Daniel Defoe, the author of "Robinson
Crusoe" was a man of eminence, and in sentiment a Baptist. He
was a vigorous writer and wielded his pen in defense of the Baptists and in
advocacy of human liberty, and for this he, and others for being Baptists,
suffered under the reign of the Stuarts. Robinson Crusoe was by
no means the ablest of his literary productions. One of his works,
published in 1702, is entitled: "The
shortest way with Dissenters." It was written in an
ironical style, and attacks with severe sarcasm those who persecuted others
for conscience' sake. The House of Commons declared the book seditious
and libel. Defoe was sentenced by the court to be fined, imprisoned and
pilloried. He bore this punishment with meekness and cheerfulness,
knowing that it is only crime, and not the prison or the scaffold that causes
shame, and remained in prison two years. In the reign of Queen Ann, he
was again imprisoned for writing another book of the same character.
