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BAPTISTS, THE ADVOCATES OF LIBERTY.

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As this is the first church in which Mr. Stanford was engaged as a stated preacher in America, the subjoined view of their beautiful edifice is here presented, for the purpose of gratifying those who have never visited the spot, where, to employ the language of Governor Hopkins; "Roger Williams justly claimed the honour of being the first legislator in the world, who fully and effectually provided for, and established a free, full, and absolute liberty of conscience."*

The building is eighty feet square, and much of the beauty of correct taste, is displayed in its internal arrangements. The roof and galleries are supported by twelve fluted pillars of the Dorick order. The ceiling is a continued arch; but intersected immediately over the galleries. The steeple is one hundred and ninety-six feet in height, and is by competent judges regarded as among the most beautiful specimens of architectural symmetry in the United States.

* That the Baptists were the first who practised upon the principle of unrestricted religious liberty, and that they have never denied to others the freedom which they claimed for themselves, is a fact which ought to be universally known. Not only during the eventful period, when Stennett and Piggot, with many others, appealed to the throne of England, and plead for the continuance of those glorious principles of British law, by which the equal civil rights, and inalienable privileges of religious liberty were guaranteed to the nation; but also throughout the English revolution of 1688, and in the colonial, and revolutionary history of our own country, the Baptists have, as a denomination, every where distinguished themselves, by zealously contending for the honour of God, and the rights of man. This eulogy has seldom been denied to the Baptists, by any writer of great research. Catholics and Protestants have admitted the fact, aad upon the pages of impartial history, it will indisputably perpetuate that praise, to which they are so justly entitled.

In the mind of Roger Williams, a Baptist, we find the germ of these principles, and that enlightened zeal which procured for the colony of Rhode-Island the charter, by which, for the first time mankind were practically taught the salutary lesson of universal religious liberty. Mr. Williams was not only the founder of the state of Rhode-Island, but in consequence of his friendly intercourse with the Indians, he became the means of saving all the American colonies from the desolating storm which was gathering around the council-fires of" the grand confederacy," and would, in all probability, but for the providential interference of Mr. W. have swept from our shores the last traces of our pilgrim fathers.

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LETTER FROM REV. JONATHAN EDWARDS.

The clock and bell were both manufactured in London; the weight of the latter is 2387 pounds. The following original inscription on the bell, is a characteristic relic of olden times

"For freedom of conscience, this town was first planted,
Persuasion, not force, was us'd by the people;
This church is the oldest, and has not recanted,

Enjoying and granting, bell, temple, and steeple."

About this time he received the following letter from the venerable and Rev. Jonathan Edwards.

"REV. SIR,

"New-Haven, May 5, 1788.

"Your obliging favour of April 29, was duly received. I am happy to hear of your prosperous journey and agreeable reception at Providence. Please to present mine and Mrs. Edwards' compliments to Nicholas and John Brown, Esqrs. I shall be ever proud to acknowledge the family connection, and intend a visit at Providence, when Mrs. Edwards can find it convenient to accompany me.

"I am glad to hear of the intention of your neighbouring ministers to form a ministerial society. You may depend upon it, that properly conducted, it will be of real and great advantage. This I say from my own experience in the society of which I am a member. We meet on the Tuesday of every month, and continue together till after dinner on the next day. We choose a moderator and scribe, and our meetings are opened and closed with prayer by the moderator. A sermon is preached publickly. After sermon, critical remarks are made on the sentiments, the style, and the delivery of the sermons and other public exercises. Next are considered the theological questions, commonly three, proposed at the preceding meeting. In the consideration of them, every one offers his sentiments in his turn, by the direction of

VISITATION AMONGST THE POOR.

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the moderator. After the questions; every one reads either extracts from some author, or a sermon, or some other composition of his own. On the extracts, sermons, and other compositions, critical remarks are made, as on the sermon preached. These exercises commonly fill up our time to the length before mentioned. It is a fundamental rule of the meeting, to attend closely to business, and not to suffer ourselves to be diverted by compliments or company, or by common, vague conversation. No man is allowed to speak in the meeting, before rising and obtaining leave of the moderator. Our criticisms on the sermons and other performances of the members of the meeting, in which great brotherly freedom is used, are made before the members of the meeting only. The other exercises are not private.

"It is nine years since our meeting, called, a meeting for mutual improvement, was established; and I see no disposition in the members to discontinue it. The questions we have discussed, are some of the most important in the circle of theology. I most sincerely wish you and the other gentlemen success and pleasure in your proposed meeting.

"With my respectful compliments to Dr. Manning, and with most ardent wishes for your success in the ministry, I am,

"Your brother in the Gospel,

"JONATHAN EDWARDS."

During his residence in Providence, Mr. Stanford devoted a considerable part of his leisure, to promote the comfort and moral improvement of the poor, without regard to denominational distinctions. For the better discharge of this duty, he divided the town into three parts, which enabled him, in addition to his unavoidable parochial visitations, to see and converse with nearly all the poor in the town about once in each month. Such fidelity, and zeal in pastoral ser

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THEOLOGICAL STUDENTS.

vice, did not long escape observation, and he was accordingly elected as a trustee of Brown University, and at the following annual commencement, on the 3d of September, 1788, he was honoured with the degree of Master in the Arts. The following is an extract from the minutes of the corporation of the college.

"At the annual meeting of the corporation of the college in Providence, Sept. 3d, 1788.

"Voted and resolved, That the Rev. John Stanford be elected, and appointed to the place of a trustee in this college; and that he be requested to accept the

same.

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Voted, That the honorary degree of A. M. be conferred on the Rev. John Stanford.

"Attest.

"SOLOMON DROWN, Dept. Sec'ry."

As this institution has always been entirely literary in its character, and there being no theological department, Mr. Stanford, anxious to assist the rising ministry of his denomination, received into his study a small class of students in divinity, whom he gratuitously instructed.* This laid the foundation of a course of theological lectures, which have since been enriched with the fruits of nearly thirty years experience and study, and have, during the interval, been frequently read to divinity classes, many of whom survive their venerable instructor, and nearly all of them have occupied prominent stations in the Church

*This was probably among the earliest systematic efforts for the exclusively theological instruction of Baptist students in America. The first academy of this kind was that of Mr. Eaton, opened in 1756, and closed in 1767, and at which were educated, President Manning, Dr. Samuel Jones, and Dr. Isaac Skillman, and many others, whose names are now passing into oblivion, but into the fruit of whose labours the Baptists of this generation have entered, and whose "record," lost though it be amongst men, "is on high."

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of Christ, and are known, as successful labourers in the Lord's vineyard.

During his residence in Providence, the glory of God, the welfare of his Church, the interest of the college, and the good of the community generally, seem to have been objects very dear to his heart; of which the following document is ample testimony,

"To all, whom these presents may concern. The under written, inhabitants of the town of Providence, in the state of Rhode-Island, and Providence Plantations who are members of, or belonging to, the congregation usually worshipping in the Baptist church;

"This certifies, that the Rev. John Stanford, a native of Great-Britain, now a citizen of this state, in pursuance of a unanimous request from the Baptist church and congregation in this town, came and began to preach here, in the spring of the year 1788; and before he had resided here one full year, received a unanimous call from the said church and society to settle with them, as their pastor. That from his first coming among us, to the present time, his preaching has received the universal approbation of the said church and society, and manifestly tended to their edification and increase. His private character, so far as we have been witnesses, has well comported with the evangelical doctrines of his public ministry. Irreproachable in his morals-of polite manners, and easy of access-diligent in his studies, and laborious in his visits to rich and poor, without distinctionhis life, while with us, has been an amiable pattern of the Gospel minister.

"Providence, Nov. 15, 1789."

This document is signed by ninety-five persons, but it is not thought necessary to print their names in this place.

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