Black Robed Regiment

 

“To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted.”[1]

 

        Activism in the Church is as American as apple pie or baseball. The original example of activism in the church started before America was even an official nation. We have all heard the stories of our founding fathers standing up against the British's tyranny, but activism was not limited to just these brave men. The question of fighting for freedom reached the lowest levels in colonial society. While the founding fathers are the most well known for fighting, many others stood up and fought alongside them.

        The question of freedom was often the topic of Sunday morning sermons streaming from colonial churches' pulpits. In fact, the argument for loyalty to the crown was also the topic of sermons in churches throughout the colonies. During this time, preachers fiercely argued in favor or against revolution. Pastor John Witherspoon, the only pastor to sign the Declaration of Independence, argued in favor of war. In his sermon, The Dominion of Providence, he argued that war would be a “special event in sacred history.”[2] He said, “in many cases, it is the duty of a good man, by open reproof and opposition, to wage war with profaneness. There is a scriptural precept delivered in very singular terms, to which I bed your attention: ‘Thou shalt not hate they brother in they heart, but shall in any wise rebuke him and not suffer sin upon him.’”[3] He goes on to justify war saying, “it is in the man of piety and inward principle that we may expect to find the uncorrupted patriot, the useful citizen, and the invincible soldier.”[4]

        Other pastors like John Rodgers of the First Presbyterian Church of New York said, “let a spirit of patriotism fire your breath.”[5] Most pastors felt their call was to their parishioners, speak the truth, and remain behind to take care of the congregation, especially if war broke out. Not all pastors felt this way. A special group of pastors referred to as the Black Robed Regiment, a nickname given to them by the British, was in a category all their own. These pastors were feared by the British and for a good reason. Many of these pastors not only preached revolution, but when the time came, they switched out their clergy robes for the uniforms of a Continental soldier. It is important to note that these were not chaplains in the army either. Members of the Black Robed Regiment were pastors that fought in the military as soldiers and officers.

            Peter Muhlenberg was one such pastor. In his famous sermon one Sunday morning in 1776 Muhlenberg, preaching from Ecclesiastes 3: 1-3, said, “that, in the language of the holy writ, there was a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray, but those times had passed away;’ and in a voice that re-echoed through the church like a trumpet-blast, ‘that there was a time to fight, and that time had now come!”[6] It was at that time that Muhlenberg removed his clergy robes to reveal the uniform of a Continental Officer and marched out of the church. Over three hundred of his parishioners stood up and left with him to fight for independence. Together these mean, along with their pastor, formed the 8^th Virginia Regiment in the Revolutionary War.

        Pastors and soldiers both played critical roles in society. Peter Muhlenberg and other members of the Black Robed Regiment are examples of colonial citizens ready to put into practice the very words they preached from the pulpit on a Sunday morning. This group of men was feared by the British. They knew that these unique officers had a large and loyal following to follow their pastor and officer into any situation.

        The Black Robed Regiment is an example of not only activism in the early church, but represents the lengths to which the colonials were willing to go to remain free people and not subjected to what they considered to be the tyranny of the British.

        That fateful Sunday morning was the last time Reverend Muhlenberg would wear the robes of the clergy. After a successful career in the Revolutionary War, then “Major-General Muhlenberg was a particular favourite of the commander in chief, and he was one of those brave men, in whose coolness, decision of character, and undaunted resolution, he could ever rely.”[7] After the war, Muhlenberg served in various capacities in government to include serving in both the House of Representatives[8], Senator of the United States, Vice-President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, Supervisor of the Excise in Pennsylvania, and Collector of the Port of Philadelphia.

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[1] Ecclesiastes 3: 1-3

[2] Emory Elliot, “The Dove and Serpent: The Clergy in the American Revolution,” American Quarterly 2, no. 2 (Summer, 1979): 191.   187-203

[3] John Witherspoon, The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men: A Sermon preached at Princeton, the 17th of May, 1776, being the general fast appointed by the Congress through the United Colonies (Philadelphia: R. Aitken, 1776), 40-60.

[4] Ibid.

[5] John Rodgers, Untitled Sermon (New York, NY, 14 January 1776), First Presbyterian Church in the City of New York Records, accession 14-0916, Presbyterian Historical Society, Philadelphia, PA.

[6] Muhlenberg, Henry Augustus. The life of Major-General Peter Muhlenberg of the Revolutionary Army. Philadelphia: Carey and Hart, 1849, [c1848]. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926 53.

[7] Rogers, Thomas Jones. Lives of the departed heroes, sages, and statesmen of America: confined exclusively to those who have signalized themselves in either capacity, in the Revolutionary War, which obtained their country's independence. New York: J. Gladding, 1834. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926. 324.

[8] United States. Congress. House. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States. Vol. 1. Washington [D.C.]: Printed by Gales & Seaton, 1826. Sabin Americana: History of the Americas, 1500-1926