The Life of Patrick Henry

     Patrick Henry was dedicated to the cause of independence. He gave many years of his life to serving his fellow man. Patrick Henry was elected to the House of Burgesses, the founding member of the Virginia Committee of Correspondence which formed the First Continental Congress, a member of the Second Continental Congress, and the first Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in 1774.  Henry was a man of great passion and became known for his ability as a great orator on behalf of the common man. Henry was an ardent supporter of the individual rights of the Colonists and later supported States’ rights.
     As a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses,1765-1774, Henry opposed the British crown’s intention to place a tax on paper and leather, also known as the Stamp Act, upon the Colonists.  Henry argued this tax was unjust as the colonists were descendants of Britain and possessed the same rights. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1915347?seq=8.  
     As the British oppression continued, Patrick Henry made his presence known during the Virginia Convention at St. John’s Church, in 1775. Henry spoke of the need for the Colonists to be prepared to defend themselves in war. This created great tension in the room, as reticence was apparent. Henry then  raised his arms and proclaimed, “Give me liberty, or give me death.” It was noted, that this speech moved the hearts of those in attendance at the Church. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?pq-origsite=summon&docID=796100. 
      Henry's position within the society became well known. This success promoted a vote for Patrick Henry to become the first Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Henry was part of the process within the Virginia Convention, and  Declaration of Rights. It was then apparent economic hardships needed to be reconciled. A tax on the people was being considered to be able to clear up war debts. Henry recognized The Articles of Confederation would not be adequate to handle the tax and war debt at hand. In discussion, Henry noted that there were delinquent states that were not being held accountable and honoring the Articles. This situation gave impetus to the Second Continental Congress to devise a new document that would grant authority to a governing body and make wise governmental decisions including checks and balances. 
     There were other issues of dispute that Patrick Henry was concerned with. As the West expanded, Henry witnessed a division between the Northern and Southern States, over the issue of the Spanish occupation of the Mississippi River. On this issue, Patrick Henry did not wish to see power placed in the hands of one regional territory. The solution was to create a new government that would unite the states. A meeting was held in Philadelphia’s State House, in 1781. State delegates from Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia met behind closed doors and agreed upon a new constitution.
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/liberty/detail.action?docID=7261297. 
    In the latter years of Henry’s life, positions within in government were offered to him. Henry made a personal decision to stay close to home and care for his family. In an article by Richard R. Beeman, “The Democratic Faith of Patrick Henry,” Beeman said Henry was committed to civic virtue and was concerned with the falling away of some men and,  their lose of interest in God. The concern of Henry was would become of their religious liberties. Henry saw God in every aspect of life. Beeman intimated Henry was concerned over the idea of separation of church and state. Henry believed it to be the job of the church and state to promote virtue by giving support to all Protestant faiths.  Henry felt there was a decline in virtue and morality that followed the American Revolution. 
https://www.jstor.org/stable/4248954?saml_data=eyJpbnN0aXR1dGlvbklkcyI6WyJjNGZjMjNmMC01MDQzLTRiOWMtYjgzNS0wZTBkZDBhMDA2MjMiXSwic2FtbFRva2VuIjoiNjE5MWNlYzQtZTRlZS00OTQyLWIzNGQtZTI0OTUwYWNlODEzIn0&seq=6
	


 
 

Revival in Early America

              Revival in early America was a spiritual awakening to God. Men and women were drawn together to hear a message of salvation. This message was delivered by men who had a burden concerning the people’s souls. There were two awakenings in America that I will address in this blog. the Great Awaking in the 18th century, and the Second Great Awakening 19th century.

                As time passed, the religious zeal in America had waned. Hearts had grown cold to God and as men and women embraced the Age of Reason. This countered a Great Awakening. https://www.history.com/articles/great-awakening

                In 1735, a preacher by the name of Johnathan Edwards prayed and witnessed a spiritual awakening in North Hampton Massachusetts. Edwards was a philosophical theologian. He was effective as he shared the importance of the scriptures and the grace of God. His congregation experienced a move of God that opened the hearts of almost one-third of the town. Word spread of this outpouring and moved into the neighboring towns.

                 Another minister from Britain, George Whitefield, was an itinerate preacher who traveled from town to town covering the Atlantic coast in America.  He preached in the squares with a resounding voice that reached many and led to the conversion of thousands of people. https://www.history.com/articles/great-awakening

                1781 to 1787 the spirit of prayer poured out in the daily meetings within the Presbyterian congregations of Pennsylvania. As a result, men and women opened their hearts to Christ. An atmosphere was developed that exuded the presence of God touching hearts which kept people in the church for hours. This expanded to neighboring congregations all in the posture of sincerity opening hearts to Christ.

                 In a publication by Reverend William Speer, The Great Revival of 1800, the history of the Presbyterian church was preserved through the Presbyterian Board of Publication. https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=Monographs&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&retrievalId=8049ce81-68f2-44aa-9a18-7e7ecf061673&hitCount=38&searchType=BasicSearchForm&currentPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CCY0102612090&docType=Monograph&sort=Relevance&contentSegment=SBN-2013&prodId=SABN&pageNum=1&contentSet=GALE%7CCY0102612090&searchId=R2&userGroupName=vic_liberty&inPS=true

                Reverend Speer wrote The Second Great Awakening covered an area that stretched from the Allegheny Mountains to the Southern parts in early America. The churches in Western Pennsylvania were ripe for the rain of divine grace. The Presbyterian inhabitants were originally from the northern part of Ireland and Scotland.

                1800 to 1840 yielded The Second Great Awakening. The Presbyterian minister, James McGready was born in Western Pennsylvania and ignited camp meetings from Logan Country Kentucky over to Ohio. People traveled in wagons from all around to hear the gospel preached.  James McGready

                In 1824, Charles Finney was a lawyer who experienced a conversion in his heart and decided to become a preacher. Charles Grandison Finney: Father of American Revivalism | Christian History Magazine

                His theology differed from Calvinism that taught a person would only come to know Christ as God’s elect. Being a lawyer, he would build his case for salvation before the congregations. The meetings were less formal and met weekly. He presided over thousands of men and women giving their hearts to Christ in Rochester New York. The spirit of revival then spread to 1,500 towns.

               The Great Awakening and the Second Great Awakening, along with men called by God, spread his grace to plant a seed for a document that is the law of the land today. The Constitution of the United States preserves America as a place of religious freedom protected for all.