Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/156

 sons rebaptized, (a swift progress in one town), yet we hear not of any effectual restriction is intended thereabouts. Let it not, we pray you, seem presumptions in us to mind you hereof, and that we earnestly entreat you to take care as well of the suppressing of errors as of the maintenance of truth, God equally requiring the performance of both at the hands of Christian magistrates, but rather that you will consider our interest is concerned therein. The infection of such diseases, being so many, are likely to spread into our jurisdiction; '​tunc tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet.​' We are united by confederacy, by faith, by neighborhood, by fellowship in our sufferings as exiles, and by other Christian bonds, and we hope neither Sathan (Satan) nor any of his instruments, shall by this or any other errors, disunite us, and that we shall never have to repent us of our so near conjunction with you, but that we shall both so equally and zealously uphold all the truths of God revealed, that we may render a comfortable account to Him that hath set us in our places, and betrusted us with the keeping of both tables, of which well hoping, we cease your farther troubles, and rest. Your very loving friends and brethren."

How will the authorities of Plymouth treat this clarion call of the Bay Colony and the first division in the ruling Church of the Colony? Will they punish by severe fines, by imprisonment, by scourging, or by banishment? By neither, for a milder spirit of toleration prevailed, and the separatists were simply directed to "refrain from practices disagreeable to their brethren, and to appear before the Court."

In 1651, sometime after his trial at Plymouth, Mr. Holmes was arrested, with Mr. John Clarke, of Newport, and Mr. Crandall, for preaching and worshipping God with some of their brethren at Lynn. They were condemned by the Court at Boston to suffer fines or whippings,—Clarke, £20; Holmes, £30, and Crandall, £5. Holmes refused to pay the fine, and would not allow his friends to pay it for him,