Jarrel - Baptist Church Perpetuity - Landmark Baptist

No church or minister ever originated with the Roger Williams’ so-called
Baptist church. This is evident from the immediate disbanding of the Williams
society. Thomas Olney, whose name is on the list of the society, organized by
Williams, on its reorganization, became its pastor. Owing to absence of records
no one knows when or how that church was reorganized; but it was not
probably reorganized before 1650. We can only infer its reorganization from
its having been dissolved and from its being in existence in 1652. Commenting
on facts, accepted by all, Adlam says:
“These statements prove that in 1652, ‘53 or ‘54, two distinct Baptist
churches existed in Providence … the six principle was under the care of
Wickenden, Brown and Dexter, while the five principle church was under the
charge of Thomas Olney. They also prove that Olney’s was the original, and
Wickenden’s, Brown’s and Dexter’s six principle, the seceding church. First.
Every writer, including the records, mentions Brown, Wickenden and Dexter
as former pastor of that church. Second. The present church from 1652 to
1770, was known only as a six principle, while Olney’s was the five principle
church. From this it follows that the existing church in Providence was not
founded in 1639, but in 1652; it was not the first in the State, for it came out
of an older church.” f892
Callender, in 1738, says:
“The most ancient inhabitants now alive, some of them above eighty years
old, who personally knew Mr. Williams, and were well acquainted with many
of the original settlers never heard that Mr. Williams formed the Baptist
church there, but always understood that Brown, Wickenden, Dexter, Olney,
Tillinghurst, etc., were the first founders of that church.” f893
Adlam says:
“Two other things deserve passing notice.
(1.) The college in 1770 was built on the present site, ‘because it was the
home of Chad Brown, the first minister of the Baptist church.’
(2.) On the bell and on the tablet, Roger Williams is not mentioned as the
founder of the Baptist church.” f895
Instead of the Olney church swarming, Backus says:
“The diversity of sentiments mentioned in this volume, p. 1-4, brought such
darkness over their affairs, that no regular records before 1770 are now found
therein.” f896
Adlam says:
“A melancholy interest invests the last notice we have of this ancient church.
It continued till early in the last century when it became extinct, leaving no
records, and but few events in its history behind. The fullest information I
have found is in a note by Callender, on the 115 page of his discourse.