Many Baptists who had been persecuted (my sermons entitled “Those Darn Baptists” demonstrate this) in colonial New England for preaching the gospel were deeply concerned that the proposed Constitution did not go far enough in guaranteeing liberty of conscience in religious freedom. The approval of nine states was required to ratify the Constitution, and Rhode Island and Virginia were both refusing to sign because it did not guarantee liberty of conscience in religious freedom.
The Constitutional Convention was embracing the Virginian, James Madison’s, version of the new Constitution. However, there were Baptists in various counties who did not trust Madison. They actually looked to the separatist Baptist preacher, John Leland, for leadership. He was a powerful Baptist preacher and leader who was highly esteemed and trusted by Virginians.
At the time, Baptists were siding more and more with Patrick Henry in an attempt to unseat Madison as the Virginia delegate to the convention, and Madison also became aware that Leland and the people were growing hesitant of supporting him and/or the new Constitution.
Consequently, Madison arranged a meeting with Mr. Leland during which Madison promised Leland that he would include a definite declaration for religious liberty and conscience in the new Constitution, which would guarantee religious liberty to all Americans. Subsequently Mr. Leland publically endorsed James Madison.
Madison informed Pastor George Eve that the Constitution needed to include and especially address rights of conscience. On January 27, 1789 Pastor Eve defended Madison during a public meeting at his church Blue Run Baptist Church.
Then, on December 15, 1791 under the direct leadership of James Madison and the extraordinary influence of John Leland, the Bill of Rights was ratified. Thus Americans have known religious freedom that is unparalleled in human history or the current world milieu.
Our heritage of religious freedom is the result of God working in and through His people. Will the same be said about us by our descendants?
