Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/246

 194 THE HISTORY OF BAREINGTON. gregational Church under " a learned orthodox minister of good conversation," in accordance with the advice of the Court, engages the attention of the people. Probably a religious organization was soon formed and public services held, when, where and for how long we knew not, as there are no direct records to which we can appeal to sustain an opinion. The first meeting-house of this Church, of which definite knowledge can be obtained, stood on the corner south of the great elms near the present residences of the Fishers and Claddings, but the date of its erection is un- known. The new Church did not flourish on the voluntary- principle as its friends and founders hoped and expected, and on the 14th of May, 171 7, the town of Swansea is called to consider " an answer to a petition presented to ye town at sd meeting by some of ye Inhabitants on ye west side of New Meadow river in sd Town proposed to Rais six score pounds to support the ministrey or devid sd Town or that they might be a precinct." The town records report that after reading the petition and the foundation settlement of the town and " after a considerable fair and loving confer- ence with said petitioners upon the premises, it was agreed, voted, and concluded that all the inhabitants of the town of Swansea should enjoy their conscience liberty, according to sd foundation settlement of sd town, and are obliged to up- hold, maintain the ministry and worship of God in ye several Churches or congregations where they respectively belong or assemble in sd town, and not oblidged in any other Church or Congregation but where they partak of the teaching as it is expressed in said foundation settlement. This vote passed at a full meeting, no man objecting." It is something wonderful in our degenerate day to note how those stern old Puritan consciences of Swansea stood in the way of the organization of a new town or the support of a ministry on any other basis than that of the absolute inde- pendency of Church and town. They were right as we see the matter to-day, but absolutely wrong as the subject was seen at Boston, and by the General Court of that day.