Chapter XLII: Appendix: Extracts From “epistles.” (2)

To which I answer If it be the people’s gift, its their
hospitality and not the ministers: the churl may be liberal, if
other men’s purses make him so. But the ministers of the Gospel
are given to hospitality of that which their own hands have
ministered to them, and are obedient to their Master’s words, who
hath said unto them, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

... And it is a shame for you to tell of the galling of your hands
with inferior labor for the getting of bread; it is your duty to
do so, and if the people be the cause, as you say, of your
laboring with your hands, they are worthy of praise in causing you
to do your duty, and you ought to have done it without their
causing you to do it, and therefore you proclaim your shame. For
you ought to have taken the holy prophets, and Christ and his
apostles for your example, to have labored with your hands, and
not the false prophets and false teachers, who sought to live upon
the people,... Christ shews that such stewards as those could not
dig for their living, and to beg they were ashamed....

And the true prophets, and Christ with his apostles have set us
better example.... Here you may see that Elijah was plowing ...
here Elisha went to Jordan with the sons of the prophets and cut
down wood.... Amos was a husbandman and a gatherer of wild
figs.... Christ was a carpenter.... Paul was a tayler or
tent-maker and worked at it tho’ he were a travelling minister of
the gospel,—and so did the rest of the apostles, as is to be
seen.... These examples, with that apostolical command (to the
elders of the church) Acts 20, 34, 35, ought to be attended by
Christ’s ministers....

FROM REPLY TO PETER PRATT.

JOHN ROGERS, 2D.

As it has ever been allowed that the defaming of the dead is a
mark of the most unmanly and base spirit of a coward and ought to
be abhorred by all persons who bear the image of man; then how
much more abominable is it of P. P. to sport himself with his own
lies over a man in his grave? And I think no person of common
reason will expect any apology of me on account of this my
undertaking, since my silence in this matter would have rendered
me very unmanly....

... If John Roger’s books contain “but few of his principles” then
how comes P. P. to know what his principles are, several years
after his death? except the same spirit which once deceived him in
the matter of longitude has again deceived him concerning J. R.’s
principles; and we have as much reason to question the truth of
what he tells us of J. R.’s principles (since he has no better
proof than his own bare word) as the General Assembly had to
question the truth of longitude, which soon after proved a
delusion of Satan....

Now by these foolish and vain pretended reasons, the reader may
plainly see that he only wanted an excuse to evade J. R.’s books,
that he might take his full swing to bely and abuse him at his
pleasure; because he well knew that if he had quoted his books,
they would have discovered his falsehoods....

But I should not have enlarged so much upon this head, were it not
that I am sensible that there are many thousands of grown persons
in this Colony that for want of opportunity to be informed in the
principles of other sects remain so ignorant that they know no
difference between the Church of England and the Papists, nor
between the Quakers and the Baptists, but esteem each couple to be
alike. And now is it possible that such persons should be able to
discern the ignorance of P. P.?...

... Now how marvellous is it that P. P., who knew himself to be a
man so inconstant and changeable, not only in his worldly concerns
from his very childhood, but also in matters of religion since he
has arrived to riper years, should presume to put out a book only
on his bare word, without any proof at all. Surely he might
reasonably have thought that all who knew him would expect better
proof from such an inconstant person than from any other man....

FROM ANSWER TO MR. BYLES, BY JOHN
AND JOSEPH BOLLES.

Considerable light is thrown upon the “Outbreak” of 1764-66 by a Rogerene pamphlet (of about 1759), which appeared in several editions, sometimes ascribed on the title-page to John Bolles, sometimes to his son Joseph, and probably the joint work of father and son, written out by the latter; thus having a style noticeably different from that of John Bolles, although equally clear-cut and forcible. John Bolles, being at the date of this work eighty-two years of age, may be supposed to have welcomed the aid of his son Joseph, both as collaborator and amanuensis. The following is from a copy of this work to be found in the New London Public Library:—

An Answer to A Book entitled The Christian Sabbath, explained and
vindicated in a discourse on Exodus XX. 8.[192] Jan. 14, 1759,
upon a particular occasion, by Mather Byles, pastor of “The First
Church of Christ” (as he saith) in New London, written by Joseph
Bolles, in behalf of the rest which suffer persecution for
breaking said pretended sabbath.

Footnote 192:

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

In page 5 of Mather Byles sermon, he says: The Christian Sabbath
has of late been publickly attacked; and those who observe it have
been challenged to show any scripture warrant for the practice.

_Ans._

We have been imprisoned 23 at a time, 8 of us about 7 months, and
some of the best of our cattle and horses and other goods taken
away, and 3 of us cruelly whipped, near 20 stripes apiece, for
doing the business of our ordinary calling on the 1st day of the
week, which he calls the Sabbath, all within 9 months. And in
these persecutions we have continually desired our persecutors to
show any Scripture warrant for their practice; we have also sent
forth advertisements promising ten pounds reward to any person
that could show us one word in the Bible that forbids labor on
this pretended Sabbath; which we suppose he calls “a challenge;”
and because he cannot find a word in the Bible that forbids labor
on his pretended Sabbath he has preached a sermon instead thereof,
and though he calls it the Christian Sabbath, it is not called so
in Scripture; by which it is evident it was not the Christian
Sabbath in the apostles time; for if it had been they would have
called it so. Also his text is part of the commandment to labor
six days and rest the seventh; so that his own text that he builds
his Sabbath upon requires labor on his pretended Sabbath. For it
says six days shalt thou labor; and we know that this pretended
Sabbath is the first of the six days....

... In page 18 he says, “And lastly to assign a reason why there
is no command for this Sabbath in the New Test.;” and in his next
page he says, “The apostles left it to after discoveries,” which
will be answered in its place. But neither God nor man require us
to keep a Sabbath without a law, “For where no law is, there is no
transgression.” Rom. IV. 15. And sin is not imputed when there is
no law: And the “Confession of Faith” of this Colony requires a
command for all the worship we perform to God, in page 7, and
there is no discovery of this pretended Sabbath in the Bible; for
he says, “the apostles left it to after discoveries,” and the
first command that we have discovered for this pretended Sabbath
was more than 300 years after Christ by Constantine the emperor,
recorded in “Fox’s Acts and Monuments,” Vol. I. p. 134, in these
words: “The Sunday he commanded to be kept holy by all men and
free from all judiciary causes, from markets, marts, fairs and
other manual labors, only husbandry excepted.” Here we may observe
no husbandry labor is forbidden, in this “after discovery.”

Also king Inas, who reigned in England, in the year of our Lord
712, commanded that infants should be baptised within 30 days, and
that no man should labor on Sunday. “Fox’s Acts etc.” Vol. I, P.
1016. Observe in this after discovery all labour is forbidden; as
popish darkness increased, this Sabbath strengthened and infant
baptism was also “discovered.”

Also king Edgar, who began his reign in England in the year of our
Lord 959, he ordained that Sunday should be kept holy from
Saturday noon till Monday morning, and he ordained and decreed for
holy days and fasting days. “Fox’s Acts,” Vol. I. P. 1017. Observe
this “after discovery” being in midnight popish darkness, this
Sabbath was kept more strict and they also discovered half a day
more, and holy days and fasting days to be observed. Also king
Canutus, who began to reign in England in the year 1016, he
commanded celebration of the Sabbath from Saturday noon till
Monday morning. This king “discovered” it by the name of
“Sabbath”; but the other three “discovered” it by the name of
“Sunday.”

Also in our Colony there is an ample “after discovery” of it by
the name of Sabbath or Lord’s day, which exceeds the four other
“after discoveries;” with a famous law to torture the bodies of
them that break this pretended Sabbath, by whipping, not exceeding
20 stripes if they refuse to pay a fine; and doubtless there has
been more “after discoveries” by express commands, for this
pretended Sabbath, in Rome, France and Spain. Therefore if M. B.
will preach up this pretended Sabbath, which he says the apostles
left to “after discoveries,” he ought to have taken his text out
of the forementioned “after discoveries,” where there are express
commands to build their Sabbath upon; but, as he builds it on
God’s commandment, which commands labor on his pretended Sabbath,
it has no foundation to stand upon, and therefore stands upon
nothing. No “after discovery,” neither this pretended Sabbath,
infant baptism, nor the mass nor purgatory, ought to be built on
any text in the Bible. But whoever preaches up any of these “after
discoveries” they ought to take a text out of the law book, where
they are instituted and commanded, and not out of the Bible where
they are not “discovered.”

How fully Mr. Byles had endeavored to stir up the authorities to take the offenders strenuously in hand will be inferred from the following, from the same pamphlet.

... He calls us deluded, blind, obstinate, because we suffer
persecution for breaking a Sabbath which he says the apostles left
to “after discoveries.” But it is this sort of ministers that
preach to our General Court to suppress or persecute them that
walk by the apostle’s doctrine, for not observing this Sabbath
which he says the apostles left to “after discoveries.”

He further says:

“Take away the Sabbath and what will be the consequence?”

_Ans._ He speaks like the idolaters of old. Judges XVIII. 24. “Ye
have taken away my gods which I made, and the priests,—and what
have I more?” Here we may see the idolaters speak all with one
voice; their heart is after their idols and their priests more
than after God.

Next he says: “Errors in doctrine and corruption in practice would
break in upon us like a flood, immorality would triumph without
control.”

_Ans._

It is such a time now, for there are errors in doctrine, manifest
errors indeed, in this and other sermons; and corruption in
practice is already broken in upon us like a flood, and immorality
triumphs almost without control among the people, who are
encouraged to it by the example of their priests, which live
immoral lives in covetousness, pride, fulness of bread and
abundance of idleness.... Also the observers of this pretended
Sabbath do allow that there is more immorality amongst themselves
than there is among us who do not observe it. Immorality triumphs
in a high degree, even in gathering money for the priests of many
poor people to whom there is more need to give, and casting some
into prison to force them against their conscience to pay money to
maintain such priests in idleness,[193] which they know God hath
not sent to teach them.

Footnote 193:

See “Debate Between Mr. Byles and the Cong. Church.”—_People._ “We
never could conceive nor imagine how you could spend your time.
You never visited any of your parishioners, but very seldom—seldom
preached a new sermon; but old sermons over and over, etc.”

EXTRACTS FROM “LOOKING GLASS FOR
THE PRESBYTERIANS OF NEW LONDON.”

JOHN ROGERS, 3D.

To see their Worship and worshippers Weighed in the balance and
Found Wanting.—With a true account of what the people called
Rogerenes have suffered in that town, from the 10th of June 1764
to the 13th of December 1766. Who suffered for testifying, That it
was contrary to Scripture for ministers of the gospel to teach for
hire. That the first day of the week was no Sabbath by God’s
appointment. That sprinkling infants is no baptism and nothing
short of blasphemy, being contrary to the example set us by Christ
and his holy apostles. That long public prayers in synagogues is
forbidden by Christ. Also for reproving their church and minister
for their great pride, vain-glory and friendship of the world they
lived in.—With a brief discourse in favour of women’s prophesying
or teaching in the church.—Written by John Rogers, New London.
Providence N.E. Printed by the author 1767.

June 10, 1764. We went to the meeting house at New London, and
some of our people went into the house and sat down, others
tarried without and sat upon the ground some distance from the
house. And when Mather Byles their priest began to say over his
formal, synagogue prayer, forbidden by Christ, Mat. VI. 5 etc.,
some of our women began to knit, others to sew, that it might be
made manifest they had no fellowship with such unfruitful works of
darkness. But justice Coit and the congregation were much offended
by this testimony, and fell upon them in the very time of prayer
and pretended divine worship; also they fell upon all the rest of
our people that were sitting quietly in the house, making no
difference between them that transgressed the law and them that
transgressed not; for they drove us all out of the house in a most
furious manner; pushing, kicking, striking etc., so that the
meeting was broken up for some considerable time and the house in
great confusion: Moreover, they fell upon our friends that were
sitting abroad, striking and kicking both men and women, old and
young, driving all of us to prison in a furious and tumultuous
manner.

... The authority and minister and some of the people were greatly
offended at our opposing their false worship; for they carried on
their worship in such pride, and so contrary to the Holy
Scriptures that they could no ways defend it by the Scriptures and
therefore took another way to defend it never practised by Christ
or any of his followers. For justice Coit did continually fall
upon us when we came among them and drive us to prison, in an
angry and furious manner; sometimes twenty sometimes thirty in a
day, striking and kicking both men and women, pulling off women’s
caps and bonnets and tearing them to pieces with their hands,
setting an example to the rest of the people; also he made no
difference between them that spoke at the meeting house against
their worship and those that did not speak; for his constant
practice was to fall upon all our friends that came to the meeting
house and all that he could see in sight of the house and drive
them to prison, he and his company, in a most furious and
tumultuous manner, stopping their mouths when they went to speak,
choking them etc. Also he doubled our imprisonments every time we
came among them; but this method he took added no peace to them,
for some of our friends were always coming out of prison, as well
as going in, ... However, this was the method they took, and after
this manner they celebrated their Sabbaths from the 10th of June
to the 12th of August.

... February 16. Some of our friends were sitting quietly in the
meeting house, between meetings, and Col. Saltonstall[194] came in
and laid hold of an old man that had the numb palsy, aged 73
years, and with great violence hauled him out of the seat, setting
an example to others, who fell upon them and drove them out of the
house and to the court house, in a furious manner, and carried
them up through a trap door into a dark garret and locked them in,
and at night a company of their base men got together, among which
were ... This base company went into the court house and shut
themselves in and took our friends out of the attic and offered
shameful abuse to our women in the dark.... Now after this
shameful abuse to the women, they took two men and stripped off
their clothes and tied them to a post in the court house and
whipped them in a most unmerciful manner, especially one of them,
which they struck unmerciful blows with a staff and with bunches
of rods on his back, till it was like a jelly, also they rubbed
tar into their wounds and whipped upon the tar, forcing it into
their flesh, also they rubbed tar in the mouths of the men and
women when they went to speak. When these two men were first tied
to the post they sang praises to God, and in the time of their
torment they called upon God to strengthen them. After this, they
laid hold on these two men and forced them to run down near to the
town wharf and threw them into the water several times; also they
took their hats and threw water on them for some considerable
time. Moreover, they threw the women into the water. And after
this the sheriff’s eldest son and another man with him took a poor
weakly woman, forty odd years of age, and forced her to run
through the streets till she dropped down, and then they left
her....

Footnote 194:

Gurdon, son of Governor Saltonstall.

Now the next first day of the week, after Col. Saltonstall shut
our friends up in the court house and set his son Dudley and
others to abuse us, it being the 23d of February, we were coming
to the meeting house again, but as soon as we appeared in sight,
Col. Saltonstall run out and met us, and a great company with him,
and fell upon us in a very angry manner, before we had spoke one
word, to drive us to the court house, as he did the week before,
when our friends were sitting quietly in the house between
meetings. But as soon as they fell on us, we spoke and made a
great noise, and refused to go with them, telling them we chose to
be killed publickly before the people, rather than to be murdered
privately in the court house.

Now the tumult grew very great, so that the meeting was broken up
for some considerable time, and they dragged both men and women on
the ground to the court house;[195] some by their hands, some by
their legs, and some by the hair of their heads, striking them
with their fists, kicking them, striking and punching them with
staffs and tearing the clothes from their backs, and they dragged
them into the court house and hauled both men and women up two
pair of stairs, and hauled them up through a trap door into that
dark loft that they had shut our friends up in the week before,
and they locked them in. In this tumult an aged woman was so
overcome that she fainted away and they left her lying on the
ground. Now there were present in this riot justice ——, justice
——, justice ——, the high-sheriff and Col. ——, besides constables
and grandjurymen: There was also a deacon among them, which makes
us write as follows.

Footnote 195:

See likeness to similar scene in Governor Saltonstall’s time,
1721 (Part II, Chapter X).

The deacon and the justices
Were busy in this fray,
Church members and grandjurymen
Forgot their Sabbath day.

After the tumult was over, these church members remembered their
Sabbath, and returned to their pretended worship again: But as
soon as that was over, the authority consulted together at the
meeting house, and sent the high-sheriff, who came with a company
of men and took down ten women out of that dark loft that the
authority had shut them up in (two of these women had young
children with them and another was big with child)[196] and
committed them to prison, leaving near twenty small children
motherless at their homes. Now as the high-sheriff was going from
the meeting house, to commit these women to prison, some of the
people of the town asked him what they were going to do with our
friends; the sheriff answered that the women were to be committed
to prison, but he said the men were to be delivered up to Satan to
be buffetted. So the authority kept the men locked up in that dark
garret till night, and then they were delivered up to the
authority’s children and a rude company of young men, who came and
unlocked the trap door and abused our friends in the manner
following: They took down one man first out of this dark loft and
brought him down into the lower room of the court-house, and tied
his hands round a post, also they tied another line to his hands
and hoisted him up by a tackle, then they brought his knees round
the post and tied them with a line, and stripped his clothes up
over his head and tied them also; then they whipped him in a very
barbarous manner by the light of a candle. And when they had done
torturing him, they let him down and shut him up in one of the
court house chambers. They then brought down another out of the
garret, and tortured him after the same manner as they did the
first, and then shut him up also, pretending they would whip them
all over again, except they would recant and promise not to come
among them any more. There were twelve whippers that took turns at
the whip, and commonly three or four to whip one man, one after
another. They pretended to give those men thirty nine stripes
each, but they used several sorts of whips, especially one
unmerciful instrument made of cow-hide, also they whipped them
with large rods tied together, some of which had ten in a bunch,
so that they far exceeded thirty nine stripes, for they struck
each person thirty nine times with that cruel instrument, except
one man, which after they had struck him thirty unmerciful blows,
one of the spectators ran and untied him, telling the whippers he
was an old man and they ought to use some discretion towards him.
Nine men were thus used this night, all heads of families, some of
which were elderly men that had great families of children.

Footnote 196:

Delight Rogers (wife of John Rogers, 3d) was one of the women
imprisoned. Her daughter Anna (mother of John R. Bolles) was
born very soon after her release. The near-sightedness of this
daughter was attributed to the fact that her mother wept so much
during her imprisonment. Delight Rogers sat with the rest in the
meeting-house; she did not take any work there. Mr. John R.
Bolles in “Reminiscences of his Life,” published in a New London
paper, said that the venerable Dr. Nathaniel Petting, who knew
Delight Rogers, used to say to him: “If there ever was a good
woman, your grandmother Lighty was one.”

This whipping was executed in a very barbarous manner, for the
rods were trimmed, and long sharp fangs left on them, to tear the
flesh of the sufferers, also these men that whipped our friends
struck them in such a violent manner with these heavy bunches of
rods that they beat and bruised their flesh till it was like
jelly. Moreover some of their wrists were so cut and their sinews
so much hurt with the line they hung by, that several of their
hands were numb for more than two months after. Also the two men
that had been so unmercifully whipped by this company in the court
house the week before, and otherwise abused, were of these men
that suffered that night: And they struck one of these men, he
that had been the most abused the week before, forty three cruel
blows on his old sores, and ten or twelve of these blows were
after he had swooned away. Our persecutors cut these rods upon
their Sabbath, and fitted them at the court house, and Colonel
Saltonstall was at the court house among them when they were
preparing the rods.... When their persecutors heard them praying
and calling on Christ for strength, they would threaten them, and
whip them with all their might, endeavoring to make them promise
to renounce their testimony against their worship, but were not
able to make one of them renounce their testimony, or make any
promise at all. But the sufferers told them to this effect, that
what they did against their worship was for no other end but to
please God and keep a good conscience, and that if they should
promise to renounce their testimony God would renounce their souls
forever. Also when some of the men that had suffered this cruel
whipping were shut up in the court house chamber, they prayed
earnestly to God to strengthen their brethren that were to suffer,
also they prayed for their persecutors, for God gave them more
than a common love to those that were tormenting them.

So after these nine men had suffered, they were set at liberty.
Their persecutors threatened them to double their whipping every
time they came to the meeting house among them. And no doubt they
would have gone further, had not God prevented them by making a
division among the people; the neighboring towns crying out
against such barbarous and unlawful behavior; also it was a common
saying among the people that they were sorry their rulers had
resigned up their authority to a company of boys and set them to
defend their worship....

The above is but a small part of such blood-curdling accounts, filling a good-sized pamphlet. Portions will be found in the “History of New London,” not quoted here. Near the end is something less thrilling.

Sept. 14, 1766. Some of our people went and sat down some distance
from the priest’s house, and when he came out to go to meeting,
they walked with him and endeavored to have some friendly
discourse with him concerning the things of God; But the priest
would not talk with them about the things of God. However, they
walked with him and talked to him, but before they came to the
meeting house, justice Coit began to kick them in a furious
manner, especially the women. Also one of the townsmen fell upon
them, punching both men and women with a staff in a cruel manner,
so they were driven by some of the people to the upper end of the
town.

* * * * *

The next first day of the week, being the 21st of Sept., as some
of us were setting by the side of a house, between meetings, about
four or five rods from the priest’s house, saying nothing to any
person, the high-sheriff came, with some assistants and took us
and sent for justice Coit, who came and committed eight men of us
to prison. And on the 26th day of the same month, justice Coit
came to the prison, and we were taken out and brought before him,
and he charged us with disturbing the minister’s peace. We told
him we had no thought of doing the minister any hurt. Justice Coit
answered, that he did not suppose that we intended to strike him
or wrestle with him, nor did he suppose we intended to hurt a hair
of his head, but he supposed that we intended, when the minister
came out, to go along by his side and talk with him. So when
justice Coit had confessed that he did not suppose we intended to
hurt a hair of the priest’s head, he fined us five shillings each,
and required bonds of good behavior towards all his majesty’s
subjects; but especially towards the priest. But we refused to
give such bonds, looking upon the judgment to be very absurd, and
that justice Coit’s supposing that we intended to talk with the
priest was not breach of the peace in us, so he committed seven of
us to prison again, all heads of families, one of which men was in
his 75th year. Four of these men were kept in prison till the 13th
of December following, and two were set at liberty about the 28th
of November, and one within a few days after we were committed to
prison.

Now after these men were committed to prison, our friends that
were at liberty thought it necessary that some of our people
should go on the first days of the week and set in the priest’s
sight and not fear them that persecute the body. But when the
priest saw them sitting in sight, if it were but a few women, he
would not come out of his house to go to meeting.... Also this
behavior of the priest occasioned much trouble to his poor flock,
for sometimes the bell would ring and the people sit waiting for
their priest till it was time for meeting to be half done: And
then justice Coit, or some of the rest of his sheep, were obliged
to come and move the women out of the priest’s sight, and guard
their shepherd to the meeting house, lest these women should speak
to him of the things of God.

It was almost every day of the first days of the week for the
whole time of this imprisonment, which was near three months, that
this shepherd was kept in his house by the sight of our friends,
and sometimes only at the sight of a few women, and he never
ventured to come out till some of his sheep came and drove the
women away. But justice Coit committed no more of our friends to
prison under bonds of good behavior because he supposed they
intended to talk with the priest, after these men above mentioned.
But the 23rd of November, one of our men told the priest, after he
was come out of the meeting house, that he came to put him in mind
how they kept God’s children in prison, and that their worship was
upheld by cruelty. The priest answered to this effect, that they
could uphold it in no other way. Then the man replied it must
certainly be of the devil, if there was no other way to uphold it
but by cruelty. But the sheriff struck him twice on the head, and
punched him with his staff to prevent his speaking with the
priest. And he and three women were committed to prison, but at
night they were set at liberty.... God said, Jer. 1, 7,—“Thou
shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command
thee thou shalt speak.” Also the apostle Paul exhorteth us to be
followers of him as he was of Christ, I Cor. XI. 1. And Paul spent
much time in going from place to place, disputing in the
synagogues on the Sabbath days, as appears in the Acts of the
Apostles. And no doubt they built their synagogues, and thought,
as our neighbors do, that they had a natural right to worship in
them and that the apostle had no right to oppose them in their
worship, for they were as much offended at the apostle as our
neighbors are at us, for they called him a pestilent fellow, and
said he was a mover of sedition throughout the world, Acts XXIV.
5. Also speaking of Paul and Silas they said, Acts XVII, “These
that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also.”

EXTRACTS FROM “A DEBATE BETWEEN
REV. MR. BYLES AND THE CHURCH.”

_Minister._

I have no particular objection to this church; but believe it to be a true church of our Lord etc.—but it is this mysterious call of Providence etc.—the churches of this and old England are equal to me. I am called from one to another where I can be of more usefulness, which is my duty.... And I believe you had better dismiss me, as you may get one that will do much better. You want one that will visit his parishioners—preach a lecture once in a while.... I was not made for a country minister.... I am weak and infirm[197] ... to come up this tedious hill all weathers—come in all out of breath ... obliged to preach till all in a sweat ... then go out in the cold, on this bleak place ... run the risk of my health etc.... And then to be treated as I have been by the Quakers ... disturbed upon the holy Sabbath. If I have not the Sabbath, what have I? tis the sweetest enjoyment of my whole life!—Insulted by them almost continually, surrounding my house. Many a time has the bell tolled for hours together, and at last one single man condescends to come down and drive them off. I would not live such a life over again for no consideration.... I see no prospect of amendment ... our laws are not put in full execution. (And then he went on to show wherein the civil authority, in his opinion, were deficient in duty with regard to the Quakers etc.[198])—My salary is not sufficient[199] etc.... My friends are in Boston. Etc.

Footnote 197:

Mr. Byles was at this time thirty years of age.

Footnote 198:

Unfortunately we have merely this in parenthesis concerning the
stand taken by Mr. Byles in regard to the Rogerenes.

Footnote 199:

It will be remembered that Mr. Byle’s salary was a liberal one,
and his family at this date could not have been large.

_People._ These objections are nothing to the purpose, and what you say about the Quakers is a mere cobweb. As to the call of Providence, it plainly appears to be money.... Conscience! with what conscience can you leave this church of Christ? (They then set forth the obligations he was under to walk with this church; the connection between them was of a sacred nature etc.)

_Minister._ There are ministers enough to be had.

_People._ Yes, such as you are—We never could conceive nor imagine how you could spend your time before now, for you never visited any of your parishioners, but very seldom—seldom preached a new sermon; but old sermons over and over, again and again; and behold all this time you have been studying controversies, about modes and forms, rites and ceremonies! Is it for this we have been paying you this three years past, when you should have been about your ministry?... In regard to the Quakers insulting you etc. Is any man wholly free from persecution? If that is all you have, you ought to be very thankful that you have no more than a few poor old women sitting round your gate.

EXTRACTS FROM “THE BATTLE AXE,”

BY TIMOTHY WATROUS, SR., AND TIMOTHY, JR.

Satan, to all classes of the Ecclesiastical system that profess Christ’s name and prove traitors to his service.

I now address you as my sworn subjects, under full power of my authority; feeling much gratified to see my kingdom established on the ruins of God’s creation. Though I have been wounded by Christ, the invader of my possessions, yet I hold before you the greatness of my power and the glory of my kingdom. I am the great and high prince and god of this world.... I am your god, and I warn you of my great enemy Christ; that you be not found obedient to any of the requirements of his contracted plan. My ways are broad and easy. I am high in heart and teach the same to you. That in all nations you may set my worship in high places, that it may be adorned with all the splendid glory which belongs to the prince that offered Christ all the glory of this world. That your places of worship may appear beautiful to men. And let my servants, your ministers, be men of the best gifts and talents; for so were your fathers the false prophets. And be not like Christ’s apostles, who were ignorant, unlearned men. Even his great apostle, Paul, (they said) in bodily presence was weak and his speech contemptible. But let it not be so with you.... For it is my will that you should have the praise of men; and receive from them titles of honor. For the ways of Christ, our great enemy, are contrary to all men, and even to nature itself, as you may see throughout all his precepts; for example I Cor. I, 26, 27, 28. “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called; but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; and base things of the world and things which are despised hath God chosen.”

This is no description of an accomplished member of society. Faithful subjects, when you execute the priest’s office in my service, put on a dress suitable to your ministration; and let your bodily presence be amiable and your speech affable, and your countenance grave and solemn. Salute the people with a comely behavior, that you may glory in your own presence. For verily I say unto you, except your outward appearance of righteousness shall exceed that of Christ’s ministers, you shall in no case deserve the world....

Agreeably to my counsel, in all cases resent an insult from your fellows and go forth to war with them; embody yourselves and march to the field of battle, with religion at your right; and appoint one of my servants, your ministers, a chaplain to pray for your success. And there encamp, one against the other; and let my servants, your priests, on both sides, put up a prayer to the God of heaven that you may gain the victory over each other; cherishing the belief that all that die gloriously in battle go immediately to heaven. And when you are coming together to do the work of human butchery, if a sense of the horrid piece of work which you are about to perform shall fill your soldiery with terror, benumb their senses with intoxicating liquor; and put on confusion and distraction, under the name of courage and valor; and fear not, for I will be with you and fill your hearts with such vengeance, through the immediate influence of my spirit, that you shall be able to perform all my will and pleasure. And, when you have sufficiently soaked the ground with the blood of your fellow men, and humbled their hearts and have gotten your wills upon them; then return and let my servant, your minister, lift up his voice before you, unto the God of heaven, with praise and thanks for the victory; that you have been able to do such deeds as to bereave parents of their sons, wives of their husbands and children of their fathers.... And then return home full of the glory of your own shame, and tell your rulers you have saved their pride, gratified their ambition and saved a little of the trash of this world; for which you have taken the lives of your fellow creatures, each one of whom is worth more than all the treasures of India. For all such things belong to the religion that I delight in.

Ye fathers, I exhort that you exercise yourselves in laying up treasure on earth. And ye, young men, that you likewise embrace every opportunity to get riches, which are an honor to youth; that in the performance thereof your hearts may be raised higher in pride.

And ye, ministers of the civil law, I counsel that you swerve not from mutual confederacy with the ecclesiastical system. That, for the sake of your honor, you strictly attend to your oaths; and put in motion all laws and modes of punishments which may tend to compel all kinds of people to submit to our precepts, which are in opposition to the rules of Christ.

A SERMON TO THE PRIESTS.

It is well known that the Christian religion has been in the world 18 centuries, since she first visited the earth, and also that 300 yrs. of the first part of the time, altho’ she stood in opposition to the powers of this world, and under cruel persecutions, yet she mightily grew and flourished until about the 4th century, at which time, a general revolution took place through the governing parts of the earth and she was delivered from her persecution, being a great church and standing on her own foundation. And from that day down to this the priesthood of this religion (falsely so called) has been preaching to us a sinful world, though broken in sect, but under one lineage of ordination. Yet they have not brought the world, nor the church to a state of perfection; but much to the contrary. For when they first took the Christian church by the hand to lead her through the ensuing ages of the world, she then stood on her own feet, enjoying a well-united system of her own. And what is she now?... she is now broken all to pieces and become a house divided against herself. And this unparalleled circumstance has rendered it necessary that the sinful world unto whom you, the said priests, have been preaching, should have somewhat to preach unto you....

THE SUBSCRIBERS PETITION TO HIS COUNTRYMEN
FOR HIS RIGHTS AND
PRIVILEGES.

Whereas I am once more called to suffer for conscience’s sake, in defense of the gospel of Christ; on the account of my son, who is under age, in that it is against my conscience to send him into the train-band. For which cause, I have sustained the loss of my only cow that gave milk for my family; through the hands of William Stewart, who came and took her from me and the same day sold her at the post. Which circumstance, together with the infirmity of old age, has prevented my making my usual defence at such occasion. I have therefore thought proper and now do (for myself and in behalf of all my brethren that shall stand manfully with me in defense of the gospel of Christ) publish the following as a petition to my countrymen for my rights and privileges; and especially to those that have or shall have any hand in causing me to suffer.

_Fellow Countrymen_:

You esteem it a great blessing of heaven that you live in a country of light, where your rights and privileges are not invaded by a tyrannical Government. And for this great blessing of heaven do you not feel yourselves under obligation of obedience to heaven’s laws; to do unto all men as you would that men should do unto you? Or which of you on whom our Lord hath bestowed ten thousand talents should find his fellow servant that owed him fifty pence and take him by the throat, saying, “Pay that thou owest me,” and, on refusal, command his wife and children to be sold and payment to be made?

Fellow Countrymen, this case between you and me I shall now lay open before your eyes, seeing it is pending before the judgment seat of the same Lord. Our Lord and Master hath commanded us not to hate our enemies, like them of old times under the law of Moses. But hath, under the dear gospel dispensation, commanded us, saying: “I say unto you love your enemies, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you, and if any man shall sue you at the law and take away your coat, forbid him not to take your cloak also.” “If thine enemy hunger, feed him, if he thirst, give him drink.” And again: “I say unto you that ye resist not evil.”

For these, and many other like commands of our Saviour, Christ, I have refused to bear arms against any man in defense of my rights and privileges of this world. For which cause, you have now taken me by the throat, saying: “Go break the laws of your Lord and Master.” And because I have refused to obey man rather than God, you have taken away the principal part of the support of my family and commanded it to be sold at the post.

And thus you, my fellow-servants (under equal obligation of obedience to the same laws of our Master) have invaded my rights and privileges and robbed me of my living, for no other reason but because I will not bear the sword to defend it. And if a servant shall be thought worthy of punishment for transgressing his master’s laws, of how much punishment shall he be thought worthy that shall smite his fellow servant, because he will not partake with him in his transgression? But I wist that through ignorance you have done it, as have also your rulers; and for this cause do I hold the case before you, that you may not stand in your own light, to stretch out against me the sword of persecution; but agree with your adversary whilst you are in the way with him. But if you shall refuse to hear this my righteous cause and shall pursue your fellow servant that owes you nothing, and who wishes you no evil, neither would hurt one hair of your head, and although you take away his goods, yet he asks them not again; but commits his cause to Him that shall judge righteously; I say if you shall follow hard after him, as the Egyptians did after Israel, God shall trouble your host and take off your chariot wheels, so that you shall drive them heavily. For I know, by experience, that no device shall stand against the counsel of God; for I am not a stranger in this warfare, neither is it only the loss of goods that I have suffered heretofore; but extreme torments of body, while my life lay at stake under the threat of my persecutors, and yet God, through his mighty power, has never suffered me to flee before my enemies, but has brought me to the 83d year of my age, though all my persecutors have been dead these many years.

ALEXANDER ROGERS.

_January 7th, 1810. Waterford, New London County._

ROGERENE WRITINGS.

The following works of John Rogers, Sr., are most of them still extant, although copies are very rare and command high prices. The locality of copies known to the author of this history will be found indicated:—

1. “_An Epistle to the Church Called Quakers._ New York. Printed
by William Bradford, 1705.”

2. “_An Epistle to the Seventh Day Baptists_,”—date unknown.

3. “_Treatise on Divorce._”

Copy of each of the above owned by H. Eugene Bolles of Boston.

4. “_An Epistle Sent from God to the World, Containing the Best
News that ever the World Heard. Transcribed by John Rogers, a
Servant of Jesus Christ._” The first edition must have been
printed in the author’s lifetime. The edition from which this
title was obtained was “_printed in New York for Elisha Stanbury,
1757_. 8vo. pp. 25.” We know not if this work is still extant.

5. “_John Rogers, a Servant of Jesus Christ, to any of the Flock
scattered Throughout New England._”

We know not at what date in the author’s lifetime above work was
published. The edition noted by Sabin (Dictionary of Books
relating to America) was “_Printed by James Franklin, at the
Printing Office under the Town School, 1754. 12 mo. pp. 79_.” A
copy of this work is to be found in Yale College Library, “_3rd
edition, Newport, 1754_.” A copy of same, owned by H. Eugene
Bolles of Boston, was published in Norwich, Conn., 1776, and was
the 4th edition.

6. “_A Midnight Cry from the Temple of God to the Ten Virgins_,”
printed by William Bradford, supposedly in 1705 and probably at
New York. A copy of this work is in Yale College Library. A copy
is also owned by H. Eugene Bolles,—title-page lacking.

7. “_Concerning the Two Ministrations, by John Rogers, a Servant
of Jesus Christ._” A copy owned by H. Eugene Bolles,—title-page
and date lacking.

8. “_Description of the True Shepherd, As Also Concerning Baptism
and the Lord’s Supper, Norwich, 1776, 4th Edition._” A copy owned
by H. Eugene Bolles.

9. “_Concerning the Ministration of the Law, and the Gospel,
Concerning Swearing and Concerning God’s Visitation by Sickness._”
Copy owned by H. Eugene Bolles,—date lacking.

10. “_Answer to A Book, by Benj. Wadsworth (the latter entitled
‘The Lord’s Day Proved to be the Christian Sabbath’). Printed for
the author, Boston, 1721._”

11. “_The Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave
unto Him to show unto his servants things which were to come to
pass; and Jesus Christ sent and signified it by his angels to his
servant John, and now by revelation hath opened the mystery
contained in said book unto his servant John Rogers, who hath
explained the same, for the edification and comfort of his Church
and People, after a long and dark night of apostacy. The
explanation being made so plain that the eye of every spiritual
reader may see how exactly things have come to pass, as were
foretold by the prophesy of this book, and may see by it all
things that are yet to come, not only to the end of this world,
but to the finishing of the world to come._” First printed in
Boston, 1720. “_Second New London edition, printed by Samuel
Green, for Henry Watrous and Alexander Rogers, 1817. 12 mo. pp.
248._”

The title of this work is liable to give the impression that the
author affects to himself explain the mystery of Revelation; but a
perusal of the book shows that not the slightest such attempt is
made. The entire work consists in expounding scripture by
scripture in the most legitimate and conscientious manner,
displaying not only a profound knowledge of the Old and New
Testaments, but extreme caution not to advance the slightest
personal explanation, supposition or theory. Like every other work
of this author, it gives proof of strong, clear and finely
balanced logical powers, combined with a plain and concise mode of
expression.

The title of the following is from Sabin. We know of no copy extant:—

12. “_An Impartial Relation of an Open and Publick Dispute Agreed
Between Gurdon Saltonstall, Minister of the Town of New London,
and John Rogers of the Same Place. With the Circumstances leading
thereto, and the Consequences thereof. As also a relation of the
said Gurton Saltonstall’s securing a Judgment of Court of Six
Hundred Pounds and Cost of Court against said John Rogers, for
saying the said Saltonstall went to wave, shun or shift the said
Dispute agreed upon. The Truth of which waving, shunning or
shifting is here also evidently demonstrated. By John Rogers.
Printed for the Author in the year 1701. sm. 4to. pp. (6) 15._”

Probably printed at New York by William Bradford, or at
Philadelphia by Reynier Jansen. Title from Hildeburn’s Issues of
the Press in Pennsylvania. (Sabin.)

13. “_Treatise on Divorce._” Probably written about 1700. A copy
owned by H. Eugene Bolles.

Works of John Rogers, 2d:—

1. That the “_Book_” which John Rogers, 2d, was accused by the
General Court of publishing and selling “up and down the Colony,”
while his father was in prison, was written by himself, not by his
father, is probable. Its title or its contents are alike unknown
to us, not having as yet been discovered in any bibliographic
work, by which we judge that no copy or title is extant.