Pastor Tom Admin3 hours ago

November 26, 2020
Baptist History, Heritage and Distinctives
New England Baptists 1638-1776 AD – Old Landmarkers
Protestant Cruelty Towards Baptists in Colonial America
PART THREE

The pages of this book would not suffice to detail all that Baptists suffered in New England from fines, imprisonment, bloody whippings, and banishment from their homes and possessions. A few cases must indicate all: In 1644, one Painter, a poor man, turned Baptist, and refused to have his child baptized, and when arraigned for it before the Court, told them that it was, in his opinion, an antichristian ordinance. For this he was tied up and whipped. Governor Winthrop declared he was whipped for “reproaching “reproaching the Lord’s ordinance” (Related in Backus, vol. 1, p. 127).

John Smith, for gathering a church at Weymouth, “contrary to the orders,” was’ fined twenty pounds ($100) and committed during pleasure of Court.

Richard Sylvester, for going with Smith, was disfranchised and fined forty shillings. Ambrose Morton, for calling their covenant a human invention, and that their ministers did dethrone Christ and set up themselves, was fined ten pounds ($50).

Thomas Makepeace, because of his novel disposition, was informed that we were weary of him unless he reformed.

John Spur and John Smith were bound in forty pounds to pay twenty pounds the first day of next Court, 1640. Their crime was the avowal “that only baptism [i.e., a profession of faith] was the door into the visible church” (Backus)
(much more – to be continued)

Presented by Thomas E. Kresal from excerpts: Graves, James R.. Old Landmarkism: What is it? . First Vision Publishers. Kindle Edition. Chapter 15

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