HISTORICAL SERMONS FROM THE BLACK ROBE REGIMENT

♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1814
Preached by the Rev. Jesse Appleton, at Boston, May 25, 1814.
The Rev. Dr. Jesse Appleton was the president of Bowdoin College, founded in 1794, chartered by Governor Samuel Adams, a Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence. This sermon was preached before Governor Caleb Strong (a delegate to the federal Constitutional Convention), Lieutenant Governor William Phillips, and the legislature of Massachusetts. Rev. Appleton speaks about the importance of a state being distinguished by wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. He explains how these characteristics will contribute to high morals and the prosperity of the people; and when the people have the right morals, they will choice officials who will reflect those morals. He challenges that a state “distinguished by a union of wisdom, knowledge, and the fear of God, is morally certain of having its government well administered… because the tone of morals, existing in such a nation, will operate as a powerful restraint” to keep men lacking virtue from taking office. He concludes that through knowledge, wisdom, and the fear of the Lord, government will be stable and happy.
♦ A Sermon on Dueling – Albany, 1838
Preached by William Sprague, in Albany, New York, on March 4, 1838.
William Sprague (1795-1876) was born in Andover, Connecticut. He graduated from Yale in 1815, attended Princeton theological seminary for two years (he later received advanced degrees from Columbia, Harvard, and Princeton), and in 1819 was installed as a pastor of the West Springfield, Massachusetts’ First Congregational Church (the same church pastored by Joseph Lathrop). After ten years, Dr. Sprague moved to New York to pastor the Second Presbyterian Church in Albany, where he served until 1869. He was a prolific author, with over 100 published sermons, essays, addresses, and other writings. His monumental Annals of the American Pulpit (9 volumes published 1857-’69) serves as a comprehensive history of early America’s diverse religious heritage. This sermon was preached the Sabbath after intelligence was received that the Hon. Jonathan Cilley, a member of Congress from Maine, had been murdered in a duel with the Hon. William J. Graves, a member from Kentucky. In this sermon, Dr. Sprague not only takes a strong stand against the practice of dueling but also exhorts his congregation on the vital importance of praying for government officials.
♦ An Election Sermon – Connecticut, 1803
Preached by Matthias Burnet, D.D., at Hartford, Connecticut on May 12, 1803.
The Rev. Matthias Burnet was a Pastor of a Congregational Church in Norwalk, Connecticut. As was the case with all Election Sermons, he was invited by State officials to preach a sermon at the opening of the legislative session at the state capital in Hartford, in May, 1803. This sermon was preached before Governor John Trumbull (a soldier during the American Revolution and a Speaker of the U. S. House of Representatives before becoming Governor), the Lieutenant Governor, and the State House and Senate. In this sermon, Burnet addresses the correlation between religion and good citizens, good leaders, and good government. He then outlines five things needed not only to “lay this foundation” but to “perpetuate” this philosophy. He then charges the gathered officials, citizens, and parents with their responsibility to fulfill his challenge.
♦ A Sermon on Liberty – Philadelphia, 1775
Preached by the Rev. Jacob Duche´, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on July 7th, 1775.
The Rev. Jacob Duche´ (1737-98) was born in Pennsylvania, a descendant of Huguenots who immigrated to America with William Penn. He attended the College of Philadelphia (graduated in 1757) and the University of Cambridge in England. He was made rector of Christ Church in Philadelphia in 1775. Rev. Duche´ was the minister who prayed the famous “First Prayer” for the 1st Congress in September of 1774, a prayer that deeply impacted those present, including John Adams. While strongly supportive of liberty at the beginning of the Revolutionary War (he even served as Chaplain of Congress), Duche´ gave up hope for the patriot cause after Philadelphia was lost to the British. He brought great dishonor upon himself by sending a letter to George Washington in 1777 urging that the Declaration of Independence be rescinded, which eventually resulted in him being declared a traitor. Even though Rev. Duche´ was later disgraced, his message in this sermon is a powerful and compelling presentation of the liberty Christ provides His people, and the clear application of that liberty to the civil arena.
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1783
Preached by Henry Cumings, at the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 28, 1783.
The Rev. Henry Cumings was the Pastor of a Congregational Church in Billerica, Massachusetts. He was invited by State officials to preach a sermon at the opening of the legislative session in the year in which America officially secured her independence from Great Britain. This sermon was preached before the Lt. Governor, Thomas Cushing (a lawyer, he served as a soldier and also a member of the Continental Congress during the Revolution). Pastor Cumings preached on the importance of mutual submission and servitude, both in private life and politics. He explained that a leader suppressing a regard for the good of others confines himself to the narrow circle of his own private interest, thereby rendering himself, at best, a nuisance to society. He challenges the people to keep a “jealous eye on those who are trusted with power” and encourages “patriotism” (a love for God and for country) in light of the conflict with Great Britain.
♦ A Sermon on the Moral View of Rail Roads – Ohio, 1851
A Sermon on Transportation, preached by Samuel Clark Aiken, in Clevland, Ohio, on February 23, 1851.
Samuel Clark Aiken (1791-1879) was born in Windham, Vermont. He became the first permanent pastor of Cleveland, Ohio’s well-known Old Stone Church (also known as First Presbyterian Church) in 1835; and pastored there until his retirement in 1861. Rev. Aiken was also an outstanding civic leader in Cleveland. He preached several notable sermons including Theatrical Exhibitions (1836) and The Laws of Ohio in Respect to the Colored People, Shown to be Unequal, Unjust and Unconstitutional (1845). Among the audience members for Aiken’s Moral View of Rail Roads discourse were Governor of Ohio, Reuben Wood (soldier in the War of 1812), Speakers of the House and Senate, the presidents of two railroad companies, the mayors of Columbus and Cleveland, and others. In his discourse, Rev. Aiken cultivates a Christian worldview in his audience by presenting both a Biblical and historical context for transportation.
♦ An Election Sermon – New Hampshire, 1816
Preached by Pliny Dickinson, at Concord, New Hampshire on June 6, 1816.
The Rev. Pliny Dickenson was Pastor of a Congregational Church in Walpole, New Hampshire. Pastor Dickinson was invited to preach to the opening assembly of the State Legislature in New Hampshire in 1816, the year following the end of the War of 1812. This sermon was preached before the Governor, William Plumer (a lawyer, Baptist Preacher and U. S. Senator before becoming Governor), the Lt. Governor, and the legislature of New Hampshire. In this sermon, Pastor Dickenson uses the life of King Joash to draw multiple “profitable reflections,” relevant to those elected to office, including “religious education”; “the fatal effects of listening to the advice of the wicked”; “the happy influence of religion in a ruler”; “civil and religious institutions”; the “fatal effects of the fear of man that bringeth a snare”; and the importance of “firmness and stability.”
♦ An Execution Sermon – Hartford, 1797
Preached by the Rev. Nathan Strong, in Hartford, Connecticut, on June 10th, 1797.
The Rev. Nathan Strong (1748-1816) was born in Connecticut. He attended Yale, graduating in 1769 (he went on to receive a D.D. degree from Princeton in 1801). Rev. Strong was set in as pastor of the First Church of Hartford in 1774. Interestingly, both his father, also named Nathan, and brother, Joseph, were clergymen as well. Strong became a chaplain in the patriot army during the American Revolution, and was a strong supporter of the American cause. He later was a chief founder and a manager of the Connecticut Missionary Society (founded in 1798), and was involved in the “Connecticut Evangelical Magazine,” which lasted fifteen years. In this “execution sermon,” preached before Richard Doane was executed for the murder of Daniel M’Iver, Rev. Strong reminds his listeners (including Doane) of the terrible consequences of a sinful life apart from God, and urges them to be reconciled to God through Christ.
♦ An Election Sermon – Connecticut, 1796
Preached by John Marsh, A.M., at Hartford, Connecticut on May 12, 1796.
The Rev. John Marsh was the Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Pastor Marsh was invited to preach this sermon after the death of Governor Samuel Huntington (a Founding Father and a signer of the Declaration of Independence), as Lt. Governor Oliver Wolcott (another Founding Father and a signer of the Declaration) was taking the Governorship (Wolcott had served as a military general during the Revolution). This Election Sermon was preached before Lt. Governor Wolcott, and the legislature of Connecticut, on May 12, 1796, as George Washington was preparing to leave the presidency. In this sermon, Pastor Marsh looks at the design of civil government and the importance of Christianity in the civil ruler. Marsh praises former Governor Huntington for his profession of religion, reliance on Christianity, and for not being ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; he then challenges new Governor Wolcott concerning his relationship with God and his duties in public and private life.
♦ A Sermon on the Infirmities and Comforts of Old Age – West Springfield, 1805
Preached by Joseph Lathrop, in West Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1805.
Joseph Lathrop, a New England clergyman, was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on October 20, 1731. He graduated from Yale in 1754, and was ordained as pastor of the Congregational church in West Springfield in 1756 – a church he pastored for over sixty years until his retirement in 1818. Many of his sermons were published; and a portion of them were issued in a seven volume series (published from 1796-1821), the last of which was published following his death in December of 1820. In this 1805 sermon, preached when he was 74 years old, Rev. Lathrop encourages his listeners to adopt a Biblical perspective on aging; to recognize that its effects are inevitable; to lean more heavily on God for grace to deal with the weakening of the body; and to maintain a positive testimony of faith before others. (Rev. Lathrop would preach another sermon on aging, Old Age Improved, in 1811, when he had reached his 80th year.)
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1800
Preached by Joseph McKeen, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 18, 1800.
The Rev. Joseph McKeen was the Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Beverly, Massachusetts. Joseph McKeen preached this sermon to the legislature of Massachusetts, on May 18, 1800, as the quasi-war with France was closing and as the presidency of Massachusetts’ favorite son, John Adams, was coming to an end. In this sermon, Pastor McKeen charges both the officials and the citizens with the significance of living a life of Christian principles as an example to win the confidence, attachment, and support of good men. He reminds them of the necessity of religion to the maintenance of order and tranquility, and he discusses the connection between freedom, religion, and morality. He then shows how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has the tendency to promote the happiness of a civil society.
♦ A Sermon on Christian Patriotism – Boston, 1840
Preached by Rev. Mellish Irving Motte, in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 5, 1840.
Rev. Mellish Irving Motte (1801-1881) was originally from Charleston, South Carolina. He obtained a Bachelors of Arts from Harvard in 1821 and became pastor of the South Congregational Church in Boston on May 21, 1828. In this 1840 sermon, Rev. Motte encourages Christians to fully engage the culture, especially in the political arena. He decries politicians acting out of self-interest and greed rather than making decisions based upon what is morally right and wrong. Motte insists that religious morality is the very first manifestation of true patriotism and “Public virtue is the strongest spirit of national vitality.” He reminds his listeners that nations must be judged in the present since they do not exist in eternity and national ruin awaits national unrighteousness. Rev. Motte states that America’s Fathers founded the country on Christian principles and intended for the United States to be a Christian nation. According to Motte, the realization of this goal is to be found in individual piety and allegiance to righteousness over any political party.
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1791
Preached by Chandler Robbins, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 25, 1791.
The Rev. Chandler Robbins was the Pastor of the First Congregational Church in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the home of the original Pilgrims of 1620. Chandler Robbins was invited by state government officials to preach at the outset of the Legislative session. This Election Sermon was preached before Governor John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration), Lt. Governor Samuel Adams (“The Father of the American Revolution” and also a signer of the Declaration of Independence), and the legislature of Massachusetts, on May 25, 1791, as the Bill of Rights was being added to the U. S. Constitution. In this sermon, Pastor Robbins identifies three things that contribute to a happy and prosperous nation: a good constitution; a good administration of the government (concerning which he identifies the qualifications necessary for good civil leaders); and the duty of the people (the stewards of the government). He finishes with the challenge that everything related to civil and private life must be done in the fear of the Lord.
♦ A Sermon on the Great Fire in Boston – Boston, 1760
A Sermon on God’s Providence Acknowledged in Calamities, preached by Rev. Jonathan Mayhew, in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 20, 1760.
Rev. Jonathan Mayhew (1720-66) was a Massachusetts clergyman. He graduated with honors from Harvard in 1744 and began pastoring the West Church (Boston) in 1747. He preached what he considered to be a rational and practical Christianity based on the Scriptures. Mayhew was a true Puritan and staunchly defended civil liberty; he published many sermons related to the preservations of those liberties, including one immediately following the repeal of the Stamp Act entitled The Snare Broken (1766). Highly thought of by many patriots, including John Adams, who credited Rev. Mayhew with being one of the most influential individuals in preparing Americans for their fight for independence. In this sermon, Mayhew exhorts his congregation after the Great Fire in Boston (March 20, 1760), providing them with a Biblical perspective of disasters and encouraging them to cultivate a humble and repentant heart before God. Rev. Mayhew’s sermon is an unambiguous example of how early American pastors used the events of their day to impart truth and promote the development of a Christian worldview within their flocks.
♦ An Election Sermon – Vermont, 1812
Preached by the Rev. Isaac Beall, Pastor of the Baptist Church of Christ in Pawlet, Vermont.
This Election Sermon was delivered before Governor Jonas Galusha (a soldier during the American Revolution), Lt. Governor Paul Brigham. (also a soldier during the American Revolution), and the Honorable Council and the House of Representatives of the State of Vermont, on October 8, 1812, as the War of 1812 was in its earliest stages. Pastor Beall gives six necessities for “political righteousness – that is, a righteous administration of the government.” He concludes with contrasting the “reverse of righteousness” and challenging the people always to choose a leader “called of God … to the chair of government.”
♦ An Artillery Sermon – Boston, 1809
Preached by John Foster, in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 5, 1809.
John Foster, a New England clergyman, was born in Massachusetts, on April 19, 1763. He graduated from Dartmouth in 1783 and went on to receive advanced degrees from both Dartmouth College and Harvard University. Foster was selected as the first pastor of the Congregational church in Brighton, Massachusetts, in 1783. He preached in Brighton until October of 1827, and died two years later in September of 1829. Foster was a board member of Harvard University in addition to being involved in numerous other benevolent works. He was married to Hannah Webster, who was a famous early American novelist. Here, Foster delivers what is called an “Artillery Sermon”, an annual sermon given before a military audience. Rev. Foster provides a Biblical perspective on war by discussing just war and self-defense, the lamentability of war, the importance of preparedness, and God’s sovereignty ruling over every event.
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1790
Preached by Daniel Foster, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 26, 1790.
The Reverend Daniel Foster was born in 1750. He was ordained in 1788 (his father, the Rev. Isaac Foster, preached his ordination), and pastored a church in New Braintree, Massachusetts for many years. Daniel Foster had numerous sermons published, of which copies of five are known to be extant. In this election sermon, preached before Governor John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration), Lt. Governor Samuel Adams (“The Father of the American Revolution” and also a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, Rev. Foster provides an exemplary model of a pastor illuminating God’s governmental principles for the political leaders of his State. He lists the duties of magistrates as well as the duties of the people in a Christian country, and details God’s design for civil government. Reverend Foster ends his sermon by directly addressing on a personal and individual level John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and the legislators. Foster’s sermon is loaded with Biblical wisdom; and he is an excellent example of a minister who’s “lips keep knowledge [that] the people should seek the law from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7).
♦ A Sermon on a Solar Eclipse – West Springfield, 1806
Preached Joseph Lathrop, in West Springfield, Massachusetts, on June 16, 1806.
Joseph Lathrop, a New England clergyman, was born in Norwich, Connecticut, on October 20, 1731. He graduated from Yale in 1754, and was ordained as pastor of the Congregational church in West Springfield in 1756 – a church he pastored for over sixty years until his retirement in 1818. Many of his sermons were published; and a portion of them were issued in a seven volume series (published from 1796-1821), the last of which was published following his death in December of 1820. In this sermon, Rev. Lathrop uses the occasion of a recent solar eclipse to strengthen the Biblical worldview of his parishioners by providing both a scientific explanation and gleaning spiritual truths from the phenomenon. Lathrop’s sermon is a clear example of how early American pastors used the events of their time to impart truth and develop the Christian worldview of their listeners.
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1788
Preached by David Parsons, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, May 28, 1788.
David Parsons was an influential pastor from New Hampshire. He was born in Amherst in 1749. Parsons attended Harvard and graduated in 1771; he later received a Doctorate of Divinity from Brown University in 1800. Rev. Parsons pastored the Amherst Congregational church from 1782 until 1819, and was a proficient scholar. He was offered the divinity chair at Yale in 1795 but declined the honor. He did however, become a principle backer for Amherst College, donating the land for the college and serving as board president (Noah Webster also played a significant role in the founding and establishment of Amherst College). David Parsons died in May of 1823 at the age of 74. In this election sermon, preached before Governor John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration), and both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, Rev. Parsons continues the century-old tradition of American ministers giving a sermon before newly-elected government leaders. Parsons’ sermon describes the importance of virtuous civil rulers and characterizes good government from a Biblical standpoint.
♦ A Sermon on Marriage, 1837
Preached by the Rev. Henry Handley Norris, in South Hackney, London, on July 2, 1837.
The Rev. Henry Handley Norris was a British clergyman who served as Rector of South Hackney in Middlesex County, England. Rev. Norris married Catherine Henrietta Powell in 1805. Their marriage lasted for forty-five years until his death in December of 1850. In this sermon, Norris marks the recent passage of a new law on marriage by providing a detailed look at the marriage institution from a Biblical perspective. He painstakingly progresses through the Scriptures in establishing his point that marriage is most importantly a religious institution, and therefore it should never be relegated to a strictly civil character. Rev. Norris emphasizes that God created and established the marriage institution and therefore His intent and purposes should be followed by both religious and civil rulers. Rev. Norris’ sermon provides an example of how 18th and 19th century clergymen regularly instructed their congregations in a Biblical worldview.
♦ An Election Sermon – Massachusetts, 1790
Preached by Daniel Foster, in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on May 26, 1790.
The Reverend Daniel Foster was born in 1750. He was ordained in 1788 (his father, the Rev. Isaac Foster, preached his ordination), and pastored a church in New Braintree, Massachusetts for many years. Daniel Foster had numerous sermons published, of which copies of five are known to be extant. In this election sermon, preached before Governor John Hancock (President of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Declaration), Lt. Governor Samuel Adams (“The Father of the American Revolution” and also a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and both houses of the Massachusetts legislature, Rev. Foster provides an exemplary model of a pastor illuminating God’s governmental principles for the political leaders of his State. He lists the duties of magistrates as well as the duties of the people in a Christian country, and details God’s design for civil government. Reverend Foster ends his sermon by directly addressing on a personal and individual level John Hancock, Samuel Adams, and the legislators. Foster’s sermon is loaded with Biblical wisdom; and he is an excellent example of a minister who’s “lips keep knowledge [that] the people should seek the law from his mouth” (Malachi 2:7).
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