Project Appleseed

Mrs Flintlock and I went to see "A Great Awakening" today.  It's a Sight and Sound production and it's our kind of stuff. I now have a new Revolutionary War rabbit hole to go down.

Quote from: Flintlock54 on April 03, 2026, 08:40:32 PMMrs Flintlock and I went to see "A Great Awakening" today.  It's a Sight and Sound production and it's our kind of stuff. I now have a new Revolutionary War rabbit hole to go down.

Going to have to check that one out. And lol - yup another rabbit hole. There are so many of them.

Does it reference the Black Robes? That's another rabbit hole. Those were the preachers back in the day. It's said they were instrumental in gaining public support for the cause. Back then they didn't worry about the 501c3 exemptions and thus spoke freely. There was a church in San Antonio across from my friend's place years ago that got shut down because the preacher spoke truth to power - told the truth. Revoked his 501 and then made his life hell in other ways.

https://teachinghistory.org/history-content/ask-a-historian/24635

It's really good to see so many people turning back to faith nowadays. Might even call it a revival.

My wife and I went to a theater a few years back for the first time in I don't know how long. We went and saw the Sound of Freedom about child trafficking. Looks like another trip to the theater is in the cards.

The protagonist is an Anglican preacher named George Whitfield , pronounced Whitfil. He made 13 trips across the Alta and preached 13,000 sermons to huge crowds. Evidently the biggest celebrity in the colonies. I wonder why I ( we ) haven't heard of this guy. No reference to the black robes but this dude was a big deal

Correction. 18,000 sermons preached to as many as 10 million people in the Emplire. Crowds reached 80,000.

I have long been aware that the various kinds of clergy were very influential but 80 THOUSAND people!  18 th century rock star!  Put that into today's numbers and you are into the millions

I've never heard of that film but now I want to see it. Whitfield was a great man. The first real household name in the colonies other than the king. He was very instrumental in the Great Awakening and was friends with Benjamin Franklin. He also helped found the Methodist denomination in America.

Worthwhile to study and also in the same rabbit hole is Johnathan Edwards, another preacher of the same period. His sermon "Sinners in the hands of an angry God" is second to none.

Contemporary reports say Whitfield could be heard for over a mile.  There was enough abolitionist sentiment in the colonies that it was written into Jefferson's first draft of the Declaration.  I have a loud voice.  I just can't get over a man being heard for over a mile.  Some reports said up to two miles.

There is a set of books by Dan Fisher entitled, "Bringing Back the Black Robed Regiment: A Call for Preachers Who Will Fight" volumes I & II.  They do discuss some history of the 18th century Black Robed Regiment, but also encourage current pastors to become involved in politics.  For that reason, referencing the books at events should be done very carefully.  From the description of the books:

QuoteVolume I of Bringing Back the Black Robed Regiment documents how these preachers courageously led their men onto the battlefield. Volume II explains the biblical convictions that motivated them to fight and shows how America will not survive without a rebirth of patriotism in the pulpit.

Other books on the subject include:
"Preachers and Patriots: The Black Robed Regiment's Role in the Revolution" by Joshua Rhoades

"Chaplains of the Revolutionary War: Black Robed American Warriors" by Jack Darrell Crowder

"Patriot Preachers of the American Revolution" by Frank Moore

"The Role of Pastors and Christians in Civil Government" by David Barton

"Pages of a Nation: Vol. 2 - Printers & Pulpits" (part of a 10 Volumes series) by Derek Hone

The website http://www.blackrobereg.org is for an organization called the "Black Robed Regiment" and does contain some history of the 18th century, but delves into current political issues and should be referenced with caution.

In Liberty,
Greg Seneff
"Bluegrass Colonel"