The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-03-21
BAPTlSTS AND JAMESTOWN
Synopsis Of Sermon by Rev. R. Aubrey Williams
on that Subject.

The sermon al the Baptist church Sun
day morning by Rev X Aubrey Williams,
the pastor, was OF such unusual interest
that we publish IA brief synopsis OF IL. 1t
has references to the contribution Oi Bap
lists to the cause OF religious liberty and
the obligations which rest upon them
To ret forth that history at the james
town Exposition. The text was taken
from Daniel BIS: But II not, be II
known unto thee, q king, that We will
not serve thy gods MIR. Williams said
ia part. Liberty has always beeD the
priceless boon that men have every
where coveted They call II, in the
language Of AZ immortal document, an
iuaileunble right. There is no sentiment
for which men have suff red moreno
land for which men have paid more;
every iGch OF her territory has been won
at a terrible price. Side by side with
civil liberty stands her twin sister, soul
liberty, and for this men will fight as a
tigeress for her young and il they 10 down
they will 60 down with their llags flying
and their faces to the foe.
In all the annals of men there Is no
more daring triumyrate than those
three Hebrew men who faced and went
into a fiery furnace because they dared
10 believe that they had the right to
worship their God according 70 the die
tates Of their conscience. Those men
have had many successors, scattered here
aud there through the centuries, Stephen,
Paul, John Huss, Bunyan, but the
battle for religious liberty was
not fought to a fnish until it was fought
on American soil and right here in old
Virginia was It's chief battle ground.
The part that Baptsts played in that
memorable struggle Ia matter oil his
tory. Many are entitled To praise IN
that heroic work, many great and giO-
rious leaders were in deep aud abiding
sympathy-W Washington, Madison. Ma
son. Henry and Jefferson, but the brunt
of the fight wac borne by Baptist lead
ers and their followers. Virginia ~ elo-
duent with testimony. The ialis oiChes-
terfield. Urbanns, Alexandria, Culpeper,
Warrenton and right here in Fredericks-
burg became the prisons CT Baptist
preachers for no other reason than pro-
claiming the gospel OF Jesus Christ to
men. These men turned prisons into
sauctuaries and cells into pulpits and
from their fettered qua to preached
the unfettered gospel to the SONS OF men.
Yonder beside the historic waters OF
Hampton Roads the enterprise oi our
people has built great exposition. Ii
is unlike any other exposition that our
land has had. The splendid exhibitions
OF the past have told with a thousand
tongues the marvellous development OF
these United States In all forms OF indus
try and art, but the exposition at James
town is not to stand or set forth how
much money has been made, how many
railroads have been run, how many
manufactures have been built, but It Is
to stand for an idea-it is 10 commemo-
rate a sentiment-Liberty. That iust-
fies it's existence but the story oil civil
liberty without the story OF soul liberty
would be like proclaiming the day when
the sun is in eclipse.
In the proclamation OF that history,
Virginia Baptists have a mighty story
to tell. By the testimony of stripes, of
Imprisonment, OF blood, by the evidence
of addresses, OF memorials, OF petitions
sent to Presidents and House Of Bur
oesses we have the right to tell the story,
yea. not only right, but an obligation
to the passing thousands that when
they shall read by the mute memorials OF
Jamestown the glorious records OF 300
years OF civil liberty they can Likewise
read the wonderful history OF the battles
for the freedom of the soul. Fredericks-
burg Baptists must be represented there
Our fathers bore in their bodies the
marks of the Lord J,sus and from the
graves OF Waller, Of Craig and others,
the voices of the dead command US to
tell the story of the past
Lest we forget Lest we forgetl''