Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Dr. John Clarke, Americas First Baptist Pastor – Clark Secures the Rhode Island Compact Liberty of Conscience is Planted in America Part 7
Roger Fulk posted Clark Secures Rhode Island Compact Liberty of Conscience Part Seven.
THOMAS E KRESAL ADMIN · MAY 31, 2020 PART SEVEN
Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Dr. John Clarke, Americas First Baptist Pastor – Clark Secures the Rhode Island Compact Liberty of Conscience is Planted in America
It was during this visit to England that he published “Ill News from New England,” a work that did more than any other publication to call the attention of the world to the intolerance of New England Puritanism and the iniquity of such intolerance. In England he was closely associated with many of the leading men of the Cromwellian age, notably with John Milton, the Latin secretary, a radical in politics and religion.Just how his time was employed during this long residence in the mother-land we are not informed; but it is probable that he was at the same time deepening the foundations of his theological, civic, and medical knowledge, and seeking to advance the cause of Christ in such ways as were open to him.The following contemporary notice, being a communication from the town of Warwick to the colonial council, is of interest: “We know that Mr. Clarke did publicly exercise his ministry in the Word of God in London, as his letters have made report, as that being a chief place for his profit and preferment, which, we doubt not, brought him in good means for his maintenance; as also he was much about modelizing of matters concerning the affairs of England, as his letters have declared, in which, no doubt, he was encouraged by men of no small estates, who, in all likelihood, did communicate liberally for such of his labors and studies.”The stress laid upon his possible emoluments was due to the somewhat niggardly desire on the part of the town to be released from its proportion of the allowance made to Clarke for his services. Much of his time was no doubt given to the affairs of the colony, and after the accession of Charles II. he succeeded in securing a charter for “Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” in 1663. The charter of 1644, ratified in 1647, had never been satisfactory on account of the indefiniteness of its provisions. Disputes as to boundaries had arisen which could scarcely be settled by other than British authority. Moreover, with the restoration of the Stuarts the acts of the revolutionary period had been nullified.This charter, though given by a king of despotic tendencies, who was at that very time bitterly persecuting dissenters, is one of the most remarkable, in its provisions for civil and religious liberty, ever issued by an English sovereign. It makes suitable acknowledgment of the Indian titles to the land; it declares “that no person within the said colony, at any time hereafter, shall be anywise molested, punished, disquieted, or called in question for any difference in opinion in matters of religion which do not actually disturb the civil peace of our said colony; but that all and every person and persons may, from time to time, and at all times hereafter, freely and fully have and enjoy his and their own judgments and consciences in matters of religious concernments; . . . they behaving themselves peaceably and quietly, and not using this liberty to licentiousness and profaneness, nor to the civil injury or outward disturbance of others.” The provisions of the earlier charter for government by a majority of the freemen of the colony are substantially confirmed in the new.Thomas E. Kresal from: John Clarke and the Baptists of Rhode Island by Albert H. Newman, 1894 and and Clarke, “Ill News;” ” Records of the Colony of R. I.,” i.; Arnold, i.; Backus; Winthrop; Hubbard; Lechford; Barrows, “History Sketch,” “Dev. of Bapt. Pr. in R. I.,” “Baptist Quarterly,” 1872, pp. 483 seq.; J. C. C. Clarke, in “Baptist Quarterly,” 1876, pp. 180 seq.; Adlam; Callender; Comer.
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