REV. SAMUEL HOPKINS.

329

The two Congregational Churches, up to the time of the death of Dr. Hopkins, enjoyed the most entire harmony. So pure and deep was the sympathy of the two pastors, that they called each other by the appellations of father and son. The last time that Dr. Hopkins walked out with Dr. Patten, who at that time was comparatively a young man, and accompanied him home, Dr. Hopkins said, "What need have I any more of a cane, since I have your arm;" and gave his cane or long. staff, mounted with ivory, into the hands of Dr. Patten, who, used it afterwards, and reckoned it among his choice things. They were like David and Jonathan, "pleasant and lovely in their lives," and in their resting place on earth they are not divided. They repose in front of the Spring-street church.

A strong desire is expressed by the family of the late la mented Dr. Patten, that a monument be erected to his memory, and we trust, for the honor of the town, that no obstacles will be thrown in the way of the accomplishment of the object.

At the same time, the church and society over which Dr. Hopkins presided for so many years, should erect a suitable monument to his memory, or join with the family of Dr. Patten in the praiseworthy undertaking.

The estimation in which Dr. Hopkins' writings were held in Scotland, led the College at Edinburgh to confer on him the degree of D.D. It was a high honor, and showed that they highly appreciated his talents as an able theologian.

Dr. Hopkins' salary, for many years, did not exceed $200 per annum, and the parsonage house, which is still standing. His study would only admit of a table, with just sufficient room to move round it; it was there he wrote his System of Divinity, which cost him ten years' labor, and for the copyright of which he obtained $800.

A wealthy lady of his church, Mrs. Wright, was in the habit of furnishing himself and wife, which then comprised his family, dinner three times a week from her own table; and he and his companion would often take tea out, with some of his parishioners, who were always gratified with the visit of their pastor. Dr. Hopkins often remarked that he would not exchange his situation for an increase of salary, so delighted was. he with Newport, and the affectionate church over which he ministered.

But few such self-sacrificing spirits are to be met with in this world. It was the flock, and not the fleece he was after. He had consecrated himself to the work of the Gospel ministry, and in that service he labored until removed by death. He looked for higher honors than earth could possibly confer, as the reward of his labors and toils in the service of his Lord and Master. A faithful minister will proclaim the truth to both saint and sinner; he will not shun to declare the whole counsel of God. The commission which he professes to have received, binds him to the faithful performance of this duty. His office is not one of earthly appointment, if well understood-though many at this day seem to view it so, by the cautious manner in which they wield the weapons of the Gospel, lest the minds of their hearers should be disturbed. It was not so with Hop. kins and his associates; they believed that the investiture was from Jehovah, and that obedience was required of all who bore the vessels of the sanctuary. They put their trust entirely in God, and not in man for a blessing on their labors of love. Such were the divines Clark, Callender, Stiles, Hopkins, Brown, Clap, Thurston, and Patten, who graced the pulpits of that day.

1787.-Last Saturday night arrived here Capt. Benjamin Pearce, in the brig Elizabeth, sixty-three days from Copenhagen, bringing a bell of about 1,100 lbs. weight, for the Second Congregational Church of the City of Newport. "The City of Newport" is cast on the bell. It is now in the belfry of the Union Congregational Church, in Spring-street.

THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEWPORT, AND THE
FIRST IN AMERICA.

The First Baptist Church in Providence having arrogated to itself the honor of being the first in the State and in the country, it was taken for granted that their clain was a valid one, and none attempted to deny to them the honor. But recently the subject has undergone a thorough examination, which has resulted in giving an entire new version to the subject. A committee was appointed by the church at Providence, to investi

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEWPORT.

331

gate the matter, of which Rev. T. C. Jameson was Chairman, wherein they report that they "are of the opinion that the Baptist church at Newport was formed certainly before the 1st of May, 1639, and probably on the 7th of March, 1638." Instead of submitting to the report, which, according to parlia mentary usages, they should have done, they came out with a review of the doings of their committee, and finding themselves driven to the wall by the weight of evidence furnished of the priority of the First Church in Newport, labored to show that it was not in its commencement Anna Baptist, but Pædo-Baptist. May 11th, 1639. The existence of this church was matter of public record in Massachusetts :

"1639. The people of Aquedneck, gathered a church in a very disordered way, for they took some excommunicated persons, and others who were members of the church of Boston, and not dismissed."

"The church of Boston sent three brethren with letters to Mr. Coddington, and the rest of our members at Aquedneck, to understand their judgment in divers points of religion formerly maintained by all, or divers of them, and to require them to give account to the church of their unwarrantable practice, in communicating with excommunicated persons, &c. When they came, they found that those of them who dwelt at Newport, had joined themselves to a church there, newly constituted, and therefore refused to hear them as messengers of our church, or to receive the church's letters. Whereupon, at their return, the elders and most of the church would have them cast out, as refusing to hear the church, but all not being agreed, it was deferred." Winthrop's Journal, 1st month, (March) 24, 1639–40.

From this extract, it appears that this church, from its organization, rejected infant baptism, the supervision of the civil magistrates, &c., and was in fact a Baptist church. On what other ground can we possibly reconcile the conduct of the church at Newport, in thus refusing to receive the messengers which were sent from Boston? Most certainly, if they had been at this period Pado-Baptist, they would never have rejected those of the same faith and order, but would have extended the right hand of fellowship to their brethren. It is well-known that infant baptism at that day among Pædo-Baptists, was the sine qua non, and all who differed in this grand essential were

viewed as heretical and worthy to receive thirty stripes, which were subsequently inflicted on Mr. Holmes and others with great severity.

The charge preferred against this church was "in their communicating with excommunicated persons." Now, it is not probable that the church in Newport would receive into their communion, persons of immoral character, but rather individ-. uals that had thought proper to exercise their own private judgment in matters of conscience. This was a point which gave offence to the churches in Massachusetts, and led them to view the church in Newport, as unworthy of their fellowship, having abandoned a vital principle of Christianity. There is. displayed a spirit of dictation by the Congregational churches of Massachusetts towards this church, which preeminently characterizes their history. They came to Newport to browbeat this church, but the church would not recognize them as. brethren of the same faith and order with themselves. They were Anna-Baptists as early as this period, for in no other sense can we reconcile their conduct towards the churches of Massachusetts, which is well-known were Pædo-Baptist, and held to the ordinance of infant sprinkling as a matter of infinite importance.

The First Baptist Church in Providence has assumed two points, which she is unable to maintain: First, her existence being prior to that of the church at Newport; secondly, that the church was founded by Roger Williams. Comer, the first,: and for the early history of our denomination, the most reliable, of writers, ascribes distinctly and repeatedly, this priority to the Newport church. He had formed the design, more than a hundred and twenty years ago, of writing the history of the American Baptists, and in that work which he only lived to commence, but which embraces an account of this church, he says in one place, that it is the first of the Baptist denomination; and closing his history of it, he says: "Thus I have briefly given some account of the settlement and progress of the First Baptist church on Rhode Island, in New-England, and the first in America."

From the way in which he asserts it, the priority of the Newport church must have been a universally conceded fact. He was careful to excess, not to record as certain, that on which any suspicion rested, and yet this father of American Baptist

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH IN NEWPORT.

333 history, whose veracity has never been questioned, states that in age it was prior to any other Baptist church in America. It is true, and I was sorry to see it, some later hand has added in a note: "Excepting that of Providence." Who wrote this, I will not say, but no one should touch Comer's writings, unless he is a more reliable witness than that pains-taking and impartial

man.

Besides his general carefulness, he was, when he wrote the above, on the most favorable terms with the Providence church, while a difficulty had occurred between him and the Newport church, which caused him the most painful feelings.

This interpretation of the writings of Comer, in order to give the priority to the church at Providence, is most certainly an unchristian act, and shows to what miserable shifts they were driven to obtain the honor which justly belongs to another. This, however, is not the first attempt to pluck the laurels from the brow of the people of Newport, and which they have too long passively submitted to; but a redeeming spirit is at work, which will be put forth in defence of her just and lawful claims, as the first to rear the Baptist standard in this land, as well as the first to publish to the world the great principle of the rights of conscience.

Rev. Mr. Adlam has shown conclusively that the present First Baptist church of Providence has existed only from 1652, and thus it cannot be the oldest of the Baptists in America. Dr. Hague, late pastor of that church, in his "Historical Discourse," prepared with great care, and received with uncommon satisfaction and respect by his people, does not deny a single statement that Comer, or Callender, or Backus have made, but as far as he refers to this subject harmonizes with them.

The First Baptist church in Providence has been called the "Roger Williams' Church," implying that he was its first patron and founder, and this, until very recently, has been the generally received opinion. Stephen Hopkins, Signer of the Declaration of Independence, grandson of Wickenden, uniformly affirmed that Wickenden was the first elder of the existing church, and asserted this in his "History of Providence," published in 1765. Moses Brown, that venerable Nestor of Providence, as he is called by Knowles, always held that his ancestor Chad Brown, was the first elder of the Providence Baptist church.

John