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HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
CHURCHES OF WARWICK,
RHODE ISLAND. BY
OLIVER P. FULLER.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A RECORD OF PERSONS JOINED IN MARRIAGE
IN THAT TOWN
.
BY
ELDER JOHN GORTON.
FROM
1754 TO 1792.
PROVIDENCE SIDNEY S. RIDER . 1880.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
29
CHURCHES OF WARWICK,
RHODE ISLAND.
BY
OLIVER P. FULLER.
TO WHICH IS ADDED
A RECORD OF PERSONS JOINED IN MARRIAGE IN THAT TOWN
BY
ELDER JOHN GORTON.
FROM
1754 TO 1792.
Y OF
ONGA
3
U
0F
PROVIDENCE SIDNEY S. RIDER. 1880.
,
E. G. 3}, un. 29-15.
In Exch. Wisc At. hist. soc. 9 My'01
F89 , W2592
These sketches originally formed the appendix to the History of Warwick, Rhode Island, by the same author. The records of these societies date far back into the early history of the Colony, and are brought down to a very recent period. To this edition has been added the Record of persons joined in marriage by Elder JOHN GORTON, in the town of Warwick from 1754 to 1792. They are two hundred and eighty-one in number, and are of great value in tracing the genealogy of families living in Warwick and to some extent throughout the State.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF THE
CHURCHES IN WARWICK, RHODE ISLAND.
INTRODUCTION.
The early ecclesiastical history of the town of Warwick is involved in much obscurity, and no reliable evidence exists of the formation of any independent church for about three-fourths of a century after the first settlement in 1642. That a respectable portion of the first settlers were Christian people there is no doubt. In 1639, John Greene, Richard Waterman, Francis Weston, Ezekiel Holliman, Wm. Arnold and Stukely Westcott, then residing in Providence, united with six others in church relation, and " agreed to support in faith and practice the principles of Christ's doctrine." These six men, whose names are above-mentioned, were among the earliest settlers of this town, three of them being among the original purchasers of the land. Before uniting in church relations at Providence, they had become " con- vinced of the truth of believers' baptism" by immersion, but had not had the privilege of practicing according to their faith. There was no minister of like sentiments, who had been immersed, to administer the ordinance of baptism, and to meet the difficulty they selected Ezekiel
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6
CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I.
Holliman, a " pious and gifted man," to baptize Roger Williams, which was accordingly done, when Mr. Wil- liams in turn, baptized Mr. Holliman and the others. This was the origin of the First Baptist Church of Provi- dence. Three years later, one-half the constituent mem- bers of that church settled within the limits of this town. There were others besides them who were professed Christians .*
Though it does not appear that there was an organ- ized church in the town for a considerable period, there are evidences that Holliman, Waterman and their associates who united in the formation of the church at Providence, still retained their membership in that body, visiting it as often as they found it convenient, but holding meetings of worship in their own town as a branch of the mother church. We have found no posi- tive evidence of this, however. Rev. John Callender, then pastor of the First Baptist Church at Newport, in his famous centennial discourse, published in 1738, al- luding to the First Church of Providence, says: "This church shot out into divers branches, as the members increased, and the distance of their habitation made it inconvenient for them to attend the public worship in town Several meetings were fixed at different places, and about the time the large township of Providence became divided into four towns,; these chapels of ease began to be considered as distinct churches, though all
* On March 13, 1639, at the General Court in Boston, "John Smith, for disturbing the public peace, by combining with others to binder the orderly gathering of a church at Weymouth, and to set up another there, contrary to the orders here established, and the constant prac- tice of all our churches, and for undue procuring the hands of many to a blank for that purpose, is fined £20, and committed during the pleasure of the Court or the Council."- Mass Col. Rec. I, 252.
The name, Jolm Smith, is a little confusing. Whether it was the same person of that name who became an early resident of this town, and was President of the Rhode Island Colony in 1649, I am not able to decide. After the above experience from the Massachusetts Court, he would have been likely to seek more hospitable regions. It is known that some of the Weymouth faction came to Rhode Island.
+ This was in January, 1730-1 .- Arnold, Vol. II, 102.
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INTRODUCTION.
are yet in a union of counsels and interests."* On a subsequent page, he says: "There are in the nine towns on the main land, eight churches of the people, called Baptists, one in every town except East Greenwich, where there is, however, a Meeting House, in which there is a meeting once a month .; In a note he adds the names of Manasseh Martyn and Francis Bates as the elders of the Warwick Church. Elder Martyn was or- dained to the ministry in 1725, though the earliest records of this church extant bear the date of 1741 .¿
Allowing that the church here existed as a branch of the First Church at Providence up to the time of the division of the town of Providence, or about the that time, the interval, during which we have no records of a distinct church would be accounted for. If they were only a branch church, their records would probably be merged in those of the Providence Church.§ It is well known that the doctrine of laying-on-of-hands, was
* Branch churches, with certain delegated powers from the mother church, among which were the privileges of celebrating the com- munion and admitting members, have been common in Six Principle churches from time immemorial. The membership of such "Branches" was recorded with that of the parent church. See ac- counts of the Crompton Church and the Bethel of that order on subse- quent pages.
t In 1730, says Backus, "there were thirteen Baptist churches, most of them small, who held annual associations to promote disci- pline and communion among them upon the six principles in Hebrews VI."-Backus Hist. of the Baptists.
# Knight's History, p. 273.
§ On Friday, May 28, 1875, occurred the centennial anniversary of the opening of the First Baptist Church of Providence, when an interest- ing and valuable address was delivered by Hon. Samuel G. Arnold. From this address we make the following extract: "The church rec. ords begin in April, 1775, preceded by a list of members admitted from December, 1774, during the great revival, to June 30, 1782. Prefixed to the regular records, there is a 'History of the Baptist Church of Christ in Providence, Rhode Island, being the oldest Baptist Church in America,' with an introduction prepared in 1789, by John Stanford, minister, then temporarily acting as pastor of the church. This is a brief summary of such events as could then be collected respecting the history of the church for a hundred and fifty years, from its foun- dation in 1639. Mr. Stanford's original manuscript of twenty folio pages, is preserved in the archives of the Society, and has very properly been copied into the first volume of the Church records. In
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CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I.
held by the First Church of Providence,* in a lax manner at its beginning, but it " became afterwards a term of communion, and continued so until after Dr. Manning came among them; he prevailed with the church to admit to occasional communion those brethren who were not convinced of the duty of coming under hands; but very few such were received as members till after his death. On August 4, 1791, the church had a full meeting, when this point was deliberately considered, and a clear vote was gained to admit members who did not hold that doctrine. But notwithstanding this vote, the laying-on-of-hands, not as an ordinance, but as a form of receiving new members, was generally practiced until after the death of President Manning .; The first church of Warwick was of the Six Principle order.
The alternative of supposing a branch church during a period of three-fourths of a century as existing here, would be that of supposing the strong personal influence and peculiar religious opinions of Samuel Gorton, who was a preacher, and sustained a religious meeting during this time, prevented the formation of any church, or the holding of any meetings that were not in accordance with his views. At first we were inclined to this view. But upon further research and consideration, the alternative was rejected. That Mr. Gorton held a meeting during this time is probable, but that the nucleus of the church, which assumed an independent existence about the year 1725, had existed many years previous as a branch of the First Church, Providence, seems worthy of credit.
Some account of Samuel Gorton and of his peculiar
1828, a small pamphlet was printed under the direction of the late Nicholas Brown, then President of the Society, containing the charter and by laws, together with the 'minutes of the early proceedings of the Society from its first recorded meetings till 1793, when Dr. Gano was called to the pastorate.' In this tract of sixteen pages, are pre- served a complete transcript from the records for the first sixteen months and the more important entries till the calling of Dr. Gano."
* Benedict's Hist. Vol. I, 487.
Dr. Hague's Historical discourse, p. 107.
9
INTRODUCTION.
religious views, seem appropriate in this connection as belonging to the ecclesiastical history of the town. Though no church was formed in connection with his ministrations, he exerted a powerful influence upon the religious views of the colony. Benedict, in his history, says: "Callender, Backus and others who have spoken of Gorton's religious opinions, acknowledge that it is hard to tell what he believed, but they assure us that it ought to be believed that he held all the heresies that were ascribed to him. The most we can learn is, that in alle- gory and double-meanings of scripture he was similar to Origen ; in mystical theology and the rejection of ordi- nances, he resembled the Quakers; and the notion of visible churches he utterly rejected." That he held all the heresies that were ascribed to him, as intimated by Dr. Benedict, is hardly to be credited, as some of them that were published during the life of Gorton in " Mor- ton's New England Memorial," were distinctly disa- vowed by Gorton himself. The remark of Dr. Benedict is too sweeping, and does not accord with the statement of Callender, who says: "There are sufficient reasons why we ought not and cannot believe he held all that are con- fidently fathered upon him. For it is certain, that, what- ever impious opinions his adversarios imputed to him, and whatever horrid consequences they drew from the opinions he owned, he ascribed as bad to them and fixed as dreadful consequences upon their tenets ; and at the same time in the most solemn manner, denies and disa- vows many things they charge him with ; above all, when he is charged with denying a future state and judg- ment to come, both in theory and practice, he peremp- torily and vehemently denies the charge, and solemnly appeals to God and all that knew him, of the in- tegrity of his heart and the purity of his hands; and avers that he always joins eternity with religion, as most essential. And that the doctrine of the general salva- tionists was the thing which his soul most hated. [Answer to Morton's Memorial,-Calender, p. 92]. Calender further says : "He strenuously opposed the
*2
10
CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I.
doctrines of the people called Quakers. I am informed that he and his followers maintained a religious meeting on the first day of the week for above sixty years, and that their worship consisted of prayers to God, of preach- ing, or expounding the scriptures and singing of psalms." Dr. Benedict says: "He was a leader of a religious meeting in Warwick above sixty years." This state- ment is incorrect, as he died in 1667, or twenty-five years from the founding of the town. The statement of Callender will come nearer to the truth " that he and his followers " maintained a meeting for that length of time. No church was organized by him or his followers, but stated seasons of worship were held upon the Sabbath in which the gospel was dispensed freely to all who would listen to it. Among his chief heresies were the rejection of an organized visible church and the ordinances con- nected with it; and from these peculiar views and those of minor importance which grew out of them, sprang most of the trouble between him and the other religious sects. Morton in "New England's Memorial," gave a summary of Gorton's religious opinions, which was pub- lished during Gorton's life. Gorton wrote to Mr. Morton denying some of the charges made against him in this book, especially that he had ever asserted that there was " no state or condition after death," and says : " I appeal to God, the judge of all secrets, that there never was such a thought entertained in my heart." He further says in answer to another charge : " we never called sermons of salvation, tales ; nor any ordinances of the Lord, an abomination or vanity ; nor holy ministers, necromancers ; we honor, reverence and practice these things." In this letter he refers to a book published by Mr. Winslow, which referred also to his sentiments, of which Gorton says he had read but little, but was in- formed by Mr. Brown, who had been a commissioner for the United Colonies, that "he would maintain that there were forty lies published in that book." The let- ter may be found in the Appendix to Judge Staples' edition of Simplicities' Defence.
11
INTRODUCTION.
Without attempting to state the religious views of Gorton with any degree of precision, it may perhaps be safely said that the essential gospel truths, as held by the great body of evangelical christians of the present day, were those that were held and preached by this somewhat singular man. That the difference that existed between his opinions, with the exception of those specially noted, and those of Williams and others, was rather im- aginary than real, and grew out of the peculiar way in which he expresssd them, is evident. His published works are marvels of curious composition, with sen- tences so long and complicated, that it would make a school-master's blood run backwards, to analyze and parse them. Among these works the reader is referred to his " Incorruptible Key," printed in London, in 1647 ; " Saltmarsh returned from the Dead," printed in 1655; " Antidote against pharasaical Teachers," and " Anti- dote against the common Plague of the World ; " " Sim- plicities Defence against a Seven Headed Church Policy," published in England, in 1646. These, with a manu- script commentary on the Lord's Prayer, of more than a hundred pages, now in possesion of the R. I. Historical Society, will furnish the curious reader with ample ma- terial for studying the religious tenets of the man. His " Simplicities Defence," is an historical narrative of the difficulties between the early settlers of this town and the colony of Massachusetts, growing out of the attempts of the latter to extend its jurisdiction over the lands and persons of the former. The account is written in his peculiar style, but is regarded as a fair account of the origin, progress, and issue of the unhappy controversy. Several valuable letters that passed between the parties during the time, are included in it, with much of a rambling theological character, in which the author de- lighted to indulge. The work is dedicated to the Earl of Warwick, whose friendly aid was received and duly acknowledged, and whom, as we have already stated,
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CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I.
the settlers honored by giving his name to their town .*
Gorton was a man of acknowledged native talent, and with all his literary abstruseness and theological com- bativeness, exerted a large and for the most part a salutary influence in the community. When his opin-
* As a matter of curiosity, and as indicating Gorton's method of thought and style of composition, we give the following title pages to two of his works, his "Incorruptible Key," and his "Saltmarsh re- turned from the Dead."
"AN INCORRUPTIBLE KEY, composed of the CX Psalme wherewith you may open the Rest of the Holy Scriptures: Turning itself only according to the Composure and Art of that Lock, of the Closure and Science of that Great Mysterie of God manifest in the Flesh, but jus- tified only by the Spirit which it evidently openeth and revealeth, out of Fall and Resurrection, Sin and Righteousness, Ascension and Descension, Height and Depth, First and Last, Beginning and Ending, Flesh and Spirit, Wisdom and Foolishness, Strength and Weakness. Mortality and Immortality, Jew and Gentile, Light and Darkness, Unity and Multiplication, Fruitfulness and Barrenness, Care and Blessing, Man and Woman, All Suffering and Deficiency, God and Man. And out of every unity made up of twaine, it openeth that great two-leafed Gate which is the sole Entrie into the city of God of New Jerusalem, into which none but the king of Glory can enter : and as the Porter openeth the doore of the Sheepfold, by which whosoever entereth in, is the Shepherd of the Sheep: See Isa. 45, 1; Psal. 24, 7, 8, 9, 10: John 10, 1, 2, 3; Or, (according to the signification of the word translated Psalme) it is a pruning knife, to lop off front the church of Christ all superfluons Twigs of earthly and carnal commandments. Levitical services or Ministry and fading and vanishing Priests or Ministers, who are confirmed by Death as holding no correspondency with the princely Dignity, Office and Ministry of an Melchisedek who is the only Ministry of the Sanctuary and of that true Tabernacle which the Lord pitcht and not Man. For it supplants the Old Man and implants the new : abrogates the Old Testament or Covenant and confirms the New into a thousand generations, or in generations for- ever. By Samuel Gorton, Gent. and at the time of penning hereof, in the place of Judicature (upon Aquethneck alias Road Island) of Providence Plantations in the Nanhygansett Bay, New England. Printed in the yeere 1617."
"SALTMARSH RETURNED FROM THE DEAD, in Amicus Philalethes : or the Resurrection of James the Apostle out of the Grave of Carnal Glosses for the correction of the universal Apostacy which crnelly burried him who yet liveth. Appearing in the Comely Ornaments of his Fifth Chapter in an exercise, June 5, 1654. Having laid by his grave clothes in a despised village remote from England, but wishing well and heartily desiring the True Prosperity thereof."-Mackie's Life of Gorton in Spark's Am. Biog.
That such language may have been perfectly intelligible to Gorton himself, we have no disposition to doubt; that it may have conveyed more to his contemporaries who were acquainted with the circum. stances that called it forth, and had become familiar with such forms of expression, than to us, may be true. That it lacks a little of that perspicnity, which in modern times is regarded as an excellence in writing or speaking, is quite evident.
13
INTRODUCTION.
ions on civil or religious topics were opposed, he showed much of that quality that might be termed, " otherwise- mindedness," and, at times, exhibited a "superfluity of naughtiness," but otherwise was of a generous and sympathetic nature, and inclined to award to others the same liberty of thought and expression which he claimed for himself.
We close this account of him with an extract taken from the manuscript Itinerary of Dr. Styles, a former clergyman of Newport, and afterwards President of Yale College, as given by Judge Staples :
"At Providence, Nov. 18, 1771, I visited aged Mr. John Angell, ae. 80, born, Oct. 18, 1691, a plain, blunt-spoken man; right old English frankness. He is not a Quaker, nor Baptist, nor a Presbyterian, but a Gortonist, and the only one I have seen. Gorton now lives in him, his only disciple left. He says he knows of no other and that he is alone. He gave me an account of Gorton's disciples, first and last, and showed me some of Gorton's printed books and some of his manuscripts. He said Gorton wrote in heaven and no one can understand his writings, but those who live in heaven while on earth. He said that Gorton had beat down all outward ordinances of Baptism and the Lord's Supper with unanswer- able demonstrations. That Gorton preached in London in Oliver's time, and had a church and living of £500 a year offered him, but he believed no sum would have tempted him to take a farthing for preaching. He told me that his grandfather, Thomas Angell, came from Salem to Providence with Roger Williams, that Gorton did not agree with Roger Williams, who was for outward ordinances set up by new apostles. I asked if Gorton was a Quaker; as he seemed to agree with them in rejecting outward ordinances. He said no; and that when George Fox (I think) or one of the first Friends came over; he went to Warwick to see Gorton, but was a mere babe to Gorton. The Friends had come out of the world some ways, but still were in darkness or twilight, but that Gorton was far beyond them, he said, high way up to the dispensation of light. The Quakers were in no way to be com- . pared with him; nor any man else can, since the primitive times of the church, especially since they came out of Popish darkness. He said Gorton was a holy man; wept day and night for the sins and blindness of the world; his eyes were a fountain of tears, and always full of tears-a man full of thought and study-had a long walk out through the trees or woods by his house, where he constantly walked morning and evening,
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CHURCHES OF WARWICK, R. I.
and even in the depth of the night, alone by himself, for con- templation and the enjoyment of the dispensation of light. He was universally beloved by all his neighbors and the Indians, who esteemed him not only as a friend, but one high in com- munion with God in heaven, and indeed he lived in heaven."
In preparing the following accounts of the churches, the author communicated with the pastors or some lead- ing members of the several churches now existing in the town, inviting them to furnish a brief sketch of their respective churches, for publication. In several instances the invitation was accepted, and in others the records of the churches were kindly placed in his hands to enable him to furnish the accounts. He regrets that in a few instances, either from a loss of the records or lack of interest in the subject, on the part of those to whom he applied, he has failed to receive the desired informa- tion concerning several. Where the accounts have been prepared by others, due acknowledgement has been given. In the other cases, where church records have been kindly placed in his hands from which to make up the accounts, such accounts have received, in each case, the approval of some one or more of the leading mem- bers of the church, to whom they were submitted before publishing :
OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.
This church, which has had for the past thirty years merely a nominal existence, is the oldest one in the town, having probably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, nearly or quite a half century before it assumed an independent existence. The earliest records of the church bear the date of 1741, though the origin of the body as a distinct and indepen- dent church, must have been as early as 1725. Backus' history mentions it in 1730 as then existing. Previous
* The six principles, or doctrines, held by this church may be found in Hebrews VI., 1, 2.
+
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OLD BAPTIST CHURCH, OLD WARWICK.
to that date, and reaching back to about the time of the first settlement of the town, it probably existed as a branch of the First Baptist Church of Providence, of which several of the original settlers of the town were constituent members. Hence the history of the body previous to the organization as a separate church would be incorporated with that of the First church of Provi- dence. As there are no original records of this latter church extant, previous to April, 1775, it is impossible to determine the exact status of the body previous to that date. In 1730, the church at Old Warwick con- sisted of 65 members, under the pastoral care of Elder Manasseh Martin .* Elder Martin having served the church as pastor upwards of 30 years, died March 20th, 1754. He lies buried in the cemetery near the site of the Meeting House where he preached. A heavy slab half embedded in the earth, with his name and date of death, marks the spot. His widow, who afterwards be-
the wife of Elder Charles Holden, lies beside him. On the 18th of June, 1744, ( hn ammett was ordained as colleague of Mr. Martin, and seems to have extended his labors beyond the immediate precincts of Old Warwick, gathering many into the church from remote regions. He served the old church " upwards of six years," according to the inscription upon his tomb- stone, dying in the 48th year of his age. He lies buried also, in the yard of the old meeting-house.
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