History: The Heritage of Our Baptist Faith

the Constitution in the Massachusetts convention. There the vote carried by a majority of nineteen. The Baptists did not believe that the Constitution gave full guarantee of religious freedom, but they approved it in spite of what they believed to be a deficiency. Then they did all within their power to add an amendment which would safeguard these interests which they held sacred. John Leland prepared a petition on behalf of the Baptist churches of Virginia and presented it to President Washington. In 1789, James Madison, "The friend of the Baptists" offered and secured the adoption of the following amendment: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for a re-dress of grievances." The great American historian, Bancroft, an impartial witness, says, “Freedom of conscience and unlimited freedom of mind was from the first the trophy of the Baptists." Bible-believing Baptists have never been promoters of strife among nations. They have been a peace-loving people, but they have at the same time been loyal to the country in which they have lived. Baptist people have given their sons to armies of our nation in every war in which this land of ours has participated. Furthermore, they have raised their voice in protest against every un- or anti-American philosophy which has raised its head against our nation. In these days when there is apparently a lack of patriotism among our American people, the Baptists must be found standing for our freedom and opposing communistic infiltrations which seem to abound on every hand. We need to be reminded that we, in this generation, may be called upon to pay a price which our forefathers willingly paid in the days which are gone. May God help us to stand where we ought to stand in these troublesome times.