In 1634, Roger Williams moved to Salem and was the assistant to Pastor Samuel Skelton (1592-1634). He moved there at a time when Pastor Skelton was ill. The Pastor died soon after Roger arrived. Roger Williams was appointed their teacher and was finally empowered with authority. Over the next year, Roger preached separation of church and state, and other radical ideas of the time. Roger preached that the Church of England was wrong to force non-believers such as atheists, Jews, Muslims, etc. to pray, and it was wrong to make them support the Church of England.