The Battle of Lexington: A Sermon and Eyewitness Narrative

by Jonas Clark

Overview

There was no better-prepared place to inaugurate the first battle of the War for Independence than the little village of Lexington. For pastor Clark “discussed from the pulpit the great questions at issue, and that powerful voice thundered forth the principles of personal, civil, and religious liberty, and the right of resistance, in tones as earnest and effective as it had the doctrines of salvation by the cross.” (J. T. Headley, Heroes of Liberty: Chaplains and Clergy of the American Revolution, 21.) “It was to the congregation, educated by such a man, that Providence allowed to be entrusted the momentous events of April 19, events which were to decide the fate of a continent—that of civil liberty the world over.” (Headley, 23)
Today, the Battle of Lexington is little spoken of, for as a nation we have forgotten our history. We have neglected the heroes of our freedom and liberty. But there was a time when this day was remembered and odes were written to commemorate the occasion. Paul Revere’s Ride and the Concord Hymn are two examples. (See Appendix) Our history books no longer tell the true story of Lexington, so we must.
America is perishing for the need of preachers who apply God’s holy Word to every area of life including personal, civil, and religious liberty. The Church needs more pastors like Jonas Clark, a preacher who taught the great doctrines of salvation in Christ alone and the Biblical right to resistance, which gave his congregation courage to stand in the face of great odds. The Battle of Lexington should inspire every man, in all stations of life, to stand and make a difference.
— Rev. Christopher Hoops, Theology Editor for Nordskog Publishing

Product Details

BN ID:	2940154380154
Publisher:	Nordskog Publishing Inc.
Publication date:	05/19/2017
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

Jonas Clark was born on Christmas day, marking his life in obedience to Jesus Christ. He had six sons and six daughters, all but four living at the time of his death. Four of the daughters married clergymen. Rev. Clark graduated from Cambridge in 1752 and was ordained in Lexington three years later. In addition to being a fulltime clergyman, he was an industrious, hard-working farmer. He cultivated sixty acres of land, which he still owned at the end of his life.

As the pastor of the church at Lexington, he typically gave four sermons a week, written out and orally presented—nearly 2200 sermons in his lifetime. His preaching was vigorous in style, animated in manner, instructive in matter, and delivered with uncommon energy and zeal, with an agreeable and powerful voice. His sermons were rarely less than an hour, often more, and in theological opinions he was considered amongst the Trinitarians and Calvinists. The spirit and temper of his life were just what the Gospel was designed to produce. He was a Christian in the highest and best sense of the term, shown to be such by a long and exemplary life and a faithful practice of the virtues he had preached to others. He was considered a patriot of the most ardent and decided character. In addition to all this, he witnessed the first outbreak of the War for Independence at Lexington.