“Enforced uniformity confounds civil and religious liberty and denies the principles of Christianity and civility. No man shall be required to worship or maintain a worship against his will.”
—Roger Williams, theologian
Pastor Roger Williams was a man before his time—bold, principled, and unafraid to stand for freedom when the cost was high. In the early days of the American colonies, church and state walked hand in hand. Sunday observance was enforced by law. The tithingman patrolled towns with power to arrest and punish anyone who violated religious rules. But one voice refused to bow to the system.
That voice was Roger Williams.
Drawing from early American history, this book traces how Williams challenged compulsory worship, resisted the oppressive Sunday laws of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and championed liberty of conscience for all. His refusal to compromise led to exile in the dead of winter—yet it also birthed Rhode Island, the first colony built on the radical idea that faith must never be forced.
As the narrative unfolds, readers explore:
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The struggle for religious freedom in the colonies and the dangerous church-state partnerships of the Old World.
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The principles that shaped America’s Constitution, including the God-given rights of every person to worship freely.
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Current movements pushing for Sunday legislation, echoing the very issues Williams fought nearly 400 years ago.
This powerful historical study is more than a recounting of the past—it is a timely warning. As modern voices call for renewed Sunday restrictions “for the good of society,” the story of Roger Williams reminds us that liberty survives only when people remain vigilant.
Clear, compelling, and unsettlingly relevant, The First American challenges every reader to ask:
Will we defend freedom of conscience while there is still time?
ISBN: 978-1-629131-43-6
Pages: 32, paperback
Dimensions: 3.5 x 5.5 inches