"Let
Freedom Ring!"
by Lucinda Secrest McDowell
Because my church was first "gathered" in 1635, I often think back
to the countless "cloud of witnesses" who once worshipped there.
Our current sanctuary was built in 1761 and is still called The Meetinghouse
because, in those days, all important events in town took place at church.
The members of the church at that time were quite staunch supporters of the
patriot cause. They wanted their freedom from England!
One
historian says,
"they
likened England's persecution of her
colonies to the Old Testament persecution of the Hebrews by the Egyptians;
encouraged their people to enlist and to support all resistance efforts and
when war actually came, saw divine intervention in all colonial victories."
Historic
archives of our church state "the
Sunday following the Lexington
alarm was a busy one in Wethersfield.The Broad Street or First Company of the Sixth
Militia regiment prepared to march to Boston. They attended the morning service as
a body and sat in the gallery. 'Dr. Marsh preached and everyone in the church was
in tears.' Final preparations were made and in the afternoon families and friends
gathered in front of the meetinghouse where Dr. Marsh offered a prayer."
During the Revolutionary War, General George Washington worshiped at our church
three times. Sunday, May 20, 1781, was particularly notable because it was during
the meeting Washington had with the Count de Rochambeau to plan the Battle of
Yorktown. The following Tuesday the generals and their aides met in Old
Wethersfield to hold what has been called "the most important conference of the war."
When
I worship in the Meetinghouse today I can't help but wonder:
"Is
this the pew where George Washington sat?" My mind imagines that Sunday when
so many of the parishoners were coming for spiritual sustenance before embarking
on a journey from which they might never return. Were they excited? Were they
exhilerated? They were going to fight for FREEDOM! And they were willing to lay
down their lives for freedom if that were required.
St.
Paul wrote, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand
firm,
then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge
the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love." (Galatians 5. 1 & 13)
Why,
then, do so many people act like slaves, in bondage to fear,
status, material possessions, destructive relationships, shame, and so much more?
Because even if we have HEARD about this freedom that Christ's love brings to us,
many of us can't imagine that something this good and this revolutionary could be
true! How much do you want to be free today? Our foremothers and forefathers
were willing to do whatever was necessary. Today perhaps you can do the same.
"Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fastbound in sin and nature's night,
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light.
My chains fell off, My heart was FREE,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.
Amazing Love, How can it be?
That Thou, my God, should'st die for me?"
~ Charles Wesley
~copyright
Lucinda Secrest McDowell 
