The first Church founded in Rhode Island was Congre gational, and was settled in Providence in the Spring of 1636, under the care of the Rev. Roger Williams, who administered the Lord's Supper, and baptised infants by aspersion, until 1639, when he and his church renounced their baptism, and were re-baptized by submersion, in the March of that year, Mr. Ezekiel Holliman, (a layman) first submerging Mr. Williams, and then Mr. Williams, as pastor, submerging Mr. Holliman and the rest. About three or four months after, Mr. Williams abandoned this church, and denied the existence of a church on earth at all.

The first church in Newport was gathered in 1640, and was Congregational, and Pædo Baptist, under the Rev. John Clarke, and continued so about four years, when it also became Baptist. Though the two Congregational churches of Providence and Newport were broken up, yet many of their members retained their attachment to Pado baptism. Their dissatisfaction with some conduct on the part of the churches in Boston, prevented them from having a minister of their own sentiments, until about 1690, when there was found a considerable number of Congregationalists which had survived the downfall of their cause.*

The present inhabitants of Newport are mistaken in dating the beginning of Presbyterians in the colony, at 1690; for then commenced only a resurrection of them from that oblivion and the ruins, in which they had lain prostrate for nearly fifty years.

* President Styles' MSS.

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The first Church founded in Rhode Island was Congre gational, and was settled in Providence in the Spring of 1636, under the care of the Rev. Roger Williams, who administered the Lord's Supper, and baptised infants by aspersion, until 1639, when he and his church renounced their baptism, and were re-baptized by submersion, in the March of that year, Mr. Ezekiel Holliman, (a layman) first submerging Mr. Williams, and then Mr. Williams, as pastor, About three or submerging Mr. Holliman and the rest. four months after, Mr. Williams abandoned this church, and denied the existence of a church on earth at all.

The first church in Newport was gathered in 1640, and was Congregational, and Pædo Baptist, under the Rev. John Clarke, and continued so about four years, when it also became Baptist. Though the two Congregational churches of Providence and Newport were broken up, yet many of their members retained their attachment to Pado baptism. Their dissatisfaction with some conduct on the part of the churches in Boston, prevented them from having when a minister of their own sentiments, until about 1690, there was found a considerable number of Congregationalists which had survived the downfall of their cause.*

The present inhabitants of Newport are mistaken in dating the beginning of Presbyterians in the colony, at 1690; for then commenced only a resurrection of them from that oblivion and the ruins, in which they had lain prostrate for nearly fifty years.

* President Styles' MSS.