Today, March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry stood before the House of Burgesses in St. Johns Church, Richmond Virginia and cried out his famous plea for resistance to tyranny. America had no funds and no trained militia. It would seem madness to aggravate the British government in any way that led to war. Such was the prevailing opinion of the time and yet Mr. Henry was not governed by fear of prevailing opinions. He well knew, “There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave…. If we wish to be free--if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending--if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained--we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us! … Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace--but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! [He speaks here of Boston besieged by a British fleet!] Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Ascribing glory forever and ever to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, who says to us, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

Read Patrick Henry’s entire speech here.

The faith of a man who has cast himself entirely on God…

(As quoted in A Word in Season, vol. 2, pg. 5-7, by R.J. Rushdoony)

"What made St. Patrick great when many men of far greater ability are today forgotten or barely known? There were many church men of far greater learning than Patrick, better trained for the job than he was, and in every human respect his superior. While Patrick was a superior man, if we had been living in his day, we would have picked a number of other men as far more likely to make their mark and achieve greatness.

There were, however certain things which set Patrick apart. First of all there was his faith. R.P.C. Hanson in his book, St. Patrick, writes, “Patrick realizes perfectly well that God's providence is quite compatible with his meeting disaster and death. He is prepared for the worst to happen. His faith in God is not a faith that God will always work a miracle to save him, but a conviction that he can entirely trust God to bring about a good result whatever may happen, the faith of a man who has cast himself entirely on God."…

It was said of St. Patrick that he was a man of one book, the Bible, not because he was an ignorant man, or one not versed in the thinking of his day, but because all his learning and experience were brought to focus on one thing, knowing and proclaiming the Word of God… St. Patrick knew that his God is the true and great God, Lord of all creation, and at all times he acted in the certainty of God’s victory. Other men were more impressed by their obstacles and enemies and less impressed in practice by God, and despite their great abilities, they failed to accomplish what St. Patrick did. What impresses [us] most, God or our problems?”

Praying we would always act in the certainty of God’s victory!