Page 27 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

ANGLICAN CHURCH

Baptists, 1890). We wonder if Rogers thought about that as Congregationalists, Independents, Brownists, and
statement, when, a few years later, he was led out to a Separatists. The Pilgrims that first settled America were
pile of faggots and burned before his wife and 15 of this persuasion.
children under the Catholic Queen Mary. When Elizabeth died, James I (1603-25) ascended
Mary’s earthly end came quickly, and it was frightful the throne of England. It was this king who authorized
to behold. She was abandoned by her Spanish husband, the translation of that masterpiece of English Scripture,
Philip, who shamed her with his public affection for the King James Bible, which appeared in 1611.
other women. She was tormented with mental The Anglican Church continued to persecute those who
depressions and fears. She thought that she was tried to worship independently until almost the end of the
pregnant, but this bright hope turned out to be the 17th century. The last man burned alive in England for
figment of her own imagination. “… the impression his religion was Edward Wightman, a Baptist, on April
grew daily that the Queen had not been pregnant at all. 11, 1612 (under James I). Imprisonments and other
… From confidence she fell into anxiety, from anxiety forms of punishment continued until 1689. Many
into fear, from fear into wildness and despondency. … Baptist preachers had long prison terms in 17th-century
Her women now understood her condition; she was sick England. Francis Bampfield died in prison after
of a mortal disease; but they durst not tell her … spending the last nine years of his life in bonds. John
Throughout May [1555] she remained in her Miller was confined ten years. Henry Forty spent twelve
apartments waiting—waiting—in passionate years in prison. John Bunyan wrote his famous Pilgrim’s
restlessness. With stomach swollen, and features shrunk Progress while languishing in prison for 12 long years,
and haggard, she would sit upon the floor, with her unable to care for his wife and beloved blind daughter.
knees drawn up to her face, in an agony of doubt; and Joseph Wright lay in Maidstone jail for twenty years.
in mockery of her wretchedness…” (Froude, v, pp. 520, George Fownes died in Gloucester jail. Thomas Delaune
21). Thinking that God was displeased with her because and many others died in the wretched Newgate Prison.
she had not destroyed all of the Protestants, she wrote a Samuel Howe died in prison in 1640 and was buried
letter to hasten the persecutions. “Under the fresh beside a roadway because the Church of England
impulse of this letter, fifty persons were put to death at refused to allow him to be buried in a cemetery.
the stake in the three ensuing months…” (Froude, V, p. Bible believers were viciously persecuted during the
523). reigns of Charles II (1660-1685) and James II
Mary died on November 15, 1558, at age 43, (1685-1688).
childless, in the sixth year of her evil reign. The “Act of Uniformity” in 1662 subjected many to
Elizabeth I (1558-1603), the daughter of Henry’s beatings and imprisonment.
second wife, Anne Boleyn, ascended to the throne after The first Conventicle Act in 1664 forbade all worship
Mary and relative peace settled over England. The assemblies that did not conform to the Church of
Protestant character of the Church of England was England. Penalties were severe fines and imprisonment
resumed under Elizabeth. The Thirty-Nine Articles were and for a third offence, banishment to America for seven
drawn up from the confession that had been written by years.
Cranmer during Edward’s reign. The Five-Mile Act in 1665 forbade non-conformist
Elizabeth loved pomp and circumstance and a very preachers to go within five miles of any city or town
ritualistic Catholic-like church liturgy; and during this that had a Church of England congregation. It also
time, the Puritans within the Anglican Church called for forbade them to teach in any public or private school.
a further reformation. They preached a personal The penalty for each offense was a severe fine that was
conversion experience, a high standard of morality for beyond the means of most to pay.
professing Christians, and church discipline against
unrepentant sin. They opposed the Catholic-like The second Conventicle Act in 1670 was worse yet.
ritualism that remained within the Church of England In addition to imprisonment and other torments, it
under Elizabeth. The term Puritan, like many others in called for harsh fines not only on all non-conformist
church history, was a general term that encompassed a worshippers and preachers, but upon the owners of any
wide variety of thought and practice. Some Puritans buildings used for non-conformist meetings. The fines
called for a presbyterian type of church government; were paid by the sale of the believers’ possessions,
some were congregational; while others were content which were often sold for a pittance of their real value.
with the Anglican Church’s episcopacy or rule of Since a third of the price of the fine went to the
bishops. Most of them accepted the Protestant error of informer, many were motivated to report on the
infant baptism, though. Many eventually left and separatists. Many were impoverished. Fathers
formed separate churches, called by various names such

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 27