Baptists in the Netherlands

A group of English Separatists fled to Amsterdam in 1608 to avoid persecution by the Church of England. Led by pastor John Smyth and layman Thomas Helwys, the group began to adopt Baptist doctrines and practices. A split occurred when Smyth baptized himself in accordance with his new belief in self-baptism, and later alinged with the Mennonite church in Amsterdam. Helwys returned to England where he wrote on religious liberty that led to his imprisonment by King James I. Helwys later died in prison, and Smyth died in Amsterdam shortly after Helwys departed for England.