Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-05

auulClOn, 'UHb We government Sh0tl
proceed from the midst of thenj' but
the wisdom Of the Continental Con-
gress, in which we cheerfully conf de,
has restrained me from making it a
part of my text. In an abler hand at
some filter time, it may of itself alone
suffice for complete te1t. Amen: 50
let 1t BE-" It is clear where he stands.
He is more than ready for the Declara-
ton of Independence. Let it come,
and when it does, it will be thundered
from every New England pulpit; and
startle every hearer like the blast 5f q
bugle.
But not only did the revolution in
New England rest on the shoulders of
the clergy, and the pulpit become the
great recruiting station for the army,
but clergyman caused the first blow
to be struck that has made Lexington
Immortal. 1t was on the village green,
in front of Lexington church, of which
Jonas Clark was pastor, that the first
blood was shed, and flowed from the
veins of his own parishioners. Settled
on little farm, with salary of eighty
pounds year and twenty cords OF
wood, he seemed destined to exert little
influence outside of his small parish ;
yet he started a movement that rent a
kingdom assunder, and is destined to
revolutionize the civilized world. His
wife was the cousin of John Hancock,
and the two men spent many an hour
discussing the great principles of hu-
man freedom and the right of the
colonies. The fruit Of these discussions
was given to his people from the pulpit
and at the town meetings. They, in
turn, had these views embodied in in
rtructions to their delegate to the Pro
vincial Legislature, as expressing the
wishes and determinations, and they
remain to this day on the town records
as model papers. Mr.. Everett once
said "they had no superiors and few
equals" He says. moreover, "Mr.
Clark was of class of citizens who
rendered service second to no others in
enlightening and animating the popular
mind on the great question at issue;
mean the patriotic clergy of New Eng
land.
Rev. William Ware saids "There
was nc person at that time, in that
vicinity-not only NO clergyman, but
no person of whatever calling or prof
fession-who took a ftneer stand for
the liberties of bis country" In fact,
he educated his people up to the point
of resistance, and on that memorable
morning of the 10Th of April; when at
two O'Clock the fierce clang Of his own
church bell called his parishoners to
the spot, they found their pastor al:
ready there to rouse their courage by
his presence and appeals. The roll
was called. and a hundred and fifty
men answered to their names. What
an impressive scene they presented, -
the pastor and his congregation stand
ing there in the dim starlight, under
the shadow of that silent church, watt
ing for the clock of destiny to strike
the hour. AS the pastor passed along
the ranks every eye cleaned with more
than heroic fire, and every hand grasped
the freloek with frmer clutch. Clark
had trained them for that hour. Would
they fight ? Hancock and Ada ms had
asked. Yes, said Clark; not only
would they fight, but die right there,
Under the shadow of the house of God
and in the presence Of their pastor.
Afterward, in the sharp rattle of musk
etry that followed the order, "Throw
down your aims and dispsrse," Mr..
Clark heard what he knew would be
the result of bis own teachings. When
the smoke cleared away, and the British
had retreated, be walked up and gazed
long and silently on the seven stalwart
men,-his own Pensioners, that lay
stark and stiff in death. But he shed
no tears. uttered no regrets he only
murmured in solemn tones: "Fron,
this day wiU be dated the liberty OF
the s0or5d." His prophetic eye saw
clearly "'beyond that days business. -
And SO, as we stated before, "the teach
angs Of the pulpit Of Lexington caused
the first bIoaO to be struck for american
Independence.
No. II
Not only, as we showed in our last
paper, did the clergy of New England
educate the people in the knowledge of
their rights and precipitate the first
fight, but many of them stood in the
front rank in the various Houses Of the
representatives of the people. We will
not enumerate them here, but simply
refer to the venerable DR.. Witherspoon,
member of the first continental Con-
gress. When the Declaration of Inde-
pendence came up for discussion, he
had no misgivings or hesitation but,
in an able speech defending it, said he
had little property and perhaps few
years of life left, yet he would sacrifice
both to uphold that Declaration. But
some Of the most touching scenes were