He was not a member of one of the local Congregationalist churches and, therefore, had no rights to vote or participate politically in the affairs of the colony.
Despite these apparent contradictions, however, the ruling elder had by 1640 been functioning successfully in the Scottish kirk and in the congregationalist churches of New England.
Some Separate Baptist churches resulted from church splits regarding differing viewpoints on the revivals, but many originated as "New Light" or "Separate" Congregationalist churches that embraced the awakening.
There was some discussion in Vermont of merging the Baptist and Congregationalist churches during this time, so his denominational choice was not far removed from his mother's tradition.