Richard writes:

Dear Darwin & Laura Lee,

I am writing per your suggestion to share persecution articles with your readership. I hope that you find this noteworthy:

I met a lady in the old Worldwide CoG over 25 years ago. Her name is Carolyn. One day I showed her an article that I'd been reading about early Sabbatarians in America, and she was flabbergasted to hear some of the names and other details. My friend went to her room, and returned with a little book. It turned out that a relative of her's had compiled a 'Family Tree', and had sent Carolyn a copy years before. She told me that she was certain that some of those names sounded familiar.

Upon looking into the 'Family Tree,' we confirmed that no less than THREE of the original Sabbath-keepers in the first Sabbatarian assembly were direct ancestors of her's...including the first convert to Sabbatarianism in America! I'll tell a bit of this story, as related in some material from old literature of Worldwide, and Giving & Sharing... noting Carolyn's relatives along the way.

In 1664, Stephen Mumford migrated to America from England, With his wife. It appears that they were already 7th Day Sabbathkeepers; coming from the Bell Lane (London) congregation. They settled in or around Newport, Rhode Island, and began attending the Baptist Church in town. Mumford apparently voiced his belief in the 7th Day Sabbath, and was joined in 1665 by first Tacy Hubbard, and shortly afterward by her husband, Samuel ...BOTH being cited as relatives of my friend, Carolyn!

Not too long after this, others began fellowshipping with this new religious group; including the married daughter of

the Hubbards: Rachel Langworthy (another ancestor of Carolyn's). It would appear that the group still met with the Baptist congregation on Sundays, but kept Sabbath by themselves as well, for (in 1667) they petitioned the Baptist Church to change market day from Saturday to Thursday. A compromise was arrived at by allowing BOTH days.

Towards the end of the 1660's, several of the 'converts' either changed their minds, or were induced to eschew the Sabbath Day. The small group of believers appealed for advise to Stephen Mumford's English assembly. Dr. Edward Stennett wrote back that a separation needed to be made... primarily because of the backsliders. Accordingly; a new assembly was formed in December of 1671. Of the original seven members listed on their rolls, three happen to be direct relatives of my friend. They are: Samuel & Tacy Hubbard, and their daughter, Rachel Langworthy! Stephen Mumford and his wife were also among this first Sabbath congregation.

In Yahoshua's Service,

Richard Heath