clarke, "in spite of the
warrant, or anything therein contained."
After as much uncivil disturbance and clamor as the pursuivants of
the English bishops, under Archbishop Claude, indulged in when they arrested
the Puritans, and broke up their conventicles in England, the two constables
apprehended the two ministers, Clarke and Holmes, with their brother Crandall,
and led them away. There being no jail or other place of confinement in Lynn,
the three prisoners were taken to the alehouse. It was a deeply affecting scene
to old Father Witter to see his beloved pastor and brethren taken from his own
house, prisoners for no other offense than worshipping God according to the
constraint of their own consciences. A recollection of the fact that they had
visited him (and had thus been caught in the snare) by his own invitation,
added to his sorrow. As the three prisoners left the house, the pastor said to
the venerable man:
"The hour of temptation and trial has come, but let us keep
the word of His patience, and He will
sustain us in the time of trouble."
At the tavern, whilst at dinner, one of the constables said:
"Gentlemen, if you be free, I will carry you to the
meeting."
To which they replied: "Friend, had we been free thereunto,
we had prevented all this. Nevertheless, we are in thy hand, and if thou wilt carry
us to meeting, thither will we go."
"Then I will carry you to the meeting."
To which the prisoners replied: "If thou forcest us into your
assembly, then shall we be constrained to declare ourselves that we cannot hold
communion with them."
"That is nothing," said the constable. "I have not
power to command you to speak when you come there, or to be silent."
Seeing the determination of the officers to take them to the
meeting of those whose principles and practices they disapproved, Mr. Clarke
repeated the course of conduct which they should feel themselves compelled to pursue.
"Since we have heard the word of salvation by Jesus Christ,
we have been taught, as those that first trusted in Christ, to be obedient unto
him, both by word and deed; wherefore, if we be forced to your meeting, we
shall declare our dissent from you, both by word and gesture."
From this frank disclosure, the magistrates knew what to expect.
They saw that if they took these strangers to meeting, it must be by compulsion.
The prisoners would not go willingly to a meeting of those from whose
principles of state-and-church government they so widely differed; they saw,
moreover, that if they compelled them to go, a disturbance would be the
consequence. The prisoners forewarned
them that they should feel constrained, from a sense of duty, to express
publicly their dissent, and the constables knew that this would at once kindle
a conflagration. For a moment they hesitated; but after consultation with the
tavern-keeper, they decided to take them.
The three men, whose own worship had been broken up, were now
taken, without their own consent, to the meeting of the standing order. The
congregation was at prayer when they arrived. As they stepped over the
threshold, they raised their hats and civily saluted them. A seat was then
assigned them, which they occupied. After they had taken their seat, they put
up their hats. Mr. Clarke opened his book, and commenced reading to himself.
Mr. Bridges, who had made out the warrant for their apprehension, seeing them
sitting with their heads covered, became excited, and ordered the constable to
remove their hats from their heads, who at once obeyed, but not in the most
amiable manner.
After the prayers, singing, and preaching were over, to which the
prisoners listened without offering the least interruption, Mr. Clarke rose,
and, in a respectful manner, said:
"I desire, as a stranger, to propose a few things to this
congregation, hoping, in the proposal thereof, I shall commend myself to your
consciences, to be guided by that wisdom that is from above, which, being pure,
is also peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated." He paused,
expecting, as he subsequently said, that if the Prince of Peace had been among
them, he would have received from them a peaceable answer. But the pastor,
probably fearing that some difficult questions might be asked, and a
troublesome theological controversy ensue, replied:
"We will have no objections against the sermon."
"I am not about to present objections to the sermon,"
answered Mr. Clarke, "but as, by my gesture at my coming into your
assembly, I declared my dissent from you, so, lest that should prove offensive
unto some whom I would not offend, I would now, by word of mouth, declare the
grounds, which are these: First—from the consideration we are strangers, each
to other, and so strangers to each other's inward standing with respect to God,
and so can not conjoin, and act in faith, and what is not of faith is sin; and
in the second place, I could not judge that you are gathered together and walk
according to the visible order of our Lord—".
"Have done!" cried Mr. Bridges, with the authority of a
magistrate. "You have spoken that for which you must answer. I command
silence."
After the meeting, the trio of prisoners were taken back to the
tavern, where they were as vigilantly watched during the night as though they
had been guilty of robbery.
The next morning they were taken by the constables before Mr.
Bridges, who made out their mittimus, and sent them to the prison at Boston,
there to remain until the next county court.
This mittimus charged them with "being at a private meeting
in Lynn on the Lord's day, exercising among themselves — offensively disturbing
the peace of the congregation at the time of their coming into the public
meeting in the time of prayer in the afternoon, with saying and manifesting
that the church in Lynn was not constituted according to the order of our Lord,
with suspicion of having their hands in rebaptizing one or more among them, and
with refusing to put in sufficient security to appear at the county
court."
In addition to these charges, it was alleged against Mr. Clarke,
that he met again the next day after his contempt, as they called it, of their
public worship, at the house of Witter, and in contempt of authority, being
then in the custody of the law, did there administer the sacrament of the
Lord's Supper to one excommunicated person, to another under admonition, and to
a third that was an inhabitant of Lynn, and not in fellowship with any church;
and yet, upon answer in open court, did affirm that he never re-baptized any.
They were all three found guilty. Mr. Clarke, the pastor, was
fined twenty pounds, equivalent to about eighty dollars, or to be well whipped.
He desired to know by what law of God or man he was condemned. The governor,
-who did not deem it beneath his dignity to be present on this important
occasion, stepped up, and, with much earnestness, said to Mr. Clarke: "You
have denied infant baptism. You deserve death. I will not have such trash
brought into my jurisdiction. You go up and down, and secretly insinuate unto
those that are weak; but you cannot maintain it before our ministers. You may
try and dispute with them." To this violent harangue of the chief
magistrate of the colony, Mr. Clarke would have replied at length, but the
governor commanded the jailer to take the prisoners away. They were accordingly
all three remanded to prison.
During his confinement that night, Mr. Clarke thought much of the
insinuations which had been thrown out against him by the governor the day
before, and especially of the challenge which had been given him to discuss the
question of baptism. It seemed to him as if the great Head of the church had placed him in that position that
there he might be a defender of the truth. He looked upon it as a most favorable opportunity to remove the various
aspersions which had been unjustly cast upon the Baptists, and show that in
doctrine and practice, they were true Christian men. By speaking in behalf of
his brethren, it appeared to him that he might possibly be the instrument of
removing the unjust disabilities to which they were subject, but especially
that he might, by presenting the arguments for their peculiar belief, and their
objections to infant sprinkling, be the means of opening the eyes of others,
and convincing them of the truth.
Yet when he thought of his own inability to do full justice to the
subject, and of the disadvantages under which he would labor in having the
ministry of the standing order and the government arrayed against him, his
heart sank within him. "But will not the Saviour be with me? Have I not
faith to believe that, according to His own promise, it will be given me in
that same hour what I ought to speak?"
The taunting permit of the governor, "You may try and dispute
with the ministers," was constantly ringing in his ears. He offered
earnest prayer for direction and assistance, and finally resolved that, by the grace
of God, he would accept the governor's challenge. He did not, as a Christian
minister, dare to refuse.
Accordingly, the next morning, he addressed a document to the
court which had condemned him, accepting the governor's proffer of a public
discussion of the points at issue between the Congregationalists and the
Baptists, and asking the appointment of a time and place for the occasion.
This threw the court into a peculiar position.
A prisoner, who had been condemned and sentenced mainly for his
religious views and practices, but to whom the governor had thrown down the
gauntlet for a discussion, had accepted the challenge. For the court to refuse
its sanction would be a tacit rebuke of the governor, and a silent admission of
the weakness, or their fear of weakness, of their cause.
After much ado, therefore, Mr. Clarke was informed by one of the
magistrates that the disputation was granted, and the time fixed for it was the
next week. When this became known to the ministers of the colony, it created great
excitement among them. They disapproved the arrangement. They had no wish to
enter upon the discussion; they desired to have it abandoned. They therefore
saw the government, and earnestly besought them to avoid it; but it seemed too
late. They had gone too far to make an honorable retreat.
But finding the ministers so averse to a disputation, the
magistrates had Mr. Clarke brought into their chamber, and there endeavored to
change the issues between him and them. They inquired whether he would dispute
upon the things contained in his sentence, and maintain his practice;
"for," said they, "the court sentenced you not for your judgment
and conscience, but for matter of fact and practice." But Mr. Clarke was
not to be misled by any partial or erroneous statements of the matter; neither
was he willing that such statements should go unrebutted. He therefore manfully
replied to these magistrates:
"You say the court condemned me for matter of fact and
practice; be it so. I say that the matter of fact and practice was but the
manifestation of my judgment and conscience, and I maintain that that man is
void of judgment and conscience who hath not a fact and practice which
correspond therewith." He then continued: "If the faith and order
which I profess is according to the Word of God, then the faith and order which
you profess must fall to the ground; but if your views of truth and duty are
Scriptural, mine must be erroneous. We cannot both be right." To these
statements the magistrates apparently assented.
Although Mr. dark had been informed that the disputation had been
granted, and the time appointed, yet it was all informal and unofficial. He
desired to obtain an official permit, or order, for the discussion, under the
secretary's hand. He would then, he felt, be protected; otherwise, the debate
might be referred to as evidence of his being a disturber of the State, and a
troubler of Israel. He therefore availed himself of the opportunity which was
furnished by this private interview with the magistrates, to say to them that
if they would be pleased to grant the motion for the public disputation under
the secretary's hand, he would draw up three or four propositions, embracing
the points which he presented in his defense before court, and would defend
them against any one whom they might choose to dispute with him, until, by
arguments derived from the Word of God, he should be removed from them.
"In case your speaker convinces me that I am in error,"
said Mr. Clarke, following up the subject, so as to reach some definite
practical point, "then the disputation is at an end; but if not, then I
desire the like liberty, by the Word of God, to oppose the faith and order
which he and you profess, thereby to try whether I am not become an instrument
in the hand of God to remove you from the same."
To this the magistrates replied: "The motion certainly is
fair, and your terms like unto a practiced disputant; but, as the matter in
dispute is exceeding weighty, and as we desire that in the controversy all may
be said that can be, we propose, therefore, to postpone it to a latter
day."
Poor Clarke was therefore taken back to prison, to wait for the
arrival of this "latter day."
Part 5: Fundamental
Propositions
During this period of delay for the accommodation of the Congregational
clergy, Clarke, though kept a prisoner, was not idle. He applied himself to the
proposed service of drawing up the propositions which he had pledged himself to
the magistrates to defend. These propositions, or theses, were four in number.
The First
asserted that Jesus Christ, the anointed One, was the great Head
of His church; that as the anointed Priest, He alone had made atonement for
sin—as the anointed Prophet, His teachings were authoritative; that as the anointed King, He had gone to His
Father for His glorious kingdom, and would ere long return again; and that it
is His PREROGATIVE ALONE to make laws and ordinances for the observance of the
church, which NO ONE HAS ANY RIGHT TO ALTER.
The Second
asserted that baptism, or immersion in water, is one of the
commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that the only proper person to
receive this ordinance is the penitent believer in Christ.
The Third
maintained that it was both the privilege and duty of every such
believer to improve the talents which God had given him, and in the
congregation may either ask for information to himself, or may speak for the
edification, exhortation, and comfort of the whole; and out of the congregation,
at all times, upon all occasions, and in all places, he ought to walk as a
child of light, justifying wisdom with his ways, and reproving folly with the
unfruitful works thereof, provided all this be shown out of a good
conversation, as James speaks, "with meekness of wisdom."
The Fourth
was in the following language:
"I testify that no such believer or servant of Christ Jesus
hath liberty, much less authority, from his Lord, to smite his fellow-servant, nor
yet with outward force, or arm of flesh, to constrain his conscience—no, nor
yet his outward man for conscience sake, or worship of his God, where injury is
not offered to the person, name, or estate of others, every man being such as
shall appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and must give account of
himself to God, and therefore ought to be fully persuaded in his own mind Cor
what he undertakes, because he that doubteth is damned if he eat, and so also
if he act, because he doth not eat or act in faith; and what is not of faith is
sin."
These points Clarke resolved, in the strength of Christ, to defend
with all his ability.
The next day, as the first days of the morning sun were gilding
the hill tops, and drinking the early dew, one of the magistrates of Boston
visited the prison. Having aroused the jailer, he asked to be admitted to an
interview with Clarke. After being introduced to the cell of the imprisoned
Baptist, he inquired if the conclusions which he intended to advocate were
drawn up. Mr. Clarke informed him that they were. He asked for a copy of them.
Mr. Clarke demurred. No official sanction had yet been given to the anticipated
controversy, and he was unwilling that his conclusions or propositions should
be known until that point had been gained. The magistrate urged him with much
importunity to part with a copy of them; but he refused until the promise was
given him that the motion for the disputation should be granted officially,
under the secretary's hand. He then complied with the urgent request of his
early visitor. Whilst Mr. Clarke was expecting this official permit, and was
preparing for the public discussion by the diligent study of the Bible, he was
greatly surprised by being informed by the jailer that the order for his release
from prison had come.
Some friends had, without his consent, and contrary to his
judgment, paid his fine, and secured
his discharge.
As it was generally known that a public disputation was at hand,
in which the points of difference between the Congregationalists and Baptists
were to be discussed, as rumor said, between Mr. Clarke on one side and Mr.
Cotton on the other, great expectations had been raised as to the result.
Clarke, being fully convinced that if this disputation did not come off, the responsibility
of the failure would be attributed to him, and inferences be drawn unfavorable
to his side, as if his brethren feared the results of the discussion, and
therefore paid his fine, so that he might return to Newport, and thus not be on
hand for the controversy, immediately prepared an address, in which he stated
that if the honored magistrates or general court of the colony would grant his
former request, under the secretary's
hand, for the disputation, he would cheerfully embrace it, and would come from
Newport to defend the opinions he had professed. Having in this manner envinced
a willingness to meet his opponents at any time they might appoint, he threw
the whole responsibility of the failure, in case there should be any, upon
them. By so doing, he maintained his own manliness, and gave public evidence
that neither lie nor his friends had any fear of exposing their principles to
the closest scrutiny.
Part 6: A Great Change—A
Dilemma
During the progress of the exercises at Cambridge on the next day,
a man was wandering along the shore on the Boston side of Charles River. He was
anxious to cross, but unfortunately all the spare boats that belonged to the
citizens of the little town were on the Cambridge side, having been used in
conveying visitors to the college. Finally an Indian, who had been out fishing
in the harbor all the morning, came, on his way home, sufficiently near the
shore to be hailed. The man called to him, and by signs engaged him to paddle
him across the stream in his birchen canoe.
Having arrived on the other side, the passenger hastened to the
college, and placed in the hand of one of the magistrates a letter; it was the
offer of Clarke to come to Newport, and engage in the much-talked-of
discussion. It was not a welcome document. The advocates of infant sprinkling
did not wish to meet Mr. Clarke in an oral argument. They knew that that rite
was safe so long as it was protected by the sword of state; but they could not
foresee what results would grow out of a public disputation.
Still, as the governor had been the first to propose such a
disputation, and the magistrates had assured Mr. Clarke it would be granted,
they were in a dilemma what course to pursue so as to avoid the discussion
without a compromise of character, or without a tacit implication of the
weakness of their own side. The ministers and magistrates conversed upon the
subject after the reception of Clarke's letter at Cambridge with great
interest. The object of the consultation was to devise some way to extricate
themselves from their position without yielding any advantage to the Baptists.
Finally, the minister of Boston, Mr. Cotton, who was more strongly
opposed to the public controversy than
some of the others, drew up a reply to send back, in which he stated that Mr.
Clarke had misunderstood the governor, who had not enjoined or counseled a
public disputation, but had simply expressed the opinion that if Mr. Clarke
would confer with the ministers upon the subject of infant baptism, they would
satisfy him of the propriety of the practice, and he would be able to maintain
his own views before them; that this was intended for Clarke's information
privately, but by no means as a challenge to dispute publicly upon the subject.
"Nevertheless," continued this ingenious divine, "if you are
forward to dispute, and that you will move it yourself to the court of
magistrates about Boston, we shall take order to appoint one who will be ready
to answer your motion, you keeping close to the questions to be propounded by
yourself, and a moderator shall be appointed also to attend upon that service;
and, whereas, you desire you might be free in your dispute, keeping close to
the points to be disputed on, without incurring damage by the civil justice,
observing what hath before been written, it is granted. The day may be agreed
if you yield the premises."
This was signed by the governor, Mr. Endicott; the deputy
governor, Mr. Dudley, and three others. Mr. Clarke regarded it as a singular
document, and understood its practical bearing. He viewed it as an attempt to
change the entire ground of procedure, and shelter the governor from the charge
of having proposed the discussion. In the expression of a willingness to grant
the discussion, provided Clarke would move it himself to the court or
magistrates about Boston, he discovered an attempt to throw the whole
responsibility of the disputation upon himself, and to make it appear to result
from his "forwardness to dispute."
Two other remarkable features connected with this affair, which
increased the cautiousness of Clarke's movements, were: First, that while this
letter of Cotton's was signed by five colonial dignitaries, it was not an order
of court—it was not an official document. It was signed by them in their
private capacity, and had not the signature of the secretary. Mr. Clarke,
therefore, did not regard it as a reliable state paper.
The other remarkable circumstance was, that this attempt to throw
the whole responsibility of originating the discussion of infant baptism upon
Clarke was made, when they knew that there was a law of the colony which
ordered that "if any person or persons shall openly condemn or oppose the
baptizing of infants, and shall appear to the court willfully and obstinately
to continue therein, after due time and means of conviction, every such person
or persons shall be sentenced to banishment."
Clarke knew that their unofficial document would afford him no
legal protection, and that in case the disputation went on in the manner that
they proposed, it would be an easy thing for someone to enter a complaint
against him, and secure his conviction. He therefore wrote the following frank
and manly epistle, and forwarded it to them:
To the honored Governor of the Massachusetts and the rest of that
Honorable Society, those present.
Worthy Senators:
"I received a writing, subscribed with five of your hands, by
way of answer to a twice-repeated motion of mine before you, which was
grounded, as I conceive, sufficiently upon the governor's words in open court,
which writing of yours doth no way answer my expectation, nor yet that motion
which I made; and, whereas (waiving that grounded motion), you are pleased to
intimate that if I were forward to dispute, and would move it myself to the
court or magistrates around Boston, you would appoint one to answer my motion,
etc., be pleased to understand that, although I am not backward to maintain the
faith and order of my Lord, the King of saints, for which I have been
sentenced, yet am I not in such a way so forward to dispute, or move therein,
lest inconvenience should thereby arise. I shall rather once more repeat any
former motion, which if it shall please the honored general court to accept,
and under their secretary's hand shall grant a free dispute, without
molestation or interruption, I shall be well satisfied therewith; that what is
past I shall forget, and upon your motion shall attend it; thus desiring the
Father of mercies not to lay that evil to your charge, I remain your
well-wisher,
John Clarke."
To this fair and honorable proposal of Mr., Clarke, the governor
and magistrates to whom it was addressed thought it the wisest policy to return
no answer. The matter was accordingly dropped by their silent retreat. Thus
ended the unfortunate challenge of the governor and the persecution of the
pastor of the Newport Baptist Church.
It is time that we inquire into the fate of Mr. Clarke's
companions. Mr. Crandall, who was sentenced to a fine of five pounds for being
one of the company, was released upon promising that he would appear at their
next court. But they did not let him know when the next court would sit until
it was over; and as he was not present according to his promise, they obliged
the keeper to pay his fine.
With poor Holmes, it fared far worse than with either of the
others. He had been sentenced to pay a fine of thirty pounds, by the first day
of the next court, or else to be well whipped, and to remain in prison until he
provided sureties for the fine. Sureties he would not furnish, because he was
determined not to pay the fine. Consequently, he was kept in prison. At the
time of his trial before the court of assistants, when the above cruel sentence
was passed against him, he replied:
"I bless God that I am counted worthy to suffer for the name
of Jesus;" at which one of the ministers (Mr. John Wilson) so far forgot
the sacredness of his office, and the sanctity of the place, as to raise his
hand, and strike him in open court, at the same time saying: "The curse of
God go with thee."
During the continuance of the imprisonment of Clarke and Crandall,
Holmes enjoyed their company. This was a source of unspeakable comfort. The
conversation, the sympathy, and the prayers of his fellow-prisoners assisted to
banish the despondency and gloom which would otherwise have oppressed him. But
after their deliverance, and when he was left alone, he was greatly distressed
in spirit. In his own account of it, he said: "After I was deprived of my
two loving friends, the adversary stepped in, took hold of my spirit, and
troubled me for the space of an hour, and then the Lord came in and sweetly
relieved me, causing me to look to Himself; so was I staid and refreshed in the
thoughts of my God.
As friends had paid the fines of the other two prisoners, and had
secured their release, it seemed a hard case that he should be left to feel the
scourge. Brethren who sympathized with him, resolved that he should not.
Strongfaith Bates, Stephen, the brother of the mill, and a few others, raised,
by a contribution among themselves, enough to pay his fine. But Holmes would
not permit it. In reply to their kind offer, he said:
"I dare not accept of deliverance in such a way. And though I
greatly thank you for your kindness, and would acknowledge, with gratitude,
even a cup of cold water, yet I desire not that you should yield to the
unrighteous demands of my persecutors. Having committed no crime, I will not
permit my friends to pay a single farthing for me."
The first day of court was drawing near, when, if the fine were
not paid, the substitute would be exacted in stripes, and groans, and blood.
Though Holmes was strongly convinced of the truth of Baptist
sentiments, for which he was imprisoned, and was conscientiously opposed to the
payment of the fine, or to the doing of anything else voluntarily, as a penal
requisition, yet he was nowise ambitious of the honors of the whipping post. He
shrunk with dread from the sufferings of the scourge. He knew that, when the
court of assistants sentence one to be "well whipped," it meant
something, and would be executed to the very letter. Yet the night preceding
the infliction of the sentence he passed in sweet, refreshing sleep. In the
morning, notwithstanding, they knew that they would provoke the wrath of
"the powers that be," Strongfaith and Stephen, with several other
friends, called at the prison to comfort and encourage the criminal! After
appropriate religious conversation and prayer that God would give strength to
suffer, and especially that He would open the eyes of the persecutors to see
and love the truth, Strongfaith took from a basket, in which he had stowed a
variety of comforts for the poor prisoner, a bottle of old Madeira wine.
Pouring out some in a glass, he offered it to Holmes.
"No, brother. I thank you for your kindness, but I shall take
no strong drink until my punishment is over, lest, if I have more strength,
courage, and boldness than ordinarily could be expected, the world should say
that I was drunk, or that I was carried through by the strength and comfort of
what I had taken. No, let me so suffer that, if I am sustained, God shall have
the glory."
Still, the prisoner was by no means certain that he would not
shrink, faint, or show signs of physical cowardice, though he thus spoke.
Instead, however, of strengthening himself with wine and other luxuries, which
had been brought, he left his friends to be entertained with each other, whilst
he withdrew into another room, to hold communion with his Lord. So soon as he
had retired by himself, he was overwhelmed with the deepest gloom. He was
tempted to question his own sincerity and the purity of his motives. A
something within, which he attributed to Satanic agency, said: "Remember
thyself, thy birth, thy breeding, thy friends, thy wife, children, name,
credit. Thou art dishonoring all these by thy public scourging. Is this
necessary when others are ready to save thee from suffering, and thy friends
from disgrace?"
His heart sank within him. The idea of dishonoring any who were
dear to him was more painful than the anticipated punishment; but presently the
thought occurred to him, or, as he afterwards expressed it: "There came in
sweetly, from the Lord, as sudden an answer: ' 'Tis for my Lord; I must not
deny Him before the sons of men (for that were to set men above Him), but
rather lose all; yea, wife, children, and mine own life also.' " This,
however, did not afford him permanent peace; for soon a series of questions
rush into his mind, creating confusion of thought, and reviving his disquietude
of feeling. "Is it for the Lord that you are about to suffer? Have you His
glory alone in view? Is it not rather for your own, or some others' sake? Is it
not obstinacy or pride? Is it not resentment or bigotry? Is not selfishness at
the bottom?"
These unwelcome, and, as they seemed to him, involuntary queries,
increased his distress; but after a jealous and careful scrutiny of his
motives, he was convinced, as he said, that: "It was not for any man's
case or sake in this world, that so I had professed and practiced, but for my
Lord's case and sake, and for Him alone; whereupon my spirit was much
refreshed."
He was also greatly comforted by the following passages of
Scripture, which were sweetly suggested to his mind:
"Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?"
"Although I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort
me."
"And he that continued to the end shall be saved."
But anon, the thoughts of the terrible scourge occurred to him,
and he feared that the severity of the dreadful punishment would be too much
for his sensitive flesh. The disgrace of the punishment he regarded not. That
belonged to others, and not to himself. Like his Lord and Master, he despised
the shame. But the anticipated pain of the heavy blows made him shrink. He knew
his weakness and sensitiveness, and feared that he would be overcome. Again he
betook himself to the throne of grace. He prayed earnestly that the Lord would
be pleased to give him a spirit of courage and boldness, a tongue to speak for
Him, and strength of body to suffer for His sake, and not to shrink .from the
strokes, nor shed tears, lest the adversaries of the truth should blaspheme and
be hardened, and the weak and feeble-hearted be discouraged. His prayer was
followed with fresh consolation and strength. It produced a state of truthful
submission to God, causing him to yield himself, soul and body, into the hands
of his Saviour, and leave the whole disposing of the affair with Him.
When the time arrived for the condemned Baptist preacher to be led
forth to punishment, and the voice of the jailer was heard in prison, Holmes
listened to it with a degree of cheerfulness. Taking his Testament in his hand
he went forth with him to the place of execution. As he approached the whipping
post, around which were gathered a crowd of spectators, he calmly saluted them.
Two of the magistrates were present to see that the whipper did his duty—Mr.
Increase Nowel, who had signed the sentence, and Mr. Flint. After waiting some
minutes in expectation of the governor's coming, Nowel commanded the
executioner to do his office.
"Permit me," said Holmes, as the executioner seized him,
"to say a few words."
"Now is no time to speak," replied Nowel. But Holmes was
unwilling to suffer in silence. He desired to declare to the multitude the
grounds of his belief, and the reasons of his punishment. He, therefore, lifted
up his voice and said:
"Men, brothers, fathers and countrymen, I beseech you give me
leave to speak a few words, and the rather because here are many spectators to
see me punished, and I am to seal with my blood, if God give me strength, that
which I hold and practice in reference to the Word of God and the testimony of
Jesus. That which I have to say, in brief, is this: Although I am no disputant,
yet, seeing I am to seal with my blood what I hold, I am ready to defend by the
word, and to dispute that point with any that shall come forth to withstand
it."
Magistrate Nowel told him, "Now is no time to dispute."
"Then," continued Holmes, "I desire to give an
account of the faith and order I hold." This he uttered three times. But
Magistrate Flint cried out to the executioner, "Fellow, do thine office,
for this fellow would but make a long speech to delude the people."
In compliance with this authoritative mandate, the executioner
roughly seized Holmes, and began to strip off his clothes. The sentence was to
be inflicted upon the prisoner, not upon his garments. But Holmes was
determined to speak if possible. Whilst, therefore, the whipper was removing
his clothes, and preparing him for the lash, he said to the people:
"That which I am to suffer for is the Word of God and the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
"No," replied Magistrate Nowel, "it is for your
error, and going about to seduce the people."
"Not for my error," said Holmes, "for in all the
time of my imprisonment, wherein I was left alone (my brethren being gone),
which of all your ministers in all that time came to convince me of an error?
and when, upon the governor's words, a motion was made for a public dispute,
and upon fair terms and desired by hundreds, what was the reason it was not
granted?"
This was a close and significant question. As all the multitude
knew that a public disputation had been anticipated, but had not yet taken
place, the inquiry of Holmes seemed to demand an answer. Nowel therefore
replied:
"It was the fault of him who went away and would not
dispute," referring to Clarke; but this, as we have already shown, was not
the case.
Flint became impatient at this colloquy and repeated his order to
the executioner.
"Fellow, do thine office."
Holmes, however, would not remain silent. Whilst being disrobed,
he said:
"I would not give my body into your hands to be thus bruised
on any account whatever; yet now I would not give the hundredth part of a
wampumpeague to free it out of your hands."
"Unbutton here," said the executioner, as he gave his
jacket a jerk.
"No," said Holmes; "I make as much conscience of
unbuttoning one button as I do of paying the sentence of thirty pounds. I will
do nothing towards executing such an unjust law.”
Faithful to his word, he would not voluntarily assist the
executioner in the least in removing his garments from his back.
He was as helpless as if he were asleep, and the executioner had
to handle him as though he were a statue. Still he continued addressing the
people.
"The Lord," he said, "having manifested His love
towards me, in giving me repentance towards God and faith in Christ, and so to
be baptized in water by a messenger of Jesus, in the name of the Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, wherein I have fellowship with Him in His death, burial and
resurrection, I am now come to be baptized in afflictions by your hands, that
so I may have further fellowship with my Lord, and am not ashamed of His
sufferings, for by His stripes am I healed."
The executioner having removed so much of his garments as would
hinder the effect of the scourge, and having fastened him to the post, seized a
three-corded whip, raised his hands, and laid on the blows in an unmerciful
manner. Stroke followed stroke as rapidly as was consistent with effective
execution, each blow leaving its crimson furrow, or its long blue wale in the
sufferer's quivering flesh. The only pause which occurred during the infliction
of this barbarous punishment was when the executioner ceased a moment in order
to spit in his hands, so as to take a firmer hold of the handle of the whip,
and render the strokes more severe. This he did three times. During the
infliction of his painful scourging, Holmes said to the people:
"Though my flesh and my spirit fail, yet God will not
fail." The poor sufferer did not fail. He found that his strength was
equal to his day. Though the lash was doing its bloody work upon his sensitive
flesh, yet his spirit was sustained by heavenly consolations. In his own
account of his experience during this dreadful scourge, Holmes subsequently
said:
"It pleased the Lord to come in and fill my heart and tongue
as a vessel full, and with an audible voice I brake forth, praying the Lord not
to lay this sin to their charge, and telling the people that now I found He did
not fail me, and therefore now I should trust Him forever who had failed me
not; for in truth, as the strokes fell upon me, I had such a spiritual
manifestation of God's presence as I never had before, and the outward pain was
so removed from me that I could well bear it, yea, and in a manner felt it not,
although it was grievous, as the spectators said; the man striking me with all
his strength, spitting in his hand three times, with a three-corded-whip giving
me therewith thirty strokes."
After the requisite number of blows had been given, equaling the
number of pounds that he was fined (from which we learn that, according to the
Puritan standard of penal measure, one blow of a three-corded whip, well laid
on, was an equivalent to one pound sterling), the cords which fastened him to
the whipping post were untied, and he was set at liberty. With joyfulness in
his heart and cheerfulness in his countenance, he turned to the Magistrates
Flint and Nowel, and said:
"You have struck me as with roses." But not wishing them
to imagine that he regarded the punishment as literally light, nor that he was
sustained by his own strength, he added;
"Although the Lord hath made it easy to me, yet I pray God it
may not be laid to your charge."
The crowd now gathered around him, some from mere curiosity,
others inwardly rejoicing that the heretic had been scourged, whilst a third
class were filled with mingled emotions of sympathy with his sorrows, and
indignation at his wrongs.
Amongst those whose feelings of sympathy and indignation were
aroused at the barbarous treatment of Holmes, were two individuals who were so
rejoiced that the sufferer had been sustained under his cruelties, and that he
left the ignominious post with so much composure, and even with pleasantness of
countenance, that they shook hands with him; and one, whose name was John Spur,
a freeman of the colony, said, "Blessed be God for thee, my brother,"
and walked along with him to the prison. The other, who simply shook hands with
him, was another freeman, Mr. John Hazel. Many others testified their
friendship for him, and glorified God on his account. To some, however, who
were present, these expressions of sympathy were extremely displeasing. They
looked upon it as a connivance at the crime, and a contempt of the government.
As informers, they immediately made complaint of what they had witnessed, and a
number of warrants were issued for the apprehension of these sympathizing
offenders.
When Holmes reached the prison, his body was found to be in a
terrible condition—his body, not simply his back, for the lashes of the whip
were so long that they lapped over his back, and left their gory marks upon his
side.
Eaton, who had been a spectator of all the proceedings, ran home
immediately after the whipping, obtained some rags and oil, and hastened to the
prison where, like the good Samaritan, he dressed the wounded man's sores. When
it was known that Holmes had received such kindness, the inquiry became
general, who was the surgeon. And the report was soon circulated that he was to
be arrested.
So severe was the chastisement of the prisoner that for many days
he could not endure the pain occasioned by the wounded parts of his body
touching the bed. All the rest that he experienced was such as he obtained by
supporting himself upon his knees and elbows!
The day after the whipping, whilst Spur and Hazel were attending
to their business, they were surprised by a constable calling upon them and
telling them that they were prisoners. As his authority, he showed them the
following document:
"To the keeper of his deputy:
"By virtue hereof, you are to take into your safe keeping the
body of John Spur, for a heinous offence by him committed; hereof fail not.
Dated the 5th of the 7th month, 1651. Take also into
your safe keeping John Hazel.
"By the court. Increase
Nowel."
They were accordingly both taken to prison, the heinous offence
consisting of the act of shaking hands and speaking with Holmes after his
punishment, and consequently, after he had satisfied the law, and was no longer
an involuntary prisoner. They were afterwards taken to the court, and examined.
They had no trial, neither were they allowed to meet their complainants face to
face, but were condemned upon the evidence furnished by the depositions of two
individuals, the stronger of the two documents being as follows:
"I .................... Cole, being in the market-place when
Obadiah Holmes came from the whipping post, John Spur came and met him
pleasantly, laughing in his face, saying, 'Blessed be God for thee, brother;'
and so did go with him, laughing upon him, towards the prison, which was very
grievous to me to see him harden the man in his sin, and showing much contempt of
authority by that carriage, as if he had been unjustly punished, and had
suffered as a righteous man under a tyrannical government. Deposed before the
court the 5th of the 7th month.
"Increase Nowel."
They were sentenced to receive ten lashes each, or pay a fine of
forty shillings. The latter they could not conscientiously do. A Mr. Bendal,
who was a friend to Hazel, offered to pay his, but he refused, saying—
"I thank you for this offer of love; but I believe it will be
no acceptable service for any man to pay a penny for me in this case."
Yet, notwithstanding his refusal, the court accepted the proffer, and gave him
his discharge. Hazel was upwards of sixty years of age, and died soon after his
release.
Spur was kept in prison nearly a week, expecting every day to be
taken to the market square, tied to the whipping post, and receive his ten
lashes; but, without his permission, some sympathizing friend paid his fine,
and secured his deliverance.
These persecutions were the means of attracting the attention of
many to the doctrines of the sufferers. Sympathy elicited inquiry, and inquiry
produced conviction. The sentiments of the Baptists spread. Many were convinced
of the Scripturalness of their views of baptism, and desired to be buried with
Christ in that beautiful and significant ordinance. Their desire could not be
refused. The ordinance was administered repeatedly, though with the greatest
privacy, for fear of prisons, fines, and scourgings.