“An Apostle of Tolerance”
Separation of church and state in the United States came to practice in 1633 by Roger Williams, a minister, who was exiled from Puritan Massachusetts and settled Providence, R.I., in partnership with the Massasoit and Narragansett Tribes.
I’ve recently been gifted this set of ten books: The World’s Famous Events; The Story of the Greatest Nations. Authors: Edward Ellis; Charles Horne — published 1921 (public domain)
Consider this and future excerpts a reminder of our history.
“Rhode Island was settled by Roger Williams. This truly remarkable man was a Welsh minister who came to America in 1631. At first he was very welcome in Massachusetts Bay, and in 1633 was made pastor of the Salem church. His doctrines, however, soon proved unacceptable to the ministers who rule the colony. He declared that the church and state should be separate, and men should be allowed to believe as their consciences dictated, without interference of law. He was, in fact, one of the first apostles of religious toleration, a mind a century or more in advance of even the earnest and thoughtful Puritans.
Another awkward announcement by Williams was that neither the King nor the Virginia Company, nor any other English power, had the right to grant lands in America; that the only way the settlers could honestly acquire them was by purchase from the original owners, the Indians.”
The World’s Famous Events; volume IX.
Page 1538 — The World’s Famous Events; volume IX
A summary of the following paragraphs:
Since Williams refused to remain silent, he was banished. To escape being sent back to England, he fled to the wilderness. The Natives knew him as a friend and advocate and led him to Massasoit who welcomed him.
The following spring he and five followers traveled southward to the Narragansetts and formed a settlement. He purchased the land from the tribe, and named it Providence, and allowed religious freedom within its limits.
It became a refuge for those that Massachusetts Puritans sought to persecute.
Williams secured a charter from King Charles II (who harbored distaste for the Puritans) allowing it to prosper, with the continued friendship of the Natives. The charter was so liberal that it remained law after Rhode Island became a Union state.
Page 1538 — The World’s Famous Events; volume IX
Maryland’s history began differently but evolved into the same religiously tolerant melting pot:
“South of the Quaker colony lay Maryland. This was settled as far back as 1631 by traders from Virginia. It was part of the Virginian territory until King Charles I divided it and made a separate grant of the northern region to his Catholic Friend, Lord Baltimore. It was intended that Maryland become a refuge for the persecuted English Catholics.
Thus we find yet another religion impelling its sturdiest and most resolute members to seek the free air of America. Is it any wonder that the descendants of these men fought for freedom; any wonder that our land is to-day, and has always been, deeply and earnestly religious?
A well-prepared expedition came out to Maryland in 1634 under Leonard Calvert, a brother of Lord Baltimore. He took possession of the land with solemn religious ceremonies, and built the town of St. Mary. Perhaps we might better say he bought the town from the Indians; for an Indian village was already standing on its site. Calvert purchased the land from its inhabitants, and made so friendly an agreement with them that for months his people lived side by side with the redmen in their wigwams. Then the Indians faithfully completed the terms of the odd bargain, by moving out and leaving their homes to the newcomers.”
Page 1542 — The World’s Famous Events; volume IX
A summary of the following paragraphs:
The leader of the Virginia traders who previously occupied Maryland, William Clayborne, would not oppose the settlers by force, and proceeded to spread discord among the Natives by saying the new settlers were the same religion as the Spaniards, were kidnappers like the Spaniards, and were waiting for the perfect moment to seize and murder the Natives. The frightened Natives fled.
Lord Baltimore did not declare that only Catholics should inhabit his colony. “That would have been like a challenge to invite enmity, and would have made Maryland the target of every Protestant attack upon his faith. He adopted the larger plan of promising religious toleration to all Christians.” (quoted because I cannot phrase this better than the authors)
Therefore, Christians and Protestants lived side-by-side on equal terms until 1946ish, when Protestants started to outnumber Catholics and vie for supremacy.
Clayborne returned to fan the flames, Governor Calvert fled, there was a civil war with small battles, and Calvert returned to successfully rule until his death.
1689: Protestants and Virginia traders overthrew their rivals. The English government abolished the Baltimore proprietorship, the capital was moved to Annapolis instead of St. Mary, the prosperity of the colony suffered.
1715: Lord Baltimore’s descendants were restored their rights. Religious tolerance once more reigned, persecution ceased, and Maryland thrived once again.
Page 1542 — The World’s Famous Events; volume IX
To be continued.
