A Question in Baptist History; Whether the Anabaptists in England Practiced Immersion Before the Year 1641? (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1896. Excerpt: ... V. BAPTISM AMONG THE POLLOWERS OP JOHN SMYTH AND THOMAS HELWYS. JOHN SMYTH opened his public career as a preacher in the Established Church at Lincoln. Most authorities represent that he continued there until the year 1602, when he laid down his office and left the State Church. (Scheffer, De Brownisten te Amsterdam, etc., Amsterdam, 1881, p. 80.) But I am inclined to fix the date in 1603, for the reason that I *discovered in the Library of Emmanuel College at Cambridge, in the summer of 1880, a small volume of which he seems to have been the author. Following is the title: The bright morning starre, or the resolution and exposition of the 22 Psalme, preached publickely in foure sermons at Lincoln, by John Smyth, preacher of the citie. Printed 1603. Scheffer himself (p. 80, note 5) is somewhat inclined to the opinion, based on the existence of this book, that Smyth remained in the Establishment at least during a portion of the year 1603. He next became- pastor of a Brownist or Independent Church, collected perhaps by his own ex *"My friend, Prof. Whitsitt, found a volume of his sermons in the Library of Emmanuel College, Cambridge, under the title: The bright morning starre," Ac. Schetter, De Brownisten, p. 79, note 3. -t ertions, at Gainsborough on the Trent (Scheffer, De Brownisten, pp. 80-1), where he was very active and successful for several years. The representation that he was at one time vicar of Gainsborough appears to lack support. The church of John Robinson which went over to Holland in 1608, and sent a portion of its members to New England in 1620 was an outgrowth of Smyth's labors at Gainsborough (Dexter, Congregationalism as Seen in its Literature, New York, 1880, p. 316. Scheffer, p. 84, note 6). Surely he builded wiser than he knew. It was indirectly due to the labo...