Wikipedia wrote:
>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Will ... ologian%29
> Roger Williams (December 21, 1603–April 1, 1683) was an English
> theologian, a notable proponent of the separation of Church and
> State, an advocate for fair dealings with Native Americans,
> founder of the city of Providence, Rhode Island and co-founder of
> the colony of Rhode Island. He is the originator of either the
> first or second Baptist church established in America. ...
> In the summer of 1633, Williams arrived in Salem and became
> unofficial assistant to Pastor Skelton. In August, 1634, (Skelton
> having died), he became acting pastor and entered almost
> immediately into controversies with the Massachusetts authorities
> that in a few months resulted in his exile by law from Salem after
> being brought before the Salem Court for spreading "diverse, new,
> and dangerous opinions" that questioned the Church. The law
> exiling Williams was not repealed until 1936 when Bill 488 was
> passed by the Massachusetts House.
> He was formally set apart as pastor of the church about May,
> 1635, against the earnest protests of the Massachusetts
> authorities. An outline of the issues raised by Williams and
> uncompromisingly pressed includes the following:
> 1. He regarded the Church of England as apostate, and any kind of
> fellowship with it as grievous sin. He accordingly renounced
> communion not only with this church but with all who would not
> join with him in repudiating it.
> 2. He denounced the charter of the Massachusetts Company because
> it falsely represented the king of England as a Christian, and
> assumed that he had the right to give to his own subjects the land
> of the native Indians. He disapproved of "the unchristian oaths
> swallowed down" by the colonists "at their coming forth from Old
> England, especially in the superstitious Laud's time and
> domineering." He drew up a letter addressed to the King expressing
> his dissatisfaction with the charter and sought to secure for it
> the endorsement of prominent colonists. In this letter he is said
> to have charged King James I with blasphemy for calling Europe
> "Christendom" and to have applied to the reigning king some of
> the most opprobrious epithets in the Apocalypse.
> 3. Equally disquieting was Williams' opposition to the "citizens'
> oath," which magistrates sought to force upon the colonists in
> order to be assured of their loyalty. Williams maintained that it
> was Christ's sole prerogative to have his office established by
> oath, and that unregenerate men ought not in any case to be
> invited to perform any religious act. In opposing the oath
> Williams gained so much popular support that the measure had to be
> abandoned.
> 4. In a dispute between the Massachusetts Bay court and the Salem
> colony regarding the possession of a piece of land (Marblehead)
> claimed by the latter, the court offered to accede to the claims
> of Salem on condition that the Salem church make amends for its
> insolent conduct in installing Williams as pastor in defiance of
> the court and ministers. This demand involved the removal of the
> pastor. Williams regarded this proposal as an outrageous attempt
> at bribery and had the Salem church send to the other
> Massachusetts churches a denunciation of the proceeding and demand
> that the churches exclude the magistrates from membership. This
> act was sharply resented by magistrates and churches, and such
> pressure was brought to bear upon the Salem church as led a
> majority to consent to the removal of their pastor. He never
> entered the chapel again, but held religious services in his own
> house with his faithful adherents.