“the schools of human learning,” he set up as a preacher without ordination, and styled himself “professor of the mysteries of Christ.”  He seems to have cherished that doctrine of private inspiration which the Puritans especially abhorred.  It is not likely that he had any distinct comprehension of his own views, for distinctness was just what they lacked. [14] But they were such as in the seventeenth century could not fail to arouse fierce antagonism, and if it was true that wherever there was a government Gorton was against it, perhaps that only shows that wherever there was a government it was sure to be against him.

In the case of such men as Gorton, however,—­and the type is by no means an uncommon one,—­their temperament usually has much more to do with getting them into trouble than their opinions.  Gorton’s temperament was such as to keep him always in an atmosphere of strife.  Other heresiarchs suffered persecution in Massachusetts, but Gorton was in hot water everywhere.  His arrival in any community was the signal for an immediate disturbance of the peace.  His troubles began in Plymouth, where the wife of the pastor preferred his teachings to those of her husband.  In 1638 he fled to Aquedneck, where his first achievement was a schism among Mrs. Hutchinson’s followers, which ended in some staying to found the town of Portsmouth while others went away to found Newport.  Presently Portsmouth found him intolerable, flogged and banished him, and after his departure was able to make up its quarrel with Newport.  He next made his way with a few followers to Pawtuxet, within the jurisdiction of Providence, and now it is the broad-minded and gentle Roger Williams who complains of his “bewitching and madding poor Providence.”  The question is here suggested what could it have been in Gorton’s teaching that enabled him thus to “bewitch” these little communities?  We may be sure that it could not have been the element of modern liberalism suggested in the Familistic doctrines above cited.  That was the feature then least likely to appeal to the minds of common people, and most likely to appeal to Williams.  More probably such success as Gorton had in winning followers was due to some of the mystical rubbish which abounds in his pages and finds in a modern mind no doorway through which to enter. [Sidenote:  He flees to Aquedneck and is banished thence]

Williams disapproved of Gorton, but was true to his principles of toleration and would not take part in any attempt to silence him.  But in 1641 we find thirteen leading citizens of Providence, headed by William Arnold, [15] sending a memorial to Boston, asking for assistance and counsel in regard to this disturber of the peace.  How was Massachusetts to treat such an appeal?  She could not presume to meddle with the affair unless she could have permanent jurisdiction over Pawtuxet; otherwise she was a mere intruder.  How strong a side-light does this little incident throw upon the history of the Roman republic,