HIST 701 Week 3 - Presbyterian Pastor in Prison!

When one considers the political and religious landscape today, it is not uncommon to find Christians on all sides of the sociopolitical spectrum. Despite the religious freedoms enjoyed by modern Americans, such freedom was not always so; and even Christians did not always find themselves on the “right side of the law.”  One only has to consider the persecution and imprisonment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during the Civil Rights Movement to realize that being a “law abiding citizen” and standing firm for one’s beliefs are not always one & the same.  

However, this was not just an issue in the 20th or 21st Centuries. In fact, even before the founding of the American nation, the “father of American Presbyterianism,” Francis Makemie, was imprisoned for preaching the gospel—much like the apostle Paul! History is not as far removed as one might think! Who was Francis Makemie? He was considered one of the founders of American Presbyterianism, and one of the early founders of churches in Maryland and Pennsylvania. Burdened by the need of small rural congregations, Makemie worked more as an itinerant preacher than an established pastor at a church. However, once while preaching in New York, Makemie (and fellow preacher John Hampton), were imprisoned because they were preaching without a permit, and the content of their preaching went against the doctrines of the Church of England (i.e. Anglicanism). 

Later on, Presbyterianism would make a name for itself in the preaching of Great Awakening charismatic preachers, and perhaps in one of the major enduring legacies of that time, a Presbyterian seminary and school was established: Princeton University. What Makemie's legacy shows is that bravery is required to be a Christian-- and certainly to be a Christian leader. Often, America is described as a "Christian Nation," a term that has been studied and commented on by academics and the everyman alike (see John Fea's Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? (Louisville, KY: WJK, 2016) for an excellent primer that is both academic and accessible). While Christian verbiage and principles may be found in America's founding documents, government structures, etc., there will always be a gap between the profession of Christianity and its actual expression. This is true even in churches; churches can claim to be Christian and yet preach and believe things quite contrary to the biblical message. What Makemie's example and story shows us is:

  1. Those who make great impacts may not always become famous, and that is ok. Faithfulness is more important than fame, and 
  2. Faithfulness to Jesus requires a critical evaluation of the faith itself and not just belonging to a societal "faith."  Sometimes that means it takes courage to stand against the established authorities if the authorities are biblically wrong. 

Hopefully this glimpse into a lesser-known historical figures inspires the reader to do a little more historical reading on their own!


Sources for Further Reading and Research

 

Note: These resources are accessed via Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926.

 

Force, Peter. Tracts and other papers relating principally to the origin, settlement, and progress of the colonies in North America : from the discovery of the country to the year 1776. Vol. 4, Printed by P. Force, 1836-1846. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926.

 

Gillett, Ezra Hall. History of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. Vol. 1, Presbyterian Publication Committee, 1864. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926.

 

Hill, William, and Charles Hodge. History of the rise, progress, genius, and character of American Presbyterianism : together with a review of "The constitutional history of the Presbyterian church in the United States of America by Chas. Hodge ...". J. Gideon, jr., 1839.  

 

Hodge, Charles. The constitutional history of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America. W.S. Martien, 1839-1840.  

 

Makemie, Francis. A plain and friendly perswasive to the inhabitants of Virginia and Maryland: for promoting towns and cohabitation. London: Printed by J. Humfreys, 1705.  

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