The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of ConnecticutBolles, John R. (John Rogers)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The Rogerenes: some hitherto unpublished annals belonging to the colonial history of Connecticut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
“The other churches considered cessation of work on Sunday to be a
part of the Christian religion, and to be forced upon all as such.
Many of their preachers were led into the ministry as a learned and
lucrative profession, with no spiritual call to preach, being
educated by men for that purpose. In many instances these preachers
were worldly-minded to a great extent. The churches believed in war
and in training men to kill their fellowmen. Ministers and church
members used liquor freely. Church members held slaves, and
ministers upheld the practice. For a long time the Rogerenes were
compelled to assist in the support of the Congregational church, to
which of all churches they were most opposed, on account of its
assumption of authority over others in the matter of religion. The
Rogerenes were fined for not attending the regular meetings, and
cruelly persecuted for not keeping sacred the ‘idol Sabbath’ so
strictly observed by other denominations. Although persecution has
ceased, prejudice still remains on both sides, partly inherited, as
it were, and partly the result of continued differences of opinion.”
At the present day, meetings in Quakertown are similar to Baptist or
Methodist conference meetings. The Lord’s Supper is observed once a
quarter. In the old times the Rogerenes held a feast once a year, in
imitation of the last passover with the disciples, at which time a
lamb was killed and eaten with unleavened bread. The Sunday service
consisted of preaching and exposition of Scripture, while prayers,
singing of hymns, relation of experience, etc., were reserved for
the evening meetings of the Society. The latter were meetings for
the professing Christians, while the Sunday meetings were public
meetings, where all were welcomed. It will be observed that this was
according to the apostolic practice, and not materially different
from the practice of other denominations at the present day.
If there was so decided an aversion to physicians on the part of the
early Rogerenes as has been represented, it has not come down to the
present time among the people of Quakertown, as have most of the
oldtime sentiments and customs; yet evidence is not lacking to prove
that their predecessors made use of faith and prayer in the healing
of disease, and that there have been cases of such healing in this
Society. One of the latter, within the memory of persons yet living,
was recounted to us by the gentleman to whom we have referred, upon
our inquiring of him if he had ever heard of any cures of this kind
in Quakertown. Pointing to a portrait on the wall, he said, “That
man was cured in a remarkable manner.” He then stated the
circumstances as follows:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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