by BGAV Religious Liberty Committee

‍

‍

Greetings from the muster grounds in Abingdon, Virginia, where—on September 24, 1780—Colonel William Campbell assembled patriotic volunteers from southwestern Virginia as part of the Overmountain Men who made the long trek to defeat the army of Tories at the Battle of King's Mountain in South Carolina.

When the call for patriots to check the British southern advance went out, Baptists were at the forefront in answering. Thomas Woolsey of St. Clair's Bottom Baptist Church on the South Fork of the Holston River—near present- day Chilhowie—along with five other members, became part of the patriotic force. On October 7, 1780, the Overmountain Men, under the command of Colonel Campbell, surprised the British—who were atop King's Mountain—by attacking them from all sides and subduing them in only one hour.

Who were these Baptist patriots? The Reverend Thomas W. Woolsey was born in 1719 in Bedford, Westchester County, New York. In 1771, at the age of 52, he and his family moved—along with several other Baptist families—to the South Fork of the Holston River in an area still known as Sinclair's Bottom. There they established a Baptist meeting house—St.Clair's Bottom Baptist Church—that is perhaps the oldest church in southwestern Virginia of any denomination. While we're uncertain of the reasons for the migration of these Baptist families, it is almost certain that their desire for religious liberty was part of their motivation in moving to the frontier.

In much of colonial America, Baptists, as well as those from other denominations, were forced to be part of the established church. Here in Virginia, Baptist ministers were prohibited from preaching, conducting weddings, and performing baptisms. Baptists were forced to attend the Anglican church, to have their children baptized as infants in that church, and to pay taxes to support the state church. Those who dissented or acted in opposition to the state church were often fined, imprisoned, or otherwise persecuted.

On the frontier, early Baptists found some freedom from religious persecution. The call for liberty, including religious liberty, was at the core of America's battle cry for independence. Historically, Baptists have consistently stood on strong theological and moral ground in their fight for religious liberty for all people.

Religious liberty, in essence, is the right to worship or not worship God according to individual conscience. True worship can never be forced but must be freely given by the worshipper. Religious liberty deplores establishment by the state of any prescribed religion or religious test.

We must not surrender the liberties for which our Baptist forebears fought. As Baptists, we must continue to guard religious liberty for all people. We must fight against any establishment or favoritism on the part of government for any religion or even for no religion at all. We must muster for religious liberty to ensure that future generations continue to enjoy this fundamental freedom for all people.

For the Baptist General Association of Virginia's Religious Liberty Committee, I am Bill Bryan, pastor of Abingdon Baptist Church.

‍

This video and transcript were originally produced in 2025 by BGAV Religious Liberty Committee.