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The Iron Pen #86
"...graven with an iron pen and lead..." Job
19:24
Pastor David L. Brown, Ph.D. God & CountryThe greatest civilians, who equally contend for the rights of individuals and the energies of government, are in the habit of enumerating certain rights of which the citizens cannot be deprived, but by despotic tyranny. Nations that are wise, form their constitutions of government as charters of rights retained, and of powers granted. Indeed there are some rights which may or may not be surrendered, and the quantum of sacrifice depends upon the exigence (urgency) of the time and the object to be obtained. But, there are other rights which individuals possess, so inalienable in their nature that they cannot be surrendered. The tyrant himself cannot acquire them, nor can individuals grant them. Of this description the rights of conscience and private judgment (opinion). Elder John Leland 1754-1841 A Baptist Preacher and the First Amendment
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During the summer of 2001 my family and I took a trip to Virginia and
North Carolina to do family tree research and visit some historic
locations. As we were traveling "the Constitution Route" on highway 20 in
Virginia, I came across an interesting monument about seven miles east of
Orange. On it was the embossed head of John Leland, the influential
Baptist preacher and champion of religious liberty. It is believed that
the monument marks the location where James Madison and John Leland met to
discuss Madison’s candidacy for Virginia delegate to the Convention to
ratify the Federal Constitution. At that meeting, Leland pressed Madison
concerning his stand on religious freedom and individual rights. Madison
promised Leland if he was elected, he would do all in his power to see
that religious freedom and individual freedom would be incorporated into
the Constitution by amendment. Elder John Leland and hence the Orange
Baptists did throw their support behind James Madison who was elected. As
expected, he voted in favor of ratification of the Constitution. Then,
true to his word, he drafted and introduced twelve amendments to the
Constitution. Article III of Madison’s proposed Bill of Rights reads,
"Congress shall make no laws establishing articles of Faith, or mode of
worship, or prohibiting the free exercise of religion, or abridging
freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble and to petition to the government for redress of grievances."
The members of the convention condensed Madison’s proposed third article.
In fact, they changed it to the First Amendment which reads; "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 to petition
the government for a redress of grievances."