The Baptists and the American revolution . wide-spread territory. And when the Constitutionof the United States was adopted, requiring eachState to sacrifice some of its independence toform a strong General Government, RhodeIsland hesitated long before she would acceptthat grand instrument. The other States,except North Carolina, before 1789 received theplan of government devised by the Conventionof 1787. They had, however, never enjoyed fullliberty except during the brief period of thewar, but to Rhode Island full freedom was an * Biography of Signers of the Declaration of Independence,I., 37
The Baptists and the American revolution . wide-spread territory. And when the Constitutionof the United States was adopted, requiring eachState to sacrifice some of its independence toform a strong General Government, RhodeIsland hesitated long before she would acceptthat grand instrument. The other States,except North Carolina, before 1789 received theplan of government devised by the Conventionof 1787. They had, however, never enjoyed fullliberty except during the brief period of thewar, but to Rhode Island full freedom was an * Biography of Signers of the Declaration of Independence,I., 373. AMERICAN REVOLUTION. 25 inheritance possessed for many generations, tosacrifice the smallest part of which inflictedgreat pain. As Baptists we have reason tothank God for the Revolutionary deeds of ourheroic brethren in Rhode Island. The Baptists were among- the first ReligiousCommunities to Recognize the ContinentalCongress as a Legitimate Body. On the 5th of September, 1774, in CarpentersHall, Philadelphia, the first Continental Con-. CABPENTEBS hall, PHILADELPHIA. 26 THE BAPTISTS AND THE gress assembled. The eyes of the whole Ameri-can people rested upon it, and so did the heartsand hopes of a vast majority of them. Eightdays after Congress first met the WarrenAssociation of Baptist Churches solemnly recog-nized it as, in a sense, the Supreme Court of theAmerican Colonies, and sent it this appeal: Honorable Gentlbmeit: As the Baptist Churches in New England are most heartilyconcerned for the preservation and defence of tlie rights andprivileges of this country, and are deeply affected by theencroachments upon the same vi^liich have been lately madeby the British Parliament, and are willing to unite with ourdear countrymen to pursue every prudent measure for relief,so, we would beg leave to say, that, as a distinct denomina-tion of Protestants, we conceive that we have an eftual claimto charter rights with the rest of our fellow-subjects, and yetwe have long been denied th
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbaptist, bookyear1876
