Monroe County, Illinois: Built Upon a Sure Foundation

By Angela Wittman

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3.11 KJV

Previously in An Explicitly Christian "Old Path" in Monroe County, Illinois  we looked at the Christian history of New Design which is located approximately 4 miles south of Waterloo.  Today I want to share with you a story about Elder Peter Rogers, one of the founders of Waterloo, Illinois.

In Chapter 58 of The History of Southern Illinois by George Washington Smith published in 1912, we read that Elder Peter Rogers was the descendant of Protestant Martyr John Rogers who was burned at the stake in Smithfield, England in February of 1555.

Fox's Book of Martyrs tells us this about the life and martyrdom John Rogers:

John Rogers was educated at Cambridge, and was afterward many years chaplain to the merchant adventurers at Antwerp in Brabant. Here he met with the celebrated martyr William Tyndale, and Miles Coverdale, both voluntary exiles from their country for their aversion to popish superstition and idolatry. They were the instruments of his conversion; and he united with them in that translation of the Bible into English, entitled "The Translation of Thomas Matthew." From the Scriptures he knew that unlawful vows may be lawfully broken; hence he married, and removed to Wittenberg in Saxony, for the improvement of learning; and he there learned the Dutch language, and received the charge of a congregation, which he faithfully executed for many years. On King Edward's accession, he left Saxony to promote the work of reformation in England; and, after some time, Nicholas Ridley, then bishop of London, gave him a prebend in St. Paul's Cathedral, and the dean and chapter appointed him reader of the divinity lesson there. Here he continued until Queen Mary's succession to the throne, when the Gospel and true religion were banished, and the Antichrist of Rome, with his superstition and idolatry, introduced.

The circumstance of Mr. Rogers having preached at Paul's cross, after Queen Mary arrived at the Tower, has been already stated. He confirmed in his sermon the true doctrine taught in King Edward's time, and exhorted the people to beware of the pestilence of popery, idolatry, and superstition. For this he was called to account, but so ably defended himself that, for that time, he was dismissed. The proclamation of the queen, however, to prohibit true preaching, gave his enemies a new handle against him. Hence he was again summoned before the council, and commanded to keep to his house. He did so, though he might have escaped; and though he perceived the state of the true religion to be desperate. He knew he could not want a living in Germany; and he could not forget a wife and ten children, and to seek means to succor them. But all these things were insufficient to induce him to depart, and, when once called to answer in Christ's cause, he stoutly defended it, and hazarded his life for that purpose.

After long imprisonment in his own house, the restless Bonner, bishop of London, caused him to be committed to Newgate, there to be lodged among thieves and murderers.

After Mr. Rogers had been long and straitly imprisoned, and lodged in Newgate among thieves, often examined, and very uncharitably entreated, and at length unjustly and most cruelly condemned by Stephen Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, the fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord 1555, being Monday in the morning, he was suddenly warned by the keeper of Newgate's wife, to prepare himself for the fire; who, being then sound asleep, could scarce be awaked. At length being raised and awaked, and bid to make haste, then said he, "If it be so, I need not tie my points." And so was had down, first to bishop Bonner to be degraded: which being done, he craved of Bonner but one petition; and Bonner asked what that should be. Mr. Rogers replied that he might speak a few words with his wife before his burning, but that could not be obtained of him.

When the time came that he should be brought out of Newgate to Smithfield, the place of his execution, Mr. Woodroofe, one of the sheriffs, first came to Mr. Rogers, and asked him if he would revoke his abominable doctrine, and the evil opinion of the Sacrament of the altar. Mr. Rogers answered, "That which I have preached I will seal with my blood." Then Mr. Woodroofe said, "Thou art an heretic." "That shall be known," quoth Mr. Rogers, "at the Day of Judgment." "Well," said Mr. Woodroofe, "I will never pray for thee." "But I will pray for you," said Mr. Rogers; and so was brought the same day, the fourth of February, by the sheriffs, towards Smithfield, saying the Psalm Miserere by the way, all the people wonderfully rejoicing at his constancy; with great praises and thanks to God for the same. And there in the presence of Mr. Rochester, comptroller of the queen's household, Sir Richard Southwell, both the sheriffs, and a great number of people, he was burnt to ashes, washing his hands in the flame as he was burning. A little before his burning, his pardon was brought, if he would have recanted; but he utterly refused it. He was the first martyr of all the blessed company that suffered in Queen Mary's time that gave the first adventure upon the fire. His wife and children, being eleven in number, ten able to go, and one sucking at her breast, met him by the way, as he went towards Smithfield. This sorrowful sight of his own flesh and blood could nothing move him, but that he constantly and cheerfully took his death with wonderful patience, in the defence and quarrel of the Gospel of Christ."(1)

Elder Peter Rogers was born in New Haven, Connecticutt in 1755, 200 years after his ancester was martyred for the Christian faith, and was baptized and ordained to preach in 1790. It is believed that his first wife's Christian example was instrumental in leading him to the Lord:

The Christian example and early death of his first wife turned his thoughts to religious subjects; he was baptized by Elder Amos Crandall, and soon began to "improve his gift," as the Baptist phrase was, being ordained in 1790. For a number of years he was in business, while his gratuitous labors as an evangelist and pastor were abundant and successful; first preaching in Bozrah, CT, he went to Hampton, CT in 1794, remaining two years; then removed to Killingly, CT, where he preached seven years; in 1812, he was pastor of a church in Leicester, MA, afterwards going to Swanzey, NH. In 1828, he removed to Monroe County, Illinois, and, although then 73 years of age, he baptized more persons in that field than any other Baptist minister of his time. For nearly all of the sixty years of his gospel work he received no pay for his services.(2)

His last sermon was preached at the Baptist Church in Waterloo when Elder Rogers was 90 years old.  Elder Rogers died in  November of 1849 and is buried in Waterloo, Illinois. (3)

Of Elder Roger's sons we are told that they also went on to become leaders in this area:

His sons were prominent in their spheres. Peter, a merchant, miller, sawyer, farmer; John, a physician, practicing from Cahokia to the Kaskaskia river; Lemuel, a teacher; Austin, a presiding elder in the southern Methodist conference and the only one of the Rogers family not a Baptist. As an orator he was specially gifted. As a minister of the gospel his Bible interpretations were clear and logical and commanded respect.(4)

While reading of Peter Rogers and his conversion to Christianity, one can almost hear him saying a hearty "Amen!" to these words written in the 127th Psalm of the Holy Bible:

Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. 2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. 3 Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. 4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. 5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Notes:

1. Foxes account of John Rogers martyrdom excerpt is from: Wikipedia - John Rogers (Bible editor and martyr)
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rogers_(Bible_editor_and_martyr)

2. RootsWeb: ILMONROE - Peter Rogers in Monroe County, Illinois (http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ILMONROE/1998-10/0909776080)

3. The History of Southern Illinois by George Washington Smith, Chapter 58
(http://www.memoriallibrary.com/IL/South/History/fifty-eight/index.htm)

4. Smith, ibid., chapter 58

Updated 2.12.2014