Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
Posted on 07/04/2025 11:07:21 AM PDT by ReformationFan
As those of us in the United States this week celebrate freedom from British governance, consider the many ways that Presbyterianism influenced the decision to enter a war for independence and take up arms against a magistrate:
Only a Presbyterian understanding of Romans 13 would allow us to enter a war. The Bible calls for submission to magistrates, but Presbyterians understood the nuances that allowed for rebellion against tyranny. (See James M. Wilson's Establishment and Limits of Civil Goverment for an exposition of Romans 13.)
It was psalm singing Presbyterians like Rev. James Caldwell who helped win some battles--when paper for musket wads was unable to be found--Isaac Watts' Hymnbook was used instead. "Give 'em Watts, boys!"
King George referred to the war for Independence as the "Presbyterian rebellion." The Anglicans were never fans of rebellious presbyterians.
The prime minister of England, Horace Walpole said in Parliament that "Cousin America has run off with a Presbyterian parson."
“The Revolution of 1776, so far as it was affected by religion, was a Presbyterian measure...so intense, universal, and aggressive were the Presbyterians in their zeal for liberty..." Lorainne Boettner in "Calvinism in America."
Historians note: "When Cornwallis was driven back to ultimate defeat and surrender at Yorktown, all of the colonels of the Colonial army but one were Presbyterians elders. More than one-half of all the soldiers and officers of the American Army during the Revolution were Presbyterians.”
One German mercenary soldier wrote home: "Call this war by whatever name you may... it is nothing more or less than a Scots-Irish Presbyterian rebellion.”
British troops, knowing the role of the Presbyterians in the war, turned Presbyterian church buildings into stables--or sometimes choosing to burn them to the ground.
Joseph Galloway, former speaker of the house, fled back to England, blaming Presbyterians for the war, calling it a "religious quarrel."
Harvard historian, Dr. G. Bancroft notes: “The first public voice in America for dissolving all connection with Great Britain came not from the Puritans of New England, the Dutch of New York, nor the Planters of Virginia, but from the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians of the Carolinas.”
As you wave sparklers in the air, crack open a few cold ones, eat grilled meat, and watch the fireworks, remember that God used Presbyterians to give liberty in the new world. Have you thanked a Presbyterian today?
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you.
And all this time, I thought it was the Episcopalians!
I have Scottish Presbyterian ancestry. A distant cousin, Rev Geotge Wishart was burned at the stake by Cardinal Beaton at the direction of Mary Queen of Scots. Partly because QE1 liked my cousin, a fellow Protestant reformer
That’s the old Church, they have split…the new one endorses gay marriage, woman “ pastors”, and the TransXYZ agenda. Ditto with the Methodists, Presbyterian, dying sects.
Splitting up, drying out and blowing away.
On my father’s side, the ancestors who served in the Rev War were 3 Dutch Reform, 1 Presbyterian, 1 Congregationalist, and 1 Episcopalian. One of the Dutch Reform ancestors led one of the charges at Yorktown under Alexander Hamilton. On mother’s side, one of my ancestors watched the battle from a hill while serving as a driver for the army. A couple more serving might have been Presbyterian as they were Scotch-Irish. Long term military family. But the important thing to me was that they were ALL fighting for a new country, side by side, regardless of their religious persuasions. Had uncles and cousins on the British side, but no direct ancestors.
Actually, I thank God and whoever he uses.
Wow, related to George Wishart, how about that? That’s amazing - probably one of the two most important martyrs of the Scottish Reformation.
Cardinal Beaton indeed had him killed, which led directly to Beaton’s grisly end only a couple of months later. But I don’t think you can blame Mary - she was only 3 at the time.
July 4th marks the 249th birthday of the United States of America. In terms of world history, we are still young. This republic was founded in 1776 by some very brave, courageous and wise men.
As it turns out, about three-quarters of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were affiliated with the Episcopal Church, and over a quarter of all Presidents of the United States have been Episcopalians.
While the founding fathers deservedly get the credit for creating this experiment in democracy, we know that behind the scenes they had support from friends and family, spouses and associates, and mostly importantly they were inspired by God!
Early Protestants had the advantage of being smaller organizations than the Catholics and thus less susceptible to the corruptions that plague large, powerful organizations. Once the Protestant denominations became large and wealthy they, IMHO, have become more susceptible to the predations of corrupt leaders than the Catholics. Saving grace for the Protestants is that they can always split away and form a different, less corrupt organization.
Being able to trace my family back to Scotland over 500 years, I am deeply ashamed over what has happened to the, once great, Presbyterian church in America. From over 6.2 million members in 1960 to 800 thousand today - all due to the liberal takeover that started in the 1970s. I could make a strong case the PCUSA can barely be classified as Christian any more. Very sad.
what all dutch reformed, the scottish presbyterians, and the english puritans all had in common was that they were all calvinists...who were the big losers of the wars of the 1600’s in europe.
“I am deeply ashamed over what has happened to the, once great, Presbyterian church in America.”
PCA and PCUSA are extremely different. USA is far, far off the woke deep end. PCA (where we go) is shipped conservative.
Yeah, my entire family including my father and mothers brothers and sisters families and descendents have all bailed out the presbyterian church...even though the presbyterians like the do have their non liberal/woke side in the PCA and a couple smaller denominations.
As a former PCUSA Presbyterian it was regularly preached to the pew sitters that the Presbyterians had a major role in creating the US Constitution.
These exhortations were done to the pew sitters, while at the same time the PCUSA Leadership was preaching Socialism.
On my Father’s side, had four ancestors that fought in the Rev War including one at Yorktown, and on my Mother’s two that fought against Great Brittan, and one was a British soldier who was captured in 1777 and stayed in America after the war.
Joseph Galloway, former speaker of the house, fled back to England, blaming Presbyterians for the war, calling it a “religious quarrel.”
Speaker of which House?
I had to look it up...Speaker of the House, Pennsylvania colony.
Presbyterians: We drink, we fight.
So our ancestors were in camp together! NEAT! What state did that ancestor end up in? Most of mine were NYers.
One of my ancestors was a lawyer who had moved to Quebec City and married a local girl. When the American army surrounded the city, he refused to fight for the British and was thrown out beyond the wall. He joined the American army and was put in charge of building war machines. His family was big into writing scientific papers. When the commanding general was shot, he was with him and was sent to describe the event to Congress. Later, he was captured at the Battle of Long Island. His brother was in the British army and got him off a prison ship. He was a POW for a few years, and he kept himself busy writing more scientific papers. I’ve watched letters between him and General Washington go to auction but couldn’t afford even the opening bids.
Not ALL Presbyterians.
“That’s the old Church, they have split…the new one endorses gay marriage, woman “ pastors”, and the TransXYZ agenda. “
Kind of the reverse. I believe you are referring to Presbyterian Church USA. The Presbyterian Church of America split from them in 1973. PCA is a solid church.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.