 Before you hear this story of one of America's first great advocates of religious freedom, we should like to introduce to you Dr. Frank Monaghan of Yale University, historian of cavalcated America, Dr. Monaghan. Among the many blessings which we as Americans enjoy and cherish is that of religious freedom. And if you examine carefully the three other great constitutional liberties, you will see how closely they are associated. But religious freedom was the first to be achieved in America, or rather in one American colony, and long before the Constitution and its bill of rights. And it came to be established in a curious and ironic fashion. Briefly, it was this. You are well aware of the celebrated story of the Puritans. You know well their piety, their courage, their determinations, their stamina. No one group has made more effective contributions to the development of the American nation. The Puritans had fled to America to obtain religious and economic freedom. They gained the opportunity of realizing their own way of life. After many hardships, they established colonies in New England. They prospered. They came to America to find religious liberty, and they found it. But within a few years, there appeared among the Puritans several persons whose religious beliefs were not quite the same. The Puritan temper flared up. The centers were hurried, stoned, some executed, others exiled. It was now clear that the Puritans never wished to extend the principle of religious freedom to those persons who made it if they did not agree. The voice of Roger Williams was most eloquent in the denunciation of such intolerance. When he was finally exiled, he fled to the wilderness to find a new colony, Providence in Rhode Island. And this was the first colony in America with true religious liberty. Roger Williams was not only the first great American liberal, or one of the greatest of all American figures. He was one of the greatest figures in the worldwide movement to achieve freedom of the human conscience. Stay in Plymouth more than 300 years ago. In the morning sunshine, black-poked worshippers are walking along the shore to a small, square, long meeting house. One of their number is a bold, jawed man, Roger Williams. Beside him is his wife, Mary. Roger, please be careful in your sermon this morning. Careful? You know what I mean. They say you're preaching dangerously. It's your heritage trying to stir up trouble. Roger, won't you just be a little careful there? You'll stop at nothing to hurt you. I'm not afraid, Mary. I wish you weren't. Oh, Roger, please, for my sake. Mary, I can't. I believe what I say is the truth. And I shall speak it. We know that the nine rulers of this colony are ministers of the established religion in Massachusetts Bay. They not only govern the church but the colony as well. A few brief years ago we landed at Plymouth to escape a union of church and state. And already we have religious intolerance again. We have those who deny us our God-given freedom. We must worship God their way, not according to the dictates of our own consciences. Brethren, this religious tyranny must come to an end. God must be worshiped by each man according to his will. We must no longer submit to a civil and ecclesiastical authority joined in the diabolical suppression of man's free conscience. Intolerance is not the mark of a true believer in Christ our Lord. Tolerance and freedom must be the center of the division. The General's Court will now hear a summary of the case against the defendant. Governor Haynes. I'm Mr. Wintlop. May I ask if the defendant be given a chance to recant what he has said in his silence? Just a moment, Mr. Wintlop. Roger Williams has had ample time to recant his heresies. A Christian court should show mercy. Remember, Mr. Williams has no counsel. No counsel? No counsel. Well, what about your own zealous efforts, Mr. Wintlop? Do you harbour the same pernicious opinions as the accused? No. At this time, to remove all doubts, court teams are advisable that the defendant be examined again. Good job, there. Very well. Roger Williams. I am ready. Roger Williams, in addition to preaching sermons with your open heresy, you also stand accused of holding that His Majesty the King does not own these lands which make up our colony. Is that correct? I hold this land belongs to those who first possess it. I mean the Indians. I say this in the name of justice. No one has a right to take land away from the Indians, least of all a Christian monarch. Why do you say a Christian monarch? His Christianity should prevent him from taking what is not his. But no monarch would have the right any more than an Indian station sailing up the Thames to claim London. Roger Williams, do you persist in denying our authority? Yes, I do. You respect a man's right to believe what he chooses. You do this both in civil and religious matters. You accuse me, I accuse you. You forbid freedom of conscience. You force your religion on the souls of three people. Yours is of vicious authority. Reverend, this heretic would destroy the Massachusetts Bay Colony. I'm not going to destroy this colony. You are. All of you. That's enough. It is not enough. We came to America for freedom to escape intolerance. We should have complete freedom here. According to the word of God, we ought to permit Jews or Turks or anti-Christians to live among us. It is not a courtesy. It's tolerance. It's the basis of all human civilization. Very well, Roger Williams. Further talk is useless. You've heard your opinion. Will you change them? I cannot. Roger Williams has broached and devolved divers' new dangerous opinions contrary to our authority. He sentenced you, Roger Williams, to banishment from this colony within six weeks. Order to John. Roger. Oh, Roger. Yes, John. I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do? John Winthrop, you've been my friend. I want to thank you for all you've done. I seem to have little influence anymore. You hadn't been so stubborn. Sometimes I wonder, Roger, why you came to this colony. Because like you, I believe in freedom. Freedom of opinion. Freedom of conscience. Freedom of worship. We haven't got it here, John. But we'll have it yet. We've got to have it. Because where there is intolerance, there can be no freedom. Roger, what do we do? What do we do now? Mary, you believe in me, don't you? You know I do, Roger. Then they can't hurt us, Mary. It's just that it's no use anymore. Banished from the colony, there's nowhere for us to go now. There's the wilderness, Mary. There's peace out there. We mustn't give up hope. What about our child, Freeborn? I can stand it, Roger. I'll follow you anywhere, but I'm afraid of taking her into that wild country. Mary, it's God's will. Trust in His providence. We're doing what we know is right. God will save us right here. I wonder who that is. Let us see. Yes. Oh, come in, Master Skelton. Thanks. Well, come in, Thomas. Come in. Sit over here for the fire and warm yourself. Mr. Williams, I came here to warn you. They're sending an officer with a warrant to take you back to England and Irons as a felon. A felon? No, Roger. He can't see. But they are mistress. They'd persecute him to his dying day if they could. Why have you done this for me? Will Mr. Winfreyp suggest... I might have known John Winfreyp would try to help me. What did he suggest? He doesn't want you to leave New England. But he thinks you should leave here at once. You know the Indians, Mr. Williams? Maybe you could live with them. Yes. Perhaps it is with the Indians. But, Roger, you can't. Not now. I don't relish the voids that give me to England, Mary. It's either that or the Indian wilderness. I'm going with you, Roger. You can't go alone. Mary, I must please help to make it easier for me. Don't worry, my dear. It won't be long, and I'll send for you and pre-born in the spring. You'll be all right, Mr. Skelton. I'm going with you. Thank you, Thomas. But we'll have to hurry. Strange. To escape intolerance and cruelty, we must run into savages. Goodbye, Mary. And don't forget. Trust in God, God. Mr. Williams. How do you keep going? Must be the fever that cries me on. There's not even a sign. Go on, we'll let up. There's a sign that we shout here either. Providence will lead us on. Mr. Williams, take my arm. Take my arm, Mr. Williams. Aye. Thomas, sir. What is it? What's the matter? Aye. I can't go on. You. Go back, Thomas. No, no. The end. Aye. I can't go another step. Please be here, Thomas. No, no. Look. That walk ahead. Shelf, I can't. Here, I can't. Put your arm around my neck. There. All right. Come on now. No. Come on. Almost there. No. No. Here, get down behind it, Mr. Williams. I'll build a fire. Here, let me wrap you up for us. Thank you. Do you want to go back? No, no. We can't go back. Thomas, we'll go on. We'll go on until we find the place we need. We'll find it. God's Providence will take us there. And we'll call that place the Providence. I missed you so much, Roger. Well, I missed you, Mary. But now you're here. And freeborn too. I don't want to leave her alone in the cabin, Roger. Let's start that. It's a peaceful summer night. She's safe. Providence is peaceful. The climate seems so far away. And the blizzard you told me about so long ago. Now this is our home, Roger. It's not much of a home yet, Mary. But our town of Providence is growing. We'll have a better home. 10, 11, 12 lights I think out in homes along the day. You sound happy, my dear. I'm glad. I am happy. And so proud of you. I mean, of what you've done here, and what you've made of Providence. Praise the most high and lonely wise, not me for our freedom. Who could be riding here this time of night? I'm frightened, Roger. Now, Mary, we've got a good dozen muskets. I sounded alarm. Anybody awake? Who's there? What do you want? I'm looking for Mr. Williams' home with an urgent message. The message you just bagged. Hi, Roger Williams. What is the trouble? The Pequots and their agendas are on the warpath. Warpath? You must help us. You're the only one who can. What's behind the uprising? If I knew that. Our troops on the upper Connecticut. They burned the Pequot village or two and revenged for the slaying of one of our traitors. But Mr. Dudley sent me to you for help. Mr. Dudley? Then it is God's judgment. Today, Mary, it is up for us to judge our enemies. Please, Mistress, I know what you're thinking. Heaven knows he has been unjust to you, but now Mr. Williams is our only hope. Little hope that I can try. Please, Hazen, if you can, there's no time to move. The Narragansets are my friends. But we bought our land from them fairly. Perhaps I can stop them and together we may stop the Pequots. Oh, God protect you, Roger. So be it. I shall go to the Narragansets and talk to the station. The Atenomo. The Atenomo. Brother, when we bought our land from you, you promised there would be peace between us. As long as you lived, you let us follow our own good. The Atenomo trusts you, but no other white man. If you wish our friendship to go on, brother, I ask you this. Silence your wardrobes. Put aside your tomahawks. Smoke the peace pipe with all my people. Not you people, brother. You enemies. But people, they are my people, brother. I ask you to do this as my friend. I promise you it will be a just peace. You were good, brother. You friend, I am your friend now. I cannot be if you fight my other friends. Brother, the Atenomo will do much to keep you his friend. The whole consul with Narraganset warriors, tell them. What are the two parts? The Atenomo talk to the Piquots. But maybe Piquots, no listen. I pray they do, my brother. Tell me, Atenomo, why are you good to people who hurt you? Brother, I do not preach to you, but the only way I can answer you is in the words of my Lord, Jesus Christ. He taught us to forgive our enemies. He said return good for evil. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I think you'd better come at once, Mr. Williams. They may harm this woman. What do they want to do? They're trying to drive her out of town. Well, there they are now in front of Gorton. Aye, and now I see the poor woman over there. Let's hurry. May even my enemies in Massachusetts gave me a hearing before they banished me. This doesn't demand a hearing. We know of you, Mr. Danbutton. We don't want your kind improv. I see I was mistaken, Insofaradun. I thought it was a play for... Brethren, Brethren, what is the meaning of this? We make it plain to this woman, she is not welcome. She is welcome, my good man. Any man or woman who has suffered for conscience's sake is welcome here. I thank you, Mr. Williams, for your kind words. Do you mean you agree with this woman's behavior? Why, she doesn't even act like a woman. She's already made herself a nuisance talking about equal rights for women. I don't hold for women. Brethren, listen, listen to me, please. It is not a question of whether I agree with her, it is not a question of whether you do. You may think her opinions outrageous. I may think yours the same at this moment I do. Mr. Hutchison, my wife and I invite you to our humble board. I shall accept, gladly, Mr. Williams. Then come with me now. Thomas, if you will assist me with her baggage, I, Mr. Williams, I will. Then, Providence is, what I heard after all, a refuge and the only one for me to come to. But you have so many here now, Mr. Williams. So many to feed. Can there be room for me? I'm sure the Indians will send you good land as they have sold it to me, Mistress. It is good farmland, good for grazing and corn. We have a good harbor, as you can see. There are islands as fertile as the mainland. Yes, there is room for you. Good. And thanks to you, it is a peace. As are all the New England colonies, do you know they plan a league of New England, a league of defense? A league will be a fine thing for all of us. It will be if it is for all of us. Rather than let us review our situation, behind our colonies the Indians are being armed by England's enemies. Within New England, there is now a league that chooses to play with New England's Connecticut. But we are left out of it. Aye, that's the very basis of the league. I mean that we of Providence be out of it, so we are told. What do you say, Mr. Arnold? I say we must find a way to cooperate with them, or we are lost. Mr. Harris, aye. For otherwise, they will not let us trade or travel among them, or use their harbors. Mr. Wicks, Providence stands for the freedom to think as we please. We can't give that up. We must, for without care, our crops will rot on our hands. We all know what's behind this. The other colonies would gladly trade with us, but for one reason, Roger Williams, I say we must give him up for the sake of the others here. He was the first one to say that. You may be right, brethren. Least here you have the right to speak as you believe. We all have that right. Now, I have an opinion too. I suspect a bay colony will not like it. The bay dominates the other. I, the bay, may not like it, but I think I may solve your difficulties. Remember, openly, the other colonies refuse to deal with us because they claim we have no legal basis. Well, if it meets with your approval, I shall go to London for a charter from the crown. What if you fail? We cannot live quarreling with our neighbors. If I fail, I will return. I will go to Boston and give myself up. Goodbye, Captain. Goodbye, Mr. Williams. Roger! Oh, Roger! Mary! John Winthrop! Oh, it's good to see you too. I didn't expect to find you in Boston, Mary. Oh, Roger. Thanks, Roger, for seeing me again. I'm sorry, you'll miss us, Roger. I don't see how you can avoid trouble, but I'll do whatever I can to help you. I know I can depend on you, John. Thank you, but I don't think that... Roger Williams! Roger Williams! Mr. Dudley! It's a pleasure to see you. Roger, what are you saying? Roger Williams, you were warned never to set foot on this colony again. You're under arrest, yes, but all this... Mr. Dudley! My husband wishes no more than I to tarry in this colony one moment longer than necessary. If you open it up to go... Yes, Mr. Dudley. I will guarantee his quick departure. Please, if you'll only... Enough of this. Williams, escape the front. You shall not again. Then let me, Mr. Dudley, speak my mind. That is something you cannot understand, I know, for you do not have the freedom to speak here, your mind is narrow and vicious. Mr. Williams. Oh, I know, or at least I can imagine what you have it in your power to do to persecute me as you have my husband and oppress all of us here, but I had to seek out whatever the cost. We'll discover that soon enough, Mr. Williams, you'll come with me. If all I do, Mr. Dudley, I wish you would examine this letter from the leaders of Parliament, among others, Oliver Cromwell. It is you will see a letter of safe conduct. You have a letter of safe conduct? Mr. Williams. In the recognition of Roger Williams' good affections, I say, suffering by the oppressors of God's people is Indian labour. That's not enough. This also may interest you. And it has pleased Parliament to grant to province plantations a free and absolute charter of civil government. Well, am I still under arrest? No. No, you are free, Roger Williams. You have won your point. Well, I've won more than a point, Mr. Dudley. And more than my own freedom. There is now a small place in the world where one's conscience is free. But this is more than a charter of freedom for province. Even you cannot stop that, for liberty is a God-given right. It is as natural as the air we breathe. Liberty is hardly got and is hardly kept. But someday even these colonies will be free, and all America too. And God willing, all the world may yet be free. The years pass, and finally there came to all of America liberty of conscience, establishing those very truths which brought about the banishment of Roger Williams in 1635. It was a victory of complete religious freedom, the freedom of Roger Williams' providence experiments. This religious freedom found fullest expression in the Constitution of the United States, which declares, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. Today, this is one of America's proudest heritages, and it is for this that Roger Williams takes his place in the cavalcade of America.