building up the cause of Chirist, the English Baptists have had but few learned men, and have produced but few valuable works. Gill, the Rylands, Stennets, Pearce, Fuller. and Ward, particular Baptists, have been ornaments to the Christian Church. Robert Hall, is now their glory. The ministers among the general Baptists, have usually been men of more learning, than among the particulars, though no individuals have excelled them. The Baptists came to New England soon after its settlement. The famous Roger Williams, who left his congregational church in Salem and contended with the government and churches in Massachusetts on points of discipline, established himself at Providence with no particular church order, in 1639. In a little. time he and his people renounced infant baptism and were baptized according to the views of the Baptists. This church was the first Baptist church in America. A Baptist church was gathered in Charlestown, Mass. 1665, in New-Jersey in 1688, in South Carolina in 1690, in Groton, Ct. 1705. In the first century seventeen churches were gathered. Nine of them were in New-England. In the next forty years twenty more were established. After the great revival in 1741 arose many separate churches all over New-England. Several of these became Baptist, so that in 1790 they numbered above 800 churches. But a destroying blast came over them through the influence of Elkanan Winchester, who preached among them the doctrine of universal restoration. With the increase of the country this denomination also has rapidly increased, and have now in the United States about 3000 congregations and 2000 ministers. They are chiefly in the western and southern states. In the early period of their history the Baptists in New-England and Virginia were much molested on account of their peculiarities. From Massachusetts they were at one time banished. Dr. Gill was pastor, first of the Baptist church in Kittering, and afterwards in London. He was a great scholar, and an high Calvinist. He wrote an exposition of the Bible, in 9 vols. folio, and a body of divinity, in 3 vols. 4to. He died Oct. 13, 1771. Father and Son. Both ministers at Northampton. The latter became head of the Baptist's academy at Bristol. Father and Son. Both ministers at Exeter, of excellent character and distinguished abilities. Minister of Birmingham, a man of ardent piety, and warm missionary spirit, Died Oct. 1799, aged 33. Minister at Kittering. One of the most able and excellent men of any communion. Late missionary to India. He inspected the printing press at Serampore. His labours were immense. CHAP. 22. FREE-WILLERS. 387 The Baptists in the United States are generally particular and Calvinistic. As a body they are serious and very regular. Many of their churches have enjoyed precious revivals. Their ministers have failed in learning, but some, particularly Mr. Gano* Dr. Manning,† Dr. Stillman, Dr. Furman, and Dr. Baldwin have been highly respectable. They have a college at Providence Rhode Island; a literary and theological institution at Waterville, Maine-another at Washington City, a theological school near Boston and one in the state of New-York. They have in the United States 145 associations. They liberally support foreign missions. After the French war a number of families removed from New-England and settled in Nova Scotia and New-Brunswick. Some were Baptists, who laid the foundation of churches there. But they have never prevailed much there until within a few years. In Upper and Lower Canada there are but few of this order. In the West Indies they have some churches. THE ARMINIAN BAPTISTS Are in America few in number. They are called free-willers. They date their rise in 1780, through the activity of Elder Randall of New Durham. They are numerous in NewEngland and Canada. As a body they are loose, violent against divine decrees, the divine institution of the Sabbath, family prayer; have few settled ministers and but little solemnity in public worship. They attach chief importance to being plunged. * Mr. Gano was pastor of the Gold street church, New-York, 25 years. At the close of life he removed to Kentucky, where he died in 1804, aged 77, leaving behind him a very high reputation as a laborious faithful minister of Christ. Dr. Manning was, during his life, considered as the most learned man among the American Baptists. He received his education at Nassau Hall, New-Jersey; preached in several places with reputation, and then settled at Warren, Rhode Island, where he opened a latin school. In 1765 he obtained a charter of incorporation for Rhode Island college, of which he was chosen President. When that institution was placed at Providence he removed there and performed the duties of the presidency, and preached to the Baptist church for 25 years. He was sent by Rhode Island to the old Congress. He died greatly lamented, July 29, 1791, aged 53. Dr. Stillman was born in Philadelphia, 1737. After preaching in various places, he was settled in Boston in 1765, where he continued greatly beloved and respected until his death, March 13, 1807, in the 70th year of his age. He was a truly eloquent preacher and good man. His publications were many. Minister in Charleston, South Carolina. A body of men styling themselves Christ-yans, a species of low Unitarians, coalesce with them. These estimate their number at 20,000. SEVENTH DAY BAPTISTS Have been known in England about 200 years, but have never been numerous. They first appeared in Newport, Rhode Island, and formed a church in 1671. This church has continued to the present time. A more flourishing one exists at Hopkington. Several are in the connexion, and some have been planted in the state of New-York. They conceived that it was an anti-christian power that changed the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first. Other small sects of Baptists exist in America, as the Rogerene Baptists in Connecticut, the Keithian Baptists, a sect of Quakers, Tunker Baptists or dippers and Mennonites, in Pennsylvania, and at the West. QUAKERS, OR FRIENDS. In that great revolution of religious opinion in England which first gave every one, excepting the old standing order, free toleration, and advanced a Cromwell to the throne, it might be expected,from the natural tendency of the human mind to extremes that some would go in their speculations and demands as far beyond all that sound reason and scripture would approve, as would balance the restraints under which they had before been held. Among those who thus went beyond all reformers was George Fox, who was born at Drayton, 1624, and educated a shoemaker and grazier. Discontented with these employments, he led a wandering life, frequented much the company of religious and devout persons, and in 1647 became a preacher. He found nothing in the religion of the times that pleased him. Christians were, in his view, worldly and licentious. The modes of worship were established by law. The clergy were ordained over particular parishes, and paid for preaching. These things, as well as the drunkenness, injustice and profanity of the age, were the subjects of his severe adimadversion. Against the commonly received doctrine, that the scripture is able to make us wise unto salvation, and that ministers should be qualified for their office by suitable degrees of learning, he asserted that the light of Christ, let in upon the heart, was the only means of salvation, and a sufficient qualification for the ministry. At Nottingham, "he went away," says his biographer, "to the steeple house where the priest took for his text, " We have a more sure word of prophecy, where unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the CHAP. 22. QUAKERS, OR FRIENDS. 389 day star arise in your hearts." And he told the people this was the scripture by which they were to try all doctrines, opinions, and religions. George Fox hearing this, felt such mighty power and godly zeal working in him, that he was made to cry out, O no: It is not the scripture, but it is the Holy Spirit by which the holy men of God gave forth the scriptures, whereby opinions, religions and judgments are to be tried. That it was which led into all truth and gave the knowledge thereof. He thus speaking, the officers came and took him away, and put him into a filthy prison." After his release, he travelled through England, Ireland, Scotland, Holland, Germany, the American colonies and the West Indies, calling upon men to disregard the ordinary forms of religion, and attend to that divine light which is in all men. Several times more he was imprisoned as a disturber of the peace and of public worship. Fox had many adherents who were called Quakers, as some say, because he once told one of his judges to tremble at the word of the Lord, or as others affirm, from certain distortions in their worship. In these Fox assisted by Robert Barclay, George Keith and Samuel Fisher, formed a regular system of doctrine and discipline. He died in London in 1690. And though William Penn said of him, " He was a man that God endowed with a clear and wonderful depth, a discerner of others' spirits, and very much a master of his own, of an innocent life, meek, contented, modest, steady, tender," yet it is evident from his history, that he had no small portion of fanatacism, and that he broached sentiments which must have appeared to men at that period as utterly subversive of civil and religious order and decorum. These sentiments many of his foliowers fully, acted out, creating great disturbances, and were severally chastised by the magistracy. Of these disturbances however, they acquit themselves as the guilty cause, since they only pursued the course pointed out by the light that was in them, and would have nothing to do with the established forms of presbyterianism or episcopacy, and refused to take oaths to the magistracy, or pay tithes, or engage in war. The tumults were occasioned by those who would not let them pursue their own course. But the pious community viewed this course as destructive of all true religion, and the magistracy, as subversive of civil government; and they were imprisoned, fined and whipped, sometimes for their tenets, but more frequently for their obstinacy. Cromwell was disposed to suppress them; but the more he learned of their character, the more disposed he was to let them alone, but he did not put a stop to the persecutions. King Charles II. and James, oppressed them and made severe laws against their meetings for worship, chiefly because they would not take the oath of allegiance. Had the value of their affirmation been understood, as it now is, they might have been spared much tedious imprisonment, and found as faithful, peaceable subjects as those who took the oath. In 1656, a few female Quakers came to New-England, and practised conduct which they said was required of them by the Divine will, and pointed out by the light in them, but which the civil magistrates viewed as inconsistent with civil and religious order; and they were punished with stripes and banishment. In 1658, four were put to death. But they interceded with Charles II. and obtained a mandamus to stop these severities. In 1672, Charles released four hundred from prison, who had refused to conform to the church of England, to take the oath of allegiance and pay tithes; but at the king's decease, fifteen hundred were still confined for what was considered outrageous conduct. Their imprisonments were long and severe, and many of them died without regaining their liberty. They enjoyed no peace in Great Britain until the Revolution. Their affirmation is now there taken in civil courts, except in criminal cases In 1680, William Penn received from Charles II. a grant of that fertile territory, which now forms the state of Pennsylvania, as a reward for the eminent services of his father, who was a vice admiral in the British navy. Penn was a shrewd, intelligent, active man, and improved his grant to the greatest advantage. He carried with him a large number of Friends from England, and founded a city of remarkable regularity and beauty, which for the harmony that prevailed among them, he called Philadelphia; and a state which has risen to the first rank in the Union. There they have increased astonishingly, and become a large and respectable community. The first law in Massachusetts, exempting the Quakers from taxation for the support of the congregational ministry, was passed in 1734. During the revolutionary war they were involved in great distresses because they refused to join the army. Many whole and large estates went to pay the fines imposed upon them. In America they have between five and six hundred congregations. In England their numbers are estimated at about forty thousand. The Quakers have ever maintained many doctrines in common with the reformed churches, but they view every man, Christian, Turk, Jew, and Pagan, as furnished with a measure of the Holy Spirit, or as they call it, of the light of Christ, which is a rule of duty superior to the Holy Scriptures, and which requires only to be brought into exercise in silence and medita |