John Smyth and the Baptists |
|
|
He did not live long after this. In 1612, some of the church in Amsterdam returned to London, led by Thomas Helwys. They formed the first Baptist church in England. We know of other churches who became convinced that the baptism of believers was the Biblical pattern. By 1638 there were several "Independent " churches in London who seem to have come to this conclusion separately. Their period of greatest strength was to be in the period of Cromwell. Baptists and other Independents had great influence in the Army in particular. Some of their members moved to more radical groups like the Quakers. Most remained Baptist, and in 1660, there were about 300 Baptist churches. |
 |
|
One of the earliest groups of Baptists met at Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. They had to meet secretly in the woods until they were allowed to build their own chapel. |
|
| After the restoration of the monarchy all nonconformist Christians were persecuted by the State, and freedom to practice their faith without penalty only came much later. | |
 |
Loughwood Meeting House |
|
Go to 'I Go To A Baptist Church' |
|
|
Go back to 'History' |