became famous as a living memorial to American liberty when 120 Virginia colonial leaders, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Nelson, Jr., and Patrick Henry, met there in the spring of 1775 to avoid the wrath of Royal Governor Lord Dunmore in Williamsburg.Henry mentions God several times in that same "liberty or death" speech...The Second Virginia Convention, originally called to consider the recent proceedings of America's first Continental Congress became the setting for Patrick Henry's bold call for arming the colony of Virginia. [snip]
Henry's famous speech in defense of liberty occurred on March 23, 1775 inside the Church.
- I repeat it, sir, we must fight!! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!
- Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature has placed in our power.
- There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us.
- "Forbid it, Almighty God -- I know not what course others may take; but as for me -- give me liberty or give me death!"
Oops, is that an angel in the picture? Were there any religious images in the Church at the time that the Virginia Convention met there?
All the following text is from the Library of Congress Website.
standing in his pew, Patrick Henry said, "Give me liberty or give me death! [snip] As the first governor of Virginia and as a state legislator, Henry continued to have profound influence on the development of the new nation. He worked for the addition of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. Known as the Bill of Rights, they guarantee certain freedoms, such as the freedom of speech and religion.
Can you imagine the U.S. without such rights?