[JFR]
We now come to the final lecture that Dr. Carroll gave
in his series, The Trail of Blood. This final lecture
was entitled Religion in the United States.
We will then consider the final Church of Asia that
depicts this particular era of church history after we
finish with his last lecture.
Let us continue the text, The Trail of Blood.
[Dr. Carroll]
Religion in the United States
1. Through the Spanish and others of the Latin races,
the Catholics as religionists, came to be the first
representatives of the Christian religion in South and
Central America. But in North America, except
Mexico, they have never strongly predominated.
In the territory of what is now the United States except
in those sections which were once parts of Mexico
they have never been strong enough, even during the
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Colonial period to have their religious views
established by law.
2. Beginning with the Colonial period, in the early
part of the seventeenth century, the first settlements
were established in Virginia, and a little later in that
territory now known as the New England States.
Religious, or more properly speaking — irreligious
persecutions, in England, and on the continent, were,
at least, among the prime causes which led to the first
settlement of the first United States Colonies. In some
of the groups of immigrants which first came, not
including the Jamestown group (1607) and those
known as the "Pilgrims" (1620), were two groups,
one, at least, called "Puritans" — these were
"Congregationalists." Governor Endicott was in
control of their colony.
The other group were Presbyterians. Among these
two groups, however, were a number of Christians
with other views than theirs, also seeking relief from
persecution.
3.
These
refuging
Congregationalists
and
Presbyterians established different Colonies and
immediately within their respective territories
established by law their own peculiar religious views.
In
other
words,
"Congregationalism"
and
"Presbyterianism" were made the legal religious
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views of their colonies. This to the absolute exclusion
of all other religious views.
Themselves fleeing the mother country, with the
bloody marks of persecution still upon them and
seeking a home of freedom and liberty for themselves,
immediately upon being established in their own
colonies, in the new land and having the authority,
they deny religious liberty to others, and practice upon
them [the same they had received].
4. The Southern colonies in Virginia, North and South
Carolina were settled mainly by the adherents of the
Church of England. The peculiar views of the Church
were made the established religion of these colonies.
Thus, in the new land of America, where many other
Congregationalists, Presbyterians and Episcopalians
have come seeking the privilege of worshipping God
according to the dictates of their own consciences,
there were soon set up three established churches. No
religious liberty for any except for those who held
governmental authority. Their own reformation is yet
far from complete.
5. With the immigrants to America came many
scattering Baptists (by some still called "Ana-
Baptists"). There were probably some in every
American-bound vessel. They came, however, in
comparatively small groups, never in large colonies.
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They would not have been permitted to come in that
way.
But they kept coming. Before the colonies are
thoroughly established the Baptists are numerous and
almost everywhere. But they soon began to feel the
heavy hands of the three State churches.
For the terrible offenses of "preaching the Gospel"
and "refusing to have their children baptized,"
"opposing
infant
baptism,"
and
other
like
conscientious acts on their part, they were arrested,
imprisoned, fined, whipped, banished, and their
property confiscated, etc. All that here in America.
From many sources, I give but a few illustrations.
6. Before the Massachusetts Bay Colony is twenty
years old, with the Congregational as the State
Church, they passed laws against the Baptists and
others.
The following is a sample of the laws: "It is ordered
and agreed, that if any person or persons, within this
jurisdiction, shall either openly condemn or oppose
the baptizing of infants, or go about secretly to seduce
others from the approbation or use thereof, or shall
purposely depart the congregation at the ministration
of the ordinance... after due time and means of
conviction — every such person or persons shall be
sentenced to banishment." This law was enacted
especially against the Baptists.
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7. By the Authorities in this colony, Roger Williams
and others were banished. Banishment in America in
those days was something desperately serious. It
meant to go and live among the Indians.
In this case Williams was received kindly and for
quite a while lived among the Indians, and in after
days proved a great blessing to the colony which had
banished him. He saved the colony from destruction
by this same tribe of Indians, by his earnest entreaties
in their behalf. In this way he returned good for evil.
8. Roger Williams, later, together with others, some
of whom, at least, had also been banished from that
and other of the colonies among whom was John
Clarke, a Baptist preacher, decided to organize a
colony of their own. As yet they had no legal authority
from England to do such a thing, but they thought this
step wiser under existing conditions than to attempt to
live in existing colonies with the awful religious
restrictions then upon them. So, finding a small
section of land as yet unclaimed by any existing
colony they proceeded to establish themselves on that
section of land now known as Rhode Island. That was
in the year 1638, ten years later than the
Massachusetts Bay Colony, but it was about 25 years
later (1663) before they were able to secure a legal
charter.
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9. In the year 1651 Roger Williams and John Clarke
were sent by the colony to England to secure, if
possible legal permission to establish their colony.
When they reached England, Oliver Cromwell was in
charge of the government, but for some reason he
failed to grant their request. Roger Williams returned
home to America. John Clarke remained in England
to continue to press his plea. Year after year went by.
Clarke continued to remain.
Finally, Cromwell lost his position and Charles II sat
upon the throne of England. While Charles is regarded
in history as one of the bitterest of persecutors of
Christians, he finally, in 1663, granted that charter. So
Clarke, after 12 long years of waiting returned home
with that charter. So in 1663, the Rhode Island colony
became a real legal institution, and the Baptists could
write their own constitution.
10. That Constitution was written. It attracted the
attention of the whole wide world. In that Constitution
was the world's first declaration of "Religious
Liberty." The battle for absolute religious liberty even
in America alone is a great history within itself. For a
long time, the Baptists seem to have fought that battle
entirely alone, but they did not fight it for themselves
alone, but for all peoples of every religious faith.
Rhode Island, the first Baptist colony, established by
a small group of Baptists after 12 years of earnest
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pleading for permission was the first spot on earth
where religious liberty was made the law of the land.
The settlement was made in 1638; the colony legally
established in 1663.
11. In this colony two Baptist churches were
organized even prior to the legal establishment of the
colony. As to the exact date of the organization of at
least one of these two churches, even the Baptists,
according to history, are at disagreement.
All seem to be agreed as to the date of the organization
of the one at Providence, by Roger Williams, in 1639.
As to the date of the one organized at Newport by
John Clarke, all the later testimony seems to give the
date at 1638.
All the earlier seems to give it later, some years later.
The one organized by Roger Williams at Providence
seems to have lived but a few months. The other by
John Clarke at Newport, is still living.
My own opinion as to the date of organization of
Newport church, based on all available data, is that
1638 is the correct date. Personally, I am sure this date
is correct.
12. As to the persecutions in some of the American
colonies, we give a few samples.
It is recorded that on one occasion one of John
Clarke's members was sick. The family lived just
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across the Massachusetts Bay Colony line and just
inside that colony. John Clarke, himself, and a
visiting preacher by the name of Crandall and a
layman by the name of Obediah Holmes — all three
went to visit that sick family.
While they were holding some kind of a prayer
service with that sick family, some officer or officers
of the colony came upon them and arrested them and
later carried them before the court for trial.
It is also stated, that in order to get a more definite
charge against them, they were carried into a religious
meeting of their church (Congregationalist), their
hands being tied (so the record states). The charge
against them was "for not taking off their hats in a
religious service." They were all tried and convicted.
Gov. Endicott was present. In a rage he said to Clarke,
while the trial was going on, "You have denied infants
baptism" (this was not the charge against them).
"You deserve death. I will not have such trash brought
into my jurisdiction."
The penalty for all was a fine, or be well-whipped.
Crandall's fine (a visitor) was five pounds ($25.00),
Clarke's fine (the pastor) was twenty pounds
($100.00).
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Holmes' fine (the records say he had been a
Congregationalist and had joined the Baptists) so his
fine was thirty pounds ($150.00).
Clark's and Crandall's fines were paid by friends.
Holmes refused to allow his fine paid, saying he had
done no wrong, so was well whipped.
The record states that he was "stripped to the waist"
and then whipped (with some kind of a special whip)
until the blood ran down his body and then his legs
until his shoes overflowed. The record goes on to state
that his body was so badly gashed and cut that for two
weeks he could not lie down, so his body could touch
the bed. His sleeping had to be done on his hands or
elbows and knees.
Of this whipping and other things connected with it I
read all records, even Holmes' statement. A thing
could hardly have been more brutal. And here in
America!
13. Painter, another man, "refused to have his child
baptized," and gave as his opinion "that infant baptism
was an anti-Christian ordinance." For these offenses
he was tied up and whipped. Governor Winthrop tells
us that Painter was whipped "for reproaching the
Lord's ordinance."
14. In the colony where Presbyterianism was the
established religion, dissenters (Baptist and others)
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seemed to fare no better than in the Massachusetts
Bay Colony where Congregationalism was the
established religion. In this colony was a settlement of
Baptists. In the whole settlement were only five other
families. The Baptists recognized the laws they were
under and were, according to the records, obedient to
them.
This incident occurred:
It was decided by authorities of the colony to build a
Presbyterian meeting house in that Baptist settlement.
The only way to do it seemed by taxation.
The Baptists recognized the authority of the
Presbyterians to levy this new and extra tax, but they
made this plea against the tax at this time — "We have
just started our settlement. Our little cabins have just
been built, and little gardens and patches just been
opened. Our fields not cleared. We have just been
taxed to the limit to build a fort for protection against
the Indians. We cannot possibly pay another tax now."
This is only the substance of their plea.
The tax was levied. It could not possibly be paid at
that time. An auction was called. Sales were made.
Their cabins and gardens and patches, and even their
graveyards, were sold — not their unopened fields.
Property valued at 363 pounds and 5 shillings sold for
35 pounds and 10 shillings. Some of it, at least, was
said to have been bought by the preacher who was to
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preach there. The settlement was said to have been left
ruined.
A large book could be filled with oppressive laws.
Terrifically burdensome acts of taxation, hard dealing
of many sorts, directed mainly against the Baptists.
But these lectures cannot enter into these details.
15. In the southern colonies, throughout the Carolinas
and especially Virginia, where the Church of England
held sway, persecution of Baptists was serious and
continuous. Many times, their preachers were fined
and imprisoned.
From the beginning of the colonial period to the
opening of the Revolutionary War, more than 100
years, these persecutions of Baptists were persisted in.
16. We give some examples of the hardships of the
Baptists in Virginia, and yet strange as it may now
seem Virginia was the next place on earth after Rhode
Island to adopt religious liberty.
But that was more than a century away. But the
hardships — as many as 30 preachers at different
times, were put in jail with the only charge against
them — "for preaching the Gospel of the Son of God."
James Ireland is a case in point. He was imprisoned.
After imprisonment, his enemies tried to blow him up
with gunpowder.
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That having failed, they next tried to smother him to
death by burning sulphur under his windows at the
jail.
Failing also in this, they tried to arrange with a doctor
to poison him.
All this failed.
He continued to preach to his people from the
windows.
A wall was then built around his jail so the people
could not see in, nor he see out, but even that difficulty
was overcome. The people gathered, a handkerchief
was tied to a long stick, and that stuck up above the
walls so Ireland could see when they were ready. The
preaching continued.
17. Three Baptist preachers (Lewis and Joseph Craig
and Aaron Bledsoe) were later arrested on the same
charge. One of them, at least, was a blood relative of
R. E. B. Baylor, and possibly of one or more other
Texas Baptist preachers.
These preachers were arraigned for trial. Patrick
Henry, hearing of it and though living many miles
away and though a Church of England man himself,
rode those miles horseback to the trial and
volunteered his services in their defense.
Great was his defense. I cannot enter into a description
of it here. It swept the court. The preachers were freed.
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18. Elsewhere than Rhode Island, religious liberty
came slowly and by degrees. For example: In Virginia
a law was passed permitting one, but only one, Baptist
preacher to a county. He was permitted to preach but
once in two months.
Later this law was modified, permitting him to preach
once in each month. But even then, in only one
definite place in the county, and only one sermon on
that day, and never to preach at night.
Laws were passed not only in Virginia but in colonies
elsewhere positively forbidding any Mission work.
This was why Judson was the first foreign missionary
— law forbade. It took a long time and many hard
battles, in the Virginia House of Burgesses, to greatly
modify these laws.
19. Evidently, one of the greatest obstructions to
religious liberty in America, and probably all over the
world as to that, was the conviction which had grown
into the people throughout the preceding centuries
that religion could not possibly live without
governmental support. That no denomination could
prosper solely on voluntary offerings by its adherents.
And this was the hard argument to meet when the
battle was raging for the disestablishment of the
Church of England in Virginia, and also later in
Congress when the question of religious liberty was
being discussed there. For a long time, the Baptists
fought the battle almost alone.
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20. Rhode Island began her colony in 1638, but it was
not legally chartered until 1663. There was the first
spot where Religious Liberty was granted.
The second place was Virginia in 1786. Congress
declared the first amendment to the Constitution to be
in force December 15, 1791, which granted religious
liberty to all citizens, Baptists are credited with being
the leaders in bringing this blessing to the nation.
21. We venture to give one early Congressional
incident. The question of whether the United States
should have an established church or several
established churches, or religious liberty, was being
discussed.
Several different bills had been offered, one
recommending the Church of England as the
established church, and another the Congregationalist
Church, and yet another the Presbyterian. The
Baptists, many of them, though probably none of
them members of Congress, were earnestly
contending for absolute religious liberty.
James Madison (afterwards President) seemingly was
their main supporter.
Patrick Henry arose and offered a substitute bill for
them all, "That four churches (or denominations)
instead of one be established" — the Church of
England,
or
Episcopal,
Congregationalist,
Presbyterian, and the Baptist.
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Finally when each of the others saw that IT could not
be made the sole established church, they each agreed
to accept Henry's compromise. (This compromise bill
stated that each person taxed would have the right to
say to which denomination of these four his money
should go.)
The Baptists continued to fight against it all; that any
combination of Church and State was against their
fundamental principles, that they could not accept it
even if voted. Henry pleaded with them, said he was
trying to help them, that they could not live without it,
but they still protested.
The vote was taken — it carried nearly unanimously.
But the measure had to be voted on three times. The
Baptists, led by Madison and possibly others
continued to fight.
The second vote came. It also carried almost
unanimously, swept by Henry's masterful eloquence.
But the third vote had yet to be taken.
Now God seemingly intervened. Henry was made
Governor of Virginia and left Congress.
When the third vote came, deprived of Henry's
irresistible eloquence, the vote was lost. Thus, the
Baptists came near being an established denomination
over their own most solemn protest. This is not the
only opportunity the Baptists ever had of becoming
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established by law but is probably the nearest they
ever came to it.
22. Not long after this, the Church of England was
entirely disestablished in America. No religious
denomination was supported by the Central
Government (a few separated State governments still
had establishment), Church and state, so far as the
United States was concerned, were entirely separated.
These two, Church and State, elsewhere at least, had
for 1,500 years (since 313) been living in unholy
wedlock. Religious Liberty was, at least here in the
United States, resurrected to die no more, and now
gradually but in many places slowly, it is spreading
throughout the world.
23. But even in the United States, the Church and
State idea died hard. It lingered on in several of the
separate States, long after Religious Liberty had been
put into the Constitution of the United States.
Massachusetts, where the Church and State idea first
found a lodging place in America, has, as already
stated, finally given it up. It had lived there over two
and one-half centuries. Utah is the last lingering spot
left to disfigure the face of the first and greatest nation
on earth to adopt and cherish "Religious Liberty."
Remember there can be no real and absolute Religious
liberty in any nation where the Government gives its
support to one special religious denomination.
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24. Some serious questions have many times been
asked concerning the Baptists: Would they, as a
denomination, have accepted from any nation or state
an offer of "establishment" if such nation or state had
freely made them such an offer? And, would they, in
case they had accepted such an offer, have become
persecutors of others like Catholics or Episcopals, or
Lutherans or Presbyterians, or Congregationalists?
Probably a little consideration of such questions now
would not be amiss. Have the Baptists, as a fact, ever
had such an opportunity? Is it not recorded in history,
that on one occasion, the King of the Netherlands (the
Netherlands at that time embracing Norway and
Sweden, Belgium, Holland, and Denmark) had under
serious consideration the question of having an
established religion? Their kingdom at that period
was surrounded on almost all sides by nations or
governments with established religions — religions
supported by the Civil Government.
It is stated that the King of Holland appointed a
committee to examine into the claims of all existing
churches or denominations to see which had the best
claim to be the New Testament Church. The
committee reported back that the Baptists were the
best representatives of New Testament teachings.
Then the King offered to make the Baptist "the
established" church or denomination of his kingdom.
The Baptists kindly thanked him but declined, stating
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that it was contrary to their fundamental convictions
and principles.
But this was not the only opportunity they ever had of
having their denomination the established religion of
a people. They certainly had that opportunity when
Rhode Island Colony was founded. And to have
persecuted others — that would have been an
impossibility if they were to continue being Baptists.
They were the original advocates of "Religious
Liberty." That really is one of the fundamental articles
of their religious faith. They believed in the absolute
separation of church and state.
25. So strong has been the Baptist conviction on the
question of Church and State combination, that they
have invariably declined all offers of help from the
State.
We give here two instances. One in Texas and the
other in Mexico.
Long years ago, in the days of Baylor University's
babyhood, Texas offered to help her. She declined the
help though she was in distressing need. The Texas
Methodists had a baby school in Texas at the same
time. They accepted the State help; that school finally
fell into the hands of the State.
The case in Mexico occurred in this wise: W. D.
Powell was our missionary to Mexico. By his
missionary work he had made a great impression for
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the Baptists upon Governor Madero of the State of
Coahuila. Madero offered a great gift to the Baptists
from the State, if the Baptists would establish a good
school in the State of Coahuila, Mexico. The matter
was submitted by Powell to the Foreign Board. The
gift was declined because it was to be from the State.
Afterwards Madero gave a good large sum personally.
That was accepted and Madero Institute was built and
established.
After Thoughts
1. During every period of the "Dark Ages" there were
in existence many Christians and many separate and
independent Churches, some of them dating back to
the times of the Apostles, which were never in any
way connected with the Catholic Church. They
always wholly rejected and repudiated the Catholics
and their doctrines. This is a fact clearly demonstrated
by credible history.
2. These Christians were the perpetual objects of
bitter and relentless persecution. History shows that
during the period of the "Dark Ages," about twelve
centuries, beginning with A.D. 426, there were about
fifty millions of these Christians who died martyr
deaths. Very many thousands of others, both
preceding and succeeding the "Dark Ages," died
under the same hard hand of persecution.
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3. These Christians, during these dark days of many
centuries, were called by many different names, all
given to them by their enemies. These names were
sometimes given because of some specially
prominent and heroic leader and sometimes from
other causes; and sometimes, yea, many times, the
same people, holding the same views, were called by
different names in different localities. But amid all the
many changes of names, there was one special name
or rather designation, which clung to at least some of
these Christians, throughout all the "Dark Ages," that
designation being "Ana-Baptist."
This compound word applied as a designation of some
certain Christians was first found in history during the
third century; and a suggestive fact soon after the
origin of Infant Baptism, and a more suggestive fact
even prior to the use of the name Catholic. Thus the
name "Ana-Baptists" is the oldest denominational
name in history.
4. A striking peculiarity of these Christians was and
continued to be in succeeding centuries:
They rejected the man-made doctrine of "Infant
Baptism" and demanded rebaptism, even though done
by immersion for all those who came to them, having
been baptized in infancy. For this peculiarity they
were called "Ana-Baptists."
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5. This, special designation was applied to many of
these Christians who bore other nicknames; especially
is this true of the Donatists, Paulicians, Albigenses
and Ancient Waldenses and others.
In later centuries this designation came to be a regular
name, applied to a distinct group. These were simply
called "Ana- Baptists" and gradually all other names
were dropped. Very early in the sixteenth century,
even prior to the origin of the Lutheran Church, the
first of all the Protestant Churches, the word "ana"
was beginning to be left off, and they were simply
called "Baptists."
6. Into the "dark ages" went a group of many churches
which were never in any way identified with the
Catholics. Out of the "dark ages" came a group of
many churches, which had never been in any way
identified with the Catholics.
The following are some of the fundamental doctrines
to which they held when they went in:
And the same are, the fundamental doctrines to which
they held when they came out:
And the same are the fundamental doctrines to which
they now hold.
Fundamental Doctrines
1. A spiritual Church, Christ its founder, its only head
and law giver.
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2. Its ordinances, only two, Baptism and the Lord's
Supper. They are typical and memorial, not saving.
3. Its officers, only two, bishops or pastors and deacons;
they are servants of the church.
4. It’s Government, a pure Democracy, and that
executive only, never legislative.
5. Its laws and doctrines: The New Testament and that
only.
6. Its members. Believers only, they saved by grace, not
works, through the regenerating power of the Holy
Spirit.
7. Its requirements. Believers on entering the church to
be baptized, that by immersion, then obedience and
loyalty to all New Testament laws.
8. The various churches — separate and independent in
their execution of laws and discipline and in their
responsibilities to God — but cooperative in work.
9. Complete separation of Church and State.
10. Absolute Religious liberty for all.
Conclusion
[JFR]
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Thus Dr. Carroll ended his lectures. As we have seen,
Baptists have a long and bloody history. Baptists are
distinct from all other groups.
Let us pray that we will always remain distinct.
In the next chapter we will consider the final church
of the Seven Churches of Asia—Laodicea.
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Church History Through the Trail of
Blood