The following letters between George Washington the first president of the United States of America and a committee of United Baptist Churches in Virginia provide a glimpse of the Baptists interest in the founding of this nation. The tone of the letters is congratulatory and supportive of our first president and in his reply acknowledges the Baptist firm support for the new nation. As our nation has drifted so far from Godly principles we believe it to be imperative that all lovers of the Godly principles this nation was founded on should express in writings, conversation and sermons the need for us to repent and return unto those principles. We should be burdened to teach our children the truth about the founding fathers and this nation's founding principles.

The address of the Committee of the United Baptist Churches in Virginia, assembled in the city of Richmond, August 8, 1789, to the President of the United States of America.

Sir,

Among the many shouts of congratulation that you receive from cities, societies, States, and the whole world, we wish to take an active part in the universal chorus, in expressing our great satisfaction in your appointment of the first office in the nation. When America, on a former occasion, was reduced to the necessity of appealing to arms, to defend her natural and civil rights, a Washington was found full adequate to the exigencies of the dangerous attempt; who, by the philanthropy of his heart, and prudence of his head, led forth her untutored troops into the field of battle; and , by the skilfulness of his hands, baffled the projects of the insulting foe, and pointed out the road to independence, even at a time when the energy of the cabinet was not sufficient to bring into action the natural aid of the confederation, from its respective sources.

The grand object being obtained, the independence of the States acknowledged, free from ambition, devoid of sanguine thirst of blood, our hero returned with those he commanded, and laid down the sword at the feet of those who gave it him. "Such an example to the world is new." Like other nations, we experience that it requires as great valour and wisdom to make an advantage of the conquest, as to gain one.

The want of efficacy in the confederation, the redundancy of laws, and their partial administration in the states, called aloud for a new arrangement of our systems. The wisdom of the States, for that purpose, was collected in a grand convention, over which you, Sir, had the honour to preside. A national government in all its parts was recommended, as the only preservative of the union, which plan of government is now in actual operation.

When the constitution first made its appearance in Virginia, we, as a society, had unusual strugglings of mind, fearing that the liberty of conscience (dearer to us than property and life) was not sufficiently secured. Perhaps our jealousies were heightened, on account of the usage we received in Virginia, under the regal government, when mobs, bonds, fines and prisons were our frequent repast.

Convinced, on the one hand that without an effective National Government, the States would fall into disunion and all the consequent evils; and on the other hand, fearing we should be accessory to some religious oppression, should any one society in the union preponderate over all the rest. But amidst all the inquietudes of mind, our consolation arose from this consideration - the plan must be good, for it bears the signature of a tried, trusty friend; and if religious liberty is rather insecure in the Constitution, "the Administration will certainly prevent all oppression, for a Washington will preside" According to our wishes, the unanimous voice of the union has called you Sir, from your beloved retreat, to launch forth again into the faithless seas of human affairs, to guide the helm of the States. May that Divine Munificence, which covered your head in battle, make you a yet greater blessing to your admiring country, in time of peace. Should the horrid evils that have been so pestiferous in Asia and Europe, faction, ambition, war, perfidy, fraud, and persecution for conscience sake, ever approach the borders of our happy nation; may the name and administration of our beloved President, like the radiant source of day, scatter all those dark clouds from the American hemisphere.

And while we speak freely the language of our own hearts, we are satisfied that we express the sentiments of our brethren, whom we represent. The very name of Washington is musick in our ears; and although the great evil in the States, is the want of mutual confidence between rulers and people, yet, we all have the utmost confidence in the president of the States; and it is our fervent prayer to Almighty God, that the federal government, and the governments of the respective States, without rivalship, may so co-operate together, as to make the numerous people, over whom you preside, the happiest nation on earth; and you, Sir, the happiest man, in seeing the people, who, by the smiles of Providence, you saved from vassalage by your martial valour, and make wise by your maxims, sitting securely under their vines and fig-trees, enjoying the perfection of human felicity. May God long preserve your life and health for a blessing to the world in general, and the United States in particular; and when, like the sun, you have finished your course of great and unparalleled services, and you go the way of all the earth, may the Divine Being, who will reward every man according to his works, grant unto you a glorious admission into his everlasting kingdom, through Jesus Christ, This, Sir, is the prayer of your happy admirers.

By order of the Committee,

Samuel Harris, Chairman,

Reuben Ford, Clerk

 

[May 1789]

To the General Committee, representing the United Baptist Churches in Virginia

Gentlemen

I request that you will accept my best acknowledgments for your congratulation on my appointment to the first office in the nation. The kind manner in which you mention my past conduct, equally claims the expression of my gratitude.

After we had, by the smiles of Divine Providence on our exertions, obtained the object for which we contended, I retired, at the conclusion of the war, with an idea that my country could have no farther occasion for my services, and with the intention of never entering again into publick life. But when the exigencies of my country seemed to require me once more to engage in publick affairs, an honest conviction of duty superseded my former resolution, and became my apology for deviating from the happy plan which I had adopted.

If I could have entertained the slightest apprehension that the constitution framed in the Convention where I had the honour to preside, might possibly endanger the religious rights of any ecclesiastical society, certainly I would never have placed my signature to it; and if I could now conceive that the general government might ever be so administered as to render the liberty of conscience insecure, I beg you will be persuaded, that no one would be more zealous than myself, to establish effectual barriers against the horrors of spiritual tyranny, and every species of religious persecution.

For you doubtless remember, I have often expressed my sentiments, that every man, conducting himself as a good citizen, and being accountable to God alone for his religious opinions, ought to be protected in worshipping the Deity according to the dictates of his own conscience,

While I recollect with satisfaction that the religious society of which you are members, have been, throughout America, uniformly and almost unanimously the firm friends to civil liberty, ad the persevering promoters of our glorious revolution; I cannot hesitate to believe, that they will be the faithful supporters of a free, yet efficient general government. Under this pleasing expectation, I rejoice to assure them, that they may rely upon my best wishes and endeavours to advance their prosperity.

In the mean time, be assured, gentlemen, that I entertain a proper sense of your fervent supplications to God for my temporal and eternal happiness.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

George Washington

Both of these letters can be found in Baptist history books first published in the 1800's. They both are also photographed and available for viewing on the library of Congress website. While the original Baptists have never been politically active, they did express their beliefs and petitioned the founders of this nation for religious liberty and as a result of that effort the great blessing of 'liberty of conscience' has been a shining light to the world and can be directly attributed to God's providential favor of the Baptists influence.

With the desecration of the moral laws of this nation, should not the Baptists be active, not as a political body, but active in petitioning our present day leaders for redress of our grievances; should we not express our concerns and lend our influence at every available opportunity to reverse the trend of the nations moral decay. Of course that reversal starts with each individuals walk! --Elder Claude McKee