from Massachusetts, he maintained a
correspondence with some of its principal men, and ever entertained for
them the highest affection and respect. In his writings, he evinces his
power at argument. In 1672, he held a public dispute with the most eminent
Quaker preachers, of which he has published an account. He also published
a "Key to the Indian Language," octavo, 1643; an answer to Mr. Cotton's
letters, concerning the power of the magistrate in matters of religion,
with other letters and discourses.

John Clarke.

A distinguished Baptist minister, and one of the first founders of Rhode
Island, was a physician in London, before he came to this country. Soon
after the first settlement of Massachusetts, he was driven from that
colony with a number of others; and March 7, 1638, they formed themselves
into a body politic, and purchased Aquetneck of the Indian sachems,
calling it the Isle of Rhodes, or Rhode Island. The settlement commenced
at Pocasset, or Portsmouth. The Indian deed is dated March 24, 1638. Mr.
Clarke was soon employed as a preacher; and, in 1644, he formed a church
at Newport, and became its pastor. This was the second Baptist church
which was established in America.

In 1649, he was an assistant and treasurer of Rhode Island colony. In
1651, he went to visit one of his brethren at Lynn, near Boston, and he
preached on Sunday, July 20; but, before he had completed the services of
the forenoon, he was seized, with his friends, by an officer of the
government. In the afternoon, he was compelled to attend the parish
meeting, at the close of which he spoke a few words. He was tried before
the Court of Assistants, and fined twenty pounds; in case of failure in
the payment of which sum he was to be whipped. In passing the sentence,
Judge Endicott observed, "You secretly insinuate things into those who are
weak, which you cannot maintain before our ministers; you may try and
dispute with them." Mr. Clarke accordingly wrote from prison, proposing a
dispute upon the principles which he professed. He represented his
principles to be, that Jesus Christ had the sole right of prescribing any
laws respecting the worship of God which it was necessary to obey; that
baptism, or dipping in water, was an ordinance to be administered only to
those who gave some evidence of repentance towards God and faith in Jesus
Christ; that such visible believers only constituted the church; that each
of them had a right to spe