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he regarded as an open violation of their natural rights； to drag to public
worship the irreligious and the unwilling； seemed only like requiring
hypocrisy。 。 。 。 'No one should be bound to worship； or；' he added； 'to
maintain a worship； against his own consent。' 'What！' exclaimed his
antagonists； amazed at his tenets； 'is not the laborer worthy of his hire？'
'Yes；' replied he； 'from them that hire him。'〃 Bancroft； pt。 1； ch。 15；
par。 2。
Roger Williams was respected and beloved as a faithful minister； a man of
rare gifts； of unbending integrity and true benevolence； yet his steadfast
denial of the right of civil magistrates to authority over the church； and
his demand for religious liberty； could not be tolerated。 The application of
this new doctrine； it was urged； would 〃subvert the fundamental state and
government of the country。〃Ibid。； pt。 1； ch。 15； par。 10。 He was sentenced
to banishment from the colonies； and； finally； to avoid arrest； he was
forced to flee； amid the cold and storms of winter； into the unbroken
forest。
〃For fourteen weeks；〃 he says； 〃I was sorely tossed in a bitter season； not
knowing what bread or bed did mean。〃
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But 〃the ravens fed me in the wilderness；〃 and a hollow tree often served
him for a shelter。Martyn； vol。 5； pp。 349； 350。 Thus he continued his
painful flight through the snow and the trackless forest； until he found
refuge with an Indian tribe whose confidence and affection he had won while
endeavoring to teach them the truths of the gospel。
Making his way at last； after months of change and wandering； to the shores
of Narragansett Bay； he there laid the foundation of the first state of
modern times that in the fullest sense recognized the right of religious
freedom。 The fundamental principle of Roger Williams's colony was 〃that
every man should have liberty to worship God according to the light of his
own conscience。〃Ibid。； vol。 5； p。 354。 His little state； Rhode Island；
became the asylum of the oppressed； and it increased and prospered until its
foundation principlescivil and religious libertybecame the cornerstones
of the American Republic。
In that grand old document which our forefathers set forth as their bill of
rightsthe Declaration of Independencethey declared： 〃We hold these
truths to be self…evident； that all men are created equal； that they are
endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights； that among these
are life； liberty； and the pursuit of happiness。〃 And the Constitution
guarantees； in the most explicit terms； the inviolability of conscience： 〃No
religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office of
public trust under the United States。〃 〃Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion； or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof。〃
〃The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man's
relation with his God is above human legislation； and his rights of
conscience inalienable。 Reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth；
we are conscious of it in our own bosoms。 It is this consciousness which； in
defiance of human laws； has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and
flames。 They felt that their duty to God was superior to human enactments；
and that man could exercise
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no authority over their consciences。 It is an inborn principle which nothing
can eradicate。〃Congressional documents （U。S。A。）； serial No。 200； document
No。 271。
As the tidings spread through the countries of Europe； of a land where every
man might enjoy the fruit of his own labor and obey the convictions of his
own conscience； thousands flocked to the shores of the New World。 Colonies
rapidly multiplied。 〃Massachusetts； by special law； offered free welcome and
aid； at the public cost； to Christians of any nationality who might fly
beyond the Atlantic 'to escape from wars or famine； or the oppression of
their persecutors。' Thus the fugitive and the downtrodden were； by statute；
made the guests of the commonwealth。〃Martyn； vol。 5； p。 417。 In twenty
years from the first landing at Plymouth； as many thousand Pilgrims were
settled in New England。
To secure the object which they sought； 〃they were content to earn a bare
subsistence by a life of frugality and toil。 They asked nothing from the
soil but the reasonable returns of their own labor。 No golden vision threw a
deceitful halo around their path。 。 。 。 They were content with the slow but
steady progress of their social polity。 They patiently endured the
privations of the wilderness； watering the tree of liberty with their tears；
and with the sweat of their brow； till it took deep root in the land。〃
The Bible was held as the foundation of faith； the source of wisdom； and the
charter of liberty。 Its principles were diligently taught in the home； in
the school； and in the church； and its fruits were manifest in thrift；
intelligence； purity； and temperance。 One might be for years a dweller in
the Puritan settlement； 〃and not see a drunkard； or hear an oath； or meet a
beggar。〃Bancroft； pt。 1； ch。 19； par。 25。 It was demonstrated that the
principles of the Bible are the surest safeguards of national greatness。 The
feeble and isolated colonies grew to a confederation of powerful states； and
the world marked with wonder the peace and prosperity of 〃a church without a
pope； and a state without a king。〃
But continually increasing numbers were attracted to the
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shores of America； actuated by motives widely different from those of the
first Pilgrims。 Though the primitive faith and purity exerted a widespread
and molding power； yet its influence became less and less as the numbers
increased of those who sought only worldly advantage。
The regulation adopted by the early colonists； of permitting only members of
the church to vote or to hold office in the civil government； led to most
pernicious results。 This measure had been accepted as a means of preserving
the purity of the state； but it resulted in the corruption of the church。 A
profession of religion being the condition of suffrage and officeholding；
many； actuated solely by motives of worldly policy； united with the church
without a change of heart。 Thus the churches came to consist； to a
considerable extent； of unconverted persons； and even in the ministry were
those who not only held errors of doctrine； but who were ignorant of the
renewing power of the Holy Spirit。 Thus again was demonstrated the evil
results； so often witnessed in the history of the church from the days of
Constantine to the present； of attempting to build up the church by the aid
of the state； of appealing to the secular power in support of the gospel of
Him who declared： 〃My kingdom is not of this world。〃 John 18：36。 The union
of the church with the state； be the degree never so slight； while it may
appear to bring the world nearer to the church； does in reality but bring
the church nearer to the world。
The great principle so nobly advocated by Robinson and Roger Williams； that
truth is progressive； that Christians should stand ready to accept all the
light which may shine from God's holy word； was lost sight of by their
descendants。 The Protestant churches of America；and those of Europe as
well；so highly favored in receiving the blessings of the Reformation；
failed to press forward in the path of reform。 Though a few faithful men
arose； from time to time； to proclaim new truth and expose long…cherished
error； the majority； like the Jews in Christ's day or the papists in the
time of Luther； were content to believe as their fathers had
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believed and to live as they had lived。 Therefore religion again degenerated
into formalism； and errors and superstitions which would have been cast
aside had the church continued to walk in the light of God's word； were
retained and cherished。 Thus the spirit inspired by the Reformation
gradually died out； until there was almost as great need of reform in the
Protestant churches as in the Roman Church in the time of Luther。 There was
the same worldli