LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Alteration of state name would dishonor Roger Williams

Posted 7/16/20

To the Editor: The establishment of Providence Plantations by Roger Williams, a Calvinist preacher, was a monumental achievement in Christendom; for here the chains of ecclesiastical bondage were broken. The sword of state was sheathed in regard to

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Alteration of state name would dishonor Roger Williams

Posted

To the Editor:

The establishment of Providence Plantations by Roger Williams, a Calvinist preacher, was a monumental achievement in Christendom; for here the chains of ecclesiastical bondage were broken. The sword of state was sheathed in regard to conscience and could no longer be used to compel obedience to a church, and what was started here was later enshrined in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Read “Roger Williams and the Creation of the American Soul” by John Barry.

From 1636 to 1663, this civil government bore the name Providence Plantations alone, including the first patent from the British Crown in 1643 & the Code of Laws for the General Assembly in 1647. In that time frame, other plantations, meaning settlements, had sprung up around Narragansett Bay including Portsmouth, Newport, Warwick and Bristol and the RI Charter of 1663 recognizes those plantations and addresses the Charter to John Clarke, a Baptist preacher, from the Newport plantation. By a quirk of history, that Charter recognizes Rhode Island and Providence Plantations (and not the other way around) as its name, perhaps because John Clarke from Newport was the emissary to King Charles II. This state was founded in the Christian faith by Roger Williams (he befriended the native Indians and these gave him the land in love, not for money) who named the place Providence Plantations because he was convinced that he had been delivered by the providence of God.

For 384 years, this location has borne the name of Providence Plantations as a colony, a nation and as a state and the removal of that name is far more destructive than the removal of statues because it dishonors Roger Williams and his truth: that only the Spirit of God can compel a man to worship God. Providence Plantations is not just a place; it is synonymous with Soul Liberty, our treasure and inheritance! The state name change is proposed by those who have aligned themselves with the violent mob that has recently looted, burned and destroyed, and whose object is to sabotage and dismantle our American history and culture. Ten years ago, 77.8 percent of the voters defeated the same name change question and a NO vote in November will tell our leaders that we don’t want their revolution.

Erik Thorp

Warwick

Comments

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  • Margaret Mary Porter

    You are right on in your article. The problem with the thinking of the mob today is that they are completely uninformed and assume that a plantation has to do with slavery. You've explained what the derivation of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation is and a name change should be voted on by the population not a mandate from a governor. Our governors are having way too much power these days. This is a dangerous precedent in every way.

    Friday, July 17, 2020 Report this

  • Straightnnarrow

    Yesterday, the General Assembly approved that this issue will be on the November ballot. When it fails as it did in 2010, Her Highness Governor should be required to pay back all expenses involved with Her executive order to change the state documents & paychecks etc, which will add up to thousands of dollars out of her pocket. The General Assembly must make Her pay for Her mistakes. She spits in our face and calls it dew!

    Friday, July 17, 2020 Report this