The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of ConnecticutBolles, John R. (John Rogers)
History
The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of Connecticut
Bolles, John R. (John Rogers)
Rogerenes -- History
Although John Rogers resides at Mamacock farm, he is by no means
wholly occupied in the care of that place; a young man of his means
has capable servants. As for years past, he is actively interested
in business, both for his father and himself. At Newport, in the
year 1674, he meets with members of the little Sabbatarian church of
that place, recently started by a few devout and earnest students of
the Bible, who having, some years before, perceived that certain
customs of the Congregational churches have no precedent or
authority in Scripture, resolved to follow these customs no longer,
but to be guided solely by the example and precepts of Christ and
his apostles. In attempting to carry out this resolve, they
renounced and denounced sprinkling and infant baptism and attached
themselves to the First Baptist Church of Newport. About 1665, they
were led, by the teachings of Stephen Mumford, a Sabbatarian from
England, to discern in the first day Sabbath the authority of man
and not of God. Under this persuasion, the little company came out
of the First Baptist Church, of Newport, and formed the Sabbatarian
Church of that place. Mr. Thomas Hiscox is pastor of this little
church, and Mr. Samuel Hubbard and his wife (formerly among the
founders of the First Congregational Church of Springfield, Mass.)
are among its chief members. During this year, under the preaching
and teachings of this church, John Rogers is converted.
Hitherto this young man and his wife Elizabeth have been members of
the regular church, as ordinary membership is accounted, and their
two children have been baptized in that church, at New London. If
children of professed Christians, baptized in childhood, lead an
outwardly moral life, attend the stated worship and otherwise
conform to the various church usages, this is sufficient to
constitute them, as young men and young women, members in good and
regular standing. The daughter of Elder Matthew Griswold has been as
ignorant of the work of regeneration as has been the son of James
Rogers.
The conversion of John Rogers was directly preceded by one of those
sudden and powerful convictions of sin so frequently exemplified in
all ages of the Christian church, and so well agreeing with
Scriptural statements regarding the new birth. Although leading a
prominently active business life, in a seaport town, from early
youth, and thus thrown among all classes of men and subjected to
many temptations, this young man has given no outward sign of any
lack of entire probity. Whatever his lapses from exact virtue, they
have occasioned him no serious thought, until, by the power of this
conversion, he perceives himself a sinner. Under this deep
conviction the memory of a certain youthful error weighs heavily
upon his conscience.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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