that women were debarred from speaking in the religious meetings of the week, and believing that "the elder women" should "teach the younger," she "established separate female assemblies, of which she was the leader, and in which her didactic powers and her gifts in devotional performances were conspicuously exercised." These gathierings embraced many foremost members of the sex, and became immensely popular. The discussions were wholly based upon religious themes; and much ability was displayed in the expounding of passages of Scripture, and the resolution of questions of doctrine. In thought and feeling they were "mothers' meetings" of a genuine order.

Mrs. Hutchinson received encouragement not from her female associates alone. John Wheelwright, who had married her husband's sister, publicly advocated her opinions; and even Mr. Cotton and Governor Vane openly avowed themselves her firm supporters. This opened the eyes of the people at large, of whom hundreds soon began to regard her with great admiration. The majority of the members of the Boston church were so "tinctured with her views," that Mr. Wheelwright was "called to be a teacher there; " but the eloquence of Mr. Winthrop defeated this proposal, and Mr. Wheelwright was, instead, "called to a new church, to be gathered at Mount Wollaston," now Braintree. 2

Meanwhile the popularity of Mrs. Hutchinson increased to such an extent, and the opposition of some of the clergy became so formidable, that a theological warfare burst out in many of the churches. Contrary to the teachings of the ministers, Mrs. Hutchinson maintained that "outward signs of discipleship might be displayed by a hypocrite, and hence 1 Barry, i. 245.

2 Winthrop, i. 241. Hubbard, 286, seq.

that the sanctification' which embraced these signs was not infallible evidence of 'justification,' or true Christian discipleship. The clergy, also, who were believers in the personality of the Holy Ghost, denied, for the most part, his union with the regenerate in any sense; but Mrs. Hutchinson, understanding this phrase to include an embodiment of spiritual graces or gifts, maintained that in the true Christian these graces and the Spirit had their abode; or, in the language of her accusers, that there was an indwelling of the person of the Holy Ghost' in the heart of the true believer, so as to amount to a personal union' a doctrine which, in their estimation, made the believer more than a creature,' and which some censured as rank 'Montanism.'" 1

The magistrates and ministers now resolved to prosecute Mrs. Hutchinson as a heretic, and a long and tedious. wrangle ensued. At length the opposers of Mrs. Hutchinson proved stronger than her friends, and by the former every effort was put forth to suppress "the Hutchinsonian heresy." An order was passed prohibiting the admission of strangers into the colony without permission. Fierce speeches were made. Mr. Wilson, the pastor of the Boston church, harangued the multitude from a tree, into which he had climbed. In the midst of the excitement, Vane was turned out of the government, and in August, 1637, returned to England.2

On the 30th of the same month a synod met at Newtown, at which were present "all the teaching elders throughout the country, and some new come out of England." This was the first inquisitorial council ever convened in Massa

1 Barry, i. 248.

? Authorities, ut supra.

3 Johnson, in 2 M. H. Coll., iv. 34.

chusetts; and it had for its main purpose the condemnation of heresy and the settlement of the faith of all future generations. It is unnecessary to record the full proceedings of this synod, which opened with the "emptying of private passions," and closed in full harmony and understanding. During its session the public meetings of Mrs. Hutchinson were condemned, and certain questions of church discipline were, through the grace and power of Christ, discovered, the defenders of them convinced and ashamed, the truth established, and the consciences of the saints settled, there being a most wonderful presence of Christ's spirit in that assembly held at Cambridge."1 A three weeks' session having terminated "comfortably and cheerfully," the followers of " unlawful heresy" ceased to be formidable. At the next meeting of the General Court, however, it was "agreed to send away some of the principal" offenders. Mr. Wheelwright, who was accused of being as "busy in nourishing contentions as before," was banished from Massachusetts. Attended by a few faithful followers, he journeyed to New Hampshire, and laid the foundations of Exeter.2 Mr. Cotton returned to the "bosom of the church, never more to depart." The last victim remained to be punished, and this was Mrs. Hutchinson herself. She, "being convented," says the record, “for traducing the ministers and their ministry in the country, was thereupon banished, and in the mean while was committed to Mr. Joseph Welde, of Roxbury, until the court shall dispose of her."3 Mr. Cotton himself, now “ fully satisfied that he had been made her stalking-horse," and being urged

1 Shepard, in McKenzie, First Church in Camb., 57.

2 Winthrop, i. 338: "Upon the acknowledgment of his evil carriages, he was received again as a member of this colony," says Mass. Records,

iii. 6.

3 Mass. Records, i. 207-226.

to do so, "pronounced the sentence of admonition with great solemnity, and with much zeal and detestation of her errors and pride of spirit."

This was the unkindest cut of all. The "American Jezebel," worried by her tormentors, and excommunicated in due form, followed her husband to Narragansett. From the island of Aquidneck, the ill-fated woman, now left a widow, removed, in 1642, into the territory of the Dutch, where, in the following year, she, her son-in-law, and all their family, save one child, perished by the rude weapons of Indian savages. Thus her stormy life found a stormy close; and so ended also the Antinomian strife in Massachusetts. "The. principles of Anne Hutchinson," says Bancroft, "were a natural consequence of the progress of the reformation. She had imbibed them in Europe; and it is a singular fact, though easy of explanation, that, in the very year in which she was arraigned at Boston, Descartes, like herself a refugee from his country, like herself a prophetic harbinger of the spirit of the coming age, established philosophic liberty on the method of free reflection. Both asserted that the conscious judgment of the mind is the highest authority to itself. Descartes did but promulgate, under the philosophic form of free reflection, the same truth which Anne Hutchinson, with the fanaticism of impassioned conviction, avowed under the form of inward revelations." 1

Before the controversy with Mrs. Hutchinson had ended, the religious strife, disturbing the peace and harmony of the colonists, was still further increased by the arrival at Boston, in 1636, of Samuel Gorton. This man, a citizen of London, was branded, at the time, as "a proud and pestilent seducer, laden with blasphemies and familistical opinions." He left

Hist. U. S., i. 391.

Boston after a short season, and settled at Plymouth; but he spent the most of his time in Rhode Island, where, says a writer, “he was almost constantly in office; and during a long life there is no instance of record of any reproach or him.” 1

censure cast upon

While living at Plymouth, however, he fell into a dispute with both the ministers and the magistrates, and was not only sentenced to pay a heavy fine, but was even ordered to leave the place within fourteen days. In the "extremity of winter," 1638, he departed for Rhode Island, where he was again punished for misconduct. At length he found shelter under the roof of Roger Williams, and behaved himself so ungraciously, that a majority of the inhabitants of Providence, "fearful that Gorton would expel them from their possessions," requested the interference of the magistrates of Massachusetts. Without delay, the colonial authorities assumed jurisdiction over the settlement. But Gorton, who was wont to say that "heaven was not a place; there was no heaven but in the hearts of good men, no hell but in the mind,” 2 was as insubordinate as ever before; and, having purchased of Miantonomo a parcel of land at Shawomet, now Warwick, he, with eleven associates, removed thither. Another difficulty arose, and Massachusetts issued a warrant requiring the appearance of the inhabitants of Shawomet at Boston. To this a reply was transmitted: "If you put forth your hand to us as countrymen, ours are in readiness for you; if your sword be drawn, ours is girt upon our thigh; if you present a gun, make haste to give the first fire, for we are come to put fire upon the earth, and it is our desire to have it speedily kindled." A second warrant was issued, and

3

1 Savage on Winthrop, ii. 70, seq. Hubbard, ch. 47.

Bancroft, i. 419.

33 M. H. Coll., i. 5-15.