Baptism in early Christianity River Jordan. He baptized Jews for repentance in the River Jordan. At the start of his ministry, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. Critical scholars broadly agree that the baptism of Jesus is one of the most authentic, or historically likely, events in the life of the historical Jesus. Christian baptism has its origin in the baptism of Jesus, in both a direct and historical sense. Many of the earliest followers of Jesus were people who, like him, were baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. The Gospel of John states that Jesus at an early stage led
John Clarke (Baptist minister) more for his fellow man than he received." The First Baptist Church of Newport, a grammar school, and a merchant Liberty ship, the SS John Clarke, are named for Clarke. The science building at the University of Rhode Island was dedicated in his honor in 1963. A plaque on the wall of the Newport Historical Society reads: Erected by the Newport Medical Society December 1885 To John Clarke, Physician 1609–1676 Founder of Newport And of the Civil Polity of Rhode Island John Clarke was the fifth of seven known children born to Thomas and Rose Clarke, all born or baptized