An Anthology of the Early Baptists in Rhode Island
A Sourcebook of Early Publications
Selected and edited by Terry Wolever
Rhode Island was the early center of American Baptist life and played a major role in denominational expansion in New England. This volume contains facsimiles of some of the most significant works by and about early Baptists in America.
Contents:
I. Materials For a History of the Baptists in Rhode Island, by Morgan Edwards
II. “John Clarke, Mark Lucar, Roger Williams, and the ‘New Baptism’ at Seekonk in 1649: To whom was it new? A historical inquiry,” by Terry Wolever
III. A Summer Visit of Three Rhode Islanders to the Massachusetts Bay in 1651: An Account of the Visit of Dr. John Clarke, Obadiah Holmes and John Crandall, Members of the Baptist Church in Newport, R.I., to William Witter of Swampscott, Mass., in July, 1651: Its Innocent Purpose and its Painful Consequences (1896), by Henry M. King
IV. Ill Newes from New-England: or A Narrative of New Englands Persecution (1652), by John Clarke
V. Report of the committee enquiring into the evidence as to the date of the First Baptist Church in Newport, R.I., presented to the Warren Baptist Association, September 13, 1849
VI. A Review of a Report, presented to the Warren Baptist Association, at its Meeting in 1849, on the Subject of the True Date of the First Baptist Church in Newport, R.I. (1850), by James N. Granger
VII. An editorial review of James N. Granger’s Review of a Report, presented to the Warren Baptist Association, at its Meeting in 1849, by Sewall S. Cutting, The Christian Review, January 1851
VIII. The First Baptist Church in Providence, Not the Oldest of the Baptists in America (1850), by Samuel Adlam
IX. An editorial review of Samuel Adlam’s The First Baptist Church in Providence, Not the Oldest of the Baptists in America, by Sewall S. Cutting, The Christian Review, April 1851
X. History of the First Baptist Church of Newport, R.I. A Discourse Delivered on Thanksgiving Day, November 30, 1876, by Comfort E. Barrows
XI. The Mother Church: A Brief Account of the Origin and Early History of the First Baptist Church in Providence (1896), by Henry M. King
XII. An Historical Discourse on the Civil and Religious Affairs of the Colony of Rhode Island, (1739) by John Callender; with a Memoir of the author and additional biographical and historical material, edited by Romeo Elton (1838)
XIII. The Diary of John Comer Edited with Notes by C. Edwin Barrows; With an Introduction and a few Additional Notes by James W. Willmarth (1892)
XIV. “The First Calvinistic Baptist Association in New England, 1754?-1767," by William G. McLoughlin
XV. The Universal Register of the Baptist Denomination in North America, For the years 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, and Part of 1794, by John Asplund, reflecting the Particular Baptist churches and associations in Rhode Island
Appendix A: John Clarke’s Confession of Faith, together with the Articles of Faith written by Obadiah Holmes in 1675
Appendix B: Letter of Peter Place, dated Providence, March 30, 1719
Appendix C: Church Covenant of the First Baptist Church, Newport, R.I., 1727
Index of Persons
934 pages. Illustrated. Navy cloth vellum.
2 Reviews Hide Reviews Show Reviews
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I certainly had my curiosity stirred by quotes from some of the Baptist authrors quoted in the book who do not subscribe to church perpetuity. I understand why many do not promote church sucession but why have so many Baptists stumbled on church perp
I recommend this book for all Baptist pastors who think our religious freedoms are safe from a hostile government
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Outstanding Work
I believe this is one of Terry’s last works, if not his final one. I have every one of the volumes in Noble Baptists series, this anthology is a superb compilation of materials that complements the series. Much of the content is hard to find and here you have it all in one place. Moreover, he convincingly calls into question and offers his reasons for revisiting the earliest dates the Providence and Newport were established. I’m sure gonna miss Terry, but his work will live on for generations to come and inspire new research. Enjoy!