Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Part 4 Of 5 Patrick Henry – Defends Liberty of Conscience

Thomas E Kresal … January 15, 2020

Baptist History, Heritage & Distinctives – Part 4 Of 5 Patrick Henry – Defends Liberty of Conscience

Mr. Henry resumed ‘May it please your worships: In a day like this, when truth is about to burst her fetters ; when mankind are about to be raised to claim their natural and inalienable rights ; when the yoke of oppression which has reached the wilderness of America, and the unnatural alliance of ecclesiastical and civil power is about to be dissevered, at such a period, when liberty—liberty of conscience —is about to awake from her slumberings and inquire into the reason of such charges as I find exhibited here to-day in this indictment!’

Continued with Patrick Henry speech: Another fearful pause, while the speaker alternately cast his sharp, piercing eyes on the court and the prisoners, and resumed: ‘ If I am not deceived, according to the contents of the paper I now hold in my hand, these men are accused of ‘preaching the Gospel of the Son of God’ — ‘Great God!’

Another long pause, during which he again waved the indictment around his head, while a deeper impression was made on the auditory. Resuming his speech: ‘May it please your worships ; there are periods in the history of man, when corruption and depravity have so long debased the human character that man sinks under the weight of the oppressor’s hand and becomes his servile—his abject slave ; he licks the hand that smites him ; he bows in passive obedience to the mandates of the despot, and in this state of servility he receives his fetters of perpetual bondage. But, may it please your worships, such a day has passed away!

From the period when our fathers left the land of their nativity for settlement in these American wilds—for LIBERTY—for civil and religious liberty—for liberty of conscience—to worship their Creator according to their conceptions of Heaven’s revealed will,—from the moment they placed their feet on the American continent, and in the deeply imbedded forests sought an asylum from persecution and tyranny—from that moment despotism was crushed; her fetters of darkness were broken, and Heaven decreed that man should be free—free to worship God according to the Bible. Were it not for this, in vain have been the efforts and sacrifices of the colonists ; in vain were all their sufferings and bloodshed to subjugate this new world, if we, their offspring, must still be oppressed and persecuted. But, may it please your worships, permit me to inquire once more: For what are these men about to be tried ? This paper says, ‘for preaching the Gospel of the Son of God. Great God!’ For preaching the Savior to Adam’s fallen race.’

Thomas E. Kresal from: Baptist Succession by D.B. Ray, pg. 349