History of Swansea, Massachusetts, 1667-1917; - citizen hylbom blog

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History of Swansea
reorganization of an exiled church driven from Swansea, in
Wales; it will therefore be necessary to go to the history of
that church. It is known that from the earliest times there
were many friends of Christ in that country, who were greatly
multiplied after the Reformation. A little more than two
hundred years ago a number of men of great power were raised
who preached with much success, and many people were
turned to the Lord. Among these men was Rev. John Myles,
the founder of this church. He began his ministry in South
Wales about the year 1645, and was instrumental in raising a
church in Swansea in 1649. This was the first year of the
Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, under whose government the
Dissenters were indulged with greater liberty than before, the
result of which greatly tended to the prevalence of religion.
This church was greatly prospered, so that in ten or twelve
years between two and three hundred were added to it. Mr.
Myles seems to have accepted a support from the government,
and his place was registered as thus supported.
After the death of Cromwell, Charles II. came into power,
and the "Act of Uniformity" was passed in 1662, by which
two thousand of the best ministers were ejected from their
places because they refused to conform to the Church of
England. Among these non-conformist ministers was Mr.
Myles. This act, and afterwards the Conventicle Act and the
Oxford Act, in effect, silenced these men. This was a time of
terror, and it is said that eight thousand persons were imprisoned
and reduced to want, and many to the grave. In this state of
things Mr. Myles emigrated to this country; whether he was
accompanied by any members of the church besides Nicholas
Tanner is uncertain. Ry whom and for what reason the
records of that church were brought here, as also the circumstances
of his departure from Wales, and his arrival in this
country are matters to us unknown. The first knowledge we
gain of him in this country is that he was in Rehoboth in 1663,
when this church, now known as the "First Raptist Church in
Swansea, " was organized.
As soon as the fact of its organization and that it was
maintaining the institutions of Christianity became known,
the orthodox churches of the colony solicited the court to
interpose its influence against it. This movement was probably
led on by the same persons who instigated proceedings
against Holmes, Clark, and Crandal, by which they were
imprisoned, scourged, and fined in 1651 for holding public
worship in the town of Lynn. The same sleepless vigilance
which had followed them pursued this little church, and each
of its members was fined five pounds for setting up a public