How the 18th century church stood for liberty and why it must do so again
Approximate reading time: 4 minutes
I just finished reading this most timely book. With our volatile election just days away now, I am seeing more and more news reports that our nation is vulnerable of being plunged into social anarchy, even terrorist attacks, should either Harris or Trump win. I truly hope their dark warnings never ever come true.
With such dire warnings within the realm of possibility, and as a person of faith, reading our founding preachers’ clarion calls to the colonial church to come to the defense of liberty when their nation hung in the balance, couldn’t be more relevant in our volatile day. Fisher’s book makes the case for today’s church (and all patriots) to return to the battlefront once again to defend our faith, our families and our freedoms.
Fisher has jam-packed his book with their sermons and stories of courage. What follows are but a few of my favorites.
“If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.” -Samuel Adams, 1780 (page 33)
The American Quarterly Register wrote in 1833 about the regiment: “As a body of men, the clergy were preeminent in their attachment to liberty. The pulpits of the land rang with the notes of freedom.” (page 76)
“The patriot preachers took seriously the words of the Declaration of Independence: “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” (page 97)
“Survey the globe, and you will find that liberty has taken its seat only in Christendom, and the highest degree of freedom is pleaded for and enjoyed by such a make profession of the gospel.” -Pastor John Joachim Zubby (page 126)
“What can possibly be compensation for our liberties? It is better to be free among tha dead, than slaves among the living.” – Zabdiel Adams, 1782 (page 130)
“If then, I neglect the part appointed me, I am highly unjust, because I take a share of the benefits of society, and yet leave the burden to be borne by others.” -Pastor John Hurt, 1777 (page 139)
“Valient soldiers! I exhort and conjure you to play the man. …let no one suffering appear too severe for you to encounter for your bleeding country. God’s grace assisting me, I am determined to fight and die by your side rather than flee before our enemies or resign myself to them.” -Pastor Thomas Allen’s pre-battle speech to his men (page 181)
“Nor were those of the sacred order wanting to their country, when her civil and religious liberties were all at stake. But, as the faithful watchmen, they blew the trumpet on the walls of our Zion and sounded the alarm for defense.” -George Duffield, commending the Black Robed Regiment, 1873 (page 209)
“Since then, we are compelled to take up the sword, in the necessary defense of our country, our liberties and properties, ourselves and posterity…With fair pretenses, they invite us to submit our necks to their yoke; but with unheard of cruelties and oppressions, they determine us, to prefer death to submission.” -Pastor Moses Mather, 1775 (page 250)
“A continued submission to violence is no tenet of our church.” -Pastor William Smith, 1775 (page 299)
“We are not exciting rebellion. Opposition, nay, open avowed resistance by arms against usurpation and lawless violence, is not rebellion by the law of God or the land. Resistance to lawful authority makes rebellion.” Pastor Samuel Cooper, 1775 (page 300)
“The preachers of the Revolution did not hesitate to attack the great political and social evils of the day.” -Historian Frank Moore (page 341)
“When the political institutions of our fathers cease to be animated by their spirit and virtues, the forms only will remain, monuments of their wisdom, and not less of our folly.” -Historian John Wingate Thorton, 1860 (page 361)
“May heaven influence every one of us to contribute our best abilities, according to our serval station and relations, to the defense and support of the common good. -Pastor Willian Gordon, 1776 (page 382)
Visit the Black Robed Regiment website here.
Visit author Dan Fisher’s website here.
I hope you’ll share this op-ed with your pastor and/or buy him a copy of Fisher’s book. Let him know about MVLA by sharing our website, and how he can contact me at news@mvlibertyalliance.org.
Called to Courage Series:
Part 1: The Courage to Tell Ourselves the Truth
Part 2: The Courage to Live in Truth
