Founding Fathers Who Were Ministers 4

Although some pastors held political offices and/or participated in political debates, far and away their greatest influence came from their role in the pulpit. In addition to regular Sunday morning sermons, they had other venues to educate Americans in the Biblical principles of liberty. Here are seven common occasions.

1. The Election Sermon. The tradition of Election Sermons began in 1634 and continued for generations thereafter. Many states began each year's legislative session by inviting a minister to preach a sermon on Biblical principles of government and liberty before the governor and both houses of the state legislature.

Of these sermons, 19th century historian John Wingate Thornton explained:

The clergy were generally consulted by the civil authorities; and not infrequently the suggestions from the pulpit on election days (and other special occasions) were enacted into laws. The statute-book---the reflection of the age---shows this influence. The State was developed out of the Church. The annual "Election Sermon" (a perpetual memorial continued down through the generations from century to century) still bears witness that our fathers ever began their civil year and its responsibilities with an appeal to Heaven, and recognized Christian morality as the only basis of good laws....The sermon is styled the Election sermon, and is printed. Every representative has a copy for himself, and generally one or more for the minister or ministers of his town.

Content sourced from The American Story The Beginnings by David Barton and Tim Barton