History: The Heritage of Our Baptist Faith

Dr. Cathcart tells of Colonel Joafa Houghton who advocated the calling of the New Jersey provincial Congress that overthrew English rule there. Houghton was worshipping one Sunday morning in the Baptist church in Hopewell, New Jersey. A messenger came into the service and whispered something to the Colonel. It turned out that it was information regarding the battles of Concord and Lexington Houghton sat quietly through the service, and at the end of the meeting, stepped up on a large stone in front of the meeting house. Parishoners stopped to hear what he had to say. He told them the story of the cowardly murder at Lexington and the heroic vengeance following hard upon it. He informed them of the people who gathered around the hills of Boston and then as he paused and looked over the silent throng, he said slowly, "Men of New Jersey, the Redcoats are murdering our brethren in New England. Who follows me to Boston?" It is reported that every man in that audience stepped out into line and answered "II" There was not a coward or a traitor in the Hopewell, New Jersey meeting house that day. John Hart, also of Hopewell, New Jersey, was a Baptist, and one of the sign­ ers of the Declaration of Independence. He represented New Jersey in the first Continental Congress in 1774. As a result of his signature on the Declaration of Independence, he risked and lost everything. His home and his property were taken. The English troops hunted him and he had to flee for his life. One time he was forced to leave the bedside of his dying wife. Near his grave at Hopewell is a monument to his memory erected by the state which he served. On this monu­ ment is the inscription, "Honor the patriot's grave." Baptists not only believed in freedom; they were willing to fight for it. Baptists helped to write freedom in the Constitution. A Baptist preacher of Virginia, John Leland, gave much support to this important section of our Constitution. J. S Barber, who gave a eulogy of President Madison, explained in this fashion. He said that if Madison had not been in the Virginia convention the Constitution would not have been ratified by that state. The approval of nine states was required to give effect to this instrument and as Virginia was the ninth state, it must be ratified by Virginia. If it had not been ratified by her, the Constitution would have failed. It was by Elder. Leiand Vs influence, that Madison was elected to the Convention. It was also James Manning, the - President of Rhode Island College, who influenced several Baptists in favor of