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BAPTIST
HISTORY CAPTIONS
A Letter from Colonial Baptists of Virginia to the Newly Elected President of the USA-George Washington |
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“Address of the Committee of the United Baptists churches of Virginia, assembled in the city of Richmond, 8th August, 1789, to the President of the United States of America” |
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APPRECIATION
FOR WASHINGTON’S SKILLFUL LEADERSHIP IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
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“Sir:
Among the many shouts of congratulations that you receive from cities,
societies, states and the whole world, we wish to take an active part,
in the universal chorus, in expressing our great satisfaction in your
appointment to the first office in the nation. When America, on a former
occasion, was reduced to the necessity of appealing to arms, to defend
her natural and civil rights, a Washington was found fully adequate
to the igencies of the dangerous attempt, who, by the philanthropy of
his heart, and the prudence of his head, led forth untutored troops
into the field of battle, and by the skillfulness of his hands, baffled
the projects of the insulting foe, and pointed out the road to independence,
even at a time when the energy of the cabinet was not sufficient to
bring into action the natural aid of the confederation from its respective
sources. |
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GRATITUDE
FOR WASHINGTON’S PART IN HELPING TO FORM A CONSTITUTION THAT INSURED
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
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the Constitution made its appearance in Virginia, we, as a society, had
unusual strugglings of mind, fearing that the liberty of conscience, dearer
to us than property or life, was not sufficiently secured. Perhaps our jealousy
was heightened, by the usage we received in Virginia, under the regal government,
when mobs, fines, bonds and prisons were our frequent repast [Past persecution
by the former Episcopal state church in VA]. Convinced, on the one hand, that without an effective National Government, the States would fall into disunion and all the consequent evils; and on the other hand, fearing that we should be necessary to some religious oppression, should any one society in the Union preponderate over the rest; yet amidst all these inequietudes of mind, our consolation arose from this consideration,--the plan must be good, for it has the signature of a tried, trusty friend, and if religious liberty is rather insecure in the Constitution. ‘the administration will certainly prevent all oppression, for a Washington will preside.’ According to our wishes, the unanimous voice of the Union has called you, sir, from your beloved retreat, to launch forth again into the faithless seas of human affairs, to guide the helm of the States. May that Divine munificence, which covered your head in battle, make you a yet greater blessing to your admiring country in time of peace. Should the horrid evils that have been so pestiferous in Asia and Europe: faction, ambition, war, perfidy, fraud, and persecution for conscience sake, ever approach the borders of our happy nation, may the name and administration of our beloved President, like the radiant source of day, scatter all those dark clouds from the American hemisphere. |
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THE
CONFIDENCE OF BAPTISTS IN WASHINGTON, ALONG WITH THEIR PRAYERS FOR HIS
HEALTH AND SUCCESS AS PRESIDENT
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while we speak freely the language of our hearts, we are satisfied that
we express the sentiments of our brethren, whom we represent. The very name
of Washington is music to our ears; and although the great evil in the States
is the want of mutual confidence between rulers and people, yet we have
the utmost confidence in the President of the States; and it is our fervent
prayer to Almighty God, that the federal government , and the governments
of the respective States, without rivalship, may so co-operate together,
as to make the numerous people over whom you preside, the happiest nation
on earth, and you, sir; the happiest man, in seeing the people, whom; by
the smiles of Providence, you saved from vassalage by your valor, and made
wise by your maxims, sitting securely under their vines and fig-trees, enjoying
the perfections of human felicity. May God long preserve your life and health for a blessing to the world in general, and the United States in particular; and when, like the sun, you have finished your course of great and unparalleled services and go the way of all the earth, may the Divine Being who will reward every man according to his works, grant unto you a glorious admission into his everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ. This, sir is the prayer of your happy admirers. By order of the Committee [of the United Baptists of Virginia], Samuel Harris, chairman; Reuben Ford, clerk.” |
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The
Respondent Letter from President George Washington to the Virginia Colonial
Baptist Churches
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“To
the General Committee, representing the United Baptist Churches in Virginia”
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| “Gentlemen,---I
request that you will accept my best acknowledgments for your congratulations
on my appointment to the first office in the nation. The kind manner in
which you mention, my past conduct, equally claims the expression of my
gratitude. After we had, by the smile of Divine Providence on our exertions, obtained the object for which we contended, I returned, at the conclusion of the war, with an idea, that my country could have no further occasion for my services, and with the intention of never entering again into public life. But when the exigencies of my country seemed to require me once more to engage in public affairs, an honest conviction of duty superseded my former resolution, and became my apology for deviating from the happy plan which I had adopted. |
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WASHINGTON’S
ASSURANCES REGARDING RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
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I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the Constitution
framed by the Convention where I had the honor to preside, might possible
endanger the religious rights of any ecclesiastical society, certainly I
would never have placed my signature to it; and if I could now conceive
that the general government might even be so administered, as to render
the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no
one would be more zealous than myself, to establish effectual barriers against
the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.
For you, doubtless, remember , that I have often expressed my sentiments, that any man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshiping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience. |
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WASHINGTON’S
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BAPTISTS AS STRONG REVOLUTIONARY WAR PROMOTERS
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While
I recollect with satisfaction, that the religious society of which you
are members, has been, throughout America, uniformly, and almost unanimously
the firm friends to civil liberty, and the persevering promoters of our
glorious revolution; I cannot hesitate to believe, that they will be the
faithful promoters of a free, yet efficient general government. Under
this pleasing expectation, I rejoice to assure them, that they may rely
upon my best wishes and endeavors to advance their prosperity. Ed. Note: A fervent promoter of religious liberty, John Leland was a noted l8th-19th century Baptist preacher, first in VA, and later in MASS. While in VA, he met with John Madison at Orange, VA in a historic shaping meeting. Leland told Madison that he could gain the support of the Baptists for the new constitution only if a bill of rights that included guarantees concerning religious freedom were inserted as a part of the document’s framework. Madison agreed to the provisions and acted as their major supporter, The US Constitution was then approved by the Continental Assembly and ratified by the participating states. |
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| Feburary - March 2004 The Fundamentalist Digest; Permission granted for reprint, so long as proper credit is given. |
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