One Sunday morning in January 1776 John Muhlenberg, a colonial Virginia pastor, wore the traditional black clerical robe as usual. He preached from Ecclesiastes, chapter 3 that reads there is a time for all things… a time to be born… to die… to plant… to harvest.

He declared, “There’s a time of war and a time of peace. There is a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray.  But there is also a time to fight, and that time has now come!”

With those words Muhlenberg did the unusual as he disrobed before his congregation. He removed his black robe that he wore over a colonial officer’s full dress uniform.  He left his pulpit and appealed to the men of his congregation to fight for independence from British tyranny.

The pastor then left the church, and the men followed. In fact, three hundred men followed Colonel Muhlenberg to form the 8th Virginia regiment. Muhlenberg bravely led those men throughout the Revolutionary War of Independence, was promoted to Major General, and became one of Washington’s most valuable commanders in the Continental Army.

John Muhlenberg did what he did, because he had hope for independence from tyranny — hope for liberty.

As we celebrate the birthday of that new nation for which patriots like Muhlenberg fought, may we Americans always carry in our own hearts the hope to maintain a free United States of America, to return to God as a nation, and to continue to enjoy liberty in the land of the free and the home of the brave. God bless the USA!

By the way the Black Robed Regiment was the name given by the British because of the large number of pastors leading in the fight for Independence.

Go to wallbuilders.com; theresonancemovement.com; or blackrobereg.org to learn more about the Black Robed Regiment (also called Black Robed Brigade.)