Mercy Adams Writes

  Rev. Samuel Whatley was baptized by Silas Mercer and a member of the Phillips Mill Baptist Church in Wilkes County. Whatley's Revolutionary War experiences are summarized by Jesse Campbell in Georgia Baptist Historical and Biographical. 'Having been once almost drowned, twice frozen, twice shot and once hung,' Campbell writes, 'he survived to enjoy the blessings of liberty and to a good old age.' Whatley was active in ministry in the Georgia Baptist Association and is buried at the Phillips Mill Baptist Church where he was a member for more than 40 years. This fascinating account of the historical battle at Kettle Creek, Georgia is written by  Charles Jones and originlly posted at The Christian Index . Here is an excerpt: On a winter Sunday morning in February 1779, the sound of gunfire broke the silence along the marshy bottom at the juncture of two small creeks in Wilkes County, Georgia, as men engaged in a life and death struggle. The Battle of Kettle Creek, a ...

Declaration of Independence, oil on canvas by John Trumbull, 1818; in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, Washington, D.C.  John Haslet, officer in the Delaware Regiment: 'I congratulate you, sir, on this important day, which restores to every American his birthright—a day which every freeman will record with gratitude, and the millions of posterity read with rapture.' Robert Wilson, private soldier: 'We passed the Altamaha [River] about the last of July 1776 I distinctly recollect that on reaching the far Bank of that River, a horseman made his appearance on the bank and manifested a wish to reach us, supposing him to be an express he was sent for and on reaching the Army he delivered to Gen’l Williamson dispatches containing the Declaration of Independance. Gen’l Williamson called upon Capt Lacey to open the dispatches, who done so and on discovering the contents Capt Lacy raised up both hands and exclaimed Thank God for this. He then read the Declaration to the officers who wer...

  The Prayer in the First Congress, A.D. 1774 Courtesy of the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of Christ Church, Philadelphia ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ O Lord our Heavenly Father, high and mighty King of kings, and Lord of lords, who dost from thy throne behold all the dwellers on earth and reignest with power supreme and uncontrolled over all the Kingdoms, Empires and Governments; look down in mercy, we beseech Thee, on these our American States, who have fled to Thee from the rod of the oppressor and thrown themselves on Thy gracious protection, desiring to be henceforth dependent only on Thee. To Thee have they appealed for the righteousness of their cause; to Thee do they now look up for that countenance and support, which Thou alone canst give. Take them, therefore, Heavenly Father, under Thy nurturing care; give them wisdom in Council and valor in the field; defeat the malicious designs of our cruel adversaries; convince them of the unrighteousness of their Cause and if they pe...

Source: George Washington/  Facebook By the All-Powerful Dispensations of Providence, I have been protected beyond all human probability or expectation; for I had four bullets through my coat, and two horses shot under me, yet escaped unhurt, although death was leveling my companions on every side of me! George Washington, Letter to John Augustine Washington, July 18, 1755 Compliments of George Washington Society ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  From Rev War Revelry: "As the word of the 'Intolerable Acts' spread throughout the colonies in response to the Boston Tea Party, colonial governments began to show support for Boston. Then in May 1774, the Virginia House of Burgesses voted for a day of 'prayer' on June 1, 1774 in support of Boston and Massachusetts." Source:  Rev War Revelry: The First Virginia Convention and the Road to Revolution – Emerging Revolutionary War Era   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Most gracious Lord God, whose dwelling is in the h...

"Protestant political thought underwent several changes in the American context. The original Puritan settlements of New England in certain ways approximated the political thought of Calvin and the 16th and 17th century Reformed confessions surveyed above: church and state were not identical, but civil magistrates were tasked with both civic justice and promotion and protection of true piety and worship. "By the time of the American Revolution, the situation in America had changed, though not nearly to the degree that modern, radical secularists suppose. It is not my intention here to attempt a summary of early American religious thought (an impossibly large task for this article), but the kinds of changes I am referring to can be observed in the alterations that were made to the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) by the American Presbyterian Church, changes which were debated and codified in 1787–89. These changes serve as a good, representative example of how older Prot...

'The mistress we court is LIBERTY; and it is better to die than not to obtain her.' ~Joseph Warren to Samuel Adams, June 15, 1775 I recently read Dr. Joseph Warren's biography  Founding Martyr: The Life and Death of Dr. Joseph Warren, the American Revolution's Lost Hero   written by  Christian Di Spigna  and was impressed with the facts presented in his book. I learned a great deal and recommend others read it as well. It's balanced and presents a thoroughly researched account of one of our leading founders few have heard about. I also viewed the Youtube video featured below and the speaker, Vern Frykholm,   does an excellent presentation of summing up the character and life of Dr. Warren, who has become one of my favorite heroes living during the events leading up to our separation from Great Britain. However,  there is more to the story as Dr. Warren's body was mutilated by the British because they hated and feared him due to the influence he had ov...

On this Thanksgiving Eve, I am delighted to share this tribute to Rev. John Witherspoon, a founding father and dedicated Christian, featured at Breakpoint: In Declaration of Independence by John Trumbull (1818), Witherspoon is the second seated figure from the (viewer's) right among those shown in the background facing the large table. (Public Domain/ Wikipedia ) The Legacy of John Witherspoon The groundwork of a lesser-known founder who shaped the early years of the Repu blic. The month of November marks the death of John Witherspoon, one of the most important and most underrated of the American founding fathers. Born in Scotland in 1723, Witherspoon received a Master of Arts at age 16 from the University of Edinburgh, where he would continue his studies in divinity. In 1745, he became an evangelical minister in the Church of Scotland. Witherspoon was no fan of the monarchy and was imprisoned the following year for opposing the royalist Jacobite uprising, an experience that da...