in
1611 published "a declaration of faith of English people remaining at
Amsterdam in Holland." The article relating to baptism is as
follows:--"That every church is to receive in all their members by baptism
upon the confession of their faith and sins, wrought by the preaching of
the gospel according to the primitive institution and practice. And
therefore churches constituted after any other manner, or of any other
persons, are not according to Christ's testament. That baptism or washing
with water is the outward manifestation of dying unto sin and walking in
newness of life; and therefore in no wise appertaineth to infants." They
held "that no church ought to challenge any prerogative over any other";
and that "the magistrate is not to meddle with religion, or matters of
conscience nor compel men to this or that form of religion." This is the
first known expression of absolute liberty of conscience in any confession
of faith.

Smyth died in Holland, but in 1612 Helwys returned to England with his
church and formed the first Baptist church worshipping on English soil. The
church met in Newgate Street, London, and was the origin of the "General"
Baptist denomination. Helwys and his followers were Arminians, repudiating
with heat the Calvinistic doctrine of predestination. They thus differed
from other Independents. "They also differed on the power of the magistrate
in matters of belief and conscience. It was, in short, from their little
dingy meeting house ... that there flashed out, first in England, the
absolute doctrine of Religious Liberty" (Prof. Masson). Leonard Busher, the
author of "Religious Peace: or a Plea for Liberty of Conscience," was a
member of this church.

The next great event in the history of the Baptists (though it should be
mentioned that the last execution for heresy in England by burning was that
of a Baptist, Edward Wightman, at Lichfield 1612) is the rise of the first
Calvinistic or Particular Baptist Church. This was the Jacob church in
Southwark, which numbered among its members John Lothropp or Lathrop (d.
1653), Praise-God Barbon (_ca._ 1596-1679), Henry Jessey (1601-1663),
Hanserd Knollys (_ca._ 1599-1691) and William Kiffin (1616-1701). It was
originally Independent but then became Baptist. From this six other
churches sprang, five of which were Baptist. Before the Jacob church,
however, had itself become Baptist, it dismissed from its membership a
group of its members (the church havin