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ROGER WILLIAMS

Roger Williams was the founder of the state of Rhode Island, U.S.A., and the apostle of civil and religious liberty in America. He was born in 1600 at Wales and died in 1683. He became a nonconformist minister, and sought an asylum in America, in 1631, and became an assistant minister at Salem, and later at Plymouth. In 1633 he became chief pastor at Salem, but was driven from his charge for his, 'new and dangerous opinions against the authority of magistrates.' He then founded the city of Providence, Rhode Island. Here he became a Baptist, and founded a church. In 1643 he sailed for England to procure a charter, and in 1661 again visited England to secure the confirmation of his charter, and then became intimate with Vane, Milton, and Cromwell. In 1654 he returned as president of the colony of Rhode Island, an office which he held until 1658. He wrote ' Key into the Language of the Indians of America' in 1643, 'The Hireling Ministry none of Christ's' in 1652, and 'Experiments of Spiritual Life and Health' in 1652. His Works were
published in six volumes in 1866-74.
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